Kate Collins's Blog, page 228
June 14, 2013
Rain, rain -- GO AWAY!
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
We've had a LOT of rain this spring. So much so, that we've talked about building an ark. Instead of June, it feels like November. We've never had the furnace on so late in the year before. (The people at our utility company must be rubbing their hands with glee.)
Usually we have our annuals planted in the garden by Memorial Day. Here it is the 15th of June and we still don't have them planted (although we were optimistic enough the other day to go out and buy a few for our big containers).
Our back garden looks like a jungle. All this rain has certainly invigorated the weed population. We had one dry day in the past four or five and used it to pump off the top of the pool (again), stake the yarrow, yank out the rogue columbines and rose campion, and try to get a handle on the weeds. But are we ready to plant yet? No way. You can't tame an entire garden in one sunny day. Not when there are errands to run, sick relatives to take care of, and books to write, but we've been trying.
Tomorrow MIGHT be sunny, but we've got plans for the weekend that don't include gardening. Still, if I can get out there early, maybe I could get a a patch done enough to put the tomatoes in. At this rate, we won't be harvesting any until September. (We're growing celebrities--what variety do you like?)
Has the weather interfered with your gardening this year?
We've had a LOT of rain this spring. So much so, that we've talked about building an ark. Instead of June, it feels like November. We've never had the furnace on so late in the year before. (The people at our utility company must be rubbing their hands with glee.)Usually we have our annuals planted in the garden by Memorial Day. Here it is the 15th of June and we still don't have them planted (although we were optimistic enough the other day to go out and buy a few for our big containers).
Our back garden looks like a jungle. All this rain has certainly invigorated the weed population. We had one dry day in the past four or five and used it to pump off the top of the pool (again), stake the yarrow, yank out the rogue columbines and rose campion, and try to get a handle on the weeds. But are we ready to plant yet? No way. You can't tame an entire garden in one sunny day. Not when there are errands to run, sick relatives to take care of, and books to write, but we've been trying.
Tomorrow MIGHT be sunny, but we've got plans for the weekend that don't include gardening. Still, if I can get out there early, maybe I could get a a patch done enough to put the tomatoes in. At this rate, we won't be harvesting any until September. (We're growing celebrities--what variety do you like?)Has the weather interfered with your gardening this year?
June 12, 2013
A Little R&R Before the Storm
by Julie
When you read this, I'll probably be just returning home from a few days in Door County, Wisconsin with my husband and another couple. None of us has ever been up there before, but we've all heard wonderful reports of the quiet, the beauty, and the chance to relax.
Last Saturday and Sunday, I took part in the Chicago Tribune Literary Fest, Printers Row, in downtown Chicago, and when we return from Door County, I'll be gearing up for the release of Grace Takes Off on July 2nd. Preparing for a book's release is always a lot of work, and this time around I have a big launch party planned that I haven't started organizing yet. Lots to do!
But for a few short, blissful days, we're staying at a Bed & Breakfast with no worries other than "Which winery should we visit" or "Where do you want to eat dinner?"
I've taken along a manuscript that I've agreed to read and blurb, and my iPad so that I'm not entirely out of touch. But oh... as I write this, I'm anticipating a few sweet days of R&R.
I think taking a few days to chill before everything gets crazy again is a good idea.
What do you do to relax when you know that you're facing a month of busy-ness?
When you read this, I'll probably be just returning home from a few days in Door County, Wisconsin with my husband and another couple. None of us has ever been up there before, but we've all heard wonderful reports of the quiet, the beauty, and the chance to relax.Last Saturday and Sunday, I took part in the Chicago Tribune Literary Fest, Printers Row, in downtown Chicago, and when we return from Door County, I'll be gearing up for the release of Grace Takes Off on July 2nd. Preparing for a book's release is always a lot of work, and this time around I have a big launch party planned that I haven't started organizing yet. Lots to do!
But for a few short, blissful days, we're staying at a Bed & Breakfast with no worries other than "Which winery should we visit" or "Where do you want to eat dinner?"
I've taken along a manuscript that I've agreed to read and blurb, and my iPad so that I'm not entirely out of touch. But oh... as I write this, I'm anticipating a few sweet days of R&R.
I think taking a few days to chill before everything gets crazy again is a good idea.
What do you do to relax when you know that you're facing a month of busy-ness?
June 11, 2013
Sixty and Suddenly Single
by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed
I don’t talk about myself much, even with my friends. So when my divorce was finalized in March, all but a very small circle of friends knew. Even today, I still haven’t changed my Facebook status because I don’t want to shout it from the rooftops. I dislike pity parties, unlike P.P. Patti (an inside joke for those of you who have read my beekeeping series). That’s me. I’ve been a very private person.
On March 4th, I turned 60. On the 21st of that same month, I became a single woman and moved into my own place after 25 years of marriage.
I’m ready to share that now, partly because some of the things I’d like to include in my weekly Wednesday posts involve my new status.
My ex and I have remained friends. We have dinner on a regular basis and discuss our grown kids and whatever else we still have in common after so many years of knowing each other.
Anyway, please don’t express sympathies. I’ve started a new adventure and I’m excited.
There…that wasn’t so bad:)
(to be continued...)
I don’t talk about myself much, even with my friends. So when my divorce was finalized in March, all but a very small circle of friends knew. Even today, I still haven’t changed my Facebook status because I don’t want to shout it from the rooftops. I dislike pity parties, unlike P.P. Patti (an inside joke for those of you who have read my beekeeping series). That’s me. I’ve been a very private person.On March 4th, I turned 60. On the 21st of that same month, I became a single woman and moved into my own place after 25 years of marriage.
I’m ready to share that now, partly because some of the things I’d like to include in my weekly Wednesday posts involve my new status.
My ex and I have remained friends. We have dinner on a regular basis and discuss our grown kids and whatever else we still have in common after so many years of knowing each other.
Anyway, please don’t express sympathies. I’ve started a new adventure and I’m excited.
There…that wasn’t so bad:)
(to be continued...)
June 10, 2013
Wool Market and Mountains
by Maggie Sefton
I spent most of the day Saturday driving up the Big Thompson Canyon to the picturesque mountain town of Estes park, right outside the gates of Rocky Mountain National Park. I was signing at the Lambspun vendor booth at the Estes Park Wool Market. Every time I crest that last hill leading into Estes Park below, my reaction to the view is always the same---I'm awestruck by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains in front of me, wrapping around the entire scene. Snowcapped and gorgeous, the sight is calming, peaceful. Maybe that's why so many of us escape to the mountains and the seashore. Gazing at mountains and the ocean is peaceful, relaxing, somehow.
This past Saturday, that view of the mountains was the last I got until I had a short break mid-booksigning at the Lambspun vendor booth in the vast Exhibition Hall. The last glimpse was when I left. In between, I was talking with people, signing copies of CLOSE KNIT KILLER and other books, more talking, & more signing. Three hours straight. Even I was tired of talking after that. (People who know me are either spilling their coffee/tea when they read this or choking on their morning cereal. )
Before venturing into that vast Hall with its impressive display of All Things Fiber, I wandered through the Goat Barn and the Sheep Barn, rubbing soft noses and enjoying. What an incredible assortment of breeds were on display. Also, the same for the Alpaca and Llama Barns. When I left in late
afternoon, I had to laugh hearing the sheep "baaaaaaaa-ing" and fussing as they stood in line waiting to be judged. This photo is not of the sheep from Saturday, but some sheep I spotted in England while on a trip into the Yorkshire countryside years ago.
Oh, yes---FYI: I did something different at the ending of CLOSE KNIT KILLER. For the first time in 30 years of writing novels, I wanted to type "TO BE CONTINUED" on the last page of the book.
Why? Because I incorporated some real life details into the last two pages. Hint: It has to do with the High Park Wildfire that broke out one year ago last Saturday. Check it out. :) By the way----that's a photo of the actual High Park wildfire which blazed in some of our beautiful canyons. What you see there is what firefighters call "crowning." That's when the underbrush catches fire in a forest, then ignites the pine trees. They blaze up like torches, and the wind whips those flames to the top or crown of a nearby pine tree. Scary.
I spent most of the day Saturday driving up the Big Thompson Canyon to the picturesque mountain town of Estes park, right outside the gates of Rocky Mountain National Park. I was signing at the Lambspun vendor booth at the Estes Park Wool Market. Every time I crest that last hill leading into Estes Park below, my reaction to the view is always the same---I'm awestruck by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains in front of me, wrapping around the entire scene. Snowcapped and gorgeous, the sight is calming, peaceful. Maybe that's why so many of us escape to the mountains and the seashore. Gazing at mountains and the ocean is peaceful, relaxing, somehow.
This past Saturday, that view of the mountains was the last I got until I had a short break mid-booksigning at the Lambspun vendor booth in the vast Exhibition Hall. The last glimpse was when I left. In between, I was talking with people, signing copies of CLOSE KNIT KILLER and other books, more talking, & more signing. Three hours straight. Even I was tired of talking after that. (People who know me are either spilling their coffee/tea when they read this or choking on their morning cereal. )
Before venturing into that vast Hall with its impressive display of All Things Fiber, I wandered through the Goat Barn and the Sheep Barn, rubbing soft noses and enjoying. What an incredible assortment of breeds were on display. Also, the same for the Alpaca and Llama Barns. When I left in late
afternoon, I had to laugh hearing the sheep "baaaaaaaa-ing" and fussing as they stood in line waiting to be judged. This photo is not of the sheep from Saturday, but some sheep I spotted in England while on a trip into the Yorkshire countryside years ago.
Oh, yes---FYI: I did something different at the ending of CLOSE KNIT KILLER. For the first time in 30 years of writing novels, I wanted to type "TO BE CONTINUED" on the last page of the book.
Why? Because I incorporated some real life details into the last two pages. Hint: It has to do with the High Park Wildfire that broke out one year ago last Saturday. Check it out. :) By the way----that's a photo of the actual High Park wildfire which blazed in some of our beautiful canyons. What you see there is what firefighters call "crowning." That's when the underbrush catches fire in a forest, then ignites the pine trees. They blaze up like torches, and the wind whips those flames to the top or crown of a nearby pine tree. Scary.
June 9, 2013
My Follow Up Post to the Self-Love Challenge
by Kate CollinsLast week I reported about a webinar I'd heard on how to lead a more purposeful, less judgmental life. It was all about accepting yourself for who you are, actually loving yourself, warts and all. The self-love challenge was to find 5 things you love about yourself every day for a week. Each day had to be something new.
Here's what I thought would happen. I thought I'd start listing physical traits, such as, "I love my long eyelashes. I love my hair color," in order to turn my focus away from things I hate (eye wrinkles, for instance.)
Instead, when it came time to actually write down my 5 things, I found myself turning to the common personality traits, such as that I'm courteous, funny, intelligent, organized -- all things that others have told me. That worked fine until the third day, when I really had to look inside and find things about myself that I loved, not that others loved.
By day five, I had become very aware of my behavior toward others, of my attitude about things, either positive or negative, and about my urge to judge others. As the day went on, I found myself mentally adding to my list things like, "I love that I acknowledged my neighbor's opinion (even though I didn't agree.)" "I love that I made the cashier at the grocery store smile." "I love the way the sun is shining through the clouds today."
And guess what? By day seven, I had become more positive about life and had developed more of a "live in the moment" attitude, instead of always anticipating, and then worrying about, things that may or may not happen in the future.
I was glad I took the challenge because it made me realize there's a lot more to life than criticizing every single thing that passes by, including myself. When I started focusing on the positives, I became happier, and that, to me, was what the whole challenge was meant to do.
Another update: PRINTERS ROW, Chicago, was a lot of fun. I got to meet a number of Flower Shop Mystery fans and (yay!) to see my fellow Cozy Chick Julie Hyzy, at the Mystery Writers of America tent where we signed copies of our mysteries for a whole lot of book lovers who came out for a lovely day in the Loop.
Did you take the Self-Love Challenge? If you did, how did it go? If you didn't, would you want to do it? Do you think it would change you in any way?
June 8, 2013
Bad Hair Life
By guest blogger Kate Carlisle, author of A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY
Award winning author Kate Carlisle spent over twenty years working in television production as an Associate Director for game and variety shows, including The Midnight Special, Solid Gold and The Gong Show. She traveled the world as a Dating Game chaperone and performed strange acts of silliness on The Gong Show. She also studied acting and singing, toiled in vineyards, collected books, joined a commune, sold fried chicken, modeled spring fashions and worked for a cruise ship line, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Those professors are breathing easier now that Kate spends most of her time writing near the beach in Southern California where she lives with her perfect husband.A lifelong love of old books and an appreciation of the art of bookbinding led Kate to create the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Find Kate online at www.katecarlisle.com .
I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. It’s obstinate. Defiant, even. I coax it gently with conditioners and gels and flower-scented sprays and when it still refuses to behave, I torture it into compliance with a blow dryer and a flat iron.
I’ve had moments so frustrating that a seductive but scary thought has flashed through my head: shave it all off. Do it. Shave it.
Thank goodness for impulse control!Much as my hair annoys me, I don’t think I’d look good bald. I cut my hair too short once, and for weeks I suffered every time I glanced in the mirror.
I admire women who are strong enough to brave the world without follicular protection. “Here I am, world, take me or leave me!”
In my latest Bibliophile Mystery, A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY , Brooklyn Wainwright’s sister Savannah does just that – moves through the world without a hair on her head. She owns a vegetarian restaurant in Dharma, in the Sonoma wine country, and she decided hair was not just unnecessary, it was unwanted.
Imagine being able to run a washcloth over your head and calling it done. No more cuts, colors. No more spending 20 minutes every morning trying to recapture the look from the salon. (Which never happens. Trick mirrors and sadistic stylists.)
Having no hair is less complicated, but it also means nothing to hide behind. In the past, Savannah had nothing to hide, but in A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY , all that changes. Savannah’s ex is murdered . . . and Savannah is found hovering over his body, a bloody knife in her hand.
She had motive for wanting the obnoxious celebrity chef to disappear forever, but so did a lot of other people. Baxter had more enemies than recipes. Unless Brooklyn can find the real killer, Savannah’s beautiful bald head will soon be sweating beneath the harsh lights of the SFPD interrogation room.Would you ever willingly go bald? What’s your most embarrassing, most horrifying hair story?
(A Cookbook Conspiracy is available now at all online and brick and mortar bookstores everywhere! The Cozy Chicks thanks Kate for stopping by!)
June 7, 2013
Donut Day Takes Us Away
By Ellery AdamsThis is more a photo montage that a bona fide blog post, but I was kind of in the mood to break from the norm. I'm trying to carry over my feelings from yesterday, when I dropped everything I was doing and took my kids downtown to the Krispy Kreme to celebrate National Donut Day.
I hadn't planned on this venture, but I read about the theme day on Facebook and I'd been editing for hours straight while my kids amused themselves (i.e., bickered, watched annoying cartoons, played video games, and complained about the endless rain).
Finally, I couldn't take another sentence and I stepped away from the computer, told the kids to get in the car, grabbed the camera and drove them to the donut shop.They'd never been before and the Richmond landmark didn't fail to amaze. As you can see, it was packed. We watched the donuts being cooked, filled, sugared, and served and then, we ate our free donuts and bought a dozen to take to the nurses working with my husband. We made sure to show up at the hospital wearing our paper hats.
Sometimes, blowing off our work is worth it!
When's the last time you did something purely hedonistic? What was it?And it almost ended up being tossed in the pool ...
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
The other day I needed to print something in color. My old color printer had gone to printer heaven (prematurely, I found out later), and so I hooked up a new one to the computer. Oh, but first I needed to download a printer driver .... and that's where the fun began. Or rather, the fun ended.
I loaded it, it wouldn't take. I uninstalled it and started over. Okay, this time it loaded, but now the ink wouldn't work. I went to the store and bought a new ink cartridge. The color worked, but now the B&W wouldn't work.
I gave up. I emailed my file to Mr. L and he printed it on his computer. Time lost? Three hours.
I haven't given up on making that printer work, but I sure have lost patience. I love my laser printer. It's eight years old and I've been babying it along because it works so well. While looking at color printers, I looked at the latest version of my laser printer and it looks cheesy in comparison. I know when I have to replace it that the new one won't work half as well.
Planned obsolescence. What an obscene term.
My toaster is 56 years old. we had to replace the plug a couple of weeks ago, but it now has a new lease on life.
I like products that not only work well, but KEEP working.
What disappointing product are you dealing with this week?
The other day I needed to print something in color. My old color printer had gone to printer heaven (prematurely, I found out later), and so I hooked up a new one to the computer. Oh, but first I needed to download a printer driver .... and that's where the fun began. Or rather, the fun ended.I loaded it, it wouldn't take. I uninstalled it and started over. Okay, this time it loaded, but now the ink wouldn't work. I went to the store and bought a new ink cartridge. The color worked, but now the B&W wouldn't work.
I gave up. I emailed my file to Mr. L and he printed it on his computer. Time lost? Three hours.
I haven't given up on making that printer work, but I sure have lost patience. I love my laser printer. It's eight years old and I've been babying it along because it works so well. While looking at color printers, I looked at the latest version of my laser printer and it looks cheesy in comparison. I know when I have to replace it that the new one won't work half as well.
Planned obsolescence. What an obscene term.
My toaster is 56 years old. we had to replace the plug a couple of weeks ago, but it now has a new lease on life.I like products that not only work well, but KEEP working.
What disappointing product are you dealing with this week?
June 5, 2013
The Next Generation and more
by Julie
Yes, that's me, with our daughter, Biz, posing with the incomparable Sir Patrick Stewart. We attended the Star Trek convention in Chicago this past weekend and we had a blast.
After I write this blog post, I'm going to do write a bit more about how this weekend was good for my soul. If you're interested, please take a moment to visit my personal blog, here: Julie Hyzy's Blog
Biz and I bought the special Saturday night tickets to see the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reunited on stage in celebration of the series' 25th anniversary. I'd always enjoyed the actors' performances and I'd always hoped that they were decent people in real life (you know... people who would actually believe in equality, compassion, exploration... the Prime Directive). I have to tell you that they were. All of them.
I came away with even more respect for LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden. Lovely, wonderful, passionate people. We laughed at Jonathan Frakes' and Brent Spiner's "schtick" and Sir Patrick Stewart was awesome, as always. We were surprised to find out that Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis are apparently best friends. Michael Dorn is rather quiet, but kind, and amusing. Marina was... well... she'd be great at a party but I can't help thinking that long-term exposure to her would exhaust me.
Couldn't help myself. Had to take a photo with the Borg! Resistance was definitely futile!
There were costume contests, karaoke, lots of celebrity sightings and photo-ops, which is where Biz and I got our chance to meet Sir Patrick. We'd done photos with Spiner and Frakes in the past, as well as with Armin Shimerman and Max Grodenchik - the Ferengi brothers - a couple of years ago. They are truly charming men.
Are you a fan of Star Trek? Original series? Next Generation? DS9? Voyager? Enterprise?
Yes, that's me, with our daughter, Biz, posing with the incomparable Sir Patrick Stewart. We attended the Star Trek convention in Chicago this past weekend and we had a blast.
After I write this blog post, I'm going to do write a bit more about how this weekend was good for my soul. If you're interested, please take a moment to visit my personal blog, here: Julie Hyzy's Blog
Biz and I bought the special Saturday night tickets to see the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reunited on stage in celebration of the series' 25th anniversary. I'd always enjoyed the actors' performances and I'd always hoped that they were decent people in real life (you know... people who would actually believe in equality, compassion, exploration... the Prime Directive). I have to tell you that they were. All of them.
I came away with even more respect for LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden. Lovely, wonderful, passionate people. We laughed at Jonathan Frakes' and Brent Spiner's "schtick" and Sir Patrick Stewart was awesome, as always. We were surprised to find out that Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis are apparently best friends. Michael Dorn is rather quiet, but kind, and amusing. Marina was... well... she'd be great at a party but I can't help thinking that long-term exposure to her would exhaust me.
Couldn't help myself. Had to take a photo with the Borg! Resistance was definitely futile!
There were costume contests, karaoke, lots of celebrity sightings and photo-ops, which is where Biz and I got our chance to meet Sir Patrick. We'd done photos with Spiner and Frakes in the past, as well as with Armin Shimerman and Max Grodenchik - the Ferengi brothers - a couple of years ago. They are truly charming men.
Are you a fan of Star Trek? Original series? Next Generation? DS9? Voyager? Enterprise?
June 4, 2013
A New Appreciation of My Elders (or Exercising My Way to Humility)
by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed
Yesterday was day one of my new summer exercise class. I've never done aerobics before, but feel
I'm pretty fit from yoga, walking, golf. Besides, this is a class for senior citizens. You have to be at least fifty-five to sign up. AND it's held in the morning. So, at sixty, I made two assumptions.
One - I would probably be at the young end of the scale.
Two - it should be REALLY easy.
I arrived in my workout clothes - old sweats, t-shirt, the right shoes, a water bottle. And yup, I was right about being the baby of the bunch. Most were at least ten years older. This was going to be a piece of cake! A walk in the woods!
The instructor put on some funky music and we began walking in a circle. I snorted. Like I needed to walk in a circle in a gym.
A few times around and we picked up the pace - arms swinging, a little two-stepping, arm circles, a step and a hop.
After 5 minutes (I faced a clock), I thought I was going to keel over. How the heck was I going to last 55 more minutes. Eventually, right before I collapsed and someone had to call for an ambulance, we slowed down to do a little weight lifting. Easy peasy since I picked out two-pound weights (I'm no dummy). Did a little footwork with them, which kept my heart rate around the 400 beats per minute level.
Next, the instructor put down her weights and said, "Time for cardio!"
I thought we'd been doing cardio!!! What????
Anyway, I survived. And I'm determined now. I'm going to catch up to those amazing women if it kills me (which it probably will).
Have a great day and take care of your body.
Yesterday was day one of my new summer exercise class. I've never done aerobics before, but feel I'm pretty fit from yoga, walking, golf. Besides, this is a class for senior citizens. You have to be at least fifty-five to sign up. AND it's held in the morning. So, at sixty, I made two assumptions.
One - I would probably be at the young end of the scale.
Two - it should be REALLY easy.
I arrived in my workout clothes - old sweats, t-shirt, the right shoes, a water bottle. And yup, I was right about being the baby of the bunch. Most were at least ten years older. This was going to be a piece of cake! A walk in the woods!
The instructor put on some funky music and we began walking in a circle. I snorted. Like I needed to walk in a circle in a gym.
A few times around and we picked up the pace - arms swinging, a little two-stepping, arm circles, a step and a hop.
After 5 minutes (I faced a clock), I thought I was going to keel over. How the heck was I going to last 55 more minutes. Eventually, right before I collapsed and someone had to call for an ambulance, we slowed down to do a little weight lifting. Easy peasy since I picked out two-pound weights (I'm no dummy). Did a little footwork with them, which kept my heart rate around the 400 beats per minute level.
Next, the instructor put down her weights and said, "Time for cardio!"
I thought we'd been doing cardio!!! What????
Anyway, I survived. And I'm determined now. I'm going to catch up to those amazing women if it kills me (which it probably will).
Have a great day and take care of your body.
