Caron Rider's Blog, page 6
November 15, 2012
Living Bridges
What a cool story! I find Mother Nature fascinating. Imagine creating a bridge from the living roots of rubber trees. Bridges that last five or six hundred years! Now granted these are foot bridges but still.... Be sure to check out all the pictures in this great article:
Exploring the Living Bridges of India
By Shannon Dybvig @ The Grind TV Blog
Exploring the Living Bridges of India
By Shannon Dybvig @ The Grind TV Blog
November 14, 2012
Has the country gone mad?
I found a couple of articles that I thought needed attention. In one, a man goes to jail for "illicit water use" because he created ponds on his 170 acre property and in another, a man is facing a fine (or I don't know what, fine or jail) for having a vegetable garden in his front yard. In both cases, it is the local governments exerting its power over the people. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against government, but I am against wasting government resources. Don't we pay these people to do something constructive? The crazy part is that these two stories come from completely opposite sides of the country: Oregon and Florida.
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/oregon-man-in-possession-of-13-million-gallons-of-illicit-rainwater-sentence
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http://www.motherearthnews.com/grow-it/right-to-grow-food-zb01211zrob.aspx
With the state of the economy and the certainty that it will only get worse, I think everyone should be considering water sources and food supply. I know I am. What about you?
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/oregon-man-in-possession-of-13-million-gallons-of-illicit-rainwater-sentence
[image error]
http://www.motherearthnews.com/grow-it/right-to-grow-food-zb01211zrob.aspx
With the state of the economy and the certainty that it will only get worse, I think everyone should be considering water sources and food supply. I know I am. What about you?
November 13, 2012
Gardening and Aquaponics
As many of you know, I have a love of nature and the garden. I have recently started putting out a newsletter called Getting Back to Nature. If you're interested in getting your garden on, you can check it out here: Getting Back to Nature
Through gathering this information, I've discovered this cool method of gardening. If you don't know what it is, basically you take a pool of fish and direct the water through different locations where plants are growing (not in dirt). This is a dirtless method. Pretty neat. I've never been able to work in my garden with gloves, so I am murder on my nails and hands...always grubby. This method also lends itself to NO weeds. Did you get that? NO weeds!
Travis Hughey wrote a wonderful document on how to start this process on a small scale using barrels. But you can really use anything. You are only limited by your imagination. Check out is step-by-step guide here: Barrel-ponics
Then I found this great video on The Naked Garden. It's a little lengthy but worth the watch.
I think I'm going to love this method of gardening. During the winter months, it is a perfect time to start thinking about my design and materials I might use. Travis Hughey has his in a greenhouse. I live in a colder climate now, so a greenhouse sounds good. The problem is my greenhouse is only 6x8. So my thinking is, can I do it on even a smaller scale than Mr. Hughey's barrels? Plus my thing would be, how can I move the water without an electric pump effectively with little or no cost? I hope you enjoy the document and video! What do you think? Is this type of gardening for you?
Through gathering this information, I've discovered this cool method of gardening. If you don't know what it is, basically you take a pool of fish and direct the water through different locations where plants are growing (not in dirt). This is a dirtless method. Pretty neat. I've never been able to work in my garden with gloves, so I am murder on my nails and hands...always grubby. This method also lends itself to NO weeds. Did you get that? NO weeds!
Travis Hughey wrote a wonderful document on how to start this process on a small scale using barrels. But you can really use anything. You are only limited by your imagination. Check out is step-by-step guide here: Barrel-ponics
Then I found this great video on The Naked Garden. It's a little lengthy but worth the watch.
I think I'm going to love this method of gardening. During the winter months, it is a perfect time to start thinking about my design and materials I might use. Travis Hughey has his in a greenhouse. I live in a colder climate now, so a greenhouse sounds good. The problem is my greenhouse is only 6x8. So my thinking is, can I do it on even a smaller scale than Mr. Hughey's barrels? Plus my thing would be, how can I move the water without an electric pump effectively with little or no cost? I hope you enjoy the document and video! What do you think? Is this type of gardening for you?
November 9, 2012
Skyfall
It's finally the day! Skyfall is out and I'm anxious to see it. Of course, I've loved all of the James Bond movies, but I have to say I really like Daniel Craig as Bond. He gets grubby. You never saw a hair out of place on Sean Connery or Roger Moore. So Craig makes it feel like there is a real effort going on and maybe it's not a sure thing that Bond will succeed. But if you can't make the movies, you might want to pick up an Ian Fleming spy novel then. The first one to hit print was Casino Royale. Only 188 pages in the paperback version, it's a quick read with gambling, action, and torture along with a smidge of love. And, of course, it was the first movie where Craig appeared as Bond. If you do go see Skyfall today, let me know how you like it!
November 7, 2012
Wards of Faerie: The Dark Legacy of Shannara
I have always loved Terry Brooks' series of Shannara. I read The Sword of Shannara many years ago and just fell in love. He has created an absolutely magical world with rich history and myths all its own. I especially like how throught the different books/series, it's not all about one person. For instance, The Sword of Shannara is about Shea Ohmsford, then the next in the series is Elfstones of Shannara about his son Wil, and then Wishsong of Shannara deals with Wil's daughter Brea. So each book is complete in itself yet the series itself is intertwined. They're great. AND NOW, I see he has a new one out! I think I'm going to have to request this one for Christmas! Wards of Faerie: The Dark Legacy of Shannara
Description:
Seven years after the conclusion of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks at last revisits one of the most popular eras in the legendary epic fantasy series that has spellbound readers for more than three decades.
When the world was young, and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled—and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart.
Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The dwindling Druid order and its teachings are threatened with extinction. A sinister politician has used treachery and murder to rise as prime minister of the mighty Federation. Meanwhile, poring through a long-forgotten diary, the young Druid Aphenglow Elessedil has stumbled upon the secret account of an Elven girl’s heartbreak and the shocking truth about the vanished Elfstones. But never has a little knowledge been so very dangerous—as Aphenglow quickly learns when she’s set upon by assassins.
Yet there can be no turning back from the road to which fate has steered her. For whoever captures the Elfstones and their untold powers will surely hold the advantage in the devastating clash to come. But Aphenglow and her allies—Druids, Elves, and humans alike—remember the monstrous history of the Demon War, and they know that the Four Lands will never survive another reign of darkness. But whether they themselves can survive the attempt to stem that tide is another question entirely.
“[Terry Brooks is] the most important fantasy writer since J.R.R. Tolkien.”—Rocky Mountain News CLICK here to check it out on AMAZON!
Description:
Seven years after the conclusion of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks at last revisits one of the most popular eras in the legendary epic fantasy series that has spellbound readers for more than three decades.
When the world was young, and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled—and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart.
Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The dwindling Druid order and its teachings are threatened with extinction. A sinister politician has used treachery and murder to rise as prime minister of the mighty Federation. Meanwhile, poring through a long-forgotten diary, the young Druid Aphenglow Elessedil has stumbled upon the secret account of an Elven girl’s heartbreak and the shocking truth about the vanished Elfstones. But never has a little knowledge been so very dangerous—as Aphenglow quickly learns when she’s set upon by assassins.
Yet there can be no turning back from the road to which fate has steered her. For whoever captures the Elfstones and their untold powers will surely hold the advantage in the devastating clash to come. But Aphenglow and her allies—Druids, Elves, and humans alike—remember the monstrous history of the Demon War, and they know that the Four Lands will never survive another reign of darkness. But whether they themselves can survive the attempt to stem that tide is another question entirely.
“[Terry Brooks is] the most important fantasy writer since J.R.R. Tolkien.”—Rocky Mountain News CLICK here to check it out on AMAZON!
November 5, 2012
Feature: Time Sniffers by C.S. Lakin
I follow C.S. Lakin on Twitter and she's always got some good tips, tricks and info. Check out her novel Time Sniffers. I got the info from Amazon and it definitely looks like a cute YA!
An explosion at a secret laboratory. A rift in space-time. Alien dogs that can camouflage and sniff rips in time with their supervac noses. Be prepared to traverse shifting time streams and deeply entrenched shadow worlds in a wild and crazy fantasy/sci-fi near-future that will make your head spin and your heart pound.
Chockful of science and romance (yes, the two are compatible!), follow Bria Harrison, brilliant teenage daughter of two prominent scientists, as she searches for her mother, whom she insists is alive, despite the devastating explosion at the National Laboratory. While re-creating her mother’s last experiment in her basement, Bria, her autistic brother Dylan, and four friends cause a rip in time-space—and out of the resultant black hole tumbles K-Six, a time sniffer who has come to get them.
This doglike alien takes them back through the rip to his training world, where the teens must be altered to adapt to dangerous time confluences and worlds they must traverse to save the scientists trapped in a time eddy. If the scientists cannot be rescued soon, dark energy, now streaming into the galaxy at an alarming rate, will cause horrific destruction—including the end of all life on earthShow More Show Less
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Sniffers-Shadow-World-ebook/dp/B005WFDOA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352123901&sr=8-1&keywords=time+sniffersAbout the Author
C. S. Lakin is a novelist and professional copyeditor who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, dog, and three cats. The first three books in her seven-book fantasy series, The Gates of Heaven, have been released: The Wolf of Tebron, The Map across Time, and The Land of Darkness, allegorical fairy tales drawing from classic tales we all read in our childhood.
Lakin's relational drama/mystery, Someone to Blame, won the 2009 Zondervan First Novel award, released October 2010. She just complete writing her eleventh novel, a modern-day take on the biblical story of Jacob called Intended for Harm. Also available on ebook are two mystery/psychological dramas: Innocent Little Crimes and Conundrum. LinksC.S. Lakin WebsiteTwitter: @CSLakin
An explosion at a secret laboratory. A rift in space-time. Alien dogs that can camouflage and sniff rips in time with their supervac noses. Be prepared to traverse shifting time streams and deeply entrenched shadow worlds in a wild and crazy fantasy/sci-fi near-future that will make your head spin and your heart pound.
Chockful of science and romance (yes, the two are compatible!), follow Bria Harrison, brilliant teenage daughter of two prominent scientists, as she searches for her mother, whom she insists is alive, despite the devastating explosion at the National Laboratory. While re-creating her mother’s last experiment in her basement, Bria, her autistic brother Dylan, and four friends cause a rip in time-space—and out of the resultant black hole tumbles K-Six, a time sniffer who has come to get them.
This doglike alien takes them back through the rip to his training world, where the teens must be altered to adapt to dangerous time confluences and worlds they must traverse to save the scientists trapped in a time eddy. If the scientists cannot be rescued soon, dark energy, now streaming into the galaxy at an alarming rate, will cause horrific destruction—including the end of all life on earthShow More Show Less
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Sniffers-Shadow-World-ebook/dp/B005WFDOA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352123901&sr=8-1&keywords=time+sniffersAbout the Author
C. S. Lakin is a novelist and professional copyeditor who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, dog, and three cats. The first three books in her seven-book fantasy series, The Gates of Heaven, have been released: The Wolf of Tebron, The Map across Time, and The Land of Darkness, allegorical fairy tales drawing from classic tales we all read in our childhood.
Lakin's relational drama/mystery, Someone to Blame, won the 2009 Zondervan First Novel award, released October 2010. She just complete writing her eleventh novel, a modern-day take on the biblical story of Jacob called Intended for Harm. Also available on ebook are two mystery/psychological dramas: Innocent Little Crimes and Conundrum. LinksC.S. Lakin WebsiteTwitter: @CSLakin
November 3, 2012
Creativity
Everyone’s always talking about works in progress (WIP), except for me. So I thought I’d weigh in. I am currently finishing up with the second novel in The Silver Series trilogy. Many of you have already read the first novel, so you might want to check out the cover and first chapter of the second on my website.
I also have notes along with bits and pieces on the third and final novel, tentatively entitled Silver Dreams. BUT and that is a huge big but, I have notes, outlines, and ideas on another trilogy and two standalone novels. One book will be based on an old fairytale; one on an old classic novel, and the last is a completely new sci-fi/fantasy trilogy.
I’ll be honest here, Silver Knight rolled onto the paper without a hitch, but Silver Demon has been difficult. I’ve been “almost” finished for some time now. I realize that part of the difficulty consisted of my experiencing a personal loss and then depression, but it’s been really hard. However, I seem to be on the ball now with juices flowing, and it got me thinking.
Does the creative process inspire more creativity? Or have I always had these ideas and simply over looked them? Or ignored them? Could it be that I had to accomplish something before I realized that I could really do it, and therefore, I could open myself up to these other thoughts and dreams?
I’ve come to decide that the creative process has inspired more ideas in my crazy brain. That old adage of ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’ appears to be true. The more ideas I think about, the more ideas I seem to be getting. So now I have a ton of WIPs!
When you think that you can’t imagine something, imagine something completely different and before you know it, your brain will be in high gear!
November 1, 2012
Hollow Bloghop Winner!
Congratulations to L.K.!
You've won a hardback copy of Lee Child's The Affair in the Hollow Bloghop. I've sent out an email to you, so please respond within 48 hours to receive your copy.
I enjoy blog hops and featuring some indie authors, so shoot me an email if you know of either! ;)
You've won a hardback copy of Lee Child's The Affair in the Hollow Bloghop. I've sent out an email to you, so please respond within 48 hours to receive your copy.
I enjoy blog hops and featuring some indie authors, so shoot me an email if you know of either! ;)
October 31, 2012
Feature: The Welsh Healer by Ginger Myrick
My good friend Ginger has just put out her second full length novel! I'm so excited for her (and jealous because I'm still slagging away at mine). So for those who enjoy sweet romance with a touch of wry humor, you need to check this out.
The Welsh Healer: A Novel of 15th Century England tells the compelling story of a young woman growing up in the midst of the Hundred Years’ War. Spanning the reigns of Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V, it touches upon historical events including the Welsh rebellion, the English army's invasion of France, and their triumph at Agincourt.
Arlais is the gentle and free-spirited daughter of a humble Welsh household. Though just managing to scrape out a living in the rugged hills of northern Wales, her loving environment and strong family ties make for a happy home. But there is more to her than meets the eye. She is endowed with a mystical gift passed down through an ancient line of healers. She has been told her entire life that she is the fulfillment of a prophecy and destined to preserve the bloodline of kings. But despite the wondrous expectations for her future, she is content to wait for her intended mate, a mysterious man seen in a dream on her tenth birthday.
But the Welsh rebellion strikes and turns her world upside down. Arlais is forced to journey across the whole of Britain to live with a distant relative. While the events foretold by the prophecy unfold around her, she settles into the unfamiliar country continuing her path toward fulfilling her destiny and experiencing companionship, heartache, and even love along the way.
Ginger does have a warning that it contains strong elements of the supernatural. If that bothers you, check out her first novel El Rey. Either way, she's a wonderful writer and one you will come to enjoy!
Here are some of Ginger's links:
Website: http://www.gingermyrick.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009Z06NPM?ie=UTF8&ref=oce_digital
Amazon El Rey: http://www.amazon.com/El-Rey-Renaissance-Iberia-Complete-ebook/dp/B006C9ZW2E/ref=la_B007XVGJ72_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351685188&sr=1-1
The Welsh Healer: A Novel of 15th Century England tells the compelling story of a young woman growing up in the midst of the Hundred Years’ War. Spanning the reigns of Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V, it touches upon historical events including the Welsh rebellion, the English army's invasion of France, and their triumph at Agincourt.Arlais is the gentle and free-spirited daughter of a humble Welsh household. Though just managing to scrape out a living in the rugged hills of northern Wales, her loving environment and strong family ties make for a happy home. But there is more to her than meets the eye. She is endowed with a mystical gift passed down through an ancient line of healers. She has been told her entire life that she is the fulfillment of a prophecy and destined to preserve the bloodline of kings. But despite the wondrous expectations for her future, she is content to wait for her intended mate, a mysterious man seen in a dream on her tenth birthday.
But the Welsh rebellion strikes and turns her world upside down. Arlais is forced to journey across the whole of Britain to live with a distant relative. While the events foretold by the prophecy unfold around her, she settles into the unfamiliar country continuing her path toward fulfilling her destiny and experiencing companionship, heartache, and even love along the way.
Ginger does have a warning that it contains strong elements of the supernatural. If that bothers you, check out her first novel El Rey. Either way, she's a wonderful writer and one you will come to enjoy!
Here are some of Ginger's links:
Website: http://www.gingermyrick.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009Z06NPM?ie=UTF8&ref=oce_digital
Amazon El Rey: http://www.amazon.com/El-Rey-Renaissance-Iberia-Complete-ebook/dp/B006C9ZW2E/ref=la_B007XVGJ72_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351685188&sr=1-1
October 28, 2012
Pride and Prejudice
I just finished watching Pride & Prejudice again, for the umpteenth time!
The story is based on Jane Austen's novel about five sisters - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia Bennet - in Georgian England. Their lives are turned upside down when a wealthy young man (Mr. Bingley) and his best friend (Mr. Darcy) arrive in their neighborhood.Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen Directed by: Joe Wright Runtime: 2 hours 9 minutes Release year: 2005
copied from Amazon.com
I don't know what it is about this version, but I love it. I think that Keira Knightley nailed the part with understated humor. Often it was only a look that I appreciated. I liked that they used many lines straight from the book. Naturally it's a movie and some things had to be cut and some rearranged, but the tone and ambiance of the film (the music had a lot to do with this I think) will draw you in.
Many of you might be surprised at my liking this movie. As you may be aware, my taste runs to action/adventure, thrillers, sci-fi/fantasy, and the occasional horror movie. So it's rare for me to watch a romance and especially rare for me to watch a slow romance. But let's face it, not much happened back in the early 1800s. There were no electronics, no TV, no air conditioning, and ninjas didn't often attack people. Instead people busied themselves with everyday chores and the visits among friends and neighbors. Pretty much like today (except for the electronic stuff). And that's what I think sucks me into this version. It oozes authenticity. For instance, chickens in the front yard, open windows, laundry hanging on a line, and you get a sense that people really behaved as Austen portrayed them.
This adaptation gives you the sense of being there with them, it draws you in, and you feel for Lizzy and Darcy. Loved it!
