Happy 4th of July, everybody. We were up in Ojai with daughter Liz and soon-to-be son-in-law Ron for the annual parade and then we went over to a neighbor’s party for a short while. Anyway, we are now back home in LA and I can hear the boom of fireworks not too far away. I…
5-Star Honey-Sweetened Carrot Cake With Honey-Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting
At the request of my soon-to-be son-in-law, Ron Betty, I am posting an excellent recipe for honey-sweetened carrot cake with honey-sweetened cream cheese frosting. I altered this recipe from one I found online and had great results. I made this cake yesterday and it was moist and delicious. I had a second slice today and…
Growing into Myself
I am trying this again. Handwriting versus writing directly on the computer page. This is inspired by Margaret Atwood’s Masterclass and my own experience. I know I write deeper when I handwrite versus type, but “efficiency” has gotten in the way of my process. As if it is efficient to write something that isn’t quite…
Sonnet #2
This is my second attempt at a sonnet. In contrast to the complexities of Shakespeare’s work or a fine sonnetist like Edna St. Vincent Millay, this looks pretty paltry. However, I am just proud to get it on the page. I am only now learning about iambic pentameter, poetic feet, quatrains and couplets (well, I…
A Window into My Day Today
I am sitting in my den. It is 7:02 on this Sunday evening. Rachael’s dachshund-mix puppy, Hazel, is curled up on the chair next to the window. The grandfather clock in our living room is tolling the last of seven chimes, clearly off by two minutes. I’ve made a vegetable and rice soup in the…
Learning from the Masters
Today, I spent most of the afternoon listening to Margaret Atwood’s master class on fiction writing. This is through http://www.masterclass.com and is part of the unlimited series that I paid $180/year for when I signed up for the Billy Collins workshop on poetry. Unlike poetry, I have spent quite a lot of time working on…
Some Assembly Required
To all who took the time to either give me a thumbs up or write a comment about my thoughts on restarting my blog, please accept my heartfelt thank you. I truly appreciate your support and was touched by your positive messages. Day 2 of 20 Minutes a Day: I have worked for the past…
A Swift Kick in the Butt from Daughter Liz
Okay, I am going to try this again. To get back into the groove of writing and posting to my blog. This came after daughter Liz gave me a “Come to Jesus” talk yesterday, calling me a “weenie” for not recognizing that what I write has value even if it is not always political. …
My First Attempt at a Sonnet
I have never studied poetry so I decided to take an online Master Class with Billy Collins , who was the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001-2003. I like Billy’s poems because they are accessible and often about everyday things. The class is just Billy lecturing in 10-15 minute blocks, which works very…
Happy 39th Anniversary, Ray.
When Ray and I got married in 1980, I was 27 and he was 22. Here we are with the judge of Stone County, Arkansas, who was presiding over our tiny wedding. As Ray said today, “Our getting married was a good decision.” Yes, I would have to agree it was. We have had our…
20 Minutes a Day 