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CTST: Hummingbirds are such sweet visitors!
Celebrate the Small Things: Our hummingbird friends are back! We have a pair of hummingbirds that come and dine with us each year but with the busy, hot summer, I was remiss in putting their feeder out. I was in the kitchen working on my computer last weekend and one of them “dropped by” to let me know! It’s hilarious and sweet! They hover with their helicopter wings and look me right in the eye (or so it seems). And, while they are polite, they are also persistent. So, I ran to the garage, got the feeder, mixed up the food and placed it, with suction cup, on my window.…
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IWSG: How do I find time to write in my busy day?
As I write my post for September’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group, I have to admit I don’t have this one figured out. I’m having a lot of trouble finding the time to write. I’m not a morning person, so the idea of waking up an hour early and sitting down at the computer scares me. I wonder if my husband, dog and kitties would find me several hours later asleep, face plastered to the keyboard! I work eight-plus hours per day, Monday through Friday. I also periodically work some evenings and weekends. When I get home in the evening, there are only a few hours left after the pets and humans…
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CTST: Yummy new option for healthy living
Celebrate the Small Things: Market District specialty store in Carmel, Indiana I first heard about Market District from a staff person at work who discovered it when she was up in Indianapolis. A friend and I happened upon it this past Thursday and it was a delight. It’s like an amusement park for foodies! We were so excited about the choices that we bought a refrigerated sack, put a bag of ice in it and prepared our more delicate items for the two-hour transport home. Whether we wanted cheese, meat marinade or spice rub, or types of freshly baked bread, the selection was plentiful. We found old-time favorites as well…
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CTST: Summer time harvest
Celebrate the Small Things: Taking stock of life’s summer harvest It’s the end of August, which is a month that marks for many the beginning of school, the end of vacations and an end to summer, which has breezed past us in a humid fog. I ran across this photo from last year and it reminded me of summer’s progress. I’ve accomplished some of my goals (indicated by the harvested area of the field) but there is still time to water, weed and harvest healthy crops. There’s still time to celebrate what’s left of summer. And, I’m trying really hard not to rush into fall, which is my favorite time of…
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CTST: Tasty produce and the farmers who grow it
Celebrate the Small Things: The hard work of farmers to produce healthy, tasty fruits and vegetables. This time of year, the farmers start to see the fruits of their labor and we have especially tasty choices at local farmers’ markets and in grocery stores who feature locally grown produce. I can’t wait until those juicy red, yellow and orange tomatoes ripen and the tender, yellow sweetcorn matures! Until I took part in a Consumer Support Agriculture (CSA) several times, I didn’t know there could be such a difference in taste, between organic, locally grown vegetables and those found year-long in big-chain stores. There is a huge difference and I’m spoiled.…
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Celebrate the small things: Insecure Writer’s Support Group
CTST: This week I am celebrating having joined a group of writers called the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. It may still be the honeymoon period but I’ve really enjoyed it thus far! I’ve become familiar with a few new bloggers. What’s different and most appreciated about this group is that many are where I want to be – in the published author category. I have had business articles published but nothing in the fiction arena. On the first Wednesday of everything month, members write about their struggles and successes. Some have several titles published and some, like me, are working towards that goal. In any case, I am grateful for…
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No writing is a waste
It’s Wednesday! Besides hump day, it’s the day that I begin a monthly blog hop with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Just one blog a month, on the first Wednesday of the month. Surely I can do this! Today’s question: What happened to your first pieces of writing? I recently found a three-ring binder with my writing from a college creative writing class. I was a freshman and many entries weren’t very good. In fact, I remember that I didn’t get to spend much time on the various projects the professor assigned because I was working 25-30 hours per week, work-study, to help pay for my tuition. One of the…
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Short-sighted in the rain
Celebrate the Small Things: That God sees what’s up ahead, even when we can’t. And, that we can rest peacefully in that knowledge! It rains often in Indiana, even if the temperature is 95 degrees, which blows my mind. I grew up in Denver and when it rained, it resulted in cool afternoons or evenings with the humidity dissipating into the atmosphere. Not so in the muggy Midwest. This morning was a downpour, as if someone was refilling a pitcher and dumping it on the roads. It reminded me of a time when I worked for a publishing company, selling advertising space to businesses. My boss and I were making…
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Kindness Challenge (wk3) and CTST: Kind energy
In Celebrating the Small Things – I got through the week with the flu and work and tried to get enough rest to heal quickly. Still shooting to have my cataract surgery on Wednesday, if I’m not coughing. Please pray for me! Kindness Challenge update: I’m realizing that although the goal of week 3 is to incorporate kindness into my thoughts and actions, that this is probably going to be a life-long journey. I certainly didn’t master it this week. My husband and I both had the flu so I tried to be kind but failed as often as I succeeded, because my energy level was nil. I tried to…
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Kindness Challenge (wk2) & CTST: Find kindness
I’m a little late because the dreaded flu bug got a hold of me late last week. The kindness I noticed around me was encouraging, although I didn’t feel well. My husband and I even remarked that living in a smaller town, people are nicer to each other, whether you talk with them at the local grocery store, restaurant or gardening center. There’s a sense of community even if you don’t personally know everyone. It also seems more important to frequent local, family-run businesses versus large company chains, because you are usually supporting generations of families. It’s sometimes the smallest acts of kindness that stick with me. A co-worker bringing…
