You know how much work it is to dig up potatoes, then bend over to pick up the harvest. My DH has solved the problem and made it a lot of fun...Get the grandkids to do the work! Below are photos from harvesting the yellow German and Yukon potatoes and Red Pontiacs. The total on the potato yield is 125 pounds, a record for us. The potatoes are a good size and […]
My DH picked all the ears of sweet corn from our patch and pulled up the stalks. The garden looks so different without those stately plantings of tall corn with waving tassels. We froze the last 60 ears. We were pleased with our harvest of tasty corn this year. If you want to try something different this year when freezing your corn, click here for a recipe. […]
Yes, we are still battling slugs, those voracious creatures that look like shell-less snails. Read my post Grudge Against Slugs, June 15.In that post I reported that my DH sprayed the veggies with a mixture of water and ammonia receiving slight victory. It didn't last. Last week my brother-in-law was here for a visit. Although he tried to drink all the […]
The excitement in the air, the buzz in the fair goers, the delicious aroma of kettle corn and elephant ears...It must be county fair time!Celebrating their 55th year, there are over 8000 exhibits at our 2010 Newaygo County Fair this year including FFA, 4-H, open youth and adult classes. In 1955 there were 800 exhibits and it was held on the high school groun […]
Hooray! It's finally that time of year when sweet corn grows abundantly. If you can't eat all your harvest right now, freeze sweet corn for a taste of the garden in the winter. This year has been a fantastic growing season for us. We grew Northern Extra Sweet and How Sweet It Is. Both varieties are filling out the cob well and I can't decide w […]
Yes, tis the season for gift giving. Lea Schizas, award winning author, writes an inspiring and humorous ebook for writers and is giving it to you for FREE! Now, don’t sign up for it if you have a weak heart or you already know everything you need to know about writing. But if you want return to why you are a writer or you need some kick butt advice, then download or read it on the full screen. It’s a fun quick read that could make a difference in how you view your writing journey. Enjoy.
The holidays are upon us and a great time to find fodder for writing your next stories. Many will be joining family and friends in celebrations. If you are writing your life story, this is a great opportunity to expand story ideas. Perhaps there will be a relative who will remember some of the good ole days with you and tell you about your parents, grandparents, or even your siblings’ stories.
You may be returning to your roots. Being in your old hometown will help spark some memories for a story.
Of course you can write about your past holiday experiences, the decorations, (remember when you fell into the tree and knocked it over?) the food,(nobody can bake a pumpkin pie like Grandma), the recipes,(a secret ingredient?), and the people who make your holidays especially nice or not….
Check out my writer’s website page on Writing Life Stories to be inspired to write your own life story. On this page there is a list of the books we use in our life story writing class in case you want to ask Santa to bring you one for Christmas!!
BTW I am presenting a workshop on Writing Your Life Story in February 2010.
Watching Sandra Bullock talk about her new movie, The Blind Side, it dawned on me how important writing is. Oprah interviewed her and praised Bullock’s acting in a scene that could have come off as “sappy and sentimental.” Bullock simply accepted the praise, but she also said, “It was the writing.”
That was a light bulb moment for me. Oh yes, I see writers given awards at the Academy Awards and Emmys, etc. but there isn’t much hoop-la when they reach the stage. And yet, think about the result of this writer putting pen to paper (or sitting at the keyboard). Without his/her creative talent of conjuring up the characters or researching the project, there would be no film, play, news, books, or entertainment.
Look at the web. It is information driven. Without writers, there would be no websites. No how-to articles, news stories, or even retailers with advertising copy.
But the idea of no writers is especially brought home when I think of all the children’s books available. Holding your child or grandchild in your lap, snuggled close to you, and reading aloud the pages of a colorful picture book brings giggles and wonder to this child. These are very special moments together.
Be proud to be a writer. You give the world a gift with your talent. Keep on writing!
I am probably committing a sacrilege by saying no to NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. During November every year, writers get whipped into a frenzy to write a 50000 word novel in one month. The best thing is that people actually do it! Yes, they may be copying the Gettysburg address in it or writing gibberish, but the word count is the goal. No editing or revising as you go. Don’t even re-read what you wrote. Just keep going. It is a very freeing way to write.
I participated in the project for the last two years. It was thrilling to see the book come together. It was fun to keep track of word count and watch it grow. I loved it. I also enjoyed the camaraderie of the writers, the pep talks from Chris, the founder of the program, and spending way too much time on forums and emails to fellow writers.
But, this year I am laying out of the craziness. Instead I have vowed to spend as much time revising one of the novels I wrote during NaNo two years ago. And let me tell you that will be no small task. I confess there is a lot of gibberish to get to the word count. And I never even made it to 50000!! So I have to flesh out the characters and locations and cut a lot of bunk out of it. I will prune sentences, replace blah verbs with action verbs, and write sparkling descriptions. Hey, I guess I’d better get busy.
Good luck to all of you who are participating. I’ll be in the trenches with ya’ next year!!
Janet • 
2:50 pm • 
