Friday, April 5, 2013

Show & Tell Friday - Spring Break Edition

* Also posted over at my author website.

My 3 1/2 year-old is on Spring Break from preschool this week.

I am 35 weeks pregnant.

My husband works from home.

It’s raining.

I think I may have to give PBS Kids one of my kidneys.

Moving on …

Some great things to share!

1.) Porch Dogs by Nell Dickerson

The other day my husband and I had a conversation with friends from Michigan about the car games we used to play as kids, including the cow game–you know the one, where you count your cows on each side, and you lose them if you pass a cemetery? And one of my favorites: “dog on a porch.” My wonderful friends looked at us like we were crazy. My husband says only my family must’ve played “dog on a porch,” but I think not.

Ah, those days were magic. Now, take any major highway and all you’ll see are SUVs and minivans lit from the inside by the bright little rectangles of glowing portable DVD players. There’s no “I Spy” going on in those cars; no listing the states on license plates or counting cows, and certainly no dog on a porch. Sigh.

So, Porch Dogs is book of photographs chronicling that best of Southern traditions: porch sitting. Only these days, with air conditioning and busy lives and gentrification and the loss of so much good old culture, only our dogs seem to be keeping the tradition alive. I’m thinking every photo will make me (and any dog lover) smile.


2.) Writers, especially those with other jobs and families, should check out Wednesday’s blog post at novelist Julianna Baggot’s blog, Baggot Asher Bode: “Efficient Creativity.” I struggle constantly with trying to manage my creative life alongside my work and family life, and Baggot has some interesting thoughts on the topic.


3.) Where Clothes.



An eco-friendly clothing line designed and crafted by my incredibly talented artist-friend, Amy Wild. Located in Richmond, Vermont. Here’s her mission statement:
Where Clothes is an earth friendly clothing line handmade in Richmond, VT.  Everything is designed and constructed by Amy Wild, who uses vintage, antique, and recycled materials. Where Clothes was created in 2009 on the belief that buying clothing made from vintage and upcycled  materials protects  the environment and humanity. When you buy Where, you are  not  supporting  fabric mill pollution or unfair labor. Not only do vintage fabrics last longer  than a lot of the  materials made  today, but when reconstructed they become one of a kind, making each outfit  completely unique.
I’m loving her new summer line! Check out Where on Facebook and Blogger, too.


4.) I don’t know what it feels like where you are, but here in Western North Carolina it still feels a bit like winter. (Cough. The winter we didn’t have.) So, in anticipation for the warmth to come, some Spring quotes:

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” ~ Margaret Atwood

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”  ~ Leo Tolstoy

“April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go.”  ~ Christopher Morley

“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.”  ~ Mark Twain  

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Historical Novel Review

After a 5-day family bout with the stomach flu–which put me in the hospital for fluids and meds–I’m happy to report that things in my house are headed back to normal.

Whatever “normal” means in a house where the mama is 35 weeks pregnant, the daddy works from home (poor guy), there’s a 3 1/2 year-old on Spring Break from preschool, and an athletic but severely exercised-deprived (and therefore incredibly bored) black lab.

HNR Newest Header

Today, though, a light!

The lauded Historical Novel Review has posted a new review of Keowee Valley! Check it out here.

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend, and you’re all healthy and happy as we head into Spring.