A Walk in the Woods

The weather’s been delightful here in Nebraska this winter and I've been taking walks as often as I can. Though there are no mountains near, the bike trail I follow winds through a copse along a lake. I lean against one of the trees and watch the geese.

Copse - a small thicket of trees, especially poplars.

Scree - the small rocks and rubble at the base of a mountain

Cairn - a purposely laid pile of rocks to mark a hiking trail.

Grike - a gate so narrow as to allow a human to pass through but not a cow (or buffalo).

Shapes

Here is a fun brood of words which have not yet made it into any of my conversations. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

Squaliform - the shape of a shark. I cannot think of many things except dolphins which resemble sharks, which makes searching for a chance to use this word delightful!

Muriform - resembling bricks or brickwork. This word is often used to describe some kinds of cellular tissue.

Monilliform - resembling a string of pearls.

Retiform - (which I think makes an appearance in American Alligator) shaped like a net. 

Rookery

"The Rooks Have Returned" (1871)
by Alexei Savrasov

Thanks to everyone who made the launch of American Alligator a success! It was a terrific week.

Here’s a collection of words fit for dreaming away this indecisive winter:

Corvine - relating to ravens. From the Latin, Corvus, for which the constellation is named (though one scholar on my shelf thinks the constellation was a cup before the Romans got to it). Rooks, the cousins of the ravens are heralds of spring.

Nidicolous - sharing the nest of another animal. By extension, I wonder if house pets can be considered nidicolous...

Implumous - lacking feathers. 

American Alligator

American Alligator is almost here! You’ll find a synopsis here, and the first chapter FOR FREE here. Below is a collection of words from the novel.

Eclosion - a butterfly’s process of emerging from a cocoon or chrysalis. This is one of my new favorite words. It sounds delicious on the tongue and streamlines any sentence.

Janiform - appearing like Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings. Since Janus has two faces, this is an excellent way to call someone "two-faced."

Reredos - part of cathedral architecture, the often ornate and curved wall behind the lectern designed to amplify the priest's voice better than a flat wall.

Of the Sun

Happy New Year! Here are three more words which make an appearance in American Alligator.

Aprication - the act of worshiping the sun. Because it sounds like apricot, this word always reminds me of the moment before sunset, when you stare just longer than you should at the plump fruit on the horizon.

Etiolated - pale from lack of sun. This word is often used to describe plants relegated to indoors. I’ve seen dozens of etiolated pea shoots at jr. high science fairs, but I’m surprised the word hasn’t hemorrhaged into pop culture with the advent of teenage vampires.

Diaphoretic - describes something which causes one to sweat. I would consider a parka to be diaphoretic on a June day.