CELEBRATE

Happy Friday! So we are getting together again to celebrate the small things. This is a bloghop.
Well today I want to celebrate that my glads are starting to bloom! I have them all over the yard.. Also I am trying to start alot of plants from cuttings (lavender, gardenia, hydrangea) and they seem to be doing okay.
     Oh and here is a biggie, my friend & fellow author Noelle MacLeod is offering her ebook Since September for free for 5 days, go on over and get it while you can!
     Hope your life is filled with joy and celebration!

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Jackie Felger, aspiring author from Bouquet of Books is hosting this bloghop. The question for June 24-28 is:

What band, singer, or group would be featured most in your WIP (Work in Progress) or life?

Well, my WIP is set in West Virginia, and I would have to say I get the feel of Johnny Cash & June Carter, and the Carter Family.. .

CELEBRATE

Happy Friday! So we are getting together again to celebrate the small things. This is a bloghop.

Well, I do have to say I have a lot to celebrate! The past few days, I have been riding around rural roads looking for wildflowers to dig up for my gardens.. Oh my, what an abundance!! I finally got them all planted, and it is supposed to rain next few days, which is a blessing. It is super hot here, and hard to work in yard for any amount of time, but I have alot to do. I am looking for some wild honeysuckle to get some cuttings from- I know I saw it somewhere, but don't remember where. I just keep my eyes peeled for flowers when I am driving, & have a spare trowel in the truck..

I also want to celebrate that my daughter got her cats fixed, YAY! Poor Blueberry was miserable & is now calm. What a difference it makes!

And I wanna celebrate my MOM, I am glad to have her in my life. No one else could have been my mother!

Hope your life is full of celebration as well.

*PS*

JAILEEN! We did it! We have the same cabin for Canp Nano! Now THAT is something to celebrate! YAY!

(*throws confetti in air)*

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Jackie Felger, aspiring author at Bouquet of Books is hosting this bloghop.

The question for June 17-21 is a question you get asked time and time again.

My answer would be:

"What is your book about."

Here is the answer:

read the book!

IWSG OOPS

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day.

     OOPS... I have been posting wrong for IWSG.. Please excuse. I will get back on track here.. Well at least I have been posting on it (Mondays). Grief, I have to be more organized! Sorry about that, ya'll!

CELEBRATE

 

Happy Friday! So we are getting together again to celebrate the small things. This is a bloghop.

This week I want to celebrate my family-- together we are strong.. I also want to celebrate creativity, I feel it dancing around me again, and have some good ideas. I want to celebrate my friends. And of course, I want to celebrate my cats/best friends, and will do that by dancing around with them and annoying them!

Finally I want to celebrate another day of life. Imagine all the possibilities...

What would YOU like to celebrate?

IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.
                                                        check them out here.

     Well, I have been doing busy work for my writing. I am getting my stuff for No One left To Die together for July Camp.
     Then I had another brainstorm for a story that will consolidate alot of my story ideas-- and of course, I couldn't find what I was looking for... Well, being a minimalist sure is a blessing. I don't have that much stuff, and my papers are in 2 file carrying cases- so I found it pretty quick. I consolidated the files I was thinking of, and am in the middle of writing up master notes for the story. This will be a fun one...
     Still re-editing DESDINOVA for print. Somehow my file got corrupted, and random sentences are underlined. So I have to pay attention to that. Plus, I am trying to do a thorough job on it. I would like it done before July..
     Now that the moving drama is settled, I am getting back to my writing, and it feels good. I missed it. It felt like something important was missing in my life, and I felt incomplete..
     I also signed the Rebel Writer's Creed.
                           Happy Writing, all...

BLOG HOP DAY!!

So today is a blog hop day. Started by Mel Chesley.. The sites where I would like more traffic are this site also my Amazon author page. I will be hopping around visiting today, so see ya then!

Please see the bottom of the page for Blog hop links...

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Jackie Felger, aspiring author at Bouquet of Books is hosting this bloghop. The question for June 10-14 is to list the last 2 movies you saw?

My answer would be James Bond's OCTOPUSSY and GREASE.

THE COTTAGE WINERY

     Ok ya'll: It's time to get way serious here. I'm talking wine. <HELLO!!>
     It's no big secret that we live in a big wine area. In fact, I'm surrounded by vineyards. I had already decided I was going to taste test in every one and blog about them, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.
     It's time to meet the new kids on the block.
     For awhile now, we have watched as a hill down the road from us was torn out and developed. We cursed & we moaned, we sighed and we shook our heads. "There goes the neighborhood," we said. We live in a rural area, and we like it that way!
     Then a sign went up on the road. We couldn't read it as we drove by -- well THIS was the day that i was going to investigate what had decided to invade our neighborhood.
     Imagine my surprise to find another winery! I would have danced in circles on my tippy toes in the lot, but my feet were already heading for the door---
     Where I was warmly welcomed by Nathan Beasley (son of hosts Jim & Sandra Penner), to his family owned vineyard. And there they all sat, relaxed, comfortable, and inviting. Oh, and the views!!
     The testing room is currently located in their wedding chapel, while their main building is still under construction (est. September 2013).
     No complaints here.
     And then -- the wines! No freebies here, folks. You pay $7 and get to try any 5 wines. (1 oz pours by law). But let me tell you, it was well worth it.
     You can also order any 5 with a choice of glass; any 10 for 12; & any 10 with choice of glass for $16.
     I have to say, they are reasonable prices. I can honestly say I was extremely pleased with everything I tried. (5 of them! Plus a bonus taste of Pinot Noir.)
     Let me start off by saying that I am more partial to red wines than white. And I am more partial to dry than sweet. Well I was shocked to find that my very favorite wine (OF! ALL! TIME!) is a sweet white wine. Roll out the red carpet for Horse Creek Wintersville. It advertises itself as "an elegant Muscadine wine from their friends in south Georgia.) Well they are now my new best friends. (*waves*)
     I tried a dry white Seyval Blanc. It doesn't leave an aftertaste in your mouth, and is very smoothe & full-bodied. it is one of their popular wines.
     Then I tried a dry, red Syrah. "Oaked for 18 mos., cherries on the front, pepper on the after. origination: Lake County, California. A very good wine.
     I tried Horse Creek Big Red, a red muscadine wine from the Horse Creek Winery in south Georgia. My 2nd very favorite. "A superior sweet muscadine wine." I co-sign that!
     The bonus wine I tasted was the Pinot Noir. Very good, not sweet, origin: Wooldridge Vineyards, Oregon. "Multiple levels: light cherry, plum, smoke, peppery finish. French oak." The owners claim it as their favorite wine. Nathan explained that due to the weather in Georgia, which would shock the grapes, Pinot Noir cannot be grown in Georgia.
     Nathan also mentioned that at the moment, Pinot Noir, Merlot, & Syrah are all in competition right now to find the winery's favorite. (Why don't you stop by & help them decide!)
     And ok, so I saved this one for last: The Cottage Slushy Sangria. It's in a class of its own. 82% Merlot, 18% Cabernet -- in a slushy! If I had to have a glass of anything, this is what I would choose: very refreshing. Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot were long my favorites.
     But I want to reiterate -- if I had to have a bottle of wine -- it would be the Horse Creek Wintersville (white muscadine).
     There were many choices to be had, but these were the ones I tried.
     Nathan also had a good idea to bring a picnic basket, buy a glass (or bottle) of wine, and enjoy the views. I do have to say, that after tasting those wonderful wines, surrounded by those views, that I glided out on angel wings, feeling very content and happy!
     Welcome to the neighborhood, Cottage Vineyard & Winery (Cleveland, Georgia). Anyone else on that hill and they would have had to go!
     For more info & hours:
cottagevineyardwinery.com
check them out on Facebook & Twitter, too.

     And save me some white muscadine wine!

          *I neglect to mention: The Syrah "Eighteen"
-an 18% port-like dessert wine (all others are 13%):  "Floral & fruit nose; raspberry/plum & chocolate palette." This wine is excluded from the tasting, as it is one of their expensive wines. It is $3 for a 1 oz pour. I didn't try it this visit, maybe next.
    

 

CELEBRATE

 Happy Friday! So today we are getting together to celebrate the small things. This is a bloghop.
     This week the sun has finally come out, figuratively, I mean, as it has been raining pretty much. But we finally got saved at the last minute by Grace and don't have to move. I pretty much have been in a funk, gearing up for a big move-- conserving my energy. Like the calm before a storm. I also want to celebrate remaining Queen of my Gardens! I potted a Virginia bluebell root that the deers had ate, and it is trying to grow again. And put my baby columbine seedlings into the ground; I hope they didn't get drowned. Also I pretty much have reconfigured the plans for my garden to take into account the marauding deer. I am going for roses. I am grateful to have gardens to play in. I am also grateful that I now have some new cedar bluebird houses to replace the ones that have turned into shacks. Life goes on & it is good. Happy Celebrations, everyone!

GASP!!

     Well color me a dang fool! I am just finding this out for the first time...
     In the 90's, I used to buy alot of stuff from this cool company called Wynnco, out of Pickens, SC... They sold celebrity items, alot of them autographed. One of the expensive things I got from them was a pair of autographed stage worn Alex Van Halen camo pants, along with a "certificate of authenticity". I won't say what I paid, but they had layaway...
     Well today, on a whim, I decided to look up ol' Wynnco, & see what they were up to these days. Well, I nearly fainted to find that they have been shut down for FRAUD!! I have held onto these pants thru so much turmoil. Even when I lost my home, and decided to be more of a minimalist, I kept them. And now I find out they are completely worthless besides being a good pair of pants (that don't fit, by the way!).
     What IS this world coming to?
                                                   Read the whole sad story here.

***And by the way, stay tuned for a review of a local winery I went to. I have it written, just have to type it up, probably this weekend. For a sneak preview of them, you can go to their website here.  ACES!

IWSG

 

 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.
                                                                Check them out here.

     Well, as for writing -- not as much as I hope for, as always. I have recently done an installment (#52) of Jennifer M. Eaton's ongoing story. It will post in July. If you are interesting in signing up to write 250 words, or learn more about it, or even to read the story, check it out here.
     I still am planning to sign up for Camp NaNoWriMo for July. I will be working on my 2nd novel again, NO ONE LEFT TO DIE. I am hoping that there won't be as much drama here as there was in April, and that I can reach my wordcount this time. It is fortunate that we WILL BE STAYING HERE, and not have to get involved in a move. Wasn't looking forward to that. I remain Queen of my Gardens!
     Still working on re-editing DESDINOVA for print. I am hoping that since the move thing is settled that I can get back to writing.
     Thanks to Jaileen for telling me about IWSG.

BOUQUET FOR NOELLE

This is the best picture I could find online to show you some of the different colors of irises available. There are so many colors, about anything you can imagine. Also, I read on one site that there are no black irises, but I know I had seen one, so I found it in a search and present it to you, my friend...

                       

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Jackie Felger, aspiring author at Bouquet of Books is hosting this bloghop. The question to answer for June 3-7 is:
What could you eat every day and not grow tired of it?
I would have to answer bananas. I think they are the perfect food. Another answer would be PIZZA!
And what about you?

KINGDOM OF IRISES

 A friend thinned out her iris patch and gave me about 200 bearded iris bulbs! Well, you know me -- I have spent the past few days planting them all over the property. More FREE flowers!! Fortunately, it has been pouring rain all day & last night, so they are well watered. Next year this place will be fantabulous! I have no idea what colors they will be, so it will be interesting to find out -- IF we get to stay here, that is. By the way, the photo is just one I found on the web. But we have some like it. And IF we stay -- next, I get to thin out our own irises and replant them. More FREE flowers! Glory be. Hope your day is blooming...