Adventures in Life and Thought

  You Never Thought Writing Fiction Could Do This For You Once your excuses are gone, you will simply have to settle for being awesome! ~ Lorii Myers Are you ready to be awesome? Well then, you’ll have to get rid of these excuses: I don’t want to write I can’t write I don’t have time to write I hate reading why would I want to write I’ve never read fiction so how can I write it I can’t find a pencil or paper I can’t spell worth a flip I can barely speak much less write Everyone will think I’m crazy I have no imagination And the list goes on and on… Okay, at this point, you’re a little interested but more curious as to how this will benefit you, right? Let’s get one thing out of the way before we begin. All first-time fiction writers are one peg below dummies. Until you’ve actually written a work of fiction, expect to be clueless. But in this case clueless is priceless because you don’t have any expectations or deadlines to meet. And there is no editor in the wings wearing a literary po

Book Review: Two Meals a Day Cookbook My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍 What a wonderful book! Mark Sisson’s story of how he changed his understanding of food, health, and diet to make a life-altering move in a new dietary direction drew me to this cookbook. The health and diet information is priceless, easy to assimilate, and also easy to put into everyday action. The recipes are scrumptious. I’ve tried several and nothing yet has disappointed me. I can see how these simple yet tasty meals can change the way I purchase food and prepare meals for my family. The ingredients are mostly things I already had in my pantry and not items I had to purchase at a great cost that I would use once and then sit on my shelf. This cookbook is one that I will use weekly, as I intend to try every recipe over time. I’m hoping that I will not only benefit from great meals but also from the health benefits that come from these recipes. I thank the author/publisher for gifting me a copy of this wonderful book. My opin

  I enjoy creating these page flip overs for several reasons. The first is that they allow me to use up lots of my scrap pieces of paper, fabrics, and trims. The second reason is that they are fun to make because anything can happen. Just tear, cut, and glue and see what you come up with.  What do you think? Versatile, pretty, and so easy to create!  Share this scrap-busting project with your junk journaling friends. Swap scraps and have a crafting session together. Wish I could be there also. Have fun!

Developing an Artistic Eye — Seeing is Both Visual and Perceptual “If the artist has outer and inner eyes for nature, nature rewards him by giving him inspiration.” — Wassily Kandinsky I was inspired to create the fiber art shown above from noticing the tiny weed-like flowers that grew between the cracks of my sidewalk’s paver stones. The very delicate plant contrasted deeply with the hard surface that doubled as a complementary background. As a fiber artist, over the years I’ve had to learn how to develop my ability to see ordinary things through an artistic eye. It’s been an ongoing process and one I enjoy immersing myself in often. I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned with you. The Artist’s Eye Most of us have this to some extent. We use a facet of this ability when we arrange our home decor or mix and match our clothing choices. We use our sense of position, balance, color, shape, and compatibility. My long relationship with fabric has given me an arena to expanded on

  Imagine you're a writer and you've just pushed the publish button on your latest story. What would you do then? Do you break out in a sweat, wring your hands, circle your chair, pace the floor, drop to your knees, or just sit calmly and wait for the inevitable? I usually jump up and bake cookies, do some laundry, or rearrange some dust — anything to take my mind off the fact I’ve just dropped my precious baby down that crazy rabbit hole — again. Writers deal with word-induced fear every day. Let’s examine a few of the reasons why.  Lack of confidence — No matter how much we write, how often we publish, or how well each story does, we sweat with renewed anxiety each time we send another story out into the world for others to read? Comments and feedback — Writers have fragile egos. It’s part of our creative genetics. The world we live in is not known for tactfulness, kindness, or acceptance of strangers. And what can be stranger than a writer who’s just published a new story? “

Let me begin by saying that I’m so ordinary that you’d never notice me even if I were the only one perched on a shelf. And what I’ve learned about maintaining a contented and happy life may only apply to me. But I’m hoping that you might find something that levels up your ability to find the same thing. What Happens When We Constantly Keep Our Heads Down When we look down, we can only see the step we just took and one yet to be taken. That’s an extremely limited view of our life’s potential and one that could never achieve the excitement and joy that we all want to experience. So, metaphorically, we can all lift our heads and let life surprise us by the results we achieve. An Example Of The Cause And Effect Of This Principle In My Life. Sometimes we tend to attribute most of the troublesome aspects of life to circumstances. But lifting our heads and taking a broader view might convince us otherwise. I’m not saying that circumstance doesn’t play its part — it does. But if circumstances

  This has got to be one of the easiest meal-planning solutions ever! So how does a Texas Lady put these crepes to good use in her kitchen? Well, take a seat because I'm about to tell you. Basic Crepe Recipe Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs ½ cup milk ½ cup water ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter, melted Directions In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.  Lynda's Kitchen: When I strap on my apron and get serious about making crepes, I make a ton of them at one time. That way I have plenty to

  Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍 + Amazon Buy Link CODING HOUR by Cliff Robison is one of the best mystery/suspense novels I've read in several years.  I'm not going to disclose the plot but I will tell you that it's addicting. The author had me hooked on the first three pages, and that's hard to do. I had so many questions swirling in my head that screamed for answers, and wouldn't you know it, a family crisis came up and I had to quit reading. It was several days before I got back to the story, but curiosity about the story gave me no rest during that interval.  I can't praise Cliff Robison enough for fashioning a story that is thrilling, tense, and totally satisfying without the counterfeit writing maneuvers of excessive sex, gore, and filthy words. Now that takes some writing skills! I loved the intellectual level he sustained throughout, the use of technology, secret society codes, and many other super interesting plot elements. This author makes you think as you read.

  Children love games like  Hide and Seek , and  I Spy , and they'll love this special I FOUND IT game made especially for them. I created this one for my granddaughter from fabric but paper crafters can do the same. Here's how I did mine using fabric. Find two each of multiple designs and cut them out.  I backed one of each of them with a fusible web product - I used Wonder Under Heat fuse them to a background fabric leaving a border on all sides.  I suggest framing the piece behind glass. This will allow it to stay in good shape for many years. As the child outgrows the game, the framed piece will become simply wall art that they will cherish in later years. The second matching piece I sewed to card stock, creating durable cards the child could use when trying to find the matching element in the completed design. The more elements included the more challenging and fun the game will be.  Have some fun with this project and create a one-of-a-kind gift. 

  Rating: 💛 💛 💛 💛 💛 Noodles have never been so adventurous or fun! I’ve always enjoyed dishes that incorporated noodles of all kinds. But now, for sure, I’m in love with ‘Noods’. I was thrilled to receive this complimentary copy of Send Noods by Chloe Godot from Amelia Beckerman, Associate Marketing Manager at St Martin’s Press. And it’s given me several hours of enjoyable reading, chuckling, and tasty recipes to try. The simple broth and sauce recipes were a bonus. Exploring the different recipe sections gave me great inspiration for dinners to come, especially the Heart Warmers section. I highly recommend the Nice Guy Shrimp Pad Thai and Won’t Clam Up Spaghetti and Clams recipes. Family pleasers for sure! I’m gifting my copy of this book to my 13-year-old granddaughter who loves cooking and cookbooks. Maybe she’ll let me be her official taster. @stmartins.com

  A thoughtless girl pushes the limit of belief too far... He crossed the last two moss-covered stones at the edge of the wide creek and planted his feet on the solid earthen bank. Shivering from the effects of his clumsiness and subsequent dunking, he did what he could to shake the water from his clothes. The dawn’s amber light slashed through the forest’s canopy and pooled around him, exposing him to further humiliation as he swiped at the frigid water dripping from his hair. “Trayjan, you are the most inept boy of my acquaintance. Why did I choose to share my adventures with one of so few skills…Oh well, it can’t be helped. Please try to keep your footing. If you fall into the water again you’ll surely freeze before we reach the cave and I’ll have to waste my afternoon burying you.” Her laughter, as she extolled his incompetence to every woodland creature, filled his soul with a deeper chill, one that penetrated his heart. Princess Veela, the youngest daughter of King Ryman of Chyla

  M is for moody — don’t talk to me O is for onliest — there is no 'we' N is for nowhere — I want to be D is for dingy — I’m drab you see A is for acceptance — Let me be me Y is for Yesterday’s joviality

  Don’t bore your readers to death! Perfect people who make no mistakes, always do the right thing, and fulfill our every desire are guaranteed to bore a fiction reader to death! For me, this truth is an oxymoron. Why? Because I’d personally love to be such a perfect person and have my life filled with them. But, as a writer of fiction, I know that most readers won't get past the first ten pages of a story whose characters are cookie-cutter perfect. Why do the majority of those who love to read romantic fiction feel the same way? It’s really simple. Readers of romantic fiction want some sort of conflict on every page. They want to join the obstacle-filled journey of the protagonist as she/he struggles toward the ultimate goal of finding true love. And the harder this quest, the more likely they’ll stay with the story, turning each page with keen anticipation. As a writer, I like to create this conflict through external issues, but most especially, through the flawed personalities o

  The envelope is made from an old book page and embellished with a piece of sheer fabric with sequins and other trim and paper scraps. The Journal card has a pocket on the front and a decorated writing area on the back. The decorative paper elements were torn out of an outdated planner book I found in a thrift store. A page corner tuck to hold the magazine photo decorated with a touch of lace. 

  It Doesn’t Have a Michelin Star But It’s Come-Back Good I’m a grandma that loves to cook. I received my training at the apron strings of my mother, aunts, and grandmother, who were all great cooks from Texas, USA. Family gatherings meant that the ladies of the family spent many hours preparing their favorite dishes. None of them were trained chefs but they were all dedicated to putting their best food on the table. Simple, satisfying, smell-good, taste-good food topped the menu. And since money was never something any of them had in abundance, their ability to improvise, adapt, and create original recipes flourished. One thing you’ll learn about cooking from me is that grandma-style leaves lots of room for self-expression. Why? Because we don’t measure — we taste for accuracy. A pinch, a dash, a palm-full, and a smidgeon are all very exact directions when you learn to appreciate them. So don’t get stuck in a rut, experiment a little, tweak a lot, and you’ll be surprised to find your

  Everybody wants to change something. It’s either themselves, someone else, or the world in general. CHANGE… It’s the catalyst to success or disaster. Which is most often your result? In this series, we’re going to practice thinking. Don’t run away! I promise this will be both brief and painless — I hope. We'll take just one thought or question to meditate on for a few days. Will it make a profound difference in your life? Maybe, or maybe not. You’re unique, so I can’t answer for you. But it will give you something to think about. Here we go.  Why did you get up this morning? No, don’t laugh. I’m serious. Why did you get up this morning? If you can’t answer this question in-depth, don’t expect to accomplish much, certainly not success. It’s time to THINK…

  Grab some coin holders and get creative. If you can find some old 50 cent/Halves holders they are my favorite size to work with. Making junk journals is an adventure for me. It’s fun and addicting, especially when using items that would usually find their way into the trash bin. These two small journaling pockets are made from old coin holders and will be glued to a page in my junk journal. A small sliding tab is inserted. The tab has a blank backside just right for hidden notes. Want to try it? Just follow me — https://youtu.be/D3oudG5vmL8

When is The Last Time You Ate a Hyperbolic Paraboloid Snack Your average, unsullied Pringle is a hyperbolic paraboloid; its equation is (x²)/(a²) — (y²)/(b²) = z/c. Here’s where things get interesting, though (as if hyperbolic paraboloids weren’t interesting enough). Proctor & Gamble doesn’t just shove a bunch of Pringles in a can and call it a day. Rather, they use supercomputers to keep conditions just right to make sure the chips make it from their factory to your house unmolested. ~ Source I hope you found that as interesting as I did. Life is just full of technology-enhanced bits of fun. Don’t you just wish you could get into the head of the person who dreamed this up? Their problem-solving skills are superior to mine. What problems you may ask? How to get a lot of chips into a small cylinder, is one. Since they stack tightly together, space is efficiently utilized. How to keep chips from breaking and crumbling in the package? Since they stack tight, one on top of the other i

  Over 100 Recipes to Lose Weight Feel Great Without Hunger or Craving  Author: Mark Sisson My Review My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍 What a wonderful book! Mark Sisson’s story of how he changed his understanding of food, health, and diet to make a life-altering move in a new dietary direction drew me to this cookbook. The health and diet information is priceless, easy to assimilate, and also easy to put into everyday action. The recipes are scrumptious. I’ve tried several and nothing yet has disappointed me. I can see how these simple yet tasty meals can change the way I purchase food and prepare meals for my family. The ingredients are mostly things I already had in my pantry and not items I had to purchase at a great cost that I would use once and then sit on my shelf. This cookbook is one that I will use weekly, as I intend to try every recipe over time. I’m hoping that I will not only benefit from great meals but also from the health benefits that come from these recipes. I thank the author

  It's time to pull some of those scraps out of the bag they've been hiding in and put them to work. Making clutch or envelope bags and pouches is a beginner-friendly sewing project.  I created these two examples from fabric sample swatches. The small pouch I use to hold my keys so I don't have to dig around in my purse to find them. It has a Velcro closure as does the envelope clutch. I like simple! Here is a link to a video that I enjoyed and it will help you get started on sewing your own Clutch and Key Pouch Set. 

On my bucket list is a world tour for the sole purpose of sampling as many kinds of street foods as possible. What is Street Food Street food is ready-to-eat food or drinks sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a street or other public place, such as at a market or fair. They often sell it from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption. Wikipedia Street Food Heritage Throughout time, there has always been a vendor selling ready-made bread, cheeses, desserts, and other culinary delights. However, in more recent times, street food vendors have often come from immigrant cultures looking for a means of income or the love of sharing their native cuisine. Then, fast-food chains populated the streets and independent street food vendors became harder to find, especially where I live in the US. However, in other parts of the world, street food is common and easily found. What draws me and others to the street food experience?  Adventure — who doesn’t like

A Woe is Me Poem Could I Have an Answer Please Oh my.! You need my father’s name. I can’t imagine why. He’s been dead these 30 years I don’t think you’ll reach him if you try Sure, I’ll hold again. Another supervisor to find. Classical music this time, Sounds like broken chimes. Another voice, only an 18-minute wait. What do you mean you can’t help me? Sure, I’ll hold and contemplate my fate. Finally, an apologetic voice. She wants the last 3 passwords for my account. I've only ever had 1. Should I make up the other two? Sure, I’ll hold again. Glory be! I’m 23rd in the line, 26 minutes later, the person I need Has no time. Would I like to call back? Sure, my time has no value. But could I get some kind of answer I don’t care anymore what kind? I’ve been to this deserted land before. I’m sure you know the door. There’s no shade or place of rest Just a worn-out customer under test. Sure, I’ll hold again. The Silence was unexpected. Then comes the death toll. Your call has been discon

Why Create Flow Journals Creating flow journals in advance can greatly speed up the process of designing and creating a new junk journal. It's also a fabulous way to keep coordinated bits and pieces together for use at a later time. When you need some inspiration quick, you'll love yourself if you have several of these on your shelf ready to go.  This is one of my older videos, so some of the content, such as the challenge, no longer applies but the project concept is good at any time. Also, I don't currently have any of these available in my Etsy shop. Enjoy the video and let me know if you make one of these flow journals for yourself or a friend. 

  Have you been wondering what kind of gift you could create for someone in school or college, or perhaps your neighbor, workmate, caregiver, or friend? With a little fabric and some glam adventure, you could create a shabby chic composition notebook cover as I did. And if you're not into shabby chic, design an original cover idea. Here is  a video that shows how to easily construct a fabric cover.  This is exactly how I created mine. With the exception that I completely finished the decorations on the front fabric panel before completing the other steps. Once you sew the layers together and turn the cover inside out, the decorations pop out to adorn your cover.  The other great thing about this project is that you can make it from scraps of fabric, lace, and trim.

  After much reading on the subject, this is my bottom line definition of the responsibilities of a Life Coach. Someone who will help you design a personal strategy to achieve specific life-enhancing goals and skills while working alongside you to achieve those things. Now I’m more than certain that a grandma is your best option. Being a great-grandma myself, I can speak from experience!   Let's Make Some Comparisons Professional Life Coaches:  are careful not to be opinionated. They ask a lot of deep questions and strive to help their clients arrive at their best version of themselves, forming their own set of answers. Grandmas take the opposite approach:  and for good reason. They already know you’re challenged when it comes to Q&A sessions. They’ve heard the ‘I don’t know' answer too many times to fall for that strategy again. Grandmas know that if you had the ability to reason just the tiniest bit, you wouldn’t be in your current mess. Nor would you be grabbing for supp

Everything Minus Love = Nothing Humans crave, dream about, obsess over, search for, and pray for love. Can you think of any meaningful relationships that don’t require some form of love to be successful? I can’t. If love is that important, then it’s reasonable to think that it affects our perspective, attitudes, mental health, spirituality, and happiness. In fact, we’d probably all agree that it belongs under the category of ‘necessity’. Love comes in many forms. We humans most often think in terms of romantic love. While that is undoubtedly one of my favorites, it’s not the ONLY type of love that’s important to our happiness. Along with brotherly love and love of family, there is another form of love that balances all others. It’s a love based on the highest moral principle. What are the characteristics of this higher form of love? When we display this type of love we unselfishly put the needs of others ahead of our own even if those ‘others’ or strangers to us. It is founded on the p

Seasons rush by my window Tightly closed and curtains drawn Never to know the yearning I have To reach out and capture time Today I will, “I will,” I say Open my window high and wide And beckon ever so sweetly Perhaps I’ll chance to make it mine

                                                 Purrrrr..."Who asked that stupid question?" I think most of us at some time in our lives have slammed a door out of frustration or anger. I know I'm guilty. It's not something I do now, and I'm not sure why I've done it in the past, except that it was a way to make sure that those around me knew I was upset.  But thinking back on the action, it was really a reaction to my own uncontrolled emotions. And to address the question as to what it accomplished, it would be easier to tell you what it DIDN'T accomplish. It didn't make those around me care more about my feelings. It didn't improve the situation at hand. It didn't make me a better person. It didn't get me what I wanted. It didn't show how mature I was or thought I was. It didn't punish anyone but myself. It didn't make me feel like I had won anything of value. The bottom line is that door slamming is something we do to expres

Purple Hull, Crowder, Black-Eyed, and Cream peas are coveted items during the southern states’ gardening season. When paired with potato salad with a touch of mustard and garlic and garnished with fresh onion and tomatoes, there is no finer eating. There are as many ways to cook peas as there are southern cooks, but I’m sharing an old family recipe that I hope will inspire you to add a pot of these goodies to your next family dinner. There are no fancy directions, diet analyses, ingredients, etc. This is straight from my kitchen in southern, granny-style simplicity. Presuming your peas are shelled and washed, you’re ready to do the following:  In a large pot, saute´ (2 diced medium) onions, and 2 diced garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings until onions are somewhat glazed and clear. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a can of petite-cut tomatoes.  Add peas and cover with water. Add 1–2 tablespoons of molasses depending on the amount of peas you’re cooking. I’d add 1 generous

  Collage by Lynda

  As a writer of romantic fiction, one of the most often comments I hear is that people don't have time to read a book. But, the innovative person that I am, I've found a way around that somewhat overused excuse. I'm sharing my stories in small episodes so that everyone can enjoy reading, no matter how busy they are. Think of it as a bit of nostalgia. A throwback to when novels were published in newspapers and magazines in serialized segments, daily or once a week. Now you can have the same reading convenience. Look for my first fiction post of YOU OWE ME soon... I'll be posting 3 or more episodes weekly until we reach THE END! To make it easy for you to find, all episodes will be posted under the category label, SERIAL FICTION - YOU OWE ME. You'll find those labels listed in the right sidebar.

If I were a thought I’d wander ever so slowly Through shadow and sunlight Tracing the patterns and Subtleties of your mind If I were a breeze I’d slide softly against your cheek Lifting the tresses on your nape To imprint my touch And claim the essence of your being If I were starlight I’d fall from the heavens To shine forever in your eyes And guard my reflection there Peering at the world with you If I were your heartbeat I’d treasure the rhythm of your soul Protect the fragile beauty within Measure the moment when You allow my love there to grow If I were eternity itself I’d keep you forever in my embrace And count time unceasing By your smiles so freely given By your laughter genuinely driven If I were your man I’d spend each day in search To know your mystery and allure I’d find each portal and door So that I could love you more