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For those of you wondering why this blog is called “Ravens and Pears,” here is the explanation:

There are really two reasons why this blog is called “Ravens and Pears.” The first reason is that I write children’s fiction as well as mysteries, and one of my finished (but unpublished) stories is about a boy and his raven (and a Great Flood). Another story, still in revision, is set in a kingdom where a Fairy’s Curse has blighted all the pears for which the kingdom used to be famous.

The second reason, which may be the reason why I have ravens and pears in my stories to begin with, is that both are interesting of their kind.

 I don’t know any ravens personally, but I have read about them and watched videos. Ravens (and crows and other corvids) are very intelligent birds. And like many intelligent animals, they are prone to causing trouble. They are also interesting because they can mimic speech and other sounds, though I think this mainly happens in ravens that live with people. Perhaps for these reasons, ravens appear in myths and folk tales.

Pears look a bit like apples, but–in my kitchen, at least–are much more temperamental. Apples are usually ready to eat when I buy them, and still ready to eat after sitting in the fridge for a few weeks. Pears, on the other hand, are rarely ripe when I buy them, and after checking them every day to see if they are ready, I sometimes find I have missed the magic moment and they are already going rotten. But when I eat a perfectly ripe pear, it is heavenly–and I can’t say the same for an apple.

I started this blog to post about things that I find interesting–unusual craft techniques, books that make me think, new ideas for dealing with everyday life, and even some recipes. I’ve also posted about things that make me cranky, and other things that make me happy. I’m hoping to make good use of this new format and have better photos in future posts.

Thank you for reading.