Tag Archives: writing

COUNTING CATS

The last two weeks have been hard on my barn cats. Near zero temperatures and snow have made life miserable for them. The constant threat of packs of coyotes has me counting cats at every meal, to be sure they … Continue reading

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CHRISTMAS, CATS, & CHAOS

The last several months have been way too exciting! I was extremely late putting up my Christmas decorations. I followed a formula I have used before when there are kittens in the house and decked the living room tree with … Continue reading

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FALL

Heat and humidity dragged relentlessly into September. In Western Pennsylvania summer seemed determined not to end. And then finally the maples thrust forth their first glorious colors and fall was here – for a few short weeks. It is my … Continue reading

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Writer’s Holiday

Writing must be a disease. I met three deadlines this week and have a weekend free of the hustle and stress of trying to finish a manuscript (or three or four). I could be gardening, painting, or (God forbid) cleaning … Continue reading

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Writing in the Check Out Line

Details enrich writing. Fortunately, they aren’t hard to find. Material is constantly available, ready to be mixed into whatever literary concoction you are working on. Gather characters and images while you stand in line at the grocery store: That sobbing baby who pats his … Continue reading

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Winter Evenings

Dark  winter evenings draw us inexorably inward, just as people used to gather to hear stories around a crackling fire. We may think times have changed but we still crave the warmth and comfort of the metaphorical hearth when the … Continue reading

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Through the Eyes of a Child

Sometimes, we think that children are exposed to so much flashy media stimulus that it is hard to capture their imagination with just books. After a recent preschool visit where I read The Christmas Cats, I passed out bookmarks to … Continue reading

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Ordinary Time

When I was a child, I hated reading in the bulletin that a Sunday was designated as “ordinary time.” It meant there was no special holiday, nothing to celebrate or to look forward to. It is only in the past … Continue reading

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Triage for the Harried and Hurried

Weeks with no downtime. Assignments pile up, deadlines loom. Each day leaves more undone. What to do? Write lists, jot notes, on any available surface. Expound on ideas as time allows. Prioritize. Work in short bursts – even 15 minutes … Continue reading

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Fame

Why do writers write or artists paint? Most of us want to create something memorable to leave behind. We would like to feel our lives have made a difference in this vast, wonderful world. Few of us leave giant footprints in the sands … Continue reading

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