So now you know a little bit about me. And as I sit here listening to David Sanborn, here's a little more - probably more than you care to. But hey, that's what a blog is for, isn't it?

I discovered my muse around the time I was 50. All of a sudden, I was doing things I'd never thought I would, including getting serious enough about my writing. A couple of things were added into the anthology "Least Loved Beasts of the Really Wild West - a Tribute" published by Native West Press. Then William Bernhart of HAWK Publishing Group called and asked for the (GASP!) entire manuscript of what would become "Waltz on the Wild Side - An Animal Lover's Journal" (now sadly out of print, but you can usually find one through Amazon). I was stunned. In my right hand was the phone. In my left, a wooden spoon I was using to stir spaghetti sauce. At the end of the conversation, I looked at the dangling spoon. The dogs had eaten the end of it completely. I was left with the handle! I didn't even know what they had done!

Since then there have been many articles in many publications, newsletters, newspapers and literary and poetry journals. My first love is nature writing. I want to stir you; to make you laugh, make you cry - make you feel for those things you rarely notice. I want you to read my stories, and be inspired.

Is that being an egotist? I hope not. I know when I do a reading, from the sniffling I usually hear that makes me stop and look up, I know I can touch you with my words.

I also fancy myself as a photographer, and I make Powerpoint presentations. In November I gave a slide show presentation to the Audubon Soc. chapter regarding Bidens alba, a roadside plant that is ruthlessly mowed by our county and the state. It blooms daisy-like along the roadsides in summer and fall leading the butterflies south in their migration. A much cursed weed! But the members who attended were unaware of the life it supports, and the little talk was well received. We are going to try to stop the mowing until the seeds are ripe. And one of the members who heard me speak had the local chapter of the Native Plant Society call. I give the presentation tomorrow.

You can find my photography in two places, and scattered around the web. Just search the name - May (Lenzer) Lattanzio. I'm all over the place with bugs of all things! www.jpgmag/people/maziel and www.thelensflare.com/u_may.php
I also blog at the new child of The Burryman Center, www.inked-in.com
You may want to join the folks at inked-in. If you are creative in any way and want to network, it is a place for like minds. And we can all use some help.

The internet is a vast place, and sometimes you find some special places to visit and make friends. I admit to being a Youtube junkie. There are two young musicians I particularly enjoy - Keituji from Japan who plays beautiful classical guitar http://www.youtube.com/user/keituji, and Marcelo, from Brazil and now living in Washington state, plays wonderful bossa novas from his country, in the state of Washington. You can find him here: http://www.youtube.com/user/marcelo075

Maria Linneman is also a composer and very forthcoming with her appreciation of her "fans". She writes musical scores as well.

You can view Randy Emmitt's and Dwain Shaw's breathtaking photography or, on the other end of the spectrum, visit the Mike, the Kid from Brooklyn, for opinions that are right on the money, but never quiet or "polite".

My new friend, Carolyn Howard-Johnson http://www.redenginepress.com/carolyn_howard-johnson1.htm,
is a prolific writer, backing her Frugal Writer series up with experience and knowledge. She's an educator, a novelist, a poet, a lecturer, an Amazon reviewer (take a look at Amazon Shorts, downloadable short articles and stories for $.49 - she's already there and I will be shortly) and because we haven't met (yet), I envision her as a swirl of yellow; a tornado. This lady is BUSY! And I met her through a link to her poetry! The point of all this is that the internet is an adventure, a path to networking, to finding kindred spirits. There is biblical historian and writer D. DeLondon, author of "A Man Called D'aoud" who is a riveting writer and equally good photographer. I don't have to meet David, Carolyn, Kei or Marcelo, recent friends, or old ones like Randy, whom I met over butterflies. There is something that connects us. Whether it is respect for talents, a mutual feeling of being on the same wavelength or strung along a common thread. Hell. We'd be great at a party!

Oh - I forgot something. Here I am two weeks ago at my 46th class reunion. The Port Richmond High School Class of 1961! What a hoot!
It was held at John Scalia's (classmate) Old Bermuda Inn, Staten Island, New York and Deja Vu, a local rock 'n' roll band played music from the '50s and '60s. It was one of the best nights of my life, and nothing could have been improved. Thanks, John!