Summertime Ends!

Vacations are over and school is back in session! It ended up being a somewhat stressful season. It started with a car wreck, then my dad had a horrible bout of pneumonia--so bad that I really didn't think he would make it through--to my daughter being hospitalized. But I have to say, it ended with the most peaceful couple of days at the beach that I have experienced!

I came of age very close to a beach resort area. As a teen, it was wonderful and very quaint, but by the time I was an adult, people were shoulder to shoulder along the sand and large condos and towering hotels lined the beach blocking it from view. When I took my kids to the sea and surf, I took them far down the beach to the state park, but even it suffered from over-crowding.

So imagine my surprise in finding a beach resort that harked back to the quaint in Florida of all places. We could walk out of the door of our hotel, look to the left, and see beach and ocean a block away. No big high rises. No blocking hotels. We were on the edge of a state park which I think helped prevent development and the area must have decided to restrict building to maintain its quaintness.

It was absolutely peaceful. We asked the hotel staff, "Where are all the people?" "Oh, its always like this," was the response. Somewhat skeptical, we asked fellow guests. The response was the same. One set of guests came every year so they should know! We walked out in the evening, sat on benches lining the beachfront, listened to distant music played by an outside band, and let the night breeze waft across our bodies. In the morning, we returned to the benches to watch the sun rise above the Atlantic.

I still feel sorrow at having to leave such a place. I want to return next year and spend more than a couple of days as just those few hours seem to have recharged me. When stress and life's difficulties become too much, try to find peace. Somewhere. Anywhere. The beach experience has made me realize that I have to find peace here at home, too. I've always been big on nature and the outdoors, but for a time I apparently forgot about it. My summertime beach stay has reminded me that we can't let life overwhelm us and nature often has the answers when no one else does. Go outside and take the time to breathe.

Prejudice!

“In our thirst for Freedom, let us not drink from the cup of bitterness and anger.”  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

You know, not all white people hate black people. Not all black people hate white people. In this day and age, the color of one's skin is an excuse people utilize to release psychopathic tendencies of unreasonable hatred whether one is a criminal or a police officer.

If a black person killed me thinking to make a statement against prejudiced white people, a mistake would have been made for I have friends of color. I like all kinds of people. I don't look at religion, race, or ethnicity to determine my likes or dislikes. I look for honesty, respect, and intelligence. I am equally horrified at injustice no matter who the victim. Somehow it makes it worse when the crime is perpetrated by a police officer because the officer is a person of authority upon whom we should be able to trust and depend. A crime committed by a police officer or two does not excuse the shooting of random cops in another city. The shooter does not know if he is shooting decent people or not, just as a person killing me wouldn't know how I felt about others.

My son knows no boundaries when it comes to people and never meets a stranger no matter their color or beliefs. When he was about ten, he shaved his head, and I worried that he would be hurt by others because they might think he was a skinhead. Sure enough, he was cornered in the school bathroom and attacked by a black boy. Racially, the school makeup was something like 95% blacks. Should I have blamed all the black children at that school? Should I think that all, or even most, of the black children hated my son because he was white? Should he? What possible good would that accomplish? To this day, his best friend is a boy of color...rich brown color. People need to get a grip. If someone kills someone else, it shouldn't matter what the skin colors are, and the killer should be brought to justice. Killing random strangers as a 'protest' makes no sense. It is a lame excuse. Not to mention the ones who would have seen to that justice may have just been killed!

I'm a white woman and, believe it or not, I've faced prejudice. Does that define me? No. Should it? No. Have I faced prejudice as perhaps a black woman has faced it? Probably not. But how would you know? You don't know what I've experienced in my life. Should prejudice define that black woman? No. People cannot let hate define them! When we do that, it is giving the people who hate a victory.

In America, people like to think that it is the only place in the world where there is still prejudice. I have news for you, elsewhere in the world battles have been raging for thousands of years, and there appears to be no end in sight, because of race, religion, and ethnicity. It is nothing new. But in our cities we are fortunate as we do not dodge bullets daily nor fear bombs exploding in our faces. Why? Because we fight for our rights through our legal system. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. How could it be when it is run by people? And people have never been perfect. But America is better by far than other places in the world. Does it need improvement? Sure. But the only way for that to happen is to stick together no matter one's race, religion, or ethnicity. Stop playing the blame game, and blaming those not involved, and simply prosecute those who commit the crimes.

Medication and Disorders

Two decades ago, I called my grandfather who had moved into an assisted living facility after the death of my grandmother when he was in his early eighties. I lived over 750 miles away, and I had only ever seen my grandfather once or twice a year because of the distance, but he was a prolific letter writer. He didn't answer. As with any elderly loved one, I was concerned. After not being able to reach him, I contacted the facility only to be informed that he had been admitted to a psych ward. What? Yes, I was told, he has Alzheimer's. Impossible, said I. He's too old to suddenly develop Alzheimer's. No, he's got it and got it bad. I said, no, he has bi-polar, but there's no way he has Alzheimer's. I was told I would need to talk to someone else. Okay.

I finally reached his doctor. Keep in mind this was pre-HIPPA. Now, I have nothing against foreigners, but between a heavy accent and the attitude toward women, I had a difficult time understanding how the diagnosis had been reached. I called repeatedly. I have to say that the doctor probably hated my guts. After a couple of months, I finally discovered that my grandfather's medication had been altered, and that's when he had gone off the rails. You don't think that would have anything to do with his sudden change in behavior? I asked. No, I am the one with the multiple degrees in medicine. You don't know what you're talking about, I was told. Having a degree does not mean one has any common sense, I responded. Yes, I'm sure he hated me.

Along with one of his daughters, I went to visit my grandfather to assess his situation. The last time I had seen him, which had only been six to eight months, he had been mobile and had all his teeth. He was then in a wheel chair, they'd let his teeth rot out, and for the four days we were there, he never once was bathed or changed. I was horrified. He recognized me but not his own daughter. He was definitely unbalanced, but he begged me to help him. To this day, it was the saddest thing I had ever seen.

His daughter and I finally gained control of him and moved him into a nursing home near where we lived. We had to sign multiple documents stating we would not sue anyone before the local doctor would finally agree to switch my grandfather back to his previous medication for his bi-polar disorder. Almost immediately, my grandfather returned to his normal self. No Alzheimer's. With physical therapy, he regained enough strength to walk and lived quite happily for his few remaining years.

Then last year, I moved my elderly aunt from Tennessee to Missouri. She has COPD, is on oxygen, and only takes medication for her breathing. The trip was difficult on her. She quit eating, drank excessively, became disoriented and confused. Within days, I had her at the hospital. She went completely nutso. Not a medical term, I know, but she did. Walking naked in the halls crazy. She refused treatment. For days she didn't eat. They refused to strap her down and stick an IV in her. I was infuriated. She needed nutrition and, I thought, probably antibiotics. The only thing they wanted to give her was anti-psychotic drugs. What? Why? I asked. Because she obviously has dementia. No, I said, she is not normally like this. She's just like you or me, well, a little eccentric maybe, but definitely not crazy. All of the medical personnel didn't believe me. Refused to believe me. I didn't know what I was talking about, etc. Sound familiar? It was incredibly frustrating. It took five months before I found a doctor who actually listened to me. Then he strapped her down, stuck an IV in her, gave her antibiotics and nutrition. Basically re-balanced all her body chemicals. Guess what? Are you ready? That's right...no dementia! No crazy. Does not need anti-psychotics!

I am writing this because an elderly cousin was recently diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's after being hospitalized for a mild heart attack. I said, but she's too old to suddenly develop Alzheimer's. The cousin I was talking to said that she had become forgetful over the past year. I said, okay, well, here's the story of my grandfather. Please be sure that it has nothing to do with medication. Through the phone I could feel the resistance to my idea, and it really depressed me. A month later my cousin was put into rehab and they changed her medication. Guess what? That's right, no Alzheimer's. No dementia. Apparently after the death of her husband they put her on anti-depressants. Completely understandable. Then she became forgetful, etc., but it was due to the medication. I managed to NOT say I told you so. Until now that is.

I would think that there are many people located in Alzheimer's wards who are there because of medication rather than truly having a disease. But they have no advocate. No one to say, hey, he/she wasn't like this just six months ago, so this is impossible. Medication has a tremendous effect on our body and our brain. We have become an over-medicated nation. I am not opposed to a prescription drug if it is truly necessary. I just think that doctors are too quick to prescribe medicine before trying other methods, and then when a medication is changed, they are too quick to say 'oh, it's disease X and not medication.'

If your loved one has been or you know someone who has been suddenly diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's, please be an advocate. Step up and say, hey, are you sure? Has a medication recently been changed, taken away, or added? If so, maybe try something different just to be sure that a disease is truly present. Good luck!

The Dog Diet

For some a dog diet might sound strange. Even perhaps odd. My son said, "Are you eating the dog?" Laughing, I responded, "No, I'm walking the dog." No matter how you look at it, dogs affect our lifestyle and, if you let them, our weight.

So let's say you've already tried every diet in the world to lose a few pounds. Naturally, nothing worked. Then you get a brand new pet. A dog. Any dog. Big dog, little dog, in between dog, it doesn't matter. You have to walk him every day at fixed times, and amazingly you will lose weight!

It has been shown that regular and daily 10 to 15 minute walks are the best diet of all. You don't even have to change your eating habits. You just have to move. Now walking by yourself can be boring and people tend to stop. But with a dog...you must continue. The dog will insist on his walk each day. Sometimes  he will even bring you the leash!

So all the money for gyms and personal trainers can go back in the savings account. All you need is a dog. With little effort at all, you'll feel like a new person, be healthier, have a new friend, and be a few pounds lighter.

.99 Bargains at Smashwords

Death by Chocolate by Sally Berneathy

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Lindsay Powell loves chocolate. It tastes good, it makes her feel good, it never cheats on her like her almost-ex husband. But someone wants her dead and uses her inability to resist chocolate to try to murder her. As Lindsay battles an elusive stalker, poisoned chocolate, and a dead man who isn't very dead, she will need more than a chocolate fix to survive.

For more info Click Here

Gawain and The Green Knight

by Ben Gillman

Inspired by the classic medieval poem - After an impossibly powerful spectral Green Knight puts King Uther Pendragon's kingdom in peril, the mighty Sir Gawain embarks on a quest to slay blood-thirsty beasts, tangle with lovely ladies, and vanquish the devilish knight, but his greatest battle may be against his own foolish pride.

For more info Click Here

Trail Dust by John Miller

Joshua Brandt cuts ties in Tennessee and goes in search of his brother in the Wyoming Territory. Along the way he finds old friends and new enemies. A Texas judge lets him forge an unlikely team of U.S. Marshals. He leads them against train robbers, land-grabbers, and finds some unexpected ways to bring law, order, and justice to the West.

For more info Click Here

Apophis News

A devastating asteroid is about to rain destruction and chaos down on our world. Scientists create two groups to save mankind, our culture, and our technology. One group goes into stasis while the other heads to Mars. Centuries later, those in stasis wake up to find the Martians have invaded!

Click Here to Pre-Order from Amazon

Click Here to Pre-Order from Barnes & Noble

 

The countdown has really begun for Apophis as the publication date of May 6th approaches. M. J. Joachim was kind enough to write an article about it on her blog here:

http://mjjoachim.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-promo-apophis-by-caron-rider.html

You can find all kinds of good things on her blog, such as writing tips, reviews & more (as the title states). Be sure to check her out.

Vegetable Gardening Tips

It's that time of year when we get our plants in the ground. Spring. I love it!

With the costs of living rising all the time, it's possible to save money and increase a family's health at the same time by growing vegetables in your backyard. Of course, it's a good idea to choose your favorite vegetables to grow. It does no good to plant veggies no one will eat! Plan beds for early, middle of the season and late varieties so your garden will work for you all season.

Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, some need 8, so be sure to check. Some quick growers like lettuce and radish can be grown between the rows of plants that take longer to mature, like beet or corn, thus making full use of the area available.

Throughout dry periods, gardens need extra watering. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting. During the growing season, watch for insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will be much easier to cure, but be careful to avoid pesticides once the vegetable are close to being picked. I plant peppermint and spearmint in containers near my plants and never see a bug munching on them! It's a way to create a healthy and environment-friendly pesticide (or rather avoidance).

Once you've reaped your crop, put the vegetable waste in your compost pile so it can be recycled for next spring. I throw in a lot of my chicken manure too.

It is important to protect your garden from wild animals looking for a tasty treat. Make sure your garden is surrounded by a fence that will keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during one season can equal the cost of a fence. A fence also can serve as a frame for peas, beans, tomatoes, and other crops that need support.

Follow these tips and your vegetable garden will yield a bountiful harvest. Happy planting!

Feature: Jilly-Bean by Celia Vogel

Check out this paranormal!

Description from Goodreads:

Temperatures are rising and superstition reigns supreme!

Eighteen year old Jillian Crossland has her life planned out. Or so she thinks! Despite her better judgement, a séance one evening sets a blueprint for disaster when fate steps in and shakes up her plans and her life!

Jilly-Bean is a paranormal novel that explores contemporary life in the throes of global warming and on the edge of madness.






Review:

"Fun, entertaining, and intriguing, all at once! This book is a refreshing coming-of-age story. It is filled with complex characters with unique qualities, fears, and superstitions."--Joe @ Amazon

Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Celia-Vogel/e/B007VSIYOS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13618153-jillybean

A Few Beneficial Herbs

Herbs are the culinary and medicinal plants humans have used for thousands of years. These are the aromatic plants which are used, fresh or dried, for seasoning, for their medicinal properties, or in perfumes. There are a wide variety of herbs such as kelp, garlic, parsley, green tea extract, horse chestnut, milk thistle, and oregano oil.

Herbs are very useful in strengthening the body and in treating some diseases. However, they contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. So, they should be taken on the advice of an herbal practitioner, or you should consult a doctor for any problem your are experiencing before using any plant as a medical treatment.

Kelp

Kelp (also known as “Sea kelp” and “Sea wrack”) is a sea herb that is one of the best sources of natural iodine and trace elements. It is also used as the principle agent in cures for obesity. In addition, it cleans out the kidneys and stimulates the thyroid and pituitary gland to produce growth hormones.

Garlic

Garlic is a natural antibiotic and is used to disinfect wounds, treat ear infections, cholera and typhus. This herb is antifungal and antioxidant agent and can help lower cholesterol. It may also be beneficial for risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cancer. An excess of garlic can cause upset stomach/flatulence, occupational asthma, postoperative bleeding, bloating, bad breath, body odor, and skin irritation. People with bleeding disorders should not use garlic.

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum) is one of the best known,diuretic and most nutritious herbs which contains large quantities of vitamins A, B, C, and the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, and magnesium. It’s very useful for kidney and urinary problems, as well as water retention.

Green Tea Extract

Green tea extracts are one of the nature’s most powerful antioxidants. It helps prevent both heart disease and cancer by helping prevent vascular blood clotting and reducing cholesterol. It possesses antimicrobial properties that supports immune system health and protects against digestive and respiratory infections. An excess of green tea extracts may cause irritability, insomnia, heart palpitation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and loss of appetite.

Horse Chestnut

Horse chestnut supports the vessels of our circulatory system and helps strengthen capillary cells and reduce fluid breakage. It is believed to be an excellent antioxidant to prevent wrinkles. It also helps in the treatments of phlebitis, varicosity, and hemorrhoids.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle has some active substances that helps maintain healthy liver function by protecting the liver from damage caused by viruses, toxins, and alcohol. It is a herbal remedy for anthrax, asthma, bladder stones, cancer, chest ailments, dropsy, fever, bleeding from the lungs or bronchia, hepatitis, rabies, jaundice, vaginal discharge, malaria, melancholy, pleurisy, spasms, spleen, and uterus problems. Taking an excess of milk thistle may cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, rash or other skin reactions, joint pain, impotence, and anaphylaxis. It should not be taken in pregnancy or while nursing.

Oregano Oil

This herb has healing, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. It is used to treat a mildly upset stomach, bronchitis, nervous tension, insect bites, rheumatism, earache, toothaches and even athlete's foot. It is also useful in relieving bloating, gas, urinary tract problems, rheumatoid arthritis, swollen glands, and a lack of perspiration. In addition, it is can be used as a pain killer.

Benefits of Gardening for Kids

It's good to see children involved with environment-friendly activities. One such nature-loving activity that children could easily get their hands on is gardening. I thought I'd share an article I found about a few benefits gardening could easily provide:

1.  Science
In planting, children are indirectly taught the wonders of science, such as the plant's life cycle and how human intervention can break or make the environment.  They can have a first hand experience on the miracle of life through the growth of a seed.

2.  Life
Watching a seed grow into a tree is just as wondrous as the growth of a child.  In time, kids learn to love their plants and appreciate the life in them. Gardening actually helps teach how life should be treated -- with care. The necessities to live will be emphasized to kids with the help of gardening - water, sunlight, air, soil. Those necessities could easily be correlated to human necessities, i.e., water, shelter, air, food.  By simply weeding a garden, one could educate how bad influences should be avoided to be able to live life smoothly.

3.  Relaxation
Studies show that gardening can reduce stress because of its calming effect. This is applicable to any age group.  More so, it stimulates all the five senses.  Believe it or not, gardening may be used as therapy for children who have been abused or those who are members of broken homes.  It helps build self-esteem. 

4.  Quality Time with the Family
Forget about a stressful work life for a while and be soothed by the lovely ambience in the garden.  You can play and spend quality time with the children.  You can talk while watering the plants or you can work quietly beside each other. You might discover a lot of new things about your child while mingling with them in your garden. 

Help kids become aware of the environment's needs by jumpstarting their education through gardening.  I guess the best benefit of gardening with kids is that you teach them to respect life while bonding with them.

Butterfly Gardening

It is that time of year. Already the pollen has been hitting and the bees buzzing. So for a project, I thought I'd do up a butterfly garden. Following is some interesting info I found to create one -- reprinted here with permission. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

So, what is butterfly gardening? Simply put, butterfly gardening is the art of growing flowers and plants that will attract the colorful and dainty creatures to your garden. Delight your family and visitors with beautiful butterflies but be sure to create a safe habitat for them. If you own cats, rethink your plans because it would be a shame to attract these lovely insects to their death.

The design for your butterfly garden is a matter of personal preference. Naturally. Typical points to consider include the size of your garden and the types of flowers and plants you want to grow. Pick a style of garden that appeals to you, but ensure it also contains the plants and flowers that appeal to the butterflies you wish to attract.

It is important to find out which plants and flowers will attract the species of butterflies that live in your area. This information can be found at the local library or by using Google.

To create the kind of environment that they find attractive, you will also need a water source of some kind. A birdbath will look attractive and keep the butterflies up off the ground, away from stray cats or mischievous puppies. A shallow dish on a post or hung in a tree will do just as well.

When planting a butterfly garden be careful how you coordinate the colors you choose for your flowerbeds. Although butterflies do not care about your choice of color, you don't want your garden to be a hodgepodge of unrelated colors and textures (or maybe you do). Butterflies are attracted to those flowers that have nectar rather than pollen, like honeysuckle, milkweed, summer lilac, Valerian, daisies, Purple Coneflower, Yellow Sage, day lilies, and lavender.

Some people find it helpful to draw and color a layout of their butterfly garden plan to see what the finished product would look like. Keep in mind that warm colors like red and orange are flashy and showy. These colors have a greater impact against a strong green background. Cool colors such as blue and purple are soothing and toned down and would work better with a white contrast to create the look of freshness and brightness.

I hope you've gotten a few good ideas and have decided to create your own butterfly garden. I'd love to hear what you've done to welcome the spring and to see some pictures!

Writing is fun!

My desire to write began with reading. My first love when it came to reading was science fiction. And while I could never successfully read a mystery without looking in the back first to see who did it, I always liked the idea of them. And then I always enjoyed romantic poetry. While the below is not romantic, it began because a college professor harped on clichés. Don't use them! he would rant. Constantly the students had to re-write their work. But not me. For some strange reason, he liked my work, but when the others had to re-write an assignment, he couldn't just let me sit there. So he would tell me to write whatever I wanted. This was what I came up with just for him:

The Ode Cliché

by Caron Rider

A far cry from all and sundry

that is the born loser.

By and large each and every day

he uses determination.

He uses brute force.

He is down and out.

On the spot with hat in hand,

man to man he learns the facts of life.

And rain or shine, the powers that be

attempt to wrest from him a square meal.

Sooner or later past his salad days,

almost at the eleventh hour,

life seems as the sour grapes.

With him it’s touch and go.

And by the time he can smell a rat

the sad awakening has begun;

the naïve has become worldly wise.

Therefore, step by step,

his is a dog’s life.

While attempting to gild the lily,

the true blue go up in arms

and set off a hue and cry.

But though he values their judgment,

all cannot be well and good.

So when they shout, “Hold the fort!”

He returns with, “Hold your own!”

Mark my words, to pay the piper

takes a lion’s share to make good.

Now or never the rank amateur

must pull the strings of life.

So in a nutshell or in a word,

we all must be to live and learn.

The Road Not Taken

I've listed my favorite Frost poem here for your enjoyment. This has always been my code, if you will. I always wanted to go my own way, and yet I've also been very practical. I regret very little in my life because I knew that I made the choices, taken the road I wanted, and it has led me to here--led me to writing, finally, and led me to my children. The statement at the top of my blog says it all: Dare to open the door to your dreams. I did.

The Road Not Taken

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by And that has made all the difference.

I enjoy Einstein Quotes

Hope you enjoy these quotes. I feel a personal connection to a few of them--maybe you do too. Let me know your favorite quote!


Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

You can't blame gravity for falling in love.

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.

Sustainable Living

Lavender

Herbal Remedies

I think a large portion of the population wishes that it could be more self-sufficient. Here are a few books that, no matter where you live, could possibly help you achieve at least a portion of that goal. I think these books are pretty self-explanatory. Go check them out.

 Best of all: Right now they are ALL FREE!

DIY-Canning

Mini-Farming

 Oregano

Prologue to Apophis

I've decided on a prologue for Apophis. Remember Apophis will be released May 6, 2016, and is available for pre-order now. I've had a prologue in all my other books, but I wasn't going to have one in this one and just started out with Chapter 1. I'm not sure why. I've read plenty of books which contained a prologue and a slew without one. Somehow, it seems more satisfying with a one. What do you think? Prologue or no prologue? Either way, here's how Apophis will now begin. What do you think?

Prologue

Space is huge. Vast. Endless. Or so it seems.

An asteroid of immense size, traveling since the beginning of creation, was on a path to destruction. Hurtling through space as always, it became a concern of an ancient civilization. Their astronomers plotted its course, double-checked their findings, and then notified the appropriate agencies of the results. A ship launched and, using an artificial gravity generator, the path of the asteroid was altered so it missed their world and all others in their system. They were saved!

The asteroid continued its journey for another 25,000 years until it reached a remote region of space on the very edge of the galaxy where one of the spiral arms flared out. Once again, it was on a collision course with a planet. The world's astronomers detected the approaching asteroid and named it Apophis, but they had no means to alter its course. They recorded all the possible data, notified the appropriate government officials, and waited for their fate and the fate of their world to be decided.

A world we call Earth.

Spring has Sprung!

This has been a crazy couple of seasons. We barely had a winter and spring is definitely in the air. Here at least. It's a mild and wonderful 70 degrees. The mountain trails are wonderful to hike. Although, I find that I need some hiking boots to combat the rocks. The grass is green. And amazingly I feel like cleaning!

Then there are all the little chores to do that one puts off because of winter. The deck has to be repaired and re-stained. A screen door has fallen apart, literally. My garage door (not the entrance for the car) also needs repair. Its innards have slipped by a good couple of inches. I took the plow blade off of the ATV. Then I decided to gas it up. I promptly lost a two inch tip and a three inch spring down into the gas tank of the ATV. I was horrified. I can't even fit my hand through the opening on the gas tank.

Fortunately, I had a teenager close by. He dug around with a couple of extremely long screwdrivers and fished out the parts. It only took two hours and multiple times of rearranging the ATV. Let's point it up a hill to roll the spring backward. Then let's point it down the hill to roll the gas can part closer to the center. Then we had to push it into the garage to get it out of the sun. The sun was so bright we couldn't even see inside the tank. Not to mention having to siphon out the gas. Yuck! But it was surprisingly easy.

That little chore pretty much ended my spring cleaning spree. It took several hours of pushing and fishing to get the parts out, and I didn't want to see the ATV again for some time. But it's another day and I will probably get back out there. After all, the sun is shining and its a mild 70 degrees; birds are chirping, bees buzzing, and the daffodils waving in a gentle breeze.

I hope you're enjoying your spring!

Ads I made for Twitter

Here are some of the ads I've created for Twitter. Yes, I put my own books first (except for Apophis). Don't hate me. I think the ads are okay, but let me know what you think!

FREE Smashwords Download

Sign Up for Newsletter and Get it for FREE!

Buy for 2.99 USD on Amazon

Buy this edition and Get 3 Books for the Price of 2 at 6.99 USD

Click to check it out at Smashwords

Only 3.99 USD at Smashwords

Plenty of 5 star Reviews for 2.99 USD at Smashwords

This one is available for Pre-Order at 2.99 USD!

Some More Discount or Free Books

 Coven of Dixon Cliff by Cheryl Hyde

Cassy and Ayla return to the small SoCal coven they have belonged to since elementary school, to bolster its status and ensure its survival by adding numbers and power. They brought Max along because their first, second, and third choices were unavailable or engaged in activities vital to maintaining “their world.”
You see, the trio chose a different time direction a few years ago to avoid the impending earth apocalypse. It was the destiny for their bloodline, having tried to guide earth for generations.
In the utopia where they reside time space travel is considered risky and mildly forbidden. Strong emotional bonds still exist and occasionally returning to the old time direction and “earth” is tolerated, but strongly discouraged.
Their mission is simple. Help Cassy and Ayla’s old coven defeat a pretend warlock. Have a party and go home. Except Max’s flirtatious nature has them in trouble from day one.

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The Bridge of Dead Things by Michael Gallagher (Book 1 The Involuntary Medium)

Murky Victorian London. 13-year-old Lizzie Blaylock is having a rough time. Her dad’s been fired, her sister has tuberculosis, and she just had some sort of fit at school for which she’s been expelled. When she has another fit, however, she and those around her slowly begin to realize that she may have special powers…powers to communicate with the dead.

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The Scarab Heart by Michael Gallagher (Book 2 The Involuntary Medium)

Theft and murder are afoot at an archaeological dig in 1885 Egypt. Lizzie Blaylock, world renowned ghost channeller, and her mentor, Miss Otis, thought they were simply there to vacation, especially as Lizzie wants nothing more to do with her powers. Her powers, though, have other things in mind.

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 I Got'cha by David Wighton

If you think being a teenager in today's world is tough, try being one in 2081. In Alberta's It's Only Fair society, your brain-band will zap you just for chewing with your mouth open. One boy pried his brain-band off to see what living with emotions would be like. Being chased by the entire Alberta army was bad enough. It became worse when another 15 year old kid offered to help him escape.

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The Shard Chronicles by Liam Taylor

A mild quake struck the exact moment Austin Cooper was born. When he was two years old an unidentified man saved his life, and he was five when the man guided him during his first use of a remarkable ability. At age seven, the man told Austin the talent he had was unique among anyone else in existence, and given to ensure his role as future protector of an ancient and powerful artifact. Later that day, the man departed Earth, taking the object he had possessed for centuries and leaving behind a world condemned to destruction by the brooding, alien malevolence it contained.
Now, Austin matures with the understanding that no one else has the ability to manipulate time, to move through it at a different level, a different speed. No one else can simply disappear to a place far away, a parched, bleak, and inhospitable wasteland. The trouble is, neither should Austin. Without control of the artifact, he has achieved the supposedly impossible, and revealed himself to another realm, to others that require him, preferably alive, but dead would suffice.
Things just aren’t getting any easier for Austin. There are the seemingly real and vivid dreams that have plagued him over the years, his ongoing struggle to keep the truth from his loving family, and the prospect of all-out war with a vengeful school bully, intent on destroying the only person able to defeat his cruel and callous deeds.
Well... take a number and get in line.
Half the Universe is already waiting.

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Thoughts at the End of the Weekend

Let's see...I didn't get enough of the housework done. I didn't get enough writing done. I didn't cook enough food for everyone. I didn't arrive on time to pick up my daughter from a school trip (only by a few minutes, but still). I didn't get the laundry done. I didn't spend enough time at the gym. I drank too many sodas. I ate too much chocolate. Scratch that, you can never eat too much chocolate. And I spent too much time playing computer games.

BUT, I took the time to watch a TV show with my teenage daughter that inspired a long conversation. She's one of the few teens who don't talk often. Then I took the time to go hiking with my son (also shopping for clothes for his first formal dance). Our car rides and walks often inspire deep and thoughtful conversation between us.

And when I was thinking of all the things that I had not accomplished, I realized I had accomplished the most important thing. I spent quality time with my children--unplugged and free from distractions.

So when it's all said and done, it was a good weekend.