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November 2009

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Nov. 29th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo Winner. WOW!?!

Success!!! Many thanks to [info]robertsloan2 for motivating me!!!! You are such an inspiration!!! Feels great to have it done one day ahead of time!!!!

I've been wanting to do this and the ArtSoMoFo for 3 years - this was the year I finally did them both. Yay!!! I've off to celebrate!!!

Nov. 27th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo - Up to 44,332 words

I'm up to 44,332 words - 50,000 due by the end of the month. Think I can do this!

Nov. 19th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo - 30,593 words

I just broke 30,000 words! Yay! Only 20,000 to go to reach my goal - I can do this! Of course the challege will be pulling all of these fragments together to make sense!
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Nov. 18th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Parkay - Not a "Butter"

NaNoWriMo had been more challenging the last couple of days, but I'm still making my daily goals. Today I wrote about our first attempt at farming when we moved away from town and got enough land to make us dangerous.

We named our goat "Parkay" to discourage him from being a butter . . .

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Nov. 13th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Last of Autumn's Splendor

As we approach mid-November in Central PA most of the leaves have fallen, but there are still a few spectacular displays of color along the path to the dam and the stone arch bridge.


Nov. 12th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo - 24,826

Update on NaNoWriMo

Nov. 10th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Beethoven - up to 13.961 words in NaNoWriMo


I just realized that most of my recent posts have been private - saving my novel for the NaNoWriMo and recording my progress but not leaving any indication that I'm even participating.  Here is a sampling -

Through the years, many of the birds won my heart. My favorite chicken was Beethoven, a Mottled Houdan  of French heritage with a mop on his head.  I hadn’t paid much attention to him until he became the victim of an ice storm. 

There is a special beauty when ice encrusts every surface on the winter landscape. I looked out the kitchen window, content to stay in and enjoy if from a distance. Mike went out to check on the animals and found one of the chickens frozen in a heap at the base of the black walnut tree where he had roosted for the night. As he picked him up he was certain that he was dead and mentally prepared himself to dispose of the body. He sighed as he took a final glance and then noticed that his eye moved. Plans changed and he carried him inside.

“Here, want to do something with this?” he asked.   I ran upstairs for towels and spent the rest of the morning seated against the walk-in fire place in the kitchen. I held him as the ice melted, changing towels as they became soaked. Eventually I was able to comb his fur like feathers to remove more ice. It took hours of work. There was no struggle from the bird who was still partially frozen, exhausted from being near death, probably frightened and possibly even understanding that I was trying to help  He smelled like chicken does when you get it in the package in the store, an odor I had never noticed on any of the birds before. It was chilling in more ways than one.

As he thawed he began to squirm and when I finally put him down on the kitchen floor he had regained his energy and his spirit. Chicken body language made it clear that he was ready to go back outside! As I opened the door I was a little concerned that the shock from warm to frigid would be too much for him but I needn’t have worried. This was one tough little bird!

There is a feeling of intense pleasure in knowing that an animal acknowledges your efforts. He did. From that time on he gave me his attention when I was outside. Seeing him running free, his tousled mop bouncing on his head as he ran toward me, warmed my heart.

Beethoven had another friend – a fluffy chicken that we called Mrs. B. They may not have formally tied the matrimonial knot but they eventually became inseparable, walking across the yard.  Beethoven’s tail was long and skinny with a few fabulous long feathers flowing behind. Mrs. B’s hind end was enormous! She must have had millions of feathers on her sizeable girth. He was black and white, she was golden. Their differences may have been stirking but their adoration for each other was unquestionable. They were a lesson in acceptance and love.

When Beethoven died we buried him beneath the weeping willow tree The silhouette of the tree mirrored his cascading plumage. The tree’s weeping mirrored my tears and sorrow, even years later as I write this. I miss you sorely Beethoven.

Swing by Yellow Breeches

Loss


One of my favorite live journal friends has been dealing with loss - I'm re-posting this for him.  I wrote it a few years ago - I wrote the poem when I was thirteen.

When I was in grade school Dr. Gabriel, a geology professor at the school where my dad taught, gave me a suitcase.  It was such a treasure to have an adult give me a suitcase!  It made me feel so grown up!  My entire life is in that suitcase - a drawing I did of the 3 bears when I was 4 years old, postcards from my trip to the New York World's Fair with my best friend, notes from school, newspaper clippings, post cards from zoos, the shore, photos of the girls as babies, grade school and through the adult years, journal entries, special cards, etc.  We moved a lot when I was growing up and I carry very little with me from my childhood - a cameo ring worn smooth from my grandmother - it was worn smooth long before I got it - my dad's guitar, quilts from my grandmother and this suitcase.



I was looking for a poem that I wrote years ago, prompted by reflections on a lesson my dad taught me.


"In fifth grade we were formally introduced to poetry writing! I was thrilled and shared one of my poems with my Dad. He praised the originality appropriately but then made a comment that my “iambic pentameter was off”. I was insulted and not entirely convinced that he would recognize great poetry if he saw it!  After an extensive search I found an obscure (I thought!) poem by William Shakespeare. I copied it – omitting Bill’s name – and handed it to my dad. He adjusted his glasses, began to read out loud – Where the bee sucks, there suck I” . . . A smile crept across his face and he handed the paper back to me, but without pause he continued - “ in a cowslip’s bell I lie . . .” and finished reciting the poem. Busted! Maybe in addition to teaching calculus he had learned a little about poetry along the way."

My dad inspired one poem that he never had the opportunity to read. He died of a heart attack when he was 46 years old. I wrote the poem through tears when I was 13. My iambic pentameter was off. Somehow I don’t think he’d mind.

 Today I am reflecting on what I cherish and how to spend more time and energy on the people I value most. 

Nov. 5th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

6270 words for NaNoWriMo

Yesterday I was gone literally all day - didn't get many words in. Today I'm still behind but beginning to catch up. My mind is raising with stories - can't get them all down fast enough!

Nov. 2nd, 2009

NaNoWriMo

A Day of Blessings!

  • Deep and Rani called from India!
  • A neighbor brought me a pumpkin roll - YUMMMY
  • I heard someone in my yard - Mycenea came over to rake leaves!!!
  • Zippy got to play in the leaf pile (I think he might be singing!)
  • Glenn, Adam and Anna brought me an enormous load of wood!!!
  • Zippy met a new friend - a 6 month old Rottweiler
  • Took Zippy for his daily walk to the Stone Arch Bridge
  • Got a lot of work done and still enjoyed the sunshine
  • The moon is full!

Nov. 1st, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Sketch of Indian Corn

Last week I got some Indian Corn at the road side market but I've been so busy drawing shoes that I didn't have a chance to sketch it until today.


NaNoWriMo

Full Moon Reflecting in the Water

This is the view from my swing tonight!



 

Oct. 31st, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Who Will I Be Today? 10-31


Carmen!  Just got back from the florist to get a rose to hold between my teeth!
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Oct. 30th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Who Will I Be Today? 10-30


Shoes from the Wild Pair - it was my favorite store at the Harrisburg East Mall - before Disney came along and replaced it. The diversity of the people who bought shoes there was amazing - pimps, hookers, strippers, transvestites, cross dressers and the rest of us who realized that you could buy shoes there that you would never find any where else. They look so mild now but at the time they were considered over the top.

M got the lead for the Wizard of Oz for the school musical and we went to the Wild Pair to find shoes - the perfect pair of ruby slippers - totally encrusted with sparkling sequins.  They had low heels and were really rather modest - but one of the staff members from the Girl Scout Council where I was working at the time said they were "F me" shoes.  I had no idea what that meant and had to get my daughters to explain it to me. That was as close as we got to swearing in those hallowed halls. The ivory tower existence I had led was a little embarrasing at times.  I didn't know what clap was - well, I thought it was applause - until I was in my 30s. I heard it on Saturday Night Live and it just didn't make sense. There are so many names for STDs that I still can't keep up - I'd rather think about shoes!
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Oct. 29th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Who Will I Be Today? 10-29

I didn't actually wear these today - actually, I have never worn them.  My daughter gave them to me - if I ever take up line dancing I'll be ready! Although I'd probably be better off line dancing in sneakers or flat boots! 




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Oct. 28th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Who Will I Be Today? 10-28


I need to re-photograph these - just didn't come out right - but I'm on my way out.

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Oct. 27th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Who Will I Be Today? 10-27

Most compliments award winner - the snake skin boots.  Of all the shoes and boots I've worn all my life, none have brought so many compliments as the snake skin boots. People have offered to buy them right off my feet - women, girls AND men! lol They didn't even know - and seemingly didn't care - about the size!  Like my mountain boots, they have been resoled and worn long and hard. These are memorable moments boots - so many great memories are associated with them. There are some shoes and boots that seem to attract magic.  When I put them on I expect wonderful things to happen and I am seldom disappointed!

Oct. 26th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Day 26

Oct. 25th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Day 25


It was absolutely gorgeous here today - I spent all my time outside chasing autumn leaves - but I did take the camera. Today's art is courtesy of Mother Nature via a road side stand abundant with apples, pears, brussel sprouts still on the stalk, swiss chard, pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn. 

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Oct. 24th, 2009

NaNoWriMo

Gold and Diamonds


Woke up to a carpet of golden leaves this morning!  So many fell over night and this morning with the wind that they practically covered every inch of grass.  Mycenea came over for breakfast and then we went to look at costumes at a Halloween Shop. It rained and when we returned the glistening rain looked like diamonds on the golden leaves.  Rain and sunshine alternated all day and the leaves seem to have reached their peak - brilliant reds and oranges, burgundies, gold and my favorite - the sumac.

Grabbed my rocket dogs (shoes) and my Zippy (actual dog) and took walks between the storms. 
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