The super Vikki over at Viklit sponsors this weekly meme to help us remember that it's the small things in life that really make the difference. Head on over and sign up. Hop around because it's really a lot of fun. And who doesn't need that extra smile?
This week, I'm celebrating:
1) My cows finally seem to be on the mend from their bout of pink-eye. Yippee! I honestly was beginning to wonder if I was going to end up with a blind herd, but it looks like my girls (and pair of boys) are going to be able to see. (Let's not talk about the amount of herding, medication and care it took to get this far.)
2) Our swimming pool is up and running, so the kids will have some splash-time fun! My adoptive kids (that's what I'm calling our neighbor boys now with a little sarcasm) joined my bunch yesterday evening for a full-swing pool blast.
3) Little green tomatoes are on my tomato plants. Will they make it all the way? We'll see. I'm hoping to have bushels of those delicious fruits/vegetables (I'm keeping this politically correct so as not to offend those tomatos) by the end of this summer.
4) My daughter has tons of fun picking wildflowers, so I have a small bouquet on my dining room table every meal. That's probably the best thing of all. I love having the pretty colors there.
I'm smiling now. And if you're not, close your eyes and think of those small things which really are wonderful in your own life. Feel the corners of your lips edging up? Good!
'Cause now it's time for another. . .
Okay, mates! We've covered three rules for those awesome semicolons the last three weeks, but we aren't done yet. There's one more. Yep, those semicolons are feisty little things. . .ummm. . .actually, they're not. Or are they?
ANYWAY. . .
This week's rule is:
A semicolon can be used between two independent clauses joined by a connecting word (such as and, but, or, etc.) when one or more commas appear in the first clause.
Okay, I honestly don't find this rule that much different than the first one (Semicolon to combine two independent clauses. . .here, if you've forgotten.) But it definitely helps to keep a clean house...uh...I mean sentence.
Example:
When I finish cleaning the floors, which should only take an hour, I'll sew the missing button on your shirt; and I promise to have it done by this evening.
Looks a bit complicated, huh? Personally, I usually just drop that second independent clause into a sentence of it's own (it is independent), but sometimes, you might have the feeling that these two clauses just have to stick together; and this is how it can be done.
*takes a deep breath* You know those writing contests where you're only allowed to enter one sentence from your entire manuscript for judging, and you just have to get another sentence in to maintain some sort of sense? Well, this semicolon rule might be your saving grace!
So, what wonderful things have happened to you this last week? Remember something you've totally forgotten about? How long can you make one sentence? Have any favorite wildflowers?
I envy your swimming pool.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know cows could also get pink eye.
YOU HAVE A SWIMMING POOL??
ReplyDeleteAlso, so nice of you to let the neighborhood kids use it (not to dampen the mood, but you're insured, yes? Be sure to check the rules on that).
Hope your cows continued to heal.
ReplyDeleteYay for swimming pools - even with the adopted kids!
The semi-colon use with the independent clause is one that I need to use because I often find myself with a sentence that I want to jam in with another sentence with a slight pause and not a full stop. I think it has something to do with my NW accent that trails of at the end of sentences and the fact that my family is into interruptions. Slight pauses don't allow for interruptions. :)
I wish I had a swimming pool, although with the weather we get over here I doubt I'd use it much. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a lot of little things to be happy about :) I remember having adopted neighbors over all the time as a kid. Actually we still have a couple of those . . .
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the grammar tips. Semicolons are so tricky.
Definitely jealous of your pool! That sounds absolutely lovely, =)
ReplyDeleteGreat things to celebrate, especially the pool! I'll be blowing up my son's pool after our visit with my family. As for semicolons, I try to avoid them. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteYay, recovered cows! ^_^
ReplyDeleteAnd yay wildflowers!
You know, that is a great example of when to use this rule! I love my long sentences. I put up a 77 word sentence recently! It made sense to me. ^_^
There is really something special about freshly picked flowers. A friend of mine brought me over a bouquet last summer after I had my surgery. I kept them in my room so I could look at them and they made me smile :D Good luck with your tomatoes...I hope they make it!
ReplyDelete~Katie
Like you, I also usually put the second independent clause into its own sentence. But every now and then I feel a semicolon is warranted!
ReplyDeleteAfter a top agent told me semicolons are the most useless form of punctuation, I've been terrified of using them.
ReplyDeleteAll good celebrations! And thanks for making me smile!
ReplyDeleteGreat celebrations you have there. Hope the cows are fully recovered by now.
ReplyDeleteI love semi-colons, but because they're so distinctive, I force myself to limit their use. Whenever I read a book where the author uses a lot, I notice and start counting how many they use per page...
ReplyDeleteI didn't know cows could get pink eye. I didn't know ANY animals could get it, actually. I find semi-colons relics from times past--I rarely use them. But my agent and editors often do, so they make their way into my finished work frequently...
ReplyDeleteI've got 4 little green tomatoes on my tomato plant. Yay!
ReplyDelete