K.C. Kendricks's Blog, page 99

Garden Plots

December 6, 2012



I’m contemplating a small vegetable garden. Ho-hum you say, but this is a more earth-shattering statement than you might think. It’s been years since I had more than a tomato plant in a pot on the patio. What if I’ve forgotten everything I learned about growing veggies?
The love of having a veggie garden skipped a generation in my family. My mother was never into it. She had beautiful, beautiful flowerbeds, but grow something to eat? Nope. If you grow it, you have to either eat it ASAP or preserve it in some fashion. Mother just wasn’t into it, and no one in my father’s family had a garden. So most of what I learned was at my grandfather’s knee.
I’m blessed with three acres of land, so a spot for a garden isn’t a problem. A way to keep the deer out of it is, though. Those bast…er…animals can jump over moving cars. A cute little picket fence will have them laughing. My solution - my honey is making me a plywood cut-out black “wolf pack” to install on top of the stone fence. It won’t stop them completely, but it will help.  And I’m getting another dog, one who is young, agile, and thinks chasing deer from the yard is fun. My old dog can’t run anymore, but he’s earned his retirement.
My cousin will till the plot for me, but I think we’re going to invest in our own Kubota. Or John Deere. Or whatever we can get a deal on. So muscle and deer prevention are handled. The real dilemma - what do I want to plant?
Tomatoes, peppers and lots of leafy lettuce are givens, but what else? I like cole slaw so some cabbage would work. Onions, cucumbers and maybe a watermelon would fit in the plan. That’s probably enough for 2013 as I delve back into this. I’m sure I’ll expand as the years progress and I get closer and closer to my imaginary retirement.
I like the idea of becoming more self-sufficient, even if it is in small ways. It takes me back to my youth. I suppose it’s ironic that so many people thought abandoning the backyard garden was a sign of prosperity and now it’s in vogue again, but that’s a blog for another day. Right now, I’m going to the Burpee website and look at seeds and dream of home-grown tomatoes on a thick, juicy hamburger with grilled onions and peppers, some homemade dill pickles and a side order of slaw.
Hmm. Perhaps I should’ve had lunch.
KC Kendricks http://www.kckendricks.com

Temptation Ride

December 3, 2012

For the record, I love my Charger. Great car. Fast, corners on a rail. Paid for. But today I took a ride down memory lane in a 1974 Challenger.

High school was a few years ago and I almost didn't recognize the driver when the car stopped. I had the fleeting thought that KD had a car just like that back in the day - and then he got out of the car, waved at me, and asked if I was who he thought I was.  Deja vu, boys and girls.

Or maybe a ghost. I was in, of all places, a cemetery searching for evidence of an ancestor. It seems my high school acquaintance is into genealogy, too, and was on a similar mission. (We traded a few notes in case we stumble across something helpful to the other but I know I'll never hear from him if he does.) Anyway, this guy has had his Challenger since he was a high school senior. Amazing. That's almost 40 years.

And it still rumbles, be still my heart!

We took a little spin around the block and laughed as we passed that Prius.... good times...




It was nice to see this fellow, even so briefly, but it opened a can of worms for me. The new Challengers are so retro I really want one. And getting inside a car I dreamed of a ride in when I was in high school hasn't helped. Never mind I didn't make the cut in high school. The guy doesn't make the cut now. But his car still does.  How's that for poetic justice?
I guess I'll keep my Charger for a while longer. It might be a few years old, but the milage is low and I know how well it's been treated. And it's paid for.

Damn, I hate being a resonsible adult and resisting the tempation ride.

Beguiling!

December 2, 2012



Do not... I repeat...DO NOT let this cute face fool you. There sits a troublemaker.

And no, thank God, that's not my porch swing. My personal experiences with coons have not been so charming. Well, accept for the one that hid behind the big oak tree and kept peeking around it to keep an eye on me. I surprised that one by walking out of the house at dawn. Usually these critters are bedded down for the day by then. I can only assume it was on its way home since healthy animals are very nocturnal. I'm pretty sure this guy was fine since he was thinking clearly enough to hide until I went inside then run like hell for the other side of the stone fence. 

Anyway, I found this picture and it made me laugh, and laughter is something in short supply these days. 

KC

The Disconnect of Disrespect

December 1, 2012

Coming up with an opening line to interest people in reading your blog isn't always easy if you've chosen a topic to get something off your chest. Is there ever a good place to start when the emotions are in play? I don't know, but here goes. 

It was brought home to me last night just how much times have changed. How much people have changed. What happened was at the local bowling alley. I can hear you scoffing across miles of fiber optics now, but I'm not talking about bowling. I'm talking about what happens when a group of people are in the same place at the same time. Venue hardly matters. 

In the two years I've been bowling in the Friday night league, I've seen coats tossed on the floor so someone else could use the hanger, bowling bags flung down on top of a girl's purse (which broke her husband's eyeglasses he needs to drive that were inside the purse), shoes kicked aside so someone else could set their shoes in that exact spot, and full cups of soft drinks tossed in the trashcan so guys could play cards at that spot on the counter.

When did we become so disconnected to the concept of common courtesy we can't do something as simple as respect the personal property of others?

Perhaps I'd understand it better if it were the same person doing these things. I could look at my girlfriend and we would very quietly move our belongings away from him/her. But each of these instances were perpetrated by someone different - to the same person. (Think about how I'd know this.) And if those things have all happened to one person I think it's safe to say it's happened to others. 

I'm really not sure what to make of this behavior. What causes it? Is it the fracturing of the family? A lack of parenting? Addiction to video games? The influence of the current trends in what passes as "music?" Too many entitlements? Not enough church? The failing of the education system? I really don't know.

What I do know is each of us are responsible for our own behavior. If we respect others, and their belongings, the chances are they will respect us and ours. Give it a try. I swear to you it's not too difficult to do, and you might just make the part of the world you inhabit a better place.

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

Should I?

November 29, 2012
 
If you've read my blog on a regular basis, you know I like the word, "dithering." It just sounds better than wishy-washy or indecisive, especially since I'm neither. But I do, from time-to-time, dither. 

The 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge is rapidly approaching. Should I do it again? Should I let it pass this year and pick it up again in 2014? Do I really have time between now and April first to get thirty blogs - with pictures - together? 

See - I'm dithering.

I flew by the seat of my pants in 2011. I didn't hear about the challenge until the day was almost upon me. This year, 2012, I spent a lot of time preparing blogs on the subject of being a published writer. Which worked better? I don't know. 

I begin to suspect 2013 might be another year where I fly by the seat of my pants if I decide to do it. I haven't even gone to check and see when sign up begins. 

That's because I'M DITHERING.  (big sigh here)

KC
http://www.kckendricks.com 

A Cat Named Hercules for this Six Sentence Sunday

November 25, 2012

I've had cats all my life. NONE have had the personality of the tuxedo cat I have now. When Amber Allure wanted to put together a PAX of stories about pets bringing their owners together, I hopped on board. My little darling even got to be the cover model!

Authors are frequently asked if bits and pieces of their own lives creep into their stories. In A Cat Named Hercules, I say "yes." Raising a kitten can be quite an experience, as Shiloh finds out. It's a good thing he has a sexy vet on speed dial.

*_*_*_*_*_*

If I had only known kittens can climb drapes, perch on top of a traverse rod, and then screech like some femme fatale in a low budget horror flick to be rescued.
That a kitten sounds like a herd of buffalo running on hardwood floors in the middle of the night.
If I had only known a kitten’s claws can sink through a sheet into your balls while you’re jerking off.
An old adage says “live and learn” and I amassed an encyclopedic amount of cat wisdom in less than twenty-four hours.
I tried to do as Galen suggested and put the kitten in the bathroom with food, water, and his litter box for his first night in his new home. He wailed at the top of his kitten vocal chords, and I figured he was alone and scared so I opened the door – mistake one.
A CAT NAMED HERCULES
ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-234-8
contemporary gay romance available now at

KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_Kendricks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks

Being Thankful

November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving themed blogs will abound today. I wasn't going to throw my hat in the ring, so to speak. If you're a regular reader here at Between the Keys, you already know I'm thankful for the many blessings in my life. But I decided the blogosphere could stand one more little post, especially when I stumbled across the picture above.

Not many people around here put out fancy harvest displays these days. Time was I got some dried corn stalks, colored corn (can you still say Indian Corn without the politically correct police coming after you?), a couple of gourds and pumpkins, and a pot of chrysanthemums, and set them beside the lamp post. Every night when I arrived home from work it was there for me to enjoy. But even I, die-hard country girl and keeper of the old country traditions, have let go of this one. For now.

Life is busy with family and friends, writing and work. We'll drive across the state line in a few hours to share a feast at my sister-in-law's home. This is what really matters - being part of a healthy, growing family. And for this I am truly thankful.

Will I someday resurrect the tradition of a harvest display? I'm sure I will. With years to go it may be foolish to be counting the days until my retirement from the workforce, but I am. I look forward to having the time revisit the things I love doing, like decorating for the changing seasons. 

Until then, I'll remember to give thanks to God, from whom my many blessings flow, for the bounty in my life.

KC

Double Deuce for Six Sentence Sunday today

November 18, 2012

Today was almost a no-brainer. No, really. I almost forgot to get something scheduled for Six Sentence Sunday. I like to get these things done ahead of time, but the current work-in-progress had my undivided attention from Wednesday on this week. 

So without further ado, here's today's six sentences from Double Deuce. 

*_*_*_*_*

“Hmm, I’ve heard of that. Some weird word that starts with an ‘R.’”

“Relationship?”

I snapped my fingers. “That’s the one! Can’t say as I have any first-hand experience with it.”

*_*_*_*_*

Free spirited Ian Coulter works hard and plays harder. An ex-cop turned private investigator, Ian enjoys meeting new men and making new friends. A night out ends up with one man on the floor at his feet, and another asking for his help. Big trouble’s brewing in little Amethyst Cove, and Ian’s a step behind. He’s quick to see Rick Mohr is the man holding the flare at the end a long, dark tunnel.

Undercover agent Rick Mohr walks a fine line, serving two masters. Insider trading, counterfeit printing plates, and a blown-up yacht have Rick stuck between two Federal agencies, one of which has been compromised. Rick has to discover the mole before it’s too late. When Ian Coulter walks into his life, Rick grabs the chance to salvage his assignment with both hands.

It doesn’t take Ian and Rick long to discover joining forces, and sharing resources, has definite perks - ones not found in any departmental manual. 

DOUBLE DEUCE
ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-185-3
Contemporary gay romance
available now at Amber Allure
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/DoubleDeuce.html

KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
blog:  http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_Kendricks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks

Simple morning joy

November 13, 2012
This morning, before dawn, the wind carried in the sound of  hoot owl off in the woods. I paused to listen, wondering how many more times this country joy will come to me in our changing world. 
I stood on my cold patio listening to the low, seeking call and laughed at my aging "puppy" - a black Labrador Retriever who’s been by my side for going on twelve years. He listened, too, but he didn't like what he heard. Maybe the dog knows the owls are descended from raptors and raptors ate his distant kin. Just a thought.
For those of you living in more populated areas, what we call hoot owls are Great Horned Owls and what we call screech owls are Eastern Screech Owls. The little screech owls (picture) are more common in my woods and I'm sure the dog would have gone on about his morning business if they'd been calling.
Autumn is fading on my mountainside. Most of the leaves have fallen from the maples and mighty oaks, and the skies are graying. Squirrels are everywhere gathering what acorns the deer didn’t eat. The spicy scent of fall, that mélange of drying leaves, mowed lawns, and harvested fields, has given way to acrid wood smoke. The sound of busy chain saws drifts on strong winds as our neighbors hurry to build their woodpiles.
I usually have a lot of energy this time of year. Ideas for stories come faster than I’ll ever be able to write them, but I do try. After what seems like an incredibly long stretch, I have two books coming out within weeks of each other. I certainly didn’t plan it that way, it just happened.
The first is entitled, “Doors of Time,” and is about two high school friends who reunite as adults. “Doors of Time” will be part of the This Old Gang of Mine PAX along with stories from Clare London, Stevie Wood, Sean Michael and Aislin Kerry. If you want to read an excerpt, check out the page on my website. The page is under construction, but the excerpt is there. Look for “Doors of Time” in mid-December.
The second story, “Desert Snow,” will be out the first weekend of January. Is it about snow? Nope. It’s about two guys who meet at the Palm Springs White Party. Palm Springs - desert. White Party - everyone dresses in white but is still unique. Get it? I thought it witty but I’m just the author so what do I really know? Here again, check out the page on my website, also under construction at the time I type this.
So that’s all there is for this time around. Thanksgiving is a bit more than a week away. It's the Season of Cheesecake. Hide the scales. 

KC
 

Six Sentence Sunday: What You Don't Confess

November 11, 2012

Today is Veteran's Day, and I recognize the debt I owe to each and every person who served to protect my freedom and rights. Thank you.

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

By the time I wrote What You Don't Confess , I realized just how much potential I had in the Men of Marionville series. (You know, the series I never set out to write which hijacked me when I wasn't paying attention.)

Dylan is the anchor that ties the stories together. He's mentioned in all six books, and it's very fitting his story is the third in the series to complete the original trilogy. Dylan's been around a bit, but when he meets Cassidy, his world get tilted off its axis. In the selection below, the four watchdogs Cass refers to are Travis and Heath from A Hard Habit to Break , and Tyler and Noel from Open Roads.



“You do know those four watchdogs of yours were there the entire evening, don’t you?”
I nodded. “They like to keep an eye on me. Obviously, it didn’t discourage you at all.”
His amber gaze drilled into mine. “Just so I don’t step in it, Dylan, how many of them have you slept with?"






KC Kendricks

website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_Kendricks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks