too little time

Phil says it's almost over...

2011-02-02T18:38:00.000-05:00

Here in PA we have a friend named Phil. He stirs from his nap, and manages to stir us up a bit, each year on the 2nd of February. Today we got the news...an early Spring! I do not have to drive much in this weather since I work from home; I know many people only want this snow, ice and other white, grey, black debris to dissappear but I enjoy the winter. Once my Christmas decorations are down, I clean closets, get back on projects left behind before the holidays and dig in, inside where it is toasty and the snow outside is gorgeous. Phil says that will come to an end sooner than later this year. Don't tell anyone but I'm fine if he is mistaken!

It's Fantastic!

2010-06-05T20:50:00.000-04:00

My newly redesigned and exciting website (www.marypaladin.com) has hit the airwaves, or would that be cyberspace? Either way...it's gone LIVE! It's colorful, it's multi-level, it's interactive and I am thrilled!

Can you imagine that I (the techno loser) tried to build my own website from scratch? Well 4 books for referral(Websites for Dummies the well worn manual of the selection), and nearly a year of futility, it still looked pretttty bland! With the expertise of a great web designer (Aaron, of Branded Designs Inc =) it seemed quicker than a blink and it was ready for all to see.

The site features my portfolio, my latest book, my events and even a shopping page! Yes...I am REALLY taking a jump into the "now" offering the convenience of browsing from the comfort of your favorite chair! Who'd a thunk it?!?!?

I hope you have a moment to stop by and check it out. I'd love to hear what you think! Drop me a note- the writer in me will see to it that you recieve a timely (and most likely lengthly) response!

Hot Flash- did I miss Spring?!

2010-05-03T10:14:00.000-04:00

No, not me...The weather has, once again flipped out.
It is May 3rd and for the last few days it has been HOT,HOT,HOT!
I guess the reason I make mention of this- in the manner I do- is because I LOVE SPRING! Where the heck are the days that slowly warm up and slip into the tepid breezes?! Where are the calming sounds of nature as they gently waken birds and bugs; easing them from slumber or welcoming them back north?! Where the heck is the transition of the greens and they pop through the brown surface of the wood's floor?! I'm not sure where all that is but I miss it!
It is beautiful outside- granted. The greens are vibrant, the azaleas are breathtaking, the birds are in a frenzy with home construction. It just seems as thought there isn't the ease of transition, the calmness of a new season, the temptation to our senses as the winter finally disappears and the warmer days move in.
(Sigh) Well...as they say it is what it is. I wish only that Spring could take center stage for at least a little while. It is the season of rebirth and who doesn't like a new lease on life?

We call him Phil...

2010-02-02T11:30:00.005-05:00

Today... is Groundhog Day.

I live in central Pennsylvania; one need not be native to this state to know about "Punxatawny Phil" (we PA-ers know him as just, "Phil"). The responsibility that rests upon his well-fed, chubby little shoulders is not taken lightly.

Phil lives in western Pennsylvania which is many miles from here but we still look to Phil for our forecast as to spring's arrival. Many people throughout the US, and I know a few Europeans as well, that enjoy stories of our furry, rodent friend.

Phil is a popular critter, unlike his close relatives, the consumers of all things seed-like... squirrels. He is even more popular if he gives us the report we want to hear.

Unfortunately, Phil did not predict an early arrival of spring as I had hoped he would; we've got six more weeks of winter ahead of us. Today my mantra seems to be: "I think I can...I think I can.... I think I can..." Instead, I need to think about the positive and remind myself of the slogan I decided to live by in 2010: "It is...what it is."

So like Phil, I will take a deep breath, stretch when I can, and settle in for a little while longer.

2010

2010-01-08T12:32:00.003-05:00

The new year has arrived; that can bring hope and inspiration, or the feelings of... well, the other stuff.

This year I choose to be on the side of hope and inspiration. There have been years when I have started out on the opposite side of the page but, as my life reaches the middle of my story, I appreciate things as they can be, were, and hopefully will be.

The new year..."Is it TwentyTen or Two Thousand Ten?" Either way, the new decade of the (truly) new millenium will be a year of hope and inspiration for me.

Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

2009-06-03T12:55:00.003-04:00

Here it is!

The cover of my book, "The Adirondacks that are, the Other Half of Me"! The book is to be released at the end of June- after multiple delays:( .

I am thrilled with the look, and of course, the cover shot. It is a perfect picture of one of the most beautiful places on earth(to me, and my family, at least!). It was taken by my husband while hiking Stevens Mountain overlooking Brant Lake in NY.

It is the water that quenches my soul.....

I will keep you updated on its actual release date once I am "given the word"!

Signing Updates!

2009-05-26T11:57:00.005-04:00

I have an updated list of signings (thus far) for my book:
"The Adirondacks that are, the Other Half of Me"
July:
10th-Bookstore Plus; 4pm-6pm; Lake Placid NY
19th-Adironack Reader; 11am-1pm; Inlet NY
August:
4th-Horicon Historical Society; 7(?)pm; Brant Lake, NY
Sept:
12th-Author's Fair at ADK Reader; 1pm-4pm; Inlet, NY
Nov:
1st-Chronicle Book Fair;11am-4pm; Glens Falls, NY

There are more in the works and I will update my website with those that are confirmed...
http://www.marypaladin.com/

Hope you can stop by at one of them!

Lots of Time Today!

2009-05-11T15:29:00.002-04:00

I arose at 5:30 this morning. Usually it is 6 or 6:30 and I manage to get rolling pretty early on in my day; today was fabulous! With that extra bit of time I got so much done that I sat down for my lunch(I skipped b'fast) at 10:04; I was starving!

I had spread 2 bags of mulch (by 8:30) at the cemetary on my parents' graves as the final touch to 3 hours of weeding, transplanting, trimming, digging and edging. It is something I do every Mother's Day if it is need of a major overhaul-yesterday it was. So today with the mulch it looks great.

Planted and mulched here at the house and swept the deck and all walks clean of the "helicopters" from the Maple trees that bury us here in the woods! It is a futile attempt at cleanliness because at this moment there is a whole new bumper crop of the whirly seed everywhere!

It is a gorgeous day and since i am finished with my drink of icy water I am headed back outside...Can't waste any time!

Tree Tappin', Sugar Shackin'; Warm Weather's Not Far Behind!

2009-04-25T16:21:00.004-04:00

Even though the temps have reached 80+ degrees here in Central PA, I thought I'd pull up a picture of my husband taken a few weeks ago while at the "Sugar Shack" making Maple Syrup.
For anyone who has done "sugaring", it is quite the endeavor. A bit too slow for me- I can't sit around that long but my husband and his sugaring buddies LOVE it!

It seems like it has gone from 30-80 degrees in no time flat! We don't have much of a Spring anymore. Winter hustles, almost immediately, into Summer; bad news for me since Spring is my favorite season... Global warming? Cyclical climate change? Who knows- I won't even go there- but I do miss Spring.

I potted lots of flowers for the deck today and soon there will be much growth. The trees seen above have started to sprout buds in the last week as well. I love the vibrancy of the yellows, greens, reds, and tan buds that are bursting to life as the flora wakes up and shakes itself awake!

Each season has its glory. My husband prefers winter which leads to tree tappin' and sugar shackin'. Me? I love tree tappin' and sugar shackin' which means warmer weather's not far behind!

My First Book Signing!

2009-02-12T20:11:00.003-05:00

I don't know if, or how many times, I may have mentioned that I am nearly finished with my book: The Adirondacks that are The Other Half of Me. I now have a publisher, and it will coming out in the late spring.

Today I received a confirmation for my first book signing; I am SO excited! The date is TBA but the event will be presented by the Horicon (Brant Lake, NY) Historical Society, this summer! I don't know whether to jump up and down or faint. Although I am generally not at a loss for words (and don't worry I'll find them...) I must confess I am a TAD nervous already. But that too shall pass....

I spent all day working on my marketing plans so, to receive this news today was the icing on the cake-or should I say the golden ink on the page!

Illustration Friday: Pale

2009-01-17T12:29:00.006-05:00

OOPS! I linked my I.F. entry to my general blog instead of my Art blog! Sorry to both groups- a techie I am NOT.
Jump over to my 'Link and Blogs' on the right and click on my ART blog to see this week's entry in a larger size plus all of my art related topics and work.
Sorry for the inconvenience...

Baby, it's cold outside!

2009-01-16T13:44:00.003-05:00

It is 1:30(-ish) here and it is COLD; 18 degrees to be exact.

I'm sure that is not cold to many of you that read this from various spots in the vast "out there", but for us here in central Pennsylvania-it's pretty darn cold.

When I was small we used to have weather like this all the time; the snow fell like crazy and temperatures dropped sometimes to zero! Over the past 2 decades we haven't seen much of that. Global warming? I'd rather not go there...

What I do know is that it has made me a softy. I don't want to go out in it, I don't want to play in it, I don't even walk the dog in it! (Thanks, husband of mine). I want to look at it, I want to think about it, I want to write about it; I just don't want to be IN it!

It makes me sad to a point that I feel that way; I used to love to ice skate, sleigh ride, build snow forts and just have a grand time but it has lost its draw for me. There isn't a whole heck of a lot that can entice me to go in these temps except two things... a hair appointment(the roots don't lie) and the mail (just in case there is an acceptance letter in it)!

Gone Too Soon

2009-01-07T19:59:00.007-05:00

Two days ago we lost one of our beloved pets to cancer...A black cat by the name of Salem. We named him that when we first found him because...well, aren't all black cats named Salem? Or Shadow? Or Inky? Or something stereotypical?

What we should have named him was "Guvna"(you know like, "Allo Guvna!") He was something. He was probably one of the friendliest cats I have ever had- and I've had 19 through my lifetime so far.

He sauntered out from under the huge blue spruce in our yard one night 8 years ago as we packed our car to leave for vacation. Two weeks later upon our return he was sleeping on the lawn chair in the same place he was when we left! His short life (for our cats, 8 is very short) was one that made us laugh. He never missed an opportunity to get all the attention possible. He will be missed terribly by we three humans and his "siblings" Aggie, Seamus and especially his best brother Crayola who, is lost without him.

In a day or so, he will go back under that blue spruce from where he came and he will be in good company with all our other fur-coated family members . It is a spot that is a hub of activity for birds, squirrels, rabbits and even a deer or two sometimes. Salem spent day after day watching the action out the picture window that faces it and I think he would have chosen the same spot to rest.

There is Always a Bit of 'Good'.

2009-01-02T22:37:00.008-05:00

2009. A new year is upon us and it is apparent that the hope for a much better year than last is felt by many, if not all.

Some of us start the new year with resolutions, some with hopes, some with regrets and some with optimism. I must admit that I, at some time or another, have been a subscriber to all of those. But this year I will make it a point to focus on the 'good'; whether it be alot or a little-there will be good...
We may not always take note of such but, it is there. It is up to us to see it. As grand or as miniscule as it may be- there is something for which to be grateful.
It does not hurt to hope for more; but it is imperative that we acknowledge what good already exists in our lives.

Now more than ever, we must dig deep and find that grain of compassion that settles near the bottom of our-selves. We need to lift it out, dust it off a bit so it shines, and hold it toward the sunlight. With a little bit of brightness from our souls and a lot of belief in good things...perhaps we will be able to grow a better year for ourselves, than the last...

Little Girl Lost

2008-10-21T13:56:00.006-04:00

I am a genealogy buff. For those of you that share the interest know that using 'buff' is putting it mildly. It is an obsession...

I had hit a huge, thick, tall, wall (since 1996) as to the whereabouts of my father's oldest sister who died from pneumonia in 1903 at the age of 8 months. I couldn't find her anywhere. I felt terrible, really terrible. To think of this baby whose whereabouts were unknown made me very sad.

My dad's parents came from Italy in the last decade of the 19th century. They wanted to be Americans, so no italian was spoken in the home; no stories of the 'old country' were shared. My dad knew very little of his sister- only that she died from pneumonia she had caught going to have her picture taken. Of course it could have been a number of things which caused her pneumonia but that was what (and all) the siblings were told. She had been the oldest so none of them had been born yet to know any differently.

I searched graveyards, parish records and even drove to the (no longer existing) street on which she and my g'parents lived in Philadelphia with no luck. Although... I must say, that as I stood on the grassy spot where at one time the foundation of their home sat, a feeling of connection flooded me. It was very wierd; it had never happened to me before. That was 12 years ago.

Last evening I recieved an e-mail from a woman who saw my search listed on a genealogy forum. She had found information on my aunt, my tiny 8 month old ancestor, and she shared it with me. I went to the site on which the record was available and there she was!

It thrilled me to know that she had been recorded (there are instances when that is not always the case) and now I knew what had happened to her. The reason she was not in any of the cemetaries I had searched was because she had been cremated. According to the record, her ashes had been delivered to their home. Where her ashes went after that I do not know, or maybe I do...

Perhaps the connection I felt as I stood on the old homestead site, was my Aunt Eliza asking me not to give up.

Last night, thanks to the interest of a fellow genealogist, a gift was delivered. It was given to me so I could give it to that little baby girl.

Today... she is not lost and, she is not alone.

Summer Becomes Autumn

2008-10-17T13:45:00.001-04:00

There's a Nip in the Air

2008-10-17T13:22:00.002-04:00

I think it has happened...The weather has changed here in central Pennsylvania and I'm fairly sure it means fall is definately on its way. Albeit October, we have had temps here that have reached the lower 70s as recently as yesterday!
I was walking out to our mailbox yesterday with my dog and we could watch the cold front coming toward us over the mountains to our west. It was neat; we stood in the 70 degree sunshine; 5 or so miles away the sky was black and coming towards us rapidly. By the time we walked back to the house and I sat down at the computer, the winds were gusting into the room through the open windows. What had been twenty minutes earlier a lovely breeze, like a baby's warm breath, had become aggressive- like icy long fingers thrashing their way through my house!

Today however the sky is blue and sparkly, the leaves are beautiful shades of red, orange and gold and the air, although chilly, has lost the ominous appearance it presented yesterday.

Yes, autumn has come and...I know that winter will be here soon. The vibrant shades of the leaves will be gone and the barren bones of the trees will will creak from the winds and snow. I will find something then to enjoy, but... today I will look out my window often and smile at the offerings this season has to give.

Too little time?!?

2008-08-29T12:02:00.003-04:00

Well, in this title for today I have utilized-yet once again- the premise that I have too little time.

In this instance it is not true. I have been here in the Adirondacks since early June and I have had some free time but I must say that I have been extremely productive despite that down time.

I have sketched and painted and written almost every day! Granted, I have been negligent in respect to this blog and a few others, as well as my web site but, I don't feel quite as guilty since I have produced in other areas... I wrote articles for a regional paper, wrote 30,00 words for my non-fiction book, 15,000 in my historical fiction mid-grade book; sketched tons of boats, docks, Adirondack chairs, homes, mountains and the like; as well as painted most of them once drawn.

It has been a wonderful summer. The bugs were ferocious at times and the rain occasionally became a bit "old" but bloodsuckers and wet weather aside my time here has been, as always, spiritually rewarding. I love this place- always have, always will.

I have a week or two remaining before I head back to my other home in central PA-which I love too- but part of me will always stay here. As I remember the vivid fall colors that grace the most gorgeous glacial mountains and think about the ice as it groans on this lake I love so much, my heart stays warm throughout the winter months as I revisit, in my mind, one of the most beautiful places on this earth...

The beauty of it all...

2008-06-13T13:14:00.002-04:00

I arrived back in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state a few days ago.

It is where we have our summer "camp"; unlike one of the Great Camps of days gone by but, it is a great camp to us. Modest in size and amenities it has been my summer home for the past fifty- ahem- years. It is where I have spent many wonderful days swimming, waterskiing, hiking and making lifelong friends (one of them I happened to marry ;) . The many nights have been (mostly!) cool and filled with the scent of campfires and balsam. Not like the balsam pillows the tourists buy, but the REAL thing; fragrant, penetrating and fabulous.

There is nothing to which I can compare my memories and thoughts of my summers on beautiful Brant Lake. There is no comparison. My parents brought me here when I was six weeks old and it is still where I spend the summer months. My husband and I hold this place near and dear to our hearts and now at twenty two, my daughter does as well. The three of us have grown up here. God willing, we will spend every summer we are yet to have, looking out onto the welcoming water as it sparkles in the morning sushine. We will marvel at the cries of the loon as it calls to its lifelong mate. As we gaze up to a wide open, black sky that is adorned with millions of beautiful twinkling jewels we will, for each moment, be thankful for the beauty of all this and the ability to be in the midst of it...

Smitten

2008-05-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

I, like many writers I suppose, have periods in my projects where I write like crazy and then...nothing.

That "nothing" happened to me last week for a few days and I just could not shake myself from that state of stagnation. This week however, things are different. I am back on track and my fingers are flying across the keyboard almost as quickly as they can glide across my spiral notebook. (I'm a first draft, hand-writer) I am busy at work finishing my historical fiction novel and I am moving along quite well, once again.

I have fallen back in love with my characters and want them to to live their lives in an exciting and realistic manner. I want them to love life and, each other. I want them to be unique individuals in a country that is new, and thriving, after so many struggles for independence. I wish for them, the enjoyment of their lives, improved because they left their beloved homeland to seek a better life in a new and strange world. And most importantly, I want their story to be compelling enough so that those who read it will find them stoic, sensitive, witty, kind, honest and yes... even a bit ill behaved and nasty at times.

Overload

2008-05-02T17:39:00.001-04:00

Well, I am freaking out a little bit. My mind is on overload and I need to focus and route my thoughts accordingly.

I have learned how to do that relatively well but, every once in a while I get a bit concerned that I have so much to do and way "too little time".

I am two thirds of the way done with my middle grade chapter book and already my mind is planning the next -not one, not two, but three- projects that are pushing forward and budging into the patiently waiting 'to do' line that has formed in my head.

My current project, an historical fiction MG novel set during the industrial revolution will be done within the next month or so.

The next one is a nostalgia, non-fiction, book that my husband asked me to do. The subject is a place near and dear to both our hearts. Little did he know that I already have quite a collection of essays together and, that I had already planned to do the very same thing.

The second, is a novel set in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state and it is the story of a woman reaching midlife and her self discovery that could, either cripple her, or allow her to soar. Any of this taken from my life? Perhaps, but I am so much more "together "than she is that I could have coached her through alot of her trials and saved her the angst! ;)

And the third is a memoir about my mother. Oh... that's nice... but boring... In fact, not at all. My mother was a woman before her time. An early feminist so to speak. Before Gloria Steinam, there was my mother. For many years I, like so many others-at the moment my daughter included-thought that mothers were born old and quite, ah, stupid. I did grew out of that opinion but I looked at that change and attributed it to the fact that I had grown, matured, become gracious. How self indulgent of me. But I was full of myself and proud that I recognized I had been judgemental. So since I had become a mother, I would give my mother a break ,and try to become a comrade of sorts in the legion of motherhood. It wasn't until my mother passed away and I sat and read the numerous journals she had written for my daughter, her beloved little grandchild, that I recognized my mother was not only very bright, but strong beyond any belief I had allowed myself to ponder. She had told me many stories and I, always living twenty minutes ahead of myself, rarely listened. I was busy. I was a successful business woman. I was a mother. I was everything to everybody. I had to keep moving. What I never did credit my mother for, was raising me to believe that I could acheive anything I wanted. That I need not do only what was expected of me because of the gender I was born.

So, now that I have collected my thoughts and routed them accordingly, I had better get busy and finish my current project. Perhaps I will move my third project to the forefront so I don't pass up another opportunity to acknowledge the woman who made me who I am in an era before there was a label for it.

It's here!

2008-04-28T18:11:00.001-04:00

Spring! I love it! I love everything about it!
The sunshine and warmth that I feel on my skin as I walk out onto our deck in the morning, thrills me. Gone is the frost, and my own visible breath, as I venture out with my dog and my coffee.The hillside begins to come alive as the trees boast the various shades that their young new sprouts bring. Last years bulbs' rise with their brightly colored gifts tucked inside as they break through the dull, brown, earth.
I love it all, even the yard work; it makes me feel alive. It makes me hurt now too but, at least I am able to do it. A few years ago I would have complained because my back hurt and my muscles ached. I'd moan about the deficits of this, once fairly well taken care of, body. I don't look at things that way anymore, even if everything DOES ache. I think much differently than I did, even two years ago.
To those older, I am still young with many years ahead. To those younger, I am as old as the dirt in which I dig.
But happily... I am still able to dig, and I look forward to what will bloom.

AAAHHHHHHH...............

2008-04-18T15:26:00.000-04:00

Well, the tax man came-th and, thankfully, went-eth. Hallelujah! Now back to the things that REALLY matter to me. I feel as though I have literally strangled the joy from the past few days of my non-numerically driven life...

I may have mentioned previously that numbers are not my thing. I mean, are they not only not my thing but, I actually hate them. I ran my own business for twenty years and I loved it, except for the numbers! You may wonder how...Well, that's what accountants and payroll companies are for, is it not? Yep. That is their calling in life; they love "THAT".
Those kind (kinda crazy) souls love numbers. I certainly don't understand it but, perhaps they hate the color cerulean blue, or don't like to read a novel, or don't like Abbey Road. Catch the flow here? Yes, I believe it is that other side of the brain thing.

Happily, my brain has a blissfully melodic, brightly colored side that exists to create. There is no gray matter in this head of mine; the color is charcoal perhaps, but not plain ol' gray. A mixture of 1 part Black to 3 parts Chinese White- a very white, white. That gives me a nice soft charcoal on the outside and many, many colors, sounds and ideas on the inside. Almost sounds like a bag of M&Ms!

Anyway, it is now time to shake my head and free my poor mind of all that nonsensical stuff that took up so much room. Spring brings annual house cleaning and April 15th brings me annual digit purge.!

So free at last am I, and it is back to the drawing board. Later some tunes. And when I fall asleep tonight with my novel on my chest and my reading glasses askew, you can be sure my last words were AAAAAHHHHHH.........................

Murphy's Law

2008-04-07T12:07:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned previously, I am heading to a children's writer's retreat this weekend. I am ready; my manuscripts are copied, my briefcase is filled, I have my illlustrator's display setup ready etc., etc., etc..

I, am an obsessively driven individual and if I am prepared ahead of time-which I always am of course- I need to keep producing until I have used up every second. Here comes the glitch. As I looked over my illustrations that I am taking with me, I thought I would give them a little tweak... Perhaps a shot of sealer to brighten the colors a bit before insertion into my portfolio would be nice. My watercolor style is such that my colors are generally vivid, in contrast to many other artists that prefer the softer, subdued tones. I like my paintings to "pop", especially my children's illustrations so, a quick shot of the ol' finish spray and I'll give it one more layer of vibrancy, right? Can't hurt. Right? Yea, that'll be nice...SSSSSSSssssssssss. Done! Great!

Of course I did a few other things in the meantime; couldn't watch paint-er sealer- dry. I could get twenty minutes of "something" achieved.

When I returned to (ALL!) the paintings I had done to take with me this weekend I gasped out loud and nearly cried. I may have included an explicative-I am not sure since my mind exploded at that moment. Every one of my paintings had dulled with a dried misty look to them!!! It must have been too cold in here, or the can was, or something was! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! What to do now?!?!!?

I yelled for my husband, the man who cannot draw a stick figure or combine his own tie and shirt colors, to "HELP ME!" He suggested that I try to wipe it off with a bit of water..."Water?!" (was he nuts?) "These are WATERCOLORS! If I hit them with water they will all run together and I will have nothing left!" I should've known better than to ask him I, must be the one that is nuts.

He then asked me: if I had alredy sealed them, wouldn't the water be prevented somewhat from getting to the paint, and if, I was very careful of course, shouldn't it be okay?

Huh? What? Hmmm... Perhaps, perhaps, thanks but I need space. Thanks, but I need to think. Thanks, hubby. Time for you to go now.(Poor guy.) Well, if that were so-which it SHOULD be so, if I used an acrylic sealer or something like that, perhaps that would override the dullness and yet not be as threatening as water in its original state...

I have done alot of work with acrylics on various surfaces, and I've fudged alot of processes doing so but, watercolors scare me- I will admit that. It is unforgiving and once you cross the line there is no coming back.

So... I pulled out a quart of polycrylic, held my breath , closed my eyes (honestly- I only peeked to make sure I was on the paper) and went at it. When the last piece was coated, I watched as the paper curled up. I felt it neccessary to leave but I could do no other task...I was, as the saying goes, "sweating bullets". When I returned the colors had "popped" back, the finish was shiny, yet not too shiny, and the more each piece dried, the more they flattened.

Oh HOORAY! It worked! Now, how good it will be for them long term, I don't know and I am sure it not something a purist would do but, it will get me through the weekend and I must admit they look pretty good.

Now however, I have a bit of time left...I must run so that I can paint another one while I wait for Friday!

....................and it wasn't easy but, I noted that my husband was right!

RETREAT!

2008-04-01T10:50:00.000-04:00

When you read the title of today's entry, do not bring to (your) mind a withdrawal of the cavalry in an old black and white "B" movie, or the fleeing armed forces of the British brigade as recounted in some school books. Instead, think of a reunion of a blended group of writers and illustrators whose creativity and abilities are like a wishing-well bucket, overflowing with water. Each year the bucket is pulled from its place of duty and the talent overflowing its rim is more refreshing and revitalizing than the year before.

In shortly over a week from now I will heading to the Pocono Mts. of NE PA to attend a children's writer's and illustrator's retreat. It is held by the Eastern chapter of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writer's & Illustrators). It is an event I look forward to each year. The talent,creativity and inspiration that abounds there is contagious. Granted, the Poconos are beautiful; the inn is fabulous and the food, well let's say it is, "plenty, plenty good!" Nevertheless, the scenery, the facility and the meals, are not what provide me with the makings of a rewarding experience. No, it is the writers, the illustrators, the editors, the agents, and those that coordinate the event that give me the inspiration and the fortitude to continue onward in my career. Being an artist and a writer can be, sometimes, a very solitary one. Not that I mind the solitude (actually, I LOVE it) but it is fabulous to share the thoughts, wishes, disappointments and camaraderie for a weekend with those who are not only business acquaintances but also, some that are good friends.

I'm all about appearances...no, not that kind.

2008-03-27T11:45:00.000-04:00

If you take note, the background of this blog page has changed. I just discovered how to replace the last one with this much more happy, "new beginnings" type . A techno-biggie for me...

You may not quite get my usage of new beginnings in this manner but when you see things as I do, it is about the color and initial impact that it provides the observer. The polka dots pop off the page to welcome you with a reminder that warmer weather is coming. HUH?!? Think about it...How many polka dotted things do you see in winter?

Honestly, I would have preferred a different array of colors but the other choice available was quite bland. Oh boy, if I ever figure out how to completely design my own page, Chapter 17 will be longer in coming, my family and pets will get hungry and "the big pile laundry mountain" (music please...) will grow. But at least the electronic canvas on which I will key my colors will be more my style!

Taken for Granted

2008-03-24T19:11:00.000-04:00

Now that I am working from home full time, I feel very fortunate . There are times I know, that I foolishly take it for granted. I have the luxury of looking out the window into the woods while I write my book-well, not looking and writing simultaneously of course- or working in my studio, painting for hours on end.

My cats are always sitting-er, sleeping- next to me, or on me, or on my stuff, and looking at them gives me such pleasure. My dog sleeps by my feet, she is never far from my side. She is, as the pound worker told me, "A terrrier of some kind, she'll end up about 35 lbs." What she is, is the best dog. I am thrilled I can spend so much time with her. Unlike the cats, she never attempts to get on my lap, or walk on my stuff, or stand in front of my face for attention. She used to, but she stopped that when she hit 80 lbs...

Some days I become distracted and work on a few things at the same time, but in the end everything falls together. We all know muti-tasking comes from motherhood I am glad I learned it, multi-tasking that is, I am still learning motherhood. I think I am a slow learner, I am still learning new things 21 years into it.

I will try to be more gracious, and appreciate this time of my life for being able to do what I am passionate about.

2 days 'til Easter-ALREADY?!

2008-03-21T17:48:00.000-04:00

Well- true to my way of thinking regarding the lack of time, as of this a.m. I was not ready for Easter.
To fix that, I made a big mistake by running out to do those things needed for the holiday. Every store, every parking spot, every Easter candy aisle, every- everywhere was a nightmare. The sunny day outside did compensate for the thunderclouds that were rolling through INSIDE, as other last minute shoppers flooded the greeting card and grocery aisles. I got everything done that I needed to and, I was still in a good mood in the end- that is not always the case.
I got very little candy- which, as Martha says, is a good thing. While I was picking a book for my husband's Goddaughter I saw the platinum edition of "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. Having read a borrowed copy of it quite some time ago I thought it was about time to read it again. So...as a weapon in the war against my LDL cholesterol, I will skip the chocolate bunny and settle in for a revisit with a good book and drink tea!

Oh, I got the Goddaughter "Hoot" by Carl Haissen

AH...I feel better now.

2008-03-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

I realized about 3:30 am (I am not a very good sleeper) that I had misspelled (or mispelt :) berserk on yesterday's entry. I couldn't run to the computer and account for it at that time of the morning because it would awaken my husband. Not that I wouldn't have loved to but, the light streaming from under the computer room door into our bedroom wouldn't have been terribly thoughtful on my part SO, I waited... Not easy to do, especially when I know I have done something incorrectly-and the fact that it was spelling? YIKES!

Me, a writer, and I spelled something wrong and then posted it?! What WAS I thinking? I have always been great with spelling; it is one of those things that comes naturally to me. I pride myself on it because I have a bit of a deficit in my math abilities. Without a calculator, or my (only) ten fingers, I would be lost... But the biggest reason is-I just don't like it.

That particular side of my brain sports a motto: Numbers? Science? No thank you...
The favorite side of my brain boasts: Arts? Letters? You betcha!

I have become a bit Blog Beserk...

2008-03-19T16:33:00.000-04:00

I spent most of today creating a blog on a site that is fabulous for writers of children's literature or illustration. It is called JacketFlap and it is great! For any of you that are writers and/or illustrators I highly recommend it.

Finding myself in the "techno world" and, not as lost as I thought!

2008-03-18T23:06:00.000-04:00

I...am very excited! I think I am FINALLY adjusting to the world of technology.

I have, for the past (quite a) few years considered myself a techno-loser. All the peculiarities of existing in the virtual world overwhelmed me. Almost more than math does-which I really loath.

Recently I have developed my own website, with my husband's help of course but I must say, not a lot of his help. He is an I.T. guy which, I think, is one of the biggest reasons that the whole world wide web thing scared the living daylights out of me. I certainly didn't want to have to "become one" with him in his world of TECHNOLOGY! You know how it is...something like learning how to drive at sixteen with a parent; no patience, no diplomacy and no humor...on their part.

Now, I am blogging-whoah! Pretty impressive, but what I really like is the availabilty of all these custom options. For me- a lover of color and words? As the saying goes: PRICELESS!