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The Birding Club followed the United States Postal Service motto for our walk this past month. We did not let "snow or rain or heat or gloom" deter us from exploring the trails. (See more about the snow later on in the article…) In spite of serious "June gloom," the birds, flowers, trees, and all of nature were out in their glory to provide us a vibrant morning. Among the birds we saw were Mourning Doves, a Cooper's Hawk, several California Quails, hummingbirds, Lesser Goldfinches, Spotted Towhees, their cousins the California Towhees, a few House Finches, a mallard, many noisy ravens and crows, and some Song Sparrows. Later in the day, Gerrie Karczynski spotted an unusual Lark Sparrow. We also enjoyed the beautiful trees and flowers along the Potrero Creek Arroyo. We saw many varieties of sage, including black sage, white sage, cherry sage, and Cleveland sage. We even smelled the California sagebrush, nicknamed "cowboy cologne," because of its pleasing fragrance. On Trail B, the sticky monkey flowers waved to us, the desert marigolds cheered us on, and butterflies and dragonflies kept us company. The arroyo willows and Fremont cottonwoods were absolutely dripping with white "snow." Achoo! If you would like to enjoy and learn more about the living things that share Four Seasons with us, join us for our walks on the first Saturday of the month at 8 am at the trailhead for Potrero Creek in The Lodge parking lot. For more information, contact our leader Gerrie Karczynski at gerrie201516@gmail.com. ~ Kathy Hull Our selection for July 9 is Hang the Moon by Jeanette Walls. Here is a brief description from Amazon.com: "Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the biggest man in a small town, the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born at the turn of the 20th century into a life of comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is her father's daughter, sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is his mother's son, timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out. Nine years later, she returns, determined to reclaim her place in the family. That's a lot more complicated than Sallie expected, and she enters a world of conf lict and lawlessness. Sallie confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless, bootlegger." Our meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am in the RCN, Room #3. All of our book selections are recommended by club members. Someone volunteers to lead the discussion about the book we have chosen for the month. For more information or to get on our mailing list, please contact me at michelesrosen@gmail.com. ~ Micki Rosen FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2024 41 Birding CLUB Book Club Butterfly on sage at Four Seasons, photo by Gerrie Karczynski Four Seasons Birders, photo by Ginger Wallace Lark Sparrow at Four Seasons, photo by Gerrie Karczynski

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