Category Writing

Christmas Movies… It’s that time of year!

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It’s that time of year again. YES, when the Hallmark Channel starts showing Christmas movies. You need to have a tissue box close by for some of the shows. Then with other movies you can talk your heart out with other viewers, because the story line is S-L-O-W.

This past weekend, I saw on LIFETIME, “Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune.” It came out in 2021. I’m not sure how I missed it a few years ago. There was a lot of advertising around it. Well, it was during COVID. If you like country music, you’ll like this one, great songs.

Oh, and John Schneider, the main actor with Reba, he’s from the The Dukes of Hazzard days. I had no idea he sung country music too. So, the movie’s storyline of husband/wife country singers, who have been separated for 15 years, getting together for their daughter’s Christmas Charity, where old feelings are rekindled is a cute one.

Here’s one of the songs from the movie…

Have you started watching any Christmas movies? Which ones do you enjoy?

Happy Holidays!

November, Writing month – NaNoWriMo -> Love it or Hate it?

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Day 1–> November 1st —> NaNoWriMo starts!

Are you IN or OUT? People have different opinions on this. If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, you can visit the website for details. Basically, every year for the month of November you challenge yourself to write a novel of 50,000 words.

Some people like this structure and sense of writing community. Others feel like they are being handcuffed and their creativity goes out the window. Suddenly no words, no ideas come to them.

I have mixed emotions about it. Do I need to put more pressure on myself for a month? I don’t think so. So, this year, I’ll be monitoring some conversations, but going solo. Who knows, I might just hit 50K!

Are you participating? Do you find value in this? Met other writers?

Do you say Fall or Autumn?

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I have a question. Is it Fall or Autumn?

My daughter had lived in Ireland for a few years. She went to College there. When it was September to November, she would say, “Isn’t FALL beautiful.”

To which an Irish friend would say, “You Americans always try to simplify things. It’s Autumn, not Fall. You see leaves FALL from the trees and you say it is FALL.”

So, I ask you… WHERE did the word Fall for Autumn come from?

Photography… I got the perfect shot!

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Life is interesting. Yesterday, I knew I needed to go walking, but I was going back and forth on “when.” You know how that is. One side of our mind says, “DO IT NOW,” but the other side says, “It’s cold outside, wait until later when it has warmed up.” The good old excuses.

I decided to get it done. Near the park where I walk there is a Catholic Church. When I go walking, I always stop and visit Jesus, say a quick prayer, and continue walking.

When I got to Jesus, I was amazed to look up and see the sun shinning perfectly on his face and his right arm/hand as if he was going to bless my head. Might sound silly, but as I was raised a Catholic, that was the first thing that popped in my mind.

I did apologize to Jesus for not going to Sunday mass. I just don’t enjoy it. I go to church when I want to. I like to go during the week, just pop in, sit for a few minutes in the quite dark church with many candles lit and feel at peace for a few minutes. OR as I mentioned, make a point of walking by church and stopping by when I go walking. That offers comfort too. No matter what struggles, we know we are not alone.

In the end, I would say most of us feel we are spiritual, we do believe in prayer or God or “something,” and we pray “our way.” That’s the best. My mother always liked the Buddhist teachings. We can pray anywhere.

There are so many things we need to pray about right now. Wars in Ukraine/Russia, now Israel, natural disasters, the migrant situation, inflation, illnesses, family/friends passing away, the list goes on.

So, I say, “Thank you, Jesus, for making me smile.” The sun shinning on you, was special indeed.

Glad I took that walk when I did!

Fall… Pumpkin shopping…

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I was looking at the pumpkins and came across these. I have to be honest, they look like they have a lot of warts on them. I don’t find them appealing and feel bad for saying this. Everything has it’s own beauty, right. Still, I thought, there must be a reason they grow like this.

Anyone familiar with these types of pumpkins?

Weather – When the storm comes in…

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We can all sense a storm coming in. The wind starts to change, the clouds come in and THEN our IPhone’s go off. Flash Flood Warning Alert.

That’s what happened this weekend. I was close to Lake Michigan, stopped by the Lake and saw this incredible view of the dark clouds slowly moving in. I had to be quick to get the photo.

The waves were rather calm for the storm that was coming. Even so, I sensed from the dark clouds looming over head and the way the temperature felt that I had to take cover. A tornado could form in this type of storm. While I was mesmerized by the colors of the Lake and the dark clouds, I had to find shelter.

In the end, the storm came, pounding rain, then after a short period the sun came out. Yes, the bright sun as if a storm had never come through our town…

Dog or Cat Bed – Boo…!

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Halloween is coming up. Isn’t this great?! I don’t have a dog or cat, but this animal bed looks really cozy. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be so cozy that it would feel too HOT.

I can see a witch arriving home on her broomstick and her black cat jumping in for a nap.

I love when people are creative and funny at the same time!

WordPress: When a new feature isn’t that great.

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Hello fellow Blogger, A Grace Full Life, I hope you don’t mind, I am using your Blog post as an example to discuss a new feature WordPress has come out with in our Reader view. Have you noticed the Comments in a post are now showing up in the Reader?

I used this as an example, because the comment was so long that on my Ipad, it took up my entire screen. I used to see just a thumbnail of each post, so I could quickly scroll through and my FOCUS was on the Blog post writer, NOT on the comments that are left on each site.

Has anyone else noticed this.

Thoughts… Like it or not?

I’ve written to the Happiness Engineers mentioning my displeasure with this new feature. Also, asking if there is a way to turn comments off, so they don’t show up. If you are like me and not a fan of this new development, you might want to send them an email.

Interesting find at the CAR WASH!

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My car was in desperate need of a car wash. I had parked my car in a nice shady spot. I was so proud of myself for finding such a good parking spot. Well, a few hours later, I was mad and horrified to see these massive bird droppings all over my car. I couldn’t even drive it. I had to clean my windshield off first. So, my great shady spot turned out to be the worst spot ever.

Fast forward to the car wash. My car needed vacuuming. As I got out of my car, I looked down and thought I saw a penny. The car wash is a perfect place to find all sorts of things on the ground. This object was so dark blending in with the pavement that I had to look twice.

Sure enough, it was a penny. Look how interesting though, it had a hole in it. How in the world did that happen? This penny had been through a lot. So old and beat up, I can’t even see the date on it.

My next thought went to, “Find a penny, heads up, you’ll have GOOD LUCK!” I did find a penny, heads up, but it had a hole in it.

Does the hole nix the “Good Luck,” I was supposed to receive? BIG question!

If only pennies could talk! I’d be interested to know what happened to him.