All Aboard!

Today I'll begin arranging the Holiday village that consumes my living room. It all began in 1994 with tiny ceramic houses and buildings. Today I'll be adding some, that I've made from cardboard templates, and then painted. I like the rustic simplicity of the handmade ones. Might as well throw in some cardboard trees.

The big item is my train. I have to lay the tracks carefully before arranging the village. 

The one in this video is really nice but it takes a lot of room, and extra building. You'll notice a wall shelf with tracks. Maybe in the future, when I figure out how to do something like that. (maybe). 

I hope you enjoy the video, and the music!  

Is there a special hobby you entertain during the Christmas season?

A gift to myself ~

I had clothes and household items I no longer need or use.  Everything was boxed or bagged and waiting for a destination for delivery... but where to send these things? I did not want them to go to a place where they get resold. I wanted the items to be given away. Thus I began a search for a home.

In my town there's a place called "The Free Store." They had a drop off in front, under a weather protecting canopy. Wow! That would work. I loaded my van and set off. It was easy to find, and there were ready hands to help me unload.

The ready hands were thanking me, but I felt I should thank them instead. After all, weren't they doing me a favor by taking these things?

The ride home was interesting. In the beginning it was to clear out some clutter, and stop hanging onto things that had no value to me. The impact of what one person can do ~ had simply gone over my head. Suddenly I felt as if I had given myself a gift. I hope you understand this. I hope you'll consider doing this... it's a great feeling.

Remember the dishes!

Things to avoid for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving song

Thank you for bearing with my absence. I feel better but it's slow going still. I hope to return soon. Today I want to post a song for you. Here are the lyrics.

Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table.
From far and near we travel home,
Blessed that we are able.

Grateful for this sheltered place
With light in every window,
Saying welcome, welcome, share this feast
Come in away from sorrow.

Father, mother, daughter, son,
Neighbor, friend and friendless;
All together everyone in the gift of loving-kindness.

Grateful for whats understood,
And all that is forgiven;
We try so hard to be good,
To lead a life worth living.

Father, mother, daughter, son,
Neighbor, friend, and friendless;
All together everyone, let grateful days be endless.

Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table.

Tuesday's The Phil Review: a hare raising moment

Leaves a-blowing in the wind
I take my feet out for a spin.

Here I sit out in the grass
Fall is near and coming fast.

The sun is bright in a sky of blue
Perfect photo for Phil's review.

Keep these moments close to heart
As warming lights for Winter's dark.

Dear Readers ~ 

Some folks are affected by the changing of the seasons. Changes that might bring mental sadness, lack of motivation, or other paralyzing thoughts. If you're affected like this, try to store up some happy moments for those times. Maybe you have a suggestion that would help, please feel free to share (smile).


~ Phil

The Phil Review for Thursday, Oct. 15th

Welcome to Phil's Thursday review!!

The dcrelief song competition post can be found here >  Battle of the Bands.  If you are interested, or like music, she's got two Halloween songs. Listen to both and vote for the one you like.

Is your Halloween spooky or cutesy? Let's do pumpkins:

Let's do ghosts - spooky, cutesy, or maybe raunchy?

Do you have a favorite candy that only comes out at Halloween?

The Phil Review - Tuesday, Oct. 13th.

Hello! I am Phil -  not to be confused with the Pennsylvania 'groundhog,' named Phil. We're very different, though we're both related to the Queen of England :) Now days, who isn't somehow related, as a distance cousin, or possible enemy?

My favorite/favourite thing is the alarm clock on my cell phone. Naps are vital to an old hare like me, so a quick snooze is refreshing. I have a profound admiration for the snooze button... it can be reset up to seven times. 

Is this the month for big beginnings of, "who's running for President?" Now we'll go forward a whole year, yakking about one person after another.  There will be lots of dirt flying - get your safety glasses now! 

Here's a candidate with issues already:

This month is the season for 'all things spooky' or Halloween related. I feel the need to post my own warning photos:

Questions for you: Are you related to the Queen of England? Do you nap? Are you a snooze button user?  Do you own safety glasses? Do you like pumpkin flavor? Are turnips decorations spookier than pumpkins??

See you next time!

~Phil

New feature for Tues. and Thurs. : The Phil Review ~

Philanthropist Phil
is helping us chill
by writing a blog or two

On two days per week
Our dear, Phil, the geek
Will take on the job of glue

To hold the blog intact
and hopefully impact
The reader's point of view.

Teddy and I really need more down, and alone time. Let's see how it goes - every Tuesday & Thursday!

Be here or the Hare gets canned!

dcrelief & Teddy

Yikes! Hurricane Joaquin!

Thursday through Friday, hurricane Joaquin brought fierce rain and wind - lasting for hours. 

Periodically I'd check the outside for any possible brick wall damage. Any damage could cause a shift in how the rain water drains away from my house. Basically the walls also keeps the land from shifting. 

You've been with Teddy and I, all last spring and summer, as we struggled to re-do the retaining walls, and plant new flower beds. I am happy to say: OUR work was FRUITFUL! 

I'm writing this Saturday, lunch time, hoping the worst has passed. Hard to believe I'm about 250 miles from the East coast, and could still get this weather! Watching from our favorite window, Teddy and I are grateful. Parts of the city are reported as having flooded. News weather is projecting more of this through Monday. Teddy and I hope we're no longer on the receiving end (smile).

It's still a very overcast sky, but the trees are calm, if only for a few minutes. If the wind returns the limbs will begin their swaying, again. We're hanging on and hanging out! Keep us in your thoughts, please.

I know, I know!!!

I always seem to be late getting in on the excitement of Halloween. Yes, I know, I'm really early. If I don't do something now the days will fly by, and all the spooky photos, poems, and experiences will have been used up. Here we go ~ my (early) Halloween thoughts...

First - the photo poem:

Cat on a cloud
Looking very proud
Staring at the fish
Who has one simple wish ~ to swim faster.

My candy poem:

M&M's are waiting at the store
Must buy three bags ~ hmm, maybe more
Candy corn is always great
Use a bunch to decorate a cake.

My costume poem:

Try to guess who I am ~
Living in a magical land
Tiny wings and pointed ears ~
One that children never fear.

Happy Pre-Halloween! I'm done (smile).

Has spam changed your life?

Some people generally define spam as any unsolicited email.  I admit I've called it by worse names... (probably shouldn't share them here.) 

Some look so tempting...I've thought to have a peek, but no! Still I'm very curious and have a question for you. Don't be shy  ~

Have you ever opened a spam mail and actually benefited from it? 

You know you want to tell me, don't you?! (smile).

Sunday and another umbrella - again!

Rain is forecast for another six days. Under the overcast sky, it comes and goes.

Meanwhile I trek to the store, taking an umbrella, which I then leave in the van!

So far the van has three umbrellas - two more are in the house.

It's possible I have one stashed back, that I received for Christmas - umm - last year

(I hope.)

I need a way, to remind myself ,to return the umbrellas to the house after my treks.

Help!

Passing on some free advice ~

Oops, again ~

The tough part about Internet communications is the lack of insight that a face to face meeting offers. Okay, fast forward, I really misjudged a situation. By the time I figured out who, what, where, when, and why - the party bus had pulled away from the curb. As much as I was determined not to make a mistake.

Past experiences dominated my thinking. And in those good old days, I ran away!  I don't know of any way to go back.  It becomes one of those situations where you let the lesson speak.

This probably doesn't even make sense.

Have you ever convinced yourself (for example, give yourself about 10 reasons) 'why' you should avoid something or someone? Later on you might wonder, 'what' was the big deal? I'm guessing the big deal was my fear, but fear of what?

Oh well...

Bed of Dreams ~

This year's leaves will fill the back flower bed.
It runs one third the length of my mini-forest. 
The bed is 2 feet wide and thirty feet long. 
Compost and fertilizer will top it out.
Just before spring I'll till the soil, mixing everything well.
Finally... sow all the flower seeds, collected from other beds.
I hope it will be amazing!

Now that's a "Bed off Dreams"!

Do you make Autumn plans for Spring planting?

Weeds or wishes?

There are many people who dislike the lowly Dandelion. Children love them, but many adults hastily mow them down. Why is that? I don't have an answer.

I see them and think, "Oh look, the childrens' flower has arrived." 

There's one left and I know Fall is approaching. My little childrens' flower will soon hibernate. I have one last wish I can make. 

Do you see these as weeds or wishes?

If you answer, 'a wish,' then what would you wish for on the last flower?

Window seat theater

The yard is slowly awakening - the sun launches from the East.
The seventh hour shows some blue sky - white puffy clouds will arrive soon.
Trees are tall, with golden rays intertwined - dew glistens on the rose.

It is the breakfast hour for birds and other creatures - they are moving.
A studio window is my front row seat at the theater - I request a peaceful day.
Time to extinguish my candle - head my way - being mindful of others.

In my mind I hear, Yanni Hrisomallis  ~

Little Busy Feet

The little feet had a busy week. I kept telling them: "little feet - don't fail me now."

Just survived a week of running around. I kept thinking, if I sit down it's all over; I'll never get up! Might as well move while I got energy and determination. Truth be told, a time management plan would work wonders for my life. Yep, I'm busy at being busy. But this coming week, I promise, (I mean it), I'm slowing it down.

Do you get busy at being busy? How many busy weeks, in a row, can you go?

Favorite time of year ~

The air is slowly changing
There's a sweater on the chair ~
Long walks are very pleasing
As I breathe the morning air ~

The squirrels will soon be gathered
In nests, high in the trees ~
On the ground, eventually slathered
Will be autumn's colored leaves ~

What is your favorite time of year?

Sometimes

Recently this happened with me. In less than twenty-four hours, I answered, 'no.' I could have said yes, but there's that thing about "being true to one's self." I have boundaries that I do not cross - maybe it makes life a bit limiting, but it's an honest assessment too. In short, if I deceive myself, I might also be deceiving another. Isn't that cruel, and undeserved by the receiving person? You know it, and so do I.

I think the poem called, 'The Serenity Prayer' will always be helpful.

God ~ grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.

       ~ courage to change the things I can.

And ~ wisdom to know the difference.

Have a great evening, (smile).

Shagging

During my post on dancing as exercise, a friend and fellow blogger, Bazza at To Discover Ice mentioned "shagging." In the UK shagging is something different than the US shagging. Do not be alarmed.

Luckily another friend, and fellow blogger, Jo on Food, Life, and a Scent of Chocolate knew the difference!

I love to shag but you  really need a partner to dance. As a kid I would tie a long scarf to my bedroom door knob and dance away! I should give it a go, huh?!

Okay, let's watch this video of the 2014 "Shagging at the Beach" winners! Music by Credence Clearwater Revival...

Enjoy your time and ~ Battle of the Bands

Wherever you go, whatever you do... if you're celebrating Labor Day... be safe and have fun.

Also -  I didn't let you guys know that I posted a "Battle of the Bands" on my other blog. Monday is the last day to listen and vote. To visit - go here: dcrelief ~ Battle of the Bands

Who can afford the outfits?

A friend is trying to convince me that dance is the ultimate exercise. Okay, sure, I love 'shagging at the beach.' But no - she's speaking of going barefoot, ankle bracelets with bells, and long flowing dresses.

Can you say - disaster? I can, and I'd be one jump away from busting my tail.

She contends it's low impact exercise. I looked into her idea for my life and had one simple question:

Who can afford the outfits? 

Bells, whistles, glitter, rhinestones, and of course, gauze or silk materials that are flow-y!

I'm thinking the greatest impact would be to my wallet. She's not listening, and instead sent me video. "Here - watch this and start out moving like her." I'm in trouble.

Mural time

These colors are so bright and lively. My neighbor will be painting her bedroom this turquoise color. I'll come in and do the tree. Together we'll make the long drapes. The hard part has been locating the fabric for the ottomans. I think a zebra print would be fine; she's not 100% on that. Time will tell. Either way, I start the tree next week,

For me, this is almost a hobby. Do any of you take on projects like this?

School ~ daze and confused

This reminds me of the time my younger brother 'borrowed' my high school term paper. He was in ninth grade and decided to make my paper shorter. He reduced the amount of information, (thinking?) it might, more resemble, the work of a ninth grader. Okay. Then he had the nerve to get mad, because the paper I originally wrote received an A+ . 'His' brought him a B+.

Did stuff like this ever happen to you?

a lazy evening with the moon

Photo by
J. McCauley

9-01-15







Neighbor's photo...Monday's moon.
I watched it's flight.
A-glow in light.
Feeling good... feeling a mosquito(!)

~ Back to my studio.

Prep the canvas... daily painting.
I hear a song.
Aches are gone.
Limber muscles...limber mind.

~A lazy evening with the moon.

                             

How to bear an illness

Hello everyone... anyone?

Teddy, and I are moving past a long spell of exhaustion. Hopefully we'll make a schedule that includes blogging. We've missed everyone!

The chart shows a lot about our main issue. We also discovered I have a huge sensitivity to electronics, and electrical things. My constant research of things on the computer puts me at risk. Imagine that? But if you think about the human brain and the use of chemicals to send electrical impulses to other parts of the body - it's not a far stretch to see the connection.

Maybe I'll write more on this another time. For now, I'm eager to come visit your blogs! It seems like I've been gone forever.

Curious

Though I'm not posting much - still no energy - I wonder what  you might be doing? This little tomato truly has character! Why don't we name it?

Summer's weather

Summer's weather comes, with a blue sky and a yellow sun.
From the window of the grocery store, I see rain and prepare to run.
The breeze is cool, then cold, as the rain soaks my skin.
Then, as if by magic, the sun and blue sky reappear again.


I hope everyone is doing well.

Butterfly bushes, and an affirmation for you ~

I love my Butterfly bushes! The two in my yard promise a lovely season of butterflies. This photo is from last year, but the purple color looks even better this year. What seems a very slight scent to me must seem heavenly to the butterflies. Though I'm still feeling weak from loss of energy, the picnic table I visit every morning allows me to view beauty up close.

Having begun a strict regimen of vitamins and supplements, I hope to be back to regular posting soon. I appreciate your patience, and comments!

Today, I'd like to share this week's affirmation. It comes from a deck of 52 cards in a set by Melody Beattie. Her collection is called, "The Language of Letting Go." Maybe you've heard of her?

"Today, I will cherish those relationships where there is harmony and honesty." ~ Melody Beattie

Snails for hire

I arise, feeling slightly refreshed from a night's rest.
Early morning finds me at my picnic table.
The last of the plants tell me where they wish to live.
__--__--__--__--__

My apologies for being absent from my blogs, and from commenting on your blogs. This week I'm better but not where I want to be, health wise. Keep your fingers crossed that this will be the week, I catch up on being me again!

Many are taking vacation, and some are taking blogging breaks.  To those who leave before I get a chance to speak with you - I hope you have a safe and fun break, (smile).

10 Reasons why I love Short Stories - blog tour with Chrys Fey!!!

Thank you, Dixie, for having me on your blog for a second time during my Witch/Ghost Blog Tour. Last time, I had a recipe. This time I have a list. :)

Both of my new short stories, Ghost of Death and Witch of Death, are short stories. Before that, I published Hurricane Crimes, another short story, and 30 Seconds which is a novella. To say I love short stories is an understatement. I love, love, LOVE them! Here’s why:

10 Reasons why I love Short Stories:

1. They are fun to write.

2. Sometimes an idea isn’t right for a novel but perfect for a novella or short story.

3. I like being able to read a complete story in an hour or so.

4. When I need a quick reading fix, I prefer a short story versus starting a new book.

5. They help me to reach my Goodreads reading goal faster. ;)

6. I love to create prequels or sequels for my book and shirt is a good way to go for those.

7. Because they are short, you can cut out all of the unnecessary piddly stuff and keep only a few major plot points AKA the good stuff!

8. If it’s a thriller, you can count on the action starting on page one and to never let up.

9. If you want a romance hit, short stories are quick and packed with passion.

10. They are faster to edit. Haha!

QUESTION: Do you like short stories? Why or why not?

Title: Witch of Death

Author: Chrys Fey

Genre: Supernatural/Suspense

Format: eBook Only
Page Count: 45 (short story)

Release Date: May 20th, 2015

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Blurb:

Detective Reid Sanders doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but when he’s faced with a crime scene that defies the laws of nature, he has no other choice but to start believing. And solving a magical murder involves working with a witch.

Liberty Sawyer embodies the look of your classic evil witch, so, it’s no surprise when she uncovers the murderer is a witch that she becomes Reid’s number one suspect. If she can’t convince him otherwise, more people could lose their lives to dark magic, including her.

BOOK LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / The Wild Rose Press / NOOK / KOBO

Excerpt:

Liberty Sawyer glided swiftly through the horde of police officers, reporters, and on- lookers. Black hair fell from a rigid part in the middle of her scalp to her hips. Her eyes were a soul-stabbing blue and her lips were blood-red. She towered over the other officers on the scene, and wore all black, which set off 6 the pallor of her skin.

Showing her badge to the officer, she slipped under the crime scene tape. A few paces away, she spotted Detective Corbin talking to his new partner, a man she knew by name but hadn’t had the privilege of meeting yet.

“I cannot believe you called her,” the new man was saying when she came up behind them. “We don’t need a damn psychic!”

“Actually, I’m a witch.” She smiled when Reid jolted and turned to face her. “I’m

Detective Liberty Sawyer.” She stuck out her hand.

“Detective Reid Sanders,” he grunted back and took her hand.

The feel of his palm against hers sent tingles of lust from the tips of her fingers to her shoulder blade, and she knew he felt it too by the way he jerked his hand back. She winked at him playfully, hoping it would unnerve him even more.

ALSO AVAILABLE:

Blurb:

Jolie Montgomery, a twenty-one-year-old woman, wakes up in an alley next to her corpse. She has no memories of her murder or the night she died. She didn’t even see the killer’s face before he or she took her life. Wanting justice, Jolie seeks answers in the only way a ghost can...by stalking the lead detective on the case.

Avrianna Heavenborn is determined to find the person responsible for a young woman’s death. She gets closer to the killer’s identity with every clue she uncovers, and Jolie is with her every step of the way.

But if they don’t solve her murder soon, Jolie will be an earth-bound spirit forever.

Book Links:

 Amazon US / Amazon UK / The Wild Rose Press / NOOK / KOBO

BIO:

Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds. She is currently working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes that’ll serve as book two in the Disaster Crimes series.

When Fey was six years old, she realized her dream of being a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida where she is waiting for the next hurricane to come her way.

You can connect with her on Facebook and her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers! 

Author Links: 

Facebook / Blog / Website / Goodreads 

Thank you all for visiting and hopefully commenting. ;) 

Baby steps. and a crafty idea for you ~

Exhaustion is a crazy thing. It can creep up on you fast, and threaten to not let you go. This is where I'm at today ~ experiencing physical and mental exhaustion. For this month, I will post on 'dcrelief - Remove the rose colored glasses,' at least once a week. I have two other blogs I've yet to make decisions on. My apologies for not responding sooner, or to recent comments. It seems I have chronic fatigue - great - more baby steps in my life!! But let's be thankful it's nothing worse, with a cute craft...

By the way, here's one of the reasons I'm exhausted ~ remember I'm supposed to be doing flower beds?!! This one was finished right before the A2Z challenge began.

Tomorrow ~ writer, Chrys Fey is here for her blog tour. Please stop by, and say hello to Chrys. She's sharing 'ten reasons why she loves short stories.'

Missing two blog hops ~ rats!

To join - Celebrate the Small Things:

Lexa Cain

To join - Bonehead Blog Hop:

Cherdo on the Flipside

Like the sunshine ~ I'll return as soon as I can

The rain comes and goes for the last few days.
It's windy and cold outside, bringing the aches and pains.
What a hindrance ~
Life's pleasures stand still.

I don't want to do much of anything.
Pain is everywhere I am.
Walking, standing, sitting, breathing.
Waiting for the sun's return.

(I'll return as soon as I can.)

Come visit my music blog

Happy Monday!

It's 'Battle of the Bands' time at my music blog.

dcrelief ~ Battle of the Bands

You're invited to come listen to two versions of the same song, and vote for the one you like the best.

You do not have to be a member of this blog hop to vote.

I'll be spending most of the day visiting the other Battle of the Band participants. Please excuse my absence here, (smile).

This battle runs today through 12 noon on June 7th.

Enjoy your day!

My Favorite Vacation Spot - Blog hop

This blog hop was the idea of Lexa Cain, who needs cheering up after a laptop crash. Truly a bummer, but the worse part is not remembering all of her passwords! Here's to you, Lexa!


My first memories of vacation were the family trips to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's wasn't that far from home, but when you're a kid, it seems days away. "Are we there yet?"  My parents insisted on seeing the ocean before doing anything else. They'd park the car at the boardwalk, and we'd walk onto the beach.

 Today I still do the same... park at the boardwalk and walk down to the beach. I could stand there forever, breathing in that wonderful salty air.

It's a popular spot for families, and they still use blue umbrellas! 

We played lots of mini golf... but they have changed over the years. They are no longer ground level only. 

Here's some photos I took from the mini golf course.

We love playing in the foam at the water's edge. We love the sand castles that are here today - gone tomorrow. I agree, it's time to go and stake out a spot on the shore. Of course we love the late afternoon, watching the ships, and small boats come in to shore. Can you hear the roar of the ocean as you drift off to sleep?

Our six blog hop hosts:

Lexa Cain

Melanie Karsak

T.F. Walsh

Vanessa Morgan

Jolie Du Pre

Stuart R. West

Not to worry, Teddy. we'll go again soon. Until then, we'll travel in our hearts.