Tumblin' down

Can you believe that turntables are “in” again? So glad I didn’t get rid of my vinyl. Some of my favorite artists!

My brother calls me right before my birthday in November and says, “You’ll never guess what I have.” He was right. I couldn’t guess.

He told me he’d gotten a turntable and was able to play some of his old records. He asked if I had kept my records and I said, “They are…

In December, I broke down and purchased an Instant Pot with a gift card bonus from work. I’ve been hearing about how well, and how quickly it cooks everything from a whole chicken to hard boiling the perfect eggs. It makes yogurt (I had no idea that one could make her own yogurt). It makes perfect rice. Apparently it does almost everything. Does it do windows, I asked? No, it doesn’t do windows.

Three guesses as to what this is? It’s not a kitty hairball. It’s not a photo of my hair in the morning. Okay. You guessed it. It’s an up-close photo of a bird’s nest found on the ground at a local park by a friend.

This little nest gives me hope for the future. If a tiny bird can have the innate intelligence and the patience of Job to find specific materials and build such a beautiful, sturdy…

The Church of the Immaculate Conception and magnolias at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, where I usually work if I were not sheltering at home. Photo by Diane Weidenbenner

Forsythia by an historic window of O’Shaughnessy Dining Room at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Photo by Diane Weidenbenner

One of my favorite flowering trees in Indiana. We used to have a bush at our house but it died out. I need to…

Pileated woodpecker visitor in our backyard today.

I’ve always enjoyed the environment and all the gifts that it has to offer. Right now, as I work at my kitchen table, I spy this hardworking pileated woodpecker hopping up and down this poor tree, looking for lunch.

Were I to show you the entire tree, it would be a sad photo, as groundhogs, woodpeckers and other animals have ravaged it. It…

Did you know that the Lord God delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in His unfailing love? Psalm 147:11 says so!

If I’m asked what gives me joy, I’d have to say that creative writing delights me! When I write, something amazing happens. I receive inexplicable joy. Don’t think for a minute that it’s because I am a great writer. I’m not. It’s just joyful for me to create something,…

This tree was hit by lightning and you can see where a large limb broke off, injuring the tree. As relational people, we can feel injured like this tree without access to our community.

Merriam-Webster defines community as “a unified body of individuals: such as the people with common interests living in a particular area … a social state or condition … or society at large.

In this current…

I saw this little dish at a novelty store in town and, although I couldn’t spend the novelty price for it, I liked the saying so I snapped a photo. I ran across this quote today and I thought it was odd. I’d love to “say a hearty yes to (my) adventure.” It is a big question these days, isn’t it?

It feels like we start every conversation with “When the quarantine is lifted …” or “When things go…

At this time …

So, this was our backyard visitor today … luckily this animal is about 30 feet away from our deck! My new normal is working from home, at my kitchen table.

IWSG and Blogging from A to Z: At this time, how are things in your world?

Three weeks ago, I wouldn’t have imagined working from home, from my kitchen table, enjoying the view from my kitchen window (see photo above). I am a marketing…

Trumpets resounding the arrival of spring!

So, a lot has changed since October, when I last posted to my blog. I think my writing has been hibernating, afraid to come out for fear of frostbite. Is that possible?

In a week, it will be April and of course that means taking part in the Blogging A to Z blogathon. I’m not sure I’ll make it – okay, that’s not the right way to go into this event.

IWSG: Being a reader is key to writing

Question for October IWSG: It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

Sculpture I liked during my…

IWSG: First Wednesday – 9/4/19

Wanted: secluded mountain cabin for aspiring writer

The question this month is if I could pick one place in the world to write my next story, where would it be and why?

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

I would love to go for a weekend or week writing retreat in the mountains. I do have a few caveats – the secluded mountain cabin must have indoor plumbing and air conditioning (or at least…

IWSG: First Wednesday Favorites

As writers, we can be our own worst critics, right? Sometimes we look to our favorite authors to keep us encouraged along the journey.

This First Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Groupblog hop, I thought it would be fun to mention a few of my favorite authors of all time. You know, those authors you had to read when they had a new book published? You finished the last book only to…

Writing goals and 9 prompt resources

One of my new goals for generating more curiosity in my life (to defeat cynicism) is to make a point of writing creatively more often. Even if no one else reads it or I only harvest a few kernels of good writing among whole corn cobs of yuck, I want to write more often!

I have made a commitment to myself to write at least three times per week, beginning in June (okay, so I’m procrastinating…

Content right where I’m at …

When things are crazy busy in my life – work, home, my mind (in the form of worry) – I feel like I’m just rushing from one thing to another. Rushing to get up, get dressed, feed the dog, spend a few moments with my husband and then off to work.

One of the young deer that visited our backyard last week. A blessing that encourages me to stop and ponder, to avoid becoming cynical.

At work, I…

I’ve joined up with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (again) and am committing to writing at least once a month, on the first Wednesday of the month. I’m a bit late (again) but I’m hoping with this post that I will redeem myself. If I miss more than one month, I will be axed from the group and I still have bruises from the last time. I must really like this group to recommit to it so often 😉