Catching Up

It's been awhile since I posted, so I'll catch up on all the things I THOUGHT about posting earlier, but never got to, and a few others...

1. The mushrooms in the photo are ones I found on our golf course...am not sure what kind they are, since I could not find them in my Field Guide to Florida book. However, I like them...makes me think that there is a story in them somewhere.

2. I WON a book! I was so happy to do so...it was a great read, and from a relatively local author here in Florida, too. Danette Haworth ran a contest on her blog to give away Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning. I finished reading it last night, after receiving it in the afternoon mail...great story about change and Violet's coming of age.

3. It always amazes me how easily kids can amuse themselves. I am away from teaching now, so am not seeing kids as much, but the other night, when out walking with my grandson, we stopped at a field and he spent the next half hour throwing a small pebble into the 4-inch tall grass, and then running out to find it. Possibly more kids would do things like this...the types of things WE grew up doing...if we could get them away from the technology more often and not over-schedule their lives as much. I am sure there are a lot of kids out there that DO entertain themselves simply, but of course, they are never the ones we read about...

4. MG novel is completely revised now and has a few queries out to agents...(am starting small). I'm happy to report that I have started on another book--which surprises me, since I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to write next. But with the brainstorming help of several friends and relatives, I am now well on my way to writing a chapter book mystery.

5. Sometimes I wonder if I should have a blog or not, and if anyone actually reads it. I know there are a few that do, but I question if I ever have anything to say that is worth sharing with others...

6. We are blessed to be safe and dry here in Brevard county where Fay came to visit and stayed a few extra days. We never even lost our electricity! My heart goes out to all the others in the city and county who were not as fortunate, and found their houses under water. I do not envy them the major cleanup.

Now, back to writing! It is good to be working on something new...much more motivating than trying to finish something that has taken forever.

Few for Friday

1. I have finally returned from an extra (unscheduled) ten days added to my four-day vacation to PA. It took that long to fix my car in VA, but we had a very nice visit with my cousin 250 miles south. My car's engine is fixed.

2. I no longer have that car...we bought a new one as soon as we arrived home. We had planned on trading it in anyway...just did it a little quicker.

3. I have been having fun playing with my camera. The above picture is one of many I took while in NC. I took many nature shots in addition to the great number of wedding pictures.

4. I am finally getting caught up with crits I need to get out, bookkeeping, mail, etc. and plan to get back to writing today. I worked on my WIP some while away, and think I have finally hit upon the order in which I want to put the revisions together.

A Few Things for Friday

This has been a busy week here in my hometown in Florida.

1. My daughter-in-law and two grandsons came to visit from Germany, by way of Georgia, where they are spending the summer. They and another son's family had fun going to the pool, to the zoo, and to Kennedy Space Center...not bad, considering they were only here for four days.

2. Over at Live Journal, Cindy Lord issued a challenge to post a photo a day of our home towns, so since I like to take photos, I took that on...had fun running around town and my neighborhood, taking photos of all the interesting (or not so interesting) things I could. If you want to see pictures of where I live, check out my LJ blog, which is USUALLY the same as this one. Here is a sample:

Harbor at Crane Creek, Downtown Melbourne
3. Also, Jo Knowles invited all her friends to participate with her in the 15-a-day challenge, where we are to write for fifteen minutes a day for a month, created by halseanderson. I have joined that, and am doing okay, so far.

4. Because of the challenge, I finished the first draft of RUSSELL'S VICTORY, an easy reader companion book to IT'S TIME. I sent it off to my editor, and am now reworking the beginning of it.

5. Also, I have gotten quite a bit done on my MG WIP, so the challenge has done well in motivating me to actually sit down and work.

6. We're heading out next week for a wedding in PA, so still need to do a little shopping to see if I can find a new sundress to wear.

Hope you all have a Happy Independence Day!