Dandy Dandelions

This blog by Jennifer Flaten

We’ve had an unusually cold spring this year. Finally, we are getting warm days and dandelions.

This is my side yard. I swear I looked out the window at 7a and there was nothing but green grass. I looked back out at noon and there was a field of dandelions. A few days ago my husband mowed the lawn…it looked like the dandelions were defeated, then it rained. They’re baaaaack.

I’ve always like dandelions and it’s a good thing, because with three kids you are always going to have dandelions. Either the kids are picking them to give to you or they are in your lawn (probably from the kids picking them somewhere else and bring them to your lawn). Not to mention the hundreds and hundreds of wishes my kids have made on the fluffy white seedpods; all those wishes drifting along creating more dandelions.

That’s okay; we do this with the dandelions.

I cannot take credit; my daughters thought of it-they even convinced their brother to help. They inserted the dandelions into the signpost on the corner of our property. I call it dandelion bombing.

Plus, according to the Rodale Institute (and many other gardening sites), dandelions are a great source of nectar for bees. I like to think of my yard as a giant bee buffet.

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Printing Progress

This post is by Erin Thorne.

Many people keep journals for various reasons. They use this medium to inscribe personal thoughts, vent difficult-to-handle emotions, and as a record of special life events. However, a journal is also an ideal place in which to track one’s writing progress.

I recently began to do this as an integrated part of my work. A writers’ group to which I belong has a feature that, once a week, lets us share with other members what we’ve accomplished in the past seven days. At first, my writing journal was strictly utilitarian. There was simply no way I could have remembered what I’d done if I didn’t write it down. By degrees, it became a motivational tool.

Some weeks are busier than others. During those that are packed with activities and obligations, I sometimes feel as though I’m not getting any writing done. This, in turn, leads me to feel badly about my lack of effort. To break out of this spiral, I take a peek inside the journal section of my day planner, which is where I enter my daily progress. Often, I’ve found more entries than I expected, and this has given my confidence a boost. On the other hand, I’ve occasionally been stared down by blank pages that I’d meant to fill. This has provided the impetus to do more, and to intentionally make time to write.

Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the results. I have finished projects ahead of schedule, and kept a more positive mindset about the whole writing process. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I feel encouraged. I don’t dread sharing my week’s work with others, because I know I’ve done my best in spite of all the demands upon my time. I’d recommend this technique to others without hesitation; no matter what line of work you’re in, nothing lifts your sprits like seeing how far you’ve come. It inspires confidence, and gives you hope about how far you’ll go.

Reading as a Writer

This blog by Jennifer Flaten

Yesterday, on our weekly trip to the library I checked out ‘Where’d you go Bernadette?’ After reading the jacket flap, I vaguely remembered reading the reviews so I decided to try it.

Just a side note, while the review I read of the book was a positive one, it lead me to believe the book would be a bit different from what I read, proving that even a good review can mislead us, and sometimes you just have to read the book and see if it is something you like.

Anyway, I checked the book out at 4p, started reading it at 7p, and finished it at 11:30p. Do I really need to say, I loved it?!

Now, this isn’t a review for that particular book (but if you get a chance try it, I loved to hear what you think), this is a reader rejoicing in finding a great book that I loved, couldn’t/wouldn’t put down until I was done and it is a writer thinking about what I can learn from this book.

That is why writers read, not only for the joy reading brings us (after all if we didn’t love the written word we wouldn’t be writing) but to learn from another writer.

That is, of course, after being consumed by jealousy that we didn’t have that idea or thinks of that awesome way to string those words together.

I read a lot, sometimes I hate the book and don’t finish, sometimes I find the book enjoyable, but I am in no rush to finish it, and sometimes, those magical sometimes I find a book like this one (or hundreds of others) that I get swept up in and I will keep reading forsaking everything else to finish it.

Truly, those books are what keep me writing. The thought that some day I might write a book that will keep someone up way past their bedtime because they just have to learn how my story ends.

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Inspiration

This blog by Jennifer Flaten

Yay! Fall is here. I love fall, and it has nothing to do with the fact the kids go back to school (really). I love the changing seasons and this fall that is especially welcome, we spent the summer moving and the anxiety and stress involved left us all wiped out.

Now that we are finally settled in–we will pretend we don’t see the un-hung pictures and walls I still have to paint–I am excited to get back to doing what I love writing, creating jewelry and knitting (a new passion).

Inspiration is everywhere I look, including my front yard.

Yes, this little visitor is eating a miniature pumpkin, my son’s miniature pumpkin that he bought with his own money.

We made a fall display in the bird bath, replacing the water with a gorgeous bronze colored mum and surrounding it with mini pumpkins and gourds. Unfortunately, the squirrels seem to think it is a salad bar set out just for them. Naughty squirrels, but what a great inspiration, I am sure this particular incident will show up somewhere in my writing.

My son’s pumpkin is the first casualty, the squirrel reduced it to nothing but pumpkin chunks in his quest for the seeds. I will be taking the kids out to the pumpkin farm this weekend so my son can replace his pumpkin.
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