Tools of Language and Expression - 2

This week's two tools are simile and metaphor. They are a super way to compare items in literature. The first, simile, makes the comparison by using the adverbs "like" or "as." For instance, "That wide receiver can jump like a gazelle." Or "Andy's knee swelled up until it was as big as a watermelon." 

A metaphor makes the comparison without the use of those words. Instead, a writer compares the items through the use of implication. In other words, he/she uses one object as another. As an example, we can indicate that a child often repeats the actions of his/her parents by saying, The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree. An old metaphor that comes to mind is the one that describes a person who ridicules someone else's physical fault when, in fact, the person speaking suffers the same physical anomaly. As an example: 

In Greta's opinion, Wendi was an obese slob, but Greta was at least 50 pounds overweight herself. So when she said, "Wendi should take some advice from the diet ads on TV and lose that extra flab," I thought, Well, if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black! That's a really good metaphor because it compares the two overweight girls to two cooking utensils that both hang over the open coals and are covered with black soot. But the pot remarks that the kettle is black, as if the pot refuses to recognize its own soot-covered blackness. 

In the current book you're reading, or in the next one you pick up, see if you can identify the similes and metaphors used by the author. Then try to come up with a couple of similes and metaphors on your own. For some reason, people have a tendency to confuse similes and metaphors. I have my own way of helping me remember which is which. If a sentence says one thing is the same as (or if I can substitute the word "like" for "same as") I know it's a simile. If one object is used to mean another, I know it's a metaphor.

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Protective Measures"

Welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where an eclectic team of creative geniuses share their fantastical imaginations. 

On Mondays we are featuring an excerpt from one of our creative authors. And what makes this feature so fun is that we publish a wide range of genres. You'll never know what to expect for the excerpt.

To read all of our excerpts thus far, we invite you to visit our blog archives and look for our first Excerpt Extravaganza! that began on August 1, 2016.

Enjoy!

All previous excerpts are available in our archives. We began this series on August 1, 2016.

Today's excerpt is from author Jessica Arman's Protective Measures. Jessica is an accomplished writing enthusiast from the Advanced Journey to Publication Writing Program Curriculum.

The bell sounded to mark the beginning of afternoon sector work. The morning was all classes, and after lunch everyone had to go to work in the jobs they chose. Taryn, Laiken, and Ryker were all in building, which is where they had met.

“I guess I’ll see you guys when I’m done with Garn and her boys,” Taryn said as they split up at the doors. She watched them leave, pushing each other and laughing. She loved seeing them together, just like brothers. When the boys rounded the corner, she made her way back to the classroom.

Before she even reached the classroom she knew something was wrong. The hallway was too empty and too quiet. She walked into the room to find most of the teachers present, and at the very back stood the master, Alloy. He was short and heavyset. His black suit fit like a second skin. He had bleached blond, slicked-back hair, and his face was always tight and emotionless. Taryn knew this could not end well. She put on her best “I don’t care” face and stood in front of the assembly.

“Do you know why you’re here, Ms. Bicks?” Alloy asked.

“I left class without being dismissed. Since when is that something you get involved in?”

“That is one reason you are here, but there are many more. I have been keeping my eye on you and have found that you are a leader for some of these students—too much of a leader. They seem to think that when you are around they can get away with more. Not to mention your constant misbehavior anyway. We are going to put a stop to that.” 

Alloy said. He grabbed the intercom mic and made the announcement, “All students must now report to the auditorium. Please sit in your rank order, with the highest in the front.” He clicked off the intercom and faced Taryn again.

“Now, Taryn if you would follow me to the auditorium, we can get this over with and put you back in your place.” Alloy's face sported a devilish grin.

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If you would like to discover more about this author and/or download her novella for FREE visit Jessica Arman's author page at JLB Creatives Publishing online. 

Tools of Language and Expression - 1

We're going to spend the month of October discussing the devices writers use to express ideas, develop characters, introduce conflicts, entertain the reader, etc. We refer to these devices as tools of language and expression. You will need to learn to recognize them in others' writing as well as be able to use some of them in your own writing. Some of the tools are so common that you may not even realize you're already using them. We'll start with some of the most familiar ones. 

American English is a tool of literature and expression. Those of you who live in North America are probably using American English. This is the language that developed from British English (used in the British Isles), especially in terms of diction, spelling, and differences in the use of grammar. No matter where you live, you are undoubtedly using collocation--the natural tendency to put certain words together. For instance, it sounds strange to a person who speaks American English to hear someone say, "A high gentleman is scaling the tall mountain," instead of, "A tall gentleman is scaling the high mountain." Diction is the art of choosing a particular word from a variety of words so you can create a specific effect. Word choice determines the reader's reaction and contributes to the author's style and tone. But don't confuse diction with dialect, which is the type of speech of a particular group or class of people. It usually distinguishes people who are geographically or socially recognized. Dialect often employs the use of words that create a special effect. For instance, a character who resides in the west may, upon meeting a woman, say, "Howdy, ma'am." But an eastern character would probably say, "Hello, madam."  

See.....we've already covered five tools in just one paragraph, and you have probably used them in your writing without even thinking about the fact that they're tools of language and expression. Along the same lines, you are most likely using idioms--expressions in one language that cannot be directly translated word-for-word into another language--without realizing it. For instance, if you say, "She was green with envy," someone who speaks another language would not understand, in his/her own language, the inference it makes to those of us who speak American English. 

What about onomatopoeia? Gulp, murmur, and splash are examples of this tool; they are words that mimic the sound they represent. And how about a great oxymoron, a contradiction in terms that actually makes sense in an odd sort of way. For example: jumbo shrimp, Little Big Man, military intelligence (my favorite), or the ones in the cartoon below: 

Do you think you would enjoy reading nearly so much if writers ignored the use of tools of language and expression?

From the Nose of Our Kayak: Chapter 19 "The Vast and Shallow"

Janet & Don Beasley

Hello and welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where you'll find an array of creative features from a hand-picked group of creative geniuses. 

Wednesdays on the JLB Creatives Blog are set aside for our blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley, and her husband, Don, have been kayaking for nearly 10 years. Together they are excited to share with you, their awesome experiences that they have encountered. In this Wednesday feature you'll find kayaking stories, scenic nature photography from their outings, and some helpful tips when it comes to maneuvering your "butt sleds" (aka kayaks) on your journeys.

So if this is a topic that interests you, you'll want to be sure and become a follower of the JLB Creatives Blog, and stop in on Wednesdays each week for the latest chapter in Don & Janet Beasley's adventure blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." 

Previous chapters can be found in our blog archives.

We began the series on June 1, 2016.

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From the Nose of Our Kayak

Don & Janet Beasley

Chapter 19: "The Vast and Shallow"

Don prepares for an outing

Our next adventure took place in an area of Michigan's UP known as The Shallows. The Shallows are near Naomikong River. It made for a wonderful day of hiking alongside and kayaking in the grand Lake Superior. The Shallows' shoreline actually graces the rim of Whitefish Bay which is part of Lake Superior.

We awoke to the smell of coffee brewing and bacon frying. After breakfast we were eager to get busy so we loaded up the #WildernessSystems T140 and the Sealoution and headed around the bay to our beach of choice...The Shallows. 

We parked the kayaks and began our hike into the Naomikong forest. We soon found the area to be as beautiful as any "water and woods" area of the UP. We strolled along wild blueberry bushes, and found some interesting shaped trees. For me (Janet) it was a good thing we didn't see any bears...I'm not real fond of those fury man-eaters! But we did see some birds and butterflies. 

View from trail

The shoreline peeked through the trees at points along the hike, and Lake Superior, once again, did not disappoint. The scenery uplifted your inner soul and the smell of the north woods played its part as calming aroma therapy. 

We hiked to the Naomikong Bridge. What a cool piece of woodwork tucked away in the soft pines. It allows you to walk over the Naomikong River plus catch a glimpse of the grandest of the Great Lakes. 

When we returned to The Shallows we readied the kayaks. It didn't take long to get out onto the calm, shallow water. The water remained still for the day (a rarity on any water off of Lake Superior), and the view divine!

Criss-crossing waves

At times waves come from different directions. It could be caused by wind change and the original direction of the waves has not dissolved, or it could be, in the case of The Shallow, rollers from the lake freighters that finally make it to shore crisscross with the direction of the breeze. In any form, as long as they are small (and not dangerous), crisscrossing waves can be a real treat to watch. 

The Shallows is just that, shallow. We had some fun watching our friends "walk on water." Kayaking in the shallow, and thankfully clear, water became tricky at times as large boulders were barely beneath the water's top. Keeping an eye on the "buried treasures" became a routine task, but not a hassle. 

Gull on a boulder in The Shallows

If you love to Geo Cache there's at least one really cool find in the The Shallows/Naomikong area.


It was a wonderful day spent on the trails and on the water. We are counting the days until we can return to the area and enjoy nature at its best once again. 

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Kayak Tip of the Week: If you're kayaking in shallow, open water be sure to remain alert to your surroundings, any unstable weather that may be fast approaching, and remain at a safe distance from the shoreline in case you need to make a fast exit. 

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More photos from our day's adventure at The Shallows...

On the trail

Janet in an oddly shaped tree

Approaching the Naomikong Bridge

On the Naomikong Bridge 

Naomikong Bridge

View from Naomikong Bridge

On the trail

The forest by Lake Superior

Don ready to "shove off"

Don paddling in The Shallows

Our beach spot for the day

Our Wilderness T140 tandem kayak on the shoreline of
The Shallows

Our beach spot from the water 

Friends preparing with Don to kayak 

The Shallows sandbar  

Gulls on the sandbar

Lake Superior driftwood

Gull in the early evening's sun at The Shallows

Gull in flight at The Shallows 

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "A Life Renewed"

Welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where an eclectic team of creative geniuses share their fantastical imaginations. 

On Mondays we are featuring an excerpt from one of our creative authors. And what makes this feature so fun is that we publish a wide range of genres. You'll never know what to expect for the excerpt.

To read all of our excerpts thus far, we invite you to visit our blog archives and look for our first Excerpt Extravaganza! that began on August 1, 2016.

Enjoy!

All previous excerpts are available in our archives. We began this series on August 1, 2016.

Today's excerpt is from 5 star author Lisa Andrew's A Life Renewed, a child's true to life story of being a cancer survivor.

One of the biggest shocks of that first week was the bone marrow test, which I had to get on the first day that I was in the hospital. I didn’t know much about the procedure, but my mom warned me that it was probably going to be really painful. The nurse took me into a small treatment room and told me to lie on my side on the examination table. My mom was standing next to me saying, “Everything is going to be okay. Just relax. It will only hurt for a few seconds.” 

Suddenly, I began to feel very heavy and all of my nerves seemed to disappear. The nurse said, “I’m just putting a little morphine into your IV to relax you.” The morphine made me feel very distant to what was happening. However, I was still very aware of what was going on! 

The doctor came in and started rubbing some alcohol and Betadine on my lower back. Then he started pushing his thumb into my bone. “You are going to feel a little pressure. I am just trying to find your hip bone.” The doctor was really pushing his thumb into me pretty hard. Finally he found his desired spot, and then he said, “Now you are going to feel some stinging. I am going to start numbing the area.” 

The stinging went really deep. “Ow! Mom, it hurts!” Tears started rolling down my cheeks as she tried to comfort me. 

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To discover more about our author Lisa Andrews or purchase her book we invite you to visit her author page on the JLB Creatives website by clicking here.

Author Bio (Long) and CV

Last week we discussed writing a short bio; this week we will talk about writing a long bio and creating a CV. 

What's the need for more than one bio? Some places that might require a long descriptive author bio are: 1) your “About” page on your author website or blog, 2) an invitation from someone to do a guest post on a blog, 3) your local paper wants to give you some press coverage, 4) select venues and organizations considering you for a speaking engagement at their establishment, convention, or conference, 5 ) book signings (long descriptive bios make great detailed hand-outs to connect with fans).

How long should my author bio be? Bio lengths vary according to need. Short bios hover around 100-150 words, while a long descriptive bio has the liberty of taking up an entire page using a 12 font size (standard for the industry). You don’t want to write a novel, but you do have the liberty of taking up one full page. 

What is a CV? A CV (abbreviation for Curriculum Vitae) is a detailed, visually stunning account of a person’s experience, skills, and background. It includes photos, pictures, and a creative layout. Styles vary from formal to contemporary and from whimsical to humorous. The sky’s the limit on the creativity one can use to put together a vitae. 

Here are a couple of examples of CVs, the first one being a classic CV, and the second being one that is specific to the type of job he is applying for, in this case, a job at a theme park:

CV #1 (Classic)

NAME... 

is the founder of NAME Innovation LLC, a positioning and branding firm that helps consultants and other thought leaders increase their fees by up to 2,000%.

His clients include:

• a former department head in the White House
• a speaker to the United Nations
• CEOs of major organizations
• a former head of the Strategy Unit of the Harvard Business School
• performers on network TV and from the New York and Las Vegas stages
• New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling authors
• TED and TEDx speakers

Before devoting his work fulltime to NAME Innovation, NAME served as Chief Marketing Officer at an Inc. 5,000 experiential branding organization whose clients include XXXX XX XXXXXXX, XXX, XXXXXXX, XXXX XXXXXX, XXXX and XXXXXXXX & XXXXX Universities.

NAME has written for the New York Times, and has written or co-created five books. His last book, “XXXXX XX  XXXX XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXX XXXXXXXX” has been published in ten languages.

NAME has also taught research writing at XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX University.

In addition to being a positioning consultant, NAME creates magic tricks and shows. His work has been performed in XXXXX Hall and Las Vegas, and on all the major TV networks. He also co-created the show, “XXXXXX XX XXXXX,” which has played for 16 years, and is the longest-running one-person show in XXXXXXXXXX City.

CV #2 (Job Specific)

Should a bio/vitae be written in first person? There is no right or wrong answer to this question--either first person (using “I”) or third person (using “he” or “she”) is acceptable--the choice is yours. If you write your bio/vitae in first person it may appear that you are gloating or bragging; however, some people prefer to read the first person bios, as they perceive it as a portrayal of self-confidence and possibly a hint of self-stability, or even a strong feeling of achievement. If you write your bio/vitae in third person it will present an objective viewpoint for your fans. They may be the fans that like to read what others have said about you, possibly giving you more credibility in their eyes. Using third person does not mean you need to have someone write your bio for you. You can write your own bio using third person, and most won’t even know you did the writing.

What font style and font size should I use? For your written bio use a standard font, such as Times New Roman, size 12 (considered the industry standard. FYI: Times New Roman is the most widely accepted font around the globe.) For your vitae, be creative! But be careful not to use fonts and sizes that make things difficult to read. There are some awesome fonts out there, though when used in smaller sizes, on websites, blogs, or presentations they are not the easiest ones to read. 

What should come first in my bio? Just like the “hook” line in the first chapter of your book, you’ll want an opening line that not only grabs attention but also holds it. You’ll want to include your biggest accomplishment(s), a hint of experience, and possibly a skill, all in one power-packed sentence. For example: #1 best-selling, award-winning author Joe Brown’s unmatched style of fantasy writing paid off when he was accepted into the Author Hall of Fame ten years ago.

How do I close the bio? Leave your fans on a personal note, as it adds “oomph” to the connection fans may be building with you. They may admire your accomplishments, but if they have something in common with you, the “bond” can become even stronger, creating more dedicated fans. For example: When Tylisha is not writing she enjoys hiking, kayaking, photographing nature, and baking cupcakes. 

From the Nose of Our Kayak: Chapter 18 "Wide Open Spaces...and a Little Stinker!"

Janet & Don Beasley

Hello and welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where you'll find an array of creative features from a hand-picked group of creative geniuses. 

Wednesdays on the JLB Creatives Blog are set aside for our blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley, and her husband, Don, have been kayaking for nearly 10 years. Together they are excited to share with you, their awesome experiences that they have encountered. In this Wednesday feature you'll find kayaking stories, scenic nature photography from their outings, and some helpful tips when it comes to maneuvering your "butt sleds" (aka kayaks) on your journeys.

So if this is a topic that interests you, you'll want to be sure and become a follower of the JLB Creatives Blog, and stop in on Wednesdays each week for the latest chapter in Don & Janet Beasley's adventure blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." 

Previous chapters can be found in our blog archives. We began the series on June 1, 2016.

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Don prepares for the day

From the Nose of Our Kayak

Don & Janet Beasley

Chapter 18: "Wide Open Spaces...and a Little Stinker!"

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While in Michigan we decided to try a new outing...Munuscong River. So we loaded up the new #WildernessSystems tandem kayak and headed out for the day.

Map of Munuscong Area

Munuscong juts off to the west from Munuscong Lake, a flat prairie-style body of water with an amazing view. The St. Mary's River, southwest of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, splits around Neebish Island and empties into Munuscong Lake northeast of Munuscong River.

The Objibway
heading south (down bound) into the rock cut

The lake freighters that are traveling up river take the channel of the St. Mary's River that lies to the east of Neebish Island, and those traveling down river use the west side of the island, which locals refer to as "the rock cut," a very narrow man-made pass between the mainland of Michigan's U.P. and Neebish Island.

Neebish Island is only accessible by ferry if you're driving a vehicle. The ferry has a schedule and is closed for the winter as of mid January and reopens April 1.

Neebish Island Ferry
Objibway heading on down river

We found the launch site on the Munuscong River and readied ourselves for the new adventure. 

As we paddled the river we spotted some beautiful wildlife including a blue heron and a king fisher. 

When we reached the open water of the lake we stopped paddling and to take in the the beautiful sight of Munuscong Lake.

Munuscong Lake
from the mouth of the Munuscong River

It made for a very different style paddle than we were used to, but impressive nonetheless. When we returned from our outing we loaded up the kayak and headed "out of the wilderness," back to the main road...but not without stopping for one more surprise. 

As we rounded the bend of the gravel road we saw something wiggling and "playing" in the middle of the road. We cautiously approached the critter only to find it was A SKUNK! YIKES!!! STOP THE TRUCK and wait for that little stinker to remove himself from the road and back into the woods.

Le skunk! Le Pu!

Finally he decided he'd had enough of whatever it was that was so interesting in the middle of the road and scurried off into the brush. As we passed over his play area we found ourselves gagging from the stink as if rolled into the truck through the vents! 

We laughed for quite a few miles, each time inhaling the stench and coughing over and over again. In about 15 miles the truck had finally aired out and it was homeward bound. We showered off then dashed off to enjoy a campfire with friends and family. We don't know if we ended up being two little stinkers ourselves, either we weren't, or everyone was just nice enough to let it go. 

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Kayak Tip of the Week: Currents can be tricky to maneuver when going from a river mouth into an open body of water. Always stay alert to assure a safe exit and/or re-entry into a river or lake that are connected. 

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A few of the nature shots we captured on our Munuscong outing...enjoy!

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Wesley Out West"

Welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where an eclectic team of creative geniuses share their fantastical imaginations. 

On Mondays we are featuring an excerpt from one of our creative authors. And what makes this feature so fun is that we publish a wide range of genres. You'll never know what to expect for the excerpt.

To read all of our excerpts thus far, we invite you to visit our blog archives and look for our first Excerpt Extravaganza! that began on August 1, 2016.

Enjoy!

All previous excerpts are available in our archives. We began this series on August 1, 2016.

Today's excerpt is from 5 star Rhonda Walker's children's book Wesley Out West. Not only is it an entertaining story, it's a wonderful educational tool for children, and the illustrations are nothing shy of amazing!

“Hello, Wesley,” said Octopus, holding out two of his arms.  “I heard you say you never get to do anything exciting.  
I am from Big West, and we need someone to save our town.  
Old Walter the Whale has taken over.  We need a brave sheriff. 

Will you help us?”


To discover more about our author Rhonda Walker, watch Wesley's book trailer, or purchase you copies of Wesley Out West we invite you to visit Rhonda's author page by clicking here

THIS JUST IN!

BeaslePunk has updated their Maker Faire Orlando page to include their scheduled Presentation Times. 

Visit http://www.makerfaireorlando.com/exhibit/2016/beaslepunk/ to see the new schedule, and get an idea of just how much this artful division of JLB Creatives has to offer. We want to see YOU there! 

Watch the BeaslePunk Video via YouTube

Author Bio (Short)

What is an author bio? An author bio (biography) is a valuable tool that an author creates to entice buyers to read his/her story. It can make or break an author’s reputation, sales, and acceptance within the literary community. A well developed, creative bio leads to more fans which, in turn, leads to more sales and acceptance. 

How long should my author bio be?  For a short bio you should try to keep it under 150 words.

What is in a short author bio? 

• a brief description of your writing (genre, detail of your title ratings—G, PG-13, R, etc.—what inspires you, who is your target audience, etc.)

• positive things about you (e.g., outgoing, great smile, additional talents, etc.) 

• fun facts about you other than those associated with writing (e.g., favorite food, favorite vacation place, where you grew up, etc.) 

I hate pictures that are taken of me. Do I have to have a head shot along with my bio?  Head shots and author bios go hand-in-hand. If you plan to succeed as an author, you will want to have a head shot to accompany your bio. Always use a true picture of you. Using your book cover, a flower, a cat, or something else that is not you is a BIG NO-NO. It is important for your fans to know you for who you are. Don’t keep changing your photo every time you’re asked to send one. Instead, be sure to use the same head shot each time you present your bio; this allows you to become “branded,” and people will get to know you by your photo first (though you will want to keep it current by updating it every 10 years or so).     

What other changes should be made in an author bio?  As time goes by, authors often branch out into different genres or interesting personal life changes (e.g., a new pet, moving to a new city, becoming a grandma, etc.). These are great attention-getters. Becoming a well known speaker in the literary world is another fine example of what can change in your bio. 

How many author bios should an author have?  An author should have both a short and a long bio that are ever-changing. (Long descriptive bios and vitaes will be covered in next week's blog.) 

From the Nose of Our Kayak: Chapter 17 "Goosed in a Kayak!"

Janet & Don Beasley

Hello and welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where you'll find an array of creative features from a hand-picked group of creative geniuses. 

Wednesdays on the JLB Creatives Blog are set aside for our blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley, and her husband, Don, have been kayaking for nearly 10 years. Together they are excited to share with you, their awesome experiences that they have encountered. In this Wednesday feature you'll find kayaking stories, scenic nature photography from their outings, and some helpful tips when it comes to maneuvering your "butt sleds" (aka kayaks) on your journeys.

So if this is a topic that interests you, you'll want to be sure and become a follower of the JLB Creatives Blog, and stop in on Wednesdays each week for the latest chapter in Don & Janet Beasley's adventure blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." 

Previous chapters can be found in our blog archives. We began the series on June 1, 2016.

----------------------

From the Nose of Our Kayak

Don & Janet Beasley

Chapter 17: "Goosed in a Kayak!"

Ready to launch onto Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

You know those rare, awesome moments when you happen to be in the right place at the right time to experience nature at its best? That's what this chapter is all about. While vacationing in Michigan's U.P. we "set sail" on Waiskai Bay in Brimley, Michigan one evening and found ourselves in the midst of an evening roost! Only this wasn't a roost we paddled into but rather a roost that flew into us!

Let's start with some educational goodies first. Waiskai Bay is a small back bay that is nestled off of Lake Superior. It reaches from Bay Mills Point to the Waiskai River. Canada is in plain sight from the southern half of Waiskai Bay, and the ginormous lake freighters sail the channel between Canada and Bay Mills either heading toward the open water of Lake Superior, or toward the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, that lead to the St. Mary's River and on into Lake Huron.

The name of "Waiskai" has been spelled differently throughout the years. You'll find Waiskai, Waiska, and currently it appears on road signs, designating the river, as Waishkey River. No matter how it's spelled the pronunciations are about the same, way-shkee, or wish-kee for the most part. 

Waiskai Bay is home to much wildlife including bear, fox, raccoon, and several bird species. From gulls to bald eagles, and from great blue herons to Canada (not Canadian) geese birds are the wildlife most commonly seen on and around the water. 

We're going to focus on the Canada Geese for this chapter.

Canada Geese Using the Water Top as Their Runway
photo by Janet Beasley

Canada geese are among some of the best known birds in North America. These particular type geese are marvelous creatures to observe both in-flight and on the ground. When they fly in flocks, such as during migration times, they will travel across the sky in the well-known "V" formation, and if the winds are cooperating they can cover up to 1500 miles in 24 hours. Their markings are stunning, and their honking sounds are just this side of haunting. They prefer to feed on grains, berries, and/or grasses, and are able to adapt to a wide range of habitats.  

Don on Waiskai Bay at Sunset
photo by Janet Beasley

It was in August of 2011 that we headed down to the water's edge of Waiskai Bay. For the first part of the day our friends joined us for a sunny afternoon paddle. We enjoyed seeing the bald eagles and a couple of passing freighters just off Bay Mills point. 

That evening Don and I took turns kayaking out to view the gorgeous sunset. Don took his turn and paddled out about 100 yards off shore. I grabbed the camera to begin photographing his silhouette in the evening's pinks and velvety blacks...

...I quickly changed to video when I heard the haunting sounds of the Canada geese, but had no idea what they were up to until...

It was a cool opportunity to be able to capture, on video, the sight and sounds of the geese coming in for a landing on the water. We are looking very forward to the day we can return to the north woods of Michigan's U.P. and kayak Waiskai Bay once again...this time with hopes of seeing a moose!

We've compiled a few more photos below for you to enjoy.

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Kayak Tip of the Week: Be camera ready while kayaking. When you hear the sounds of non-threatening wildlife in the distance, remain still and you may just catch a rare glimpse of something absolutely stunning to photograph! But if you aren't sure if the sound is threatening treat it as though it probably is. Be cautious and know basic wildlife rules of how to remove yourself from danger should it arise. No photograph is worth your life.

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More photos from that day for you to enjoy. 

 

Kayaking with Friends on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

A Friend Kayaking Waiskai Bay with Bay Mills Point, Freighters, and Canada in the Background
photo by Janet Beasley

Janet Returning from Her Afternoon Jaunt on Waiskai Bay
photo by a friend

Bald Eagle Spotted Over Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Great Blue Heron on Pilings in Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Canada Goose on Waiskai Bay in the Evening's Sunset
photo by Janet Beasley

Don Preparing to Kayak Off Into the Sunset on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Don Sets Out into the Pink Sunset on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Don Paddling Into the Sunset on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Don on Waiskai Bay with Canada Geese in Background
photo by Janet Beasley