Memorial Day

Today we celebrate Memorial Day, a day to honor all those who have died in service to the United States.

This national day of remembrance was originally called Decoration Day, as women would decorate the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War with flowers and ribbons in remembrance of their loss.

While many places claim to be the birthplace of this tradition, in 1966 President Johnson named Waterloo, NY as the official birthplace of Memorial Day. New York State was the first state to recognize the holiday (1873), and by 1890 all the northern states had recognized this day of remembrance. The southern states chose to celebrate on a separate day until after World War I, when the holiday became one to remember all who had died, and not just those from the Civil War.

Although we now celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of May, in 1868, Gen. John Logan set May 30 as the official date of celebration, as this date had no significance to any battle that had been fought. In his General Order No. 11, he stated: “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”

For me, Memorial Day always brings to mind the poem In Flanders Fields by Lt. Col. John McCrae.

While researching information for this post, I came across the poem We Shall Keep the Faith, written by Moina Michael in response to Lt. Col. McCrae's poem.

These images share only one stanza from each poem, and I don't want you to miss the wonderful words these poets crafted, so be sure to click on the links above to read the full poems. And take a moment today to think of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedoms we all have today.

References:
http://www.usmemorialday.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day

Last Post Before Christmas!

Hope you are all ready to celebrate Christmas with your families and friends over the next few days.  For us, the season stretches into the New Year, giving us time to spend with everyone.

This year we are taking my folks with us to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  If you have never seen them, I highly recommend the concert.  Great music,and a light and pyrotechnic show that draws ages 8-80 together. 

Merry Christmas!  Joyeux Noel!  Feliz Navidad!  Happy Hanukkah!  And to all, a great day!!!

Christmas Cookies

Sorry I didn't post on Monday- the day got away from me quite quickly, and I never caught up.

Sunday the three of us and two of our neighbors got together to make cookies.

We chose to make Spritz,









Snowballs (and what my husband was calling "Dirty" Snowballs due to the cocoa powder instead of powdered sugar),

Dipped Pretzels

and Carmel Corn (I substituted molasses as I didn't have corn syrup, making it taste kind of like Cracker Jacks)

What happens when adults have left over Spritz dough and 11 year old Red Hots? (Yeah- they really were that old.  I thought they were only a few years, but nope.  They still taste OK, just a little softer and less spicy.)  You get these:

It was so much fun!  Hope your Cookie making is just as fun.

(Note:  Until sometime in the New Year, I will only be blogging on Thursdays.  So much to do and so little time to do it, and all that!)

Creating Character

Happy belated Father's Day to all the dad's out there.  We had a great time yesterday with both of our father's (and mother's and a brother) stopping over for food and fun on the back deck.  Hope you all had a great time. (We actually had two sunny days in a row!)

This week I was writing a scene in my WIP with a minor character who would only be in this one scene.  I wrote the chapter, saved it, then started thinking about what I had written.  It was very flat, and worse, I didn't know why my MC had chosen this person for the task they were fulfilling in the chapter.  As I thought about the answer to my why, a back story began to unravel for this minor character, and I realized that was why the chapter was so flat.

How about you?  Do you create back stories even for minor characters?  Why or why not?

Happy June!!!!

Hopefully all of you made it through the storms last week with little/no problems.  We had heavy rains, high winds, and tornado threats here, but fortunately no damage.  Power was out to several people in our area over the weekend, but as far as I know most of it has been restored by now.

We had a great cookout with family and friends on the new deck Monday (finally the weather cooperated!!!) It was so nice to have the area to entertain on.

I'm getting to the end of my re-writes for my WIP, and catching up on some reading.  My son and I are reading through the Percy Jackson series (we're on THE TITAN'S CURSE), and I am reading JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW.  What titles are you reading or is in your TBR pile???

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top o' the mornin' to ye!  I remember being in elementary school and everyone being "Irish" for the day.  We would pick to add "O'" or "Mc" to our last names, our teachers would leave "piles of gold" on our desks (usually pennies) and there was always the mysterious leprechaun who got into our desk and messed them up.  We had a blast!

Hopefully today will be just as fun for you and your families!

On a side note, I am considering getting an e-reader and have narrowed it down to a Nook and a Kindle.  I am looking for pros and cons.  Let me know your thoughts (good or bad) about either!  (Or other suggestions.)  I'd like to be able to import text documents into it and apply editing marks (comments and notes).

May the road rise up to meet you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Monday, and Happy Valentine's Day!!!

This past weekend was filled with writing, reading, and getting the last few things we need to finish up our son's room.  (We are remodeling the upstairs of our cape to give him a bigger room.)  The half bath should get the walls up and toilet and sink back in this week.  That leaves the carpet (which will happen next week), then we can move him in.

What makes this so exciting?  Well, his current bedroom will become my office.  Since October, all my writing things have been scattered throughout the house as we remodel and move things from one room to another.  This means by the end of the month, I should have an office to relax and write in (or by early March if I am being more realistic--- I do have to paint the room!)

Speaking of painting, I am taking the room from a bright green (it worked for my son) to a color called "Glass Slipper" (a very pale blue).  The humor of the name is not lost on me.  (For those of you who don't know, I write fairytales!)

Well, hope you and yours have a love filled Valentine's Day!!!

What a Trip!

Sorry for being absent yesterday, but after getting in at 2AM, I didn't have time to get a post up before work.

Christmas here was wonderful.  We had a great time with family and friends, and everyone truly seemed to enjoy the gifts the received.  (I love the robe I got, and can't wait to play the White Knight Chronicles game hubby got me.  He also surprised me with Christian Kane's House Rules CD.  My Zune will be updated and I can listen through the sound system with my new dock. And the Colt's wear I got will be making an appearance this weekend.)

Sunday we went to Albany to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  Each year I wonder what they will do to make the show bigger and better than the year before, and each year I am amazed.  It truly is an awesome show.  (We find sitting towards the back is the best seats so you see the show and aren't in the show!-- this also allows for less expensive tickets, too!)

I really enjoyed the changes to this years show.  There were a few new songs, as one of the usual singers wasn't there.  While I enjoyed hearing the other songs, I really missed hearing him sing.

The drive home was a bit challenging.  It was snowing in sheets (yeah, I know- I never saw it do that before either).  Our usual 2 to 2 1/2 hour trip turned out to be about 3 hours (not so bad, but when you roll in at 2 AM and have to get up for work at 7...)  Normally I would have slept most of the trip home, but I wanted to be an extra set of eyes while hubby drove.

If you get a chance, check out TSO (you probably know their two most famous songs- Christmas Eve Sarajevo (the one that started it all when they were Savatage) and Wizards in Winter (the one made famous with the commercial with the house lights)).

Hope you all had a great Christmas.  I'll be posting a breakfast recipe on Thursday (I used if for Christmas)- thought you might want to try it for New Years!

Wrapping it up!

Well, if you are like me this year, you still have Christmas shopping to finish and all your wrapping to do (I cannot believe how time got away from me this year!)

Tomorrow begins the first of multiple family Christmas gatherings that will take us into the final one on New Year's Day.  I really like the way we stretch it out so long-- savoring our time with each other.

Sunday we are off to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert.  They are absolutely wonderful, and I can't wait to see what they've added to the show this year.  They usually play the entire first album (with a narrator), then add in songs from their other albums in the second half.  It is really cool to see all the people there (little kids all the way up to the elderly!)  This is becoming our family tradition- an annual trip to the TSO Christmas show (this makes 6 years running!)

What are your holiday plans?  Do you have any special traditions?  Share below.

Christmas Cookies

Last night I finally started my Christmas cookies (I am so behind this year!)  I got one batch made, a second ready to go after it rests in the fridge, and made some Caramel Corn -with chocolates, nuts, and cranberries. (and managed to burn my finger on the sugar!)  A far cry from last year's cookie trays, but it will have to do.

How are your holiday plans coming along?  Have you gotten all your baking done?  Only four more days to go!

In case you missed it yesterday, here's the link to the first three chapters of Con and Conjure  by Lisa Shearin.  I am really enjoying her series- how could I not?  Sexy Elves, Sexy Goblins, danger, magic-what's not to enjoy?  Take a look if you haven't already done so!

It's beginning to look at lot like... Christmas!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving spent with family and friends.  We did here (even got to a hockey game-- the home team won, although we were all rooting for the visiting team :) ).

Saturday we got the tree up and "Christmassed" the house a bit.  We usually do this the day after Thanksgiving, but decided to wait this year.  (It will still be up until at least New Year's Day-- it's an artificial tree, so we can do that-- darn allergies keep us from having a real one!)

The back porch is almost done (which means later this week I can move the stuff out of my kitchen and back to where it should be).

I will be setting a date for our Cookie Party soon.  We had a fun time with this last year and are looking forward to it again.  Everyone brings a cookie to share (and recipe for me to post :) ) and I provide sugar cookies and decorating materials for all to decorate.  Erik just bought some new cookie cutters on his camping trips, and we are looking forward to using them.

What holiday traditions do you have?

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you to all the men and women who served and are serving to keep out country safe and allow us the freedoms and liberties that we have.

Costumes!

I love Halloween.  It's one of the few times you can dress up as something else and not look out of place (the other time, at least for me, is at Renaissance Faires.)

We usually try to theme the family-- one of us stays home, the other takes our son out. In the past I've been Dora the Explorer to my son's Boots, Mary Jane to his Spider-man.  But this year, we are breaking the mold.  My son has chosen to be a ring wraith from Lord of the Rings, while I have amassed an outfit for an 80's rocker.  It all started with a skirt I found on sale and has grown from there.  (I even found a gold lame barrette I've had all these years to use!)  I believe my husband is going the rocker route, too.  (I found a blond wig in the Halloween box that will be great for him-- can't remember what costume I used it for, though).

I'll dress for the party they are having at school, for the party we are having at home, and to take my son out (or give candy- whichever he chooses!)

What about you?  What are you going to be for Halloween?  Are you having a party? Going to one? Just dressing up for the kids getting treats?  Share in the comments!

Happy Monday!

We had a very nice weekend, hope you all did too!  Saturday, we went to the apple orchard, all excited to pick apples, unfortunately the picking was closed for the day as the ground was too wet.  So, we had a nice lunch in their store and bought a peck of already picked apples--apple crisp and apple pie here we come!

After lunch, we went to a pumpkin farm and had fun looking at the displays (we figured out what all were, except one-- there was one with a woman (pumpkin head and grey, long haired wig) in a long blue denim dress-- if you know what story/nursery rhyme/movie she could be, let me know!)

We did the corm maze, but didn't get lost-- found a few dead ends, though!  Then we picked out our pumpkins.

Back home, we decorated more outside, then did our pumpkin carving.

I picked a white pumpkin  this year- mostly because I liked its face.

I was going to do a Pumpkin Masters carving of a mummy, but didn't want to reduce the outline, so I free handed it.

When everyone was done, we placed them in the graveyard growing in our front yard for some pictures.  (The second is taken with a candle light option).

How are your Halloween preparations coming?

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there, especially my dad, my father-in-law, and my husband (and brothers, too!)


This last week was a busy week for me, although  looking back at it I'm not entirely sure why.  Life just seemed to intervene.

Wednesday I found a critique partner through Writer's Digest.  We will be exchanging work to each other on a weekly basis to critique and give an overall feedback to.  Katie gave great feedback on the Princess story I'm writing which I am now working to incorporate into my work.  She sent me the prologue and first ten chapters of her YA (Young Adult) Vampire story.  Let me say- I can't wait to see where she goes with it next.  I am finding it to be quite a compelling tale.

Yesterday I didn't get any writing done, but I did get a new place to write in.  For several years now, I've been trying to convert the upstairs into a playroom/crafting room for my son and I.  Well, the crafting are is there (and is a mess), the play area is there (another mess) and the rest of the giant O-shaped room (the stairs come up through the center of the room, making it an 'O') is filled with storage stuff.  Well, yesterday I decided that since Dear Son (DS) was not using the play space for play, that I would re-do it for an office/writing area for me.

A few hours later, I have my desk back, filled with all my writing things, and a nice area to write in away from everyone.  (Not that I'm trying to be anti-social, but it is hard when you're writing and have that great sentence going and someone interrupts you.) As well as a head start on cleaning out some of the crafting/sewing area (this will all get tackled later, as will the toys and other things stored up there that need to go.)

The only thing is, it kinda looks like a nursery as I used the Windsor rocker we got when we had DS, and I put up the curtains from his nursery.  Doesn't bother me at all!  I am finding it quite peaceful and organized looking.

This is DS's last week of school.  He is excited and disappointed at the same time.  He really liked his teacher this year and is going to miss her over the summer.

Speaking of summer- he will be doing EPAC (Endicott Performing Arts Center) this summer- they are putting on Alice in Wonderland (the musical version).  We're looking forward to seeing his talents on the stage.

What I'm Reading:

I had a friend suggest I read Janet Evanovich's 'How I Write', so I did and found it very interesting (although are writing styles are very different- there were some really good things I learned.)  She  referenced her Stephanie Plum series in the book, so I have been zipping through those books.  Stephanie is a lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter and the trouble she can get into is amazing (and hilarious) They are a hoot!  If you get a chance, check them out!  (Warning-- there is a lot of swearing in them- nothing gratuitous with it, each one is appropriate for the situation- so if you don't like swearing, you may want to avoid them.)

Have a great Father's Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm posting this early as I know I wil be cooking, eating, spending time with the family, and watching football tomorrow and will not have time to be here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

As I look back over the year, I have so many things to be thankful for, so here is a small list.

I'm thankful my family, and my friends (those I see regulary, those I see sporadically, and those I've only seen on-line).  I'm thankful for my health and my job. 

I'm thankful to all of the men and women in uniform who work everyday to keep us safe at home and abroad.  I'm thankful for the officers and emergency personnel who risk their lives and give their time to help us.  I'm thankful to the families of all these people who give them the love and support they need to do their jobs. 

I'm thankful for all the things that I have and the abilities I've been given. 

I'm thankful I live in a country where I can say what I want, without fear, even if someone else doesn't agree with me. 

Feel free to share what you're thankful for in the comments.

Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means I need to plan what we will be having for our feast that day.  Of course there will be turkey and cranberry sauce (how can you have Thanksgiving without turkey or cranberry sauce??)   So, here's how my menu is looking:


Meal:

Roasted Butter Herb Turkey
Mashed Potates and Gravy (homemade)
Stuffing (Stove Top, of course)
Cranberry Sauce (the jellied kind, not the berries)
Squash
Sweet potatoes (maybe- not sure yet)

Dessert:

Pumpkin Pie
Caramel  Pie (an ice cream type thing my sister-in-law makes- very yummy- I'll get the recipe to post)
Chocloate Cake (new recipe Mother-in-law is trying out)

Drinks:

Cider and Hot Damn (heated in CrockPot)
Cranberry Bog (NYS Wine- from Montezuma winery)
Soda and plain cider (for the kids)
Coffee


What's on your menu?  Post in comments.

Thank You!!!

To all those who have served and are currently serving in our armed forces and to their families:

THANK YOU

Freedom is not free and I greatly appreciate the sacrifices you and your families have made to allow us the freedoms that we have.

It was a dark and stormy night?

On our way back from Ohio, my friend and I were talking about writing. "It was a dark and stormy night" was said, to which she said "except it wasn't dark or stormy." I thought that could be the fun start of a story, so here we go.

He wished it was a dark and stormy night, or at least dark and night, but it was the middle of the afternoon, and the sun shone brightly in the cloudless blue sky. He sighed and looked at the clothes that lay on his bed, longing to change into them, but knowing he had to wait.

"When will it be time?" he asked his mother as he walked into the kitchen.

"Soon. You just need to find something to do to make the time go by faster." She told him with a knowing smile.

"If I had a time manipulation gun I could make it be time." He said, tipping his head to the side as he considered his options.

He returned to his room and pulled out his Lego's, quickly snapping the blocks together to create a gun shaped object. He walked back into the kitchen and pointed the gun at the clock.

"What are you doing?" His mother asked as she pulled a tray of food from the oven.

"This is my time manipulation gun."

"How does it work?" She asked.

"You point it at a clock and it moves time ahead to when you want it to be."

"Hmm. What if you like what you are doing and don't want time to move?"

He wrinkled his nose. "I hadn't thought of that." He paused for a moment. "If you like what you are doing, you can use it to freeze time."

"Interesting. A device to speed up or slow down time. Is it working?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you used it to speed up or slow down time?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's just a concept, not a real working model."

"Oh." She looked at the clock. "You better go get changed. You need to leave soon."

He looked at the clock, surprised to see how much time had passed while he had worked on the time gun. He returned to his room and changed into the clothes that were laid out on his bed.

"Don't forget these." His mom handed him a flashlight and a bag. "Have fun!!!"

"Thanks, Mom."

He skipped out the front door and made his way up the block. The sun had set, giving him the dark night, without storms, that he had been waiting for. He stopped in front of a small house whose porch light was on. Squaring he shoulders, he marched up to the door and knocked.

The door creaked open. Screams and eerie howls spilled into the night air. He swallowed, held put his bag and cried out "Trick or treat!"

Awesome Day

Yesterday was the best Fourth of July ever!!! How could you go wrong spending time with family and friends at an airshow followed by an awesome fireworks display?

I am still in awe of the amazing talent that we witnessed at the Binghamton Airshow yesterday. From acrobatic planes, to wing walkers, to our military's finest, the show had it all. My personal favorites were the Harrier Jet (what cool technology we have in our planes), the C-130 JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) demonstration, and of course, the Blue Angels. They flew so close together, there were times it looked like their wings were resting on the canopy of the next plane. That's trust of your fellow pilot. They were so in tune with each other, their turns made it seem as if they were all sitting on a piece of glass and someone was tipping and turning it- they moved as one unit- it was AWESOME.

Talking with some of the pilots after the show, it was amazing to hear them (who are currently serving our Country) thank those before them who had served in the past. Our men and women in uniform are truly the best.

The Town of Union, as usual, put on a great fireworks display to cap off the night. We had a great walk up to and back from the park. (We still find it easier and faster to walk than drive). Overall it was a great day to reflect on how fortunate I am to live in this great Country.