It was a Wonderful Week

It started out by gathering the family at Sunriver

We went fishing

and boating

And just floating around the lake.

We also went golfing

And then we did some running (which has become a family tradition) at the Pacific Crest sports weekend

And when we were finished with our run, we celebrated with . . . .

And then we watched others finish their races and cheered them on

All-in-all it was a wonderful week

How to Make Alcohol Ink

You can make alcohol ink with cool aid and rubbing alcohol. If you want to find out how to do it, check out this website here.

I'm going to make some of this alcohol ink and try my hand at a few crafting projects. After I finish the projects I'll post them.

But, if you've ever done any crafts with alcohol ink, please post your tips in the comments.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 - REVIEW

So, my family all went to see How To Train Your Dragon 2 and there were a couple things I didn't like, like the fact that all the Vikings had Scottish accents...okay I know there might have been some Celtic Vikings but, when you think of a Viking, you should be thinking Norsemen and women from Scandinavia not Scotland!

And I didn't like how the Mom got off so easily...I mean come on! They could have thought of a better reason for her not to return home...like she couldn't find her way, she was lost, she had amnesia...something for crying out loud!

And then I was totally surprised (maybe even a little shocked) when the Dad didn't get back up, even as the boat sailed out and the arrow soared up into the air...I kept expecting him to recover.

So, I wanted to see what a couple of kids would think of the show and I had a friend ask her kids: Everett and Emma (pictured up above) and here are my questions and their answers.

1) What did you think of How To Train Your Dragon2:

EVERETT: It was AWESOME!

EMMA: I loved it.

2) What was your favorite dragon:

EVERETT: Toothless

EMMA: Stormfly

3) What did you think about when the Dad died?

EVERETT: I thought it was so sad. He also cried.

EMMA: He didn’t die, he got up later.

EVERETT: No he didn’t, he died.

EMMA: Does that mean he’s in Heaven

4) What was the favorite part of the movie:

EVERETT: When the two Alphas fought.

EMMA: When when Hiccup got to meet his mommy!

So, there you have it...How to Train Your Dragon2 from an adult's perspective and a couple of kids' perspectives.

Now, go watch the movie and let me know what you thought of it. 

Can You See Me Now by Estela Bernal

Can You See Me Now by Estela Bernal is on the shelves now at Powell's and she will have a book opening on June 30th at the Cedar Hills at 7:00 p.m.

Published by Arte Publico, Can You See Me Now is an emotional story of a young girl's loss and her ways of coping with tragedy.

The cover was designed by Gigi and you can read about her creative process here.

If you're going to be in the Portland area on June 30th, go to Powell's and listen to Estela tell you all about the story.

4th of July Fingernails

I love to decorate for every holiday and the 4th of July is no exception. So, today I went to get my nails done and thought why not have something playful?

Now, with my pillows on my benches and the flowers out in the yard, I even have my fingers done for the occasion.

How bout you? Any 4th of July decorations?

Willamette Writers Meeting July 1st

On Tuesday, July 1st, at the Old Church in downtown Portland, Willamette Writers Stevan Allred, will talk about his collection of linked stories, A Simplified Map of the Real World.

 Meetings start at 7:00 pm, and the doors open at 6:30.

  

Thirty-Onederful years ago today

Yes it's our anniversary. Last year we had a renewing of our vows celebration.

It's kind of hard to top that kind of a party - but just wait until we hit 60!

We're on our way now...only 29 more years to go. ;D

4th of July Decorating

I wanted to make the yard a little festive for the upcoming 4th of July holiday and one easy way to do it is to make new cushion covers and pillows for our benches but I didn't want to spend the money on a ton of fabric. So, I went to the closet and pulled out some old sheets.

Then I simply sewed some straight lines around the edges.

And added a few stars.

And to seal the top, I just used snaps, which I sewed on by hand.

They turned out really festive.

Then I put them out on the benches.

And I added a little color to my alliums, out in the garden. And, I think they kind of look like sparklers.

And now I am just getting going. . .

But the yard will be ready in no time.

Fry...day for Father's Day

Okay, maybe not Fry, but BBQ. And this is one idea for what to give to Dad for his special day:
Homemade BBQ sauce that suits your Dad's taste.

BBQ sauce is so easy to make.

Essential Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar

There you have it...now, add the tastes your dad likes.

It could be 1/4 a cup of honey, 1/4 a cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of chili flakes, or whatever is tasty to Dad. Maybe he likes raisins, boil 'em down to a thick paste and add them in.

Then simply bottle up your "potion" I mean "elixir" and label it with something that says: Here's to one HOT PAPA, or TO MY SUPER SWEET DAD - and you could include a Superman Logo on the label...whatever you think your Dad would like, do it, or add it to it.

This will make a unique handcrafted gift meant just for your DAD. And it's one that he'll never forget - especially if he likes the taste. :D

Old Sheets

So I have a wonderful pair of benches out in the front yard and I love to decorate for just about every holiday...except for maybe groundhogs day but if I could come up with something to do for that day, I might even decorate for it. Anyway, like I was saying, I have some old sheets...yes, a red one, a blue one and I might have to run to Goodwill to get a white one...but I'll see if I can't find an old one down in the basement and then, I'm going to make new cushion covers for my benches to help roll in the holiday.

So now you know what my next project will be, come back this weekend and see what progress I've made on the slipcovers for my cushions.

How 'bout you...any projects coming up for the holiday?

Twitter for Writers

I just wanted to give everyone a quick reminder that Heidi Schulz will be giving her “Mastering 140 Characters (Twitter for Writers)” presentation tonight in Salem. If you missed her SCBWI talk in Portland in March and you can make your way to Salem, join her (Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Macy's Salem Center).

No need to sign up. Free to Willamette Writers members. $5 for guests of WW members. 

Details are here: http://willamettewriters.com/salem/

Riding and Writing

Portland is known for its bikes -- yeah, maybe not the motorized kind but still it's a very Portland thing to be out in the wind...and yea, rain...while we commute to work.

So, when my son got a motorcycle, I thought it might be fun to try to ride it. There were only a couple of problems:

1) His bike is BIG. My son is 6'5" tall so just getting my leg up and over the seat was a feat of athleticism. . . seriously.

2) His bike is heavy. And I'm not a wimp but we're talking hundreds of pounds.

3) I'm old to be picking up a new hobby.

But, like everything else, I always seem to end up comparing things to writing. And riding and writing are a lot alike...and not just in the sound of the words.

First off, it's always good to have the proper gear...like with riding, you have to have a helmet and should have protective clothing (don't judge me by what I had on in the photo above--I know better). And, when you're writing, you might need to be in a quiet room, with your computer, or just a piece of paper and a pen, but whatever it is you need, you should have it at hand so there are no excuses.

Second off, you need to set aside time for a new hobby and you need to set aside some time to write. Time flies - so make a date to do ride or write.

Third, don't be afraid to try something new. You never know how much fun you might have if you're willing to try new things. Like riding. . . or writing in a different genre or for a different age group. When you stretch yourself, you just might find out you feel better ;D

FOUR....

It was my first golf lesson ever. And when the instructor said, "Okay, pull out your putters..."

I had to turn to my S.I.L. and say, "Which one's a putter?"

Yeah, we all gotta start somewhere..."write"?

Well, golfing is a lot like writing...or so I'm thinking.

We all start somewhere, and each of us come to the task with different backgrounds, different training and different experiences.

So, one good way to make progress is to hook up with other more experienced golfers, or writers.

That way, you can ask questions, learn a little and sometimes a lot along the way. And you might even catch a few tips, tricks and hints simply by being near people who have the same interest...like golfing, or writing.

Another great thing to do is to link up with a network or community that can help you along the way. One great writers group, is the SCBWI. They'll be happy to help you along the path to publication. And, even if that's not your ultimate goal, you'll definitely make a few friends along the journey.

TWO-FACED

Yep, that's me. I am such a two-faced person. Now, I know that's supposed to be a bad thing...but I was out shopping today at lunch with a gfriend and I was looking at some weird (yes, weird) jewelry and I said to her, "It's so weird, I just love it."

She laughed and said, "You're such a conservative person, who loves such weird stuff."

And, it's true. The stranger it is, the more I like it. Now, that doesn't mean I'm going to dye my hair purple and tie it up in a knot on top of my head...or maybe it does.

But, I've always heard that being two-faced is a bad thing. . . and now I'm thinking it's not so bad--to be weird.

It only took me a few decades to learn that lesson.

OR-7 Oregon's Celebrity Wolf has pups

If you've followed the "Journey" of OR-7, you know what a miracle it is that he has survived as a lone wolf after he struck out on his own in search of a mate.  Even more miraculous is the fact that now he has found a mate and (just in time for Father's Day)...yep, that's right, Journey is the proud papa of pups.

It's a confirmed fact. And if you want pictorial proof, just pop over here and check it out.

Wolves have nearly been wiped out but they were put on the Endangered Species Act and are making a come back.


They used to have a bounty hanging over their heads, but the last wolf bounty was collected in 1947. Now Journey has made history by being the first confirmed wolf west of the Cascades since 1947.  

This is a great way to celebrate father's day. 

ade history in the spring of 2011, when he struck out from the Imnaha Pack’s home territory in northeast Oregon in search of a mate. After an epic journey across the state, the two-year old male became the first confirmed wolf west of the Cascades since the last wolf bounty had been collected in 1947.  Since that time, Journey has traveled up and down the Cascades, from the Crater Lake region down into the Mount Lassen area in Northern California, then back again. The wolf is the focus of a documentary that will premiere in Portland on May 25th and an expedition retracing his steps that is set to leave on May 17th. - See more at: http://www.oregonwild.org/explore-oregon/press/conservationists-cheer-news-or-7-mate-pups#sthash.5TLeBpTl.dpuf

ade history in the spring of 2011, when he struck out from the Imnaha Pack’s home territory in northeast Oregon in search of a mate. After an epic journey across the state, the two-year old male became the first confirmed wolf west of the Cascades since the last wolf bounty had been collected in 1947.  Since that time, Journey has traveled up and down the Cascades, from the Crater Lake region down into the Mount Lassen area in Northern California, then back again. The wolf is the focus of a documentary that will premiere in Portland on May 25th and an expedition retracing his steps that is set to leave on May 17th. - See more at: http://www.oregonwild.org/explore-oregon/press/conservationists-cheer-news-or-7-mate-pups#sthash.5TLeBpTl.dpuf

Word for Wednesday - a game for writers...and readers

Guess the word for Wednesday - see if you know the meaning...

WORD: Magnanimous


Now guess the meaning....


Do you know...

Can you say....?


If not, and even if you do, scroll down to see if you were "write" or wrong... ;D


Scroll....


Further......


FURTHER......

MAGNANIMOUS is a good thing. It  MEANS "having or showing a generous and kind nature"


and you can check it out here