Month: March 2017

Spring Busy-ness

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens3 Comments

Near the end of March, things get really busy around here. I’m busy judging various writing contests and acting like I know something. I’m an officer of a couple of organizations, one of which requires several hours of work per month.

My house is in dire need of a good Spring cleaning, and my yard…don’t even get me started. I need to schedule my schedule. So my blog posts have been a little skimpy lately. I doubt anyone really noticed, because everyone is so very busy. After all, it’s Spring.

So, since I really need to be cleaning and reading and writing, etc., this post will end with a couple of announcements and a meme. Well, maybe not a meme, because I forgot to make one. Anyway, I hope you’ll bear with me through all this busy-ness, because in a short few weeks, I have another book coming out. I’m so excited! And…there will giveaways! So watch this space.

Short, short stories!

Do you like to write really, really, really short stories? Like, for instance, six-word stories? Quite a challenge, I know.

During the month of April, at Writing Prompts & Thoughts & Ideas…Oh My! we’re having a little fun with six-word story prompts. Each of our Monday and Friday posts will offer a 3-word prompt for you to finish as a six-word story. That means you only have to come up with three words to finish the story. The best of those entered will be publicized on Facebook and Twitter on a weekly, or even bi-weekly basis (if we have enough entries). Then the Writing Prompts crew will vote on their favorite. The winner will receive a gift card and even more publicity!

Sounds like fun, huh? You might want to click on over there now (here’s another link) and follow the blog so you’ll get an email when we post. This month, we’re talking about our favorite modern authors. Next month, it’s tips on cleaning (Ugh–just in time for spring cleaning).

One other really cool thing about the Writing Prompts blog–every Wednesday–we feature a different writer in a post called “3 Questions Wednesday.” Those writers almost always give away a book to one reader. All you have to do is leave a comment on their 3 Questions Wednesday post. But pay attention to the interview date. If they’re giving a book, it’s usually the next week after their post runs.

So that’s all my important news for now. I have to get back to my work-in-progress. I left my protagonist in a mess!

The Winter That Almost Wasn’t

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens1 Comment

This is my usual stance in Winter, waiting for that first glimpse of Spring!

But this year, the first glimpse of Spring happened in … December! When we should’ve been shoveling snow, we were worrying over sprouts.

 

Here we are in mid-March with buttercups, crocuses, and forsythias blooming.

We’ve already had high seventies and sunshine.

And then, today … snow flurries and twenties … but we know it won’t last. You can’t hold back the Spring.

Forty years ago, we had two of the coldest winters on record. In 1978, the Ohio River froze over. I’d never seen anything like that. And now, the 2016-2017 winter almost wasn’t. Not complaining.

I’m even looking forward to these guys. ⇒⇒

I’m planning new ways to outsmart them.

What’s the weather been like in your area?

Coming up: Exciting News!

See you back here next week.

A Bowl of Lemons

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens

lemons-368914_1280What comes to mind as you look at this photo?

Most of us think of the saying, “When life hands you a bowl of lemons…”

What does that mean? Sometimes life is tough, bitter, sour to the taste. So what do you prefer to do with a bowl of lemons? beverage-1030150_1280

Many of us will do this⇒⇒⇒

Be sure you have plenty of sugar on hand, (honey, or other sweetener). You’re going to need it.

When I was in first grade, we lived in San Diego. A lemon tree grew in our back yard. I’ll never forget sitting in the car on the street, the day we arrived at this rental home. The song on the radio–Lemon tree, very pretty…

It was a small, but very pretty tree. The blossoms smelled amazing. The lemons were large and beautiful. But you can’t really bite into them, unless you’re one of those who really love the sour taste. Is your mouth reacting to a memory right now? Mine is!Funny man Discharged

So, back to life and its situations. Sometimes things don’t go well. Sometimes it really does seem that you’ve been handed a bowlful of lemons. Less than perfect. What you do with what you’ve been given says a lot about your character. If you smile and make the best of it, you’re adding the sweetener to the bitter, sour taste and making it more palatable. (That’s my dad in the photo–being very silly–but looks like he might’ve taken a bite out of a lemon.)

They say it’s good for you to drink a cup of warm water with lemon every morning. Adds a bit of zest to your life, energizes you, and keeps you regular. It could even help keep your weight down. Now that’s making the best of it, isn’t it?

I prefer to make lemon cream pie with all those lemons, which doesn’t help keep the weight down, but it puts a definite smile on my face. I am one who will take an occasional bite of a lemon. I love the sour taste.

tea-with-lemon-783352_1280Whatever your preference, make the best of what you’ve been given. Put on a smile when you don’t feel like it. People will marvel at your strength and be encouraged by your attitude. It’s like mixing up a big pitcher of lemonade and sharing it with your friends. You’ll feel better, too.

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