Many Halloween traditions started in the garden: http://ping.fm/R9Xql

Wood and Pixels

If you haven't checked out my friend, Dan Felstead's, photography blog - Wood and Pixels Narratives - you really should take the time. Dan takes some of the most unusual and beautiful photographs. I like him so much because he always takes pictures of the things I enjoy looking at. Leave him a comment and tell him what you think - and check out his archive of older photos. He has never failed to inspire my muse to writing projects!

While fall pears are in season, try out this yummy Country Pear Cobbler: http://ping.fm/HBDu3

Kentucky pears are ripening all over the Bluegrass: http://ping.fm/ssgQS

Freelancing

Oh, I'm so excited I may wet myself!! I was just contacted by KENTUCKY MONTHLY magazine to do a freelance article for the December/January issue! I'm on a tight deadline - 2 weeks - but I am so excited. I'll be doing an article on homemade gifts to have for unexpected gift giving. I'm going to to my Fireside Coffee, Turkey Noodle Soup in a jar, Cookies in a jar, Sugar Body Scrub and Bath Salts. I just wanted to spread the joy around!

Fall care of ornamental grasses: http://ping.fm/eDDG2

Dear World

I wanted to share this with you - it is written by my 17 year old daughter. Several months ago, an 20 month old baby from Kentucky swallowed chemicals from a meth lab and eventually died a horrible death. This is my daughter's interpretation - from the point of view of the meth lab. Chilling ...

Dear World
by Christine Rightmyer

I killed a little boy last night. In the emergency room, he kicked, and screamed, and then he just...died. Like he didn't even think about it - it was not a big deal to him. He swallowed my liquid fire from a tea cup sitting on the stove, surrounded by disinfectants and old Bic lighters. It wasn't my fault he was twenty months old. He didn't know any better and neither did I.

I can only imagine what it felt like for him, the flames traveling down his esophagus, settling in his stomach. Caress the ribcage, tap the sternum. I wonder if his heart began to beat a little bit faster before the fire hit his small intestine. The temperature began to rise, a boil starting to turn. I'll bet he started to choke and cry, spit bubbling out of his tiny pink mouth. He starts to quake, flailing against cold linoleum. Grandfather notices, before it dawns on him what exactly he has done. He stares at the tea cup face down on the floor, then at his grandson, who is no longer shaking.

Rabbit Whistle

(Photo by Dan Felstead of Wood and Pixel Narratives)

Rabbit Whistle


She brushed the tears from her eyes and pretended to be busy sweeping the floor, trying hard to concentrate on the dust bunnies always hiding under the coffee counter. She knew she should be used to the gossip by now, but it still stabbed at her heart when others talked in hush tones about her “tragedy.”

April Sue Higgins was from a small town on the outskirts of Lexington, Kentucky. Rabbit Whistle was just a dirt spot in the road with only one stoplight and if you blinked going through downtown, you would miss the entire place. April had grown up in Rabbit Whistle and had lived 17 of her 18 years in a junk heap of a house near the L & N Railroad crossing and the Sack and Go Feed Store.

April’s father had died when she was a baby, so her only memories of him were a few black and white photos her mom kept in an old Whitman’s Sampler candy box. Candy Higgins had been a pretty young thing in her youth, but hard years spent working the tobacco fields and becoming a widow before the age of 20 had left her with the haunted looks of someone twice her age.

When April was barely three years old, her mother took up with Roy Stevens and within two months he had moved into the tiny house with Candy. At one time April thought there had to be some good in Roy Stevens, after all, her mother had taught her there was good in everyone. But years of unspeakable abuse at the hands of a cruel monster leave no room for offering the benefit of a doubt.

Finally, after graduating high school, April escaped the confines of Rabbit Whistle and moved to Lexington to attend college. She hated leaving her mother behind, but whatever compassion April had for her mother had finally evaporated when Candy had chosen Roy over April.

Thinking she was finally saved from the gossip of her hometown, April busied herself in schoolwork and her afternoon job at a local diner. The L & N Diner was built to look like a railway dining car, her last little reminder of home. Little did she know, but her life was going to be changed forever ...

...to be continued.

Pumpkin bread also makes a great holiday gift: http://ping.fm/DPmcs

Weeding Out Books

This is a me-me I did on my book review blog, but I thought maybe you would like to read this.

This will be my first entry for Booking Through Thursday

When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?

Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all? (This would have described me for most of my life, by the way.)

And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?

When was the last time I weeded out my library? I must admit, I am a book whore and I have trouble getting rid of any of my books - hence the reason books are taking over my house. Currently, my book collection is overflowing into every aspect of my life - my bookshelves (crammed full and covering the top and floor space in front), my living room (my desk and numerous little piles), the kitchen (one cupboard and encroaching on the counter space), the bathroom (an overflowing bookcase next to the toilet), the hallway (more little piles), and the bedroom (is there really supposed to be a bed in here?).

The books I have parted with in the recent past has usually been review books that I did not enjoy reading - of course, this doesn't happen often because I try to be careful of what types of books I request. Most of my give aways have been self-published books, mainly because the editing job was done poorly, making the book difficult to read. When I do give away a book, it is typically a donation to the public library. I will occasionally give children's books to the elementary school library, but I don't get as many of these any more. Of course, when I finally have grandchildren, I sure I will be holding on to my children's books!

As you can see, I am a book-o-holic and I have been my entire life. You should also take into consideration I am married to a book lover, so his collection is merging with mine. And did I mention my 17 year old daughter? With 2 parents who love books, there was no hope for her. It has been months since I was able to enter her room because her collection is actually growing faster than mine.

So many books, so little time and space ...

Learn how to save pumpkin seeds to plant for next year: http://ping.fm/ydrVS

When Keith Changed My Life

When Keith Changed My Life

How do I tell you just how much I love you?
You are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me.
You make my life complete.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been married for almost 20 years.
It seems just like yesterday when we first met.

You have given my life meaning.
You have given me a wonderful daughter
and been a terrific step-father.

You are considerate, kind and caring.
You are loveable, huggable and kissable.
You are sexy, romantic and sensual.
You are also funny, predictable, and always dependable.

I don’t know how I got so lucky for you to choose me,
But I thank God above every day that you did.
I want to grow old with you and experience all life has to offer.

Thank you so much for loving me.

What's blooming around the Bluegrass - Oriental Bittersweet: http://ping.fm/tzADN

A Tidbit of Life

(Photo copyright Simply Heather)

A Tidbit of Life

An acrorn falls from above,
a tidbit,
a choice morsel of food
as hungry squirrels charge about
collecting in pouches crammed full.

An acorn lies on the ground,
a tidbit,
a pleasing bite or taste,
a guarantee of fruitful stores
to last the winter through.

An acorn is often overlooked
by humans too busy to see
but a tasty mouthful fits the bill
as squirrels immerge from trees.

An acorn holds the key of life,
a tidbit,
ambrosia from above,
it holds the key to oaken life
or supplies the drey with food.