INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3743,1,'2013-11-06 06:00:30','2013-11-06 12:00:30','We recently spent an evening with my son’s family matching wits with puzzles from a fun book titled <i>Match Wits with Mensa. </i>\n\nOur family does enjoy mental challenges and besting one another in sports, games, and jokes, but we’re not Mensa members.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/175px-mensa_logo_svg.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-3745\" alt=\"175px-Mensa_logo_svg\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/175px-mensa_logo_svg.png\" width=\"175\" height=\"175\" /></a>The word mensa means \"table\" in Latin, and is symbolized in the organization\'s logo, which depicts the round-table nature of the organization and the coming together of equals\n\nMensa began in Oxford, England, in 1946 by <a title=\"Roland Berrill\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Berrill\">Roland Berrill</a>, an Australian barrister, and Dr. <a title=\"Lancelot Ware\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot_Ware\">Lancelot Ware</a>, a British scientist and lawyer. Their idea was to form a group for people with high IQs that would be non-political and free from all social distinctions.\n\n<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensa_International\">Mensa has grown to an international organization</a> with more than 110,000 members in fifty national groups.\n\nThe largest U.S. Mensa group is in the Chicago area. Every year around Halloween, the group hosts a costume party for which many members create pun-based costumes. Check out the American Mensa website here: <a href=\"http://www.us.mensa.org/\">http://www.us.mensa.org/</a>\n\nMensa’s purposes:\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>to identify and to foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity</li>\n	<li>to encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence</li>\n	<li>to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members</li>\n</ol>\nThe organization also provides programs for gifted children, literacy, and scholarships.\n\nSometimes, I think we forget to challenge and train our brains, which we should do--especially as we age. Brain cells do die off, you know.\n\nYou don’t have to be a Mensa member to be intellectually stimulated. You can build brainpower with:\n<ul>\n	<li>Puzzles from <i>Matching Wits with Mensa</i> like we did. Click to purchase:</li>\n</ul>\n<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Match-Wits-With-Mensa-Complete/dp/0738202509\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3746\" alt=\"mensa bookcover\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/mensa-bookcover.jpg?w=194\" width=\"194\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n<ul>\n	<li>Jigsaw or crossword puzzles</li>\n	<li>Sudoku</li>\n	<li>Word games like Scrabble</li>\n	<li>Trivia mind games</li>\n</ul>\nThere are oodles of books available as well as on-line sites like<a href=\"http://www.brainbashers.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Brainbashers</a> or <a href=\"http://www.us.mensa.org/AML/?LinkServID=877B38DB-4DD3-49AE-B375B279B645ABA8\" target=\"_blank\">Mensa’s game page</a>.\n\nWhen I taught school, I began each class with a thinking warm-up—puzzles, logic problems, and review questions from lessons. The puzzles and thinking problems were by far the students’ favorite.\n\n<b>YOUR TURN: </b>Try these brain warm-ups and put your answers in a comment.\n\nThe first commenter – who gets all three brain warm-ups correct – will receive a free copy of <i>Love in the Morning Calm</i>.\n\n<i>EXAMPLE:</i>  7 <b>D </b>in a <b>W = 7 </b>days in a week<b> </b>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>7 <b>W </b>of the <b>AW</b></li>\n	<li>8 <b>S </b>on a <b>S S</b></li>\n	<li>64 <strong>S </strong>on a <strong>C</strong></li>\n</ol>','MENSA – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','mensa-one-word-wednesday','','','2013-11-06 06:00:30','2013-11-06 12:00:30','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3743',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3751,1,'2013-10-28 06:00:53','2013-10-28 11:00:53','This week is a time of celebration and superstition and tradition. It’s Halloween.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/vintage-halloween-postcard.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3753\" alt=\"vintage halloween postcard\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/vintage-halloween-postcard.jpg\" width=\"281\" height=\"179\" /></a>But do you know why we celebrate Halloween?\n\nThe origins date back to The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in Ireland, United Kingdom, and France.\n\nNovember 1<sup>st</sup> was the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The Celts believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred the night before their New Year. On  October 31<sup>st</sup>, the New Year\'s Eve, they celebrated the festival of <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain\">Samhain</a>. People would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts.\n\nBy the eighth century the traditions evolved when Pope Gregory III designated November 1<sup>st</sup> as a time to honor all saints and martyrs, incorporating some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween.\n\nThrough the years, Halloween has become the secular, community-based event we know today.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/halloween-decor.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3754\" alt=\"halloween-decor\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/halloween-decor.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"90\" /></a>That\'s the history of the holiday, but the Irish in me loves finding the story behind the holiday traditions.\n\nLike the legend behind making jack-o\'-lanterns for Halloween decorations, which originated from an Irish myth about an old drunk called \"Stingy Jack.\"\n\nCan you guess why he was called stingy? Of course, because he never wanted to pay for his drinks.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/jack-and-devil.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3755\" alt=\"Jack and devil\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/jack-and-devil.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"122\" /></a>As the story goes, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him.\n\nWhen it came time to pay, true to his name, Stingy Jack talked the Devil into turning himself into a coin he could use to pay for their drinks… And then the story gets interesting.\n\nJack dies. But, because he made deals with the devil, God won’t let him into heaven. Because of his deal with the devil not to take his soul, he can’t go to hell.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/stingy-jack-character-design.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3756\" alt=\"stingy-jack-character-design\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/stingy-jack-character-design.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a>So Jack roams the dark Halloween night with a burning coal in a carved-out turnip. The Irish refer to his ghostly figure as \"Jack of the Lantern,\" or \"Jack O\'Lantern.\"\n\nRead the full story <a href=\"http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history\" target=\"_blank\">here</a><b> </b>or watch to the fun, spooky video below:\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvKPggWBC2k&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nOn All Hallow\'s Eve, the Irish hollow out turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets then place a light inside to keep Stingy Jack away and ward off evil spirits.\n\nTurnip Jack-o-lanterns changed to pumpkin jack-o-lanterns when waves of Irish immigrants came to America in the 1800\'s to escape the Potato Famine. They quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out.\n\nAnd thus begin our tradition of carving and lighting pumpkins for Halloween.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pumpkin-carve-24.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3760\" alt=\"pumpkin-carve-24\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pumpkin-carve-24.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>\n\nOh, and one more tidbit of information about jack-o-lanterns. This advice comes from the antique dealer me, not the Irish storyteller.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/room-decor-for-halloween.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3758\" alt=\"Room-decor-for-Halloween\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/room-decor-for-halloween.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"234\" /></a>Be careful where you display your cleverly carved jack-o-lanterns. The base of a pumpkin can stay moist for days and will rot and stain wood or even marble. Put either foil or a dish with a raised edge under any pumpkins or gourds you display this fall.\n\nI’ve stained more than one old piece of furniture decorating for fall with gourds and tiny pumpkins.\n\n<strong>YOUR TURN: </strong>Have fun carving your pumpkin now that you know the story behind the tradition.','Why do we carve pumpkins on Halloween?','','publish','open','open','','why-do-we-carve-pumpkins-on-halloween','','','2013-10-28 06:00:53','2013-10-28 11:00:53','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3751',0,'post','',5);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3763,1,'2013-10-29 06:00:22','2013-10-29 11:00:22','<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"> On Monday, we talked about the origins of Halloween and the legend behind why we carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. </span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\">Today let\'s enjoy some vintage Halloween cards and explore folktales that help young women identify their future husbands.</span><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/choose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3766 aligncenter\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/choose.jpg\" alt=\"choose\" width=\"174\" height=\"289\" /></a>Romance writers should love these folktales and see potential romance stories.\r\n\r\nAccording to folklore, young women have tossed apple-peels over their shoulders on Halloween, hoping that the peels would fall on the floor in the shape of their future husbands\' initials.<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/valentine-couple.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3769\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/valentine-couple.jpg?w=117\" alt=\"valentine couple\" width=\"117\" height=\"150\" /></a></span>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"> O</span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">r, peered at egg yolks floating in a bowl of water to learn about their futures. </span></span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Or, stood in front of mirrors in darkened rooms, holding candles and looking over their shoulders for their husbands\' faces.</span>\r\n</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/bobbing-for-apples.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3770\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/bobbing-for-apples.jpg?w=97\" alt=\"Bobbing-for-Apples\" width=\"97\" height=\"150\" /></a><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">One legend claims the first successful apple-bobber will be the first to marry.</span></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"> </span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Another suggests that matchmaking Irish cooks bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who finds it. </span></span>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"> </span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Scottish fortune-tellers recommend eligible young women name a hazelnut for each of her suitors and then toss the nuts into the fireplace on Halloween night. The nut that burns to ashes rather than popping or exploding, represents the girl\'s future husband. </span></span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"> </span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">In a confusing version of this same tale, the opposite was true: The nut that burns symbolized a love that would not last.</span>\r\n</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\">Another option with food suggest e</span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">ating a sugary concoction made out of walnuts, hazelnuts, and nutmeg before bed on Halloween night can bring dreams about a future husband.</span>\r\n</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/hug.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3772\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/hug.jpg?w=94\" alt=\"hug\" width=\"94\" height=\"150\" /></a>But what if you\'ve already found your mate, you say. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/hugging-on-jack-o-lantern.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3771\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/hugging-on-jack-o-lantern.png\" alt=\"hugging on jack-o-lantern\" width=\"80\" height=\"125\" /></a></span></span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Then try some of these ideas for romancing your Halloween night. </span></span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Decorate your house for a Halloween evening. Let flickering candlelight set the mood. Place gourds or pumpkins hollowed out and filled with orange and purple flowers.</span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Prepare a </span><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">warm and intimate Halloween dinner. How about a delicious pumpkin soup, followed by a herb roasted chicken with mashed potatoes – maybe you’ll find a ring inside –, and, of course, dark chocolate for dessert? Click <a href=\"http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/herb-and-lemon-roasted-chicken\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for the chicken recipe. </span><span style=\"color: windowtext;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\">And <a href=\"http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/11/pumpkin-soup/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for a wonderful pumpkin soup recipe from the Pioneer Woman. </span></span>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Cuddle together on the couch and watch a scary movie. Frightening moments give you the perfect excuse to snuggle. Check out <a href=\"http://www.imdb.com/list/VhHeuKOc60c/\" target=\"_blank\">IMdb’s list of the 60 Scariest Movies </a>if you need ideas.</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Plan midnight picnic</span><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\"> with finger foods. Head into the woods –  near a graveyard if you want to be spooky. If you want to be warm and safe, picnic in front of a roaring fire or in the middle of your bed. </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Enjoy a hayride if you live in a rural area. Nothing better than burrowing beneath a warm blanket and watching the night sky to stimulate romance.</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Book a bed and breakfast in</span><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\"> a rural, isolated area for a romantic escape. </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Attend a Halloween costume party <b>BUT</b> don’t tell each other about your costume and arrive separately. Pretend you’re truly strangers meeting</span><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\"> for the first time.</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">~~Head out to a local haunted house for a </span><span style=\"font-family: \'Georgia\', \'serif\'; font-size: 10.5pt;\">scary date night holding each other\'s hands.</span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0 0 11.25pt; color: black; line-height: 19.8pt;\">Wishing you a fun-filled, romantic Halloween evening.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/kiss.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3774\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/kiss.png\" alt=\"kiss\" width=\"178\" height=\"283\" /></a></p>','Ideas for Romancing Halloween','','publish','open','open','','ideas-for-romancing-halloween','','','2015-10-22 18:47:29','2015-10-23 00:47:29','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3763',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3794,1,'2013-11-01 06:00:24','2013-11-01 11:00:24','<p align=\"center\"><i>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</i></p>\nOne afternoon this week, I heard a great ruckus out back.\n\nI ignored the barking dogs and cackling chickens for a while but then decided to see what was happening and looked out the kitchen window and saw Sadie (one of the dachshunds) barking at the front of the shed. The chickens were all standing in the middle of the chicken yard fussing at her.\n\nThat was all well and good until I heard Bella barking from an undisclosed location. This was not good because she has recently taken to going under the shed .\n\nI headed outside to find her.\n\nBefore I saw Bella, I spotted the infamous white hen under the shed.\n\nI’m not sure how she got there as we have put chicken wire around the bottom facing the chicken yard to prevent this.\n\nI figured Bella was approaching from the other side of the shed so the race was on – who would get to the hen first, me or Bella?\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/bella-cropped.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-3796\" alt=\"Bella-cropped\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/bella-cropped.png?w=500\" width=\"400\" height=\"322\" /></a></p>\nI quickly stepped into the chicken yard and reached over the chicken wire for the wayward hen. Success!\n\nChicken Wrangler 1, Bella 0.\n\nNext I had to coax Bella out from under the shed – a much harder job.\n\nWhen I went out later to check eggs this is what I found:\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/egg-cropped.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3797 alignright\" alt=\"egg-cropped\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/egg-cropped.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"240\" /></a>\n\nThat silly chicken had laid an egg <i>under</i> the shed. This is the same chicken who regularly lays eggs in the abandoned beehive.\n\nFortunately, the chicken wire is only about two feet high so I was able to reach over it and under the shed to retrieve the egg.\n\nToday when I went to check eggs the white chicken was actually <em><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">in</span></em> the nest box. I wish I\'d had my camera!\n\nI reached under hoping to find an egg but no luck. Oh well, at least she knows where the nest box is now.','Wandering Hen - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','wandering-hen-miller-farm-friday','','','2013-11-01 06:00:24','2013-11-01 11:00:24','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3794',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3817,1,'2013-11-04 06:00:53','2013-11-04 12:00:53','Another November has rolled around, which means…\n\nDaylight saving time started unless you live in Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Did you remember to set your clocks back?\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/daylight-savings-time-clock.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3825\" alt=\"?????????\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/daylight-savings-time-clock.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>We did. Unfortunately, my internal clock didn\'t get the message. I\'m up at 4 a.m. because my body knows it’s really 5 a.m.\n\nNovember is also National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Currently 258,733 novelist have officially signed on to complete a first draft novel with the goal of 50,000 words by the end of the month.\n\nNot to be outdone, NON-fiction writers have their own challenge, <a href=\"http://writenonfictionnow.com/about-write-nonfiction-in-november/\" target=\"_blank\">Write Nonfiction in November </a>(WNFIN), also known as National Nonfiction Writing Month (NaNonFiWriMo)\n\nOther writers become caught up in the spirit of the writing challenge and commit to penning 50,000 words this month through their writing groups.\n\nFlipping the calendar to November is the signal that the holidays are fast approaching. One look at a <a href=\"http://www.xmasclock.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas Countdown clock </a>and my pulse accelerates in anticipation and dread.\n\nFifty days until Christmas? Yikes. I\'m so far behind.\n\nIf you celebrate Hanukah, your clicking counter is less. Hanukah is much closer than you think. For the first time since 1888, <a href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/thanksgiving-and-hanukkah-converge-on-thanksgivukkah-for-the-first-time-since-1888/2013/10/30/ed628bbe-418f-11e3-b028-de922d7a3f47_story.html\" target=\"_blank\">Thanksgiving and Hanukah converge. </a> You\'re looking at less than twenty-four days to be ready! Click <a href=\"http://countdown.onlineclock.net/countdowns/thanksgiving/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for an accurate count.\n\nHolidays can disrupt your regular writing schedule and stifle your  muse. Participating in the NaNoWriMo challenge may be all you need to motivate yourself.\n\nOn the other hand, even if you’ve joined NaNoWriMo and set a goal, you may need to give yourself a nudge to get into writing on some days.\n\nWith so many holiday preparations pulling for my time and energy, I find when I do notch out writing time I need to psych my muse into cooperating.\n\nFour methods work to put my brain in writing mode.\n\n1.  <strong>Establish a ritual</strong>  – a trigger to use right before you begin a writing session. Something that will coax your brain into the writing routine and you won’t have to make a decision on whether or not to write. You just will.\n\nA trigger might be moving into a special area to write or sipping a cup of tea.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/toby-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3833\" alt=\"toby 2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/toby-2.jpg?w=223\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a>I brew a cup of Irish breakfast tea or grab a water bottle and go into my office.\n\nNaturally, Toby follows and positions his very large body in the kneehole of my desk. That\'s a trigger for me, but not one you can share.\n\nSorry.\n\n2.   <strong>Begin a writing session by quieting your mind.</strong>\nTis the season to clutter our minds with lists and busyness. Pause. Do some journaling or read a devotional to clear your mind before you start writing.\n\n3.  <strong>Engage in physical activity.</strong>\nI’m not suggesting a full workout at the gym here. Only a few minutes of sun salutation and deep breathing yoga exercises or ten minutes of calisthenics to jumpstart the endorphins that lead to creativity.\n\nA  walk can work as well. That\'s what I do. Toby and Buster love when I hook up those leases and walk to work through plot issues or jog my creativity.\n\n4. <strong>Involve your senses.</strong>\nPlay soft music or light a scented candle, even a dish of scented soap on your desk can be a trigger for the muse.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><strong>YOUR TURN: </strong>Do you have a trigger that puts you in writing mode?</p>','4 Triggers to Jumpstart your Writing Time','','publish','open','open','','4-triggers-to-jumpstart-your-writing-time','','','2013-11-04 06:00:53','2013-11-04 12:00:53','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3817',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3844,1,'2013-11-08 06:00:14','2013-11-08 12:00:14','<p align=\"center\"><i>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</i></p>\nAs I was standing at the kitchen window yesterday and noticed a lizard on the ladder outside the window.  This is a common sight however, this particularly lizard seemed to be trying to eat something I couldn’t identify.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/lizard-on-ladder.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3845\" alt=\"lizard on ladder\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/lizard-on-ladder.png?w=190\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" /></a>Upon closer look, I discovered part of the lizard’s skin hanging from its nose. It had shed and was trying to get the last remaining dead skin off its nose.\n\nFascinated, I watched it rub its head against the ladder repeatedly to dislodge the dead skin with no luck.\n\nI was tempted to go outside and “help” the lizard but I knew it would run away and I would not get to watch this process.\n\nI began to appreciate the lizard\'s persistence. It also made me glad I am not a lizard.  I’m not sure I have the perseverance to shed my skin on a regular basis.\n\nNext, it used its hind foot to scratch the skin off.  This was so remarkable that I had to take a picture. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/lizard-foot.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3846\" alt=\"lizard foot\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/lizard-foot.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" /></a>\n\nIt amazed me that the lizard could move its leg that way.\n\nI certainly cannot.\n\nI do good to get my legs to walk consistently. Scratching my head with my foot is totally out of the question.\n\nAll of which led me to think about flexibility in general. While I may not be physically flexible, I have to be flexible in other ways.\n\nFor example, I plan my menu for the week and grocery shop on Mondays.  A couple of weeks ago, my husband came home from the doctor with a very specific diet to follow.  Very little of what I had purchased and planned to fix for the week worked with the new diet.\n\nTime to be flexible :-)\n\nTeaching requires lots of flexibility. I plan to play a circle game with the preschool class and they come in so wiggly that getting them to just sit down is an impossible challenge.\n\nIt’s time for a new plan.\n\nThe class right after preschool is the high school class. I go from wearing silly hats and using puppets to teaching on Renaissance music and playing ukulele.\n\nHow’s that for flexibility? Sometimes I feel like a rubber band.\n\nAt least I don’t have to use my foot to get dead skin off my nose.','Flexibility and Perseverance - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','flexibility-and-perseverance-miller-farm-friday','','','2013-11-08 06:00:14','2013-11-08 12:00:14','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3844',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3857,1,'2013-11-11 06:00:40','2013-11-11 12:00:40','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/veterans-day-vintage.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3860\" alt=\"veteran\'s day vintage\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/veterans-day-vintage.jpg\" width=\"236\" height=\"214\" /></a>\n\n\"From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when called, gone where ordered, and defended our nation with honor.\"   ~<b>Solomon Ortiz</b>\n<p align=\"center\">My husband is a retired Army officer.</p>\n<p align=\"center\">My father served in the Army Air Corps.</p>\n<p align=\"center\">My uncle was a Marine.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\" align=\"center\">My meager contribution to military service was a short stint as a Department of Army Civilian at Eighth Army Headquarters, Yongsan, South Korea. Now, I write <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Morning-Prequel-Pendants-Promise-ebook/dp/B00DQ1AEPQ/\" target=\"_blank\">military romances </a> and offer happily ever after endings that aren’t always present in the non-fiction military world.</p>\nThis video as a poignant reminder of why we have this special day to honor veterans.\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2RwRi2TjA0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nIn recognition to all veterans, I say...\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ty.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3861\" alt=\"TY\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ty.png\" width=\"267\" height=\"188\" /></a>','VETERAN\'S DAY','','publish','open','open','','veterans-day','','','2013-11-11 06:00:40','2013-11-11 12:00:40','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3857',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3870,1,'2013-11-13 06:00:13','2013-11-13 12:00:13','GRATEFUL is an adjective describing a deep appreciation for kindness shown to oneself.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.zazzle.com/power_word_for_motivation_grateful_fridge_magnet-147867400905657101\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3872\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/grateful.jpg\" alt=\"grateful\" width=\"118\" height=\"115\" /></a>\r\n\r\nGRATEFUL can be a powerful motivator.\r\n\r\nBeing GRATEFUL puts a smile on your face.\r\n\r\nThe word GRATITUDE is a noun meaning to feel grateful or thankful.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/gratitudequote3.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3873\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/gratitudequote3.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"gratitudequote3\" width=\"300\" height=\"291\" /></a>\r\n\r\nVerbalizing GRATITUDE puts smiles on others’ faces.\r\n\r\nToday I’m a grateful author who is thankful for readers of my blog posts and <a href=\"http://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan\" target=\"_blank\">books</a>.\r\n\r\n<b>YOUR TURN: </b>\r\n\r\nShare what you’re grateful for today—in the comments below, on Twitter with these hashtags #grateful #gratitude, or join with the Thankful November Days posts on Facebook.','GRATEFUL GRATITUDE – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','grateful-gratitude-one-word-wednesday','','','2015-11-21 13:23:46','2015-11-21 20:23:46','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3870',0,'post','',7);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3876,1,'2013-11-15 06:00:41','2013-11-15 12:00:41','<p align=\"center\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nWhen people ask how many chickens we have, I usually say 30.\n\nI hadn’t officially counted them, as they don’t stand still in the yard making it very difficult. It is like counting preschoolers.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roosting1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3877\" alt=\"roosting1\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roosting1.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>However, one evening last week, as I closed the coop, I counted them. They were all roosting on various spots in the coop and were settled down for the night.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roosting2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3878\" alt=\"roosting2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roosting2.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>\n\nIt was then that I made a shocking discovery.\n\nWe have <b>40</b> chickens not counting the bantams in the little yard.\n\nThere are six bantams so that makes 46 chickens on the Miller Farm.\n\nI’m not really good at math but I know that 30 does not equal to 46.\n\nThis means that I have been misrepresenting our flock for months. Some might even call it lying although my son assures me that I was only saying what I believed to be true.\n\nIt\'s still a disturbing thought.\n\nSome might considered 46 chickens over population, but the chickens don’t seem to mind. As long as they have food, I suppose they would rather be crowded than be dinner.\n\nKnowing the exact count does explain something, though. When I go into the yard, I feel like I am struggling not to trip over chickens.\n\nNow I know why – there are 40 chickens in the yard.\n\nI could let Bella into the chicken yard. She would gladly dispatch several. However, I’m somewhat attached to the lot and would feel sad to lose even one.\n\nSo I guess I’ll just keep walking carefully through the chicken yard. And when people ask how many chickens we have, I can honestly say – not 30.','Numbering Chickens - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','numbering-chickens-miller-farm-friday','','','2013-11-15 06:00:41','2013-11-15 12:00:41','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3876',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3881,1,'2013-11-22 05:00:52','2013-11-22 11:00:52','<p align=\"center\"><em>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nAround the Miller Farm feeding the chickens is a multi-step process.\n\nFirst, I go to the feed store and buy 50-pound sacks of lay pellets.\n\nThen I bring the sacks home and move them into 5-gallon buckets. This prevents non-chickens (i.e. rats) from getting into the food in the shed.  Most of the buckets have lids that snap on and are difficult to remove.  Beekeeper Brian was kind enough to purchase special screw-top lids to make life easier for me.\n\nI fill two screw top buckets with feed and the rest goes into regular buckets. I move the feed from bucket to bucket as needed. It is all quite efficient when I am paying attention.\n\nMonday I was not paying attention.  I went out to move feed from a regular bucket to an empty screw top bucket.\n\nThe regular bucket was empty.\n\nIn fact, all the buckets were empty. The poor chickens had no food.  Their feeder was empty.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/empty-bucket2.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3883\" alt=\"empty bucket2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/empty-bucket2.png?w=253\" width=\"253\" height=\"300\" /></a>It was a chicken feed famine on Miller Farm.\n\nSo I closed up the shed and headed to the feed store.  I went up to the counter and asked for two sacks of lay pellets.\n\nThe woman behind the counter informed me they were out of lay pellets. She said they’d run out about an hour ago before I arrived.\n\nI was speechless.\n\nShe asked if I had enough to make it until their delivery arrived on Tuesday. I was embarrassed to admit we had no lay pellets at all.\n\nShe offered to sell me a 10-pound sack to get me through. Since I knew Tuesday would be a busy day, I bought a second 10-pound sacks to last until Wednesday when I could make another trip to the feed store and purchased a 50-pound bag.\n\nOn Wednesday, when I returned from the feed store, the chickens obviously recognized the larger sack and anxiously waited the arrival of feed in their feeder. I scattered some around the yard and filled the feeder.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/50-pound-bucket.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3884 aligncenter\" alt=\"50-pound bucket\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/50-pound-bucket.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></p>\nThe remainder I put into the appropriate buckets thus ending the famine on Miller Farm.\n\nLast week I learned that 30 chickens are not the same as 46 chickens. This week I learned that 10-pounds of feed does not go as far as 50 pounds.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ten-pound-and-bucket2.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3885\" alt=\"ten pound and bucket2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ten-pound-and-bucket2.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" /></a>Even the chickens recognized the larger feed bag.\n\nMath is a very useful subject.','Chicken Feed Famine on the Farm - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','chicken-feed-famine-on-the-farm-miller-farm-friday','','','2013-11-22 05:00:52','2013-11-22 11:00:52','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3881',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3891,1,'2013-11-25 08:19:08','2013-11-25 14:19:08','It’s three days until Turkey Day.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/tgd3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1712\" alt=\"O\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/tgd3.jpg?w=227\" width=\"227\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nTime for family reunions, food, fun,\n\ntravel, football games, Black Friday\n\nand being thankful.\n\nNot necessarily in that order.\n\nFamily reunions may iffy this year with <a href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/11/25/247128859/as-storms-spread-thanksgiving-travel-is-looking-tricky\">a major storm wreaking havoc</a> over the entire U.S.\n\nOff topic here, but I found this interesting blog about a similar weather pattern fifty years ago. Read <a href=\"http://www.weather.com/news/history-repeating-itself-november-1963-2013-thanksgiving-20131120\">November 1963 vs November 2013. Is Weather History Repeating Itself?</a> for the full comparison of weather history.\n\nEven Black Friday shopping will difficult. I do worry about all those people camped outside stores to be first in line for the extra savings items. It\'s got to be cold and wet in their tents. Are the savings <em>really</em> worth all the effort and discomfort?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">This year things are different than they were for that first Pilgrim Thanksgiving feast. What hasn’t change is the basis for Thanksgiving.</p>\nThe celebration became an annual tradition with <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)\">Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation</a> of a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”\n\nAs early as 1607, the inhabitants in the Commonwealth of Virginia held Thanksgiving services. Celebrations rooted in their religious beliefs and to show gratitude to their Heavenly Father.\n\nPilgrims were <a href=\"http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/puritan/purhist.html\">Puritan Separatists</a>. Their journey to America began with a desire to escape religious persecution under Elizabeth I and the Church of England or Anglican Church.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/pilgrims-facts.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3893\" alt=\"pilgrims-facts\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/pilgrims-facts.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>\n\nPersonally, I believe being thankful shouldn’t be limited to one holiday. An attitude of gratitude  should be an everyday occurrence. Check <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/grateful-gratitude-one-word-wednesday/\">my blog</a>.\n\nBecause it is the season, I want acknowledge my Thanksgiving treasures today:\n\nmy loving husband (who’s the hero model for my novels)\n\nmy family and friends  (far and near)\n\nmy pets (who brighten every day)\n\nmy church (which is my anchor)\n\nand\n\nmost especially you, my readers.\n\nAs you go about the preparations for your celebration, spend some time thinking about the origins of the holiday and say a special thank you for your Thanksgiving treasures.\n\nAnd, if you are traveling, Godspeed.','Counting Thanksgiving Treasures','','publish','open','open','','counting-thanksgiving-treasures','','','2013-11-25 08:19:08','2013-11-25 14:19:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3891',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3899,1,'2013-11-27 08:00:20','2013-11-27 14:00:20','Thanksgiving brings to mind a very old song first written as poem titled “A Boy’s Thanksgiving Day.”\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/child-over_the_river-1854-25.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3905\" alt=\"Child-Over_the_River-1854-25\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/child-over_the_river-1854-25.jpg?w=166\" width=\"166\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nThe author <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Maria_Child\" target=\"_blank\">Lydia Maria Francis Child</a> (1802-1880) was a teacher, a writer, abolitionist, women\'s rights activist, opponent of American expansionism, Indian rights activist, novelist, and journalist. A busy woman for her day. She’s best known for her Thanksgiving poem written in 1844.\n\nThe poem celebrates her childhood memories of going to her grandparents’ home. You might recognize the first verse from \"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.\" The Peanuts gang sings the first verse.\n\nModern Thanksgivings aren’t normally associated with snow, but in the early 19th century, New England experienced colder winters during a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age\" target=\"_blank\">Little Ice Age</a>.\n\nSorta like travelers today will be braving tomorrow.\n\nI offer the poem, set to music, for you to sing as you travel.\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl5r76hVYF0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]','OVER THE RIVER through the woods– One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','over-the-river-through-the-woods-one-word-wednesday','','','2013-11-27 08:00:20','2013-11-27 14:00:20','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3899',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3909,1,'2013-11-29 06:00:32','2013-11-29 12:00:32','<p align=\"center\"><i>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</i></p>\nThis has been a very disturbing two weeks on Miller Farm.\n\nLast Wednesday morning I discovered a dead quail in the cage in the chicken coop. This would not have been so bad except the quail was half-eaten.\n\nI thought perhaps I had forgotten to feed them on Tuesday and their cannibalistic instincts surfaced. I gave them plenty of food and went on about my day.\n\nThursday morning I discovered another dead, half-eaten quail. This was not a welcome addition to my morning routine.\n\nI looked all around the coop for evidence of the savage beast that was destroying my quail, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.\n\nOn Friday morning, I discovered not one, but <b>two </b>dead, half-eaten quail.\n\nI was running late and didn’t have time to dispose of them before heading to school to play piano for chapel. When I returned, I removed the two dead quail bodies.\n\nThen I decided to move the two remaining live quail to a different cage. Whatever was getting into the cage was certain to return. The quail were somewhat distressed at their new accommodations, but I thought it was better for them to be somewhat disturbed than very dead.\n\nSaturday evening when I went to close up the chickens, I could not find one of the bantam hens.  I thought perhaps she had flown to the larger bird side and was in the big coop.\n\nWhen I let the chickens out on Sunday, she was not there. I did find a bunch of white feathers leading me to believe a hawk was the culprit.\n\nLater that afternoon, a gray bantam disappeared leaving only a pile of feathers.\n\nThis was extremely upsetting.  Was it possible whatever had eaten the quail was now moving up to the bantams?  Would it then turn on the larger birds?\n\nA more pertinent question was – could I convince the predator to carry off some of the overpopulation of roosters instead of the quail and bantams?\n\nThe following Tuesday, I saw a flurry of activity in the chicken yard. I figured one of the large hens had gotten into the bantam side and was trying to return.\n\nUpon closer examination, I realized it was not a hen, but a hawk who had invaded the bantam pen.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/hawk.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3912 alignright\" alt=\"hawk\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/hawk.jpg\" width=\"140\" height=\"145\" /></a>\n\nOne of the larger roosters was fighting it off through the fence between the bantam and large chicken yards.\n\nI ran out into the yard, but the hawk flew off. I quickly took stock of the bantams and found none missing.  I scanned the trees for the murderous hawk, but there was none.\n\nReturning to the kitchen, I watched like a hawk for the hawk (is that redundant?).\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/shooting-hawsk.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3914\" alt=\"shooting hawsk\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/shooting-hawsk.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"133\" /></a>Brian showed me how to use the pellet gun should the hawk return. I’ll teach that hawk to mess with Chicken Wrangler Sara!\n\nTonight when I went to close the chickens, I discovered a giant possum under the bantam coop. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/possum.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3913 alignright\" alt=\"possum\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/possum.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>I screamed and headed to the house to get Possum Wrangler Brian.\n\nHe grabbed the pellet gun and went after the possum. It was harder than I imagined.\n\nFinally the deed was done.  Brian thinks it could have been the possum getting the quail. Not anymore.\n\nNow if we could just get the hawk, all would be calm on Miller Farm – at least in the chicken yard.','Disturbances on the Farm - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','disturbances-on-the-farm-miller-farm-friday','','','2013-11-29 06:00:32','2013-11-29 12:00:32','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3909',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3923,1,'2013-12-02 06:00:19','2013-12-02 12:00:19','Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the spirit of giving and love that abounds. All the traditions and customs fascinate me. This month, I\'ll be sharing stories about different Christmas traditions and customs.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ki17ox2a.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3920 alignleft\" alt=\"KI17OX2A\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/ki17ox2a.jpg\" width=\"208\" height=\"243\" /></a>Today I want to talk about the advent wreath with one caveat: I’m not a theologian or a preacher. For theology questions, I highly recommend this website, <a href=\"http://www.notbyworks.org/Documents\" target=\"_blank\">Notbyworks.org</a>\n\nI’ll be offering “Just the facts,\" as fictional Dragnet detective Joe Friday always said – and, of course, an opinion, or two.\n\nYesterday, December 1, marked the beginning of advent season for this year.\n\nNot familiar with Advent or Advent Wreaths? Let me share the facts.\n\nThe word <b>advent</b> comes from the Latin <i>adventus</i> meaning arrival or coming, particularly of something having great importance. For Christians, Advent is the spiritual preparation for Christ\'s birth on Christmas.\n\nChristians in the following denominations observe Advent:\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">• Catholic</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">• Orthodox</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">• Anglican / Episcopalian</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">• Lutheran</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">• Methodist</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">• Presbyterian</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"> The <a href=\"http://christianity.about.com/od/christmas/tp/allaboutadvent.htm\" target=\"_blank\">observation of advent begins</a> on the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Day, or the Sunday, which falls closest to November 30, and lasts through Christmas Eve, or December 24.</p>\nAdvent also happens to mark the beginning of the Christian church calendar.\n\nThe origins of advent began sometime after the 4th century as a time of preparation for Epiphany, and not in anticipation of Christmas. In the 6th century, St. Gregory the Great associated the season with the Second Coming of Christ.\n\nBy the Middle Ages, the church had extended the celebration of advent to include the coming of Christ through his birth in Bethlehem, his future coming at the end of time, and his presence among us through the promised Holy Spirit.\n\nModern-day church advent services include symbolic customs related to all three \"advents\" of Christ, depending upon the denomination.\n\nSome people incorporate advent activities into their family holiday traditions if their church does not formally recognize a season of Advent.\n\nUsing an advent wreath can help diminish the commercialism of Christmas and constructing an advent wreath can be a fun Christmas project.\n\nThe wreath contains three purple candles, one pink candle, and one white candle set on a circular garland of evergreen branches representing eternity. The wreath itself symbolizes the coming of the light of Christ into the world.\n\nIn churches, the candles are lit on successive Sundays during the worship service<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/church-advent.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3922\" alt=\"church advent\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/church-advent.jpg\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" /></a>\n\nThe Prophecy Candle is first. Many churches use blue to distinguish Advent from the observation of <a href=\"http://christianity.about.com/od/holidaytips/qt/whatislent.htm\">Lent</a>.\n\nSecond Sunday another purple candle is lit. This time the Bethlehem candle. Third Sunday candle is the pink Shepherd candle. Fourth Sunday is the last purple candle called the Angel Candle. The White Candle or Christ Candle is lit on Christmas Eve.\n\nHere’s another version of the candles’ symbolism:\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/advent-wreath-coloring-page.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3921\" alt=\"advent-wreath-coloring-page\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/advent-wreath-coloring-page.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nRead more about the symbolism of the advent wreath, candles, and colors <a href=\"http://livinghopeomaha.wordpress.com/about-living-hope/bible-stud/the-meaning-of-the-advent-wreath/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>\n\n<b>YOUR TURN: </b>Is an advent wreath part of your Christmas season?','Christmas Traditions and Customs – Advent Wreath','','publish','open','open','','christmas-traditions-and-customs-advent-wreath','','','2013-12-02 06:00:19','2013-12-02 12:00:19','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3923',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3928,1,'2013-12-04 06:00:52','2013-12-04 12:00:52','I suspect most of my readers weren’t around when the Christmas movie, <i>White Christmas</i> debuted. I am guessing everyone has either heard the song from the movie or watched the classic.\n\nHere’s the original trailer from 1954:\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB1ZD6JKxes&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\n<i>White Christmas</i>, the movie, has it all romance, Rogers and Hammerstein songs, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney singing, Danny Kaye dancing. Nothing sets the holiday mood better for me than an evening by the fire, bag of popcorn in hand and watching the musical set in New England.\n\nOf my top holiday movies for the season, <i>White Christmas</i> is right up there with <i>It’s A Wonderful Life.  </i>\n\nBelow is a clip of my favorite scene. I love the costumes, the dancing, and the singing.\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjnZyuFKH0k&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]\n\nNow don’t you feel more in the holiday spirit?\n\nIronic that hearing the song does bring on images of Christmas past and the promise of Christmases future, especially since the iconic, secular song was written tongue-in-cheek by Irving Berlin, a Jew who did not much care for the holiday.\n\nThis year we’ll have a true white Christmas. The snow dumped in the Rio Grande National Forest over Thanksgiving has yet to melt. Local folks tell me it won’t until spring.\n\nAnd, more snow is drifting to the ground today as another winter storm passes through.\n\nBut I digress...\n\n<b>YOUR TURN: </b>What’s your favorite holiday movie for getting you in the holiday spirit?','White Christmas - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','white-christmas-one-word-wednesday','','','2013-12-04 06:00:52','2013-12-04 12:00:52','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3928',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3939,1,'2013-12-09 06:00:00','2013-12-09 12:00:00','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/christmas-music-blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3944\" alt=\"Christmas music blog\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/christmas-music-blog.jpg?w=247\" width=\"247\" height=\"300\" /></a>Every year, the holidays bring Christmas music playing non-stop through store speakers and on every radio station. Satellite radio devotes entire channels to holiday songs. Cable networks have channels exclusively for holiday music and shows.\n\nChristmas carols show up at the same time every year and their annual appearance signals the descent of the Christmas spirit.\n\nAccording to <a href=\"http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/assessment/2011/11/the_long_strange_history_of_christmas_carols.html\" target=\"_blank\">blogger Nathan Heller</a>, “A December without them would be strange and slightly lonely, yet the prospect of their absence tends to be, by one week in, a reason in itself to look forward to the New Year.\"\n\nThe word <a href=\"http://musiced.about.com/od/christmasnewyeararticles/a/carols.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><i>carol</i> </a>or <i>carole</i> is a medieval word of French and Anglo-Norman origin, meaning a dance song or a circle dance accompanied by singing. A carol, by broad definition, means a song of joy.\n\nYuletide songbooks overflow. Church hymnals devoted whole sections to Christmas songs.\n\nProbably the most popular Christmas song is <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bells#Lyrics\">Jingle Bells</a>, a song written by James Lord Pierpont, not for Christmas, but for the sleigh races held in his New England hometown.\n\nJohnny Marks, a Jew who specialized in Christmas songs, gave us \"<a title=\"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer_(song)\">Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer</a>\",\"<a title=\"Rockin\' Around the Christmas Tree\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockin%27_Around_the_Christmas_Tree\">Rockin\' Around the Christmas Tree</a>\", and “<a href=\"http://christmas-specials.wikia.com/wiki/A_Holly_Jolly_Christmas\">Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas</a>.” There’s a complete list of his songs <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Marks\">here</a>.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/rudolphsheetmusic.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3948 alignleft\" alt=\"rudolphsheetmusic\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/rudolphsheetmusic.jpg?w=108\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a>I still dig out my copy of the original Rudolph sheet music every year.\n\nBut the tunes I think of as Christmas carols date back to the 14<sup>th</sup> century and the medieval English songs written with alternating verse and refrain, at times blending two languages such as English and Latin.\n\nSongs sung around the themes of the Christ child or the Virgin Mary.\n\nThe carols that bring to mind the Victorian era and Christmas caroling with ladies with muffs and men in top hats. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/victorian-carolers.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3949\" alt=\"Victorian Carolers\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/victorian-carolers.jpg?w=123\" width=\"123\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nAnd, family times around the piano on Christmas Eve singing carols from the church hymnal. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/christmas-1957.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3945\" alt=\"Christmas 1957\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/christmas-1957.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"144\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA tradition our family carries from  generation to generation.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/music-tradition.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3968\" alt=\"music tradition\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/music-tradition.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a>Every year new versions of these old songs, secular and traditional, emerge.\n\nThe popularity of flash mob caroling found in the video below confirms the impact Christmas carols and caroling can have.\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99MxRiXBbto&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nPeople stop what they are doing. They listen. They join in.\n\nWhether you lean toward secular songs or Christmas hymns or newer contemporary songs, carols and caroling bring a Christmas spirit that speaks to the continuity of Christmas past and a hope of Christmas future.\n\n<b>YOUR TURN: </b>Do you have a favorite Christmas tune?<b></b>','Christmas Customs and Traditions - Carols and Caroling','','publish','open','open','','christmas-customs-and-traditions-carols-and-caroling','','','2013-12-09 06:00:00','2013-12-09 12:00:00','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3939',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3962,1,'2013-12-11 06:00:35','2013-12-11 12:00:35','If you\'re not familiar with <b><i>A Claymation Christmas Celebration,</i> </b>you\'ve missed a real treat.\n\nThe television special won a 1988 Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program following its original broadcast on the CBS TV in 1987.\n\nIt was my youngest daughter’s favorite holiday television special. Still is.\n\nWe watched the show live and then for years afterward on VHS to kick-start the holiday at our house. She\'s now sharing with her children.\n\nProducer and director Will Vinton used <a title=\"Stop motion\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_motion\">stop motion</a> <a title=\"Clay animation\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_animation\">clay animation</a> to create awesome animation that equals some of today’s high tech productions.\n\nSo what\'s the story about?\n\nTwo prehistoric dinosaurs one named Rex, an intellectual tyrannosaurus, and the other Herb, a dimwitted, bespectacled styracosaurus with a voracious appetite, are the main characters.\n\nThe pair guides you along a typical small town\'s Christmas choral celebration with various Christmas carols preformed. The California Raisins are special guest stars.\n\nThroughout the story, Rex tries to explain the true pronunciation and meaning of the term <i>wassail</i>. Different groups sing their rendition, all of which are lyrically incorrect.\n\nFinally, a large truck loaded with elfin, cider-swilling townsfolk arrives, singing the correct version. When one of the townies explains <i>wassailing</i> means going around the neighborhood singing Christmas carols and getting treats and cordials, Rex\'s theories are validated, much to his delight.\n\nMy favorite carol from the show is “We Three Kings.”\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR53QamRpw0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nThe Walrus ice-skating to “Angels We Have Heard on High” is a very close second.\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MeiBjkILCM&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nIf you want, you can watch the full thirty-minute show on YouTube <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KRe6Jt5ZKg\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nFor repeated viewing, you can purchase your own <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Claymation-Christmas-VHS-Tim-Conner/dp/630315266X/\" target=\"_blank\">VHS video </a>from Amazon or a <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Vintons-Claymation-Christmas-Halloween-Celebrations/dp/B00009WHRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1386189343&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=A+Claymation+Christmas+Celebration\" target=\"_blank\">DVD</a> with Will Vinton’s Claymation productions for Easter and Halloween.','Claymation Christmas Celebration – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','claymation-christmas-celebration-one-word-wednesday','','','2013-12-11 06:00:35','2013-12-11 12:00:35','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3962',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3971,1,'2013-12-13 06:00:29','2013-12-13 12:00:29','<em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em>\n\nThe driveway looks like a parking lot - five people, five cars.\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/cars2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3973\" alt=\"cars2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/cars2.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>\n\nThe living room looks like a dormitory.\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/living-room2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3974\" alt=\"living room2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/living-room2.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>\n\nIt was great to have the girls home for the long Thanksgiving weekend.\n\nWe went shopping and I could actually ask if what I was trying on looked good together. Teenage boys aren’t much help with that.\n\nWe did have a problem, though.\n\nWe went through more toilet paper and milk than normal. (I wonder if there is a relationship there.)\n\nI also ended up with a pair of denim capri pants that no one is claiming.\n\nOh well, I’ll just consider the capri pants payment for a weekend at home.','Miller Farm Friday: You Know it is Thanksgiving When…','','publish','open','open','','miller-farm-friday-you-know-it-is-thanksgiving-when','','','2013-12-13 06:00:29','2013-12-13 12:00:29','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3971',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3980,1,'2013-12-20 06:00:46','2013-12-20 12:00:46','<p align=\"center\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nA hawk is using our chicken coop as an all-you-can-eat buffet. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/hawk-in-tree.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-3983\" alt=\"hawk in tree\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/hawk-in-tree.png\" width=\"279\" height=\"181\" /></a>\n\nSo far, the predator has carried off two of our bantams and tried to carry off a big hen, but apparently the hen was too heavy. The hen has tale-tell signs of claw marks on its back.\n\nAnother hen, named Little Gray Hen, died of unknown causes. I’m blaming the hawk.\n\nThanksgiving morning I looked out to see the hawk with another one of the bantams.  My husband took his pellet gun outside and the hawk dropped the hen and flew off leaving the deceased hen on the ground.\n\nMy son asked if there was such a thing as hawk bait.  Apparently, bantam chickens work great.\n\nThe hawk stayed away for a few days.\n\nThen when I got home one morning this week, I heard a familiar cry from the chicken yard - “hawk, hawk!!!”\n\nI raced out in search of the hawk, but couldn’t see it.\n\nI saw no chickens either. Even the bantams were hidden under their coop.  All the big hens cowered under the trees.\n\nAs I checked on them, the hawk flew away. He’d been somewhere close by watching and waiting.\n\nA friend recently asked me about the intelligence of chickens. I’m not sure about their intelligence but something allows them to sense danger when humans cannot see it.\n\nThere have been no hawk sightings in the past few days.\n\nJust in case, the chickens are keeping an eye on the sky.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/hens-watching-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3982\" alt=\"hens watching-2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/hens-watching-2.jpg?w=296\" width=\"296\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Hawk Saga Chapter 2 - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','hawk-saga-chapter-2-miller-farm-friday','','','2013-12-20 06:00:46','2013-12-20 12:00:46','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3980',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (3987,1,'2013-12-16 06:00:30','2013-12-16 12:00:30','The Christmas tree tradition as we know it today began in Germany in the 16th century. Added lighting began with Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, who was awed brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens, wired tree branches to recapture the scene.\n\nThe <a href=\"http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-christmas-trees\" target=\"_blank\">custom was slow to gain popularity in American</a>. Remember, the colonies were founded by Puritans who held to a strict sacred observation of Christmas. In fact, in 1659, hanging decorations brought fines for breaking a law that made any observance of December 25 (other than a church service) a penal offense.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_3990\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"94\"]<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/german-tree-cropped.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3990\" alt=\"Our tribute to our German ancestry.\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/german-tree-cropped.jpg?w=94\" width=\"94\" height=\"150\" /></a> Our tribute to our German ancestry.[/caption]\n\nAs the numbers of German and Irish immigrants grew, the Puritan legacy lessened. Still, as late as 1840, Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/queen.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3988\" alt=\"Queen\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/queen.jpg?w=124\" width=\"124\" height=\"150\" /></a>That view began to change when a sketch of Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, standing with their children around a Christmas tree, appeared in the Illustrated London News. By 1846, the custom of setting up a Christmas tree arrived on the east coast.\n\nEarly Americans decorated with homemade ornaments, fruits, and garland of popcorn or cranberries. Electricity brought lighted trees. Perhaps the most famous lighted tree is the one in Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree displayed for the first time in 1931.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/dec222007_7583-2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3989 alignleft\" alt=\"Dec222007_7583-2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/dec222007_7583-2.jpg?w=100\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nChristmas trees play an important role in decorating for us. Even if we\'re not at home we decorate a tree.  That\'s our grandson Michael decorating the tiny artificial tree we used the year we went to Frisco, CO, to have ourselves a white Christmas.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/tx-ornaments-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3991\" alt=\"TX ornaments-2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/tx-ornaments-2.jpg?w=112\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>When we lived in Texas, we had trees in every room. Each tree was special. A tree with Texas state capitol ornaments graced a corner of the dining room.\n\nTwo trees with White House collectible ornaments sat on the dining table.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/white-house-ornaments-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3993\" alt=\"White House ornaments-2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/white-house-ornaments-2.jpg?w=78\" width=\"78\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/white-house-ornaments-1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3992\" alt=\"White House ornaments-1\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/white-house-ornaments-1.jpg?w=73\" width=\"73\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nUpstairs in the loft, we set up a Victorian tree with our vintage ornaments surrounded by children\'s toys...a tribute to Albert and Victoria.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/victorian-tree-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3994\" alt=\"Victorian tree-2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/victorian-tree-2.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>\n\nSome years we had creative trees like this one done by our grandson Matthew from giant TinkerToys.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/dsc03553.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3995 alignleft\" alt=\"DSC03553\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/dsc03553.jpg?w=112\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nOn the kitchen table, you\'d find a gumdrop tree. A tradition started by my Irish grandmother.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/gumdrop-tree-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3996\" alt=\"gumdrop tree-2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/gumdrop-tree-2.jpg?w=112\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>This year we\'re in our new home in Colorado in the middle of adding a garage addition with a bedroom and studies above.\n\nAll our Christmas decorations are in storage awaiting the new space. :-(\n\nBut Christmas will not be Christmas without a tree so we bought a small living tree that we\'ll replant when we do landscaping in the spring.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/tree-2-rotated.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4001\" alt=\"tree (2)-rotated\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/tree-2-rotated.jpg?w=263\" width=\"263\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nLooks a bit like Charlie Brown\'s Christmas tree.\n\nSoon, our daughter and her family will arrive, and we\'ll go into the woods and cut a <em>real </em>tree.\n\nThen it\'ll really feel like Christmas around here.\n\n<strong>YOUR TURN:</strong>\n\nIs a Christmas tree part of your holiday tradition?','Christmas Customs & Traditions - Christmas Tree','','publish','open','open','','christmas-customs-traditions-christmas-tree','','','2013-12-16 06:00:30','2013-12-16 12:00:30','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=3987',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4007,1,'2013-12-19 06:00:00','2013-12-19 12:00:00','Celebrating Christmas in Texas is different. No snow, no cold, and a few other traditions unique to the Lone Star State.\n\nWe’re excited to be where we have both snow and cold this year, but memories of our Texas Christmases linger.\n\nA Christmas classic story to read was <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Night-Before-Christmas-In-Christmas-Series/dp/0882891758\" target=\"_blank\">The Night Before Christmas in Texas, That Is by Leon A. Harris,</a>  Based on the well-known \"Night Before Christmas,\" this tale with a definite Texas spin has entertained audiences for more than forty years.\n\nFrom the inside cover flab: <em>A Western Santa Claus-decked out in Levis, a ten-gallon Stetson, a cowboy vest, and with a bandana around his neck-makes his Christmas journey on a buckboard piled high with presents.  Swooping in over the prairie to the amazement of sleepy residents and jackrabbits alike, a plump, jovial Santa parks his buckboard outside a peaceful ranch house. From boot-stuffing gifts to the faithful \"hosses\" pulling his \"sleigh,\" this is a Christmas tale rich in Texas tradition.</em>\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/gene-autry-record.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4009\" alt=\"Gene Autry record\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/gene-autry-record.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"135\" /></a><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Autry\" target=\"_blank\">Gene Autry</a> recorded the poem for Columbia Records in the 1940s or 50s. I have a copy of the original 78 record.\n\nTake a listen to a later release:\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agLmsP3wZIk&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]\n\nThese are some other Texas Christmas traditions we\'ve brought to Colorado with us:\n\n<a href=\"http://countyfairpickles.com/Pickle_legend.html\" target=\"_blank\">Hanging a pickle on the Christmas tree</a>\n\nLining our sidewalk with <a href=\"http://www.flicluminaries.com/history.html\" target=\"_blank\">Luminaries </a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121791809\" target=\"_blank\">Eating tamales on Christmas Eve </a>\n\nChristmas is next week. I’ll be taking a break to enjoy my family and friends.\n\nBefore I go, though...\n\nYou can take the gal out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the gal.\n\nWhile I’ll be celebrating Christ’s birth in the snowy woods of SW Colorado this year, I’ll be singing…\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK3-JNLHlok&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nAnd that’s my wish for all of you -- MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL! See you next year.','Christmas in Texas','','publish','open','open','','christmas-in-texas','','','2013-12-19 06:00:00','2013-12-19 12:00:00','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4007',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4018,1,'2013-12-25 06:00:09','2013-12-25 12:00:09','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/em-graphic.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4020\" alt=\"em GRAPHIC\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/em-graphic.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"602\" /></a>\n\nMy friend and fellow blogger, <a href=\"http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Edie Melson</a> posted this free image on her blog on Christmas Eve.\n\nI thought it such a great reminder about the true meaning of Christmas I\'m sharing with you today.\n\nMerry Christmas to all,\n\nJudythe\n\nJudythe','Merry Christmas 2013','','publish','open','open','','merry-christmas-2013','','','2013-12-25 06:00:09','2013-12-25 12:00:09','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4018',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4022,1,'2014-01-01 22:03:18','2014-01-02 04:03:18','This postcard greeting from my vintage card collection was originally sent in 1912 and it\'s my wish for you today.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/new-year-1.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4023\" alt=\"new year 1\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/new-year-1.jpg?w=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" /></a>\n\nChicken Wrangler Sara and I will start our 2014 blog schedule next week. See you then...\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/new-year-1.jpg\"> </a>','Happy 2014!','','publish','open','open','','happy-2014','','','2014-01-01 22:03:18','2014-01-02 04:03:18','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4022',0,'post','',3);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4027,1,'2014-01-06 06:00:03','2014-01-06 12:00:03','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/2013-2014.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-4028\" alt=\"2013-2014\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/2013-2014.jpg\" width=\"403\" height=\"235\" /></a>2013 is gone.\n\n2014 is six days old.\n\nA new year signals the time for goals, resolutions, and predictions.\n\nI’m a goal setter. Last year I shared a <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/to-resolve-or-not-to-resolve-that-is-the-question/\" target=\"_blank\">blog</a> about how I set my yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily <b>SMART </b>goals. You can check out my method specifics <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/failure-to-plan-is-planning-to-fail-a-plan-for-success/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nThis year I\'ve read several great blogs with ideas for how to be successful in 2014.\n<ul>\n	<li><a href=\"http://slingwords.blogspot.com/2014/01/milestones-to-success.html\" target=\"_blank\">Milestones for Success</a> by Joan Reeves</li>\n	<li><em><a href=\"http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2014/01/konraths-resolutions-for-writers.html\" target=\"_blank\">Konrath\'s Resolutions For Writers </a></em>by Joe Konrath<em> </em></li>\n	<li><em><a href=\"http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/2014/01/10-easy-writing-resolutions-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">10 Easy Writing Resolutions for 2014</a> </em>by K.M. Weiland<em> </em></li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/new-years-resolutions-what-is-real-change/\" target=\"_blank\">New Year’s Resolutions? What Is Real Change?</a> by Bob Mayer</li>\n</ul>\nAfter reading Joe Bunting’s <a href=\"http://thewritepractice.com/great-2014/\" target=\"_blank\">If You Want to Have a Great 2014, Spend an Hour Doing This</a>, I knew the topic for my first blog of 2014.\n\nAARs (After Action Review)  are already a major component of my goal-setting method so following Bunting’s advice works well for me. Click <a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-4z\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> if you aren\'t sure what an AAR is.\n\nSo without further ado, here is my 2013 in review (with AARs):\n\n<b><i>Writing:</i> </b>My second novel, <i>Love in the Morning Calm </i>released in November. For a list of all my books on Amazon, click <a href=\"http://amzn.to/1gaLFrm\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">AAR for novel writing</span>: It’s taking too long to get the stories out there! I need to write faster.\n\nI wrote 143 blog posts, which drew 6,400 views and 96 followers. According to Wordpress, my blog visitors came from 113 countries.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">AAR for blog writing</span>: Thank you, blog readers for stopping by now and then.\n\n<b><i>Travel: </i></b>My husband and I traveled to Ireland with a tour. The idea was to research my book set in Ireland that will coming out this year. Traveling with twenty-six other delightful people does not leave much time for writing research.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">AAR on overseas travel tours</span>: Guess we’ll have to plan another trip.\n\nNot exactly travel, but major locales change. We sold our Houston, Texas, home of thirty-three years and moved to our summer home in Colorado.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">AAR on our move</span>: Loving it!\n\n<b><i>Around the house:</i></b> Life has been crazy since our move with projects! We remodeled our little cabin and added a garage, which is still not complete.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">AAR on home improvement projects</span>: Patience, patience, patience.\n\n<strong><i>Life in General</i>: </strong>We survived the June 2013wildfire in the Rio Grande National Forest. We are so thankful. So many lost homes and lives in Colorado wildfires last year.\n\nMy dear sweet aunt, a shining light in my life, went to heaven to join her husband, her parents, and her sister. Her passing brought home the reality of mortality and established me as the oldest living relative on my maternal side. Now that’s a sobering thought!\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">AAR on life</span>: Cherish every moment!\n\nWhether you choose to end the old year by setting goals or making resolutions or reviewing your accomplishments, I wish you a 2014 filled with success and happiness.\n\nThanks for starting your New Year with me.\n\n<b>YOUR TURN: </b>So how was your 2013?\n\nTo celebrate 2014, I’m offering a free copy of <i>Love in the Morning</i> copy to one lucky commenter.','Bye, bye 2013!','','publish','open','open','','bye-bye-2013','','','2014-01-06 06:00:03','2014-01-06 12:00:03','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4027',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4041,1,'2014-01-08 06:00:17','2014-01-08 12:00:17','That’s right. January 8th through 14th is the official week for letter writing.\n\nMy friend Janie Carver clued me with her <a href=\"http://janiecarver2011.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/national-letter-writing-week-2014/\" target=\"_blank\">blog</a>.\n\nThen Edie Melson listed Letter Writing Week in her <a href=\"http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/2014/01/calendar-daysholidays-special-days.html\" target=\"_blank\">January holidays blog</a>.\n\nThe intent of the weeklong observation is to\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">W-R-I-T-E a letter</p>\nwith a pencil, chalk, marker, crayon or ink pen\n\nnot with your fingers on a keyboard or a touch screen.\n\nThat means you dig out some of that ancient stationery you’ve been meaning to pitch, grab a writing instrument and put words on the page.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/letterwriting.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4043\" alt=\"letterwriting\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/letterwriting.png?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"104\" /></a>No word-processed message.\n\nNo email message.\n\nNo text message.\n\nNo typewriter. (Do people even use those anymore?)\n\nNot a clever card even if you add a personal message.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">I suggest a thank you for a Christmas gift, a hello to an aging friend or relative, a note of gratitude, or reconnecting with someone you haven\'t seen in a while.</p>\nAs a collector of vintage postcards, I find the handwritten notes on the cards dating back to the early 1900s touching.\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4046\" alt=\"pcard 1-f\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/pcard-1-f.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" />\n\nDon\'t you wonder who <em>Dear \"old girl\" is?  </em>\n\nEspecially since he signed the card Brian and family.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/pcard2-f.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4047\" alt=\"pcard2-f\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/pcard2-f.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" /></a>\n\nNo doubt these parents were thrilled to receive this postcard from their son Ralph.\n\nThink what a treasure you’ll create when you participate in letter writing week.\n\nI guarantee you’ll put a smile on someone’s face.\n\nNow go write a letter.','It\'s Letter Writing Week','','publish','open','open','','its-letter-writing-week','','','2014-01-08 06:00:17','2014-01-08 12:00:17','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4041',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4056,1,'2014-01-10 12:31:08','2014-01-10 18:31:08','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nLinus has a blanket.\n\nChristopher Robin has a bear.\n\nTucker has a ball – an orange jingle ball to be exact.  He actually has several balls – a blue one, a green one – but the orange one is his favorite.  Perhaps it\'s the jingle noise it makes that is so attractive. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/tucker-and-ball.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4058\" alt=\"tucker and ball\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/tucker-and-ball.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"264\" /></a>\n\nWhatever it is, Tucker has been known to fall asleep with this ball between his paws.  Whenever he is feeling stressed, he finds his jingle ball.\n\nIf you throw the ball, he will bring it back – again and again.\n\nRachel trained him to drop it right at her feet.\n\nFor a while, our morning routine consisted of whoever sat in a particular chair threw Tucker’s ball for him. If I happened to be in the kitchen fixing breakfast, the thrower would yell “incoming” as a warning.\n\nOn several occasions they forgot and I got pegged by the infamous orange jingle ball.\n\nIf he is feeling ignored, Tucker will throw his ball under a piece of furniture or the stove.  Then he will bark until someone retrieves it.  I would say he has us well trained.\n\nOne time a visiting young boy accidentally threw the orange jingle ball on the roof.  Tucker was inconsolable.  We lasted about two days before someone had to climb up and get it.\n\nAfter that we insisted that the orange ball be his <strong>inside</strong> ball.\n\nUnfortunately the green ball was too difficult to see outside in the yard, so I allowed Tucker to bring his orange ball outside for me to throw as I took care of the chickens. I did accidentally throw the ball into the chicken yard a couple of times.  The chickens thought it was food.\n\nThis fall the leaves in our Texas town were particularly pretty.  Not quite as stunning as when we lived in Connecticut but beautiful for here.  It did present a problem – though.  The orange jingle ball was difficult to spot.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/orange-ball-in-leaves.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4059\" alt=\"orange ball in leaves\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/orange-ball-in-leaves.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>\n\nWe have begun the search for a replacement ball in case this one really disappears.\n\nSo far we have had no success.  So we will continue to guard Tucker’s security ball for everyone’s sake.','A Dog and His Ball - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','a-dog-and-his-ball-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-01-10 12:31:08','2014-01-10 18:31:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4056',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4063,1,'2014-01-13 06:00:12','2014-01-13 12:00:12','It’s been an upsetting week around the porch. You know one of those weeks where if it could go wrong, it did.\n\nThe black screen of death appeared on my husband’s laptop.\n\nWe received bad and sad news from friends and extended family.\n\nSatellite cable went out, which meant none of our favorite programs would be recorded until Direct TV can find our little mountain hideaway sometime next week. No Downton Abbey, no Castle, no Good Wife, no NCIS. Now that’s too much!\n\nUnsettled and struggling for a blog topic, I surfed the web mindlessly for inspiration.\n\nI ran across this wonderful video Scott McKinley Productions created for a <a href=\"http://www.rmef.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation</a> ad campaign.\n\nThe soundtrack is licensed by <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_G\" target=\"_blank\">Kenny G</a>. who just happens to be my most favorite<a href=\"http://www.kennyg.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> jazz saxophonist</a>. The music alone is awesome.\n\nThe short video, shot on location in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, won Best of Category at the International Wildlife Film Festival in Missoula Montana.\n\nIt\'s a gentle and soothing reminder of the wondrous world around us. A dose of peaceful nature. Watch and see if you don’t agree.\n\n[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUOQ_yPW_0s&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\nAn extra special thank you to <a href=\"http://www.pattishene.com/aboutpatti\" target=\"_blank\">Patti Shene</a> for sharing on her blog.','A Week Gone Awry and the Magic Fix','','publish','open','open','','a-dose-of-peaceful-nature','','','2014-01-13 06:00:12','2014-01-13 12:00:12','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4063',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4074,1,'2014-01-15 06:00:28','2014-01-15 12:00:28','Today is the day set aside to wear and enjoy a hat of your choice and style.\n\nIt’s not really a \"National\" day. There’s been no act of Congress declaring it so. Some hatter wanting to sell his product probably originated the celebration.\n\nHats do come in all sizes, shapes, colors and styles. There’s a hat to fit every head size and personality.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/hats2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4075\" alt=\"hats2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/hats2.jpg\" width=\"336\" height=\"379\" /></a>\n\nHats can ...\n<ul>\n	<li>make a statement.</li>\n	<li>identify your occupation or promote a cause or product.</li>\n	<li>keep your head warm or the sun from your eyes.</li>\n</ul>\nIn the early 19<sup>th</sup> century, a woman didn’t go out without her hat.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/hat1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4076\" alt=\"hat1\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/hat1.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"118\" /></a>\n\nToday women can choose whether they wish to wear a hat or not unless they are attending the Kentucky Derby then a hat is necessity. After all, The Derby is a chance for a woman to express her inner Southern Belle.\n\nNational Hat Day is a fun day to express yourself. Wearing a hat is much like getting into costume, you might be pleasantly surprised to see what type of character you become.\n\nGrab YOUR chance to display your favorite headgear. From the fantastic to the sublime, no rules or no limits.\n\nWhy not wear several different hats throughout the day?','Express Yourself for National Hat Day','','publish','open','open','','express-yourself-for-national-hat-day','','','2014-01-15 06:00:28','2014-01-15 12:00:28','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4074',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4082,1,'2014-01-22 06:00:58','2014-01-22 12:00:58','We\'re three weeks into the New Year. How are your resolutions working out?\n\nGoal setting reminds me of eating at a cafeteria. All those choices and, as my grandmother would always say when I could barely lift my food tray--my eyes become bigger than my stomach.\n\nThat happens with setting goals. We\'re so energetic and eager to <em>start over</em> after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season that we overextend. We set our expectations too high.\n\nIf you\'re like most of us, those good intentions for a new start to the year are slowing falling away. Why? I think it\'s because we set vague or unattainable goals like these.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/medium_new_year_comic_for_writers.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4085\" alt=\"medium_New_Year_Comic_for_Writers\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/medium_new_year_comic_for_writers.jpg\" width=\"410\" height=\"480\" /></a>\n\nSo if you\'re feeling down because your resolutions aren\'t happening, look at your goal. Have you set the standard too high?\n\nAdjust and move on.\n\nIf you\'re a writer, take to heart the advice in the poster. I bet you\'ll discover your eyes aren\'t bigger than goals.','Resolutions Checkup - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','resolutions-checkup-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-01-22 06:00:58','2014-01-22 12:00:58','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4082',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4092,1,'2014-01-20 06:00:07','2014-01-20 12:00:07','<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._Day\" target=\"_blank\">Martin Luther King, Jr. </a>preached about justice, empowerment, love and peace. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/mlk.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-4093 alignleft\" alt=\"MLK\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/mlk.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"335\" /></a>\n\nDr. King believed life’s most persistent and urgent question was\n<p align=\"center\"><b>\'What are you doing for others?\'</b></p>\nThrough his nonviolent activism during the civil rights movement, he changed things for others.\n\nToday offers an opportunity to reflect on the past, think about the present, plan for the future, and reminds us of what is truly important.\n\n<strong> </strong>Here are some ways to honor Dr. King and impact change in your community.\n<ul>\n	<li> <a href=\"http://mlkday.gov/plan/actionguides/bookdrive.php\">Organize a Book and School Supply Drive</a></li>\n	<li> <a href=\"http://mlkday.gov/plan/actionguides/conserve.php\">Plant trees in your neighborhood </a></li>\n	<li> <a href=\"http://mlkday.gov/plan/actionguides/heal.php\">Organize a Fitness Event </a></li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://mlkday.gov/plan/actionguides/honor.php\">Write Letters to Troops </a></li>\n</ul>\nFind other ideas <a href=\"http://mlkday.gov/plan/actionguides/foundation.php\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>\n\nCheck <a href=\"http://mlkday.gov/serve/find.php\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for  MLKJ Day projects in your specific area.\n\nYou can also check out Todd Goldfarb  <em>50 Ways You Can Be The Change</em> <a href=\"http://www.wethechange.com/50-ways-you-can-be-the-change/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nWhatever you choose to do today, I leave you with one of my favorite King quotes:\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. </em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>You don\'t have to have a college degree to serve. You don\'t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. </em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”</em></p>','Ideas for Change on MLKJ Day','','publish','open','open','','ideas-for-change-on-mlkj-day','','','2014-01-20 06:00:07','2014-01-20 12:00:07','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4092',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4099,1,'2014-01-17 06:00:29','2014-01-17 12:00:29','<p align=\"center\"><em>A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur neighbors are moving.  It is a good thing for them, but sad for us.  It means their house is for sale and real estate agents get grumpy when they have to sell a house next door to chickens.\n\nWe’ve been through this with the neighbors on the other side. We prayed and prayed and God sent a single woman who loves the chickens.  She even comes outside to watch them.\n\nThe new neighbors on the other side will not have that pleasure.  A privacy fence is going up.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/fence1.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4100\" alt=\"fence1\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/fence1.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>I don’t take it personally.  Not everyone loves chickens the way we do.\n\nThe process is actually very stressful for the entire Miller farm.  Strange people are walking around next door, which requires a certain amount of barking on the part of the dachshunds. Of course, some of the dachshunds (Bella) believe that life requires a certain amount of barking all the time.\n\nThen there is the dreaded air compressor.\n\nFortunately, I have experience with air compressors. Experience being that there is one in the garage, which moves on the front porch when Bee Keeper Brian is building something.\n\nI know that it randomly comes on and makes noise so I’m not startled. The chickens, on the other hand, have never seen the air compressor in our garage and so when the one next door started making noise, they all rushed to the opposite side of the yard.\n\nThe fence is finished now. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/fence2.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4101\" alt=\"fence2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/fence2.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nNo more strange people or noises next door. We actually can’t tell what is next door.  All we see is this beautiful fence.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/bella-and-fence2.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4103\" alt=\"bella and fence2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/bella-and-fence2.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"257\" />\n</a>\n\nTucker is confused. He can’t see his friend Gus, the miniature schnauzer who lives next door, anymore.\n\nBella keeps barking at the fence hoping to scare it away.\n\nThe good news is the chickens won’t be flying into the neighbor’s yard on that side. They can’t see that the grass is greener.\n\nAs I stood in our back yard I couldn’t help but think of the show “Home Improvement” and wonder if our new neighbors will be named “Wilson.”\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Under Construction - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','under-construction-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-01-17 06:00:29','2014-01-17 12:00:29','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4099',0,'post','',2);

INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4120,1,'2014-01-24 06:00:07','2014-01-24 12:00:07','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Beekeeper Brian</em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><strong><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">Warning</span></strong>: The following story is a true account; only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">It also contains tales of death. If death of vermin upsets you, STOP reading now!</p>\nOn Monday nights, Chicken Wrangler Sara teaches ladies about God’s Word. Therefore, I pull double farm duty.\n\nSince my bees are snug in their hives, they are not a duty problem.\n\nAs you might remember, the chickens go into the coop when the sun goes down every night. However, a chicken wrangler or beekeeper has to go close the door to the coop. We haven’t been able to teach the girls to take care of that.\n\nI went out to keep them safe and close the coop.\n\nYou would not believe that living in the city, we would have all kinds of uninvited dinner guest. Word should be out that there are no more dinner parties on the Miller Farm.\n\nYet, as I drew close to the coop door, I spotted the glowing eyes of an uninvited dinner guest—the chicken eating opossum! <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/possum.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-3913\" alt=\"possum\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/possum.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/possumsnarl.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1688\" alt=\"Snarling Virginia Opossum\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/possumsnarl.jpg?w=100\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>This was the fourth opossum this winter that planned to have chicken as his main course!\n\nIn case you have never tangled with an opossum, once they find fresh food, they keep coming back for seconds.\n\nSince Chicken Wrangler Sara was not at home to bring me a lead slinger (air-powered since we are in the city), I had to grab what was at hand – my flashlight.\n\nUnfortunately, I only had the small one.\n\nFortunately, there is a nice rock right outside the coop, which would do the trick. Several hits later, the chicken thief was unaffected!\n\nI needed to find something else. (Don’t be fooled. Opossums play dead, but they do have a very strong tail, which can be used to carry them some place to secure a bigger club.)\n\nI grabbed his tail and hauled him out of the coop, heading for the woodpile. I grabbed half of a wooden bee pallet to use as a club. That was a little more effective at subduing him, but the rascal was still sniffing for chicken dinner.\n\nI spotted a shovel blade by the shed and carried him to the other side of the yard to finish the deed with the shovel blade. It was crude but effective.\n\nThe hens were safe for another night, none the wiser that there’d been an intruder intend on eating them.\n\nI posted on FB: opossums 0, Beekeeper Brian 4.\n\nWhen Chicken Wrangler Sara arrived home, I told her of the evening adventure. All in a day’s work on an urban farm.','Tales from the Dark Side (of the chicken coop) -Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','tales-from-the-dark-side-of-the-chicken-coop-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-01-24 06:00:07','2014-01-24 12:00:07','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4120',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4127,1,'2014-01-29 07:57:51','2014-01-29 13:57:51','We spent last week in Houston, Texas where an uncharacteristic winter ice storm came though.\n\nThe whole city shutdown. Southerners know how to sweat. Not slip, skate, and slide.\n\nMy experience is that\'s true of ice and rain! Rain leads to flooding in Houston. Ice and snow cause frozen freeway ramps. Houston drivers handle neither very well.\n\nWinter storm weather is our norm in Colorado, but Texans just aren\'t trained for it. Actually they are disastrous at it, if the broadcasts from traffic cams testified.\n\nIt was COLD. I have to give them that. I\'d forgotten how the humidity makes thirty degrees feel like -30. I spent the entire time shivering.\n\nFriends and family questioned how I managed the cold in our Colorado mountains.\n\nSimple: Dry cold. Road equipment to clear the ice and snow. And a roaring fire!\n\nLots of people in the southern states and east coast have been shivering for weeks now while we watch  our November snowstorm that dropped 20\" of snow  evaporate. Go figure!\n\nSo if you\'re shivering today, stay warm.\n\nIf you\'re a writer, don\'t let the shivers keep you from the keyboard. Bundle up, grab a mug of hot chocolate and let the words blaze.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/icy-typewriter.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-4128\" alt=\"icy typewriter\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/icy-typewriter.jpg?w=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"356\" /></a></p>','Shiver - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','shiver-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-01-29 07:57:51','2014-01-29 13:57:51','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4127',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4132,1,'2014-01-31 06:00:51','2014-01-31 12:00:51','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nFor those who may have missed the <a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-147\" target=\"_blank\">“Under Construction” blog</a>, our neighbors have put up a privacy fence.\n\nI don’t believe it was their idea as they are moving. I imagine the real estate agent suggested it to make the house easier to sell.\n\nAfter all, no one wants to live next door to chickens.\n\nAnyway, the morning after the fence was complete I walked out back to let the chickens out and found Gus, the neighbor’s dog looking through a hole in the fence.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/fence-hole-cropped.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4133\" alt=\"fence hole-cropped\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/fence-hole-cropped.jpg?w=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"346\" /></a>\n\nI guess he didn’t like not being able to see his friend Tucker any more than Tucker liked not being able to see him.\n\nIt turns out that the contractor used the wrong sized nails and had to return and fix the mistake.\n\nWe found out this weekend that the house has sold. The new owners are friends of ours – who have chickens. We\'re so excited! ','Fence Update – Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','fence-update-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-01-31 06:00:51','2014-01-31 12:00:51','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4132',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4138,1,'2014-02-03 06:00:07','2014-02-03 12:00:07','Last week’s<a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-14d\" target=\"_blank\"> blog on collectible fads </a>was long and detailed. Too long, too many details. Sorry about that. I kinda slipped into teacher-mode and overloaded you with what I knew.\n\nThe week’s Part 2 will be short and sweet, but the news is no better for the items we’ll look at today.\n\nPrecious Moments, Cabbage Patch Kids, Thomas Kincaid and Longaberger baskets were all desirable and highly sought after fad items for collectors at one point in time.\n\nThe prices were reasonable. The anticipated return on the investment promised to be high. Let’s look at each and see what happened.\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Precious Moments <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/pmilogo2007.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4140\" alt=\"Pmilogo2007\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/pmilogo2007.png?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"125\" /></a></b></li>\n</ul>\nArtist and illustrator, Samuel Butcher, began drawing pictures of endearing children in the 1970s. With a friend, he began a small company to make and sell greeting cards and posters that featured his “Precious Moments” artwork and uplifting messages. Then in 1978, Enesco Corp. produced a line of porcelain <a href=\"http://www.preciousmoments.com/\">Precious Moments figurines</a>.\n\nDemand was high. Sales grew. Unfortunately, too many different figurines were made and the market crashed. According to Kovels’ recent newsletter over 50 different figurines were offered at $10 each at a recent charity auction.\n\nMany buyers still love them, and you can still join a Precious Moments collector club and order special figurines available only to collectors. There’s even a Precious Moments collector cruise offered.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/precious-moments.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4142\" alt=\"precious moments\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/precious-moments.jpg?w=90\" width=\"90\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/precious-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4141\" alt=\"precious 2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/precious-2.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"138\" /></a>Buy because you love the precious figurines, but don’t expect a great return on your investment in the future.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/precious-2.jpg\"> </a>\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Cabbage Patch Kids<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cabbage2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4143\" alt=\"cabbage2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cabbage2.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a></b></li>\n</ul>\nCabbage Patch Kids, created by art student Xavier Roberts in 1978, were a popular fad in the 1980s. Each Cabbage Patch Kids had a cloth body, plastic or vinyl head and came with adoption papers. They had one-of-a-kind names and profiles.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cabbage3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4144\" alt=\"cabbage3\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cabbage3.jpg?w=117\" width=\"117\" height=\"150\" /></a>The dolls sold quickly in the U. S. I was so into the fad that I purchased three Cabbage Patch dolls on a trip to France in 1983. Yep, I struggled with those dolls and their boxes all the way back to the states.\n\nOnce again, the company was bought and many, many dolls were made which deflated the market.\n\nThe early Xavier Roberts’ Little People dolls (before the Cabbage Patch phase) still sell for high prices. Most Cabbage Patch dolls sell for $10 to $30 now although you can find higher prices on eBay.\n\nI finally allowed the grandchildren to play with the Cabbage Patch kids that I’d bought. They loved playing with dolls that had reminded Nana of their mothers and daddy.\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Thomas Kinkade Paintings <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tk_logo.gif\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4146\" alt=\"tk_logo\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tk_logo.gif?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"58\" /></a></b></li>\n</ul>\n<a href=\"http://www.thomaskinkade.com/magi/servlet/com.asucon.ebiz.biography.web.tk.BiographyServlet\">Thomas Kinkade (1958–2012)</a> began selling his oil paintings of idyllic scenes in supermarket parking lots. He added mass-market printed reproductions and many licensed products (mugs, stationary, vases, books, etc.), often using the limited edition plan. He became known as the “Painter of Light.” His prints were largely promoted with hard-hitting ads and direct mail.\n\nAs is the case with too many fad items, too many franchised stores opened, flooding the market with his merchandise. His work was no longer one-of-a-kind.\n\nWhen Thomas Kinkade died, prices of all Kinkade items dropped, but Kinkade paintings are still reproduced and sold, retailing for $350 and up.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tk-puzzle-2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4147\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tk-puzzle-2.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" /></a>One of my favorite Christmas jigsaw puzzles is from one of his paintings. We bring it out to work every holiday.\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Longaberger baskets<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/longaberger-baskets.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4149\" alt=\"Longaberger baskets\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/longaberger-baskets.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"243\" /></a></b></li>\n</ul>\nThe handcrafted wood baskets made by the <a href=\"http://www.longaberger.com/\">Longaberger Basket Company</a> of Newark, Ohio became a hot collectible in the 1990s. The company issued expensive limited edition baskets. Collectors became swept up searching for them which made prices go up. After a while, the resale market collapsed.\n\nToday even the most expensive original baskets sell for low prices. They can be found at flea markets and online for under $40, a fair price for a quality made basket unless you originally paid a hundred.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/long51.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4154\" alt=\"long5\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/long51.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"141\" /></a>\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4152\" alt=\"long4\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/long4.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"122\" />I still love my Longaberger baskets and use them all the time.\n\nYour take away from this look at fad collecting should be to be cautious of high-pressure sales of “limited editions.” Buy a \"limited edition,\" but don\'t buy it because you expected to have an investment. To truly hold its value an item must be very limited in production and very one-of-a-kind.\n\n<strong>YOUR TURN: </strong>Have you been tempted or fallen prey to high pressure sales for \"limited edition\" fads?','Fad Collectibles Part 2','','publish','open','open','','fad-collectibles-part-2','','','2014-02-03 06:00:07','2014-02-03 12:00:07','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4138',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4165,1,'2014-02-05 06:00:58','2014-02-05 12:00:58','Sunday was Super Bowl #48 and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punxsutawney_Phil\" target=\"_blank\">Ground Hog Day</a>.\n\nDenver Broncos didn’t do so well, which made for a tough day for fans and some very quiet Super Bowl parties as all hope for a comeback failed.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/ground-hog.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4166\" alt=\"ground hog\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/ground-hog.png?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>The mythological Punxsutawney Phil, who has been predicting whether winter is over since 1887, gave a nod to the game with this year\'s prediction poem:\n\n\"A Super Bowl winner I will not predict,\nBut my weather forecast, you cannot contradict,\nThat\'s not a football lying beside me\nIt\'s my shadow you see\nSo, six more weeks of winter it shall be!\"\n\nNot the report I wanted to hear. What about you?\n\nLike the Denver fans’ hopes of a Super Bowl win, all thoughts of warm weather and sunshine arriving early have been dashed away.\n\nThe news will not be well received by most of the U.S. considering the extreme cold that has blanketed so much of the country this winter.\n\nThere is a bit of hope because Phil\'s predictions have been correct only 39% of the time, according to the StormFax Weather Almanac and records kept since 1887.\n\nI’d say the ground hog could be wrong again except the Farmer’s Almanac predicts “a wave of storminess stretching almost from coast to coast, bringing a wide variety of precipitation types as well as strong and gusty winds.”\n\nIt’s time to remember all the good things about winter –\n• snowmen\n• hot cocoa\n• warm blankets\n• and curling up by the fire with a great book<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/read-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4167\" alt=\"read 2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/read-2.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a>\n\nIf you’re unsure what to read, check out <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Pendants-Promise-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B007ZU71N2/\" target=\"_blank\">The Pendant\'s Promise </a>or <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Love-Morning-Prequel-Pendants-Promise-ebook/dp/B00DQ1AEPQ/\" target=\"_blank\">Love in the Morning Calm</a>.\n\nBoth books are available in paperback and for eReaders. The stories will warm your heart and make you forget about the weather outside.\n\nHappy Reading!','Ground Hog - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','ground-hog-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-02-05 06:00:58','2014-02-05 12:00:58','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4165',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4169,1,'2014-02-07 06:00:38','2014-02-07 12:00:38','<p align=\"center\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nIn the past seven days, we have been under two different winter storm warnings.\n\nWhile this may seem normal for those of you who actually have winter where you live, in Texas winter is anything below 60 degrees. Any chance of freezing precipitation causes great panic.\n\nLast Thursday the weather began to get nasty and by Friday morning we awoke to what for us was a “Winter Wonderland.”\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/snowwp.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4170\" alt=\"snowWP\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/snowwp.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Now I have lived in the northeast and have actually been stranded in a blizzard in Deep Creek, Maryland, so I understand how silly this seems.\n\nHowever, for the chickens, that have never seen a white ground, this was very disturbing.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/hen-and-snowwp.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4171\" alt=\"hen and snowWP\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/hen-and-snowwp.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nThey were much slower to exit the coop and some decided to wait it out in the safety of their nest boxes.\n\nBy afternoon, the snow was gone and the chickens were out pecking the ground as usual.\n\nBy Sunday, we were in short sleeves again making it hard to believe the weather forecast for Tuesday which was predicting up to 2 inches of snow.\n\nSure enough on Monday, the wind shifted and the temperature dropped.\n\nI bought more chicken and quail food and made sure all feeders were full. I even filled the waterers knowing they would freeze.  I planned to pour hot water over them in the morning to melt enough ice to prevent any bird from dying of thirst.\n\nWe have been watching a TV show called “Alaska: The Last Frontier.” I thought about how they prepared for their winter as I warned the chickens of the impending storm.\n\nBy the end of the day on Monday, the private school where I teach had cancelled classes for Tuesday. The public schools delayed opening for two hours.  The pool even closed so we all slept in.\n\nTuesday morning arrived with no snow and little ice.  <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/icewp.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4172\" alt=\"iceWP\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/icewp.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" /></a>\n\nChildren were disappointed, but I didn’t mind. I’ve seen enough snow.\n\nThe weatherman says it will be 70 degrees by Friday. Gotta love Texas :)','Winter on the Farm - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','winter-on-the-farm-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-02-07 06:00:38','2014-02-07 12:00:38','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4169',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4178,1,'2014-02-10 06:00:25','2014-02-10 12:00:25','Have you been watching the Olympics?<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/imagesmsqp6b5w.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4180\" alt=\"imagesMSQP6B5W\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/imagesmsqp6b5w.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"137\" /></a>\n\nCouples figure skating is by far my most favorite event. The duo moves as though they are one.\n\nAs I watch, I recognize the hours and hours and hours of practice that have gone before the short performances. Not only for the skaters, but also for all the athletes in every event.\n\nMost have spent their entire lives preparing for their event. Often sacrificing ordinary childhood and teenage years to become the best they can be.\n\nIn every one of the Olympic athletic contests, the players reach deep inside and pull out amazing performances. Some soar. Others crumble.\n\nWhat makes the difference?\n\nCharacter. Specifically five character traits.\n\nCharacter traits I believe writers share, or should, if they wish to succeed in the publishing industry today.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/writer.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4181\" alt=\"writer\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/writer.png?w=121\" width=\"121\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nWhat are these characteristics?\n<h1>Adaptability</h1>\nI’ve watched skaters make mistakes and keep going. Slope-style snowboarding have crashed and tumbled then executed their second run perfectly.\n\nCompetitors know it’s not what happens, but how you react to what happens that makes you a champion. Nancy Kerrigan –1994 Olympic silver medalist – managed to win an Olympic medal even after being kneecapped. Last night, Ty Walker did her skateboard run with an ankle injury!\n\nStuff happens and things don’t always go according to plan. Olympic champions adjust and move on.\n\nSimilarly, successful writers roll with whatever life dumps their way and <i>carry on</i> to deliver when it really counts.\n<h1>Confidence</h1>\nIf you listen to interviews with Olympic athletes, you realize they judge their performance against their potential. They don’t spend time comparing their performance against others. They believe in their own potential.\n\nSuccessful writers don’t judge their success on how other authors are doing. Why? Because no two writers travel the same path and each new manuscript is different and, hopefully, better than the last one.\n<h1>Inner motivation</h1>\nCompetitors who aim for the Olympics face early morning practice and another session in the afternoons even on weekends. There is never time off. Something deep inside drives their ambition or they wouldn’t work so hard toward their goal.\n\nSuccessful writers write, rewrite, and polish a draft when all their friends are at the movies or chatting on Facebook or Twitter and/or watching the Olympics.\n<h1>Determination</h1>\nI’m amazed at how Olympic athletes perform their routines while people in the stands cough, scream, and walk around. Their focus never wavers even with their top competitors staring at their every move.\n\nTruly dedicated writers don’t allow anything to throw them off their game, either.\n<h1>Perseverance</h1>\nOlympic athletes are always looking toward the next competition. No matter what their performance in the current games.\n\nWinning a medal in the Olympics is the goal, but not the be-all-to-end-all for champion athletes. Doing better next time is paramount.\n\nSuccessful writers write because the voices in their heads won’t let them stop. Producing a NYT best seller is merely the cherry on top.\n\nIndeed, success as a writer isn’t easy. The competition is tough…Olympic level.\n\nThose who succeed possess these five character traits.','What do Successful Writers and Olympic Athletes have in common? 5 Character Traits','','publish','open','open','','what-do-successful-writers-and-olympic-athletes-have-in-common-5-character-traits','','','2014-02-10 06:00:25','2014-02-10 12:00:25','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4178',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4187,1,'2014-02-12 07:27:05','2014-02-12 13:27:05','In two days, on February 14, many people will be exchanging cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special “valentine.”\n\nIt’s the day of romance named for a Christian martyr St. Valentine and dates back to the 5th century.\n\nAccording to embellished version of the origins, Saint Valentine, on the evening before his execution, wrote the first \"valentine\", addressed to the daughter of his jailer, and signed the greeting \"Your Valentine.”\n\nIf you’re shy about expressing yourself with words or cards , try these “signs” from <a href=\"http://www.signingsavvy.com/\">Signing Savvy</a>, the on-line ASL Dictionary.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/sign-for-i-love-you.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-4189 aligncenter\" alt=\"sign for I Love You\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/sign-for-i-love-you.jpg\" width=\"350\" height=\"453\" /></a>\n\nMoi, I\'m not shy about romance or telling the ones I love how much I love them on this special day. After all, I do write love stories.\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center;\"> <span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">HAPPY VALENTINE\'S DAY!</span></h1>','Valentine Words - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','valentine-words-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-02-12 07:27:05','2014-02-12 13:27:05','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4187',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4194,1,'2014-02-19 06:00:04','2014-02-19 12:00:04','<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/smiles2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-4195\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/smiles2.jpg?w=221\" width=\"133\" height=\"180\" /></a>We smile for pictures. We smile at  babies.   <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/faith-and-me.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4200\" alt=\"faith and me\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/faith-and-me.jpg?w=147\" width=\"147\" height=\"150\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">And puppies. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/toby-me.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4210\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/toby-me.jpg?w=124\" width=\"124\" height=\"150\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">We smile politely at friends or strangers.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">Which smiles are genuine and which smiles are fake?</p>\nHere’s a <a href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/\">quick interactive quiz</a> from BBC to test your ability to spot the difference between a real smile and a fake one.\n\nIt\'ll only take a minute. I\'ll wait right here.\n\nHow\'d you do? I\'m sure once you figured out the secret, it was easier.\n\nCrinkly eyes = a real smile. No wrinkles around the eyes, the smile\'s a fake, or the result of too much Botox.\n\nIt\'s true that intense fake smiles sometimes produce lines around the eyes . The cheeks will bunch up, making it look as if the eyes are contracting and the smile is genuine.\n\nHowever, according to the experts when a smile is <em>genuine</em>, the eye cover fold - the fleshy part of the eye between the eyebrow and the eyelid - moves downwards and the end of the eyebrows dip slightly.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">That’s the key to recognizing a genuine smile, check the eyes. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/genuine-smila.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4197\" alt=\"genuine smila\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/genuine-smila.jpg?w=250\" width=\"250\" height=\"300\" /></a>Isn’t that a genuine smile if you ever saw one?</p>\nFake or genuine I believe smiles are powerful. They spread optimism, happiness and joy. Most of all smiles are contagious.\n\n<strong>Leo F. Buscaglia </strong>says,\n\n\"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, <b><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">a smile</span></b>, a kind word, a listening ear, and honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.\"\n\n<strong>YOUR TURN:</strong>  Go spread some smiles.','SMILE – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','smile-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-02-19 06:00:04','2014-02-19 12:00:04','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4194',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4219,1,'2014-02-14 06:00:33','2014-02-14 12:00:33','<p align=\"center\">A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/hens2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1118\" alt=\"hens2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/hens2.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>Dearest Ladies,\n\nI have noticed some undesirable habits in the chicken yard lately and wanted to remind you of the rules and procedures of Miller Farm.\n<ol>\n	<li> Do not peck at my hand when I am getting eggs.  I know my hand has been cold these last two weeks, and I am sure it is uncomfortable for your warm underside. However, this is the hand that feeds you.</li>\n	<li>While we are on the topic of feeding, remember I feed you – you feed me.  That’s the way it goes.  I do my job every day when I give you food and you are to do your job by laying eggs.  And please leave the shells intact. I prefer to crack them myself so do not do it for me.</li>\n	<li>Do not poop on my head when I am in the coop and you are perched up high.  The screaming and flailing that would ensue would be unpleasant for everyone concerned.</li>\n	<li>A note to the roosters:  Be quiet or be dinner.  Do you remember the three noisy guys that disappeared last month?</li>\n	<li>Do not fly over the fence in any direction.  The grass may appear greener, but the dangers are greater. Bella is just waiting for someone to come “play” with her.</li>\n</ol>\nWe have done our best during the last few months to protect you from chicken-eating possums and deadly hawks.  We only ask that you follow these simple rules.\n\nThank you,\n\nChicken Wrangler Sara','Letter to My Chickens - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','letter-to-my-chickens-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-02-14 06:00:33','2014-02-14 12:00:33','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4219',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4222,1,'2014-02-21 06:00:53','2014-02-21 12:00:53','<p align=\"center\"><i>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</i></p>\nWe had company during the Christmas break. Dog company, that is. Miller and Jengo spent a week at the Miller Dog Hotel.\n\nThings went remarkably well considering the dogs outnumbered the people.\n\nTucker was even happy to share his toys with Jengo who, as a puppy, is destructive.  The beloved orange jingle ball lost its jingle.  Holes were chewed in the barbell toy making it a choking hazard for the other dogs.  We had talked about replacing the toys for months. Now we had no choice.\n\nWhen Rachel was home from college last weekend, we took Tucker to our local pet store to get a new ball and toy.  He was more excited about all the other dogs in the store than the toys, of which there were many (dogs and toys that is).\n\nWe eliminated anything that made an obnoxious noise or was made of fabric. We settled on a purple barbell toy that has completely replaced the old one.  It does make a noise but only if you squeeze it or it bounces just right.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tucks-new-toy.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4224\" alt=\"tuck\'s new toy\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tucks-new-toy.png\" width=\"197\" height=\"295\" /></a>Tucker loves it. He will run and fetch it more times that I am willing to throw it.  Being purple, it is easy to spot when he leaves it outside.\n\nWe also found an orange ball.  It doesn’t jingle but it is the same size as his old one so Tucker can carry it around.\n\nThe best part is it came in a package of two.  So now we have a BUB – back up ball – just in case!<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/toy.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4225\" alt=\"toy\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/toy.png?w=125\" width=\"125\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nIf only all it took were a ball and a barbell to make teenagers so happy J','New Toys for Tucker - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','new-toys-for-tucker-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-02-21 06:00:53','2014-02-21 12:00:53','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4222',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4228,1,'2014-02-26 06:00:07','2014-02-26 12:00:07','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/coleman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4229\" alt=\"coleman\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/coleman.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"168\" /></a>I’d never heard of Derrick Coleman, who plays for the <a href=\"http://www.seahawks.com/team/roster/Derrick-Coleman/0d83f6ed-6b5c-4647-8a6c-8653bec2a21f\">Seattle Seahawks</a>, until his team tromped our Denver Broncos. He and his team were amazing on the field.\n\nThen I read an article in the Savvy Signing newsletter and learned Coleman has been deaf since he was three. He wears a skullcap under his helmet to secure water-resistant hearing aids during games and quarterback Russell Wilson takes his mouthpiece out during huddles so Coleman can read his lips.\n\nTwo other deaf defensive players have been part of the NFL - Bonnie Sloan was the first deaf player to play in the NFL in 1973 for St. Louis and defensive player Kenny Walker joined Denver in 1991.\n\nColeman attended public school where he played sports. Instead of giving up when other kids made fun of him and told him he wouldn’t be able to do something, he’d turn his hearing aids off.\n\nHis success on the field has made him an inspiration, but his actions off the field, have made him a role model.\n\nHe says he did the Duracell commercial so his story could encourage kids in the deaf community to fight for their dreams. His story as the first deaf NFL offensive player to play in a Super Bowl is awe-inspiring to all.\n\nColeman: “Nobody is perfect. I wear a hearing aid, some people have glasses, some people have depression. Everybody has something. But as long as you don’t let that get in the way of what you want to do, you can do anything you want to do.”<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/coleman2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4231\" alt=\"coleman2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/coleman2.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"95\" /></a>\n\nWatch the Duracell commercial and be inspired. [btw, I’m not promoting Duracell, but Derrick Coleman.]\n\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2HD57z4F8E?rel=0&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]','One word Wednesday – INSPIRATION','','publish','open','open','','one-word-wednesday-inspiration','','','2014-02-26 06:00:07','2014-02-26 12:00:07','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4228',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4234,1,'2014-02-17 06:00:58','2014-02-17 12:00:58','On the <a href=\"http://www.today.com/style/pantones-radiant-orchid-2014s-color-year-2D11691597\">December 5, 2013 Today Show</a>, Pantone Color Institute announced <em>Radiant Orchid</em> as the 2014 Color of the Year. The color will be featured in everything from clothing lines to industrial items across the nation.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/2014.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4236\" alt=\"2014\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/2014.jpg\" width=\"285\" height=\"177\" /></a>\n\nFor the last 13 years <a href=\"http://www.colorexpert.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Leatrice Eiseman</a>, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, has announced the next <b>Color of the Year.</b>\n\nClick <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantone\">here</a> to see all the 13 colors.\n\nHow are the choices made?\n\nTwice a year the company holds secret meetings in Europe with representatives from color standard groups. For two days, the group views presentations and debates a color for the coming year.\n\nResults appear in <i>Pantone View</i>, which fashion designers, florists, and other consumer-oriented companies purchase to help guide their designs and planning for future products.\n\nWhatever color is chosen purportedly connects with the <a title=\"Zeitgeist\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist\">zeitgeist</a> [the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period].\n\nFor example, the 2011 press release declaring Honeysuckle the color of the year said, \"In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues.\"\n\nThis year Leatrice Eiseman issued this statement about the color choice: “An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”\n\nThe zeitgeist: Radiant Orchid reportedly offers an invitation to innovation, expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.\n\nThe color is already appearing everywhere.\n\nHome interior design. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/furniture.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4237\" alt=\"furniture\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/furniture.jpg?w=88\" width=\"88\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/clothes2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4238\" alt=\"clothes2\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/clothes2.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"120\" /></a>\n\nFashion.\n\nI’m not so sure I’ll be leaping into Radiant Orchid for myself and my home.\n\nMaybe a purple ring. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/amethyst.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4239\" alt=\"amethyst\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/amethyst.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"78\" /></a>\n\nAfter all, amethyst is the February birthstone because of the stone’s association with Saint Valentine. Amethyst is thought to attract love.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/dog-vest.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4240\" alt=\"dog vest\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/dog-vest.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"111\" /></a>I can see little Buster in a purple sweater. Or even his big brother, Toby.\n\nOn second thought all purple on an Old English Sheepdog might be too much.\n\nWhat about you? Are you ready to embrace Radiant Orchid?\n\nIf not, we only have to wait for Spring.\n\nPantone revealed its top 10 shades for next spring, with Dazzling Blue leading the charge. It’s the same cobalt shade as Facebook’s logo and Citibank’s wildly popular bike share program in New York City.\n\nNow blue I love, especially Flow Blue and Blue Willow pattern. Come on Spring! At last, I\'ll be in fashion.','Are you ready for purple?','','publish','open','open','','are-you-ready-for-purple','','','2014-02-17 06:00:58','2014-02-17 12:00:58','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4234',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (5751,1,'2014-02-24 06:00:08','2014-02-24 12:00:08','Spring is coming. Officially, the season arrives on March 20.\n\nHere in our Colorado mountains, we can feel springtime in the air as the temperatures warm above freezing. Soon it will be time to sit on the porch and visit.\n\nIn anticipation of the season, there’ll be a new category on my blog called <i>Company’s Coming</i> for guest blogging.\n\nCompany\'s Coming is not a Texas-ism or a Judythe-ism, as my friend calls my made-up words. \n\nThe idea is from an old Porter Wagner country western song. Never heard it? Have a listen.\n\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY6NuuXihXk?rel=0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nMy favorite line in the song is \n<em>We\'ll run out to the henhouse and wring a neck or two\nWe\'ll have chicken and dumplings and some yellow gravy too\n</em> \nAs a little girl, whenever anyone was coming over to our house for a visit, Daddy would say it was time to go out to the henhouse. I was very confused because, you see, we didn\'t have a henhouse. I thought chickens grew in the grocery meat counters all wrapped in cellophane!  \n\nI\'ll not be wringing chicken necks, but I will find a welcome mat and spread it out with cheer for guest bloggers.\n\nGuest blogging is writing for someone else\'s  blog in case you\'re unfamiliar with the term. I guest blog from time to time for other blogs hoping to gain exposure for my books and traffic for my blog. \n\nBut guest blogging doesn\'t have to be limited to authors or those with something to sell. \n\nWe all have stories to tell. Stories we share in conversations all the time. Why not in a guest blog post?\n\nCompany\'s Coming is an opportunity for anyone to share their thoughts and opinions like my daughter, Chicken Wrangler Sara, does on the Miller Farm Fridays.\n\nWhether you’re an author or a reader, a mom or a dad, a teen or a senior citizen, you can write a guest blog. Simply compose an article or an essay on any topic and submit.\n\nThere are only three guidelines to be a <em>Company\'s Coming </em> blog guest.\n\n<ol>\n	<li>Blog MUST be your work. (<i>Please don’t send an old blog or something you’ve posted on another website without updating.)</i></li>\n	<li>Blog must be between 500 and 700 words in length. (<i>Shorter is better.)</i></li>\n	<li>No controversial or political topics.</li>\n</ol>\nOnce you’ve decided on a topic, follow the specific directions on the BE MY GUEST page <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/be-my-guest/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to submit.\n\nYou can email me or use the comments section below with any questions. I’m looking forward to some exciting company and great blog conversations.\n\nLike Porter Wagner says, change your apron, shine your shoes, and put your new dress on we got no time to lose because our first company on the porch will be this Thursday, Feb 27. \n\nStop by and meet my friend and fellow writer extraordinaire Jody Payne <a href=\"http://jodypayne.net/\">http://jodypayne.net/</a>\n\n','Company\'s Coming - An Invitation','','publish','open','open','','companys-coming-an-invitation','','','2014-02-24 06:00:08','2014-02-24 12:00:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4253',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4267,1,'2014-02-28 06:00:49','2014-02-28 12:00:49','<p align=\"center\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\" align=\"center\">I’ve come to the realization that white chickens are the most trouble to keep. At least that\'s true of our white chickens.</p>\nIf you remember, one of our white chickens went over the back fence and led us on a wild “chicken hunt.” If you don\'t remember, read <a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-Qz\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>\n\nThen there was the “hen in a hive” who laid her eggs in an empty bee hive for several weeks. Read all about that white hen <a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-TY\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nFortunately, our white hens lay regularly and their eggs are extra large.  It makes them worth the trouble.\n\nOne morning this week I went to open the coop and made this discovery:\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/white-chicken.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4272 aligncenter\" alt=\"white chicken\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/white-chicken.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a></p>\nThe silly chicken had managed to get stuck in the quail cage.\n\nShe was quite distressed and kept pacing back and forth which is why the picture is so blurry.\n\nWhile I was standing there one of the other birds landed on my shoulder on its way out of the coop.  I forgot how uncoordinated chickens are first thing in the morning.\n\nOf course, I was dressed for work, in a white shirt, which now had chicken prints on the shoulder.  I wiped it off and hoped no one would notice – which they didn’t.\n\nAs I was putting on my swimsuit the next morning, I noticed a scratch on my shoulder.\n\nThat gives a new meaning to the term “chicken scratch.”','Silly White Chicken - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','silly-white-chicken-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-02-28 06:00:49','2014-02-28 12:00:49','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4267',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4288,1,'2014-02-27 06:00:54','2014-02-27 12:00:54','<p style=\"text-align:left;\" align=\"center\">Welcome with me our first guest blogger for <i>Company’s Coming</i> Thursday. Her thoughts on life resonate with me. I’m thinking they will with you too.</p>\n\n<h2 align=\"center\">Don’t look down!</h2>\n<p align=\"center\"><i>by Jody Payne</i></p>\nDon’t look down. But it’s okay if you hold your breath while looking up. That’s what I’m doing today as I post this on Judythe’s blog.\n\nI have to admit I have no idea why anyone would give a hoot about my opinion of anything, but I’m always willing to give an opinion.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jodys-blog-02-27-14.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4289\" alt=\"Jody\'s blog 02-27-14\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jodys-blog-02-27-14.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>Sometimes, I see myself as one of those pebbles you find on the beach.\n\nI’ve been washed and polished and tossed ashore. Then, just as I start to feel the sun on my face, I’m thrown back into the ocean by a wave with the force of a tsunami.\n\nHowever, next thing you know, there I am on the beach again basking in glorious sunlight.\n\nIs this how you see your life?\n\nProbably.\n\nI do know this much; life, with all its troubles, all its anguish, is a miracle.\n\nYep, life is a total miracle to be enjoyed even when we’re in the deep, way over our heads and wondering if this time we’ll ever surface again.\n\nDo this for me, for yourself and everyone you love: Vow to take time to understand you’re being cleansed and polished.\n\nTrust me; next time you are tossed ashore, you will discover you are stronger and your life will be more beautiful than ever.\n\nWhat’s going on in your life right now?\n\nCan you remember a time when your life was at its darkest? And then, voila! You were thrown back on the shore to rest in the sun.\n\nIf you’ve never been in the depths of real trouble, never been afraid this time you’d never get a happy life again, I’m thrilled for you.\n\nI also think you’re lying.\n\nTell us the truth. We’ll all feel better. I’m just sayin’…\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-4290 alignright\" alt=\"jody\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>Jody Payne is\n\na writer (fiction and non-fiction),\n\na horse woman (dressage, no less),\n\nan animal lover (just ask her two rescue dogs Annie and Janie or my two four-legged boys, Toby and Buster),\n\nand most of all she’s southern through and through.\n\nWant to visit with Jody more? You can find her on FB: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays\">https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays</a> or her website: <a href=\"http://www.jodypayne.net\">www.jodypayne.net</a>','Don’t look down!','','publish','open','open','','dont-look-down','','','2014-02-27 06:00:54','2014-02-27 12:00:54','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4288',0,'post','',10);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4293,1,'2014-03-19 06:00:53','2014-03-19 11:00:53','Tomorrow, March 20 spring arrives with the vernal equinox on at 12:57 P.M. EDT.\n\nTo say good-bye winter, I offer this fabulous Piano Guys video actually filmed <strong>on</strong> the ice <strong>in</strong> the snow.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Let It Go (Disney\'s \"Frozen\") Vivaldi\'s Winter</p>\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dakd7EIgBE?rel=0&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]\n\nI don’t know about you, but I’m very, very happy the snow and the ice will soon be gone.\n\nI can\'t wait to see the little daffodils popping out. How about you?\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/seasons-spring1.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4296\" alt=\"seasons-spring(1)\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/seasons-spring1.png\" width=\"400\" height=\"508\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/seasons-spring1.png\"> </a>','Bye, Bye Winter Bye, Bye','','publish','open','open','','bye-bye-winter-bye-bye','','','2014-03-19 06:00:53','2014-03-19 11:00:53','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4293',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4301,1,'2014-03-03 06:00:26','2014-03-03 12:00:26','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/madri-gras.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4311\" alt=\"madri gras\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/madri-gras.png\" width=\"191\" height=\"188\" /></a>It is Mardi Gras time.\n\nFrench for “fat Tuesday,” Mardi Gras is the last hurrah before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.\n\nA time for eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual fasting.\n\nIf you’re in New Orleans, Louisiana, the city synonymous with Mardi Gras, it\'s also a time of revelry.\n\n<em>Laissez les bons temps rouler </em>as they say.  A Cajun French phrase which is literally translated from the English expression \"Let the good times roll.\"<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/new-orleans.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4304\" alt=\"New Orleans\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/new-orleans.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"95\" /></a>\n\nThere are parades along St. Charles Avenue. People stroll through the French Quarter where all manner of fun abounds. Organizations, known as krewes, sponsor parades and balls.\n\nAt midnight, the police  halt the festivities by riding their horses down Bourbon Street and announcing the party\'s over. The street sweepers follow pushing the crowds toward home. It is now Lent.\n\nFat Tuesday celebrations aren’t limited to New Orleans.\n\nWhile not observed nationally throughout the United States, traditionally ethnic French cities and regions throughout the country have notable celebrations.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/mardi-gras-mask.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4303\" alt=\"mardi gras mask\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/mardi-gras-mask.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"107\" /></a>King’s cakes, beads and masks even appear here in our little corner of the Rio Grande Forest.\n\nSo are you celebrating Mardi Gras?','Ready to Let the Good Times Roll?','','publish','open','open','','ready-to-let-the-good-times-roll','','','2014-03-03 06:00:26','2014-03-03 12:00:26','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4301',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4313,1,'2014-03-06 06:00:46','2014-03-06 12:00:46','More company and I\'m excited to welcome Jane Carver to the porch today. She’s talking about imagination. One of my favorite topics since my imagination tends to run full throttle.\n<h3 align=\"center\">Harnessing Your Writer’s Imagination</h3>\nAs a writer, my imagination creates whatever I want.\n\nWe writers fill notebooks with ideas, pages with storybook names, jot down dire circumstances then one day, we pull out an idea from here and a name from there and put it all together.\n\nOnce I\'ve written something I want to share, it is time to edit, hone that manuscript until there is, no doubt, what I want the reader to experience.\n\nI\'m still working at my process. And always will. Any writer who says, \"I\'ve got this down pat,\" is only fooling herself.\n\nWriters are learners who constantly attend conferences, take classes, read and communicate with fellow writers as they hone their creativity.\n\nThere are no new plots--each has been told.\n\nThere are no rules to what an imagination comes up with, but there are guidelines to follow if you want that story to be the best it can.\n\nThe idea is to tell your story in a new way. The trick is to take what you learn and make it your own.\n\nWrite in a way that no one else does. Be fresh! Add tension, conflict, danger, doubt, suspense and maybe love if that\'s your thing.\n\nPolish and craft the words your creativity stirs up until you have a story that begs to be read and enjoyed.\n\nThanks, Janie for the encouragement.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/jane-c-author.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-4315 alignright\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/jane-c-author.jpg\" alt=\"jane-c-author\" width=\"104\" height=\"150\" /></a>Jane Carver is a former schoolteacher, a quilter, an artist\n\nan editor,\n\na dual personality author, writing adult fiction as Jane Carver and young adult fiction as Jane Grace\n\na blogger extraordinaire writing 4 blogs weekly...amazing!\n\nWant to learn more about Jane or her other personality, Jane Grace? Visit her <a href=\"www.romances-by-janie.com \" target=\"_blank\">website for adult fiction</a> and her <a href=\"www.JaneGracePresents.com\" target=\"_blank\">website for young adult fiction</a>\n\nOr stop by one of her blogs:\n\n<a href=\"http://janiecarver2011.wordpress.com\"><i>http://janiecarver2011.wordpress.com</i></a><i></i>\n\n<a href=\"http://RomancesByJanie.wordpress.com\"><i>http://RomancesByJanie.wordpress.com</i></a><i> </i>\n\n<a href=\"http://JaneGracePresents.wordpress.com\"><i>http://JaneGracePresents.wordpress.com</i></a><i></i>\n\n<a href=\"http://WritingImagination2013.wordpress.com\"><i>http://WritingImagination2013.wordpress.com</i></a><i></i>\n\nYou can also pick  up a copy of her latest releases by clicking on the covers:\n\n<b><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Intense-Jane-Grace-ebook/dp/B008BKH5W2/\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4317\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/janie-intense.jpg?w=91\" alt=\"Janie Intense\" width=\"91\" height=\"150\" /></a>Intense</b> (Young Adult Fiction) Sensitive subject but more about the compassion and help received afterward that makes up the story. Nova Dean dreams of going to Nationals in Debate but to do that she must beat Adam Parks and his team. Their rival is intense but not as much as the help Adam gives Nova after she\'s raped. Only with his help can she take one step at a time back to a life she can endure. Only with his help are the rapists caught.\n\n<b><a href=\"http://www.melange-books.com/authors/janecarver/ReturnWithHonor.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4318\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/returnwithhonor.jpg?w=98\" alt=\"ReturnWithHonor\" width=\"98\" height=\"150\" /></a>Return with Honor </b>(Adult Fiction)\n\nThe death of Jud Longtree\'s best friend gives the local police chief reason enough to suspect him of murder. With the help of Lottie Amberville, they use both logic and creativity to find someone who may have murdered more than once.<b></b>','Harnessing Your Writer’s Imagination','','publish','open','open','','harnessing-your-writers-imagination','','','2014-03-06 06:00:46','2014-03-06 12:00:46','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4313',0,'post','',5);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4323,1,'2014-03-05 06:00:01','2014-03-05 12:00:01','Sunday was a big night if you’re a movie fan.\n\nI am and I’m not.\n\nI love watching movies, but because I’m a writer, I tend to dissect the production, the story and the performances. That takes out some of the fun.\n\nI’ve learned not to comment aloud after dodging popcorn, dirty looks and rather fluid sounds of shhh’s from those around me.\n\nI love to watch the Oscars every year. It\'s always a study in characterization.\n\nFor many years, I watched the Academy Awards with my dear little aunt. Sometimes stretched out together on her den floor or sometimes with long phone conversations afterward to discuss what had happened and who wore the best gown or which acceptance speech we thought was the best.\n\nAunt Bick was the consummate movie fan. Going to the movies was her most favorite thing to do. Unless you count watching the classic movie channel.\n\nAnd, you always wanted her on your team in Trivia Pursuit. Her brain was an encyclopedia of movie trivia.\n\nI think she got the movie-loving gene from her mother, my maternal grandmother.\n\nWhen I was young, we’d catch the bus from Oma’s house to the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas. I remember we’d sneak inside with a Scarborough’s shopping bag full of pimento cheese sandwiches and Fritos. Oma was frugal. :)\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/bj-and-oma1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4325\" alt=\"bj and oma1\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/bj-and-oma1.jpg?w=261\" width=\"261\" height=\"300\" /></a>Watching the Academy Awards on Sunday I was reminded of these two lovely ladies.\n\nEspecially my aunt.\n\nWhenever I came to town, Aunt Bick and I would head to one of the multi-screen <em>picture show </em>theaters. We’d grab a big bag of popcorn loaded with movie theater butter, and her favorite Dr. Pepper drink and watch as many of the year\'s nominees movies as we could.\n\nWe never missed an Academy Awards television production.\n\nSo I was there watching last Sunday <a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/03/03/pizza-guy-at-oscars/5969283/\" target=\"_blank\">when Ellen DeGeneres ordered pizza</a>.\n\nI heard John Travolta slip up on Idina Menzel\'s name and sympathized because I’ve slipped up on pronunciations more than once myself. Interestingly, <a href=\"http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/oscars/travolta-oscar-flub-equals-higher-profile-idina-menzel-article-1.1709421\" target=\"_blank\">his slip-up raised her profile  more than if he’d pronounced her name correctly.</a>\n\nI loved that Lupita Nyong\'o won an Oscar on her very first nomination. What an inspiration <a href=\"http://entertainment.time.com/2014/03/02/oscars-2014-lupita-nyongo-speech-best-supporting-actress/\" target=\"_blank\">her acceptance speech </a>was.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2572058/Matthew-McConaughey-thanks-father-died-23.html\" target=\"_blank\">Matthew McConaughey’s </a><a href=\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2572058/Matthew-McConaughey-thanks-father-died-23.html\" target=\"_blank\">tribute to his father </a>in his acceptance speech brought a tear to my eye.\n\nI pictured my Aunt Bick stretched out on a cloud staring down at the action.\n\nWhat about you? Are you a movie fan? Did you have a favorite Oscar moment this year?','Academy Awards and Memories','','publish','open','open','','academy-awards-and-memories','','','2014-03-05 06:00:01','2014-03-05 12:00:01','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4323',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4337,1,'2014-03-07 06:00:13','2014-03-07 12:00:13','<p align=\"center\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur soon-to-be neighbors stopped by last week to see if they could leave a child’s playhouse in the yard between our houses. They would have to temporarily take down the fence (the infamous privacy fence, that is) to move it into the back yard and planned to do that after they officially moved in.\n\nThat was no problem.\n\nThey also brought their chickens and wondered if we could keep them with our flock until they could build a chicken coop. This was also no problem.\n\nThey were already in a cage so we simply moved the cage into the back yard and planned to put the chickens into the coop after dark. We’ve discovered that chickens loose all their memories at night so when they woke up they would think they had always lived in our coop. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/chicken-guests.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4338\" alt=\"chicken guests\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/chicken-guests.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>The only drawback to this plan was the dachshunds.  They were fascinated by the new chickens and while they could not actually get to them, their barking was very stressful for the birds.\n\nSo we moved the cage into the chicken yard behind the shed. It was much calmer for the chickens.\n\nNow those of you with chicken experience may have noticed that the darker bird is actually a rooster.  Our neighbor assured me it was a friendly rooster and indeed it was - until it came time to clip wings.\n\nWing clipping is an event at which I have only been the holder of the chicken.  Rachel or Beekeeper Brian always wielded the scissors.\n\nSince Rachel moved to college and Brian was at work, it was up to Chicken Wrangler Sara to expand her wing clipping experience and do the holding and the clipping.\n\nIt was harder than I expected.\n\nI clipped the hen first and she pooped on me. Fortunately this was a day I did not have to go to work and had time to clean up properly.\n\nThe rooster, on the other hand, bit my arm. Actually, it was kind of a pinch since I’m not sure chicken have teeth.\n\nIn any event, it was somewhat painful, but I survived.\n\nAfter the chicken scratch last week and the rooster bite this week, I’m going to ask for combat pay.\n\nThe next morning I discovered the hen roosting on the privacy fence.  Obviously, I had not clipped enough off her wings.\n\nThat night, while she was roosting in a tree, the more experienced wing clipper Beekeeper Brian grabbed her and did a better job.\n\nNow everyone, including the guests, go into the coop at night.\n\nAnd stay.','Guest Chickens - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','guest-chickens-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-03-07 06:00:13','2014-03-07 12:00:13','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4337',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4344,1,'2014-03-10 06:00:27','2014-03-10 11:00:27','I recently learned about a concept called <b>Liminal Space</b>. I’d never heard the term before so off to Google I went.\n\nLiminality is a transition period where normal limits to thought, self-understanding and behavior are relaxed - a situation that can lead to new perspectives.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.liminalartsnetwork.co.uk/Resources/Liminal_definition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Psychologists call <i>liminal space</i></a>, a place where boundaries dissolve a little and we stand there, on the threshold, getting ourselves ready to move across the limits of what we were into what we are to be.\n\nThere’s an Irish saying I think fits liminal space: <i>Reality is that place between the sea and the foam. </i>The sea is deep and dark and scary. The foam is shifty and uncertain, disappearing before our eyes. We linger in the in-between.\n\nInterestingly, the word <i>liminality</i> comes from the Latin <i>limen, </i>meaning a threshold.\n\nRemember adolescence? That’s the liminal space between childhood and adulthood.\n\nSo why is liminal space important?\n\nLiminal space is where we can grow and change. The space between the closed door and the open window.\n\nAfter a time of processing this concept, I see I\'m in a liminal space on my writer’s journey.\n\nOr maybe it’s simply that a writer’s journey is a constant state of liminality.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/closed-door.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4348\" alt=\"closed door\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/closed-door.jpg?w=122\" width=\"122\" height=\"150\" /></a>Doors close and windows open.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/istock_000035384740large.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4349\" alt=\"Open window\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/istock_000035384740large.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"107\" /></a>\n\nEveryone’s journey is filled with them.\n\nThe hiccup is that you can’t experience transformation unless you let go.\n\nRichard Rohr says, \"<em>Few of us know how to inhabit liminal space. If we are security-needy by temperament, we will always run back to the old room that we have already constructed. If we are risk-taking by temperament, we will quickly run to a new room of our own making and liking. Hardly anyone wants to stay on the threshold without knowing the answers...</em>\"\n\nI have to agree.\n\nStraddling a threshold isn’t a comfortable place. Fear of the unknown has us holding tight to the familiar.\n\nWe must let go of the comfortable and familiar and move into the uncomfortable and the unfamiliar— seize the possibilities.\n\nNot so easy to do. Scary even.\n\nUnless we embrace change. Unless we stop trying to make our old journey fit the new destination.\n\n<i>“I’m going to show the courage not to retreat back to what was and I’m going to be patient not to jump into what I think ought to be, but I’m going to stand in liminal space. I am going to trust that as I stand on the threshold it is pregnant with the possibilities of God.” </i>- David Jensen.\n\nRichard Rohr says, <em>“Nothing good or creative emerges from business as usual. This is why much of the work of God is to get people into liminal space, and to keep them there long enough so they can learn something essential. It is the ultimate teachable space…maybe the only one. … it is the only position that insures ongoing wisdom, broader perspective and ever-deeper compassion.”</em>\n\nWhat about you? Are you at a threshold in your life? Are you ready to let go and learn something essential—to claim the possibilities behind the open door?\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/threshold.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4350 alignleft\" alt=\"threshold\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/threshold.jpg?w=209\" width=\"209\" height=\"300\" />\n</a>\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center;\">Let\'s go!</h1>','Liminal Space and Me','','publish','open','open','','liminal-space-and-me','','','2014-03-10 06:00:27','2014-03-10 11:00:27','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4344',0,'post','',4);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4356,1,'2014-03-12 06:00:52','2014-03-12 11:00:52','Most of us have been held captive by winter’s hold for so long now. Too long.\n\nWe’ve been isolated. Stuck inside. Alone.\n\nConsider Lord Byron’s take on solitude.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/solitude.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4358\" alt=\"solitude\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/solitude.jpg?w=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"740\" /></a>\n\nThanks to Edie Melson of <a href=\"http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Write Conversation</a> for sharing her creative photo that so accurately portrays Byron’s words.\n\nI believe Bryon suggests, rather than isolating, solitude stirs us to introspection, which in turn feeds our soul and nourishes our creativity.\n\nDo you agree?','Solitude - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','solitude-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-03-12 06:00:52','2014-03-12 11:00:52','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4356',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4361,1,'2014-03-13 06:00:12','2014-03-13 11:00:12','<p align=\"center\"><em><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/torch-two.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4363\" alt=\"torch two\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/torch-two.png?w=94\" width=\"94\" height=\"150\" /></a>A guest blog by  Jody Payne</em></p>\nTonight I crept out of my writer’s cave to hear an interview with an obvious non-athlete at the Olympian Games. He talked of the athlete’s desire to change the world.\n\nExcuse me? Are you kidding?\n\nI have worked with some extraordinary athletes in the horse ring. Don’t get me wrong. I am nowhere near their quality. I just happen to know them.\n\nTo my knowledge, the ones I know are not out to change the world.\n\nThese dedicated human beings don’t waste a lot of time thinking about the State of the Union, what the Dow is doing, or which way to the nearest photographer.\n\nDo you honestly believe when a skier is standing at the top of an obscenely high mountain looking down and waiting for the signal to descend she is thinking about changing the world?\n\nGet real. She is visualizing the perfect run. They know there has to be luck on any particular day, but they also know they are so incredibly good that today this run can prove they are the absolute best in the world.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/medals.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4364\" alt=\"medals\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/medals.jpg?w=99\" width=\"99\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nThat’s a horrible, exacting standard to live with. However, somehow, these particular athletes get up every morning and face it.\n\nLet’s don’t strap them with changing the world too.\n\nHere’s the takeaway for this particular tirade: If each of us put the effort into being the best we could possibly be, if every morning we rolled out of bed and did the absolute best we could at what we do, we might just change our own personal world.\n\nOf course, that doesn’t always happen. Rolling out of bed is the most some of us can handle some days. Just showing up is a major victory.\n\nBeen there. Done that.\n\nTomorrow is another day. Do better.\n\nIt’s tough, this reaching for perfection. And now we expect our athletes to change the world?\n\nNo wonder ballplayers take drugs.\n\nBefore you start with the hate mail, I’m not condoning drugs. Far from it. Let’s just make a deal with them.\n\nYou do your best, without drugs, and we won’t expect you to change the world.\n\nDoes this sound like a fair deal to you?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">I’m just saying…</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\nJody Payne is<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4290\" alt=\"jody\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\na writer (fiction and non-fiction),\n\na horse woman (dressage, no less),\n\nan animal lover (just ask her two rescue dogs Annie and Janie or my two four-legged boys, Toby and Buster),\n\nand most of all she’s southern through and through.\n\nYou can connect with her on FB: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays\">https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays</a>\n\nHer website: <a href=\"http://www.jodypayne.net\">www.jodypayne.net</a>','Olympians desire to change the world?','','publish','open','open','','olympians-desire-to-change-the-world','','','2014-03-13 06:00:12','2014-03-13 11:00:12','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4361',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4369,1,'2014-03-14 06:00:29','2014-03-14 11:00:29','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nLast Thursday in the middle of the day I made a grisly discovery—a half-eaten chicken in the chicken yard.\n\nI quickly scanned the flock to see who was missing.  All the named chickens were accounted for so I breathed a sigh of relief.  It was sad nonetheless and a mystery.\n\nWhat was bold enough to attack in broad day light?  And would it return?????\n\nI left town Friday morning for a weekend retreat and Rachel came home Friday afternoon for Spring Break.  I talked to her Saturday and she told me that Crooked Neck had died.  This was sad news indeed.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/crooked-neck.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4371\" alt=\"crooked neck\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/crooked-neck.png\" width=\"150\" height=\"129\" /></a>Crooked Neck was from one of the first set of eggs we hatched.  We didn’t expect her to live very long since her neck was so misshapen but she survived several years.\n\nMonday morning when I went to let the chickens out, I discovered that Elliot had died during the night.  There was no evidence of foul play so I’m not sure what happened.  It was almost more than I could bear.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/elliot.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4372\" alt=\"elliot\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/elliot.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>Beekeeper Brian and Matt are in Colorado and when I told Brian about Elliot, he said “Well don’t throw him away.  I want to use his feathers for tying flies.”\n\nI must admit, Elliot did have wonderful feathers.\n\nI took Catherine (our eldest) shopping while she was home to get a dress for her Junior Recital.  She is an oboe performance major at Hardin Simmons University.  At one store, they frequently feature books and accompanying stuffed animals.  The proceeds from their sale go to support kids’ health and education initiatives.\n\nThis time the books were Dr. Seuss books including one of my favorites <em>Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb</em> -- a very repetitive, rhythmic book that I use in my music class.  It came with a stuffed monkey so, of course, I had to buy both.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/monkey.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4373\" alt=\"monkey\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/monkey.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"289\" /></a>I read the book to Catherine which she found extremely silly.  Then I decided to name the monkey Elliot - in memory of our dear departed rooster.  It has made our loss much more bearable.\n\nThis morning, all the chickens were alive and pecking.  Maybe the roughness has ended.','Rough Week on Miller Farm','','publish','open','open','','rough-week-on-miller-farm','','','2014-03-14 06:00:29','2014-03-14 11:00:29','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4369',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4376,1,'2014-03-17 06:00:09','2014-03-17 11:00:09','<em><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/irish.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4377\" alt=\"Irish\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/irish.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" /></a></em>It’s St. Patrick’s Day. We’re all Irish for  today.\n\nPersonally, I count myself Irish for the other 364 days since my Irish heritage can be trace through both my mother and father’s parents.\n\nI remember the day I felt those Irish genes for the first time. My blood truly began to tingle and my heart sang at the site of the green fields I saw from the airplane’s window. Then when I dipped my hand in the River Shannon, I knew I\'d come home.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/me-at-river-shannon-in-ireland.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4378\" alt=\"me at River Shannon in Ireland\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/me-at-river-shannon-in-ireland.jpg?w=150\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>\n\nI’d tagged along on my husband’s business trip not really thinking about the family stories of Irish heritage...Mama Smith who was a Callahan or Oma Ulit whose family landed on Ellis Island in the days of the Potato Famine.\n\nBut an amazing thing happened while my husband conducted business throughout Ireland, Scotland and Britain.\n\nI uncovered my Irish roots. So much so a brogue surfaced.\n\nAn Irish lilt that returns whenever we spend time on the Emerald Isle and at odd times when we don’t.\n\nAfter nine more trips over ten years, those roots have solidified and my love of all things Irish has grown deep.\n\nToday we celebrate Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick, who, as you may know, wasn’t even Irish but English.\n\nStill, he’s credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland…and if you believe the Irish folklore, chased all the snakes away. Read all about the St. Patrick <a href=\"http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center;\"><em><span style=\"color:#008000;\">HAPPY SAINT PATRICK\'S DAY!</span></em></h1>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/blessing.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4379\" alt=\"blessing\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/blessing.jpg?w=486\" width=\"486\" height=\"1024\" /></a>','Being Irish on St. Patrick’s Day','','publish','open','open','','being-irish-on-st-patricks-day','','','2014-03-17 06:00:09','2014-03-17 11:00:09','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4376',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4386,1,'2014-03-21 06:00:41','2014-03-21 11:00:41','<p align=\"center\"><em>by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nPeriodically one or more of our hens goes broody.  This means she sits on her eggs with the intent of hatching them.\n\nUsually I just reach under her and grab the eggs, explaining that I feed them, they feed me. Their response is then to peck at my hand.\n\nRachel is a little harsher.  She will pick the hens up and toss them out of the nest box then collects the eggs.\n\nCurrently, Rachel and Beekeeper Brian have decided we should let the hens sit on the eggs until they hatch. This is fine with me – less pecking on my hands.\n\nApparently this particular clutch of eggs requires more than one hen.  Today there were three sitting on the eggs making it a group effort.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/broody-hens.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4387\" alt=\"broody hens\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/broody-hens.png?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nOne of our bantam hens is sitting on eggs also.\n\nSometimes I find an egg that has been pushed out from under the hens.  I’ve learned that frequently this is a <em>bad egg</em> Having cracked one open in the house, I discovered the unpleasant and lingering smell of rotten egg.\n\nNow I crack the outcast eggs outside to see if it is a good or bad egg.\n\nIn other news, we are hoping to get a replacement rooster for Elliot.  I’ll keep you posted.','Broody Hens - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','broody-hens-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-03-21 06:00:41','2014-03-21 11:00:41','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4386',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4390,1,'2014-03-24 06:00:14','2014-03-24 11:00:14','Around here, life is stirring from its wintery slumber.\n\nWalking the dogs today, I spotted the first sprigs of green popping up through the brown fields. Birds circled looking for our feeders.\n\nThe mountaintops of the San Juan Mountains are losing their white caps.\n\nIce is sliding from our rooftop in great chunks. Once it’s all gone, the cycle of daytime melting, nighttime freezing will end.\n\nThanks to our grandson, who spent hours of his spring break with us chopping up the 12-15” of ice from the front walk, we have a safe path into the front yard.\n\nOur warm days will keep the thickness from returning. We’ll still have ice, but not the buildup that was so treacherous.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">The mini-mountains of dirt from the garage addition excavation last year are turning back to brown. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/dirt-as-of-11-13.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4392 aligncenter\" alt=\"dirt as of 11-13\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/dirt-as-of-11-13.jpg?w=300\" width=\"300\" height=\"134\" /></a></p>\nI think I preferred the snow cover. Unfortunately, until the ground itself thaws, the landscaper can’t move the dirt around and away.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/daffodil.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4393\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/daffodil.jpg?w=200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a>Every day more and more of the snow covering the flowerbeds melts. Under the snow blanket, I hope the fifty daffodil and tulip bulbs I planted last fall are pushing up.\n\nAfter thirty years in tropical Houston, I look forward to the smiling faces of daffodils and tulips in my garden and not in a store-bought pot.\n\nAt least until the deer come to munch on them.\n\nOur trees are budding, but barely. Soon nubs will fill the bare Aspen and Cottonwood branches.\n\nThe rich earthy smell of spring is just around the corner too. I can feel it in the air.\n\nYou know the scent of snow-cleansed soil and growing things. A perfume combination no amount of chemistry can reproduce.\n\nHow about you? Are signs of spring coming to your neck of the woods?','Signs of Spring','','publish','open','open','','signs-of-spring','','','2014-03-24 06:00:14','2014-03-24 11:00:14','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4390',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4402,1,'2014-03-26 06:00:45','2014-03-26 11:00:45','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/spring.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4400\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/spring.jpg?w=500\" alt=\"spring\" width=\"500\" height=\"686\" /></a>\n\nWarm days and chilly mornings hold the promise of spring blooms.\n\nI love this e.e.cummings quote and Edie Melson\'s photo of the Iris.\n\nI\'m anxious to hear the earth\'s laughter, aren\'t you?\n\nbtw, some of you might have seen this post on Monday. :) That\'s because I can\'t read a calendar. Hope you\'re enjoying Edie\'s picture and cummings\' words a second time.','Flowers - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','flowers-one-word-wednesday-2','','','2014-03-26 06:00:45','2014-03-26 11:00:45','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4402',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4423,1,'2014-03-28 06:00:03','2014-03-28 11:00:03','<p style=\"text-align:center;\">by Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</p>\nSeveral weeks ago our new neighbors moved a playhouse into the space between our houses. They intend to move it into the backyard but need to remove the fence and rent a forklift. It\'s an adorable little house.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/little-house2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4428\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/little-house2.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"little house2\" width=\"300\" height=\"254\" /></a>\n\nOne morning as I was loading my things into the car to go to work, an older couple was standing in the neighbor’s yard admiring the house. They asked me if the neighbors were selling it.\n\nNow there is a real estate agent in town who shares my name and I have actually taken her phone calls in the past. I, however, am not interested in taking her job.\n\nI explained that the neighbors had recently moved in, have five children and were probably still asleep, but I would check with them later. The couple had retired and wanted a play house for their grandchildren. I wished them luck and went on to my real job – teaching music.\n\nThe house has been there for about three weeks now. It isn’t bothering me and there have been no more sales offers.\n\nBella, our dachshund with short-term memory issues, continues to bark at it every time she goes outside. And every time I explain to her that it is the same house that has been there and barking will not make it go away.\n\nI used to think it took a lot of patience to deal with children. Now I realize that dogs are much more challenging.','Little House by Miller Farm','','publish','open','open','','little-house-by-miller-farm','','','2014-03-28 06:00:03','2014-03-28 11:00:03','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4423',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4425,1,'2014-03-27 07:06:09','2014-03-27 12:06:09','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong> </strong><em>by Guest Blog Contributor Jody Payne</em></p>\nThe truth is: Snakes down here are very dangerous. One nearly drowned my cousin, twice removed. It’s true. I swanee.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/cotton-mouth.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4426\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/cotton-mouth.jpg\" alt=\"cotton mouth\" width=\"275\" height=\"183\" /></a>This cousin, twice removed, was out fishing on the bayou one evening when a snake dropped out of a tree and landed in his boat.\n\nWhen he heard the thump and saw that white cottonmouth gaping open at him, he grabbed his shotgun and shot the filthy thing.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Killed him dead.</p>\nHe’s a good shot. I’ll give him that.\n\nUnfortunately, the bullet went right through the snake and made a good size hole in this boat. It wasn’t until he felt the water up to his knees that he realized what he’d done.\n\nDon’t tell my aunt I told you this because she’s trying to keep the whole incident quiet, but frankly, no one down here is surprised. We’re inclined to think there was beer involved.\n\nAt least, I’m hoping so. His drinking problem can be cured. Stupid is another matter.\n\nOh come on, you don’t have a cousin like that? ‘Fess up. You don’t have to use his real name here, and you’ll make us all feel better about our own kin.\n\nYour aunt will never know.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4290\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"jody\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>Jody Payne is\n\na writer (fiction and non-fiction),\n\na horse woman (dressage, no less),\n\nan animal lover (just ask her two rescue dogs Annie and Janie or my two four-legged boys, Toby and Buster),\n\nand most of all she’s southern through and through.\n\nVisit her on FB: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays\">https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays</a>\n\nHer website: <a href=\"http://www.jodypayne.net/\">www.jodypayne.net</a>\n\n<strong> </strong>','The Truth about Southern Snakes','','publish','open','open','','the-truth-about-southern-snakes','','','2014-03-27 07:06:09','2014-03-27 12:06:09','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4425',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4430,1,'2014-03-31 06:00:16','2014-03-31 11:00:16','<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">After five years, I\'ve decided it\'s time to revamp <a href=\"http://judythemorgan.com\" target=\"_blank\">my website</a>.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Branding has been a big component of my thought process as I work with a web designer to create an updated site.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">I’ve written several popular blogs on the topic. You can check out the three part series (1) </span><a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-Lu\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-size:medium;\">here</span></a><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"> or (2) </span><a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-M0%20\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-size:medium;\">here</span></a><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"> or (3) </span><a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-Me%20\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-size:medium;\">here</span></a><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"> and another </span><a href=\"http://wp.me/p1tg5L-5r\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-size:medium;\">here</span></a><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">I thought I had a good handle on branding until the designer asked me a basic question. What color scheme do I want? </span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Now, I’m thinking lots about color. </span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Research shows </span></span>\n<ul>\n	<li><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Strong color elicits strong visceral responses. For example, red is energizing, blue affects introspection, and golden light inspires the spiritual or enlightened.</span></span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Using colors can set up an audience or a reader to anticipate particular actions and/or things.</span></span></li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Ever notice how movie producers employ color to set the viewer’s expectations. Gwyneth Paltrow’s bedspread in <em><span style=\"font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Shakespeare in Love</span></em> and Nick Cage’s bedspread in <em><span style=\"font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Moonstruck</span></em> were a hot orange-red...a color which suggests heat and activity. And, guess what - lots of lusty activity happened on those orange-red bedspreads.</span></span><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"> </span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Colors do symbolize and, either blatantly or subtly, enhance the mood of the reader or viewer. </span></span></span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Suddenly, c</span></span></span></span><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">olor became be a critical component for my new brand. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">I searched and found a </span><a href=\"http://bit.ly/1geAImj\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-size:medium;\">color symbolism chart</span></a><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"> on a fascinating website. </span></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;\">Only trouble is, with all that knowledge, <span style=\"font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;\">I\'m having a hard time deciding w</span></span><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">hat color would make a viewer think of women\'s fiction with romance and literary flair?</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">Here\'s the list. You\'ll see what I mean.</span></span>\n\n<address><b><span style=\"color:#555555;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"><span style=\"color:#ff0000;font-size:12pt;\">Red</span>:</span></b><span style=\"color:#555555;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, all things intense and passionate, sincerity, happiness (Only in Japan)</span></address><address> </address><address><span style=\"color:#ff99cc;\"><b><span style=\"font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Pink </span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\">symbolizes love and romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance and calm.</span></address><address> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Beige and ivory</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#ffff00;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Yellow</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> signifies joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Blue:</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#00ffff;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Turquoise</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\"><span style=\"color:#800080;\">Purple</span>:</span></b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, honor, arrogance, mourning, temperance.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#cc99ff;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Lavender</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> symbolizes femininity, grace and elegance.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\"><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\">Orange</span>:</span></b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention.<b> </b></span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address><span style=\"color:#339966;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Green:</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor.<b> </b></span></address><address> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#993366;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Brown:</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#808080;\"><b><span style=\"line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Gray:</span></b></span><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\"><span style=\"color:#ffffff;\">White</span>:</span></b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical.</span></address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"> </address><address style=\"line-height:140%;\"><b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:12pt;\">Black:</span></b><span style=\"color:#555555;line-height:140%;font-family:\'Verdana\', \'sans-serif\';font-size:9pt;\"> Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, death (Western cultures), austerity, detachment.</span></address>\n<p style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\">So what colors would you choose?</span></span></p>\n<p style=\"line-height:140%;\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"font-size:medium;\"> </span></span></p>','Color Me What Color?','','publish','open','open','','color-me-what-color','','','2014-03-31 06:00:16','2014-03-31 11:00:16','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4430',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4450,1,'2014-04-07 06:00:39','2014-04-07 11:00:39','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/writer.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4454\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/writer.png?w=121\" alt=\"writer\" width=\"121\" height=\"150\" /></a>I’m a writer.\n\nI’m a reader.\n\nFrankly, I’m not sure you can be one without the other.\n\nWhen I finish reading a book, I write a review. Why do I take the time and go to all the trouble?\n\nThe popularity of eReaders combined with the ease of independent epublishing has generated a flooded marketplace of book choices.\n\nThat ocean of available works is so huge knowing which book to select is difficult and book-buying budgets are often limited.\n\nPersonally, I check reviews before I purchase a book. Consequently when I read a good one, I want to share the news.\n\nAs an author I also recognize that reviews posted on eRetailers like Amazon or Barnes &amp; Noble or iBooks are critical for sales whether you\'re a new or established author.\n\nYes, I know there are authors who defraud the on-line review systems and reviewers who use their power to target and destroy. Thank goodness, those types are in the minority.\n\nI’m not saying don’t post a bad review if you don\'t like a selection. Most authors welcome an honest evaluation of their work if it\'s in the form of constructive criticism, not trashing.\n\nFinding reviewers to post reviews presents a major conundrum for authors.\n\nThe validity of a review by family and friends can be questioned. Think about it are you going to tell the world Uncle Joe wrote a terrible book?\n\nThat\'s why on-line retailers build checks and balances into their systems.\n\nWithin the publishing industry, there are review writing services — professional reviewers who are paid to write book or movie reviews. Those services can be very expensive.\n\nSmall publishing houses and indie authors can\'t afford to use those services instead they rely on readers spreading the news.\n\nI’m not exactly sure why coaxing a reader to write a review is so hard.  Maybe it brings back painful memories of those dreaded book reports we had to do when we were in school.\n\nWhatever the reason readers don\'t write reviews, I wish more understood reviews help an author and the process to post a review is easy. Reviews don\'t have to be lengthy or formal.\n\nNext time you finish a book, can I suggest you post a review.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/review.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4451\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/review.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"review\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>\n\nShould you want to give writing reviews a try, <a href=\"mailto:%20judythe@judythemorgan.com\">contact me</a>  I’ll be delighted to send an ARC (pre-publication) copy of my next release or a book from my bookshelf list\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>as l</strong><strong>ong as</strong></p>\nyou promise to post an honest review and include a statement that I provided a complimentary copy of the book for you to review.','Reader Book Reviews – An Author’s Conundrum','','publish','open','open','','reader-book-reviews-an-authors-conundrum','','','2014-04-07 06:00:39','2014-04-07 11:00:39','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4450',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4469,1,'2014-04-02 06:00:54','2014-04-02 11:00:54','Monday I talked about readers writing book reviews. I only briefly mentioned critical reviews. Primarily because those who write negative reviews tend to be harsh rather than constructive.\n\n<a href=\"http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Edie Melson</a> came to my rescue with a perfect picture to demonstrate my point about criticism. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/rain_quote.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4471\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/rain_quote.jpg?w=500\" alt=\"rain_quote\" width=\"500\" height=\"702\" /></a>So whether you are writing a book review or reprimanding someone verbally, be gentle.\n\nSandwich those tough words with praise.\n\nI promise your criticism will be better received.\n\n&nbsp;','Criticism - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','criticism-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-04-02 06:00:54','2014-04-02 11:00:54','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4469',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4474,1,'2014-04-09 06:00:46','2014-04-09 11:00:46','By dress, I mean what we wear generically. Not the specific ladies\' apparel.\n\nSpring always reminds me of shopping for a special new church dress for Easter Sunday. I loved dressing up and wearing an Easter bonnet.\n\nWe don\'t dress up for church so much in today\'s culture. In my day, we dressed when we went out to church or anywhere.\n\nI had two types of dresses in my wardrobe -- a Sunday dress and a school dress, which were both removed as soon as I got home and hung in the closet before I got them dirty. I hated taking off the pretty dresses back then.\n\nLast weekend I attended a writer\'s conference and had to <em>dress up</em>. Okay it was business casual, but it still felt like Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes.\n\nAll grown up now, at the end of the day, I couldn\'t wait to crash in my hotel room and get out of those fancy clothes.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">You see, I don\'t need to dress for my work. My daily wardrobe looks like this:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/medium_stylish_blogger.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4477\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/medium_stylish_blogger.jpg\" alt=\"medium_Stylish_Blogger\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">SOURCE for comic: <a href=\"http://debbieohi.com/portfolio/\" target=\"_blank\">Debbie Ridpath Ohi </a></p>\n<strong>YOUR TURN:  </strong>How do you dress for work?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Dress - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','dress-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-04-09 06:00:46','2014-04-09 11:00:46','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4474',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4484,1,'2014-04-03 06:00:29','2014-04-03 11:00:29','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by J.D. Faver</em></p>\nThank you so much, Judythe, for inviting me to be your guest today.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/creative-brain.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-4486 size-full\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/creative-brain.jpg\" alt=\"creative brain\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" /></a>Lately, I have been thinking a lot about creativity and how different individuals express themselves. I am a writer in a large community of writers, both virtual and real-world. What I noticed first is that all my writer buds are incredibly creative with words. They write novels and non-fiction. They write poetry and specialty blogs. I am in awe of all the many genres represented in this group. The fascinating thing I found is that writing is only one of their talents. In a very non-scientific survey, I learned that these writers also garden, sew, make jewelry, do stained-glass, make pottery, etc.\n\nThis took me back to a wonderful class I had as an undergraduate. My original major was Theater, so I was hanging with a bunch of creative types, even then. The man who was Chairman of the Department was Paul Baker, founder of the Dallas Theater Center. I was enrolled in a class with him, in a huge tiered room with lots of windows on one side. The windows looked out on the beautiful, wooded Trinity University campus and often Dr. Baker would be lecturing to us, while gazing out the window. On some level, I figured he had given the lecture so many times, he was playing a tape from memory, but it didn’t matter. The words that dropped from his lips were stirring and inspired us all.\n\nThe name of the class was Integration of Abilities. Yeah, think about that for a moment.\n\nKeep in mind this was a class in the Theater Department. Dr. Baker sent us out to gather a nature object that appealed to us. I recall that my object was a twig completely ensnared by lichen and Spanish moss. He had us draw pictures of the object from every angle, focusing on minute and realistic detail. He had us use different media to capture our images, graphite pencil, charcoal, conte, pastels, etc. He next told us to abstract the drawings to capture the essence of the object. Then we abstracted the abstract. So we were pretty much in tune with all the visual aspects of our objects.\n\nOur next task was to write or choose a musical accompaniment that expressed our object. Yes, we did a movement piece where we danced or moved to the music. All this was relatable to the nature object, or in my case, a lichen and moss covered twig.\n\nNext we wrote about it. We wrote odes, poems and haiku to and about our nature objects. These morphed into short stories, sometimes just a single scene. Trust me, by this time, the character of the nature object was getting stronger and stronger. Finally we wrote a scene for the character we had pulled from the nature object. We got up in front of our class and performed this scene.\n\nMy character turned out to be a barren woman (dried twig that had all the life juice sucked out by a leech-plant). She was bitter and I got a standing ovation. Amazing for this very talented class.\n\nThe upshot of all this reminiscence is that I use this sort of creativity to develop characters for my novels.\n\nMy other creative outlets are, I love to dance, love all kinds of music, I draw and paint, garden, make quilts and sew, make stained glass, jewelry, mosaics and pottery and many other arts and crafts. Not all at once, of course. And, it’s hard to have your hands in another project when they are constantly on the keyboard, but I CAN do all those things.\n\nMy contention is that exploring different creative outlets will enhance all your abilities. My very creative critique partners have a multitude of interests outside of writing. They do scrapbooking and crochet, drumming and bread-making, singing and sewing. The list goes on.\n\nSo, I encourage you to explore your creative process and be bold in trying new things. Take a class or just go draw on the sidewalk with colored chalk. Do something to polish another facet of your fabulous brain.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/me-signing-at-comicpalooza-2013.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4487\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/me-signing-at-comicpalooza-2013.jpg?w=200\" alt=\"Me Signing at ComicPalooza 2013\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a>J.D. Faver is a Houston-area author of romantic suspense and under her pen name, Calista Anastasia, author of young adult fantasy.\n\nPlease like her Facebook page: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/JDFaver\">https://www.facebook.com/JDFaver</a>\n\nand follow her on Twitter @JDFaver_Author.\n\nBe sure to check out all her novels on her <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/J.D.-Faver/e/B0050KEWMM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon Author Page</a>','The Creative Mind','','publish','open','open','','the-creative-mind','','','2014-04-03 06:00:29','2014-04-03 11:00:29','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4484',0,'post','',25);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4491,1,'2014-04-04 06:00:57','2014-04-04 11:00:57','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/dishwasher21.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3736\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/dishwasher21.jpg?w=146\" alt=\"dishwasher2\" width=\"146\" height=\"150\" /></a>A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nJengo and Miller are staying with us through the weekend. Remember, they are our friend’s two daschunds and visit often. Jengo\'s the puppy. We shared lots of fun times the last time he visited.\n\nIt’s always a fun time when dogs outnumber humans 6-4.\n\nThen the neighbor texted last night asking if we could feed their two cats while they were gone for a couple of days. Okay, that’s doable. Mixing the cats and dogs under the same roof, not so much.\n\nSince Beekeeper Brian and I were in Abilene at the time, the neighbors just left the cat food on the front porch. When our son Matt got home before we did, he simply moved the bag inside. He’s learned it is better sometimes not to even ask.\n\nThis brings the total number of four-legged animals under my care to eight -- not counting chickens. We know from previous posts that we have more than 30 chickens including quail.\n\nSo this weekend, I’ll be keeping up with thirty-four or more animals if you count all the fowl. Let the fun begin!\n\nI’m sure there will be some interesting stories for next week’s Miller Farm blog.','Expecting Weekend Chaos on Miller Farm','','publish','open','open','','expecting-weekend-chaos-on-miller-farm','','','2014-04-04 06:00:57','2014-04-04 11:00:57','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4491',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4497,1,'2014-04-11 06:00:25','2014-04-11 11:00:25','<p style=\"text-align:center;\">A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</p>\nAs expected, keeping up with six dogs, two cats and many chickens for the weekend was chaotic. I survived, but I’m so ready to return to plain old “Chicken Wrangler Sara.”\n\nIt was quite a weekend filled with adventures and misadventures!\n\nI thought feeding the cats would be the easiest chore. The food had been left at our house and the bowls were left by the neighbor’s truck. Only problem was when I went to feed the neighbor’s cats, I couldn’t find the bowls so I used some of ours and put them by the truck in the neighbor’s driveway.\n\nUpon reviewing the text message, I realized that the bowls were supposed to be at the back door. Not sure how I mixed that up.\n\nBy this time, it was dark outside so I couldn’t find the bowls by the door either. I moved our bowls by the truck to the back yard. Both cats seemed excited to have the food.\n\nWhen I checked on them Thursday, however, only one cat was around. Now it’s been a while since I had cats, but I remember them being pretty independent so I didn’t worry too much. Today I confirmed both cats are still at the house or nearby.\n\nWhew – I didn’t lose a cat.\n\nJengo offered more of a challenge. He is still a puppy who likes to chew.  I came home Friday after chapel to discover white feathers all over the kitchen.  My first thought was “Oh no, he got a chicken!” Then I remembered the chickens are outside. The feathers were part of Brian’s fly-tying materials.\n\nWhew – I didn’t lose a chicken.\n\nOn Thursday, while I was teaching piano, I heard noise coming from the kitchen.  I assumed it was Brian and so didn’t think much about it.  When I finished teaching, however, I discovered a bag of potatoes strewn all over the kitchen.  Jengo must have been hungry.  It only took him three potatoes to realize he didn’t like them.\n\nI moved the unsampled potatoes out of reach.\n\nJengo is also unstoppable. The gate at the kitchen door was not a deterrent. At all. Too many times over the weekend I turned around to find him right behind me. It was like having a toddler again. I only wished he went down for a nap.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/jengo-and-chickens.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4498\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/jengo-and-chickens.png?w=150\" alt=\"jengo and chickens\" width=\"150\" height=\"84\" /></a>The chicken wire over the gate to the chicken yard was also ineffective at stopping Jengo. He regularly followed me as I checked on the chickens.  Fortunately, Jengo lacks Bella’s killer instinct and simply sniffed the chickens.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/jengo-and-waterer.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4499\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/jengo-and-waterer.png?w=146\" alt=\"Jengo and waterer\" width=\"146\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nHe wasn’t too sure about the chicken feeder especially when it started swinging.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/jengo-and-bees.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4500\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/jengo-and-bees.png?w=150\" alt=\"jengo and bees\" width=\"150\" height=\"74\" /></a>He was also very curious about the bees.  Since he is a puppy, I was able to distract him before the bees got too irritated.\n\nWhew – I avoided treating a bee sting on a dog.\n\nThe cats are now back in the care of their owners and Miller and Jengo are once again in their own homes.\n\nWhew it’s quiet around here. Well, as quiet as the Miller Farm ever gets.\n\nI met in the 99 cent store today who said she needed to get rid of a miniature long-haired dachshund……… I didn’t even hesitate to say NO.\n\nI’ll stick with four daschunds and thirty-something chickens. Thank you very much.','Whew! Weekend Chaos on Miller Farm is OVER','','publish','open','open','','whew-weekend-chaos-on-miller-farm-is-over','','','2014-04-11 06:00:25','2014-04-11 11:00:25','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4497',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4509,1,'2014-04-16 06:00:15','2014-04-16 11:00:15','If you’ve ever heard me speak, you know I mispronounce many words. \n\nEspecially AUTHOR, which comes out like Arthur. It’s very sad because I am an author. \n\nNot on purpose, of course.\n\nWhen I speak at events like book clubs or conferences, I always explain. Pronunciation is my speech impediment, among other learning disabilities.\n\nYou see, I was born in Texas, moved to Alabama, and started school in Mississippi. There are no short vowels in my vocabulary! \n\nI never learned phonetics. \n\nWorking with a speech therapist hasn’t improved my speech. I do try, but those funny little pronunciations creep in.\n\nAll this only complicates my world when I write. If you can’t pronounce a word, spelling it becomes a nightmare. \n\nSometimes, even my spell checker gives up. The options choices Dictionary.com offers are hilarious most times. \n\nThanks to Steve Laube Agency’s Fun Friday blog for making me feel better about with this fun video. \n\n\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXa8cO9mXFk&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]\n\n\n','SPEAKING (and Writing) ENGLISH','','publish','open','open','','speaking-and-writing-english','','','2014-04-16 06:00:15','2014-04-16 11:00:15','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4509',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4514,1,'2014-04-14 06:00:55','2014-04-14 11:00:55','I recently attended a writer’s conference in Tempe, Arizona.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/toby-by-suitcase.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4515\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/toby-by-suitcase.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>Toby stayed close to the suitcase as I packed. Just in case, he was getting to tag along.\n\nOnce I arrived, I learned Tempe Desert Palms is a pet friendly hotel. My four-legged boys and hubby could have come along. Tempe was bright with sunshine and warm temperatures. They would have enjoyed a break from the still cool days in Colorado. Next time.\n\nTruthfully, I’m not sure I would have seen much of them even if they\'d come with me.\n\nThis was my first conference in a while. I spent my time visiting with friends, fellow Romance Writers of America authors, and making new friends. And, I had a ball.\n\nThe conference workshops were informative. Two sessions by <a href=\"http://www.marybuckham.com/nonfiction_books.html\" target=\"_blank\">Mary Buckham</a> were outstanding! If you ever have a chance to hear Mary speak, run don’t walk to sign up. She\'s an awesome teacher.\n\nMy friend <a href=\"http://www.christie-craig.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Christy Craig</a> was keynote. Her story from high school dropout to New York Times best selling author is awe-inspiring. The food was great – brisket for the conference luncheon, not chicken. What a treat!\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/my-book-signing-table.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4521\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/my-book-signing-table.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"my book signing table\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nHowever, the very best part of the Desert Dreams 2014 Conference was the book signing on Saturday night.\n\nI was pleasantly surprised that setting up my book table wasn\'t near as much trouble as setting up sales booths at antiques shows. My husband would have liked that part too.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/set-up-for-antiques-show.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4524\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/set-up-for-antiques-show.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"set up for antiques show\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor an hour and a half, readers stopped to chat and shared fascinating stories about their military ties or precious insights into their personal love stories.\n\nThat was my favorite part of the book signing...hearing stories of loved ones who served or were serving in the military. Talking to folks was always my favorite part of antiques shows too.\n\nBefore the evening ended, I switched to my reader’s hat and visited with some of my favorite authors at their displays. Yes, I brought home more books.\n\nHow about you? Have you attended a book signing?\n\n&nbsp;','Conferences and Book Signings','','publish','open','open','','conferences-and-book-signings','','','2014-04-14 06:00:55','2014-04-14 11:00:55','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4514',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4531,1,'2014-04-17 06:00:43','2014-04-17 11:00:43','Welcome with me today, guest blogger Jerry Hixson, a graduate student of Biblical Studies at <a href=\"http://www.gsot.edu/\" target=\"_blank\">Grace School of Theology</a>.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">He Lives!</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/easter.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4534\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/easter.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"????????????????????\" width=\"300\" height=\"213\" /></a>In the midst of the Easter Season – 2014, we would all due well to note a few things about Christianity.\n\nFirst, Christianity is not actually a religion.\n\nWhen we think of a religion, we normally think of man’s attempt to reach God.\n\nChristianity, on the other hand, is God’s reaching down to humanity in the person of His only Son, Jesus Christ.\n\nSecond, Christians are the only group of people who worship someone who is alive. Other religions worship long dead gods.\n\nThird, Christians are the only group of people who look forward to a bodily resurrection. Others share some hope of a hereafter, but all speak of a spiritual hereafter, not a bodily resurrection.\n\n<a href=\"http://nickel-notes.blogspot.com/2012/03/hymn-history-he-lives.html\" target=\"_blank\">Alfred Ackley\'s hymn</a>, <em>He Lives</em>, clearly communicates the meaning of Easter, particularly the first verse and refrain.\n\nIn case you’re not familiar with the song written in 1932, here\'s a video version.\n\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOKAhuRH1vc?rel=0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]','He Lives!','','publish','open','open','','he-lives','','','2014-04-17 06:00:43','2014-04-17 11:00:43','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4531',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4538,1,'2014-04-18 06:00:16','2014-04-18 11:00:16','We have regular routines on Miller Farm.\n\nI get up, swim, let the dogs out, and let the chickens out. Then I feed the dogs and the humans. In the afternoon, I repeat that last part – feed the dogs and feed the humans.\n\nRecently, Bella started barking about 5:30 p.m. and continued until I feed her supper. This was not a welcome addition to my routine so I began to pay close attention to see if I could figure out why she had started this.\n\nI discovered that some mornings, Bella goes directly to the couch without eating her breakfast.\n\nThis was hard to discover as Bella usually takes bites of her food on the couch to eat. I had to watch carefully to see that she was simply lying on the couch and not eating.\n\nSince her bowl was still full when the other dogs finished their portions, they ate her food also. This meant Bella was missing breakfast – the most important meal of the day.\n\nThis would explain why she was hungry and insistent on eating every afternoon.\n\nThe solution:\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/bellas-breakfast.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4539\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/bellas-breakfast.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"bella\'s breakfast\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" /></a>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Bella now gets breakfast in “bed.”</p>\nI’m willing to spoil her a little if it keeps her quiet in the afternoon.\n\nThe whole scenario reminded me of when the kids were little. They always seemed to be underfoot while I was fixing dinner.  I tried to have some activity ready for this strategic moment as feeding them breakfast in bed did not solve the problem with them like it did with Bella.','Breakfast in Bed - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','breakfast-in-bed-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-04-18 06:00:16','2014-04-18 11:00:16','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4538',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4542,1,'2014-04-21 06:00:44','2014-04-21 11:00:44','Did you wear a new hat to church yesterday?\n\nNo?\n\nI’m not surprised. There wasn’t a single Easter bonnet at my church yesterday either.\n\nThe tradition seems to have all but disappeared. However, I’m guessing many of us have pictures like this buried in old photo albums.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/easter-bonnets-2.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4545\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/easter-bonnets-2.jpeg?w=268\" alt=\"Easter bonnets-2\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nFor years, my two siblings and I posed in our Easter finery after Sunday lunch.\n\nOnce upon a time, it was very important to have not only a new bonnet, but a new dress for Easter Sunday too.\n\nWhy?\n\nIt’s said the early church converts wore white garments on Sunday to identify themselves with Christ. The <a href=\"http://newsok.com/new-easter-finery-has-deeper-meaning/article/3664317\" target=\"_blank\">white symbolized purity and newness of life</a> and became a powerful and tangible way to signify the life-altering spiritual transformation that had taken place.\n\nIn that tradition, we wore new outfits to church on Easter. Often, at least in our family, that new dress was our single Sunday dress and only worn to church.\n\nThe popularity of wearing an Easter bonnet is attributed to <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Berlin\">Irving Berlin</a>’s song titled <em>In Your Easter Bonnet</em> from the 1948 movie <em><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Parade_(film)\">Easter Parade</a></em>\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/220px-easter_parade_poster.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4546\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/220px-easter_parade_poster.jpg?w=108\" alt=\"220px-Easter_Parade_poster\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a>Yes, Virginia, there was truly an Easter parade in New York City from St. Patrick’s Cathedral down Fifth Avenue.\n\nThe event began spontaneously in the 1870s and increased in popularity through the 1950s. An after-church cultural event primarily for the well-to-do who, decked out in new and fashionable clothing, strolled from their own church to others to see and be seen.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/765px-easterparade1900.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4547\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/765px-easterparade1900.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"765px-EasterParade1900\" width=\"150\" height=\"117\" /></a>\n\nThe official parade’s popularity declined significantly as people came to view the frolic in finery as an ostentatious display of wealth and beauty. Although if you happen to be on Fifth Avenue on Easter Sunday next year, you\'d see some Easter parade strollers.\n\nUntil then, enjoy this clip from the movie as Judy Garland and Fred Astaire prepare to walk down The Avenue.\n\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYac9O3GYTM?rel=0&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]','Easter Bonnets and Parades','','publish','open','open','','easter-bonnets-and-parades','','','2014-04-21 06:00:44','2014-04-21 11:00:44','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4542',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4551,1,'2014-04-23 06:00:23','2014-04-23 11:00:23','The temperature here in the San Luis Valley is warming. There’s no danger of running into bad weather going through the mountain passes, which means it\'s time to take mini-breaks from writing and explore.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/on-the-way-to-salida.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4558\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/on-the-way-to-salida.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"300\" height=\"162\" /></a>\n\nLast weekend, we loaded the four-legged boys into the Pilot and headed over Poncha Pass to Salida, a small town on the edge of the Arkansas River.\n\n<dl id=\"attachment_4552\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"width:310px;\"><dt class=\"wp-caption-dt\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/salida.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4552\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/salida.png?w=300\" alt=\"SOURCE: http://activerain.trulia.com/blogsview/3366308/salida-colorado-real-estate--six-unique-neighborhoods-areas-to-live.html\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a></dt><dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">SOURCE: http://activerain.trulia.com/blogsview/3366308/salida-colorado-real-estate--six-unique-neighborhoods-areas-to-live.html</dd></dl>If you’re into rafting, Salida is the place to go. Rafting tours range from mild to wild class 5 rapids. There’s kayaking and, of course, trout fishing and bicycling.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/arkansas-river.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4555\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/arkansas-river.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>It’s still a little cold for water sports so we walked around the city streets visiting shops and stopped for lunch at a coffee shop.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/brown-dog-coffee-shop.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4560\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/brown-dog-coffee-shop.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>\n\nAfterward we went down to the City Park and walked our four-legged boys along the river paths. <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/walking-along-the-salida-river.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4556\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/walking-along-the-salida-river.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>\n\nYou can see the rapid chute in the background. We can’t wait to come back to take a rafting tour.\n\nThe best part of the visit was finding a little free library as we wandered around the streets looking at the wonderful old houses.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/little-free-library.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4557\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/little-free-library.jpg?w=209\" alt=\"little free library\" width=\"209\" height=\"300\" /></a>Read all about the 5,276th Little Free Library at the corner of Airport Road and Silver Spruce <a href=\"http://www.themountainmail.com/community/article_2f6049c6-b733-11e2-9aee-001a4bcf6878.html\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nI was so excited, then so sad I hadn’t thought to bring along any of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Judythe-Morgan/e/B00802MJPY/\" target=\"_blank\">my books</a> to add to the library.\n\nThis wasn’t the first little free library I’d seen. There’s one two houses down from my cousin’s house in Austin.\n\nIf you’re not familiar with the concept, you can read all about the movement to erect little libraries in communities <a href=\"http://littlefreelibrary.org/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nI love the idea of “take a book, return a book.” Unfortunately, there’s no little library here in my small town. If my house weren’t so far off in the woods, I’d build one and share my stash of books.\n\nWe do have the<a href=\"//www.facebook.com/pages/Feelin-Good-Coffeehouse-Cafe/127608440026\" target=\"_blank\"> Feelin’ Good Coffeehouse &amp; Café</a>. Inside, there’s a large bookcase with books spilling over on the floor where you can take a book from the shelf and leave one.The bonus is you get great coffee and food!','Little Free Libraries and Sightseeing','','publish','open','open','','little-free-libraries-and-sightseeing-2','','','2014-04-23 06:00:23','2014-04-23 11:00:23','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4551',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4567,1,'2014-04-24 06:00:54','2014-04-24 11:00:54','Today we have  award winning author <strong>Sara Walter Ellwood</strong> visiting the front porch. Bestselling author Carolyn Brown\'s named Sara\'s novel <em>Gambling On A Secret </em>as one her of favorite romances in the <a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2012/12/12/authors-pick-best-romances-of-2012/1765761/\">Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today</a>.\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong><em>How Much of Me?</em></strong></h2>\nWriters often get the question of how much of themselves do they put into their characters. In fact, I recently answered an interview question that asked if any of my characters are like me.\n\nI think most authors strive to make sure their characters aren’t like them. But every once in a while, a character stares at you from the page and you see a little more of yourself than you may have wanted to share.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Gambling-Secret-Colton-Gamblers-Ellwood-ebook/dp/B00IGFX74M/ref=la_B00AWHTNMW_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398184249&amp;sr=1-3\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4581\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/gambling-on-a-secret-by-sara-walter-ellwood.jpg?w=100\" alt=\"Gambling On A Secret by Sara Walter Ellwood\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>This very thing happened to me when I wrote Tracy Quinn, the heroine in <em>Gambling On A Heart</em>. She isn’t a mirror image of me and she definitely has done things I would not have… Or at least I like to tell myself I wouldn’t have.\n\nTracy is a woman who has been bullied as a kid. She moved to Colton, Texas when she was twelve years old after living all over the world with her military father. She was cross-eyed and wore the dreaded headgear of someone with major orthodontic problems. To make matters worse, she was bone skinny and abnormally tall—something that garnered her the hated nickname Olive Oyl.\n\nTracy was tormented and teased her whole tender teenage years. Even as an adult of thirty-two, she has self-confidence issues. She’s still too thin and taller than most of the women in town. She’s even taller than her brother (the hero of <em>Gambling On A Secret</em>).\n\nIf you were to look at me, you’d wonder why I think Tracy has anything in common with me. I’ve been over-weight most of my life—the only time I wasn’t was during my early college days when I was anorexic. And at five foot-two, I’m definitely not tall. I’ve never worn braces, nor have I been cross-eyed, but I couldn’t read until I was in fourth grade. I was put into special education and started back in regular classes in seventh grade (I was twelve). I grew up on a farm and often we didn’t have much money. I wore hand-me-downs. All of these things caused me a great deal of distress. I was teased and bullied. My nickname was just as horrid as Tracy’s in elementary and junior high school; trust me on that one. I was even pushed down a flight of stairs in eighth grade and suffered a concussion.\n\nWhen I got to college, I had no self-confidence and it was slow to come long after I was married. I still have bouts where I don’t feel I’m as good as I should be.\n\nTracy Quinn was one of the hardest characters for me to write because for her to seem real and for readers to emphasize with her, I had reach into myself and pull out a lot of those long buried feelings. There is a scene where Tracy is wearing a bathing suit and stares at herself in the mirror. That scene always brings me to tears because it touches something very personal in me. I HATE bathing suits. Not because I don’t have any shape, such as Tracy, but because I don’t like all that exposed skin that bulges where it shouldn’t.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Gambling-Colton-Gamblers-Walter-Ellwood-ebook/dp/B00IV1JY7K/ref=la_B00AWHTNMW_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398184249&amp;sr=1-2\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4582\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/gambling-on-a-heart-by-sara-walter-ellwood.jpg?w=100\" alt=\"Gambling On A Heart by Sara Walter Ellwood\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>As for my other heroines—Charli in <em>Gambling On A Secret</em> and Abby in <em>Heartstrings</em>—neither of them have had it easy either. <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Heartstrings-Sara-Walter-Ellwood-ebook/dp/B00IGFX7BA/ref=la_B00AWHTNMW_1_4?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398184249&amp;sr=1-4\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4583\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/heartsrtings-by-sara-walter-ellwood.jpg?w=100\" alt=\"Heartsrtings by Sara Walter Ellwood\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nCharli was a drug addict and prostitute as a teenager, while Abby was bullied due to her ethnicity and for her parents’ sins her whole childhood. Writing them too required me to reach down inside to find those feelings of inadequacy that come from being bullied as a kid, despite that I’ve never been a drug addict, prostitute or discriminated against due to my race. But both of these strong women hold deep down feelings that they aren’t good enough.\n\nSo, I suppose as long as I write heroines who have such troubled pasts or who aren’t totally comfortable in their own skins, a part of me will always stare back at me from the page.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/sara-walter-ellwood.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4577\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/sara-walter-ellwood.jpg?w=100\" alt=\"Sara Walter Ellwood\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>Although Sara  left the farm for the glamour of the big town long ago, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her stories. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for nearly 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia.\n\nSara also writes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name of <a href=\"http://sarawalterellwood.wordpress.com/cera-dubois/\">Cera duBois</a>.\n\nFollow her on <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sara-Walter-EllwoodCera-duBois/148809305191657\">Facebook</a> and <a href=\"http://twitter.com/sara_w_ellwood\">Twitter</a>.\n\nFind her books at any of these retailers: <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Sara-Walter-Ellwood/e/B00AWHTNMW\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon</a>, <a href=\"http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/sara-walter-ellwood%20\" target=\"_blank\">Barnes &amp; Noble</a>, <span style=\"color:black;line-height:115%;font-family:\'Times New Roman\', \'serif\';font-size:12pt;\"><a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sara-walter-ellwood/id576508680?mt=11%20\" target=\"_blank\"> iTunes</a>, or <a href=\"http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=%22Sara+Walter+Ellwood%22&amp;t=none&amp;f=author&amp;p=1&amp;s=none&amp;g=both\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color:#0060ff;\">Kobo</span></a></span>','How Much of Me?','','publish','open','open','','how-much-of-me','','','2014-04-24 06:00:54','2014-04-24 11:00:54','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4567',0,'post','',9);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4590,1,'2014-04-28 06:00:26','2014-04-28 11:00:26','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/book-club.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4597\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/book-club.png\" alt=\"book club\" width=\"192\" height=\"104\" /></a>I recently attended a local book club meeting. Our population is small and the group was small. We shared a meal and talked about the book selection made by the hostess.\n\nI wasn’t there as an author or even a member, only an invited guest. Membership is limited and word is someone must die before new members are invited to join.\n\nNot that I wish death on anyone, but I had a lovely evening with the ladies. Their book selection was <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Namesake-Novel-Jhumpa-Lahiri/dp/0618485228/\"><em>The Namesake: A Novel</em></a><em> by </em>Pulitzer Prize Jhumpa Lahiri, which chronicles an Indian family’s transformation into America culture.\n\nNot a book I would have chosen to read on my own. It’s a literary novel and I read mostly commercial fiction.\n\nFYI: The difference being literary fiction and commercial fiction is that literary novels center on the protagonist’s personal growth or destruction while commercial fiction (sometimes referred to as genre fiction) has a big hook plot that propels the story forward. I\'ll be talking more about the differences in an upcoming blog.\n\nBack to my book club experience, I found <em>The Namesake</em> a fascinating read. It’s a story about identity, cultural assimilation, and Gogol Ganguli’s name, which is a yoke from the past.\n\nWith a first name spelled Judythe, I could relate to Gogol. Fortunately, I don’t  have to deal with cultural assimilation and identity. Only having people spell my name correctly.\n\nBefore you say book club choices are the reason you don’t participate in book clubs, let me say that’s the very reason to join a book club.\n\nBook clubs expose some fantastic stories among the wide variety of choices available. And, you get to meet some wonderful people who like to read as much as you do.\n\nIf you don\'t have a book club in your community, why not start your own? It’s easy-peasy. Follow these eight steps.\n<ol>\n	<li>Invite your reading friends.</li>\n	<li>Set expectations: adults only, serving a meal or only snacks, rotate homes</li>\n	<li>Pick a place – a home, a restaurant, a library conference room. Size of your group and budget are the main considerations.</li>\n	<li>Pick a day and time…and keep your schedule.</li>\n	<li>Pick a book – literary or commercial fiction – well in advance</li>\n	<li>Decide how the book discussion will be conducted. Sometimes publishers include discussion questions</li>\n	<li>Send out meeting reminders-a phone call, postcard or use evite.com</li>\n	<li>Mostly have fun.</li>\n</ol>\nHere are some links for additional help:\n\n<a href=\"http://www.bookbrowse.com/reading_guides/\">Book Browse</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.litlovers.com/litclub.htm\">LitLovers.com </a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.randomhouse.biz/libraries/rgg\">Random House Book Reader Guides </a>\n\n<a href=\"http://harpercollins.com/Readers/readingGroups.aspx\">Harper Collins Reader Guides </a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.quaantumreaders.com/quaantum_signup\" target=\"_blank\">Quaantumreaders</a>\n\nIf you’re not into group meetings, there are on-line options.\n<ol>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.oprah.com/pressroom/Oprahs-Book-Club-20-Launches-Online-Monday-June-4\">Oprah’s Book Club 2.0</a>  \"We cover books in depth, and even offer the first chapters of those we feature on our iPad edition. The club is a great way to create a community and a global conversation while promoting one of the greatest pleasures: getting lost in an amazing story,\" said O Magazine editor-in-chief Susan Casey.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.acfw.com/book_club\" target=\"_blank\">American Christian Fiction Writers Book Club</a> is an on-line group that offers inspirational Christian choices.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.goodreads.com/group/\">Goodreads</a> offers the perfect place to discuss your favorite book and interact with other readers. Click on the link and search book clubs. You’ll be amazed at how many choices there are</li>\n	<li>Set up your own group on <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/\">Facebook</a>. Options are now available to make groups private. Great way to involve long distance friends.</li>\n</ol>\nI hope you\'ll consider participating in a book club soon. In my experience book clubs are a great way to socialize with other readers, discover amazing stories, and just plain have fun.','Book Clubs … do you?','','publish','open','open','','book-clubs-do-you','','','2014-04-28 06:00:26','2014-04-28 11:00:26','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4590',0,'post','',3);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4602,1,'2014-04-25 06:00:32','2014-04-25 11:00:32','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur younger daughter came home for Easter.  While she was here we went dress shopping – that seems to be the norm for home visits.  We were looking for a blue dress for a concert at her school.  After much looking and trying on we were successful.\n\nBut more exciting was the shirt I found for me:\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/saras-daschund-shirt.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4603 size-medium\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/saras-daschund-shirt.png?w=300\" alt=\"sara\'s daschund shirt\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nFor those who don’t know or remember, we are the proud owners of 4 long haired dachshunds (Bella, Sadie, Tucker and Coco) who have been the subject of this blog on several occasions.\n\nFortunately the shirt was on sale and I had a coupon because I was ready to pay full price.\n\nI wore it to church on Easter Sunday.  It may not have been a traditional, normal Easter outfit but then no one expects Chicken Wrangler Sara or anyone from Miller Farm to be traditional or normal.','Easter Duds - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','easter-duds-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-04-25 06:00:32','2014-04-25 11:00:32','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4602',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4503,1,'2014-06-12 06:00:01','2014-06-12 11:00:01','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Jody Payne</em></p>\nSh-h-h, please don\'t let on about this.\n\nI was never a big fan of football before moving to Texas. And I admit I still don’t completely understand the game itself.\n\nOkay, that was a lie. I have no idea what is going on out there.\n\nA friend of mine, David Patton, way up in New Jersey, that’s someplace north of the Mason/Dixon Line, told me to watch <em>Friday Night Lights</em>.\n\nWe went to high school together and sat through many football games on Friday nights. He watched the games, and I hid my eyes and held my breath every time I heard that horrible crack sound of bodies crashing into each other.\n\nBut I’m older, and hopefully, made of sterner stuff now. I can take it without sobbing out loud as long as I see the player get up and walk again.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/clear-eyes.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4505\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/clear-eyes.jpg\" alt=\"CLEAR EYES\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" /></a>The thing is this: <em>Friday Night Lights</em> is dead on. Who wrote the script anyway?\n\nEverywhere I go in Willow Flats, people are talking about the chances that the high school team might win the game next Friday night.\n\nCoaches get free haircuts if they will just make a few quotable comments.\n\nWomen with blue hair are delayed trying to get their grocery shopping done at the grocery store because they\'re interrogated about their grandson’s chances of being able to start on Friday night.\n\nAt the feed store, farmers discuss the value of certain plays.\n\nPlays? There are formal plays? It always looked to me like the whole idea was just to get the ball through that H shaped thingy at the end of the field. Apparently there’s more to it than that. It’s not that easy. Who knew?\n\nI spend every Friday night sitting on a cold, hard bleacher. I watch my breath in the wind of a blue northern that has made it all the way from Canada with the sole intention of to drying up my lips and making sure I will have a sore throat when I wake up Saturday morning.\n\nMaybe that’s the takeaway life lesson. Life isn’t always easy, but it can be a lot of fun.\n\nWhat I like about the game down here is what it does for communities. Does football teach our boys that if you want something bad enough you have to endure a few bruises? That some things are worth the effort?\n\nI don’t know if it’s true or not, but I read somewhere that Texas contributes more than its share of soldiers to our military. I wouldn’t doubt it. These people are descendants of hardy pioneers, and they strive to teach their children to do their best.\n\nHere in Texas, living on the welfare of the government for generations is something to be gotten over with as fast as possible. Of course, sometimes it’s necessary to get a boast up, but then a Texan is expected to become self-sustaining as fast as he can and give the next person a hand up. It’s passing on the good stuff kind of society in the Lone Star state.\n\nI’m proud of the people in my new hometown, and as much as I love to travel, I know I will always come home to Willow Flats, TX.\n\nI can’t miss the big game on Friday night.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></p>\n Jody Payne is a writer (fiction and non-fiction), a horse woman (dressage, no less), an animal lover (just ask her two rescue dogs Annie and Janie or my two four-legged boys, Toby and Buster), and most of all she’s southern through and through.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4290\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg\" alt=\"jody\" width=\"155\" height=\"155\" /></a>\n\nVisit her on FB: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays\">https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays</a>\n\nHer website: <a href=\"http://www.jodypayne.net/\">www.jodypayne.net</a>','CLEAR EYES, FULL HEART, CAN\'T LOSE','','publish','open','open','','clear-eyes-full-heart-cant-lose','','','2014-06-12 06:00:01','2014-06-12 11:00:01','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4503',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4605,1,'2014-05-02 06:00:52','2014-05-02 11:00:52','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\n Springtime in Texas is usually marked by fields of bluebonnets with small children having their picture taken. On Miller Farm, springtime is marked by the return of the lizards. They live all around our house and provide hours of entertainment for Sadie. She spends her days looking for lizards.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/sadie-and-lizards.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4606\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/sadie-and-lizards.png?w=296\" alt=\"Sadie and lizards\" width=\"296\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nIn fact this is so much a part of her routine that when she lost interest in lizards last fall, we took her to the vet. When he asked about her symptoms, we told him she wasn’t looking for lizards.\n\nThis was not at all alarming to the vet. He didn’t understand just how unlike her this was.\n\nSadie does, however, have a history of back problems so he thought she might be suffering some pain. He put her on steroids for a few days and she was back on lizard duty.\n\nBella, on the other hand, does not even notice the lizards. She spends her time checking on chickens.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/bella-and-chickens.png\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-4607 size-medium\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/bella-and-chickens.png?w=300\" alt=\"bella and chickens\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\" /></a>\n\nThere are some nights I have to walk all the way back to the chicken yard and pick her up. Because of her history as a chicken killer, I worry that she is plotting against them.\n\nThen I remember this is Bella, who has memory issues and so probably is just trying to figure out what they are and from whence they came.\n\nSpring means many different things to many different people. Here on Miller Farm it means looking for lizards and checking on chickens.','Springtime on Miller Farm','','publish','open','open','','springtime-on-miller-farm','','','2014-05-02 06:00:52','2014-05-02 11:00:52','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4605',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4612,1,'2014-05-01 06:00:08','2014-05-01 11:00:08','Today marks the 63rd annual National Day of Prayer, a vital part of our heritage.\n\nIt’s an opportunity for Americans of all faiths to gather in front of courthouses, houses of worship, mosques, synagogues, and temple to pray for our nation.\n\nThis year’s theme is One Voice, United in Prayer.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/ndp-2014-facebook-tlimage-1_01cb.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4616\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/ndp-2014-facebook-tlimage-1_01cb.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"NDP-2014-facebook-TLImage-1_01CB\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nI hope you’ll join Americans here in the U.S. and those on military bases and embassies around the world as we pause and share the <a href=\"http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about/national-prayer-by-anne-graham-lotz/\">special prayer</a> authored by this year’s honorary chairman is <a href=\"http://nationaldayofprayer.org/2014-anne-graham-lotz/\">Anne Graham Lotz</a>, daughter of Evangelist Billy Graham.\n\nIf you can’t attend a celebration in person, the 2014 National Observance will be broadcast LIVE from the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C. on this <a href=\"http://nationaldayofprayer.org/2014-national-observance/\">webpage</a> 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EST.\n\nOr, you can listen to Anne Graham Lotz’s prayer <a href=\"http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about/national-prayer-by-anne-graham-lotz/\">here</a>.\n\nOur community has scheduled a noon observance at our Community Center. I’ll be there.','National Day of Prayer 2014','','publish','open','open','','national-day-of-prayer-2014','','','2014-05-01 06:00:08','2014-05-01 11:00:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4612',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4618,1,'2014-04-30 06:00:11','2014-04-30 11:00:11','If you\'re like me, the weather is not looking or feeling like Spring.\n\nThe snow is hanging on. It comes in flurries and sprinklings on the ground.\n\nThe temperatures warm up as the sun rises, but too many days begin with numbers below the freezing mark.\n\nWho feels like wearing bright Spring colors and hiding them under winter coats?\n\nIt\'s the last day of April.Where are the flowers?\n\nHere around me  in the Rio Grande National Forest the green is hiding underground!\n\nRather than be depressed, I suggest:\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/spring.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4619\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/spring.jpg?w=500\" alt=\"spring\" width=\"500\" height=\"571\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;','Spring - Where is it?','','publish','open','open','','spring-where-is-it','','','2014-04-30 06:00:11','2014-04-30 11:00:11','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4618',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4624,1,'2014-05-09 06:00:17','2014-05-09 11:00:17','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>by Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur son usually mows the lawn but he has suffered a shoulder injury requiring surgery. Now Beekeeper Brian mows the lawn.\n\nThe back yard had become quite a jungle so I know mowing was difficult. It would not have been surprising if Beekeeper Brian missed a spot. However, when I looked out the window, this is what I saw:\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/thistle.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4626\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/thistle.jpg?w=278\" alt=\"thistle\" width=\"278\" height=\"300\" /></a>A giant weed, obviously left intentionally, which caused me to wonder two things:\n\nWhat was the plant?\n\nAnd why was it left?\n\nWhen Beekeeper Brian told me it was thistle, I immediately thought of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. He ate thistles. My first thought was <em>Oh no we’re getting a donkey!</em>\n\nBeekeeper Brian quickly explained that bees also like thistle, and he wants to keep the bees happy.\n\nI breathed a sigh of relief. I did not want another animal to have to feed.  Chickens, quail, and dogs are enough and the bees take care of themselves.','Miller Farm Landscape - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','miller-farm-landscape-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-05-09 06:00:17','2014-05-09 11:00:17','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4624',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4629,1,'2014-05-16 06:00:35','2014-05-16 11:00:35','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nBella’s barking can be quite annoying. I have taken to ignoring her for as long as possible, especially if I am at home during the day and the neighbors are not.  This morning, however, I tolerated it for as long as I could stand and then headed out to get her.\n\nWhat I found was very scary.\n\nThe pile of wood on the neighbor’s back porch was on fire. Flames were probably 5 feet tall.\n\nBella was quite disturbed.\n\nI noticed a car in the driveway and ran around to tell them what was happening. I met our neighbor in the side yard. We rounded her house together and discovered the flame was rapidly moving up the house wall.\n\nI ran for fire extinguishers. My neighbor ran for the hose. She had the fire out by the time I got back out.\n\nNo one has been able to figure out how the fire started. But, for once, I was glad that Bella barks. She\'s earned a new title – Bella the Fire dog.\n\nThe damage wasn’t too bad, but very scary. We are all grateful it was so minor.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/fire.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4630\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/fire.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"fire\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" /></a>\n\nFrom now on, I will always check on Bella when she is barking. She is sometimes smarter than we think.\n\n&nbsp;','Barking Bella - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','barking-bella-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-05-16 06:00:35','2014-05-16 11:00:35','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4629',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4637,1,'2014-05-15 06:00:56','2014-05-15 11:00:56','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"> by Guest Blogger Millie Theis Martin</p>\nRodeo time in Houston and the string of trail riders wreak havoc with the traffic and frustrate other drivers, but, for me, they stir up fond memories.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/images8qapqeqt.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4640\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/images8qapqeqt.jpg\" alt=\"images8QAPQEQT\" width=\"275\" height=\"183\" /></a>While I never participated in a trail ride, my younger sister and I always rode in the parade marking the opening of the county fair and rodeo. We had a two-wheeled cart pulled by our Shetland pony, Tony, black with a white streak on his shoulder.\n\nMost years, my younger sister and I were decked out in our boots, cowboy hats and pearl-snap shirts, but one year, we were George and Martha Washington for some theme long forgotten. The cart was converted to a surrey with a fringed top. Since I was two years older, I was George. Taller seemed to be the key to my selection.\n\nMy long blonde hair was tied in back and dusted with baby power until appropriately white. I wore a black cutaway jacket, vest and knee-length breeches with long socks. The teeth were permanent and my own.\n\nMy sister, as Martha, had the feminine outfit, with ruffles everywhere. Her white cap was gathered with a ruffled edge, her long sleeves ended in ruffles, and, yes, more ruffles rippled down the front of her dress.\n\nWhere was my fairy godmother when I needed her?\n\nOur small town parade was the spark that ignited the fun. The ensuing days were filled with a rodeo, carnival rides, and contests. The exhibit building displaying quilts and canned goods demanded a quick survey, though women lingered to “ooh” and “aw” over the blue ribbon winners.\n\nThe rodeo competition was real, no fluff there. The spectator seats were hard and splintered, and the pungent smell of the rodeo stock’s revenge made my eyes tear. Only first-timers sat on the first row. Those in the know moved at least to the second row to avoid a face full of dirt kicked by an angry bull or bucking bronco.\n\nBarrel racing was the only event for women, but my favorites were steer dogging and the cutting horse contests. For those of you unfamiliar with the rodeo--steer dogging is man against beast. Two riders parallel a steer, and one jumps from a perfectly good horse onto the steer. With his arms around the horns, the cowboy plants his boot heels in the dirt and proceeds to pull the animal to the ground.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/rodeo.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4642\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/rodeo.png?w=150\" alt=\"rodeo\" width=\"150\" height=\"81\" /></a>The cutting horse event is a contest between a well-trained horse and a calf singled out from a small herd. The horse’s job is to keep the calf separated from the other cattle. The horse and rider dance as one. A slight movement of the rein and a nudge of a boot is all the rider might contribute. It’s the horse’s performance.\n\nThe ferris wheel was the star of the carnival rides. Since motion sickness has always plagued me, I steered clear of things that moved in horizontal swirling motions. No carnie was complete without throwing a few pennies to win a teddy bear, and the day wasn’t over until hands and faces were sufficiently sticky with cotton candy and the ubiquitous music spun in your head.\n\nIn a less politically correct and compassionate era, there was always a show of oddities—both people and animals.\n\nHowever, the tent that fascinated me the most was in a far, dimly lit corner of the grounds surrounded by a long line of men and marked with a sign reading, “Adult males only allowed.” Seductive music and a belly dancer enticed the crowd. I suppose even if I had donned my George Washington attire, I wouldn’t have been tall enough for admission, but I wish I had tried.\n\nI think it would have been more interesting than the two-headed calf.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/millie-web-ad.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4638\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/millie-web-ad.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"millie web ad\" width=\"150\" height=\"83\" /></a>\n\nMillie Theis Martin writes for children and young adults from her home in Tomball, Texas. She has worked as a contract writer for Concordia Publishing and is published in children’s magazines, anthologies, and academic journals. She holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Texas A&amp;M University and has teaching experience at all levels—preschool to university.\n\nMillie is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Assistant Regional Advisor for the Houston chapter.\n\nFollow Millie on <a href=\"https://twitter.com/martinmilliet\">Twitter</a>','The County Fair','','publish','open','open','','the-county-fair','','','2014-05-15 06:00:56','2014-05-15 11:00:56','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4637',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4646,1,'2014-05-07 06:00:45','2014-05-07 11:00:45','<a href=\"http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4648\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/auction-flyer.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"auction flyer\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" /></a>Last Thursday Brenda Novak\'s 10th annual auction to support diabetes research began.\n\nShe started the auction when her youngest son was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes at the age of five. Check out <a href=\"http://www.brendanovak.com/for-the-cure-2/\" target=\"_blank\">her website</a> of you\'re not familiar with this remarkable mother and bestselling author.\n\nI\'m thrilled to be a part of the auction again this year! Check out these items in which you\'ll find copies of my books:\n\n<a href=\"http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&amp;Auction_uid1=3405134%20\" target=\"_blank\"><span id=\"Item_Title_3405134\">Kindle PaperWhite WiFi #3: Various Genres (Military/Paranormal/New\nAdult/Women Fiction/YA/Chick Lit)</span> </a>\n\n<a href=\"http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&amp;Auction_uid1=3408280%20\" target=\"_blank\"><span id=\"Item_Title_3408280\">Northwest Houston RWA Chapter Gift Basket</span> </a>\n\n<a href=\"http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&amp;Auction_uid1=3404683\" target=\"_blank\"><span id=\"Item_Title_3404683\">KINDLE and Summer Beach Reads from Northwest Houston RWA</span> </a>\n\nAnd, while you\'re there <a href=\"http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>BID</strong></a>, if not on these items, on some of the other incredible items up for grabs.\n\nIt\'s for a great cause. Let\'s help her break last year\'s record.','Brenda Novak\'s 10th Annual Diabetes Auction!','','publish','open','open','','brenda-novaks-10th-annual-diabetes-auction','','','2014-05-07 06:00:45','2014-05-07 11:00:45','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4646',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4655,1,'2014-05-05 06:00:29','2014-05-05 11:00:29','<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/writer.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4454\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/writer.png?w=121\" alt=\"writer\" width=\"121\" height=\"150\" /></a>As an author, I\'m frequently asked what I write. You’d think the answer would be easy. It’s not.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">My dilemma about how to answer comes because I write a blend of literary and commercial fiction.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">But that answer won’t make sense to many because the nuances of publishing vocabulary can be hard to understand. Plus, readers don\'t necessarily think about literary vs commercial when making their choices of what to read.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Usually I answer I write commercial fiction, which provides an opportunity to explain the difference between commercial and literary.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Then I explain...</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">In literary fiction, the story arc is character-driven. The story itself is episodic about personal growth or destruction as the character comes to understand his/her situation.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Think of books like <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0446310786/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398993792\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">To Kill A Mockingbird</span></a>, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Great-Gatsby-F-Scott-Fitzgerald/dp/0743273567/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398993848\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">The Great Gatsby</span></a>, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398993919\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">Brave New World</span></a>, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Huckleberry-Finn-Mark-Twain/dp/0486280616/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398993962\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</span></a> or the book I mentioned in my recent <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/book-clubs-do-you/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">blog on book clubs</span></a> titled <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Namesake-Novel-Jhumpa-Lahiri/dp/0618485228/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398994020\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">The Namesake</span></a>.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Commercial fiction, on the other hand, is plot-driven. The arc is the rising and falling action of an active plot and dynamic opening hook. External obstacles lead to interior changes for the character.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Another name for commercial fiction is genre fiction, which means the book category is based on content. Commercial fiction genres include crime, fantasy, horror, mystery or detective, science fiction, western, inspirational, or romance. But each of those categories has subcategories and authors can blend categories.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Consider genre authors like <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-King/e/B000AQ0842/\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">Stephen King</span></a>, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/John-Grisham/e/B000AQ40M8/\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">John Grisham</span></a>, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/J.R.R.-Tolkien/e/B000ARC6KA/\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">J.R.R. Tolkien</span></a>, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Wiggs/e/B000AQ1FJO/\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">Susan Wiggs</span></a>, or <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Francine-Rivers/e/B000AQ2VFQ/\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">Francine Rivers</span></a></span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Stories themselves may actually be a cross between literary and commercial. </span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">You see, commercial stories can contain great character development and literary stories can have a functional plot.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">And, authors often blend a literary style or voice in their writing with deep character exploration, intriguing hooks, and entertaining plots.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">I repeat distinctions and nuances in fiction types can be complicated.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">The true classification of a novel lies in the purpose of the story. Is the point to tell a tale (commercial) or learn something about a character or the human condition (literary)?</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">One classification isn’t superior to the other. Both types of fiction have their place in literature.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\"><span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">The thing to remember is i</span>t’s all about the story and what you, the reader, like.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">YOUR TURN:</span>\n\n<span style=\"color:#444444;font-family:\'Helvetica\', \'sans-serif\';\">Thinking about the last book you read or the book you’re reading now, would you classify your selection as literary or fiction or one of the crossover blends?</span>','Your fiction reading choice – literary or commercial?','','publish','open','open','','your-fiction-reading-choice-literary-or-commercial','','','2014-05-05 06:00:29','2014-05-05 11:00:29','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4655',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4667,1,'2014-05-08 06:00:31','2014-05-08 11:00:31','Welcome to the porch today guest blogger, Anna Kathryn Lanier. She\'s a writer, a published author, and grandmother who is sharing about the value of reading to your children and grandchildren.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">One of my three grandchildren has lived with my husband and me (along with her parents) for the past three years, starting when she was three years old. I am not sure exactly when I started reading bedtime stories to her, but it has become my duty to read to her nightly before she goes to sleep.</p>\nNow six, she is in kindergarten and already reading on a first grade level. The fact we made it a habit to go to the library, check out books, and read them on a regular basis has contributed to her advanced reading skills.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/lacey-reading-may-2014.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4691\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/lacey-reading-may-2014.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Lacey Reading May 2014\" width=\"300\" height=\"187\" /></a>\n\nI admit that when she started picking up reading and math skills, I attributed it to her watching television. You know, those educational shows like Team Imuzoomi, Dora The Explorer, Sesame Street, and Bubble Guppies.\n\nImagine my surprise after doing a bit of research on reading to young children just how important and beneficial this act truly is. For years, research has shown that reading to a child, even those far too young to understand the words, is important for language understanding and brain development.\n\nReading to a newborn has benefits in that it lays groundwork for language development. According to the C.E. Snow and A. Nino study, “within a matter of seconds, thousands of brains cells…respond. Triggered by this particular experience, some brain cells are ‘turned on’ and many existing connections among brain cells are strengthened. At the same time, new brain cells are formed, adding more definitions to the intricate circuitry that will remain for the rest of those children’s lives.” In addition, a 2009 study by Keller and Just showed increased activity in the language output center of a child’s brain as they tried to store the spoken word in their memory.\n\nIf you do an internet search on “The Importance of Reading to Children,” you’ll get hundreds of articles. However, they basically all say the same thing: reading to a preschooler, no matter how young, helps the child acquire language, prepares her for school, instills a love of learning and may help prevent learning problems.\n\nReading helps a child’s knowledge of the sound system of language and helps her move from oral to written language.\n\nBeing read to exposes her to not only the words on the page, but also to the proper speech patterns and the basics of how a book is read. Knowing how to read a book before entering school is crucial to new readers—left to right, top to bottom, turning pages and understanding that letters make up words and that words make up stories. In addition, she is more likely to be able to count to 20, write her name and to read on her own.\n\nReading Facts:\n<ul>\n	<li>In 1992, 44 million American adults could not read well enough to read a simple children’s story to a child.</li>\n	<li>A 1999 study showed that only 53% of children ages 3 to 5 were read to daily. Children in families below the poverty level were less likely to be read to than those with an income above the poverty level. And research further shows that a poor reader in first grade is more likely to be a poor reader in fourth grade.</li>\n	<li>More than 20% of adults read at or below a fifth grade level—far below the level needed to earn a living wage (2001).</li>\n</ul>\nHonestly, I just enjoy reading to my granddaughter. I had no idea I was helping her to excel not only in school, but also in life.\n\nReferences:\n\n<a href=\"http://www.pvsschools.net/\">www.pvsschools.net</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.earlymoments.com/\">www.earlymoments.com</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.getcaughtreading.org/\">www.getcaughtreading.org</a>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/anna-kathryn-lanier-close-300-square.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-4668 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/anna-kathryn-lanier-close-300-square.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"Anna-Kathryn-Lanier-close-300-square\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>Anna Kathryn Lanier is a PRO member of Romance Writers of America and several of its chapters. She has completed three romance novels to date, all unpublished. After discovering a love for short stories, Anna Kathryn has since published multiple novellas, both contemporary and historical for The Wild Rose Press. She lives in Texas with her husband and has two grown daughters and three grandchildren.\n\nVisit her on her at <a href=\"http://www.aklanier.com/\">www.aklanier.com</a>\n\nConnect with her on <a href=\"https://twitter.com/aklanier\">Twitter</a>  or<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/annakathrynlanier\"> Facebook</a>.\n\n<strong>A Gift Beyond All Measure</strong> is available from <a href=\"http://www.thewildrosepress.com/\">The Wild Rose Press</a> , <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Beyond-All-Measure-Christmas-ebook/dp/B004FPZ4C0/\">Amazon</a>, and other ebook outlets.\n\n<strong><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/beyond_300.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-4669 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/beyond_300.jpg?w=100\" alt=\"Beyond_300\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a></strong>Arriving home for Christmas, the last thing Jacob Scott expects in his house is a sexy, shotgun-toting stranger. Worse, his attraction to her bothers him even more than the gun. Still reeling from the deception of his long-time girlfriend, he’s not looking for romance.\n\nTessa Jones has learned one hard lesson—when everyone in your life has failed you the only one you can trust is yourself. Facing the whispers of the townsfolk and an arson charge, Tessa unexpectedly finds herself trusting Jacob with more than her legal troubles.\n\nStruggling between the promise of the present and the hurts of the past, can these two lost souls overcome their pain long enough to discover a gift beyond all measure?\n\n&nbsp;','Reading to Young Children','','publish','open','open','','reading-to-young-children','','','2014-05-08 06:00:31','2014-05-08 11:00:31','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4667',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4674,1,'2014-05-22 06:00:44','2014-05-22 11:00:44','Welcome to the porch today guest blogger, Becky Burkhalter. She\'s a writer and published author who raises goats. Here\'s her tale about Sadie.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~</p>\nEveryone has heard the joke about the occasional table … (what is it the rest of the time?)\n\nWould you believe I have an occasional goat?\n\nSadie looks like a goat. She was born of a goat, I do think that’s her actual form, but she isn’t always a goat.\n\nShe started out as a Valentine, born on February 14. She was a tiny thing, the weaker of twins, and we brought her inside to nurse her and keep her warm.\n\n‘Keeping her warm’ meant, of course, keeping her in the bed with us. Isn’t that where normal people snuggle a baby? On second thought, don’t answer that.\n\nShe didn’t stay inside for long, and she’s been in since, although not often. This seems to have caused her confusion and from that first day we shut the door in her sweet face, she’s been searching, with a fluid malleability unique even for goats, to find her place.\n\nIt came on quietly and without fanfare.\n\nShe still seems to be pretty sure she’s a people and has never understood why we don’t let her live in the house. However, as time passed, she became comfortable in being whatever seemed to have the most benefit on any particular day.\n\nI noticed her, one day, being a horse. Goats, you know, stay locked in their yard while horses are granted the pasture and large bales of hay.\n\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http://beckyburkheart.com/images/Sadie/sadie_horse.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"473\" height=\"207\" />\n\nHorses are fine to be, but chickens get to come up in the shade of the barn alley, out of the wind, and peck grain out of the dirt. Alley trumps pasture, grain trumps hay, and being many times larger than the others by far trumps being only as tall as everyone else’s kneecaps. So many days, Sadie is a chicken.\n\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http://beckyburkheart.com/images/Sadie/sadie_chicken.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"471\" height=\"257\" />\n\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://beckyburkheart.com/images/Sadie/sadie_collar.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"315\" />Sadie also tends to be a dog on days we have visitors. Dogs get to sleep on the porch. They get lots of attention, scratches behind the ears and all the leftovers cleaned out of the truck. French fries, of course, trump even grain. In the case of a cookout, there are too many good eatables to mention and unattended plates are free game. On those days, it’s good to be a dog.\n\nThere are days, of course, when it’s good to be a goat. Goats fit through fences like horses can’t and get to roam the far pastures, and beyond, until they’re chased home.\n\nChickens fit through fences, but don’t go too far and dogs just have to stay in the yard.\n\nGoats who have figured out how to turn sideways in order to squeeze through a stock gate still get choice pickings of hay and grain – but sometimes get yelled at.\n\nWhen the yelling starts, it’s better to go back to being a chicken.\n\nSadie’s latest transformation is to become a mom, which she is handling in her usual fine fashion. Her little daughter appears to be a goat, but only time will tell.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/sadienspecial.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4681\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/sadienspecial.jpg\" alt=\"SadieNSpecial\" width=\"288\" height=\"274\" /></a>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://beckyburkheart.com/images/becky1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"309\" />Becky Burkhalter takes frequent flights of fantasy, in real life as well as in her writing.\n\nIt\'s said that life is stranger than fiction, but Becky\'s out to prove it\'s possible to integrate life both ways. Whether she\'s racing her Arabian horses through the woods, rapid firing her .45 or gargoyling from local rooftops, Becky finds it hard to stay grounded in the real world. Although she has yet to ride in a space ship (she did get to simulate crashing a 727) or to meet a real vampire (that she\'s aware of), anachronistic dress, \"QaQ poHmey\" and pints of brew (yes, it comes in pints) are standard fare on the odd weekend.\n\nVisit her on her website: <a href=\"http://www.beckyburkheart.com/\">www.BeckyBurkheart.com</a>\n\nConnect with her on <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BeckyBurkheartauthor\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook</a>.\n\n<strong>Bloodcup: A Tale of the Last Amazon Queen</strong> is available from <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Bloodcup-Tale-Last-Amazon-Queen-ebook/dp/B00JW4RB8O/\">Amazon</a>, and other ebook outlets.\n\n<strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://beckyburkheart.com/images/bloodcup_cover v17c web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"290\" /></strong>What is it to be a priestess and a queen but a life of service to the people and the gods?\n\nHistoric legend tells us Hercules stole the Golden Girdle of War from the Amazon Queen, Hippolyte, at the command of King Eurytheus. Once it was taken back to Mycene – the trail grows cold.\n\nIn BLOODCUP the young warrior-priestess Aekhosora seizes command in the aftermath of that bloody theft to lead the army of her people on a vengeful journey south to recover the girdle. Plunging into the marshes of the Danube, through Thrace, past Mount Olympus, with only a brief stop at Delphi, they march on Theseus and all but take Athens before they continue south to death and slavery at Megara.\n\nSuffering the whims of slavery, she struggles to stay true to her god, her goal and the man who takes her home, a man who finds himself the master of a queen striving to restore a lost and scattered people.','Cedar Break Sadie, The Occasional Goat','','publish','open','open','','cedar-break-sadie-the-occasional-goat','','','2014-05-22 06:00:44','2014-05-22 11:00:44','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4674',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4685,1,'2014-05-14 06:00:13','2014-05-14 11:00:13','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reading.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4687 size-medium\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reading.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Reading\" width=\"300\" height=\"238\" /></a>\n\nEssayist Nora Ephron said it this way:\n\n<em>“Reading is everything! </em>\n\n<em>Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. </em><em> </em>\n\n<em>Reading gives me something to talk about later on. </em><em> </em>\n\n<em>Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. </em><em> </em>\n\n<em>Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. </em>\n\n<em> </em><em>Reading is grist. </em>\n\n<em> </em><em>Reading is bliss.”</em>\n\nI couldn’t agree more.\n\nBut I’d add writing doubles the pleasure because no matter how much you enjoy the world and characters someone else created it’s even more fun to create your own.','Reading - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','reading-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-05-14 06:00:13','2014-05-14 11:00:13','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4685',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4694,1,'2014-05-12 06:00:21','2014-05-12 11:00:21','Recently I had the most relaxing experience. I came away with blackened fingertips and oodles of coupons.\n\nCan you guess what I was doing?<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/book-v-tablet.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4699\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/book-v-tablet.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"????????????????????\" width=\"300\" height=\"266\" /></a>\n\nI read the Sunday paper leisurely on Monday morning. An event that was once a routine part of my Sundays until we moved to the mountains.\n\nWe don’t have Sunday newspaper delivery in our neck of the woods. Our local newspaper arrives once a week in our mailbox and reading it doesn’t take long. It\'s called the South Fork Tines and my high school newspaper was thicker.\n\nSunday papers are available at the local convenience store, but that necessitates a trip down the mountain. We haven’t developed the habit.\n\nI doubt we will. We can always get the news via television or internet.\n\nI picked up the one-inch thick edition of the Pueblo Chieftain, Colorado’s oldest daily newspaper, at the local hotel where I do my water aerobics three mornings a week.\n\nThe Chieftain isn’t nearly as large as the Houston Chronicle was, but the edition was filled with ads, coupon pamphlets, and the Sunday funnies section.\n\nOh, how I miss those funnies. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed the experience so much.\n\nReading on-line just doesn’t convey the same feelings or give the texture of the newsprint in my hand. Yes, I get the same information from other sources, but not the tactile sensations.\n\nI fear my pleasure of reading print newspapers is disappearing. And, not because of availability where I live.\n\nLook around you. You’ll see what I see. Readers staring at screens on phones and tablets.\n\nMichael Bourne observed the phenomena when he rode the subway into the New York City and wrote about it in his article, <a href=\"http://www.themillions.com/2014/04/screens-on-the-subway-the-rolling-library-is-going-digital.html\" target=\"_blank\">“Screens on the Subway: The Rolling Library Is Going Digital.”</a>\n\n“A decade ago, none of the devices my R train companions were so avidly viewing even existed. Back then, if you didn’t want to read on your morning subway commute, you stared off into space… Now, more and more often, those idle moments – on subway cars, on airplanes, in dentist’s offices – are being filled by games and movies and social media. By screens.”\n\nI still read print: paperback books, magazines and newspapers. I also read on my phone (handy when I’m forced to wait unexpectedly), on my Kindle, and on my iPad. I sometimes stare at a screen to play games or check social media.\n\nBut holding those objects is just not the same as reading the Sunday paper spread out at the breakfast table with a nice cup of tea.\n\nHow about you? Do you read from printed papers or is most of your reading following the trend and done via screens?','Paper or screen – how do you read?','','publish','open','open','','paper-or-screen-how-do-you-read','','','2014-05-12 06:00:21','2014-05-12 11:00:21','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4694',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4701,1,'2014-05-26 06:00:25','2014-05-26 11:00:25','<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/memorial-day-2014-small.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4703\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/memorial-day-2014-small.jpg?w=111\" alt=\"memorial-day-2014-small\" width=\"111\" height=\"150\" /></a>I’m guessing you are doing or did one or more of these things…\n\n• Spent time with family and friends munching on hot dogs and hamburgers\n\n• Celebrated the unofficial beginning of summer by bringing out the white clothes and shoes\n\n• Shopped or attended a sporting event\n\n• Spent time at the beach, taking in the waves\n\nMemorial Day weekend is for all of those things, but more.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/mem13.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4704\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/mem13.jpg?w=130\" alt=\"mem13\" width=\"130\" height=\"150\" /></a>Today is the federal holiday established so we could pause and remember fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins who never came home.\n\nIf somehow you forgot the origins, you are not alone--too many of us do.\n\nBut it’s not too late to celebrate and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Today is not over and it is the official designated Memorial Day 2014.\n\nI suggest two ways to honor those who have served:\n<ol>\n	<li>Read some of many poems written to honor relatives or friends who died serving their country by typing <em>Memorial Day 2014 Poems</em> in your search engine.</li>\n	<li>Listen to this incredible tribute by Wisconsin Legionnaire William Berg, who played Taps for his post since before World War II. Mr. Berg passed away in July 2013 at the age of 94.</li>\n</ol>\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XExJibP0TM?rel=0&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne last word to all those who serve by going off or staying behind at home: my personal heartfelt thank you. I\'m sincerely grateful to all of you.','What are you doing this Memorial Day weekend?','','publish','open','open','','what-you-doing-this-memorial-day-weekend','','','2014-05-26 06:00:25','2014-05-26 11:00:25','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4701',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4712,1,'2014-05-30 06:00:08','2014-05-30 11:00:08','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nWhen I was in high school, it was a popular youth group activity to see how many people you could fit into a VW bug. I don’t remember how many we fit but according to one website, <a href=\"http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/12/new-most-people-in-a-vw-beetle-record-claimed-20/\" target=\"_blank\">the record is 20</a>.\n\nI thought about this as I went to get eggs last week and found four chickens in one nest box:\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/crowded-hen-box.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4715\" src=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/crowded-hen-box.png?w=300\" alt=\"crowded hen box\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nThis made checking for eggs particularly challenging.  Apparently the crowded conditions also made it a challenge for the chickens.\n\nThey laid as many eggs on the floor of the coop as in the box.\n\nToday I went to check eggs and found this:\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/crowded-2.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4716\" src=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/crowded-2.png?w=300\" alt=\"crowded 2\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nIt took me a few minutes but I finally counted five chickens in the middle nest box.  Can you find them all?\n\nPerhaps I should put together a children’s counting book.  I wonder what number it would go to.   I’ll keep you posted…','How Many Chickens? - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','how-many-chickens-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-05-30 06:00:08','2014-05-30 11:00:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4712',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4719,1,'2014-06-06 06:00:52','2014-06-06 11:00:52','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>by Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur Rachel, Miller Farm Daughter #2, has taken up crochet.\n\nShe’s made the standard scarves and blankets. Lately, she has also gotten creative. She has made baby hats with ears to look like panda bears and hats out of her school colors with pompoms on top for college friends.\n\nFor Mother’s Day she made me pot holders:\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/chicken-pot-holders.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4721\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/chicken-pot-holders.png?w=300\" alt=\"chicken pot holders\" width=\"300\" height=\"271\" /></a>\n\nThese will replace the worn-out ones she and her sister made for me out of the loops and loom many years ago.\n\nWe told her if she didn’t find a summer nanny job, she could open an Etsy shop and sell her crochet.\n\nFortunately, she started a full time nanny job on Tuesday. She’s realized (very quickly) that crafting is not the easiest way to make money.\n\nMeanwhile, I’m happily benefiting from her creativity.','Gift for a Mother Hen - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','gift-for-a-mother-hen-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-06-06 06:00:52','2014-06-06 11:00:52','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4719',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4725,1,'2014-06-05 06:00:35','2014-06-05 11:00:35','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>By Guest Blogger Jane Carver</em></p>\nIf I said <em>the migrant mother in the picture made during the depression</em>, you’d know exactly what photo I’m talking about…\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/migrant-mother-photo-depression-era-for-06-05.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4727\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/migrant-mother-photo-depression-era-for-06-05.jpg?w=230\" alt=\"migrant mother photo depression era for 06-05\" width=\"230\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nThough photographer Dorothea Lange couldn’t ask the woman her name, the woman told the photographer anyway. Because she did, that photo will forever immortalize Florence Owens Thompson and her two children.\n\nLike the Mona Lisa, a person looking at the photo can imagine all kinds of thoughts going through the woman’s mind.\n\nOver the years, I’ve imagined her story so many different ways.\n\nNow, more than eighty years after that particular photo was taken perhaps the woman’s story—of sorts—can be told.\n\nAuthor Marisa Silver has written a story she thinks might have led that woman to be sitting in a migrant camp the day photographer Dorothea Lange came by taking pictures as part of a government project.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/mary-coin-by-marisa-silver-for-06-05.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4728\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/mary-coin-by-marisa-silver-for-06-05.jpg?w=199\" alt=\"Mary Coin by Marisa Silver  for 06-05\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>Ms. Silver named the woman <strong>Mary Coin</strong> and that’s the title of her latest book published by Blue Rider Press.\n\nIt\'s a fascinating story of what might have happened that day in 1936.\n\nI believe author Marisa Silver wrote the book just for me, to answer the question I’ve always wondered about.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"> <strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></p>\n <a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/jane-carver-judythe-blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4732\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/jane-carver-judythe-blog.jpg?w=83\" alt=\"Jane Carver Judythe Blog\" width=\"83\" height=\"150\" /></a>Jane Carver is a former schoolteacher\n\na new grandmother, a quilter, an artist, an editor, a dual personality author, writing adult fiction and young adult fiction, and a blogger extraordinaire\n\nLearn more at Ms. Carver\'s websites: <a href=\"www.romances-by-janie.com%20\" target=\"_blank\">Adult Fiction</a> or <a href=\"www.JaneGracePresents.com\" target=\"_blank\">Young Adult Fiction</a>.\n\nOr visit one of her many blogs:\n\n<a href=\"http://janiecarver2011.wordpress.com/\"><em>http://janiecarver2011.wordpress.com</em></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://romancesbyjanie.wordpress.com/\"><em>http://RomancesByJanie.wordpress.com</em></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://janegracepresents.wordpress.com/\"><em>http://JaneGracePresents.wordpress.com</em></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://writingimagination2013.wordpress.com/\"><em>http://WritingImagination2013.wordpress.com</em></a>\n\nHer latest release as Jane Grace:\n\n<strong><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Intense-Jane-Grace-ebook/dp/B008BKH5W2/\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4317\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/janie-intense.jpg?w=91\" alt=\"Janie Intense\" width=\"91\" height=\"150\" /></a>Intense</strong> (Young Adult Fiction) Sensitive subject but more about the compassion and help received afterward that makes up the story. Nova Dean dreams of going to Nationals in Debate but to do that she must beat Adam Parks and his team. Their rival is intense but not as much as the help Adam gives Nova after she\'s raped. Only with his help can she take one step at a time back to a life she can endure. Only with his help are the rapists caught.\n\nHer latest adult fiction as Jane Carver:\n\n<strong><a href=\"http://www.melange-books.com/authors/janecarver/ReturnWithHonor.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4318\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/returnwithhonor.jpg?w=98\" alt=\"ReturnWithHonor\" width=\"98\" height=\"150\" /></a>Return with Honor</strong>\n\nThe death of Jud Longtree\'s best friend gives the local police chief reason enough to suspect him of murder. With the help of Lottie Amberville, they use both logic and creativity to find someone who may have murdered more than once.','Migrant Mother and Her Story','','publish','open','open','','migrant-mother-and-her-story','','','2014-06-05 06:00:35','2014-06-05 11:00:35','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4725',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4739,1,'2014-06-02 06:00:54','2014-06-02 11:00:54','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/daffodil.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4740\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/daffodil.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"daffodil\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>This little guy popped out of the ground last week, bringing hope that spring and summer will arrive.\n\nIt’s about time.\n\nSnowstorms in May were a major shock though our visiting grandchildren thought it was wonderful!\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/may-snow.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4741\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/may-snow.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>\n\nMy sister and her daughter from Texas decided to pack their long johns when they came to see us over Memorial weekend after the grandkids left.\n\nUnfortunately, they needed the extra layer. It was cold and rainy the whole weekend.\n\nThat didn’t stop my hiking niece and husband from climbing up to 10,000 feet on Sentinel Peak.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hike.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4742\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hike.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"hike\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>\n\nSummer folk are returning to town. It’s amazing to watch the RV parks filling and summer homes coming to life.\n\nLast week the exterior painting of our house was finally been completed. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/landscape-paint.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4743\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/landscape-paint.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>Soon, the mountains of dirt from the excavating for the garage addition will become tiered landscaping. Now that will be a <strong>much-welcomed</strong> sight.\n\nThe summer will bring family and friends escaping the heat where they live. Another thing I can wait to have happen. Nothing’s more fun than sitting on the porch visiting.\n\nAnd, most exciting, I have a book releasing in June.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/jm_wlb1_small.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4744\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/jm_wlb1_small.jpg?w=200\" alt=\"JM_WLB1_small\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nDetails on official release date coming soon...\n\nWe’re off to a tremendous start for the season. So how’s your summer shaping up?','Expecting an Exciting Summer','','publish','open','open','','expecting-an-exciting-summer','','','2014-06-02 06:00:54','2014-06-02 11:00:54','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4739',0,'post','',4);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4748,1,'2014-06-04 06:00:34','2014-06-04 11:00:34','On Monday, I blogged about my hope of summer\'s arrival and how encouraged I was when the only daffodil of the fifty bulbs I planted last fall came up.\n\nToday I offer this wonderful quote from Anne Lamott to encourage you to continue to hope for whatever you\'re seeking.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hope.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4749\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hope.jpg?w=500\" alt=\"hope\" width=\"500\" height=\"448\" /></a>','HOPE - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','hope-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-06-04 06:00:34','2014-06-04 11:00:34','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4748',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4759,1,'2014-06-11 06:00:58','2014-06-11 11:00:58','<p style=\"margin:0;\"><a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/ptsd-awareness-month.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4760\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/ptsd-awareness-month.jpg\" alt=\"PTSD Awareness Month\" width=\"500\" height=\"340\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;\">June is PTSD Awareness Month...</span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;\">Learn what PTSD is, who is affected, and how treatment can help. </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;\"> </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;\">Visit the <a href=\"www.ptsd.va.gov/about/ptsd-awareness/index.asp\">National Center for PTSD web site</a> for information and ways to help raise PTSD awareness. </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;\"> </span></p>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','PTSD - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','ptsd-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-06-11 06:00:58','2014-06-11 11:00:58','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4759',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4766,1,'2014-06-09 06:00:31','2014-06-09 11:00:31','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/question.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-4768 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/question.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"??????????????????????????????\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a>I’m sure you know what question I mean.\n\nYou’ve probably heard it many times yourself…\n\n“What do you do?”\n\nI wear so many hats – wife, mother, sister, daughter, cousin. It’s hard to zero in on only one to answer the question.\n\nThen I enjoy so many things – playing Pickleball, reading, walking with my dogs, gardening. How do I zero in on a single answer about what I do?\n\nI could answer with one of the many professions I’ve held over the years – teacher, administrator, DAC, antiques shop owner, volunteer. I enjoyed every job I’ve had. It’s crazy to relay all those in answer to a polite, rhetorical question.\n\nI’ve thought about how to answer and discovered that in everything I am or do, there is one common thread. That thread is storytelling.\n\nLike all of us, I share personal stories in social conversations, but I also make up characters and write their stories. Stories, which, in turn, become published, adding the category of author to my numerous professions.\n\nStop and think about it. We are all storytellers.\n\nAs a teacher, I told stories to help my students learn. As an antiques dealer, I told stories about the antiques I sold, and as a volunteer, I tell stories to make others feel comfortable.\n\nMostly the stories we share are anecdotal. But, it’s important to note that I also make up characters and their stories and I love what I do.\n\nSo when someone asks me the question, my answer is “I’m a storyteller,” which, in most instances, provides an opportunity to mention my published books.\n\nI would love it if everyone I told I was a storyteller or those reading this blog went to FB and liked my author page, or bought a copy of my book, but the truth is, doing those things wouldn’t change my answer or what I do.\n\nI’ll always tell stories, no matter what the format.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">I am a</p>\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/storyteller.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4767\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/storyteller.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"storyteller\" width=\"300\" height=\"61\" /></a>\n\nI’m grateful my stories take written form in bookstores and in libraries. At the same time, I recognize when I’m old and in a rest home, I might not be up to writing.\n\nI am hopeful, however, that I will be entertaining my fat, happy great-grandkids with verbal tales about my scandalous past.\n\nThe medium may change, but my storytelling will always be the same. For you see, there’s always a story to tell. And, remember, I have Irish genes so the stories don’t have to be totally truthful.\n\nSo what about you, how do you answer when someone asks what you do?','A Polite Question','','publish','open','open','','a-polite-question','','','2014-06-09 06:00:31','2014-06-09 11:00:31','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4766',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4774,1,'2014-06-19 06:00:58','2014-06-19 11:00:58','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Post by <strong>Jennifer Slattery</strong></em></p>\nHe always arrived late, many times after most of the food had been served. He wore his curly hair and beard long, and though it was clear he did his best to tame it, his hair resisted his efforts. He spent his days at the public library, and though he had a place to stay, he spent a fair amount of time on the streets.\n\nTo passersby, he seemed odd, maladjusted, and maybe a little… off.\n\nHe was unemployed; and listening to his stories, considered by many to be unemployable.\n\nOutside of the biweekly meals offered at Takin’ it to the Streets, a homeless ministry in the Omaha Metro, I’m not sure how he survived. I suspect he received disability or some sort of state assistance.\n\nAlthough he had a sister, I’m not sure if he ever saw her, or if he had any other family to speak of. I’m not sure if he even had friends, at least, relationships you or I would deem as friendships.\n\nTo most, his situation probably seemed hopeless. I imagine, if I were in his shoes, I’d slip into a pit of despair. Or bitterness.\n\nLikely both.\n\nBut I sat beside him, listening to him talk about his Savior, I was awed and humbled by the praise that poured fourth—a praise rooted in purpose.\n\nFor you see, this man, this child of God, knew he was here for a reason and that God had a crucial, eternal task assigned specifically to him.\n\nHe knew God was in control, even when the world seemed chaotic and hopeless. With his faith and identity so rooted in Christ, he was able to rise above his circumstances, using every moment and every encounter to share God’s goodness and truth.\n\nHe told the angry, homeless woman pushing a rusted cart that God loved her.\n\nHe shared candy others had given him with those less fortunate, and yes, though he had so very little, he did notice those who were less fortunate than he was. Because that’s what happens when we take our eyes off of ourselves and our problems and place them on our Savior—everything becomes just a little brighter, just a little more hopeful, and a great deal more eternal.\n\nAs I listened to him share about these people he had touched, witnessed to, prayed with and for, I realized just how beautiful this thing called grace is.\n\nBecause of God’s grace, we each have a purpose—a divinely-ordained and eternal task assigned to us. More than that, we are each lovingly crafted to perform that work which God assigned to us long before He even breathed life into our frail lungs.\n\nBut looking around at the hardened faces all around us, a second realization came just as quickly.\n\nWe can all lose sight of our purpose. We can become so focused on our problems and the chaos around us, we can be consumed with anger and bitterness.\n\nThe choice is ours, and it is ours to make each and every day. Which way of life will you choose?\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strong></p>\n<strong><a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/headshot2013.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4776\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/headshot2013.jpg?w=108\" alt=\"headshot2013\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a>Jennifer Slattery</strong> writes Missional Romance for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. She also writes for Christ to the World Ministries, Crosswalk.com, and Internet Café Devotions.\n\nJennifer blogs at <a href=\"http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/\" target=\"_blank\">JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud</a> and you can PRE order her new release by clicking on the cover:\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><em><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-I-Do-Jennifer-Slattery/dp/1596694173/\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4779\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/beyondidocover.jpg?w=195\" alt=\"BeyondIDocover\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" /></a>Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more. Ainsley Meadow’s encounter with a woman, her child, and their abuser sparks a passion that threatens her engagement. Will seeing beyond the present unite her and her fiancé or tear them apart? </em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><em>Raised by a hedonist mother, who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, Ainsley falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed socialite psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream and ignites a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s best and find true love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.</em></p>\n&nbsp;','Anyone Can Live a Life of Purpose','','publish','open','open','','anyone-can-live-a-life-of-purpose','','','2014-06-19 06:00:58','2014-06-19 11:00:58','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4774',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4787,1,'2014-06-13 06:00:17','2014-06-13 11:00:17','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur neighbors are dog sitting this summer.  This is the neighbors with the chain link fence, not the privacy fence.  The dog is a large breed and our dachshunds love to run up and down the fence line with him.  His name is Zander.\n\nOne morning Matt looked out the front window and asked, “Isn’t that the dog the neighbors are watching?”\n\nI looked and sure enough it looked just like Zander. We went outside, Matt took him by the collar, and we started walking next door.  The gate to the back yard was closed and I considered just putting Zander back in the yard but decided we probably needed to let the neighbors know there was an escape route somewhere in the fence.\n\nWe knocked on the door and heard barking – from inside.  Unless the dog we were holding was a ventriloquist, there was another dog inside.\n\nWe checked the tag. It did not say “Zander.” It did, however, have a phone number which Matt called.\n\nSince it was an out of town number, he was hoping it was a college student who was unable to keep the dog. (Matt really wants a big dog to run with him.) The owner answered the phone and quickly came to retrieve the dog, much to Matt’s dismay.\n\nMeanwhile, the neighbors had ignored the barking (something we did well until the fire episode) and never even came to the door. I was very glad we had not deposited the dog in the back yard.  It would have been a shock for humans and dogs.\n\nThe following week we found ourselves in the opposite role of the story.  Some boys in the neighborhood who like to check eggs accidentally left the gate open and two of our dogs escaped.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/tucker.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4789\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/tucker.png?w=150\" alt=\"tucker\" width=\"150\" height=\"131\" /></a>Tucker just went next-door and quickly returned to our house. I guess he knows a good thing.\n\nBella, on the other hand, took off running as fast as she could. Think of the ginger bread boy – “Run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me I’m Bella.”\n\nRachel took off after her with Matt right behind. Matt, being much taller and faster, was able to catch up and corral Bella toward the house. He only thought he needed a big dog to run with him.\n\nAs she crossed the street, a car stopped and two people got out joining in the chase. I guess they were dog lovers also.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/bella2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4790\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/bella2.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"bella2\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>I really believe Bella would have come on home if she had remembered which house was hers.  We finally chased her through the front door where she collapsed for the rest of the evening.\n\nSo our willingness to help a total stranger when his dog escaped was returned by total strangers who helped us get Bella home.\n\nAll of us dog lovers have to stick together.\n\n&nbsp;','One Good Turn - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','one-good-turn-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-06-13 06:00:17','2014-06-13 11:00:17','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4787',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4792,1,'2014-06-16 06:00:04','2014-06-16 11:00:04','Yesterday was Father’s Day. I hope you honored whoever is your father figure.\n\nFor some of you that person might have been a birth father. For others, it’s a stepfather or a relative or friend that serves the father role for us.\n\nMe, I’ve been blessed with three godly men who were great examples of a father’s love, offering faith and wisdom along my way.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/dvt.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4794\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/dvt.jpg?w=107\" alt=\"dvt\" width=\"107\" height=\"150\" /></a>My father.\n\nDaddy taught me how to fish, how to hunt, and how to dress out my bounty. He taught me how to build things, grow things, and cook around a campfire. He taught me raunchy songs and words as though I was a son, not a daughter, then reminded me to always be a lady. :)\n\nMy second father was my beloved uncle.<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/w-t-2.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4795\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/w-t-2.jpeg?w=108\" alt=\"w.t.2\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nUncle Dub told me often he was Ivo Jima when he received word of my birth. A Marine through and through, he taught me to shoot straight, with a firearm and with my words. He taught me the fun of antique auctions and old things. He showed unconditional love in the tough times and tough love when needed. He was a wise counselor.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/l-o-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4796\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/l-o-2.jpg?w=65\" alt=\"L.O.-2\" width=\"65\" height=\"150\" /></a>My third father I inherited when I married.\n\nThe father of four girls the last thing my preacher father-in-love needed was another daughter…especially one who asked hard questions. He shared his Bible wisdom and whetted my appetite for studying the Scripture. And, best of all he raised his only son to be the best husband ever and a godly father.\n\nAll three of my daddies are gone now so Father’s Day is a bit a sad for me. I miss them, but remembering them on their special day brings back special memories and makes me smile.\n\nThese three men were such a blessing in my life. As <a href=\"http://holleygerth.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Holley Gerth</a> says:\n\n<em>“One of the greatest blessings God can give us is a father whose faith passes on the heritage of the past, provides blessings in the present, and guides us with wisdom for the future.”</em>\n\nHow about you? Do you have a father figure you count as a blessing? Someone who shared their heritage and offered guidance for the present and the future.\n\nI\'d love to hear about your daddy.','Remembering Our Fathers','','publish','open','open','','remembering-our-fathers','','','2014-06-16 06:00:04','2014-06-16 11:00:04','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4792',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4809,1,'2014-06-20 06:00:37','2014-06-20 11:00:37','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nWe had a student from Uzbekistan living with us last school year. He was very quiet and spent most of his time in his room.\n\nHe came out to see the International Space Station pass overhead one night. Another time he came out to see the chickens hatching.\n\nWe had set quail eggs, bantam eggs and chicken eggs. Three bantam eggs, one chicken egg and one quail egg hatched. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/chick-with-brooder.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4810\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/chick-with-brooder.png?w=300\" alt=\"chick with brooder\" width=\"300\" height=\"282\" /></a> Over the process of several days, Andrey would check the incubator each morning to see the progress.\n\nHe helped me move them out to the brooder in the garage, and we stood to watch them for quite a while. He took pictures as I did.\n\nHe told me his sister had a chick one time.  She really loves animals.  He was going to send the picture to her.\n\nIt was a rare glimpse into his life far away and made me think how animals could be good for the soul.\n\nA friend is involved in a therapy dog program that sounds wonderful. She and her dog go to the hospital to visit sick children.\n\nWe considered training one of our dachshunds to be a therapy dog and decided chickens can have an equally calming effect on people.\n\nWatching the little quail try to hide under the bigger chicks made Andrey forget how hard it was to be so far from home. Holding the baby chicks could melt away any stress from the day.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/frizzle-chick.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4811\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/frizzle-chick.png?w=300\" alt=\"frizzle chick\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>One of the bantam chicks is a frizzle – its feathers are sticking up all over just like Frizz’s feathers.\n\nI can’t look at it without smiling.\n\nSo now, whenever I am overwhelmed, sad or just need a break, I step outside for some chicken therapy.\n\n&nbsp;','Therapy Chickens - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','therapy-chickens-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-06-20 06:00:37','2014-06-20 11:00:37','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4809',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4814,1,'2014-07-02 06:00:54','2014-07-02 11:00:54','Graphology is the study of handwriting as it reflects the writer’s character, personality, and abilities.\n\nAccording to the chart below there are 5,000 personality traits distinguishable by the size of your letters, spacing between words, and shapes of letters can all signify different characteristics. A close look at your handwriting can also reveal whether you are lying or not.\n\nLook at the infographic below taken from <a href=\"http://www.pens.com/handwriting-infographic/\" target=\"_blank\">Pens.com</a> and - for fun - do an analysis of a sample of your handwriting.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.pens.com/handwriting-infographic/\"><img src=\"http://natpen.scene7.com/is/image/NatPenVegas/handwriting-infographic-700?qlt=100&amp;wid=500\" alt=\"What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?\" border=\"0\" /></a>\n\nMy analysis came very close to my character and personality. What about you?\n\nI’m wondering if as we rely more and more on computers and texting and not our penmanship if the decrease in actual handwriting will change the statistics. What do you think?','Graphology – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','graphology-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-07-02 06:00:54','2014-07-02 11:00:54','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4814',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4819,1,'2014-06-23 06:00:46','2014-06-23 11:00:46','June is the considered the most popular month for weddings.<strong> </strong>But why? There are three reasons according to the blog on <a href=\"http://bridetide.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-is-june-most-popular-wedding-month.html#ixzz35QKjyBmj\" target=\"_blank\">Bridetide</a>:\n<ol>\n	<li>Our agrarian culture of the past chose wedding dates based upon the peak harvest times. If you married in June, a possible summer pregnancy would still be early enough in the season that a wife could assist with manual work during that year\'s harvest period. Following the spring birth, the recovered bride would be able assist in the next year\'s harvest.</li>\n	<li>At one time in our culture regular bathing was a once-a-year event usually during the last part of May or beginning of June. Scheduling a wedding during June meant the couple would have had their \"<em>annual bath” </em>and was probably the most presentable than any other time of the year.</li>\n	<li>Couples schedule their weddings in June to honor Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. Many believe marrying in June meant their marriage would be showered with luck and good wishes from the gods above.</li>\n</ol>\nMy parents scheduled a June wedding back in 1938; possibly for reason #3. This Wednesday, on June 25, they would have been married seventy-six years. Here’s what my mother looked like on her wedding day.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/helen-wedding-dress-pix.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4823 size-medium\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/helen-wedding-dress-pix.jpg?w=211\" alt=\"Helen wedding dress pix\" width=\"211\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nIt was (is) a lovely dress made from imported Alençon lace. A wedding dress with a unique story to tell.\n\nTwenty-five years after my mother and father’s June wedding, I wore the same dress. Young and anxious to start our life together, we chose May 30 for our wedding day. The reason – we’d have an extra day off work. Back then, May 30 was the Memorial Day holiday. We honeymooned near our hometown over the weekend and both returned to classes and our jobs at the University of Texas Library on Monday.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/me-dress-cropped.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4824 size-medium\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/me-dress-cropped.jpg?w=219\" alt=\"me-dress-cropped\" width=\"219\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nTwenty-four years later, our daughter aka Chicken Wrangler Sara wore her grandmother’s dress at her wedding. Sara chose the second most popular month for weddings – August.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/sara-dress-cropped.jpeg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4825 size-medium\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/sara-dress-cropped.jpeg?w=237\" alt=\"Sara dress-cropped\" width=\"237\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nThree times a firstborn daughter has worn the beautiful hand stitched dress.\n\nMy mother’s mother stitched the dress for her daughter. Mother was only four feet eleven inches tall so grandmother altered the dress for me to wear, then I altered the dress for my daughter, who was a couple of inches taller than I am.\n\nIn the twenty plus years between weddings, the dress remained tucked safely in a cedar chest. I still keep it inside the small cedar chest, which was originally my mother’s hope chest.\n\nWill a firstborn daughter wear the dress again? Who knows? My daughter’s firstborn daughter will be graduating next year. Maybe we’ll be altering the dress for her someday.\n\nIf not, the dress will continue to live in the little hope chest. And, probably, one day appear in one of the love stories I write.','Wedding Dress x 3','','publish','open','open','','wedding-dress-x-3','','','2014-06-23 06:00:46','2014-06-23 11:00:46','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4819',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4830,1,'2014-06-25 06:00:21','2014-06-25 11:00:21','Words are powerful.\n\nAs a writer, I value words. I chose my words carefully when I write or speak.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/words.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4831\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/words.jpg?w=500\" alt=\"words\" width=\"500\" height=\"352\" /></a>\n\nSilence is void of words, but in silence we can make our words are even more powerful.\n\nConsider this quote from Francis Bacon:\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em><strong>“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.”</strong></em></p>','Words and Silence - One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','words-and-silence-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-06-25 06:00:21','2014-06-25 11:00:21','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4830',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4835,1,'2014-06-27 06:00:08','2014-06-27 11:00:08','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur oldest daughter lives in Abilene, Texas as a student at Hardin Simmons University.  She spent her freshman year in the dorm then moved to a campus apartment.  This summer she has moved to a house owned by the university—a  converted duplex. It is very cute.\n\nHer bedroom is one of the former living rooms so it’s large with lots of windows and its own entrance.  She uses the extra kitchen as a “coffee bar.”  I went to visit her last week and we had a great time.\n\nI left on Wednesday morning. Thursday evening she called sounding distressed because Abilene was experiencing hail – very large hail.<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hail.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4837\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hail.png?w=112\" alt=\"hail\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nThe hail had come through the double paned windows into her room.\n\nIt was very frightening for her.\n\nFortunately her house has a carport so her car and her roommate’s car were unharmed. Beekeeper Brian aka her daddy told her to report the damage to the campus police and have them come secure the house.\n\nWhen she called, she was number eight on the campus list. It turns out every north facing window on campus was broken as well as those in the nearby hospital.\n\nNearly a week later, the windows still haven’t been replaced. Ever resourceful, Catherine and her roommate used duct tape and plastic tablecloths to patch the holes temporarily.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/sam.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4838\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/sam.png?w=119\" alt=\"sam\" width=\"119\" height=\"150\" /></a>Over the weekend, Catherine acquired a kitten which she named Sam.\n\nCatherine is already the proud owner of a dog – Bella – but her college schedule is not conducive to caring for a dog – especially one as special as Bella.\n\nSo she and her roommate decided to get a cat for the summer.  Sam came from Catherine’s boyfriend’s family and can be returned when school starts if keeping him becomes too difficult.\n\nOne of Catherine’s first comments was “Now I am responsible for a living thing.”  Yes, yes you are, I thought.\n\nI remember having that same reaction when we brought Catherine home from the hospital. It was a little overwhelming at first.  Then instincts kick in and suddenly you become responsible.\n\nCatherine must remember to feed the cat. And when the cat gets frightened, she must comfort it.  This is offers a different level of pet therapy.  Instead of being comforted or amused, a pet owner sometimes has to be brave and strong. Valuable traits and worth instilling in any human.\n\nThe next time Abilene has a storm, I can imagine Catherine putting on her brave face and cuddling Sam. They’ll both feel better when the storm passes.','More Pet Therapy - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','more-pet-therapy-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-06-27 06:00:08','2014-06-27 11:00:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4835',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4842,1,'2014-06-26 06:00:31','2014-06-26 11:00:31','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Blog by Jody Payne</em></p>\nJune. Time to shop for a swimsuit. Sob! But that’s another blog for another day. Don’t ask. I can’t discuss it. Not until I lose about a thousand pounds.\n\nAnyway, a friend and I decided to face the inevitable and support each other through this tragedy of middle-aged shopping. We were determined to find swimsuits that showed off our awesomeness while hiding the bulges that go with it. There must be one out there.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/swimsuit-shopping.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4844\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/swimsuit-shopping.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"swimsuit shopping\" width=\"300\" height=\"213\" /></a>By the way, don’t put this off until school is out like we did. It’s intimidating shopping next to a hundred pound eighteen year old. We found ourselves at the swimsuit rack standing next to a mother shopping with her teenage daughter.\n\nThe daughter had a lot to learn about respect, but frankly, so did the mother. It was pitiful and the argument escalated until it ended with the mother saying between clenched teeth, “Just who do you think you are?”\n\nI understood the woman’s frustration. Her daughter was determined to buy a bikini that would have made the average Brazilian blush while doing the samba on a nude beach.\n\nMy friend and I glanced at each other with a mutual cringe. I happen to know that my friend has heard this demeaning phrase more than once from her own mother.\n\nMy first response was to get out of there. Quick. I glanced around the room looking for the nearest exit.\n\nHowever, my friend put her hand on the teenager’s arm and said, “I’ll tell you who you are. You are a beautiful young woman with a beautiful body. You have every right to be proud of it. Just remember this, it’s yours, and yours alone. It doesn’t belong to anyone else. Because you do have a beautiful body, other people are going to want to possess it. Control it. Don’t let them. Don’t give it away. Don’t let them use you. What is yours is yours and yours alone. Their greediness is their problem, not yours. Take a tip from Gypsy Rose Lee who said, ‘Always leave them wanting to see more.’ That woman was a famous burlesque queen who left the stage modestly clothed amid standing ovations from hungry eyed men.”\n\nThe girl was stunned into silence. So my friend used the reprieve to pull several more suitable suits (pun intended) from the rack and hand them to the girl. “Try these on. They’ll look great on you.”\n\nI think the girl was too shocked to argue with these clueless adults so she took the suits and stomped into the dressing room. Probably just to escape us.\n\nAfter a few minutes, she pulled back the curtain from the dressing room and she peeked out timidly. I realized I was holding my breath. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one because when she emerged there was an audible exhalation of relief from all three of us.\n\nShe looked gorgeous. The one-piece suit covered her very few flaws and made the most of her admirable assets. When she saw our reaction, she lost her hunched over posture. Her head came up and her shoulders back. A wide confident smile replaced her surly frown. Princess Di would have been envious.\n\nThe mother burst into tears. She turned to my friend and said, “You nailed it. Why couldn’t I have said that?”\n\nMy friend shrugged, “Because you’re a mother. Your job is impossible. Mine is a whole lot easier. I’m a stranger.”\n\nThe mother whispered, “How can I ever thank you?”\n\nMy friend grinned. “Just pass it on to the next stranger who needs help. We can win this war. Battle by battle. Stranger by stranger. Mother by mother.”\n\nAs we exited, I looked back to a beautiful young lady hugging her mother. Tears streamed down their faces. I hope to see either those two or someone like them when my own daughter tries on her first adult bathing suit.\n\nAnd so, pass it on, okay? Battle by battle. Stranger by stranger. We can win this one. Mother by mother.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4290\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"jody\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\"><em><strong>Jody Payne</strong></em> is </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">a writer (fiction and non-fiction), </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">a horse woman (dressage, no less), </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">an animal lover (just ask her two rescue dogs), </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">and most of all she’s southern through and through. </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\"> </span></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">You can find her on FB: </span><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays</span></a></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">Her website: </span><a href=\"http://www.jodypayne.net/\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:medium;\">www.jodypayne.net</span></a></p>','Mother by Mother. Battle by Battle.','','publish','open','open','','mother-by-mother-battle-by-battle','','','2014-06-26 06:00:31','2014-06-26 11:00:31','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4842',0,'post','',3);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4848,1,'2014-06-30 06:00:44','2014-06-30 11:00:44','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/cropped.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-4849\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/cropped.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nI\'m interrupting our regular <em>Make Me Think Monday </em>blog for some personal news. I promise I\'m not turning View from the Front Porch into a promo blog--it\'s just I\'m so excited about my new inspirational series debuting today.\n\n<em>When Love Blooms </em>is now available for purchase for your Kindle. Nook and paperback versions will soon be ready too.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/jp1600-2400.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4852\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/jp1600-2400.jpg?w=200\" alt=\"JP1600.2400\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a>After a hit-and-run accident leaves her mother confined to a special care facility, Darcy Clark abandons her dream of an art career. Instead, she focuses on helping her father run the struggling family landscape business. She has no time or interest in romance.\n\nWhen at-risk students from her old high school become her labor force on a city park project, their teacher Andy Fitzpatrick shows up to help and keep an eye on his kids. The chemistry between Darcy and Andy is instant.\n\nDarcy dares to daydream about the possibility of a happily-ever-after until a dark secret connecting Andy to her mother’s accident comes to light. But will the secret kill their attraction before romance can blossom?\n\nIf you\'ve been around church long then you know the term <em>PK</em> (preacher\'s kid), <em>When Love Blooms</em> is the first in the Fitzpatrick family series of novellas about the siblings of Pastor Colin Fitzpatrick and his wife Patricia, who live in a small town in central Texas.\n\nThe idea for this new series came from my many years of service in church ministry.\n\nThe fact I also happen to be the wife of a PK and the mother of a PhD theologian/preacher means I\'ve got lots of good stuff planned for the other seven siblings of the Fitzpatrick family.\n\nI hope you\'ll enjoy reading <em>When Love Blooms</em> as much as I loved writing about Andy and Darcy\'s love story.\n\nClick <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/When-Love-Blooms-Fitzpatrick-Novella-ebook/dp/B00LDSOIP6/%20\">here</a> to get your Kindle copy.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','BREAKING NEWS - New Book Release!','','publish','open','open','','breaking-news-new-book-release','','','2014-06-30 06:00:44','2014-06-30 11:00:44','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4848',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4862,1,'2014-07-04 06:00:43','2014-07-04 11:00:43','Though it’s not a typical patriotic commercial, this old Chevy commercial is a great depiction of what America means.\n\n[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYXfdnhh2Mo?rel=0&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nA federal holiday in the United States since 1941, July 4th is celebrated with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.\n\nDid you know the first fireworks were approved on July 4, 1777?\n\nHere in our little corner of the Rio Grande Forest, we’ll be sitting on the porch watching our local fireworks display. While it can’t compete with the Macy’s show—the largest fireworks display in the country—we’ll enjoy every second.\n\nWatch this video of Macy\'s 4th of July Fireworks Show 2013 NYC - from Hoboken NJ and you\'ll see why most fireworks displays don\'t compare.\n\n[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUPsJOHw-rA?rel=0&amp;w=560&amp;h=315]\n\nFrom all the View from the Front Porch guest bloggers and me\n<h1 style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">Happy Birthday U.S.A.</span></h1>\nBe safe and enjoy your birthday celebrations today...\n\nand as you celebrate, don’t forget to give thanks for the brave men and women in uniform who are serving all of us here and on foreign soil. Pray for their safety as they do their jobs.','It’s America’s Happy Birthday!','','publish','open','open','','its-americas-happy-birthday','','','2014-07-04 06:00:43','2014-07-04 11:00:43','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4862',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4883,1,'2014-07-11 06:00:08','2014-07-11 11:00:08','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">We have had an unusual, but much appreciated, amount of rain this summer on Miller Farm. It comes in spurts – rain for 5 minutes and then sunshine for an hour. I think they call them “scattered showers.”</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/water-puddles.png\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-4885 size-medium\" src=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/water-puddles.png?w=300\" alt=\"water puddles\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>Anyway, this makes the chicken yard a bit of a mess. The chicken circles fill with water creating ponds.</p>\nWhen I went out to check on the chickens I saw an unfamiliar chicken in the bantam yard:<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/wet-frizz.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4886\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/wet-frizz.png?w=300\" alt=\"wet frizz\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>\n\nAt first glance, it looked like the black bantam, but I had already spotted her in the yard.\nUpon closer inspection, I realized it was Frizz. She had gotten caught in one of the “scattered showers” and all her feathers were plastered to her body. It was a very sad sight. Poor Frizz!\n\nFortunately, she dried off and her feathers stuck back out.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dry-frizz.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4887 size-full\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dry-frizz.png\" alt=\"dry frizz\" width=\"150\" height=\"118\" /></a>\n\nHopefully, she’s learned to come in out of the rain.','Poor Frizz - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','poor-frizz-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-07-11 06:00:08','2014-07-11 11:00:08','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4883',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4889,1,'2014-07-18 06:00:15','2014-07-18 11:00:15','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOur chickens are really entertaining to watch.  During the dry season they regularly “splash” around in the dirt.  I suppose it is like taking a dirt bath.  Anyway they leave little hollows in the ground where they bathe.\n\nThis one made me think of crop circles.<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/chicken-circle.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4891 size-medium\" src=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/chicken-circle.png?w=300\" alt=\"chicken circle\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nYou know - those mysterious circles that appear in crops all over the world.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/crop-circles.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4892\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/crop-circles.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"crop circles\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" /></a>\n\nNo one is really sure how they got there and many websites are devoted to speculations.  The most prevailing thought is that aliens land in the crops and leave an imprint of their ship.\n\nSo this begs the question – are my chickens from outer space?\n\nIn researching this possibility I discovered a cartoon:\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/cowardly-dog.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4893\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/cowardly-dog.png\" alt=\"cowardly dog\" width=\"275\" height=\"206\" /></a>\n\nSo now I have another question – if the chickens really are from outer space, which of our dogs is Courage the Cowardly Dog?\n\nAnyone have a suggestion?','Chicken Circles, Crop Circles and Cowardly Dogs - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','chicken-circles-crop-circles-and-cowardly-dogs-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-07-18 06:00:15','2014-07-18 11:00:15','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4889',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4896,1,'2014-07-07 06:00:19','2014-07-07 11:00:19','We had deviled eggs for our cookout on July 4<sup>th</sup>.  I guessing a lot of holiday cookouts included the dish.\n\nMy recipe comes from my mother. She never wrote it out, but I watched her enough to know you mix the egg yolks, mustard, mayonnaise, and sweet relish until the stuffing will fill the hollowed out egg whites.\n\nSometimes I spice the mixture with dill relish instead of the sweet. Mother would be appalled so don\'t tell.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/eggs.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4898\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/eggs.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"eggs\" width=\"300\" height=\"288\" /></a>I served our deviled eggs on the plate that belonged to my husband’s sister. It\'s a way to include those who have gone before in our celebrations.\n\nWe always have my aunt’s baked beans, my mother-in-law’s chocolate cake (the one with the secret <strong>coffee</strong> ingredient that we never told my father-in-law about--he didn\'t like coffee, you see.) and, of course, daddy’s homemade ice cream for family cookouts.\n\nThe tradition makes us feel like they’re all with us in spirit.\n\nBut I digress. Back to the deviled eggs…\n\nAs we sat around waiting on fireworks, we talked about how deviled eggs came to be called <em>deviled</em>.\n\nSurrounded by techno-device-loaded friends and family, the race for the answer commenced. Fingers moved on iPhones, iPads, and Androids.\n\nSoon Google came to the rescue, revealing interesting things about deviled eggs.\n\nDid you know?\n<ul>\n	<li>Deviled eggs have been around since the first century and ancient Rome.</li>\n	<li>The recipe was first compiled sometime between the fourth and fifth century A.D.</li>\n	<li>By the 15th century, stuffed eggs had made their way across much of Europe.</li>\n	<li>By 1800, deviling became a verb to describe the process of making food spicy.</li>\n</ul>\nYou can read more fascinating details about the origin of deviled eggs <a href=\"http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-ancient-history-of-deviled-eggs\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>\n\nGoogling also turned up the answer to our quest:\n\n<em>The popular egg hors d’oeuvres are also called “mimosa eggs,” “stuffed eggs,” “dressed eggs” or “salad eggs”—especially when served at church functions.</em>\n\nWhy, you wonder...in order to avoid an association with Satan, of course.\n\nWe also learned that, though most standard recipes include mayonnaise, the condiment didn\'t appear in published deviled egg recipes until the 1940s.\n\nThat fact led to a discussion of recipes, which included pickles, dill, bacon, crabmeat, sriracha, kimchi, wasabi, and caviar among other ingredients. Some of which I am so glad were not in my family recipes!\n\nSo how do you make your deviled eggs?\n\nMore importantly, do you call them angel eggs?','DEVIL eggs or ANGEL eggs?','','publish','open','open','','devil-eggs-or-angel-eggs','','','2014-07-07 06:00:19','2014-07-07 11:00:19','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4896',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4907,1,'2014-07-09 06:00:58','2014-07-09 11:00:58','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/getalongshirt.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4908 size-full\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/getalongshirt.jpg\" alt=\"getalongshirt\" width=\"460\" height=\"610\" /></a>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"> SOURCE: <a href=\"http://piccsy.com/2012/12/photo-13153d2dc\" target=\"_blank\">Piccsy.com</a></p>\n Little sister doesn’t look very happy, does she?\n\nCan\'t you just hear the brother thinking REALLY!\n\nThe <a href=\"http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/get-along-shirt%20\" target=\"_blank\">concept of teaching children to get along by using the shirt has been around for a couple of years</a>, but I’m just discovering the idea and wanted to share.\n\nYou can read more about the shirt method <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/get-along-shirt-kids-reddit-photo_n_2542136.html\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> in this Huffington Post article.\n\nI think it\'s a great way to teach kiddos that you have to get along in this world even when you don\'t want to. It\'s certainly an idea I could have used when my kiddos were small.\n\nIn fact, now that I think about it there are some folks I know today that I’d like to slip the shirt on -- and they\'re  not  small children.\n\nBet you can think of a few people you\'d like to use the shirt on, too.\n\nSo what’s your take on the Get Along Shirt—good idea or not?\n\n&nbsp;','The Get-along-shirt','','publish','open','open','','the-get-along-shirt','','','2014-07-09 06:00:58','2014-07-09 11:00:58','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4907',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4916,1,'2014-07-14 06:00:51','2014-07-14 11:00:51','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/i-like-this-place.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4917\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/i-like-this-place.jpg?w=500\" alt=\"I like this place\" width=\"500\" height=\"355\" /></a>\n\nEdie Melson posted this image from her recent trip to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The scene and the quote made me think about how much time I sit on my porch enjoying the quiet and nature all around.\n\nIt’s so peaceful listening to the hummingbirds dive-bombing the feeders and the birds chirping at the birdfeeder filled with birdseed.\n\nI love waving to the neighbors and summer folk walking on the street and meeting them at the fence to chat.\n\nIt’s like the Shakespeare quote says,<em> “I like this place and willingly waste my time in it.” </em>\n\nI don\'t like to consider that I\'m wasting time and I feel guilty when I willingly do nothing.\n\nI find myself thinking of so much I should be doing instead of idling way time (…like writing) and usually get up and go to work.\n\nWhat about you? Do you enjoy willingly wasting time in a favorite space or place?\n\nBesides my front porch, there are other places where I love to kick back and relax. My favorite would be wandering around in Ireland.\n\nI don’t even feel guilty when I do. It’s as quaint and quiet in the Irish countryside as it is on my front porch nestled in the Rio Grande forest.\n\nAfter years and years of the hustle and bustle of a major urban area, I love the slower paced lifestyle offered  in our little part of Colorado and Ireland. It’s what keeps us here and draws us repeatedly to Ireland.\n\nI’m working to retrain my Type A self to bury the guilt and use the down time to recharge my creative juices.\n\nNot an easy task, but I am improving.\n\nWhat places do you love that make you want to waste time? Do you feel guilty or do you relish the time and draw rest and strength from the quiet places?','Wasting time or recharging?','','publish','open','open','','wasting-time-or-recharging','','','2014-07-14 06:00:51','2014-07-14 11:00:51','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4916',0,'post','',4);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4922,1,'2014-07-16 06:00:06','2014-07-16 11:00:06','Last Thursday night (July 12) at 12:25 p.m. MT one of the five <em>super</em> moons due this year shone from the sky.\n\n<em>Super moon</em> is the name coined by Astrologer Richard Nolle over 30 years ago for the times when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit. <a href=\"//earthsky.org/space/what-is-a-supermoon\" target=\"_blank\">Technically, the definition </a>is a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.\n\nFolklore calls this moon Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, or Hay Moon. Why?\n\nBecause at this time of year deer bucks start growing their antlers, thunder storms rage, and farmers struggle to pile up hay in their barns for the coming winter. All of which are evident here in the San Luis Valley.\n\nUnfortunately, last Thursday night clouds hid the super moon from view  so I missed it.\n\nFour days later, on my daily daybreak walk with the dogs the Super Moon remained huge.\n\nAs we walked, I was admiring the gorgeous sunrise as I do every morning\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/sunrise.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4924\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/sunrise.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"sunrise\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" /></a>\n\nwhen I rounded the curve to see this:\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/supermoon-07-14.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4925\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/supermoon-07-14.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"supermoon 07-14\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nThe picture is a bit fuzzy, but there’s a good reason...\n\nI gasped when I spotted the gigantic orb in the sky. That, in turn, made the dogs think I’d seen a bear or something.\n\nToby and Buster, ever watchful on our walks, squiggled around checking the roadside and mountains for wildlife. Thus shaking the hand that held my phone camera.\n\nSad to say, I also missed the full super moons on January 1 and 30. Those were <em>new-moon</em> super moons according to<a href=\"//earthsky.org/tonight/july-12-supermoon-first-of-three-superrmoons\" target=\"_blank\"> EarthSky.com</a>\n\nI’m ready for the August super moon, which will be the closest super moon of the year at 221,765 miles from earth. It should be a spectacular sight.\n\nI’m also marking my calendar for September 9, the last of 2014 super moons.\n\nWhy don\'t you do the same? We\'ll compare pictures.','One Word Wednesday - Super Moon and Dog Walking','','publish','open','open','','super-moons-and-dog-walking','','','2014-07-16 06:00:06','2014-07-16 11:00:06','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4922',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4929,1,'2014-07-21 06:00:42','2014-07-21 11:00:42','This time last year, we were settling back in to our home after a mandatory evacuation for The West Fork Complex fire. If you missed those blogs, you can find the full story <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/life-in-a-wildfire/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>, <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/life-in-a-wildfire-part-2/%20\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>, and <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/life-in-a-wildfire-conclusion-i-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>\n\nOn July 19, 2013  the last incident update reported a total area of 109,615 acres lost and 66% containment with 43 personnel engaged in combating the blazes.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/300px-westforkcomplexmapfinal.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4930\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/300px-westforkcomplexmapfinal.jpg\" alt=\"300px-WestForkComplexMapFinal\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>Not a fun time and very scary. My heart goes out to those in the Pacific NW and particularly Washington State who are fighting so many wildfires right now, and I pray that all will be safe.\n\nThings can be replaced people can’t.\n\nThat truth that was brought home last week as I participated in a public tour of the Papoose Fire burn site, smallest of three fires of the West Fork Complex. The Papoose Fire destroyed more than 49,000 acres. It’s the  area on the bottom right in the picture above.\n\nEven though a total of over one hundred thousand acres burned, there was no loss of human life or homes. That is an amazing accomplishment and the West Fork Fire Complex has become a study model for methods of fighting future wildfires.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/papoose-fire-tour-blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4932\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/papoose-fire-tour-blog.jpg?w=209\" alt=\"??????????????????????\" width=\"209\" height=\"300\" /></a>Before we left the Creede Forest Service office, I picked up a tour partner. I named him <em>Round Rabbit</em> after <a href=\"http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/flat-stanley-adventure-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Flat Stanley</a>, who traveled with me on many other adventures.\n\nMike Blakeman, with the Rio Grande National Forest Service, and Emma, a natural resource coordinator with the Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team (RWEACT), conducted the tour.\n\nA lump formed in my throat seeing all the charred and blackened pillars that used to be trees on the drive up to Fern Creek.<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fire-1.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4936\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fire-1.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"fire 1\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>Yet as we traveled up the mountain to the burn site, spectacular groups of purple and yellow wildflowers that Ranger Mike called <em>fire flowers</em> flourished in the ash. The high intensity fire had burned or seared the surface, but underground seeds of the perennial plants survived.<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fire-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4934\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fire-3.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"fire 3\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nClusters of Aspens, which also spread via a root system, were everywhere along our route. Soon the former green mountain views will be dusted gold and yellow every fall. Aspens can grow to heights of ten to fifteen feet in ten years.\n\nSo while the old views of the Rio Grande Forest have been permanently changed and the vision of so many burned trees is devastating, the new growth testifies to how things can be replaced.\n\nThe pine and spruce trees will take hundreds of years to repopulate making the look of the forest very different from the past, but nature has a way of balancing itself.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fire-2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4933\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/fire-2.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"fire 2\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>We went to a RWEACT site where Emma and Ranger Mike explained how RWEACT is conducting controlled studies of methods to reclaim and prevent runoff damage. The group is also working with the Forest Service to explore how to use the acres and acres of burned wood for the <a href=\"http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter10.html\" target=\"_blank\">development of biomass </a>as an alternative energy source.\n\nLearn more about the recovery work of RWEACT <a href=\"http://www.rweact.org/wildfire-recovery/post-fire-effects\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nSome of the burn areas remain unstable as the dead and burned trees can easily topple to the ground. But, the good news is Forest Service has stabilized and opened most of the trails and fishing sites...and the fish are biting.\n\nYou’ll enjoy the scenery in the Rio Grande National Forest campsites even though it’s not exactly beautiful (except for the lovely purple and yellow fire flowers). You can see how things are okay after a fire’s devastation and maybe you\'ll catch some fish.\n\nIn August, Round Rabbit and I will join a similar tour of the West Fork Fire burn area.\n\nCount on another blog with pictures of the recover in that area of the West Fork Fire Complex.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Déjà vu Wildfires and Round Rabbits','','publish','open','open','','deja-vu-wildfires-and-round-rabbits','','','2014-07-21 06:00:42','2014-07-21 11:00:42','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4929',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4942,1,'2014-07-25 06:00:24','2014-07-25 11:00:24','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nOne of our most famous chickens is Frizz - a Cochin bantam who looks like she stuck her beak in a light socket.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dry-frizz.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4887\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dry-frizz.png\" alt=\"dry frizz\" width=\"150\" height=\"118\" /></a>\n\nShe is a small bird who makes up for her size with attitude.\n\nShe and Samson, a bantam rooster who has feathered feet, have lived with the big birds for quite some time.\n\nThis spring, we moved them into the bantam side.  We then incubated Frizz’s eggs in hopes of duplicating her unique look.\n\nWe had success:<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/frizz-2-ed.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4944\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/frizz-2-ed.png\" alt=\"frizz 2-ed\" width=\"203\" height=\"200\" /></a>\n\nFrizz the Second is a bit more timid than her mother, but then she is still young.\n\nWe have several friends who are now keeping chickens. One has asked about purchasing bantams from us.\n\nRachel was willing to let Frizz the Second go. I am not.\n\nSo we are hatching more eggs. We’ll see what comes out.','Frizz, the Second - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','frizz-the-second-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-07-25 06:00:24','2014-07-25 11:00:24','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4942',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4947,1,'2014-08-01 06:00:48','2014-08-01 11:00:48','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nInspired by our recent vacation in Colorado, I decided to do something about our flower beds.  They had become unrecognizable.\n\nI really hadn’t noticed until we spent time at my parents house where they had just completed some wonderful landscaping.\n\nJust because there weren’t beautiful mountains surrounding our house, that didn’t mean we couldn’t have other kinds of beauty – or at least some order.\n\nI chose a small planter-type bed at the front porch and began.  It had rained several times during the week so the ground was nice and soft and there was a cool front keeping the temperatures within reason.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-1.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4949\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-1.png?w=300\" alt=\"before 1\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>Our neighbors had dwarf yaupon holly bushes  they didn’t want so I moved them into our flower bed to replace the ones that had died. It was a long day but well worth it.\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-1.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4950\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-1.png?w=300\" alt=\"after 1\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a> What do you think?</p>\nI was so excited about the results I decided to tackle the bed in front of the newly weeded bed next. It was a two day project.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-2.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4951\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/before-2.png?w=300\" alt=\"before 2\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>As I pulled weeds, and pulled weeds, and pulled weeds, I uncovered several different types of insects -- spiders, ants, snails, and roly-poly bugs. I even found a small lizard.\n\nI felt somewhat guilty about destroying their habitat and hoped no one contacted the IPS (Insect Preservation Society). I figured I could justify the process as home improvement for bugs.\n\nOur neighbors had gotten a trailer full from the city and had used all they needed. They were to thrilled to have their trailer emptied.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">I thought the weeding would be the hardest part until I started moving mulch. I lost count of the number of wheelbarrows full of mulch I hauled across the yard. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-2.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4952\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/after-2.png?w=300\" alt=\"after 2\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>Once again the result was well worth the effort.</p>\nToday I am staying inside and resting the muscles I didn’t know I had that have hurt since Sunday.\n\nHopefully by Saturday I’ll be ready to tackle the next bed.','Inspiration and Destruction - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','inspiration-and-destruction-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-08-01 06:00:48','2014-08-01 11:00:48','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4947',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4955,1,'2014-07-30 06:00:35','2014-07-30 11:00:35','Bet you immediately thought about a guest book at a wedding or funeral.\n\nThere are those, but that’s not the guest book I mean.\n\nI\'m talking about guest books like the one that lives on the chest in our entry. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/guest-book-2.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4957\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/guest-book-2.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"guest book 2\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nOur smiling faces are first thing to greet all guests to our home, but everyone who visits us is asked to sign our guest book before leaving.\n\nBeside our smiles, Irish guests hear <em>cead mile failte</em>, an Irish greeting that means “A hundred thousand welcomes.”\n\nOf course, we don’t limit <em>cead mile failte</em> welcomes to Irish only. As you can see in the picture, the plaque is there for all who wish to read.\n\nThis is actually our second guest book. The first book ran out of pages before we left Houston.\n\nInteresting thing about guest books...\n\nI rarely look back at the guest book from our wedding and have never looked over the attendees who signed the funeral books from my parent’s services.\n\nHowever, I do go through our home guest books periodically. And, I smile from fond memories of time spent with friends.\n\nHave you visited someone and signed their guest book? Do you have a guest book for you home?\n\nIf not, and you’re interested in starting to use a guest book, there are some great ideas on <a href=\"http://www.pinterest.com/idodeals/guest-book-ideas/\" target=\"_blank\">Pinterest</a>. Most of the ideas are for wedding guest books, but are easily adapted for home guest books.','Guest Book – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','guest-book-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-07-30 06:00:35','2014-07-30 11:00:35','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4955',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4960,1,'2014-07-28 06:00:36','2014-07-28 11:00:36','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/toby-arrival.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4965\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/toby-arrival.jpg?w=147\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"147\" height=\"150\" /></a>Our Old English sheepdog came to us nine years ago at age nine weeks. Our bond was instant.\n\nHe’s been my best friend and trusty companion ever since. He’s constantly by my side. Sleeping in the keyhole of my desk does get a bit crowded sometimes. He didn\'t stay eleven pounds for very long.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/toby-under-desk.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4966\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/toby-under-desk.jpg?w=112\" alt=\"toby under desk\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nWhen Toby was five, Buster joined our family. (He\'s stayed at eleven pounds.)<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/buster-arrives.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4967\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/buster-arrives.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"buster arrives\" width=\"150\" height=\"102\" /></a>\n\nWe inherited the little Maltese from my daughter and, since the dogs had spent time together at family gatherings, we didn’t have issues when Buster came to live with us permanently.\n\nWell, not major issues. There is the problem of rawhide bones.\n\nToby will NOT share and Buster constantly steals the well-chewed and moist pieces. If Toby catches him, there’s gnarling and snapping, but never ever any contact. It’s as though Toby knows he could hurt the littler dog.\n\nWhen Toby realizes a bone has being stolen, he asks me to return his property. (Yep, Toby and I talk to one another.)\n\nThen Buster, with his Napoleonic complex, goes after his much bigger brother as though to eat him alive…again Toby ignores him and settles with his repossessed bone.\n\nBuster and Toby have bonded and rely on one another after four years. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/toby-and-buster.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4968\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/toby-and-buster.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"toby and buster\" width=\"300\" height=\"242\" /></a>Watching the two dogs together has taught me some important lessons.\n<h4><strong><em>Be Loyal (but not to a fault) </em></strong></h4>\nDogs are loyal. That’s what they do, who they are. We’ve all seen the pictures and read stories like the heartwarming story of the Labrador Retriever <a href=\"http://blogs.discovery.com/daily_treat/2011/08/loyal-dog-mourns-lays-at-casket-of-fallen-navy-seal.html\">who famously laid down</a> next to the coffin of his US soldier human.\n\nLoyalty can be a huge asset, but my canine boys have taught me blind loyalty is foolish.\n\nWalking is our ritual. Three times a day we hike around the area. I always do the early morning sunrise walk, but if I’m on deadline or absorbed in writing, those noontime and evening walks aren’t going to happen. They might prefer my company, but necessity dictates they have to go with whoever is available.\n\nThat can happen in our human lives too. Loyalty is definitely an asset, but often we have to do what it takes to get the job done.\n<h4><strong><em>Trust your instincts. </em></strong></h4>\nI see this principle often when I walk the dogs. Both will react if they deem someone or some animal we meet along our way as threatening.\n\nToby is allowed to determine our routes. Sometimes we go the short way, sometimes we walk for five miles, and sometimes we don’t leave the porch.\n\nI trust him. There might be a bear or coyote lurking that I can’t see.\n\nIn life, we have to trust instincts too. Sure, it’s important to take time to listen to others’ input. But in the end, we should heed our gut instincts.\n<h4><strong><em>Know what you want and be super persistent about securing it. </em></strong></h4>\nDogs know persistence pays.\n\nConsider the last time your dog sat beside you through an entire meal, gazing up with Bambi eyes? Did you cave and toss a bite, impressed by his determination and patience?\n\nBuster and Toby recline by my chair at mealtime like bookends. One on my left, one on my right. They don’t beg unless ice cream or pizza is involved. Then Toby sits in that perfect sit he never seemed to manage in dog obedience class and Buster, not to be ignored, jumps up on the edge of my chair.\n\nI cave.\n\nThe scenario reminds me how very, very important dogged persistence can be. We should not give up on our goals.\n\nThere might be setbacks or defeats. Poor Toby and Buster don’t always get to lick the ice cream bowl especially if company’s here. Seeing a dog lick a bowl humans use tends to freak some people out. But hey, that’s what the sani-wash option on the dishwasher is for.\n\nEven if we fail, persistence helps us learn what to do better next time or what techniques or approaches work, and what don’t.\n\nLast, and probably the most significant, thing...\n<h4><strong><em>Go outside and play.</em></strong></h4>\nWriting is a solitary occupation. I tend to spend hour upon hour at my laptop. For Toby and Buster, it’s boring.\n\nWith technology penetrating every portion of our lives and jobs, it’s easy to be online and working 24-7. We forget the importance of refreshing our mind and body.\n\nAfter a while, Toby will nudge my elbow and Buster will whine – not a pretty sound or sight, but effective – until I give up and push away from the computer, iPad, or iPhone.\n\nI never regret spending the time with them. I return renewed and I’m not imagining the effect research suggests <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-pozen/exercise-productivity_b_2005463.html\">exercise can actually improve productivity</a>.\n\nWhat about you do you have a trusted canine companion? What lessons have you learned from your dog?','Four Lessons from My Canine Pals','','publish','open','open','','four-lessons-from-my-canine-pals','','','2014-07-28 06:00:36','2014-07-28 11:00:36','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4960',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4976,1,'2014-08-04 06:00:21','2014-08-04 11:00:21','Last month was National Ice Cream Month. Did you know?\n\nI didn’t either until I read <a href=\"http://www.kovels.com/%20\" target=\"_blank\">Kovel’s Newsletter</a> about ice cream-related memorabilia. Though I’m not in the antiques business full time anymore I often assist friends and neighbors with estate liquidatons so I read Kovel’s to keep up with trends and prices.\n\nOne of the articles gave the <a href=\"http://www.kovels.com/latest-news/celebrate-hot-summer-with-cool-ice-cream-collectibles.html?utm_source=Listrak&amp;utm_medium=Email&amp;utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.kovels.com%2flatest-news%2fcelebrate-hot-summer-with-cool-ice-cream-collectibles.html&amp;utm_campaign=Kovels+Komments%3a+Hot+Wheels+Are+Hot\" target=\"_blank\">origins of the waffle cone</a>.\n\nItalo Marchiony, an 1896 New York City ice cream pushcart vendor, wanted to stop customers from walking away with his serving dishes and invented the edible cone. He patented the special mold for waffle cups with sloping sides in 1903.\n\nA different account claims a 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair ice cream vendor ran out of paper dishes and made a deal with a neighboring vendor of “zalabia,” a waffle-like pastry. The combine effort of rolling up the waffles to hold ice cream was a big hit with fair goers.\n\nEntrepreneur W.W. Turnbull saw fairgoers enjoying ice cream out of the rolled waffles. Three years later, he invented an ice cream cone vending machine. His Turnbull Cone &amp; Machine Company of Cincinnati, which relocated to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1918, became one of the country’s largest ice cream cone producers.\n\nTurnbull Cone\'s motto: “Eat a cone every day. You’ll feel better in every way.” I would agree!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4979\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/advertising-soda-fountain-ice-cream-cone-dispenser.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4979\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/advertising-soda-fountain-ice-cream-cone-dispenser.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"SOURCE: Kovels.com http://bit.ly/1rTyJiC\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> SOURCE: Kovels.com http://bit.ly/1rTyJiC[/caption]\n\nThis is a “Turnbull’s Crisp Clean Cones” soda fountain ice cream cone dispenser from about 1920.\n\nA light bulb on the inside keeps cones warm and crispy. Push the levers on the outside to release the bottom cone down the chute.\n\nThe vintage machine sold for $960 at an auction in Iowa.\n\nThe idea of edible cones exploded in popularity after the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and somewhere along the way ice cream businesses like Dairy Queen entered the picture for ice cream lovers.\n\n<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dq-stop-sign.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4980\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dq-stop-sign.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"DQ stop sign\" width=\"150\" height=\"96\" /></a>For those of you living where there are no DQs, Texans call the distinctive sign the Texas stop sign.\n\nI promise my vehicle certainly stops far too often. But only to confirm Mr. Turnbull\'s motto, of course.','The Scoop on the Ice Cream Cone','','publish','open','open','','the-scoop-on-the-ice-cream-cone','','','2014-08-04 06:00:21','2014-08-04 11:00:21','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4976',0,'post','',2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4988,1,'2014-08-08 06:00:15','2014-08-08 11:00:15','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nWe hatched more chicks last week.<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/new-chicks.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4989\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/new-chicks.png?w=300\" alt=\"new chicks\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" /></a>\n\nTwenty-one of them hatched all on their own. There was one, however, who just couldn’t seem to get out of his shell.\n\nThe normal process is for the chicks to “pip” or poke a hole in the shell then they “zip” a line all the way around the shell. Once the line is complete, they can “pop” off the top of the shell and make their entrance into the world.\n\nThis chick had pipped and partially zipped. We waited 24 hours and there was still no progress.\n\nWe could hear him cheeping so we knew he was still alive. Rachel gently removed the egg and carefully helped the chick out.  He was in the shell upside down so he couldn’t finish zipping and push his way out.\n\nWe let him dry and put him with the other chicks in the brooder. He was a little uncoordinated. The other chicks were not particularly welcoming and he protested loudly in his new home. After a few hours, he was accepted and now it is hard to tell which one he is.\n\nI named him Leo after the lion in the book <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Leo-Late-Bloomer-Robert-Kraus/dp/006443348X/\" target=\"_blank\">Leo the Late Bloomer </a>by Robert Kraus, illustrated by Jose Aruego.\n\nI enjoy watching the chicks. They sleep with their heads down on the wire.  It makes me a little nervous because they look dead.\n\nSo I hit the top of the brooder and wake them up. They are not happy.I apologize and tell them I’m just “chicken” on them.\n\nI want to introduce them to the Miller sense of humor while they are still young.','New Chicks - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','new-chicks-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-08-08 06:00:15','2014-08-08 11:00:15','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4988',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4992,1,'2014-08-06 06:00:34','2014-08-06 11:00:34','<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/stereotype.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4994\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/stereotype.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"stereotype\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>I’m in the process of developing characters for two new love stories, and I’m wrestling with creating people who will be real to my readers.\n\nAt the same time, I’ve discovered I fell into the stereotyping pit in developing my fictional hero and heroine.\n\nIn the next novella of the Fitzpatrick Family series, my preacher’s daughter heroine is any parent’s nightmare.\n\nIn the final book of my military romance series about starting over, my retired Army colonel hero is a tough old bird unwilling to show vulnerability.\n\nOf course, the characters can be exactly that way, but <a href=\"http://holleygerth.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Holly Gerth\'s blog</a> got me to thinking. Do they have to be?\n\nToo often (and too quickly),  we lump people into categories because of a common characteristic or trait rather than think about their story.\n\nI know from personal acquaintances the stereotypes I created are not necessarily true. Army officers can be compassionate and alpha at the same time. All preachers’ kids are not rebellious.\n\nAs a writer, I was being sloppy with my characterization so I started over and interviewed both characters, one at a time, again.\n\nI discovered some amazing things that un-stereotyped them both.\n\nThings that altered the plots of their stories.\n\nThings that will make both novels more interesting.\n\nWhether writing or dealing with people in our everyday world, stereotyping is the easy way, the lazy way.\n\nA trap we shouldn’t fall into. Wouldn’t you agree?','Un-stereotyping – One Word Wednesday','','publish','open','open','','un-stereotyping-one-word-wednesday','','','2014-08-06 06:00:34','2014-08-06 11:00:34','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=4992',0,'post','',4);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (5000,1,'2014-08-22 06:00:50','2014-08-22 11:00:50','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara</em></p>\nWhile Rachel has been at home this summer, we have established a routine of walking the dogs in the evenings.  The girls next door like to go with us and we appreciate the help. This week, however, Rachel has been housesitting so I’ve been on my own.\n\nI faithfully walked next door to see if anyone was available to help. This particular time, one of the girls wanted to go but wanted to ride her scooter instead of walking a dog.  That left me with our four dogs and Miller who was staying at the Miller Farm Hotel while his mom was away at camp.\n\nWith five leashes, I felt like a sled dog driver.\n\nWe walked passed a friend’s house and he commented that the leashes looked like a May Pole. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/maypole.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-5002\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/maypole.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"maypole\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" /></a>\n\nThe school where I teach celebrates May Day each year so I knew exactly what he meant and he was right.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/maypole-leashes.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-5003\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/maypole-leashes.png?w=84\" alt=\"maypole leashes\" width=\"84\" height=\"150\" /></a>When I got home, I decided it would be much easier to take all the harnesses off the dogs without untangling the leashes.  That way the dogs could go get water and rest while I worked on the “maypole leash.”','Maypole Dog Leashes - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','maypole-dog-leashes-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-08-22 06:00:50','2014-08-22 11:00:50','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=5000',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (5005,1,'2014-08-11 06:00:51','2014-08-11 11:00:51','Options for summer outings in our little corner of the Rio Grande National Forest are plentiful. There’s something different and fun every weekend. Don\'t believe me, check out our <a href=\"http://www.southfork.org/\" target=\"_blank\">South Fork website</a>.\n\nLast weekend we joined the fun on the 14th annual Mushroom Foray.\n\nWhat’s a Mushroom Foray you ask?\n\nI wondered myself knowing <em>foray</em> is to raid and plunder. Surely, that wasn’t the intent.\n\nI contacted the Visitor Center for information and learned the Mushroom Foray is a simple adventure into the forest to learn to identify edible mushrooms.\n\nAnd, if you check Dictionary.com, you\'ll find that venturing into something new is a less used <a href=\"http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/foray\" target=\"_blank\">meaning of the word</a>.\n\nSo off we went into the forest on one of the many Rio Grande Forest Service trails. We stopped at three different elevations to find different species of mushrooms.\n\nAt the first stop, we gathered our paper sacks and hiked up the hill into the woods. My husband and I were a little fearful that we’d be the only ones of the twenty folks on the foray that didn’t find specimens, but we soldiered on.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/jerry-mushroom-foray1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-5007\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/jerry-mushroom-foray1.jpg?w=112\" alt=\"Jerry mushroom foray1\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>Our fears were found less for we quickly located a mushroom by a fallen log and prepared to extract the bloom from its habitat. I dutifully made notes of the location on the sack and carefully dug the mushroom then dropped it in the sack. My husband, meantime, kept searching.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/mushroom-4.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-5008\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/mushroom-4.jpg?w=138\" alt=\"???????????????????????????????\" width=\"138\" height=\"150\" /></a>We found six different varieties of mushrooms and proudly dumped our cache for identification along with the mushrooms others had collected. Alas, only one of our finds was an edible variety.\n\nOn our third and last stop, we ate our sack lunch then started searching again. More sure this time of what to look for, we were careful to dig only the ones we thought were edible. <a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/mushroom-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-5010\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/mushroom-3.jpg?w=112\" alt=\"mushroom (3)\" width=\"112\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nIn the picture below, the large white mushroom was the star of the pickings. It was the biggest example for the day of an edible mushroom…and it was ours.<a href=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/mushroom-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-5009\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/mushroom-2.jpg?w=140\" alt=\"mushroom (2)\" width=\"140\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nThe day provided a truly fun foray and an educational adventure. Now, if we are ever stranded in the forest, we won’t starve. We know what mushrooms we can eat.\n\nAlthough my husband isn’t so sure eating a mushroom is better than starving. Me, I love the fungus blooms.','Foray for Mushrooms','','publish','open','open','','foray-for-mushrooms','','','2014-08-11 06:00:51','2014-08-11 11:00:51','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=5005',0,'post','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (5015,1,'2014-08-15 06:00:47','2014-08-15 11:00:47','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>A blog to life with Beekeeper Brian on our wedding anniversary</em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>By Chicken Wrangler Sara </em></p>\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sara-brian-cakec.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5017\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sara-brian-cakec.jpeg?w=221\" alt=\"sara Brian cakeC\" width=\"221\" height=\"300\" /></a>Twenty-seven years ago today, Beekeeper Brian married Chicken Wrangler Sara. At the time they were just Brian and Sara and no one would have ever been able to predict where their lives would go.\n\nThey were married in Houston and lived in a second floor apartment near downtown.  Brian worked part time in a bank and went to school while Sara taught elementary school music.  There were no chickens, dogs, lizards, bees or living creatures of any kind sharing the apartment.  It was very quiet.\n\nThen they moved to Denton where Brian could pursue his Masters degree.  While in Denton, they purchased their first home but still had no chickens, dogs, lizards or bees – at least not on purpose.  The quiet continued until the birth of their first child.\n\nFor the next 20 years, there would be no quiet. Soon there were two girls, but still no animals.\n\nTheir next home was in Canton – home of the world’s largest flea market.  Life was simple, even after a third child was born – a boy.\n\nAfter six months of simple, the Miller family moved to Mexico City, Mexico to a fourth floor apartment in a building with no elevators. Sara has vowed to never have stairs in her house again.  Life was slightly more complicated, but still included no animals. Brian did woodworking while Sara helped with Bible Studies.  The kids played, as they would have wherever they lived.\n\nTwo years later they returned to the US and have lived in Bryan for the past 15 years.  This is where life has become interesting.  It all started with one dog – Marv.  He was soon joined by another dog – Sugar.  They lived outside.\n\nWhen Rachel was in kindergarten, her teacher gave her a guinea pig.  The whole family was enamored and before long they were breeding and showing guinea pigs (which fall into the rabbit category). Gradually the guinea pigs died off and were replaced by a Leopard Gecko named Casey.\n\nIn true Miller fashion, Brian built an incubator and began a breeding colony of leopard geckos. The Millers don’t do things half-heartedly.  The reptile period also included a bearded dragon named “B”.  After a while, the geckos and incubator went to a graduate student and B finally died.\n\nThe dachshunds came next. Brian worked with a woman who bred dachshunds and before long there were four living at the Miller house.  Life at the Miller’s was definitely not quiet.\n\nThen began the chicken phase. Brian put a fence in the middle of the back yard to keep the dogs and chickens separate.  Over the next five years, Miller Farm has provided much entertainment leading to the Chicken Wrangler Sara blog.\n\nThe bees started as a hive in a tree in the front yard.  While most people would call an exterminator, Brian researched and decided this was the perfect time to realize his dream of keeping bees.  His dedication to his craft has earned him the title Beekeeper Brian.\n\nThere has never been a dull moment in the Miller House. Even as the children go off to college, there is plenty of activity.  Beekeeper Brian is a renaissance man who gives the same devotion to everything he does – including his marriage.  After 27 years, life is just as exciting and we have much to anticipate.\n\n<a href=\"https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sara-and-brian-wedding-1c.jpeg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5018\" src=\"http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sara-and-brian-wedding-1c.jpeg?w=300\" alt=\"Sara and Brian wedding 1C\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" /></a>I love you, Beekeeper Brian, and I can’t wait to see what you do next.','A Tale of Birds and Bees - Miller Farm Friday','','publish','open','open','','a-tale-of-birds-and-bees-miller-farm-friday','','','2014-08-15 06:00:47','2014-08-15 11:00:47','',0,'http://judythewriter.wordpress.com/?p=5015',0,'post','',0);
