Cool Bug

I found this cool bug in the garden (well, cool except that it was eating a bee--poor bee).

Look at those beautiful colors!  

Odder, by Katherine Applegate

I enjoyed this (despite it being written in verse).  It was sad and sweet and cute.  I loved Odder.  It was also educational in a bet-you-didn't-realize-you-were-learning sort of way. 

I did find the timeline a little confusing (but I read it over a couple of weeks, so that was probably my fault).  Some of the otter thoughts and language seemed a little too human. It's a tough line to walk, and Applegate mostly did it well.

If you liked this, I absolutely recommend Applegate's The One and Only Ivan, which I thought was heartbreaking and beautiful.  I haven't seen the movie based on it, but I've seen previews, and I advise you not to judge a book by its movie. 

PS  And the cover is adorable. 

Aspen in Flagstaff

 Photo taken October 15, 2023 on the Aspen Loop at Snowbowl, just out of Flagstaff, Arizona:

I don't really think I need to say anything else.  😊

Except...keep track of the colors on Flagstaff's LEAFometer, try to go on a weekday, be prepared for crowds, and try to take another more isolated hike while you're here.