New strip pit finds

Yesterday afternoon, I got to thinking about how it was supposed to start raining (it did rain and has rained and misted off and on this day), and I thought I might just go back to the strip pit to see what I could find. I saw several of the bird in the top picture...is it a rail of some kind or is it a Wilson's snipe. I am leaning towards snipe but really do not know, so if you know please feel free to comment. And I saw this little painted turtle in this marshy area. It is the first one I have seen out there that I remember.
I also saw a couple pheasant, but no pictures. And an owl--I got pictures but they are not in focus. I saw coots, and I think a grebe...I will post pictures sometime this week. And then some other waterfowl...I don't have a good picture of it but will post it because I think it is at least good enough till someone will be able to identify it.

It did start raining last night...a gentle rain. I think it rained a little all night long and has sprinkled off and on all day. I am not sure what the next few days are supposed to bring, but hopefully the sun will return sooner than later. I am sitting here staring out the window and seeing my lilac in bloom...it smells so good. Though the smell is not as strong as normal so I am wondering am I losing part of my sense of smell.

I just got home from the library...I always come home with such a load...and I very seldom get many read these days. Used to I would bring home whole slew of books, and if they were good, they would be read. Before I went, I went to their website and made my list from there...at least for actual books. For audio, I just go and browse the shelves. And I brought home a couple Inspector Morse videos and a couple Inspector Lynly dvds.

I always wonder how everyone else goes about making their selections....I used to go and just browse and I admit I found some really good books that way. Now I usually pick a subject, and look it up under their key word feature. Today, I used the word 'dust bowl' but they did not have many...so then I switched to 'farm.' Today I seemed to come home with more fiction that not.

For a long while, I seemed to find most of my books in the non-fiction shelves, but my tastes/attention span are changing...and I very seldom get a book that I just can't wait to have a few minutes to read. I miss that feeling of anticipation of knowing I have a good book waiting for me. And I seem to be returning more to fiction, as I did when younger.

Then there are words...if a title has certain words in it and I see it, I will just automatically pick it up. A title with any of the four seasons mentioned will get my attention, as well as any month; if river is in the title, you can bet your life I will pick it up. Or rain...or Tennessee or Kentucky...harvest is another one that is apt to draw my attention. I know there are more words but can't think right now.

So, how do you choose your reading material and have you always liked to read? I know as soon as I learned to read, my mom had to make me turn out the lights most nights. I cannot imagine having a library to go to like I do now. It is one of the greatest pleasures of life.