Sunday

I planted this scilla last fall.

It closely resembles the Spanish bluebells I planted years ago except the bluebells are a lighter shade. The leaves are nearly identical.

a narcissus admiring it's own reflection

a wild violet

another wild violet

Overheard #249

"He doesn’t take the road less traveled. He chooses the one that’s not even paved."

Ain't No Sunshine

The Voice is now in its 4^th season. Yesterday I watched a replay of The Battle Rounds where two singers are paired to perform a song of their coach’s choice. Usher paired Ryan Innes and Orlando Dixon to sing “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Mr. Innes is all about raw emotion. His voice is perfect for this song. Mr. Dixon is a technical master. He knows when and how to soar. 

Think about the scene you’re working on right now. Does it need to growl or does the improvise variations on the high notes? Does it need pure emotion or technical expertise? Does it need some of each?

 

Sunday

I managed to photograph the crocuses before the ...

frost.

star

bird

Overheard #248

"Boots are good, but chaps are better."

Liebster Blog Award

My lonely, little blog has been nominated for a Liebster Blog Award by my kind friends, Juliet Bond and Regina Gort, over at City Muse Country Muse. Thank you, Gina and Juliet! 

I’m supposed to list eleven things about myself, so here goes.

1. I love to bodysurf, but I no longer live near an ocean.
2. I enjoy bicycling.
3. Currently, I am involved in trying to turn our feral backyard into a woodland wonderland.
4. I am fascinated with nature. Perhaps you’ve noticed this from my photographs. Since I love nature, I try not to resent the deer, squirrels and rabbits that thwart my efforts on point 3.
5. My relaxing thing to do is string beads, although I don’t indulge in this very often.
6. When I was in high school, I wanted to be a musician.
7. I became a scientist instead.
8. I found it difficult to be both a mom and a scientist, so I became a writer.
9. My husband and I met on a blind date, a Fourth of July picnic.
10. It would have been sensible to adopt my husband’s last name when we married.
11. I have two grown sons who are talented, creative and interesting people. 

I’m also supposed to answer eleven extremely difficult questions. 

1. Why write?

2. Favorite author and why?

3. Favorite book and why?

4. The meal you would eat while reading that book?

5. The question you would ask the author of that book?

6.  The way you might use that story in your own writing?

7. An excerpt from the book?

8. Favorite plot point in the book

9. Who you have recommended the book to?

10. The playlist you would create for this book?

11. The famous person you would like to give this book to and why?

I write because I need a creative outlet. I didn’t write when I was a scientist, because that job filled that need. I don’t really have one favorite book or one favorite author. I rarely eat when reading or compile playlists. While I’m dancing away from answering most of the questions, number 6 hints at a very important concept. Every time we read, we should think about what the author does extremely well and try to improve our own writing accordingly.

Thanks again for the award. Please visit City Muse Country Muse. Gina and Juliet are posting a new poem each day this month.

Crocus on a Glass Table

Overheard #247

"Why are you permuting your acronym?"

Tiny Rubble in My Wine

The mystery photo was tannic acid crystals remaining in a glass of red wine. The blue background was made from a couple of plastic placemats. Yeah, I know that's an unusual subject. I hope you had fun guessing. 

And now for the awards. 

 goes to Ruth for guessing ants on a log.

goes to ZB for guessing a dead chollo cactus in a California sunset.

goes to Vicky for guessing the fuzzy pollen-filled things that fall off chestnut trees.

 

goes to Kim for guessing a chromosome. 

goes to Joanna and Debbie for guessing pipe cleaner crafts.

goes to Amy for guessing something her cat would like to play with and to Liza for guessing a cat-'o-nine-tails.

 goes to Randy for guessing barbed wire.

goes to Buffy for guessing Sumac Sam's ship, crossing Kitchen Sink Lagoon.

goes to Charlie for guessing branches over a skylight. 

goes to TimInMich for guessing organic material in ice.

goes to Loren for guessing larvae.

Thanks for playing!

Twenty Questions

Today I'm hosting a game of twenty questions about the mystery photo. Please submit yes-or-no questions in comments, and I'll post the answers. Ask away.

Book Spine Poetry

Travis Jonker at 100 Scope Notes/School Library Journal is hosting a book spine poetry gallery in honor of National Poetry Month. Check out Ruth McNally Barshaw’s book spine poem.

Here’s mine:

Snow by Orhan Pamuk (Vintage Books: a division of Random House, 2003) 
Woe is I by Patricia T. O’Conner (Riverhead Books: a division of Penguin Putnam Inc., 1996) 
The Picnic Gourmet by Joan Hemingway and Connie Maricich (Random House, 1977)

Mystery Photo

What is it? 
Please leave your answers in the comments section.
The correct answer will be posted on Saturday, April 6, 2013.

This is an unusual subject, and I debated whether to use it as a mystery photo. It seems, however, that most people who enter my contests don’t care what the answer is. They want to make a silly guess and receive their virtual award. 

Happy April Fools' Day!