The Mouse and More!
One more thing almost no one knows—
I once was a mouse. Yes, you read that right. Hard to believe, huh? Back in the day (that phrase always makes me laugh) acting, performing was my favorite past time. So . . . I wrote my first script, gathered my actor friends and produced the children’s TV pilot for Welcome to Berrysville. The original cast is featured below.
The rabbit, the tiny bee, and the porcupine? My three sons. (Hey, Hollywood does that all the time.) The cast and crew were THE BEST! We had a blast. Most resided in San Diego. Only the lead frog and the director, Francis Grummon (not sure I spelled that right–it was many years ago) came down from Los Angeles. A belated shout out to DAVE MICHAELS, a fantastic songwriter/musician who performed the theme music “A Frog Went A-Courting” for the production.
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| The cast of The Frog And The Mouse on location in the hills east of San Diego |
Is there anything about YOU that almost no one knows? And that you are willing to tell the world?
Remember THE THING from one of my previous posts? OMG! So many comments showed up here and on facebook. Made my day. Thank you. OK. As promised, I will explain . . .
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| I’m lookin’ at YOU! |
It’s simple really. When I opened up a new oval-shaped container of ice cream this alien face was staring up at me. Kind of creepy. Never had a face in my ice cream before. I had second thoughts about actually eating it. But . . . it was CHOCOLATE ice cream. Alien gone!
That is how I came to see the thing. It is still a mystery to me just how it came to be. Any scientists out there?
Thanks for stopping by.
Cricket
Saturday’s Best Laid Plans . . .
Leo Tolstoy once wrote,
Well, it’s Spring and I’ll bet you’ve got projects to plan.
Planning a vacation, a wedding, a good closet cleaning, general spring cleaning?
Planning for a more organized office, a plentiful garden, a better life?
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| Quote by Audrey Hepburn |
Planning to write an article, a book, a letter, a blog, a poem?
Agatha Christie once said,The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.
I can relate to that, though my best plans and ideas come to me when walking, sweating on the treadmill at the gym. I don’t try to make that happen; it just does. So now I always take my handheld recorder with me—just in case.
Do you have a special place or a special way to make your plans, get your ideas? We all love to hear about that. Your comments are welcome.
Thanks for stopping by,
Cricket
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A Fictional May Day
Probably no May Day baskets filled with goodies will be waiting on my doorstep today, but you never know. I thought about posting the history of May Day here, but everybody does that. So, instead, here is a short excerpt from HIT THE ROAD, JAKE, book 3 the in The Lindsey Lark romantic mystery saga. It just happens to be about May Day, sort of. It is from written from Jake’s point of view.
Lindsey jumped in. “There might be a connection between our thief, the rhyme, the chopped down nut trees and the basket. It’s a long shot, for sure, but perhaps the basket was meant to represent May Day.” She pulled out a sheet of paper and began to read her own research notes: “Folklore states that on May 1 baskets were filled with nuts, flowers, and sometimes cheese treats and left at the door of a friend, a special friend. The doorbell was rung and then the giver would dash away. Next step? The receiver tries to catch the giver and, if that happens, a kiss is exchanged.”
As Lindsey and I thought out loud with our back and forth questions and comments, Bud listened attentively, his head turning like a trained seal as he tried to keep up with our ping-ponging ideas.
“So, our thief is not only using the House That Jack Built rhyme but also other folk traditions. Coincidence?” I wondered.
Lindsey added, “Maybe he or she was hoping to act out this little mini-scenario. That seems like a lot of trouble to just get a kiss, though. Who would normally exit that door first during a fire evacuation?”
Bud had an answer he was anxious to tell. “That would be our attendance tech, if she was still there; she’s a half-time employee. She’d hold the door open for the kids that exit out that way. And, oh boy. She’s a looker. I don’t think anybody would mind a little peck on the cheek from her, if you get my drift.” I didn’t, but what did it matter?
Lindsey was truly in her element now, but, between Bud and his comments and all this folktale business, my patience was being tested. My own annoying habits surfaced: I tapped my pencil rhythmically on my notepad like it was a drumstick, my uninjured foot performed an anxious, unstoppable bounce that traveled all the way up my leg, and I scratched my head. Yes, I knew myself well.
I hope you enjoy your May Day,
Cricket
As always, your comments are welcome.
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Just Lookin’ @ April Fools
April Fools’ Day, also called All Fools’ Day, is celebrated every April 1st in the United States. It is not officially recognized as a holiday, though many celebrate by playing practical jokes or even hoaxes on their family, friends, teachers or colleagues. When I was a classroom teacher, this was NOT my favorite day and I secretly hoped that April 1st would fall on the weekend.
Are you picky or let’s say selective about your candy? Then you might not like this April Fools joke. On the other hand, you might love it.
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| Looks good to me. |
This video take a few minutes, but it is very funny! And, it is one of the few videos I found that was NOT just plain mean. April Fools should not be about “mean.” The funny part comes toward the end of the video.
A student plays a joke on her professor!
April Fools’ is celebrated in different ways throughout the world. Exactly how the tradition originated is unknown. Some cultures saw it as the first day of spring or the first day of the year. One theory for the terming of an April Fool was that if someone refused to recognize April 1st as the first day of the year, they’d be called an April Fool. But really? No one knows.
If your computer is a major player in your life, then you know what your initial reaction would be to the joke below.
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| Be still my heart. |
Oh, my. An office filled with packing peanuts? That could be trouble, fun trouble. It is not quite as difficult to pull off as it looks. (Please don’t do this to me, though.)
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| This might be a good day to work from home. |
Then there are the major hoaxes:
Millionaire auctions off iceberg: in 1978, a businessman and adventurer named Dick Smith announced he would be towing an iceberg from Antarctica to break into smaller cubes for sale. He advertised that these Antarctic ice cubes would freshen the taste of any drink for the price of ten cents a cube. The media was on site in the Sydney Harbor to report on the barge towing the iceberg, which was revealed to actually be sheets covered with shaving cream and fire extinguishing foam. — from Wilstar.com.
Do you participate in April Fools pranks?
Your comments are always welcome.
Following by submitting your email in the narrow column to the right, is always appreciated.
Thanks for stopping by.
Cricket
To Read or Not To Read
Just finished reading some comments made by Stephen King on the topic of writing. They were all interesting, but two of them made me stop and think.
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| The Man! |
#1 “The magic is in you. I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing.”
My reply: Fear not, when writing. Easier said than done. Most writers hope most readers will like what they write; that is a great feeling. On the other hand, we all know that you can’t please everyone so we’d better get some fear-be-gone! And, I do like the sound of the magic being in me (or you), but I am still deciding how I want to interpret that sentence. Fun to think about though. How would you interpret that?
#2 Read, read, read. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.”
My reply: Yes, yes, yes. Now I don’t have to feel guilty when I’m reading instead of writing. **sigh** (OK. I said that but I’m not sure I can do that.)
While fooling around on the Internet, I came across two sites (I’m into two’s today) that you might find interesting.
The first one PewResearchCenter has statistics about Americans over the age of 18 and their reading habits. For example: 76% read at least one book (print, ebook, or audiobook) in 2013. Just click on the name to go to the site.
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| Such a classic. |
Second one Most Popular Book Genres (click to see more) displays their findings in an easy to read pie chart. It does not include all genres (sub-genres) or non-fiction. The largest slice of the pie was in the Children’s Fiction category. My mind immediately jumped to picture books and things like Frog and Toad, but their list included books like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Another category, Magic Realism, received 2% of the pie. I’d like to check that out; not sure if I’ve read a book in that category/genre. Here’s one:
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| I’ve been told this story is definitely for adults. |
Do you have a favorite genre?
When do you find the time to read?
Your comments are welcome.
Thanks for stopping by,
Cricket
Go Arizona Wildcats!
IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO?
YOU, of course, but I’ll need your help.
If you happened to see my very first blog post, you’ll know why I’m writing what I’m writing today.
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| I am looking at YOU! |
If not, you can see that entire first blog right here. In the meantime, here’s a snippet from that post:
Welcome to my blog and my very first blog post . . . ever.
Before you ask, “What’s this? Another blog?” Please keep reading for just a minute. And, yes, this is a blog, but it won’t be like any other. Why? Because I do not know how to blog. This blog will be about you and me chatting about things that interest us.
Yes, I do have several areas of expertise, and so do you. We will get to those in the near future. Until then . . .
Well, the ‘near future’ is . . . now.
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| A rose is a rose |
So I’m ready to talk about you,
your expertise, your interests,
your thoughts, your hobbies,
your favorite colors, foods,
activities, or just about anything
in the PG-13 arena. (OK, there
could be a few exceptions
like when I mention Elle J. Lawson’s
soon-to-be-released erotic romance. Or you mention ?????)
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| A beautiful wall of books |
Though I am an avid reader,
I’m not a mind reader. I do know
that some of you that follow this blog love dogs and cats, food, (well, who doesn’t?) and mystery, but help me out; let’s add a few more topics about your interests or expertise and chat about those.
And/or, you could just listen to this YouTube Boy Band, McFly, sing It’s All About You.
What else shall we explore together?
Thanks for stopping by,
Cricket
A Tell All Tuesday post
A Tale of Two Charlies
| Going for a ride! |
To the best of my knowledge, Charlie the dog was born first, somewhere south of Tucson. He was adopted out of the back of a rancher’s truck before he was eight weeks old.
The timing of his adoption, though likely wonderful for the puppy, proved challenging for his new human parents. The very next day was the first day of school and they were both educators. So, the puppy went to school.
Charlie the coyote was born approximately 18 months later near a tiny, really tiny town in northern Wyoming. A young woman took him in shortly after his coyote parents were shot for killing sheep. That woman had many talents—writing, photography, and bravery. She raised that 10-day old coyote pup and documented his life.
That documentation became a published book, The Daily Coyote, that I stumbled upon as I searched for a birthday present for my husband one year. I wanted to find a novel about a dog—we are wildlife and dog lovers—but I did not want that dog to die at the end of the story (think Old Yeller and, well, most stories about dogs). Reading the back of the book and learning that it was a true story about a coyote named Charlie (that looked like our dog Charlie and that didn’t die at the end of the story-hurray!) I made the purchase and read it that night before giving it away as a gift. (Is that cheating?)
| Charlie, the coyote! |
| Charlie looking for a mouse in a snow tunnel. |
As of this writing, both Charlies are still looking good and supplying their owners with unique and wonderful experiences. Charlie, the coyote, has an entire book written about him and beautiful photographs taken of him almost daily. Charlie, my dog, has to settle for having his photo on the back cover of my novels and on the front of my blog. He’s good with that.
To be continued . . .
Do you have a favorite book about a dog?
Do you have any unique experiences with dogs or coyotes?
Your comments are welcome.
Thanks for stopping by,
Cricket
Today is Love Your Pet Day!
February 20th has been named Love Your Pet Day, though the origin of this special day eludes me. I’m okay with that. Most good pet owners love their pets every day, right?
| Best Kitten Smile! |
That fact got me thinking. This day has something in common with Mother’s Day because sons and daughters love their mothers every day, too. (Nod your head up and down.)
Still, it is fun to have special days to lift our loving or caring to new heights. Most of our days are busy and sometimes we just don’t find the time to stop and smell the roses, let alone do something special for our pets, our mothers, our friends, our bosses, our co-workers, our dads, our siblings—well, you get the idea.
But, I digress. It is Love Your Pet Day and I am going to take the liberty of renaming this special day. The new name: Love A Pet Day. That way, if you don’t have a pet right now you can still celebrate the day. You could adopt a pet, offer to take a neighbor’s pet for an extra walk, swim, or trot—some pet owners are immobile themselves—help an animal in trouble, donate time or money to your local pet or horse rescue organization.
| Jerry Gallegos volunteers! |
True, our pets love their food, but they love us, too. Let’s spend a little extra time with our pets today. That’s a win-win and we will all benefit. Most medical professionals agree with that concept. Some go as far as stating that having a good pet can add years to your life.
“The interaction with and love received from a dog can also help people stay positive. The mere act of looking at your pet increases the amount of Oxytocin, the ‘feel good’ chemical in the brain.”
We have a red-speckled Australian heeler that likes to jump into the river to retrieve sticks. He is also very fond of catching a ball. He will do that all day long. In between the ‘active’ fun, he’s content to lay at my feet while I add another chapter to my current novel.
| Charlie in the West Dolores River |
What kind of pet do you have/want?
What do you and your pet do together that you both enjoy?
Thanks for stopping by,
Cricket
Please submit your email address on the column to the right of the actual blog post so that you can receive notification of my new posts. (I don’t always remember to share my posts on other sites so that non-followers can see them.)
Tell All Tuesday: Why Write?
Why write? Why write? Because. Just because.
Everyone writes . . . something. Maybe not novels, articles, or screenplays, but you do write. Perhaps you write checks 🙂 or notes on the fridge, letters, posts, lists, graffiti (hope not), resumes, references, complaints, praises, journal entries, or the note you hide in your child’s lunch box with words of encouragement.
| Put your pens/pencils in Mason Jars! |
Some prefer to write with a favorite
colored gel pen, a mechanical pencil,
or an old-fashioned one.
Others write only on a tablet,
laptop, or desktop . . . even your
phone is a possibility these days.
Everyone writes . . . somewhere.
| A lovely outdoor spot where the chalk dust can float to the ground. |
I spent many years writing on chalkboards before they were replaced with whiteboards prior to challenging myself to write a novel. FYI—this is not a Writers’ Blog. (It’s a blog about Love, laughter, and life’s little mysteries.) But since I am a writer, I will share a little information about my books now and then.
Why do I write? Because I have so many stories in my head just waiting to be set free. Once I began my first novel—just to see if I could actually complete such a task—I was hooked! The process became a passion and Book 1 KINDERGARTEN BABY was born. Hint: it’s NOT about a baby. It is a romantic mystery for adults.
What is your favorite writing implement? What or where do you write? Do you have any dreams or desires to write?
Here is your chance. Go ahead, write something.
Have a wonderful week.
Cricket (used my gel pen for that)
A Tell All Tuesday post
How Neat is Neat? (or has anybody seen my keys?)
I have been in homes that were so neat and orderly, I had my doubts that anyone actually lived there. I’ve been in other homes with so much clutter that I wondered just how many people (with lots and lots of stuff) resided within. I’d probably never know—couldn’t find them if they were there.
My guess is that most living quarters occupied by humans fall somewhere in between.
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| NOW THAT IS NEAT! |
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m a neat freak—although I am fond of neatness. I just don’t have the time to be that neat. (I know, I know—prioritize.) My main motivation to strive for NEAT is my own inability to deal with the frustration of not being able to find something—the bread slicing knife, the dog’s leash, last year’s tax return (I’d better start looking now.) the scissors, my keys, or my favorite pink lip gloss—when I need it.
I do like the saying ‘A place for everything and everything in its place.’ I try to apply this message to the area around my writing desk. I want to focus on the story at hand rather than the cluttery (yes, that is a word–that I just made up) mess that distracts my thinking.
Closets? I refuse to confess to the condition of my closets.
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| HELP ME ! (That is not me. I would never wear those gloves with those boots.) |
To where do you swing on the NEAT to CLUTTERED pendulum?
Does your desire match your reality?
