Celebrate the Small Things!

The wonderful Vikki over at Viklit sponsors this weekly hop to help bring more smiles to the world. Yes, the world needs more of those. And she does this in a simple way! All we have to do is remember those small things this last week, which put a smile on your face. So go ahead. Head on over to Vikki's blog and sign on up. Because EVERYONE could use an extra smile.


This week, I'm celebrating. . .



1) More corn. This time, a farmer gave my neighbor tons of free sweet corn, which meant around 30 more ears for me. And that leads to the 2nd celebration. . .


2) Bundt pans.  Since I already have 36+ plus ears frozen, I thought I'd cut the corn off the cobs this time (for soups, casseroles and Co.). And I found this really helpful video on Youtube.

(Yes, even if you aren't into cooking and stuff, these little peices of information may prove useful in your life. Trust me. Life is wierd.)

Actually, I roasted the cobs in the over at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (husk and all), let them cool, took off the husks and then cut them. That way, the corn was ready for immediate freezing.


3) Wins! Have you ever heard of storycartel.com? Well, if not, head on over. It is a way for authors and reviewers to touchbase with each other. Anywho...they ran a contest last month for reader packages with books, chocolates, notepads, tea, coffee, chocolate....yes, chocolate is important. And I won! Now, I'm sitting here fevering for the postman to make the delivery.

4) Le Krunche. Never heard of it? I bet you haven't because my son came up with this word last night when my daughter's first self-made pizza stayed a little too long in the oven. He said, 'Mom, that pizza reminds me of a French spice." When I asked him which one 'le krunche' was his answer. Okay, we're cheating. The 'e' on the end is not silent. Not real French. But it's still tons of fun to say.



So have you discovered any cool cooking hints this last week? Invented a new word? Eaten enough chocolate? Coffee? Tea? or Milk?
In other words, what are YOU celebrating this week?

What's Up Wednesday

Every Wednesday, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk sponsor this weekly hop, so that us writerly folks can touch base with each other. (You know how us writers are - always hiding with our head in some story cave).

It's easy to join. Just hop on over to Jaime's or Erin's blogs and sign up on the linky.

(Jaime and Erin have give What's Up Wednesday a little make-over (which I noticed just now), but still, I wanted to give this little robot one last day in the sun before grabbing a new button. He was so cute!)


So, this is what I've been up to:


1) What I've Been Reading:

I finished up the second book in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meier, Scarlett. Yes, it was even better than Cinder, which is saying a lot. I'm totally blown over every time a series gets better with each book. Doesn't happen very often.

So now, I'm in the middle of book 3, Cress, and am really enjoying it.


2) What I've Been Writing:

I've finally found my groove. YAY! Last week, I wrote a chapter a day, and when I got stuck on my one WIP, I simply switched over to the other and kept writing. This weekend, I was hit by that little idea lightening bolt (no, it didn't hurt), which brought the first WIP back into full swing. My character had a sex change (gasp!) - girl to boy - and that seems to have added the missing touch at the moment. Now, I just need a new name!


3) What Has Been Working For Me:

When I get stuck or the words suddenly don't want to flow like they should, I grab a notepad and pencil, head out the door and take a walk. When I find a nice sitting spot, I stare at the world around me for about 10 seconds (no, I'm not a patient person), and then hit the scene again. So far it flows. Every time.
Oh, I should add that I only sit there for about 20 minutes. Then my idea breeze has ended and I head home to type up the new tidbits.
As I said, I'm not a patient person.


4) What Else I've Been Up To:

*takes deep breath* This week has been all over the place. Not sure where exactly, but it's been everywhere.
- We visited a church with my neighbors on Sunday, and then went out to a lunch buffet (Yummy!)
- I've been battling goats and worms. I now know why I prefer cattle. Those goats are a pain in the neck in SO many ways.
- One of our chickens has laid two eggs - our first eggs. Hope there's more to come soon.
- One of our cars broke down, so my hubs has been taking our 2nd to work. That leaves me stuck on the farm all day long. (Great for writing!) So my neighbor let me accompany her to the grocery store yesterday.

I guess, I could sum up this week with -

Good neighbors are worth their weight in gold.




And what about you? What have you been up to this week? Have you been sweating, sunning or enjoying the cooler weather? Any good eggs lately?

For Tina Downey

Today, bloggers all over the blog-o-sphere are joining in to remember a very special writer friend,

Tina Downey. Everyone will be posting a sunflower flower, a flower, which reflects the joy and happiness she gave us. 

She had a positive motto - 'Life is Good'.

And when I saw this sunflower growing along the edge of our pasture, I was reminded how closely life and death are interwoven.

Life is good and full of color,

It begins, and it ends - one with the other.

We will miss you, Tina.

A Downey Education Fund has been set up for her two sons. 

 

Celebrate the Small Things

The amazing Vikki over at Viklit sponsors this weekly meme. Why? Silly question! Not really - no question is silly.

She does it to help remind us that it's the small things in life that make a difference. So think back. . .really hard. . .was there something this week that put a smile on your face? Something tiny?

Well, then go ahead and share!


This week, I'm celebrating. . .



1) Rain! After 7 weeks without a single drop, it finally has started to rain again. Gosh, my cows are happy.

2) You guys! Various people in this writing community have been giving me little ideas, words of encouragement, and little tidbits, which have really made a difference in my writing and attitude this week. Thank you!

3) My husband's birthday! For the first year ever, he didn't mope around about getting older. But he didn't have time. We spent the day at Wilson's Creek (south of Springfield, MO) and learned about the 2nd official battle of the Civil War.

This family hid in their cellar when the North and the South decided to have at it in the cornfield - uninvited. Personally, I would have been so angry at both sides for ruining my land, I think I would have gotten my cast iron skillet and hit a few of them over the head.

Poor kids. Could you imagine hiding in the cellar like that?

(Yes, it was a very sobering moment to see the battlefield where a couple thousand men had died. . . ugh, can I add that my youngest son searched the dirt hoping to find traces of blood so he could analyze it with his microscope???)

My oldest was hoping these were made of bronze and was dreaming of playing bank robber. 

Seriously, what's wrong with my kids?

BUT after we survived the battlefield national park, we headed home where hubs received a very special present from my older son.

A campfire coffee pot, so he can make original cowboy coffee.

Hubs says that surprisingly enough, the coffee grounds floating in the cup aren't really that irritating.

I'll take his word for it.

So what about you? What wonderful things did you experience or see or hear or taste or smell or feel ...*takes deep breath* what put a smile on your face?

IWSG

Happy Birthday, IWSG!!! Yep, for three years now, this group has been saving writers everywhere. Thanks to super-ninja, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and this month's awesome helpers:

 My Baffling Brain, Mark Koopmans, Shah Wharton, and Sheena-Kay Graham

I bet this group will be around many more years to come (I hope!)


My insecurity this month is better described like this:


Me staring at the keyboard (now, full-time since all the kids are in school). . .

staring at the keyboard. . .

staring at the keyboard. . .


As you can see, this isn't only a problem for the two manuscripts - one which I'm determined to have polished and shinny around December/January - but also for my eyes.



And what about you? Feeling insecure about anything or are those words flowing right out of you? Are those edit bugs biting your butt or do you have them under control? Maybe you've gotten to one of those awesome stages where there aren't insecurities, only happy moments?