Dance in the Rain

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well, I think I'll braid my hair today."

So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-m-m, I think I'll part my hair down the middle today."

So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well, today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."

So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEAH! I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass . . .
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Hints to remember over the weekend:

• You're not an island and entirety of yourself. You're just one piece of the universe. One piece of the entire body. Work together, play together, dream, laugh, and pray together.
  
• Your conduct can have lasting effects on others. Take stock.
• Together, a couple, a group, an army are unbreakable.
  

Here's a paraphrased quote I enjoy:
Writers who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Their stories will soar on wings like eagles; they will write and not grow weary, and in God's perfect time they will publish and not be turned away.


Blessings.

And Today We Have With Us . . .


Hickory, the pet mouse from "Catch Me If You Can." He's agreed to be interviewed and has some interesting observations.

Caroline: Thanks for sharing with us today, Hickory.


Hickory: No problem. Glad I can enlighten a few minds about the world of mice.

Caroline: What do you mean?

Hickory (a minute cough behind paws): For instance, people think of us as nuisances. That's not entirely true.

Caroline: Really? I've always thought of them as . . . well, pests.

Hickory: That's because you're uneducated on that subject.

Caroline: You're being a little blunt here. Tell us something about mice that will change our minds.

Hickory: Ahem. Mice are smart. No, don't laugh. We really are. We enjoy good music. That's why many times we hang around pianos. Love those keys! And not to brag, but we're clean, interesting and fun to have around. At the least, you'll get some attention from others if you're really devoted to us!

Caroline: Really?

Hickory: Did you know I could have been groomed for exhibition, but decided living the life as a partner to a detective would be more exciting.

Caroline: Wow. That sounds fascinating.

Hickory: And my curiosity makes me an excellent choice as a pet for a detective. I do have pretty keen senses. We can sense things humans can't.

Caroline: Okay. You've sort of got me convinced. Now tell me what your role is in CMIYC.

Hickory: I'm a pet.

Caroline (scowling): Funny.

Hickory (laughing): Just kidding. Tara's brother gave me to her as a joke, but she ended up loving me. I go with her everywhere because I'm small, content to be quiet when I have to be, and smart enough to give her a few hints in her career.

Caroline: What is her career?

Hickory: She's a teacher turned detective.

Caroline (with eyebrow lifted): Why did she choose that career?

Hickory: Because of her older brother's murder. Tara's been struggling a lot with bitterness over it. But she did feel like God was leading her to begin this new career.

Caroline: I heard that you were kidnapped in CMIYC. Are those rumors true?

Hickory (nodding): Yes, they are. The villain stole me in my cage because he thought it would send Tara straight to his arms.

Caroline (shivering): And did it?

Hickory (with far-away look in eyes): Yes, it did. And that's all I'm going to tell you about CMIYC. If you're interested in reading more about me, er-r-r, I mean about this story, you'll have to get the book!

Caroline: Thanks, Hickory, for telling us a little bit about yourself and this super-sounding mystery. Hope you can return some day.

Hickory (shrug): Perhaps. If I don't get too famous or too busy.


Folks, you never know what kind of characters will pop up. Let's hope Hickory doesn't get so famous he forgets about us common folk!




For those of you who've suddenly developed a desire for a mouse-pet, remember:

• They must have attention, or you'd be better off with two.
• Tin cans, paper cups and ropes in a cage are great entertainment activities.
• Give them something to chew on.
• They like treats such as sunflower seeds.
• Curious ones are the most healthy.

Enjoy!




(Hickory came across this quote after a nap one day on top of a book. He wanted me to use it! Smile):
You don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things . . .You can just be an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals. --Sir Edmund Hilliary


Have a fun evening and many blessings!

Some Like It Hot; Some Like It Cold . . .


On one of my writing loops, they've been discussing rejections. How to handle them, how to use them to push yourself farther up the road; how to relate to God's will for yourself when you receive rejections.

Actually, I've only gotten one rejection, and that was years ago as a teenager when I sent something to a publishing company. They rejected my submission, but were kind enough to encourage (what they surely realized came from a young person just learning the ropes!) me to try again.

What makes one person love someone's writing and another turn up their nose at it? What makes one editor pant to have that new novelist and another send out a standard rejection form letter?

Ach, I think the reason is as simple as being individuals. I'm not crazy about paranormals or science fiction, but my son loves them. I love mysteries and cozies and action stories, but I have friends who'd rather read historicals.

Here's my seventeen-year-old niece's take on Cindy Woodsmall's "When the Heart Cries." I let her read my book on the condition she write a review of it. Obviously you can tell she was smitten.

"When the Heart Cries" is about a young Amish girl who falls in love with a Mennonite and decides to marry him against her father's wishes. Shortly after she accepts his proposal, a tragic incident occurs.

"When the Heart Cries" is a very good book, and I would love to read more like it. The characters, plot, and setting were excellently portrayed. It really gives a lot of information about the Amish and Mennonite people, and shows what a struggle it is for those who want to break away. --Leci

Anyone who can write with conviction enough to make you want to read more has found the depth to make a good writer. And no doubt, has received her/his share of rejections to help her reach that spot.

Some statistics:

• Melanie Dickerson: 78 rejections on one book before it became a Christy Award winner.
• Mitchner: his agent broke the contract between them because he was difficult to work with and not a good writer. When he went to work he found out he'd just won the Pulitzer Prize for South Pacific!
• Pearl S. Buck received a letter from one publisher that said, "It's good, but these days no one's interested in China."
• One of Jane Austen's characters was called a "husband-hunting butterfly."
• One publisher called "Alice in Wonderland" a stiff overwrought story.
• Another told Tony Hillerman "to get rid of all the Indian stuff."
• Mr. Kipling: You just don't know how to use the English language.
• Harry Potter was rejected by over 30 publishers before finding a home.

And this doesn't even touch the tip of those who've received rejections.





Household Hints:

• Candles last longer if placed in the freezer at least 3 hours before using.
• Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers. Fresh smell for weeks!
• Spray a bit of perfume on light bulbs for a lovely scent. (Cold light bulb!)
• Spray your plastic ware with nonstick cooking spray to keep the tomato based sauces from staining your bowls.
• Wrap celery in aluminum foil before placing in fridge; it'll keep for weeks!
  

Quote:
Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is? --Frank Sculby


Blessings.

If I Had My Life to Live Over--Part 2


Well, I've really had to think about this. For the most part, I'm fairly satisfied with my life. I think. Here's a few things I might have done differently:

• Picked up my novel writing a little earlier and quicker--been more serious about it.
• Thumbed my nose at all those trying to tell me how to raise my boys (& I mean this in a good way. Such as: they're too ornery. They should do this. They should do that. Baloney! They were boys after all.)
• Sold everything and gone to live deep in a forest somewhere.
• Lost weight after son #2's birth, and kept it off.
• I wouldn't have asked some people to be in my wedding that I did ask just because I didn't want to offend someone.
• Kept my 69, souped-up mustang, regardless of its flaws!

I think it's a serious thing to look back and wish you'd done things differently. Or that your life had taken a different turn. You only have one shot at this business of living. Youngin's, you'd better make the best of it the first time around. Oldsters, if you're in that wishing class, just be glad you realize it now, and work to make the rest of your life the best that you can.

Not, materially (although that could be included), but spiritually, mentally, and physically.

I want to run my own personal race with MY goals before me. Hopefully, I can attain them.




Here are a few tips that'll keep your cooking light (low fat), but moist:

• Substitute 1/3 of your butter or oil with applesauce. (Or use same amount of prunes for chocolate desserts) (or pureed pumpkin in muffins and cakes)
  
• Sprinkle chocolate chips or nuts on top of baked goods to get the taste in every bite, but you can ultimately use less!
• Use cooking spray & non-stick pans instead of shortening or butter to grease pans.
• Use: 1% instead of whole milk; egg whites for whole eggs; light cream cheese for regular.
• Make your favorite treats in smaller portions (e.g. mini muffin tins instead of the regular size.
  

Quote:
Spirit is the journey, body is the bus, I am the driver from dusk to dusk. Spirit is the story, body is the book, I am the writer, together we go. --Johnny Clegg


Blessings

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

- by Erma Bombeck

(written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

• I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

• I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

• I would have talked less and listened more.

• I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

• I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

• I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

• I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

• I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

• I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

• I would have cried and laughed more while watching life.

• I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

• Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

• When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute . . . look at it and really see it. Live it and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff.

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with. And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally. I hope you all have a blessed day.



Feeling guilty? Yeah, me, too.

Maybe tomorrow--if I feel like it, I'll tell you what I wish I'd done differently.


Hint:
Live for today as if there was no tomorrow. (and that said, is enough of a hint for anyone!)


Quote:
We have not made ourselves, we are the gift of the living god to one another. --Reine Duell Bethany


Blessings!

Word Associations


What words automatically make you think of another word? For a writer, the sky's the limit. (Or maybe the dictionary!) Here's a few fun descriptions for you to savor. Wanna add your own?


Ding, dong, enter, visit
Doorbell

Pictures, dates, schedules, appointments
Calendar

Not-so-famous, famous, thinking, writing, people
Quotes

Fast, cool, fifties, bobby-sox
Hot rod

Depression, poor, war, stock market and hobos
Early 1900's

Persuasive, products, money and bargains--or not
Door-to-door Salesmen

World-reaching, productive, easy and hard, popular
Computers

Colds, runny, soft, throw-aways
Tissues

Best friend, brown eyes, wagging and barks
Dog

Funnel, scary, killing, and black
Tornado

Blue and black, red and yellow, star-studded and orange-glowed, rainbow-hued
Sky

Complex, simple, wordy and silent
Writer

Big and wonderful, smart, dumb, best friend, Adam, boss, hen-pecked, strong, oil-changer, lover, male, dynamic, big/little boy, toys-lawn mowers, tools, motorcycles, boats, etc. etc.
husband


A Baker's Dozen. More later . . .



More "be good" hints:

• Remind yourself that you're not the general manager of the universe. Oh, yes!
• Do something for the kid in you every day.
• Sit on your ego.
• Slow down.
• Talk less; listen more.
• Be kind to unkind people
• Develop a forgiving attitude.
  

Quote:
Persevere. Even the snails made it into the ark.

Blessings

Complexity versus Simplicity

Complexity: an assemblage of units; an integration of impluses, ideas and emotions that strongly influence an individual's attitudes and behavior. Difficult to analyze, solve or understand.

Simplicity: Freedom from subtlety and embellishment.

Sun and moon
Darkness and lightness

That's hubby and me. As much as I'd like to claim it, I am not complex. (At least not in the normal sense. Smile) It bores me to tears to figure things out. My method of learning is by showing (or doing) and not telling. The instruction booklet is there in that box as extra padding. If I can't plug in the product and use it, then I call for help.

I suppose that's why I turned up my nose at the thought of more schooling in computer technology science when asked to consider it. Who, me? Thanks, but no thanks! I don't want to die an early death in total boredom!

Hubby: he needs to remember something. Excuse me, he wants to remember something. The second time he says to me, "You remember . . . (trying to refresh my memory)," I'm ready to scream. I can not remember what happened six months ago when talking to some vague person that I don't even remember their name, alone the conversation.

Not so, Mr. X-Ray Mind. He will not quit until he remembers (and in detail!) what he wanted to remember. Many times, I'm drifting off to sleep and he'll murmur (not sweet nothings. Frown!) "It was such and such." or "It was so and so."

He remembered.

We listen to book tapes when traveling many times. While it is running, he gives me a detailed commentary on why or who is the culprit. And more times than not, he turns out to be correct.

Now, me. Give me my computer, books, some quiet, and a thought, and I'm happy. Un-complex, un-complicated. Simple and quiet.

Sigh.



Wanna make your home homier?

• Make your entrance sharper, more attractive. New door hardward (or at least clean & polish existing), new paint on door, new welcome mat, plants, plants, plants!

• Get rid of clutter. Clear it out, clean up, and get rid of. One room at a time. Easiest way to say it!

• Less is more. Don't have wall to wall furniture. a few attractive, interesting pieces is best!

• Float your furniture. Get it away from the walls. Your room will seem bigger when you reposition those two chairs and a stand into a cozy, conversational group.

• I can hear the men groaning on this one, but mix up your furniture. Change positions. Wonderful way to lift the spirits.

• Have a room filled with junk? Get rid of it and use it for a spare bedroom or a cozy reading area. Add a few gym pieces and you've got your new exercise room.

• Shudder: get rid of those heavy drapes. Let the light in with airy curtains or none!

More tomorrow. Maybe.




Quote:
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment. --Jim Horning


Blessings

One Down. More to Go.


I make lists. That's one way for me to stay sane. I hate chaotic, messy, and jumble, although you might never guess it if you happened to take a peek at my work area!

Lists are life lines to me. When I feel overwhelmed, I begin talking to myself. "Now make a list and check one thing off at a time. Take it easy. Don't look at the whole. Just one thing at a time." And you know what? It works. For me. I've got control. I can do this!

So I make lists. For the last few days I've felt like I've been in quicksand. Slowly sinking with too much to accomplish and getting no where--so I thought.

Yesterday, I took hold. I made a list in my mind and proceeded to work down it. I finished several things in good time, and had one other major item (a proposal) almost done. What a feeling! As if I'd resettled that world on my shoulders somewhere else.

I make lists for:

• Items I need to accomplish
• Grocery lists
• Menus
• Items to Buy
• Hubby do-lists
• Things to change in my novels
• Critique points I want to change
• Ideas for new novels
• Etc.

That proposal? I got it done this morning!

Give me a "strawberry flavored" list anytime. It keeps me sane in my insane world!



Want something easy and nutricious for lunch or even a light dinner? I used this at a luncheon I planned at a recent ladies dinner. They loved it!
(I make my own serving sizes)
Cook boneless, skinless chicken ahead of time. Cool. Debone, and chop into small pieces.

Mix in (to taste) mayonaise, chopped celery, halved grapes (black or red, for color), nuts (I like walnuts). Dash with salt.

Buy fruit choices. (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, bananas, cantalope, grapes, and whatever else you'd like to use). Clean. Peel as needed, cube as needed.

Place a mound of chicken salad in the middle of individual plates (choose pretty ones!). Surround with fruit. All you need to add our some tasty crackers or crescent rolls for a delicate and wonderful dish! Enjoy!



Quote:
It's hard to fail, but it's worse never to have tried to succeed.


Blessings.

Preparation


My writing conference is coming up next month. I have that familiar upset stomach from too much to do and uncertainty of what the future holds.

What have I done to prepare?

• I have a novel for a critiquer to work on. Hopefully, the critique will be beneficial. I'll learn something, maybe receive encouragement, and step up a notch on my ladder to becoming an author.
• I've got my conference fees paid for.
• I've chosen the editors and agents I want to speak with. Through the year, I've been researching who should be the one I need to network with this year. Hopefully, I've made the right choices.
• I've followed up on most of the invitations I received last year from editors and an agent. Given a little more time, I will make a second move on these.
  
• I've learned of several other places that (in the near future) I'll be submitting to.
  
• I've gained a little more confidence in my own writing and my ability, grown a thicker skin (probably not thick enough, but . . .) for all those critical remarks I may receive in the future.
• I've taken to heart my two critique groups' critiques on my chapters I've submitted to them. They include: an agented critiquer and possibly a soon-to-be-published author (a woman who keeps my feet on the ground), a lady who won a very prestigious contest (who guides me when I err from writer's requirements), and some very good other critiquers who give me solid advice (good brainstormers, ideas infusers, and cheerer-ons).

My immediate goals for the rest of this year?

• Entice an editor with a fantastic novel.
• Finish the third novel of my West Virginia romance series. Let editor know of the second one and this third one NOW.
• Finish the young adult novel (adoption issues). Send this fall.
• Finish the cozy (mystery) and submit it NOW.
• Possibly self-publish my children's character trait series (while submitting to children publishers).
• Begin my second in my suspense series (Tara Layne and Hickory).

Will you be reading my novels anytime soon? My children's series will be ready this fall. We'll see about the rest. More on that later . . .

Sigh. Preparing for conference is work. Writing a novel is work.
I love it!




Ever thought about keeping a journal? Now's the time to start! Here's a few thoughts about keeping a journal for your kitchen:

• It can keep your family and home running smoothly.
• Journaling is fun!
• While working in the kitchen jot down notes about anything and everything: meals, to do list, future plans, lists, or even a creative thought.
• Record your family's likes and dislikes. Children change. Men get tired of the same thing. Visitors will thank you when you remember what they can or can not eat.
• Use for your kids' school lunches and menus!
• Create a list of what foods are in season, prices, and availability.
• Keep track of your cooking experiments.

Quote:
Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. --Albert Einstein


Blessings

NEWS FLASH!


A recent tip came into this office by an unidentified source that Seymour, the black snake, from Sunnybank Farm, has been spotted spying out the territory.

He was seen close to the farm house by Snuggles, the gray and white cat guardian of the place, with his head in the air, checking out things.

Rumor has it that Seymour is a trouble maker. He regards not any of his fellow denizens of the area. He's been known to:

• sneer at advice from wise-fellow Fenis (the red-tailed hawk),
  
• steal from the farm hens, and
  
• smack his lips at the little ones (as if to terrorize them).
  

As given to us, here is a likely description of this possible crime-doer:

• long
• fairly thin
• black (but could have other shades)
• beady eyes
• fangs

If anyone has any knowledge of him, please call WRT A BOOK as soon as possible.


Truth or fiction?

Who's to say? But some in the know believe that he is getting ready for something BIG.

Stay tuned for more information. You can be sure we'll report it as soon as it's available.



Here's a quick hint for make-your-own Air Fresheners:

• Cinnamon and Cloves: Boil these spices for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider.

• Potpourri: Buy or make your own potpourri from your favourite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags.

• Vinegar: Distribute partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odours.

• Essential oils: are ideal for creating effective, all-natural fresheners for the entire house. The air freshening qualities of lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree cleanse and freshen homes that are shut tight during colder winter months. Simply place one ounce of water in an atomizer and add 12 drops of your favourite aroma. Shake well and spray into the room to mask unpleasant odours and introduce pleasant, enjoyable and healthy aromas. Make small batches frequently to ensure freshness.

Quote:
Reverie is not a mind vacuum. It is rather the gift of an hour which knows the plenitude of the soul. --Gaston Bachelard


Blessings

The Good Ole Summertime . . .

• Pick a leaf off of a tree and study its structure
• If you're not already a photo-buff, buy a throw away camera and snap shots of random items
• Go lie in the grass and study the clouds in the daytime
• Sit on the porch in the evening and talk
• Make up a continuous story together
  

* Sit on a swing and lazily glide back and forth

• Watch the stars at night; count them; wish on the first one (nonsense that it is)
• Stroke a purring cat
• Play a game of fetch with Rover
• Rent a cabin and get away from it all
• Or . . . turn off all electronic devices and live simply
  

* Get an aquarium and sit for ten minutes watching your fish

• Dig in the dirt (plant a garden, or if that's too ambitious for you, try to plant ONE plant)
• Choose a good book and read one chapter every day
• Climb a tree, ride a bike, take an evening walk, skip a rope
  
• Get up before the sun rises
• Learn something new this summer
• Pick a new hobby
• Play hide and seek in the semi-darkness with your kids

* Play hopscotch

• Take a nighttime walk. Listen to the sounds
• Watch the sun come up
• Adopt a pet
• Lose weight
• Walk in the sand

• Visit the ocean and play in the surf
• Go to the mountains
• Walk in a cold water stream

* Look for a four-leaf clover

• Find an unusual rock (love rocks!)
• Write a poem, write your thoughts, write a story for your kids
• Contact an old friend
• Cook out
• Go camping even if it's just the back yard

• Volunteer
• Plant a theme flower garden--all white, or a scented one, or a night blooming one
• Invest in a hot tub
• Enlist the whole family in canning a bushel of tomatoes, or peaches, or something
  
• Wash your face in the dew of the morning

* Look for all the spider webs with early morning dew on them. They're easy to spot!

* Walk in the rain

• Love lots
• Walk down your street; wave and speak to everyone you see
• Plan a garden party
• Have a themed grill-out

AND . . . enjoy the summer. Autumn will soon be here.

Quote:
Line by line, moment by moment, special times are etched into our memories in the permanent ink of everlasting love in our relationships. --Gloria Gaither


Blessings

HELP!

An illustrious ideal immediate illustrator needed for my children's stories. I cannot pay a large sum, perhaps even very little. BUT you will get your name on these books as the illustrator.

What do I want? I'm not sure I can describe it. But here are some points that I FEEL inside of me that are needed about this person's art ability.

• Need not be a Van Gogh talent
• Has to have the feel of life about it
• Can be black and white
• Can look even childish
• Must speak to children (if I can FEEL it when I see it, then children will surely feel it)
• No stiffness, but loose and almost 3-D (I think that's the term I want)

Interested? Know someone who'd like to help me out here? Who'd like to advance their artwork just a little? Contact me ASAP. I already have five stories finished; they're begging for someone to illustrate them. Not christian, per se, but definitely stories that encourage children to build good character traits. Fun, exciting, and perhaps aimed for an age group of children from three or four to eight years.

Vacationing Hints. I read a blog the other day (and I don't get to read very many, because . . . of course--too busy) . . . anyhow, this blogger talked of tourists. Thought it'd be relevant to us. When we travel, visit other places. You get the idea. Here's a few . . .

• Don't slow down 40 miles an hours slower than the speed limit just because you're lost and need to read the map. Pull over and stop. Then read. Duh.
• Don't reach into the back seats (or the dash) looking for something. Have a passenger do it, or stop if you're by yourself. It's not that important--or if it is, you'd better take the time to quit driving for five minutes and find it.

• An obvious one: don't throw trash out (fines!) or leave trash lying about. Don't destruct property just cause it doesn't belong to you. (Not too hard to figure out; but you wonder sometimes when you see all the witless people who do it.)
• (One of my pet peeves coming up) S T O P means stop. It doesn't mean running stop. It doesn't mean stopping behind the car in front of you who just stopped. It means STOP. Do it.

• Be considerate of residents properties and lives. Do you want someone pulling in front of or in your driveway and snapping pictures at the oh-so-cute-house or pounding-on-your-door-for-a-sample-of-that-darling-flower-specimen? Do you? Neither do they.
• Finally, back off. Back off from aggressive drivers. Back off from suspicious characters. Back off from forward beggars. In a few words: watch your back, take care of your own, consider the considerate.

Quote:
Fame is the scentless sunflower with gaudy crown of gold; but friendship is the breathing rose with sweetness in every fold. --Oliver Wendell Holmes


Blessings

Fenis and Chipper


My husband is writing a series of children's stories involving the protagonist squirrel--Chipper.

I was really surprised at how well he doing. I thought I was the only one in the family who could write (smug comment here, in case you can't figure it out). Now he's writing a mini-mystery that will include:


Fenis--the red-tailed hawk

Chuckie, the chipmunk



and (drum roll here . . .)



the villain--Seymour, the black snake.

(We think this is Seymour--it was hard to catch him on camera!) He's as bad as I am. No, not the snake. Hubby. He read the ending to me late last night and hasn't even written the first part yet. I loved it! The story, that is.

Chuckie the chipmunk is a sub-character that will play an active part in one book. We quite disagreed on this sub-character's name.

Hubby: Groundy (yuk and double yuk--from me)
Caroline: Charlie
Hubby (ignoring me): Woody (me: I like it, but it reminds me of a certain woodpecker)
Caroline: Chappy

And on and on.
Finally, he told me a couple of days ago, he'd settled on a name. Chuckie. (I like Charlie better, but Chuckie is good.) So Chuckie it is.

It is his book after all. I have to concede that point.

If you want to read about the adventures of Chipper and all his forest and farm friends, let me know. The stories really are quite good. Almost as good as I could have done! (Smile)



I love cold drinks in the summer, love preparing them. Here's a thirst-quenching one you might enjoy if you love tea:

Strawberry Iced Tea

Makes about 8 (about 8-ounce) servings
Prep: 25 minutes
Cool: 2 hours
Stand: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 lb. fresh strawberries or two,16-ounce packages frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh rosemary (optional)
• Ice cubes
• 1 recipe Iced Tea (see Recipe Center) or one 1-liter bottle club soda, chilled
• Fresh strawberries (optional)

Directions: In a large saucepan combine fresh or frozen strawberries, brown sugar, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove strips of peel from lemons; juice the lemons (should have 1/2 cup). Add strips of lemon peel, lemon juice, and rosemary to mixture in saucepan. Bring mixture just to boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cover; cool to room temperature.
Press mixture through a fine mesh sieve; discard solids (you should have about 1 quart syrup). To serve, fill glass with ice. To each glass add 1/2 cup Iced Tea and syrup to taste (about 1/2 cup). Garnish with fresh strawberries. Makes about eight (8-ounce)

Make-Ahead Directions: Syrup may be prepared, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.

Quote:
The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. --Sir thomas More


Blessings

Friendship Footprints

I remember as a child a young girl who I sat with in church at times. She came with her grandparents and was very spoiled. This child always had candy to eat and was encouraged by her grandmother "to share" with me. Her answer? "You don't want any, do you?"

Of course, I did. I was a child myself.

Was she a friend? Nope. At least, if she was she a very shallow one. Selfish and self-centered. I have no idea where she is today or what she became. There was little, if any, friendship to endure the expanse of time.

I know another person I seldom see. When we run across each other, it seems we both enjoy the encounter. We spend the five, ten, maybe even the fifteen or thirty, minutes updating each other and catching up a sporatic amount of news.

A friend? Perhaps. We were at one time. And it could be that if circumstances would deem it so, we could be good friends again in the future.

Now take another person I know. She sends cards now and then and her church has been known to give "special" gifts to hubby and me. But that's not what all is important to me, nor what I cherish. Here are some of her friendship traits:

She's a good listener.
She encourages.
She's loyal.
She's faithful, and tactful, when she doesn't agree with me.
She wants to read my nonsense--and my writing.

That's just for starters.

They've stamped on your heart and left their friendship. You know you can't scare them away when you're despondent or mouthy or grouchy or hyper. They see beneath the surface hurt and read what's really going on.

A good friend? Seen you in the bad times and still with you in the good times.
Now that, my friends, is a real friend!




Feel lonely? Feel like you don't have a friend in the world? Then check out these hints and see if you're following them:

1. Be dependable: do what you say you'll do!
2. Go out of your way to be friendly and to help others.
3. Don't talk about others behind their backs.
4. Don't laugh at the mistakes of others and don't correct them.
5. Do your share; don't be lazy!
6. Don't always try to have your own way.
7. Treat others like you'd like you'd like to be treated

Results: Friends!

Quote:
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same.


Blessings

Grabbing My Hat . . .


Just a quick hello and gotta go. Trying to get last minute items done before camp. (not writing conference--a church camp). Thankfully, my youngest son's girlfriend stayed up late last night and helped me get things done. That was a big load off.

Anyhow, hope you all have a wonderful weekend. See ya (so to speak) on Tuesday.


Quote:
If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast a gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend; that would be giving as the angels give. --George McDonald

Blessings

Equipped


I'm a writer.

Do you know how many years it took before I admitted that? Not that I didn't write. Through school and college and life and later, more schooling, I wrote. And not to brag, I always received encouraging remarks and comments. I can write.

But I hid my talent (light) under a bushel. I let it simmer on the pot all these years and never applied myself to doing something with it -- seriously.

Now, I have and am. That burning desire deep in my being has never been extinguished. I can't get away from it, nor do I want to. Life hasn't smothered it. Slowness in development hasn't discouraged it.

One thing troubles me. People don't really realize what a journey writing a novel is. What it entails, what discouragements stand smack dab in the middle of the road.

I cringe when someone asks me if I'm published yet. Or have you heard anything yet? No, no, and no. I'm working at getting traditionally published. That doesn't normally happen over night. Weeks and months and sometimes years. Rejections, and research, and study, and writing and plateaus of nothing, and more writing. More meeting editors and agents. More synopses, more outlines, more one-pages, more cards, more, more, more.

My husband is writing some children's stories (and also a prayer and fasting book). BUT he is satisfied (at least, right now) at my efforts at self-publishing his works. That's what he is targeting. Friends, neighbors, family, and some church people.

I'm targeting a harder to accomplish task of securing a traditional publisher. A broader readership. Not that I won't ever self-publish. Someday, maybe. But right now, this is what I feel I should reach for.

Here's one man's thoughts on his efforts at publishing.

When Larry Julian was trying to get a publisher for his nonfiction book, "God is My CEO," he wrote:

I had just received my 17th rejection letter, though it felt like the 187th. After that, finding the inspiration from God to work on my book was like looking for a penquin in the desert. It just wasn't there.

That day, as I sat cross-legged on the floor at Borders bookstore, I remember feeling totally insignificant and inadequate. I stared at the hundreds of leadership books. "Lord, this is impossible! How in the world am I going to have my book sitting in bookstores with these leadership giants? I can't compete with them! I don't even deserve to be on the same shelf with them. I'm sorry, Lord. What you're asking is too much."

Later that day he thought about the years he'd committed to the book-writing process, yet had nothing to show for them. He felt stuck. He'd invested too much to quit, but had absolutely no energy to move forward.

His mentor met him for lunch that day and read to him 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 "We have this treasure in vessels to show that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We are troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed."

His mentor said, "God tests us to display us; the devil tempts us to destroy us."

Can I empathize? You bet! Am I tested? I feel like it sometimes.

Discouraged because I hate and can't write synopses. Discouraged because I don't have an editor right this minute. Discouraged because I reach plateaus of nothingness. Discouraged because I have too much to do.

But quit? Nope. I can't and won't. No sireee.




Quote:
God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called.


Abundant Blessings