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?

Celebrate the Small Things

Once a week, Vikki over at Viklit sponsors a meme to help us remember that it's the small things in life which make the biggest difference. And heaven knows we could all use that extra smile on our faces. If you'd like to join in, go on and sign up on the linky over on her blog.

And of course, this entire meme wouldn't be possible without Vikki's amazing assistants!


Diana Wilder
LG Keltner @ Writing Off the Edge
Katie @ TheCyborg Mom
CaffeMaggieato @ mscoffeehouse

Thanks, guys!!!



This week, I'm celebrating:


1) Another scarf from Christmas is knit and done. This year, my presents are going to be ready early. Yay!

2) Taffy - My husband surprised me with a gigantic bag yesterday. So gooey and yummy!

3) My daughters have decided to learn more 'tricks' for future cheerleading hopes. My youngest can now do a cartwheel, and the oldest has learned a back-flip, handless cartwheel, and can lift her leg straight up by her shoulder while holding her ankle. I'm amazed, especially since I'm still battling to touch those toes.

4) I sold my first cows at the auction by myself. It's an odd feeling, pulling a trailer load of cattle to the auction, unloading and then bidding all alone. (hubs has to work now *sigh*) Especially since I'm the only woman in the entire auction barn who actually bids on cattle (and just doesn't accompany her farmer husband). It's kind of intimidating to sit between 50 sweaty, dust covered men and do the head nod (that's what I call the bidding because that's all it is - nod and keep a serious, straight face.) But I did it! *hehehe* I'm pretty sure I stick out like a goat in the chicken coop.  <---That's my bad attempt at a red-neck pun.



So, what about you? What wonderful little things happened to you this last week? What tiny thing plastered a smile on your face?

What's Up Wednesday

Yay! It's Wednesday again, which means it's time for another session of What's Up Wednesday with Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk. These lovely ladies sponsor this hop to help us writerly folks keep in touch with each other. If you want to join in on the fun, go on and head over to their sites, get the deets and sign in on the linky. It's that simple!


And here's what's up with me. . .


1) What I'm Reading:

I read Perfect Princess by Meg Cabot as a type of research for one of my WIPs. Funny research? I was surprised at amount of information it had over historical princesses--okay, it wasn't necessarily all serious information, but still. Then I read Fear and Sunshine by Donovan Scherer. This is a MG series about a really cute girl, Sunshine, who happens to be the heir to the one and only monster factory. It's really cute with great illustrations.

I've started reading Bringing Up Mike by Mark Duncan. This is a YA/NA about a high schooler who builds an android to attend school for him. It's more of a deep novel, handling the questions of acceptance and fitting in. I'll let you know what I think.


2) What I'm Writing:

I missed Monday's Ready.Set.Write! end post, but I did hit my 10,000 words. I just wish they had been 'good' words. I wrote and cut and wrote and cut and wrote... well, you get the idea. Me and my story are at odds with each other at the moment.


3) What's Inspiring Me:

Yesterday and today, the online writer's conference 'WriteOnCon' is underway. This is the first year I can really take part (have the time), but it's also the 1st year I can't pitch. Bummer. I'm still having fun. It's fantastic to watch all the live events and has definitely been educational so far. If you haven't, check it out today (or later, since they keep everything recorded for later viewing). It's free and simply amazing.


4) What Else I've Been Up To:

Sorting cows. Treating pink-eye again (ugh!). Knitting Christmas scarves.

On a more irritating note (well, irritating for me - my kids find it fantastic), the schools have already started their fundraisers (it's only the 2nd week of school, guys!). I hate fundraisers, not because I mind doing things or helping people out, but begging relatives and friends to buy things is just. . .*sigh*  Yeah, it's out of my comfort zone. Big time. So I've been grinding my teeth and hoping noone will hate us as my kids call around.

Otherwise, things are kind of quiet. Amazing!



What's up with you? Read any good books lately? Beating your head against that concrete writing wall or are you frolicking in the fields of words? Find anything this last week that sent your writer heart fluttering? What are your favorite types of cookies (the chocolate deluxe macadamian nut ones in my kids' catalogue looks seriously addicting)?

Celebrate the Small Things

Every Friday, the wonderful Vikki over at Viklit sponsors this weekly meme to help remind us that it's the small things of life which make the biggest difference.

Luckily, Vikki's not alone in her quest and has

Diana Wilder
LG Keltner @ Writing Off the Edge
Katie @ TheCyborg Mom
CaffeMaggieato @ mscoffeehouse

to help her.

Thanks!


This week, I'm celebrating:

1) Dragonflies.  The other evening, my hubs came in after putting away the goats and asked me if I'd ever seen over 200 dragonflies flying at once.
No. I hadn't.
So he took my hand and lead me outside behind our barn.         It. Was. Amazing.
I think there were well over 200 dragonflies swooping through the air, looking for bugs. Big ones.My hubs said if they were birds or bats, he would have run. Fast.

2) Corn on the Cob.  My neighbor called the other day, sounding rather desperate. Her husband had bought 120 + ears of sweet corn from a farmer and expected her to freeze all of them! Since it's just the two of them (and her freezer was already full), she wondered if I'd take a few dozen off of her hands. Guess what I did that night? Blanched and froze around 36 ears of corn. Yummy!

3) ACTs. What? I'm celebrating those exams? Why, yes -I am! My son is a senior this year (and after changing schools 3x last year due to our move), is buckling down hard. He's studying! *gasp* And the more amazing thing - every single night! This makes a mom's heart grow warm.



And what about you? What wonderful things happened to you this week? Did something small and unexpected put a smile on your face?

What's Up Wednesday

Two wonderful ladies, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk, sponsor this weekly meme with the sole purpose of helping us writerly folks to keep in touch with each other. You can sign up on their linky and hop around - see what the writing world is up to!


This week. . .



1) What I've been reading. . .

I kind of went on a reading frenzy, despite life's craziness (or maybe because of it?). In the YA/Adult area, I read A FOREVER KINDA LOVE by Clara Stone. It's a YA romance, being released soon, and since she's a super cool writer buddy, I couldn't wait to get my fingers on an ARC. It's sweet. Then I read the 2nd book in the book set TEN BRIDES FOR TEN HEROES. I joined the street team a while ago for one of the authors and got a good deal on them. They're cute - easy reads. And I read TORTURED SOULS by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, which was pretty good. I'm planning on looking into some other books by her as well.

Off in the MG area, there was SECRET BOOK OF MUMMIES by Scott Peters, which goes through 101 facts about mummies. Very interesting. My younger son is totally hooked. FRANKIE DUPONT AND THE MYSTERY OF ENDERBY MANOR by Julie Grasso, which was really fun.

And I'm half-way through Marissa Meyer's CINDER - a fairytale cleverly done.


2) What I've been writing. . .

Because of all the reading, you might think I haven't gotten any of this done. Ha! I'm rockin' this week!
I sat down Monday w/ the goal of 10,000 words by the end of this week. I put my fingers on the keyboard and stared at the screen. Typed two words. And stared at the screen. Basically, that was all of Monday (in continual repetition, of course.) Tuesday morning started the same way. Two hours of staring at the screen, and then, it hit! 3,500 words yesterday, and I'm hoping to blast through tons more today.


3) What is Inspiring Me. . .


Ugh! This is always my most unfavorite question! Uhhhh....okay. Got it.

At the moment, I feel like I've just stepped into a new room of life and haven't even had a chance to glimpse at it yet. (I'm going to go a little weird here, so hold on. . .) It could be a living room with chandeliers and a plate full of chocolate. It could be a bathroom with a shower in desperate need of a scrub. It could be the laundry room too (oh no! please, no!) But whatever it is, I haven't experienced it yet, and I have no idea what to expect. Bad or good, it's a new journey, and I can't wait to see what's in store. That's inspiring me.


4) What Else I've Been Up To. . .

Well, I went to an antique store last week and found an old wooden rocking chair just like my grandmother once had. The basic frame is in really good shape, but the back needs to be fixed (a hole in the weaving) and it needs a new seat. Mark it up for a winter project! (I'll have to show before and after pics)

Then we went to the Laura Ingalls Wilder house. It was nice. Over priced. Lots of older women working there, who obviously love their job. Cute. It was fine to walk through, although I think you need to be a TOTAL Laura fan to really enjoy it. But it was nice. (We weren't allowed to take pictures indoors. My daughter took one outside, but I forgot to download them from her. *kicks self in backside*)

We built electric fence and moved my cows. (Exciting, huh?)

And the kids started school.




What about you? What have you been up to? Know of anyone who can weave straw backings for chairs? What room of life are you standing in right now? Want to come and help move some cows???

Ready. Set. Write!

Yay! It's Monday again! Time to kick off another week, another opportunity for adventure AND a new chance to catch up on that thing called writing.

It's time for. . . *drum roll*

Ready. Set.  Write!!!

Erin L. Funk, Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Jaime Morrow, sponsor this summer long writing intensive with the purpose of writing, revising, or planning. Each Monday, participants share their goals through brief posts (2-3 lines per heading tops). For more info on RSW click here.



How I did on last week's goals:
one more chapter revision and some changes to one of my MCs  - After tons of thought and contemplation, I decided the changes I wanted to make to my MC weren't such a good idea after all. So I scratched that. As to the chapter revision - not done, but I honestly didn't think I'd get to it anyway.


My goal(s) for this week:

Our guest is gone, the kids are in school - I can jump in! SO - I'm shooting for around 10,000 words this week. . . ummm . . .20,000? Lol! We'll stick to the 10,000 and be horribly happy when I hit more.


A favorite line from my story or a phrase/word which sums up what I wrote/revised.

Not all ideas are good ideas.


The biggest challenge I faced this week.

Time! With the last free days before school and last days of our guest's visit, we had every single minute of the day planned with fun. . .or something. So writing was shoved into the background this last week.


Something I love about my WIP.

There's two of them - one serious, one not. This seems to be great for my mood swings!