The Clincher

Blogging Friends.... I hereby behold. This is my final "therapy session"!! For a while, at least!! Because I do not think I need them anymore!! I have felt this way for quite some time. But. Like some child with a security blanket, I was reluctant to let it go. "Let it go". Those are the key subject words that I feel God is whispering into my heart and soul right now. "Let it go". Thank-you, dear Blogging Friends--again--from the depths of my heart for your support....

  

"Minuscule is good!

Trust me, it's much better than thinking everything you do is important and meaningful. That is not good." --Robert Downey Jr.

Dreams. I cannot help but wonder. Why do we even have them? My sister would love to become a worldwide traveler, her list including Ireland and Africa. But she has neither the time nor the money for such a dream. My Dad wrote a "book" quite some time ago, and would love more than anything to become published. No, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", as that phrase goes!! I am, like, a female version of Dad.... Positives, negatives, character defects and all!! So back to my query. Why do we even dream? Is it for our own personal comfort? Because daydreaming feels good? Is it because we are human? Why....? Well, I finally did it. I Google-searched self-published authors. And, incidentally, {Or was it providential?!} God immediately lead me to an interview with a self-published author. Naturally, I clicked on it. And, incidentally, {Or was it providential?!} my eyes immediately noticed these words which were spoken by the self-published author. She said this.

Finding the time to market my books and write the next one is the biggest challenge – there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Whoa. What is one of my "biggest challenges" as a "Children's Writer"? Honestly? It would be periodic bouts of Writer's Block. Which I love, love, love!! Plus, occasionally, another challenge is envisioning future fictional children's stories. Which I do not mind!!

Finding the time to market my books and write the next one is the biggest challenge – there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Wow. This is definitely a clincher. Because I need the time to create my "books". Yes, need. For I have figured myself out!! At last. It took me thirty years of life. But I have figured myself out!! See. I possess a crazy never-shuts-down head. Correct? Well. Having monthly Writing Projects, I put that crazy never-shuts-down head of mine "to work". Because. My crazy never-shuts-down head can also get me "into trouble" what with minor mood swing-infused pity parties, plus negative thoughts/feelings/emotions. But these Writing Projects!! Putting this crazy never-shuts-down head of mine "to work" provides my existence with an immense sense of purpose!! It truly does!! For my Writing Projects give me something exciting to anticipate once-a-month!! Both reasons which are exactly what keeps me "out of trouble"!! After thoroughly reading the interview--which I enjoyed!!--I looked this self-published author up. I wanted to know how many books she had written. Answer? Four. Huh. That most certainly does not trump twelve "books" in 2014!! As a matter of fact. Since October, beginning with "Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny", I have written six--soon to be seven!!--children's "books"!! And if I count my "Amethyst"-inspired monkey story? I have actually written seven--soon to be eight!!--children's "books"!! And I mustn't forget my Life Story!! No, I mustn't!! It did, after all, ignite my addiction to Writing Projects!! I "awakened the sleeping giant", as that phrase goes!! I am a writer, an artist who paints pictures with words. Do I need one of my "books" to become an Amazon.com bestseller--if that is even possible!!--as confirmation that I can? Absolutely not!! Because I am a "Children's Writer"!! I am. Writing.... Is the heart which beats a steady, rhythmic beat within my chest. Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. Writing.... Is the blood which pulses through my veins. Without this God-given talent, I would be dead!! Writing.... To me is the best form of therapy. It's healing in every single way. Writing.... Is the superglue that holds me together both emotionally and mentally. Because. Writing.... Helps keep me sane!! I can. What I cannot do? Quit writing my monthly fictional stories!! So I should not become a published children's author. Ever. And that is seemingly God's final answer to me. Well, guess what? I am not in the slightest bit sorry for this loss!! Because I'm living The Dream!! It was never broken or shattered after all....

Chant with me now. I'm livin' The Dream. I'm livin' The Dream. I'm livin' The Dream. I'm livin' The Dream. I'm livin' The Dream.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, dear Blogging Friends!!

May God Grant you always.... A sunbeam to warm you.... A moonbeam to charm you.... A sheltering angel so nothing can harm you.... Laughter to cheer you.... Faithful friends near you.... And whenever you pray.... Heaven to hear you. --Anonymous

And remember. Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day!!

  

  

  

  

Green St. Patrick's Day Treats

Well, far too swiftly, St. Patrick's Day has come and gone!! Having Irish in my blood, I excitedly anticipate March 17th. Every year!! I circle St. Patrick's Day on calendars. We watch "The Quiet Man" as a family. I own this bright green cheap plastic children's bracelet, and wear it on my right wrist each year. I love that piece of "jewelry"!! Seriously.... It is bold, and makes a statement of Look at me!! Well.... Why leave canines out on all the fun? Everybody is Irish for one day!! Are dogs an exception to that? I do not think so!! On Friday, March 16th, my youngest brother--known to Rose as Uncle Michael--and I baked a batch of home-made "grass-stained green" dog biscuits!! Which, our "food lovin'" Beagle cross would rate: Four 'paws' way, way up!! Here is our recipe:

Sit, Pat, Tricks Day
YOUR DOG WILL THINK HE FOUND HIS POT OF GOLD!
2 cups fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, puree spinach and oil. Add milk. (I almost forgot to add the milk.... I mistakenly thought that it should be poured into our flour and cornmeal. Oops. No problem, though!!) In a large bowl, combine flour and cornmeal. Add spinach mixture to flour mixture. (By the way.... Our spinach mixture looked disgusting!!) Knead for 2-3 minutes. (As usual when we bake these recipes, there was loose flour on the bottom of our bowl. So I found a large spoon and mashed my dough down several times until its flour was firmly mixed in. I counted that as "kneading"!!) Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutter. (I searched everywhere for shamrock cookie cutters, to no avail. Sigh.... So we used the cookbook's bone!!) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 1 dozen. (We baked 12 bones exactly for 30 minutes!!)
Bake bones on the middle oven rack. If your dough is sticky, apply a light layer of flour to your hands, the rolling surface and rolling pin. Because of variations in oven temperatures, monitor the cooking time for your batch of "Doggy Bones". Bake bones until the bottoms of the biscuits become medium brown, and adjust remaining baking times accordingly. If bones do not become "bone hard", bake bones for an additional five minutes or leave them in the oven as it cools. Store "Doggy Bones" in an airtight container. For extended supply, double your batch and freeze them!

I discovered a rather devious way to sneak spinach into Rose's diet!! Because my mongrel dislikes this plant!! And lettuce, for that matter!! When allowed a spinach leaf, Rose will hold it in her mouth. For several brief seconds. Then she will spit it out onto the floor. Next, Rose rolls in her spinach leaf. Then, she walks away!! "Snubbed", just like that!! The same treatment applies for lettuce!! Silly girl.... Rose did not follow me around our minuscule kitchen this time. No. She kept her distance in the great room!! However, once I pulled Rose's steaming-hot "grass-stained green" treats out of our oven, she wanted them!! Sorry girl.... They need to cool first!! My obvious reasons? I do not need to burn Rose's mouth!! Be patient.... That is a difficult concept--waiting--for a dog!! So I walked her up and down our cul-de-sac to pass time!! Once we returned, Rose was allowed a "grass-stained green" biscuit.... At last!! She greedily snatched it out of my hand. Ran into our great room, while still holding the treat. Dropped it. Then rolled, rolled, rolled, as though her biscuit were raccoon scat!! Finally, unlike the spinach, she ate it!! This is, apparently, Rose's crazy way of "expressing" her approval!! She's weird sometimes....

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Rose!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

May God Grant you always.... A sunbeam to warm you.... A moonbeam to charm you.... A sheltering angel so nothing can harm you.... Laughter to cheer you.... Faithful friends near you.... And whenever you pray.... Heaven to hear you. ~Anonymous

On March 17th, everyone is Irish!!