They heard him singing. 70 miles off the coast of Long Island and New York City, he sang …. a blue whale. This magnificent creature, nearly hunted to extinction in the mid-20th century, when nations created an accord to protect them, once swam these waters and sang.
Blue whales, at up to 108 feet in length and 190 tons in weight, are the largest animals to ever have existed on our planet. One can only imagine the excitement of the research experts of Cornell’s Bioacoustics Research Program when they heard a male singing only 70 miles offshore. Watch the video and read about this exciting discovery.
Among the most intelligent of all the animals on the planet, whales have been hunted and killed far beyond any need of subsistence; blue whales are an endangered species. Despite most of the world’s countries agreeing that these leviathans, especially those nearing extinction, need to be protected rather than killed, some nations continue the slaughter. It’s a wonder that whales come near us at all.
Yet they do. There are increasing numbers of true accounts of whales, (and dolphins as well), approaching man in every kind of friendly gesture. From choosing to swim with us to nudging our boats ever so gently and allowing us to pet them, they continue to approach us. Do they want us to know them? to save them? to save their ocean? These gentle creatures have no need of human contact, and yet they offer themselves to us – a gift.
Note: Photo is from free screensaver download from National Geographic.
The June 2009 Conference was, once again, spectacular. There was an amazing group of agents, editors, illustrators, authors, and art directors waiting to critique, guide, challenge and enlighten the 240 participants. And there was plenty of talent on the attendee side as well. Both new and familiar faces were present to submit manuscripts and illustrations, in hopes of landing that book deal or finding the perfect match in an agent or editor. And it happened or is in the works already for some of the folks who were there!
Everybody knows how relaxing it is to watch fish in an aquarium, so here’s a little something to rest your weary mind. It’s an online aquarium called 
For the last couple weeks, there has been a small guest in my mailbox. While she hasn’t cheerily announced “You’ve got mail,” her appearance has been as regular as my e-mail. Each morning when I open the door of my mailbox to put in outgoing letters or later, to retrieve the incoming, she is perched on more of less the same spot each time. At night, however, she ventures out and builds a beautiful, circular web on an unusual angle between my neighbor’s and my adjoining mailboxes.
Still A Dreamer 