H.A. Larson's Blog, page 58

November's LVJ Subscription

This month's Louisville Vegan Jerky subscription came early, which made me happy. I love this jerky. Here's this month's card: a group photo of the employees of LVJ. The only person missing is me! Just kidding, but I do love this jerky.




I was completely surprised when I opened this month's box. Typically, a month's subscription contains two standard flavors and one test flavor. Not this time! This month, I received my usual three bags, but they were all test flavors. Here we have Gochujang Kimchi BBQ. 
Now, I know that kimchi is a spicy, fermented condiment made with cabbage, scallions and/or other ingredients, but I had never heard of gochujang. I looked it up, and it's another spicy Korean condiment made from red chilis, rice, fermented soybeans, and sometimes other ingredients. Interesting!
It's a Korean BBQ flavor too, so the combination of the bbq, kimchi, and gochujang should be some spicy-hot, sweet-bbq-flavored goodness. I can't wait to try it.




Here we have Peanut Thai flavor jerky. I love peanut Thai anything, so I already know I'm going to love this one!




The last flavor is Pineapple Sweet & Sour. Now, this isn't their first go-around with this test flavor. I received it once before, and it was the only LVJ jerky flavor I didn't like. It was hard, dry, and difficult to eat. Other customers seemed to have the same issue, so I'm wondering if they have improved upon the original recipe. I hope so, as I'm willing to give it another try.

So, it seems LVJ has given us some cool test flavors to try out this month, all with an Asian theme. I've recently started using their jerky for more than munching. I have used the Smokey Chipotle in tacos, and I used their Chorizo test flavor for breakfast scramble. They also sell other items, such as bacon bits. Their bacon bits are far superior to the fake commercial kind you find in any grocery store. I guess, then, I will try out the Pineapple Sweet & Sour in a stir fry, or something, and see if I like it any better.
If you're interested in LVJ products, or their subscription, click here.


It's now Wednesday, and since there's a holiday around the corner, it's "Friday" for many of us. I'll be back on actual Friday with a new Thanksgiving post, but until then, I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with laughter, good food, fun, and love.
Much love,
H.A.

Downtown on a Saturday Night

Saturday was a lazy, but good, day. I mean, we got chores done and I got a long way in The Write Life, but, after that, we had a lazy day. Nature Girl and I went over to the Dollar Tree and purchased a variety of snacking goodies. We also spied some Thanksgiving tableware so I grabbed some themed napkins, paper plates, and a cute centerpiece (more on that in a few days).

The snacks were purchased with movie day in mind, so we came back home where NG retreated to her room to watch her preferred movie on her tablet, while my husband and I commandeered the living room for a grown-up movie. We watched the Korean movie "The Wailing". It was long, but it was very good, and I highly recommend it if you like horror-thrillers.

Around 7 p.m., I started feeling a bit restless. I like lazy days at home, but I hate being cooped up as well (it's a conundrum). I also wasn't feeling like doing anything major, nor did I feel like getting all ready to go out somewhere, I just wanted to get out of the house. We settled on the idea of taking a drive, so the three of us set out to do just that. We drove down towards the Old Market and just went with the flow.

We started down at the riverfront by driving along the boardwalk. It was weird to see Rick's Boatyard/Storz Trophy Room all demolished. It's a shame that they had to take that building down, it was a cool riverfront building, as well as a landmark. We kept going until we got to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. It was too cold to walk it at all, but we admired the bridge all lit up.

From there we went into the downtown area. We did get out and walk around Gene Leahy Mall, where we got some great pictures of the Omaha skyline.




The Omaha skyline as seen from Gene Leahy Mall.




A view of the Omaha World Herald building & the Holland Performing Arts Center from Gene Leahy Mall.



A couple of posters that adorn the walls of the Fairmont's Movie Theatre.
After leaving the Mall, we found a parking spot by the Fairmont, so decided to wander around in there. If you are ever in Omaha, I highly suggest stopping down in the Old Market. It's the heart of the city and is lined with brick streets. It's a quaint place with storefronts of unique shops, and a variety of galleries, bars, and restaurants. One of it's most interesting stores is the Fairmont Antique Store/Hollywood Candy Shop. It's a huge building that is as much fun as whimsical. Inside is a true candy shop, with every kind of candy known to man practically, as well as a large selection of soda pop in bottles. 
It also contains a throwback to the 50s-style soda fountain/lunch counter. Past the candy store and soda fountain, is a veritable feast for the eyes. It's a flea market and showcase for a bygone era. There's a movie theatre inside, where they show movies occasionally and have had a few famous guests stop by.



A replica of a steamship inside the Fairmont's Antique Emporium.
Besides the theatre, there are several stalls of people selling their antique wares. It's basically an indoor, permanent flea market, and it's a neat place to wander around and see things, whether you're buying anything or not.



A wall of old beer and pop cans in one of the stalls of the Fairmont Antique Emporium.


An old music poster in a stall of the Fairmont Antique Emporium. I would go see this show today, in a heartbeat, if it came to town!

After leaving the Fairmont, we drove up to the Durham Western Heritage Museum, where we got a great view of the city. My pictures from there didn't turn out very well, as is the case more than I'd like to admit. I am getting a better camera this holiday season, and I can't wait.
I hope you have a great day! It' might be Monday, but it's "Wednesday" for most of us as we only have a three-day week. Thanksgiving will be here Thursday, and I'll dedicate a short post to that day. 
Until then,
H.A.

Ipsy's November Glam Bag

Hey, hey, it's Saturday, my favorite day of the week! I've got a full weekend planned of writing, busy work, outside things, and family time. What are your plans? Well, it's that time of the month again...yep, you guessed it, Ipsy time! Let's get started.



Here's the bag and card. At first, I thought the bag was covered constellations, but I was wrong. Actually, I was half-right. The bag is a velour-style, dark blue bag with makeup items styled as constellations. It fits the theme of the month: Rockstarlet.




The contents of the bag.




First up, Ofra Comestics Banana Highlighting Powder. I'm more apt to use a highlighter over bronzer, so I'm definitely using this next time I get dressed up to go out.




This is Nuxe Paris' Nuxellence Detox creme. It's touted as a detoxifying and anti-aging creme. If that's the case, then I'm expecting it to lightly lift, tone, and revive aging complexion. We shall see! I love getting face creams to try, as they can be quite expensive (for quality ones), so doesn't always fit my budget.




Next up, Skone's Brow Wand. The one eyebrow pencil I received from Ipsy quickly became my favorite, and I had been wondering what I would do when it ran out! Luckily, I've received another. It's the same, perfect color as my last one (dark brown), with a spoolie on one end--this one, unlike my other one, has a cap though!--but the pencil itself is shaped like a triangle. I'm going to have to research this one a bit before I use it as I've never used a triangular brow pencil before.




As I've mentioned in past Ipsy posts, the Balm makes my new favorite colored eyeshadow (Matt (tri)Mony). This month, I've received a new product from the Balm called Mad Lash. It's (obviously) a mascara. It has a curved wand and plastic spike bristles. These are the kind that are built-in/part of the brush itself, and I've had good luck with those. I'm happy to own it as one can never have too many mascaras!




Last, but not least, is another item from Starlooks. It's a lip gloss in the color Rose Gold. I love lip glosses. They're more appropriate for a day look, but are great to put over a bold color for a shiny night look. It's really pretty, and, like you'd expect, it's a pretty pink color with a touch of shimmery gold. I can't wait to use it.


And there you have it, another successful month of Ipsy. Ipsy is inexpensive and the perfect way to try out makeup items! Head over to their website for more info: https://www.ipsy.com/

Recipe of the Week: Soups and Stews

It's starting to cool down outside, albeit slowly for this time of year, and that means it's time to dig out my soup pot. I mean that literally, not figuratively, as I have the good fortune of owning some old Wagner Ware Magnalite. I own the Dutch Oven and Turkey Roasters, and they are wonderful. Nothing is more durable or longer-lasting than this cookware (Yes, cast iron is awesome, but it can rust. Wagner Ware doesn't rust.), and they can be used on top of the stove or in the oven. 


Wagner Ware Turkey Roaster (not mine).


Wagner Ware Dutch Oven (also not mine).

Many a good meal has been made in my Wagner Ware, and the Dutch Oven is perfect for making delicious soup. Why? Well, mainly because good soup needs to be made in large quantities, but also because when a good soup is made, it gets eaten in large quantities. No one wants to run out of good soup too soon! Making a good soup is easy. If you have broth (or something to make broth with), and any combination of protein/veggies/grains/seasonings, you can easily whip together a tasty soup. If you want it heartier, put a larger ratio of items in, and thicken the liquid up with either flour or cornstarch. Easy!

Anyway, last night I got out my Wagner Wear Dutch Oven, and decided that a good stew was in order. I perused my veggie and protein options, and settled on the ingredients. I also decided that I needed dumplings, because who doesn't need a good dumpling sometimes? I made a delicious dumpling stew called:

Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings


Here's the Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings right after it finished cooking. You can seen the tofu, veggies, and dumplings.


Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings. Yummy!

Here's how I made it:

Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings

Ingredients:
For the stew:
2 T. coconut oil, or oil of preference6 medium potatoes, cut into chunks3 medium carrots, cut into chunks1 can of Navy bean, drained and rinsed1/2 c. each of frozen peas and corn10 c. vegetable stock*1/3 c. flour**1/2 c. cold water1 T. smoked paprika2 t. each salt, pepper, turmeric, Old Bay, granulated onion, and granulated garlic2 T. parsley flake***1 t. celery seed powder****

For the tofu:
1 block of tofu, cut into chunks*****2 T. vegetable oil


For the dumplings:
1 c. flour (I used whole wheat white)1/2 c. millet flour******2 t. baking powder1/4 c. dried chives***1 t. each salt & pepper1.5 T. coconut oil1 c. unsweetened, plain almond milk*******


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Coat tofu in oil and spread out onto a cookie sheet.3. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes each side, or until lightly browned on either side. Remove from heat.4. Warm the coconut oil over medium-high heat in dutch oven.5. Add the potatoes and carrots, and stir to coat well. 6. Sautee, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes.7. Add vegetable broth, beans, other veggies, and seasonings. Stir to incorporate and then gently boil over medium-high heat until potatoes and carrots are tender, approx. 15 to 20 minutes.8. Whisk together the flour and cold water until a smooth paste forms. Add to the stew and stir well. 9. Add the tofu to the pot of stew.10. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the stew until it starts to thicken.11. While this is happening, mix the dry dumpling ingredients together until well incorporated.12. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the coconut oil until incorporated and the mixture looks mealy.13. Add in the milk until you have a sticky, wet dough.14. Drop by teaspoonfuls into stew pot.15. Turn the heat down to medium, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.16. Remove from heat and let cool before eating as it will be molten hot.


Recipe Notes:
*You can use any stock you want, but I prefer Better than Bouillon's Vegetable Stock. The flavor can't be beat!
**You can use any flour you want. Gluten-free flours like chickpea and millet work fine here if you prefer.
***You can use fresh herbs if you prefer, but if you do, you need to use less.
****You can use half a stalk of fresh celery if you prefer, cut into small pieces. If you do, add this to the potatoes and carrots during the sautee step.
*****You do not need to press the tofu before baking. Baking removes the excess moisture, saving yourself an extra step.
******I add the gluten-free, millet flour in addition to the regular flour because it gives it more density, therefore making it heartier. You can omit this and use all wheat flour, but in this case, cut the milk down to 2/3 c. You can also make gluten-free dumplings by using your favorite recipe and adding the chives. 
*******I use unsweetened, plain almond milk everyday, but you can use any plant-based milk you prefer. Just make sure it's free of sweeteners and flavorings. 
Of course, this recipe is open to variation. Use ingredients you have on hand! If you have different veggies, use them. If you have margarine instead of coconut oil to make dumplings, use it. If you want gluten-free, it's easy to sub out (as I've shown you).
Happy Friday and happy souping!
-H.A.

Recipe of the Week #4

It's starting to cool down outside, albeit slowly for this time of year, and that means it's time to dig out my soup pot. I mean that literally, not figuratively, as I have the good fortune of owning some old Wagner Ware Magnalite. I own the Dutch Oven and Turkey Roasters, and they are wonderful. Nothing is more durable or longer-lasting than this cookware (Yes, cast iron is awesome, but it can rust. Wagner Ware doesn't rust.), and they can be used on top of the stove or in the oven. 


Wagner Ware Turkey Roaster (not mine).


Wagner Ware Dutch Oven (also not mine).

Many a good meal has been made in my Wagner Ware, and the Dutch Oven is perfect for making delicious soup. Why? Well, mainly because good soup needs to be made in large quantities, but also because when a good soup is made, it gets eaten in large quantities. No one wants to run out of good soup too soon!

Anyway, last night I got out my Wagner Wear Dutch Oven, and decided that a good stew was in order. I perused my veggie and protein options, and settled on the ingredients. I also decided that I needed dumplings, because who doesn't need a good dumpling sometimes? I made a delicious dumpling stew called:

Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings


Here's the Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings right after it finished cooking. You can seen the tofu, veggies, and dumplings.


Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings. Yummy!

Here's how I made it:

Smoky Tofu Stew with Chive Dumplings

Ingredients:
For the stew:
2 T. coconut oil, or oil of preference6 medium potatoes, cut into chunks3 medium carrots, cut into chunks1 can of Navy bean, drained and rinsed1/2 c. each of frozen peas and corn10 c. vegetable stock*1/3 c. flour**1/2 c. cold water1 T. smoked paprika2 t. each salt, pepper, turmeric, Old Bay, granulated onion, and granulated garlic2 T. parsley flake***1 t. celery seed powder****

For the tofu:
1 block of tofu, cut into chunks*****2 T. vegetable oil


For the dumplings:
1 c. flour (I used whole wheat white)1/2 c. millet flour******2 t. baking powder1/4 c. dried chives***1 t. each salt & pepper1.5 T. coconut oil1 c. unsweetened, plain almond milk*******


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Coat tofu in oil and spread out onto a cookie sheet.3. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes each side, or until lightly browned on either side. Remove from heat.4. Warm the coconut oil over medium-high heat in dutch oven.5. Add the potatoes and carrots, and stir to coat well. 6. Sautee, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes.7. Add vegetable broth, beans, other veggies, and seasonings. Stir to incorporate and then gently boil over medium-high heat until potatoes and carrots are tender, approx. 15 to 20 minutes.8. Whisk together the flour and cold water until a smooth paste forms. Add to the stew and stir well. 9. Add the tofu to the pot of stew.10. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the stew until it starts to thicken.11. While this is happening, mix the dry dumpling ingredients together until well incorporated.12. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the coconut oil until incorporated and the mixture looks mealy.13. Add in the milk until you have a sticky, wet dough.14. Drop by teaspoonfuls into stew pot.15. Turn the heat down to medium, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.16. Remove from heat and let cool before eating as it will be molten hot.


Recipe Notes:
*You can use any stock you want, but I prefer Better than Bouillon's Vegetable Stock. The flavor can't be beat!
**You can use any flour you want. Gluten-free flours like chickpea and millet work fine here if you prefer.
***You can use fresh herbs if you prefer, but if you do, you need to use less.
****You can use half a stalk of fresh celery if you prefer, cut into small pieces. If you do, add this to the potatoes and carrots during the sautee step.
*****You do not need to press the tofu before baking. Baking removes the excess moisture, saving yourself an extra step.
******I add the gluten-free, millet flour in addition to the regular flour because it gives it more density, therefore making it heartier. You can omit this and use all wheat flour, but in this case, cut the milk down to 2/3 c. You can also make gluten-free dumplings by using your favorite recipe and adding the chives. 
*******I use unsweetened, plain almond milk everyday, but you can use any plant-based milk you prefer. Just make sure it's free of sweeteners and flavorings. 
Of course, this recipe is open to variation. Use ingredients you have on hand! If you have different veggies, use them. If you have margarine instead of coconut oil to make dumplings, use it. If you want gluten-free, it's easy to sub out (as I've shown you).
Happy Friday and happy souping!
-H.A.

Coffee Talk: Supermoons & other Tales

Good morning! I decided to roll out another new segment of my blog, and I'm calling it Coffee Talk. I'm sure it will be like Recipe of the Week, and not necessarily be a weekly thing. That's okay, things don't have to be done rigidly in The Write Life, right? Right! Anyway, it is coffee talk because every morning that I work on the Write Life, I drink coffee. I also wax poetic, or erratically at times, so why not call it Coffee Talk? I'll talk about a variety of things as well as specific topics as well, just depends. We'll have coffee, we'll talk. Okay, I'll be talking, you'll be listening...so to speak. 

First off, did you check out the Supermoon that was out Sunday night and Monday night? You had to have seen it! In fact, it's been so big, and so bright, that you can see it during the day:


A photo I took of the Supermoon on Tuesday morning.

Last night, I was visiting a friend, and the Supermoon was still very visible. It's not quite as full as it was at full wax, but it was still pretty impressive nonetheless:


The Supermoon on Tuesday evening.

It's probably this first picture I've taken of the moon that didn't completely suck. Seriously, if you've ever tried taking a picture of the moon, you know the struggle. I'm not sure how long one can expect to see the moon in this awesome form, but if you're looking up at the sky this morning, or this evening, I bet it will be there. For more night sky happenings this month, check out the post I made earlier this month.
This last weekend, I was busy (again) on Saturday doing the weekly podcast that I run out of my house, and so I didn't end up getting outside like I had wanted. We usually do the podcast on Sunday evening, but my best friend went to South Africa and I had to pick him up from the airport at the same time as we usually run the podcast. 
Sunday though, when the boys were at work, Nature Girl and I decided we needed to get outside. I really wanted to go somewhere different, and so I remembered Lewis and Clark Monument over in Council Bluffs. I can vaguely remember hiking the mountain bike trails there once, but it was so long ago, that I figured it would be like going somewhere new. 
Lewis and Clark Monument sits on top of the Loess Hills as they make their way through the city. If affords sweeping views of the landscape, and you can clearly see Nebraska and Iowa as you stand there (as is the case with the Iowa Mountains in general). 

Nature Girl blows her bubbles from on top of the world at Lewis and Clark Monument in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
While we did walk the peak trail, we had to stop as the remaining ones are all mountain bike trails, which are treacherous to hike. My balance isn't as great as it used to be either, and, while I tried, gave up. Even Nature Girl was a bit nervous. We instead went into the trailhead we saw for the forest area of the park, and we walked along that for awhile. It's not a pleasant walk per se because, unlike most managed forests, they do not do any controlled burning. Controlled burning allows a nature area to keep the overgrowth at bay while allowing for easy growth of new fauna in Spring.
We decided to move on and kept following the road that leads to and away from the monument. We ended up in Crescent, Iowa, and since we weren't done with nature just yet, decided to make a pit stop at Hitchcock Nature Center. We leisurely walked along the boardwalk blowing bubbles, and then walked along a bit of the nature trail. 
All in all, it was a gorgeous day and we got a few miles in of nice walking.
The boardwalk trail at Hitchcock Nature Center in Crescent, Iowa.


The other day, I found out about a short story contest for horror stories. I went ahead and started writing a story for that. This year has proven to be a difficult year for me to write (at least up until recently). I'd been having trouble being inspired, and I felt weary of writing. I still kept at it, albeit super-slowly, but I just wasn't feeling the creative pull that I usually had. This seemed to be coming from within me, as I hadn't felt very compelled to be productive at much of anything.
Well, after my massive hiking weekend, I really got myself out of that slump, and I've been back to my normal self in my daily life, routine, and The Write Life. I've not only picked up steam on The Box, but I wrote the first page of the book that will follow it (I got hit with a great idea for the story so went ahead and put it down while I still had in fresh in mind). Combine that with the short story I've started, and baby, I'm back! 
Indeed, I feel renewed overall. I feel energized, inspired, and creative. I have to admit, that I'm more than glad that the slump is over. It begins to wear on your confidence when you sit around doing nothing most of the time, and are not being the creative, productive, and outgoing person that you usually are. Even worse, you wonder if it's a permanent state, and that is a frightening thought. My mood then, has really been given a boost.
I've picked up this steam during NaNoWriMo, and while I'm pretty sure I won't finish The Box during this novel-writing month, I'll at least be close! Last year, I finished The Station during NaNoWriMo, so I did what many people set out to do. Are you writing the next great novel during NaNoWriMo? 

Well, my coffee mug is nearly empty (again), and it's time for me to get some writing in before I get ready for work. I hope you enjoyed Coffee Talk, and I'll be back on Friday with a new post. 
-H.A.

Coffee Talk #1

Good morning! I decided to roll out another new segment of my blog, and I'm calling it Coffee Talk. I'm sure it will be like Recipe of the Week, and not necessarily be a weekly thing. That's okay, things don't have to be done rigidly in The Write Life, right? Right! Anyway, it is coffee talk because every morning that I work on the Write Life, I drink coffee. I also wax poetic, or erratically at times, so why not call it Coffee Talk? I'll talk about a variety of things as well as specific topics as well, just depends. We'll have coffee, we'll talk. Okay, I'll be talking, you'll be listening...so to speak. 

First off, did you check out the Supermoon that was out Sunday night and Monday night? You had to have seen it! In fact, it's been so big, and so bright, that you can see it during the day:


A photo I took of the Supermoon on Tuesday morning.

Last night, I was visiting a friend, and the Supermoon was still very visible. It's not quite as full as it was at full wax, but it was still pretty impressive nonetheless:


The Supermoon on Tuesday evening.

It's probably this first picture I've taken of the moon that didn't completely suck. Seriously, if you've ever tried taking a picture of the moon, you know the struggle. I'm not sure how long one can expect to see the moon in this awesome form, but if you're looking up at the sky this morning, or this evening, I bet it will be there. For more night sky happenings this month, check out the post I made earlier this month.
This last weekend, I was busy (again) on Saturday doing the weekly podcast that I run out of my house, and so I didn't end up getting outside like I had wanted. We usually do the podcast on Sunday evening, but my best friend went to South Africa and I had to pick him up from the airport at the same time as we usually run the podcast. 
Sunday though, when the boys were at work, Nature Girl and I decided we needed to get outside. I really wanted to go somewhere different, and so I remembered Lewis and Clark Monument over in Council Bluffs. I can vaguely remember hiking the mountain bike trails there once, but it was so long ago, that I figured it would be like going somewhere new. 
Lewis and Clark Monument sits on top of the Loess Hills as they make their way through the city. If affords sweeping views of the landscape, and you can clearly see Nebraska and Iowa as you stand there (as is the case with the Iowa Mountains in general). 

Nature Girl blows her bubbles from on top of the world at Lewis and Clark Monument in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
While we did walk the peak trail, we had to stop as the remaining ones are all mountain bike trails, which are treacherous to hike. My balance isn't as great as it used to be either, and, while I tried, gave up. Even Nature Girl was a bit nervous. We instead went into the trailhead we saw for the forest area of the park, and we walked along that for awhile. It's not a pleasant walk per se because, unlike most managed forests, they do not do any controlled burning. Controlled burning allows a nature area to keep the overgrowth at bay while allowing for easy growth of new fauna in Spring.
We decided to move on and kept following the road that leads to and away from the monument. We ended up in Crescent, Iowa, and since we weren't done with nature just yet, decided to make a pit stop at Hitchcock Nature Center. We leisurely walked along the boardwalk blowing bubbles, and then walked along a bit of the nature trail. 
All in all, it was a gorgeous day and we got a few miles in of nice walking.
The boardwalk trail at Hitchcock Nature Center in Crescent, Iowa.


The other day, I found out about a short story contest for horror stories. I went ahead and started writing a story for that. This year has proven to be a difficult year for me to write (at least up until recently). I'd been having trouble being inspired, and I felt weary of writing. I still kept at it, albeit super-slowly, but I just wasn't feeling the creative pull that I usually had. This seemed to be coming from within me, as I hadn't felt very compelled to be productive at much of anything.
Well, after my massive hiking weekend, I really got myself out of that slump, and I've been back to my normal self in my daily life, routine, and The Write Life. I've not only picked up steam on The Box, but I wrote the first page of the book that will follow it (I got hit with a great idea for the story so went ahead and put it down while I still had in fresh in mind). Combine that with the short story I've started, and baby, I'm back! 
Indeed, I feel renewed overall. I feel energized, inspired, and creative. I have to admit, that I'm more than glad that the slump is over. It begins to wear on your confidence when you sit around doing nothing most of the time, and are not being the creative, productive, and outgoing person that you usually are. Even worse, you wonder if it's a permanent state, and that is a frightening thought. My mood then, has really been given a boost.
I've picked up this steam during NaNoWriMo, and while I'm pretty sure I won't finish The Box during this novel-writing month, I'll at least be close! Last year, I finished The Station during NaNoWriMo, so I did what many people set out to do. Are you writing the next great novel during NaNoWriMo? 

Well, my coffee mug is nearly empty (again), and it's time for me to get some writing in before I get ready for work. I hope you enjoyed Coffee Talk, and I'll be back on Friday with a new post. 
-H.A.

Investigation of Prospect Hill Cemetery

Prospect Hill Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Nebraska, with it's first burial recorded in 1858. It was a Pioneer Cemetery, which needs no explanation. It's a bit run-down, but is still in use to this day, and, surprisingly, has a good website. The website's neatest feature, in my opinion, is the page about it's famous burials. The cemetery is the final resting place of some of the most influential people in Omaha's history. A walking tour guide and map are included on the page.
Another, more discrete, reason for the popularity of this cemetery is it's reputation of being quite haunted. I had tried to ghost hunt here before, but as it's not in the best part of town, wandering around at night is best done in groups.

Saturday night, then, a small group of us finally made it out to Prospect Hill Cemetery for a short investigation. Investigating this place isn't necessarily the easist. There is some noise pollution--although not bad for being in the city as the area is heavily trafficked--such as a car here and there driving by, and occasionally you could hear a yell or a bird. We were actually interrupted by a total of four cars that were passing through, leading me to realize that this place is popular, but there wasn't all these "kids" that are purported to hang out here at night.

I've gone through all the cool photographs I took, and there were a couple of things that *might* give me pause, but not enough for me to say, "Okay, this place is haunted." I ran audio as well as taking photographs, and while I didn't catch any voices on audio, I did have some weird audio anomalies. My voice recorder skipped out several times and, when it did, would make a weird sound. I haven't had that happen before, so it's another something that *might* give me pause, but, again, nothing definitive.






We investigated in the oldest part of the cemetery. The oldest grave I found was from 1886, although I know there are older ones in the cemetery.












This is one of the famous burials of the cemetery. The Hummel family was an influential, early Omaha family whose name, interestingly enough, graces the other reputed haunted place in town: Hummel Park. Hummel Park is home to the Morphing Stairs as well.




Here's the oldest grave I found while wandering around the cemetery. Sarah Frank died in 1886 at the young age of 39.




A shot up of one of the tallest tombstones in the cemetery. If I remember correctly, it's from around 1927, and is big, fancy, and of good quality because it's still in pristine condition after nearly 90 years of weather.




As a contrast, many of the older tombstones look more like this: worn, crumbling, and leaning (if not downright fallen).








These two cross tombstones, like many of the grave markers in the cemetery, are falling. I'm not sure if the slabs behind them were put there to prop them up, or if they were originally on top of the slabs, fell off, and were then propped up against them.




Another shot of the cross tombstones.












I was standing at a crossroads on the North side of the cemetery when my camera refused to focus. I got excited thinking back to our investigation of Edinburgh Manor, and how when my camera refused to focus, I got EVP phenomena. I went ahead and started asking several leading questions, but upon playback, I got nothing. I find the green orb interesting as it's not a typical dust particle that are evidenced in several, if not most, of the photographs from this night. What it is though, remains a mystery.




Here's a shot of the same area when my camera finally focused. As you can see, whatever is causing the green orb in the unfocused picture, isn't here in the focused picture. 




The grave immediately to the left is of someone from the Lobeck family. This is another famous grave as Charles Lobeck was a small business owner and, later, a politician from Omaha.




As you can see, dust orbs stole there way into pretty much every shot I took.


While we never got anything definitive during our short investigation, it would be best, in my opinion, to go back to the cemetery during the "Witching Hour". Ghosts are said to be most active between the hours of 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and I'd like to test that here. It's just a hard time of the night to be in an old graveyard in a part of town that isn't the safest. I'm sure going to try though, as I'm sure I'd have less noise pollution to deal with as well.

The Write Life

Me, thinking about stuff.

I'm a writer, plain and simple. I write stories, it's what I like to do. I have a full-time day job that pays the bills, but being a writer is a full-time job for me as well. I call it The Write Life, and it's how I live every day of my life (well, most days anyway). I call it the write life for two reasons: 1) Writing is my life, and 2) It's a play on words, The Write Life is the right life for me!
I always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was a young teenager. I wrote, in long hand, a little book of shorts. I called it Cornerstones, and it was a collection of one-page stories. They stood alone, but could easily become larger and longer stories. Hence the title Cornerstones. I kept that notebook, and a few years back I found it. It was a surprise because--not only had I managed not to lose it--I had forgotten all about it. I read through the little shorts with a chuckle. I had been so proud of those little stories when I first wrote them, but looking on them now with older, more mature, eyes let me realize how childish the little stories seemed to be. 
It was around this time that I had begun plotting out a story in my head, and had typed out a rudimentary chapter in Word. This was the story that would eventually (two years later) become my book, Cold . Much like I had with Cornerstones, Cold was just an idea that I never dreamed that I'd really finish. 
Now, five years after that day, I've not only finished Cold, but four other books as well, plus two more in the works. I wrote editorials for a local magazine for two years, wrote some pieces for other online publications, and some short stories that just need a polishing before submission. I've also been building my brand now for the last several years as well. 
For these reasons, as well as a few others, I live the Write Life. While it doesn't make me the money that would allow me to quit my day job, I wouldn't change a thing. It's another thing, among a small handful of others, that gives me a sense of purpose and makes me feel like I've accomplished something. It's now a part of who I am, and I readily claim it as part of my identity. I'm proud to live the Write Life. 

Weekend Adventure, Part Two

Happy Friday! As promised, I present to you: Part Two of last weekend's adventures.
As you know from my post the other day, we did five miles of hiking on both Saturday and Sunday. Sunday, we made our way to Fontanelle Forest, where we explored a large area of the park. The Fontanelle Association owns Fontanelle Forest, but they also happen to own my favorite spot, Neale Woods. Fontanelle Forest is more popular, so I don't go here as often, but it's a beautiful spot to hike nonetheless. As we did Saturday, me, Nature Girl, and my husband enjoyed the gorgeous weather.




A HUGE leaf we saw, one of many, on our hike through the forest. It's one of our last looks of Autumn.





Nature Girl, walking along one of the main trails that leads off the boardwalk. Fontanelle Forest has a mile or so long boardwalk trail that is fun to walk. For serious hikers though, there are many trails that lead to and from the boardwalk. There are several miles worth of trails inside the forest.





We spotted these fungi hanging out on the bottom part of a tree. It's interesting to see all the different kinds of fungi that live in the woods around here. I've seen some of the "standard" white fungus that grows prevalently on the trees here, but I've seen a good four other kinds of fungi this year. I find it interesting, even though I know nothing about fungi.





A pretty bridge that provides a walkway over a creek. It lives in the valley that bridges the divide between the two elevated areas that make up this forest.





We walked on top of a fallen tree. Fallen trees make good homes for animals, as well as good places to sit as you walk through the forest. As I was stepping on, my husband and Nature Girl were already at the other end, waiting for me.





We had ascended the highest part of the woods, and as we reached the point where we could climb back down, we got a good vantage point of the Missouri River. It's just visible in the background between the trees.




After we climbed down into the valley, we crossed over the train tracks that run parallel to the Missouri River, and right to the edge of the river itself. We stood here for awhile, just admiring the beauty of nature. It's a good vantage spot for seeing the last of Fall's splendor.





After enjoying the serene beauty of the Mighty Missouri for awhile, we began the second half of our trek back to the nature center. We passed the swamp that's situated in the valley, and it's been covered all summer with a fine layer of green. It's looks like nature's carpet. 





The Sun was starting to set as we left the trails and got back onto the boardwalk. Most of the trees have lost their leaves, and look like black, rickety fingers against the darkening skies.





A view of the boardwalk as we made our way back to the nature center.





Fallen leaves upon the boardwalk. It made for a cool photograph. I might have to frame and hang this one!

While it's not going to be as warm here this weekend as compared to last weekend, it's still going to be in the high 50s and low 60s, so I'll probably bundle up and get outside before it gets really, really cold. Of course, I'll probably be saying that when it's 20 degrees outside as well. There's never a bad time to hike...not really. No matter what it's like outside where you are, I hope you'll enjoy your weekend, no matter what your plans are. Enjoy your life. 
-H.A.