A random review of the last few months

* Number of books read between Jan 1 & Mar 31:  10

* Number of books for Emily's TBR Challenge:  6

* Number of books written about for TBR Challenge:  1

* Best book read so far this year:   Olive Kitteridge.   Awesome.  

* Number of posts this year:  a meager 16.

* Number of photos posted since Jan 1:  18.  This is NOT a photo blog.   Not a photo blog at all.  But I'm sure enjoying my new DSLR camera, a Canon EOS Rebel XSi. 

* Thought about renaming this blog Books, Birds and Bull. The bull is that I write about books. Below is a bird that entertained me today when I was working from home.  Let's see:  Work? Distraction?  Joy?   Yep, Joy wins. 

 * Number of shots it took me to get a good picture of this bird:  about 50.   It's a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  

* Number of holes this little guy drilled into this tree today:  6 in this photo.  I thought about telling him to stop hammering on my tree, but I think he would say that it is his from root to crown. 

* What the bird found interesting:   these tasty (presumably) little critters.

* Varieties of flowers in the woods:  at least 6, plus naturalized daffodils, crocus, hyacinths. 
   - Trout Lillies
   - Bluebells
   - Cutleaf Toothwort
   - Trillium
   - Spring Beauty
   - Violas

    The Spring Beauty is my favorite wildflower.  See the little ant crawling on the blossom? 

* Number of movies so far this year:  6.

* Kept track of number of miles walked in January (16 total).   Feb & March:  0.   I'm a lazy slug.  Am working to correct that.  So far this month, walked 4 miles. 

* Saw William Eggleston Demographic Camera exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago last month.   Liked the exhibit, was intrigued by the odd photographs of Elvis' house, not so sure what I think about the new Modern Wing. 

* I'm looking forward to returning to the Art Institute to see Matisse: Radical Invention in May.  Will also see The Taming of the Shrew at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre - a new production set in 16th century with new contemporary scenes by playwright Neil LaBute that are suppose to frame the Shakespeare work, "providing a 21st century lens" on the Bard's work. 

* It's half time in the NCAA game, with Butler behind by 1 point.  Blue is growling at those Blue devils! This city is wild.   Eavesdropping on conversations in the restaurant this evening, it was apparent that lots were heading downtown to the game.  However, the people who were wearing their tickets around their necks:  don't you think that was either a) just a bit stupid or b) a bit show-offish?  Go Dogs!