Taking the mystery out of meditation.

How do brain patterns affect the way we meditate and what we get out of it?  And what are they, anyway?

There are four distinct states,

·       Beta, which works at frequencies between 14 – 21and higher, brain wave frequency ( cycles per second) and is associated with Waking state, the five senses and perception of time and space.

·       Alpha working between 7-14 and higher and is associated with Light sleep, meditation, intuition. No time and space limitation.

·       Theta works between 4 – 7 and higher and is associated with Deeper sleep, meditation.

·        Delta works from 0-4 and higher and is associated with Deep sleep. You are unconscious at Delta.)

Scientists working on sleep patterns discovered that people who trained themselves to use the Alpha and Theta brain frequencies —levels of deep relaxation that most people experience while meditating or in light sleep— improved their standard of work and output.  They also discovered volunteers were able to significantly improve their proficiency, and even found evidence of enhanced intuitive functioning within them.

What they found was that by teaching people to consciously guide themselves to the Alpha and Theta level of mind through deliberately centering themselves while fully conscious, they learned how to reprogram their minds much the same way as we do with computers.

When you break meditation down in this manner it loses some of that mystification many people try to give it.  Instead, it becomes a matter of tapping into the natural resources within and maximising them to their full potential.

 Next time you try the breath meditation, take a mental note of the differences between this occasion and when you tried it for the first time.

Its a new world

First let me say how delighted I am to have been invited to join this blog. And second, let me warn you, I am not a young whiz kid! All this is new to me, but I am so anxious to learn! I got my first lesson on just how much I had to learn from a young lady I have been exchanging critiques with. She kept leaving only one space between sentences and I kept pointing out that she should leave two spaces. She just kept ignoring my corrections so I looked it up on the internet so I could send her proof that she was screwing up! Imagine my mortification when I found that it's not only unnecessay to leave two spaces, it's not even desired! blush...blush Some critique partner I am!

That said, please feel free to point out any corrections in my posting! I will welcome any help can get!

I am not a strickly "new" writer. I have written and published many newspaper and magazine articles as well as the most boring of all writing, training and technical manuals. I have no idea where I got the notion that such dry fodder would prepare me to write a romance novel. Just life perhaps, or a love of reading them! I have wanted to write a book since I first read Dick and Jane and imagined a future romance for them. I know, eww!

I have a manuscript draft in the making, but everytime I read a new tip or technique, or listen to a presentation by a sucessful writer, I see things I need to work on. At this rate I may die before I get it finished!

I'm looking forward to reading your contributions and exploring this new world. Until next time, happy writing!

For the Cats

The pet in the middle of the plants gives you a hint to one usage of Nepeta (notice pet in the middle of the name, too). In this case the pet is a cat, as cat in catmint. Catnip derives from Nepeta cataria, which is a rampant garden inhabitant. Catmint, on the other hand, is a more refined garden inhabitant. Nepeta plants contain neptalactone, a substance that gives many cats ecstatic highs. They rub themselves on the stems, roll in the middle of the plant, chew its leaves, and often devour small new plants ripping up even the roots to satisfy their euphoria seeking need.

After my first two failures growing catnip, I had to enclose my new catmint plants in cages to prevent my cats from killing them. Now, several years later, the plants are large enough to survive the cat's attention and even divide for more plants. I still find felines digging up the roots in early spring. Many gardeners hate cats, but mine keep mice, moles and ground squirrels out of my gardens. They do a fair job on grasshoppers, too, so I like to keep them happy.

Catmint has other attributes. The leaves and blossoms have an unusual fragrance and make a pleasant sedative tea, and many organic product companies claim the neptalactone the plants produce may repel mosquitoes and black flies better than Deet. As an added bonus deer aren't interested in eating catmint (but bees of all types love the pollen!).

The plants thrive in dry, sunny locations as well as shade where many plants fail. While catmint is not a show-stopping plant, its lilac-blue flowers last through much of the summer and the soft green-gray leaves provide soft contrast to brighter green foliage and  more vibrant flowers. Many gardeners use Nepeta as a carefree edging plant or as a ground cover in barren areas. All this makes catmint a garden asset for blending plants into a harmonious garden scene.

Native to Europe, Eurasia and Africa, Nepeta's square stems and strong scent mark it as part of the mint family. It works well in herb gardens, dry gardens, rockgardens and borders. Most garden books recommend that catmint be grown in moist, well-drained soil. I'm not sure how you keep well-drained soil moist, but I've found catmint likes a dry garden bed better than a wet one, never wilting even during drought. When locating catmint in your garden, take into account its sprawling and floppy habit. I find catmint attractive draping over a low wall, but probably would not use them where they might spread out in an untidy manner on a walkway. Some of the species seed freely, which a gardener might want to avoid, but there are sterile cultivars available. No matter where catmint is planted, expect occasionally visitors -- spaced-out cats sprawling between the stems. Most cats are pleasant drunks, but some will howl and scratch when removed from their favorite addiction.

WORDS OF LOVE - Released!

Hi all, I am promoting my new release:  WORDS OF LOVE - How To Write A Romance Novel
Participants of the online series Words of Love have asked for the total series to be put in book form. It took a while but I did listen and it is now available. I hope you will all like how it turned out.

http://www.hippiechicks68.com/words_of_love.html

If you know about Words of Love then you also know that promoting your work is one of the hardest parts of writing. I'll be back and write about my experiences on getting the release out there.

Keep Writing and Enjoy!

Jewel

Away Today

I'm am at the Writers' Police Academy, so I can't blog today. I hope everyone is calm, the laundry and dishes are under control.

Let The Geekery Begin!

Hello out there! I’m very happy to be joining the Night Writers with my first post. First, I’d like to introduce myself briefly. My name is Colleen K. Michaels. By night, I write contemporary romantic fantasy and by day, I’m a historian. I’ve been a voracious reader and writer for as long as I can remember. Genre fiction is my favorite - science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, comedy, I love them all. Same goes for movies and television. I cut my teeth on Star Trek and Star Wars, moved on from there to The X Files, Roswell, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and never looked back. Well, other than to the classics of the Fifties and Sixties. Twilight Zone? Love it! Alfred Hitchcock Presents? Yeah!

So what do I mean by “geekery” anyway? The term isn’t original to me. I’m not sure who first coined it, but I came across it the first time on Etsy (world’s coolest shopping site, imho). Anyway, to me, “geekery” is anything to do with science fiction and fantasy – and the math and science that often inspire them. Yes, science fiction often ends up becoming science fact. Back in the late 1980s, the touch-screen computers on Star Trek: The Next Generation were crazy cool new concepts. Nowadays? Got a smartphone or an iPad? Still cool, but no big deal, right? There you go! 

On the 4^th and 19^th of each month, I’ll be writing about whatever facet of geekery has captured my fancy. Last weekend, for instance, we had the confluence of two awesome events. First, all six Star Wars movies have been released on Blu-ray for the first time. Picture and audio are the highest quality ever, and there are hours and hours of extra material like deleted scenes, making-of commentaries, and spoofs. Second, and I think the timing on this is probably deliberate, scientists just announced that they’ve found a planet rotating around a binary star system, just like Tatooine. 

For the uninitiated, in the original Star Wars film, Tatooine was a desert planet with two suns in the sky. When the movie first was released in 1977, many scientists doubted that such a planet could exist in our universe. But using NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, they found what’s been dubbed the Kepler-16 system, made up of a Saturn-sized planet that rotates around two stars that are very close to each other. The star system is just 200 light years from earth (practically spitting distance in interstellar terms). Apparently, with a good pair of binoculars, you can spot where this system is yourself – no need for a space telescope. How cool is that?!

Changes

I'm in the middle of pre-edits and won't be able to post today.As you've probably noticed Night Writers membership has expanded and that means schedule changes. My next post is slotted for the 26th but I'll be at a conference. So I'll see you next month. In the meantime, feel free to stop by and hear what our new bloggers have to say. We're looking forward to having them. Its going to be all kinds of fun.

Mums Define the Fall

Mums come into full bloom as fall arrives and always remind me of Halloween. These wonderful plants bloom in colors that describe autumn: Chrysanthemums come in orange, russet, burgundy, bronze, pink, yellow, and gold in every shade and combination you can conceive. They are the backbone of fall garden color. I wish they grew better here in the North, but even the small plants found in local nurseries are appreciated.

Mums belong in the huge Asteraceae family that includes asters, marigolds, daisies of all sorts, sunflowers, goldenrod and dahlias. There is some confusion over the botanical. They used to be Chrysanthemum x morifolium. Taxonomists, as they often do, have renamed them Dendranthemum x grandiflorum, but I've seen them listed as Chrysanthemum Dendranthemum x grandiflorum and Dendranthemum moriflorium. It doesn't matter. We all know a Chrysanthemum when we see one.

Originally from China and Japan, chrysanthemums have hybridized for centuries. Literally thousands of cultivars exist in various flower forms called buttons, pompoms, daisies, decoratives, spiders, and spoons. Type depends on petal length, shape, and form.

I have grown Chrysanthemums from starts taken in the spring. These plants take a lot of care. They need rich, well-drained soil. They have to be pinched-back until mid-July to get the maximum number of blooms. They need plenty of moisture throughout the growing season while they offer the garden nothing but mounds of nondescript greenery. Then, to keep the plant healthy and get the optimal bloom, they need dividing at least every other year, preferably every year, plus they are not reliably hardy in very cold areas.

When I lived in St. Charles, Missouri, I went to local growers and for five dollars bought plants the size of bushel baskets covered in buds and blossoms. I decided then that buying plants and placing them in the fall garden was easier than growing them myself.

Many garden centers are currently selling blooming pots of Chrysanthemums. Although they are perennials, you might best treat them as annuals. Buy a few containers, pop them in the ground or a planter, and enjoy them while you can with no expectations for next year.

Big Bertha

 I enjoy technology. My first computer was a little Tandy one piece machine with one floppy disk and I've progressed over the years to my wonderful HP 8 Ram with 1 TB storage. I've owned a Rocket ebook reader, and eBookwise and a Sony Touch eReader. Now, iPad 2 has entered my home. I love that thing. It's so easy to read books, play games, write this blog post and did I say play games. LOL  It's my grown-up toy.

Using machines is second nature to me. Somehow, I can understand what they say when I push a button. That is, until today. I met my match with an unruly four foot tall copy machine. I substitute in a one person office at a small Senior Center. From the minute I entered the office this morning, I could feel something was 'off.'

 

Sure enough, a man called and wanted to know the pricing on faxing 3 pages. Looking up to the wall above the big copy machine, I searched for the price list. It wasn't there. Scanning the room quickly, I saw folders in wire racks…no fax prices. I tossed open drawers and still no list. Finally, I got the man's phone number so I could call him back.

Unbelievably, I got the prices from the Librarian next door to the center. She doesn't have a fax so she has to use the Senior Center's machine.

I called the man back, giving him the price. He told me his wife would be there in a few minutes, then he questioned if I could handle faxing his small packet. I assured him I could. I grumbled under my breath. Of COURSE I could send a fax…@#$%@#

A delightful older woman arrived and I accepted her papers and turned around to the machine. There was every button in the world on that thing but FAX. Now what? I wondered. Maybe that fellow was right in questioning me! Digging around in a drawer beside the machine I found a printer book. Notice A book, not THE BOOK. It was for an old machine! Finally, I broke down and called the sick woman who I was filling in for. She told me the correct button to press and it worked like a dream…on the third try. By that time, I'd named the copier, Big Bertha. It reminded me of a matronly prison guard from a 1950s movie! 

All was well until two o'clock. The Board of Directors President came in and needed 15 copies of a 9 page packet. Collated. Printed on both sides. Stapled. <Gulp> The fax fiasco was still fresh in my mind. Pushing all the correct buttons, I got Big Bertha fired up and she gave me 5 beautiful copies. Then she stopped. I was out of paper. No problem. The screen even showed me which drawer to pull out.

Okay, off we go. But…Nooo. It wouldn't work. Finally, the BOD Prez came in to help me. She'd used Big Bertha before. She punched a few buttons and off it went, only this time; the papers folded over and flew out the front of the machine. We were both covered in paper!

Finally, she went into the lobby with her Kindle to read and I began again. I pulled the plug and counted to 30. When I reset the machine for 10 copies, it worked like a charm.

If there is one thing I can always remember, it's rebooting!

Now, I wonder if I'll be called again to substitute in the office. OR will I say yes if they ask me again.

Fluff, is it really needed?

I've been reading romance fiction since my early teens on, let's just round it up to 40+ years. The reads on a whole were wonderful, some keepers and very few wall bangers. But the very worse were the ones filled with fluff.

Fluff in a story can be done in a couple ways, one is the setting fluff. When an author fills the pages with fact after fact and scenery recites, it can kill the reader's interest after the first couple times. As an editor, I have found that this type of fluff is a page eater and is really a camouflage by the author waiting for a scene change or waiting for the words to flow that really pertain to the story.

The next fluff encounter is when a "part" of the story is repeated and repeated in various scenes throughout the story. Some are just annoying, like how many dishes can one character wash? Or if your character has to ride a horse, do we really need to know how much it hurts and where every time they ride? How about "crying" what if the heroine cried from one end of the book to the other? Can you really enjoy all the tears? These types of fluff appear to be used by the author to make themselves feel comfortable enough to write. The problem is most of scenes end up starting in the same place like the kitchen or on the horse or wring out that crying towel. They should be taken out on the first edit by the author, so the editor never see them and certainly not the readers.

Fluff can be just the overuse of one word. What if the heroine called the hero "baby face" every time they kissed or did any type of loving act. I mean really! Baby Face? Does it even fit an alpha male? The mental image put in my head is disgusting and obviously ruined the story for me.

The whole point is "What is the relevance to the story?". We are writing romance, does the fluff matter to our struggling couples?

Most of the Fluff comes from the author because they are stalled. Yes, stalled, a new chapter or a new scene have made the author put the brakes on.

As far as a "cute" name for their partner, really think it out and if you use one mix it up. Put the cute name in the search and see how many times it is used and then change some out for their name.

As authors it is very difficult for us to see our own mistakes or problems. Listen what people say, if something is brought up it could be just the tip of the iceberg.

Jewel Adams - I have received many request for Words of Love to be in book form and I'm pleased to announce the release this weekend of

WORDS OF LOVE - How To Write a Romance Novel

Enter the drawing for your ebook copy of Words of Love by emailing me at jeweladams @gmail.com (without the spaces). Winner will be announced next Thursday.

Pound Cake

From the Kitchen of the Late Great Marion Morris, Long Island Housewife Extraordinaire

Pound Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups butter, softened

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

6 eggs

Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl. Add butter, milk, vanilla and almond extract. Mix on low one minute. Stop and scrape bowl, beat on medium high for two minutes. Stop and scrape bowl.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing about 15 seconds after each addition. Beat on medium for 30 seconds.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10" tube pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove cake from pan.

Meditation Groups ~ Yeh or Neh?

There are so many occupations, hobbies and interests to choose from, making a decision becomes harder and harder, especially in times of lean wallets.  This is one of the benefits of meditation.  It’s free, can be done in a place and time of your own choosing and for however long you want to do it.

But…

What if you like the idea of sharing your meditation with a group of other likeminded people?  Well you have a couple of choices.  You could look around your area, call into your local library search the adds in the local paper or from word of mouth and join an existing group.  Or you could start one of your own.

What are the benefits of group meditation?  It can be fun to meditate with others.  In some groups you are encouraged to share the experience.  No group should force a member to share more of their experiences than they want to, but listening to what others learn from their meditations is both interesting and informative.

Someone may mention something you’ve experienced and dismissed.  So with this new snippet of information, next time you meditate you find you’ve gone a level deeper in understanding what you are receiving from your meditation.

Just as there are different types of meditation, so there are different types of groups.  ‘Open’ and ‘closed’.  Pretty self-explanatory.   ‘Open’ groups allow anyone to join at any time.  This is advantage for those coming and going, but generally not encouraged by groups who prefer to meditate with people they’ve come to know or trust.

’Closed’ groups mean you generally have to apply to join.  And because these groups tend to remain small in numbers you may have a long wait. 

There are many kinds of meditation, so it stands to reason there are many different kinds of groups.  Check them out before you join, or, if they are open, go along and if you like it, either stay with that group or find a similar, closed one.

Behind The Scenes

A phone call. A small kitten picked up wandering a busy street. An injured dog found along the highway. A last minute pull before an animal is gassed.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a rescue?

These two little doll babies came into the program when a rescuer worker asked a woman what she was planning on doing with the trap she was carrying. The woman's response, 'I'm tired of these cats I'm taking them to the(kill) shelter.' Two kittens had already been taken to the shelter and gassed before the rescuer intervened, trapped, and brought these babies into the program.

So what happens after the animals have been brought into the program?

After an animal is accepted into a rescue it next goes to a vet where it's examined, tested (cats for leukemia) and given the standard shots. For cats: rabies and distemper. Some rescues include the leukemia vaccine. It mainly depends on the funds available to the program. Some include chipping. Again due to fund availability. The animals that are old enough are altered. (The ones that aren't, are adopted out with a signed agreement stating they'll be brought back in a few months to be spayed or neutered.)
From there the animal goes either into a foster home or a facility, if the organization is large enough to have one. These animals are then placed on petfinder.com and other animal networks. Some groups work with Petsmart and other pet stores and rotate their cats in and out so they have a better chance of being seen by the public and getting a home.

If someone is interested in adopting, the next step is to fill out an adoption application. Everyone hates paperwork and its one more step to deal with, but it's a necessary one. Rescues want to make sure they make the best possible match for the animal and the adopter. This is a lifetime commitment and if the match is a good one will bring many years of happiness to both parties. Questions may include: how many in your family, age of family members, number of pets, pet ages, name and phone number of your vet, and whether you own or rent.

Once an application is approved an adoption form must be signed that basically states the adopter will take responsibility for the animal they are adopting and if they don't the rescue can step in and take back the animal.

The adopter pays an adoption fee. This fee is used to offset the animal's vet expenses. The food and litter expense while the animal is in the program is often provided by the foster, if the animal is in foster care. If the group uses a clinic and the animal doesn't need special care, the group breaks even on the cost. Smaller groups that use a local vet have to make up the difference in donations. This and the availability of fosters limits the number of animals they can rescue.

There is often much aggravation when a kindhearted individual calls about an animal in need and is turned away. The frustration is felt on both ends. The good Samaritan wants to help the animal but can't find any group to take it. The rescue doesn't want another animal to die or suffer but doesn't have a foster to take it or the funds to pay for its vet costs.

What you can do.

If you are interested in helping animals in need there are several ways you can. First join your local rescue. You can be as active as you choose. You can give monetarily or give of your time. Rescues are always in need of donations. They are also always in need of fosters. And here's the good thing about fostering. Its your choice. If you can foster a cat but not a dog that's fine. Or vice versa. If you can foster in the winter but not in summer when you'll be on vacation, they'll work around your schedule. Maybe you can't foster but can do a monthly newsletter. Or answer phones. Clean cages. Help with a yard sale. The need is always there.

To those in rescue and those that rescue without belonging to an organization, thanks for all you do behind the scenes.

Worshipping the Sun God

At last, my sunflowers have bloomed! If you live south of my location, yours have probably come and gone and are already producing seed.

These huge, geometrically structured annual flowers vibrate with color, and never fail to grab attention. Over the last few decades they have have become iconic in nature, decorating many household and clothing items. According to Allan M. Armitage in his Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials (Timber Press, 2001), this is due to a few factors. Armitage states the first acclaim for the sunflower emerged upon the 'centenary of van Gogh's death in 1990' and the subsequent promotion of his art.' Van Gogh is famous, of course, for his paintings of sunflowers. Another event Armitage mentions is the introduction of a pollenless hybrid from Japan at about the same time. I don't know about that. I have always loved sunflowers and gladly put up with the pollen falling from the flowers onto my tables, but I suppose florist found this a welcome trait which probably led to the flower's greater use in professional arrangements and a wider exposure to the public.

Named after the Greek sun god Helios because the flower heads seem to always face the sun, it is myth that the flowers actually follow the sun across the sky. Some claim they only face east, but mine face south. It may surprise flower lovers to know the genus also includes many perennials. (Jerusalem artichokes, anyone? Very tasty!) However, it is the huge flowers of the annual species, Helianthus annus, that arouses human adoration, and this species originated in North and Central America where the Aztecs first venerated them. The Spanish took seeds back to Europe where growers developed flowers with spectacular results.

The plants grow from three to twelve feet tall, depending on species and cultivar, and the flowers may be a few inches in diameter to as much as a foot or more across. Newer cultivars may be shorter in stature, but the flowers come in amazing colors ranging from lemon yellow through gold and mahogany colored rays. They are well worth the effort to grow. Needless to say they make a statement in the garden or a flower arrangement, and a field grown for seed production is a stunning sight.

Online you will find herbal remedies and all types of lore, legend, and myth about sunflowers. Some witch and pagan oriented sites speak of the flower's 'energy.' How could a genus that provides such beauty, food and oil with such little care not engender legendary acclaim?

Sunflowers do best if planted directly in soil at or just before the last frost date in a site chosen for its sunny location. Once established the plants do well for themselves, but fertilizing every two weeks or so helps them grow to their full potential. It is amazing to watch them grow to the heights they can achieve, but beware! Deer love sunflowers, too. The stalks are often thick and fibrous, especially with the very tall growing types. It takes strength to hold those large flower heads so high! The leaves correspond in scale and size to the flowers. Do to their size they look coarse and ungainly, and can sometimes irritate a susceptible person's skin. Another warning: bees often hover in the flower's central disk. Despite these few drawbacks, if sunflowers don't make your heart glow with warmth, you might not be human.

I'm An Indie Author

Why publish a book independently? For me, it gives me complete control over my work. I can also decide where I want the book sold. But the biggest plus is I make 70% instead of the 30% I've received at my publisher. Also, pricing is a big factor. Through Smashwords.com I sold a book FREE for one month, which generated more sales on my other titles during this sale month.

Speaking of pricing, in this economy, $2.99 is the best price. I've spoken to many indie authors and publishers regarding this. One publisher told me $4.99 is the absolute top. Anything over that, the sales are zilch. Danielle Steel is my favorite author. I was at a website that sold her works and I saw many comments from readers stating they wouldn't buy her book for $13.99. They wouldn't spend that much for a hardback book or an ebook. My how things are changing! P.S. I didn't buy her new book either.

I've never been big on having my books available in paper format. Bookstores didn't want them without a huge discount and buy back status. Sure, I could have a signing at their store, but the number of books sold like that wasn't great. My highest paper sales were 8 in a bookstore. My highest sales of paper books came at a Bluegrass music weekend in a mountain meadow. I sold 20 books by thinking out of the box. These books cost me more than I generated. Author cost of the book plus shipping, vendor fees, a tent so I didn't get wet in the afternoon rain, travel to the signing, night in a motel, food. Yes, it was fun, but costly.

Well, I'm a real author even if I'm independent (this is the new name for self-published) with my ebooks and they sell at Kindle, B&N Nook, Apple iBook Store, Sony Bookstore, and so many outlet I can't remember their names. There were about twenty total on the list. My publisher had three locations including their website. As you can see authors didn't generate many sales there.

My books are beautifully edited by my editor, Jewel Adams. I highly recommend her services to any author ready to jump into the independent pond. No matter how great you write, readers won't trust you past one purchase if they find a bunch of typos and logic errors. I create my own covers because I know I'm up to par as a cover artist. I have made over fifty covers and the authors love them.

If you have the skills to format your ebook, edit it and create your cover, go for it. If not, look online for people that you can hire to help you.

Personally, I'm having the most fun being indie. I get notification in my email of each sale. Have a chat one day and then see if it helped your sales. You can learn so much by having your finger on the pulse of your book.

Have fun writing and publishing your book. GO INDIE. It works for me

Bev Haynes, writing as Chloe Reeder
www.webstarts.chloereeder.com

Rain, Rain, Go Away...Cliche

It still amazes me how things, like this rhyme, follow us throughout our lives. Nursery rhymes, little riddles or poems, stay with us and can pop into our head at the oddest moments. The cliche' falls right in line when it comes to appearing in our speech, though they can feel more like a weed to be dug up and discarded. Yes, thrown out and authors are the gardeners.

The poor cliche's are phrases or words that no longer shine in a unique light. No, the poor cliche' is thought of as no more than a common weed. Authors try very hard to keep a cliche' out of our prose, though they can be used to lighten the mood.

Comic relief can be found through a cliche'. The English language is filled with cliche's like a field of dandelions. As with a childhood nursery rhyme a cliche' can edge their way into our thoughts at the oddest times. Our memory's use of words come from all aspects of life, including an overused cliche'. The trick is to use the prolific cliche' to the benefit of the prose.

So, as you go out for walk remember to pick the daisy out of the field. If you need to find a field try this site it will make you smile and cringe: http://suspense.net/whitefish/cliche.htm

Recipe: Oatmeal Scotchies

My Favorite Cookies!

Oatmeal Scotchies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange

3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats

11 oz. pkg NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Butterscotch Flavored Morsels or any brand of Cinnamon Morsels or White Morsels may be substituted

Preheat oven to 375°

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl.   Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl.  Gradually beat in flour mixtures.  Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies; 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Pan Cookie Variation: Grease 15 x 10 inch jelly-roll pan.  Spread dough into prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

For lack of time...

a hike, and a post, or posts, were missed! Serious time challenges around our house. Poor doggie has been going to puppy play group instead of hiking because the stickers and foxtails are so awful, as is the post-hike grooming session.
Yesterday we hiked for a couple hours. While I've come to appreciate the golden grass-covered summer hills in California, I found myself longing for the winter rains and greening meadows. Sigh.

The rains have to hold off until the grape harvest is complete - then...let them come! No foxtails, no stickers, just muddy floors and wet dog. Yup, I can handle that!

Negative and positve use of the same tool

“Hypochondria: A psychiatric disorder characterized by the conviction that one is ill or soon to become ill, often accompanied by physical symptoms, when illness is neither present nor likely. A person with hypochondria is called a hypochondriac.”

That describes a very powerful energy being used for negative purposes.  Be it a silent plea for attention, or the unstated lack of self belief, the power of hypochondria is awesome.

So why am I talking about this in the same place as meditation?  Meditation is a predetermined state of mind to create calm and serenity within the whole being.  Therefore by the same axiom it can be used to create a state of mind more able to face the challenges of life when they turn up.

Therefore by reversing the hyperchondriac principle, it is possible, in times of sudden and severe pain, to meditate yourself into a state—shall we say—of pain relief.

No way is this a substitute for seeking medical advice, but if, for some reason, you are unable to access that advice immediately, then take a few moments to still yourself, disassociate yourself from the worst of the pain, and deliberately meditate until the pain level reduces to a point I call ‘manageable’.

Remember, if the mind has the power to create the negative symptoms and pain of dis-ease, then it can also work, using the same, but positive, powers, to help reduce genuine pain to a manageable level until you can reach professional help.

From Commoner to Royalty: The American Shorthair

www.free-pets-wallpapers.com

The American Shorthair is a kitty we're all familiar with. The farmers use them as mousers in the barns. They've been dressed up and lugged around like dolls by our kids and can be found in most homes in America.
Unfortunately, because some owners don't take responsibility, a huge populace can also be found as ferals and in kill shelters.
These hardy kitties came across the ocean on the Mayflower with our forefathers. Like our forefathers they set immediately to work, keeping the barns and fields free of rodents. Their working background has made them the strong, hardy breed they are today.
In the 1900's, some breeders became concerned that the breed was becoming diluted as different types of felines were brought in from other countries. In 1904, the first American bred Shorthair was registered as a breed. The 'papered' American Shorthair is carefully bred to make sure its bloodline has not been diluted or mixed with another breed. So while our beloved tabby may be an American Shorthair its not recognized in the breed association in case mama or papa was having a fling with the next door Siamese or Persian or Maine Coon or whomever was out prowling around at conception time.
These cats are bred to preserve their hardiness, temperament and beauty.
The American Shorthair has a good temperament. They like attention and to be held, but they're independent enough that they don't cling.
Because of their background they are hardy and healthy. It is not unusual for these cats to live to be twenty. The most common of the 'papered' breed is the silver tabby.
If you are thinking about getting an American Shorthair and you aren't worried about papers, try your local shelter, rescue or go on line to petfinder.com.

Prairie Stars

Echinacea 'White Swan'

In 1980 I traveled down Highway 54 in Missouri. Wild purple coneflowers lined the roadside in waves of pink flowers that resembled shooting stars headed for the heavens. The long pink petals fell back from the orange seed head in wavy rays. The beautiful flowers seemed to float above the tall roadside grass. At the time I wondered why it was call purple rather than pink coneflower, but that's just one of its mysteries.

Ten years later they were gone. The coneflower, or Echinacea, had become a 'cure' for weak immune systems and AIDS had become a prevalent disease. Coneflowers roots became a valuable commodity. A friend told me it took one year to empty the roadside of coneflowers. Diggers waited until the plants bloomed, then dug them wherever they spotted the flowers, filling trucks with plants taken from public property. At that time Missouri had no law against digging roadside wildflowers.

Coneflowers are vestige plants of the prairies that once stretched across America. They have a long history as medical plants. Native Americans used the roots of this wildflower for everything from snakebite to cleansing rites for ceremonial rituals. European settlers soon used the coneflower as a blood purifier to cure a wide variety of ailments such as unidentified infections, tumors, syphilis, gangrene and eczema.

As garden plants, the mid to late summer flowers of Purple Coneflower punctuate the border with large, vivid blossoms on three-foot stems. The orange cones contrast with the pink petals in an unusual color harmony among flowers. As prairie plants, coneflowers thrive where many plants fail. Coneflowers grow from zone 4 to zone 8 with equal ease. They withstand drought, love hot sunny sites, and don't need regular applications of fertilizer.

They are easily grown from seed, but the plants take two years to reach flowering size. Most garden centers carry pot-grown plants, usually already in flower. Transplanting doesn't seem to bother them anymore than the type of soil in which they are planted. Known as 'clay busters,' Coneflowers grow in clay as well as sandy soils like mine.

Hybridizers produced a cultivar 'Magnus' with petals that extended nearly straight out from the cone rather than drooping, making the flower appear more daisy-like. Since 'Magus,' the hybridizers have gone wild with new cultivars in amazing colors like the orange petals of 'Tiki Torch,' the green, stubby petals of 'Green Envy,' and the yellow petals of 'Sunrise,' plus they have produced some blossom configurations that look like a mum flower on top of the regular coneflower like the cerise red 'Razzmatazz,' and the green 'Coconut Lime.'

The foliage has never been as attractive as the flowers. The large leaves have serrated edges and are coated with fine hairs. They look coarse and can be attacked by mildew making them even more unattractive. If mildew is a problem in your area, try growing some of the mildew resistant cultivars available.

This is a great plant addition for any garden.

Plotting with Microsoft One Note

I use Microsoft One Note to plot my novels and it keeps me on track with my writing. At the moment, I'm plotting Book 2 of the Sarah Janes, Bounty Hunter series.

One Note is an electronic notebook. There are tabs across the top for each section and on the right side of the screen, categories with subpages.

I have tabs for each Sarah Janes book, 1-3.  Under each tab a subpage for each character, and under each of those, another subpage for their profile including pictures I've found online that represent the character. I can click back and forth between books to set up the series as easily as plotting one book and I don't lose ideas like when I relied on sticky notes. Additionally, I have tabs named Timeline for 1876, Promotions, To Do, and Writing Calendar where I have each month as a subpage so I can log in my time spent writing.  (Regretfully, not much on there!)

Two other notebooks hold my information for upcoming books. I'm not sure if I like writing or just the planning of the book. Could it be I lose enthusiasm for writing because I feel the book is completed? Today, I planned to spend all afternoon writing. So far, I've written this blog post. LOL

I'd love to hear other writers' thoughts on the matter…do you plot and plan? Do you take off writing destination unknown? A little of both?

I'm off to write, not plot. I mean, how much do I really have to know about these people and their lives?

Bev Haynes writing as Chloe Reeder
www.webstarts.chloereeder.com

Hurricanes, Earthquake and Heroes

Everyday I hear about nature's fury, you can't help but worry where we are headed. I often wonder if all these odd occurrences were going on when I was younger and I just didn't realize. Has the availability of instant news coverage brought awareness to the surface?

You might wonder why I am bringing this up, does the state of our existence have anything to do with writing?

I feel that it does. As an author I have found that if my life becomes unbalanced I can't write. And yet, writing is about the only thing that keeps my sanity in balance.

You may not write, you might paint or crochet or invent; but there must be something that you do to keep your existence in balance. Have you discovered a way to cope as the world seems to be falling apart around us?

Can creativity survive in chaos?