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Saturday, March 16, 2024

5 Ways to Enjoy Life More by Joan Reeves

A couple of months ago I read Happiness is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager, a great book you should read because it will make you think about what happiness really is or should be.

All of us are happy at certain times in our lives. The trick is being happy the majority of the time. 

Sometimes we unwittingly sabotage ourselves and/or make decisions that set us up for unhappiness.

I thought about some personal rules I created to help me avoid messy situations or increase my chances of being happy most of the time. I blogged about these "rules" a few years ago on my personal blog, SlingWords, and thought I'd share them with you today.

5 Ways to Enjoy Life More

1. Never take advice from anyone who's more screwed up than you.

Everyone likes to give advice, but always ask yourself if the person dishing out the advice is living life more effectively with less hiccups than you. If not, smile and nod and feel free to ignore what they say. Unless what they tell you is based upon what they learned from their own bad experience of doing the opposite.

2. Learn from others who have been where you want to go.

Model their behavior. Find out how they did it and adapt their method to your efforts.Unless the way they achieved it was dishonest and goes against your own beliefs and integrity. You can't model negative behavior without far-reaching consequences.

3. Working effectively is better than working hard.

Unless you assess your efforts and realize you really aren't working hard - you're just giving lip service to the idea of working hard.

4. Enjoy yourself more.

Unless you're already spending way too much time in the pursuit of pleasure, learn how to enjoy your life. Life is short. Don't waste it. Find a way to balance hard, effective work and play.

5. Change your attitude about work. 

Sometimes when we describe an activity as work—even though it's something we truly adore doing—the activity, in our mind, becomes linked to work which equals unpleasantness. The more you enjoy something; the less it should seem like work. Your goal is to achieve something with the investment of your time, energy, and brain power—and have fun doing it.

Post Script

Life should be enjoyed. Now that's a goal worth pursuing.

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Find Joan Online: facebook.com/JoanReevesWrites * slingwords.blogspot.com

 youtube.com/JoanReeves * instagram.com/joanreevesauthor/

Monday, March 11, 2024

Spring Broke by Bea Tifton



Ah, March. It's alternating between cool and hot in North Texas, confused trees and flowers are budding out, and it's spring break. Spring break doesn't affect me one way or another anymore, but that wasn't always the case. 

One memorable spring break was the year my roommate and I decided to go to the beach. My roommate's grandmother had recently moved to a little cottage by the beach, and she was going out of town so we could use it for free. We were very excited. Spring break beach trip with free lodging!

The first little hiccup was when we drove up to the cottage. It was actually pretty far from the tourist beaches, and it wasn't quite on the beach. But it was free and we were young and optimistic. When we went in, instead of one of those cute little beach cottages featured in magazines, it was rather shabby and not tremendously clean. We picked our respective sleeping spots; Jessica, my roommate, got the bedroom since it was her grandmother and I got a sagging, but still usable, sofa bed. 

 

Since we were visiting the beach, sort of, Jessica wanted sea food. This was before gps or the internet, so we just drove around until we found one. It was okay, and we went to bed fortified for a great day at the beach the following morning. It was raining when we woke up. When there was a break in the rain, we played on the beach. Not really many spring breakers, but that meant more room on the beach for us, right? But when the rain returned and we were driven back inside to the cottage, an odd thing happened as we sat on the couch, chatting. Jessica began to scratch and scratch. Then I felt this tiny little stinging sensation and began to itch. Soon, we were both feverishly scratching. The entire cottage was teaming with sand fleas. 

That night I tossed and turned. I must have gone to sleep because I had a horrible nightmare. I was looking at the door as I lay on the sofa bed, and a man came to the door and peeked into the room. He was scruffy and scary. He peered into the gloom right at me and said in a low voice, "I know you're in there. I see you." It was so real that I woke up with a scream. Jessica came running in. I told her about my nightmare, and it scared her, too. We were usually much tougher than that, but it was if he had really gotten into the cottage, and the nightmare definitely had gotten into our heads. Jessica even asked me if I needed to bunk in with her but I said I was okay. 

The next morning was gloomy outside and in. As we sat scratching and tried to figure out what we were going to do with our day, Jessica said, "This isn't quite the vacation I pictured." I agreed  and she said, "Want to just go?" 

We packed up and started on our way. As we drove away from the disappointing landscape, we turned on a local radio station. Turns out, a bad hurricane was coming and the officials were recommending evacuations. We hadn't watched TV or listened to the radio in the cottage so we had no idea. 



Do you have any vacations that didn't live up to your expectations?  Leave a comment below. 

Photo Credits: Pexels.com
Anelia "Pink Flowers"
Ben Mack "Terrace of Modern Villa Overlooking Ocean"
Scott Platt "Shell With Hole"
Donald Tong "Rear View of a Silhouette Man in Window"
Ogy Kovachev "A Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) Parked on Beach Sand"



Monday, March 4, 2024

Marching to the Garden and #Eclipse2024 by @JacquieRogers


 Can You Believe It's March??? 
(Because February Was One Big Blank!)

Disclaimer:  I can't preview this post so please excuse the inevitable typos.  

In my last blog post, I mentioned that we'd been without internet for four days.  Well, now we've been without service for a month and four days.  After many trials and tribulations (if I got into it, this post would be 10,000 words long) we finally got a T-Mobile 5G hotspot that we can use either in the house or when we're traveling, so cool.  But our high speed provider is still down.  Well, they did get the tower back up but the antennae didn't make it.  And then the property owner wouldn't let the internet company back on the site.  

So while the lawyers were haggling, we had no internet service--and no patience, either.  That's why we finally got the hotspot.  I do hope the company gets us back online soon, but at least I can order more seeds now.  Don't tell Mr. R.  You'll see why in a minute.

Okay, well you won't see because apparently this computer doesn't have good enough wifi signal to upload photos (that I just spent three hours editing).  Anyway, let's carry on.

Greenhouse lessons

  • When you plant a little tray with 40 cells, a seed or two in each cell, it fits nicely on the shelf on the heating mat and under the grow light.  
  • But then the seeds sprout and grow.  Super good germination rate, so two or three plants per cell.
    • You're supposed to sacrifice the weak ones to the gods but oh no, I have to save them all.  
  • I have a tiny little 6'x8' greenhouse.
  • The little baby plants outgrow their cells.
  • You guessed it--must pot them up.  Now, instead of 40 one-inch cells, you have 80 four-inch pots. (Remember, it's a 6'x8' greenhouse that only a munchkin can stand up in...)
Um, yeah.  So I have 48 basil plants, 36 beefsteak tomato plants (I need eight), at least 30 geraniums, close to 100 snapdragons, three shelves of petunias... and many, many more trays of seedlings.  Of course, there are many more things to plant--all the flowers for the pollinator garden and such.  Not sure where I'm going to put all these plants, but it's the first year I've ever used a greenhouse so I guess I went a little hog-wild.   

I blame the internet because since I was down, I couldn't do much else besides cook and plant seeds.  Oh, and read.  Lots of the SGRR authors have new books for us to read.  Caroline Clemmons has a new one out so check her author page on Amazon.  I can't get the exact title or link because I only have one bar of wi-fi right now.  Not sure why.  

Anyway, so it goes on Windy Hill Farm.

Tada!


For reading, I've been into biographies lately.  How about your New Year book choices?

Stay safe, and until next month, Happy Reading. 📚😍


If you're on TikTok, friend me!  My handle is @jacquierogersbooks.  
You can get videos of Honey Beaulieu and Sassy's latest updates there.  And goofy videos of her scribe.  Heck, we even do a few cooking videos.


Saturday, March 2, 2024

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

 By Caroline Clemmons

Spring has sprung in our part of the world. If the old adage “In like a lion, out like a lamb” is true, we’re in trouble. For now, we are enjoying lovely weather.

Spring is my favorite time of year. In spite of the fact that it brings a problem—allergies. Ahhhhchooo! Our immediate family members each suffer from allergies. Big time.



Hero added two new roses to our tiny rose bed. Almost no person is allergic to roses. In addition, they are my favorite flower. The two new ones are both floribundas. One is a white one chosen by Darling Daughter 2. The other is called Ebbtide, and has purple petals. We’ve never seen this rose in bloom and are eager for flowers.



Yesterday, we went for a drive south to Waco. The weather was perfect—blue sky and cool breeze. A day sure to cheer almost anyone. Hero was having a flare of his Parkinson’s but didn’t tell us until we were home. He assured us he enjoyed the day in spite of his illness.

We weren’t able to sightsee because we were on a mission. Darling Daughter 2 occasionally does little things for a rescue group called Highway Hounds. A woman in Waco had adopted a puppy and was certain he was dangerous because he chewed on things. Hello, puppies chew. She said unless he was picked up yesterday, she was calling the pound. What a meanie!

Armed with a box of Kleenex, we left in time to stop at West, a city founded by Czechoslovakians. The Chzek Stop has lovely baked goods. Once when we were there we heard a little boy tell his mom he wanted a “square donut,” and that’s what we usually call the kolaches. Yes, we’re kind of a corny family.

After our brief stop, we munched kolaches as we rode along I35. Well, Darling Daughter 2 ate one at our stop and then drove. We arrived at the woman’s apartment at the appointed time to pick up this “dangerous” dog, an adorable eight-month-old puppy named Moe. He had been living in a small box-like area of her small apartment. Moe was so sweet, a lab/chihuahua mix. We delivered him to the rescue group, Highway Hounds, and learned a foster home awaited Moe.

We enjoyed a day well spent in our favorite time of year. What is your favorite time of year?



If you want to curl up with a great historical western romance, please preorder Keith And The Mail Order Bride. https://www.amazon.com/Order-Bride-Texas-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BZDT6Q1J/  

Friday, March 1, 2024

Leap into Love by Bea Tifton

 Posting for the lovely and talented Beth Trissel, but the computer gremlins wouldn't let me post yesterday. 

It’s leap year! I don’t know why we feel those are so magical. Maybe it’s because they only come every four years. I love celebrating them, but I’m glad I wasn’t born on February29. Too many complications. One man said on the news that he’s had trouble getting credit cards, filling out official forms, etc. because February 29 isn’t accepted by the bot. I never even thought of that one.

Leap years occur because the earth doesn’t really take 365 days o orbit the sun; it’s actually 365 days, 6 hours, and 9 minutes. We have to tack on the extra day or the calendar would be off and our seasons would shift.

But leap day has its folklore.  In Scotland, February 29 is considered unlucky, because “leap year is never a good sheep year.” In Greece, the day is considered very unlucky and couples are discouraged from marrying on that day, lest the marriage go sour and end in divorce.  In Ireland, women are able to propose to men on February 29. The origin of the belief is that in the 5th century, St. Brig hid complained to St. Patrick that the men were too slow to propose. St. Patrick chose leap day as a day when traditional roles were reversed and women could do the asking.

We celebrated leap day at my house by watching the charming rom com “Leap Year” with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. We usually watch the movie each February 29 but it was fun to watch it on the actual day.

In England a bartender invented a special cocktail called the Leap Year. It contains gin, vermouth, lemon juice, and Grand Marnier. Dutch courage for special February 29 proposals, maybe?

So mix up a Leap Year for yourself and settle down to watch the movie. It’s four whole years before you have another chance.

Photo Credits Pexels.com

Vlad Chetan "Man Jumping from a Rock"

Maksim Goncharenok "Couple Facing Each Other at the Beach"

Kampus Production "An Elderly Couple Watching Television Together"

Karolina Grabowska "Woman Holding a Glass of Wine and Watching TV in a Bed"

Monday, February 26, 2024

Valentine's Fun by Laura Hunsaker

 I know Valentine's Day is over, but I wanted to share one of the gifts I was given.

In my day job, I work at a school. One of my little kindergarteners gave me these adorable little white chocolate hearts!



Aren't these just the cutest? I wanted something to snack on, and thought these would be a great treat, so I tore it open and discovered that...




These are bath soaps. Not chocolates. Yeah.

But on the plus side, they are great little vanilla bath confetti!

How was your Valentine's Day?


And don't forget that my latest novel Dangerous Past is out now!


Amazon   |  Barnes & Noble   |  Kobo  |  Google Play   |  Smashwords  |  Goodreads

She’s running from her past…


Lark Seawell is the daughter of a serial killer. His reputation has long been a shadow looming over her since his arrest when she was a child. Especially since she’s the one who called the police. She has spent her entire life trying to live as anonymously and quietly as possible. She is not her father’s legacy.

He wants to be her future...

FBI agent Jay Sutherland is visiting a friend in a small mountain town when free spirit Lark asks for help with her injured dog. He is instantly enamored with her, and their one night stand stays with him far into the next morning, though Lark is long gone. When his partner realizes that she is the daughter of The Highwayman, Jay refuses to believe Lark is anything like her father.

What happens when she stops running…

When a trail of dead bodies follows Lark on her cross-country drive, the FBI believes she’s the killer. How can the sweet woman who rescues injured animals and makes him feel things he hasn’t felt in years be a murderer? The bodies don’t lie. Jay knows there’s more at play. If he’s wrong, and Lark is as much a monster as her father, he may be the next target…


*Author's Note: This book contains a sunshiney heroine, a gruff hero, a couple of goofy dogs, some intense action, and begins when a one night stand leads to more…

Friday, February 23, 2024

TAKING A BREAK

                                          by Judy Ann Davis

I’m currently on the Isle of Palms in South Carolina and watching the navy blue waves, fringed with white foam, roll in from the ocean. My husband and I decided to escape Central Pennsylvania’s February cold temperatures and spend some time with our son, his wife, and our grandchildren who live in the upper part of the state. The grands are two+ and three+ years old and are so delightful to interact with and watch. I’ve forgotten how active and animated youngsters can be.

For some reason, I can’t seem to get in the writing zone while we’re here. I’ve watched too much television and binged read too many books. I’ve discovered that digital/Kindle devices maybe to my advantage or disadvantage. With only one click, I have the written words instantly pop up in front of me. It allows me to not move from the chair where I’m sitting.

My writing friends tell me that it’s okay to kick back and take a break. Supposedly, breaks distract us so we’re able to focus once again. We need to escape. We need to reduce mental fatigue and boost brain creativity for those times when it’s essential for performance.

But I think I’ve completely zoned out.

Specialists who deal with human behaviors also agree it’s perfectly fine to take a break. It’s essential to higher productivity, energy, concentration, efficiency, creativity, and those things you need to survive. In fact, we need to take them to prevent burnout and stay healthy—whether it’s to escape the pressures of work or to perform any task requiring concentration and long stretches of devoted time.


How do you take a break? A few suggestions include taking a walk, heading outdoors into the fresh air, grabbing a high protein snack, allowing your eyes to refocus by dimming the lights, meditating, or just letting your mind wander.

So right now, I’ve decided to either cruise the internet, looking for a new book to read—or just sitting in the sun and letting my mind wander.

Either of those can’t be too difficult, can they? 

NEW - NEW - NEW     
COURTING BETSY - Book 3 of the Ashmore Brothers Series
  

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