My lyrical picture book, The Edgecomb Jar, was a finalist in this year's Picture Book Party and resulted in my signing with my agent, Helen Masvikeni, of Megibow Literary.

Published in Dirigible Balloon, the poetry magazine for children.

My short story Racing Rules took second prize in the Owl Canyon Press competition.

I am working on a new set of stories that are based on my summers at sea. Stories based on my fishing, canoeing, crabbing, and sailing adventures. One thing I have not tried yet is writing about provisioning boats. After today, I may have a new idea.

It's a truism that boats are either under repair or in need of it. As I sail from port to port, however, there is another piece of the sailing puzzle that gets little attention: getting food. My lockers are full of canned things: tuna, chicken,...

Today I learned that the miter lock - the V-shaped pair of gates that control water levels in a marine environment – was invented in the 1490s by Leonardo da Vinci.

I've seen working locks many times, from the mighty Soo Locks with their capacity to move 1000- foot freighters from lake to lake via immense 250-ton gates, all the way down to tiny DIY wooden portcullis canal locks in the countryside.

I visited the Ballard Locks by land, and chatted with the operators, passing yachters, and a...

...And the adults are misbehaving.

Just like the green-necked pigeons, they wander around the platform. Their necks are ringed, albeit with scarves and not irridescent feathers.

They snack on junk food. Peck (at devices). Bump into each other, then look up, surprised. They look remarkably like the birds.

The train is late. The children are fine. They talk to stuffed animals or balance on one foot. A few chase the pigeons, delighted with cause-and-effect. I stamp: they fly.

I squat to gain a...