Category Archives: Travel & Adventure

A Writer Experiences High Tea in London

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Yes, you read that correctly.  A writer here who never dreamed of traveling outside the USA found herself in London recently at High Tea.  My kids surprised me as a late celebration of my birthday.  And, boy, did they surprise me!  I’m still hovering in the clouds.

Finger sandwiches – cucumber and smoked salmon, scones with clotted cream and preserves – raspberry and strawberry, decadent desserts, and of course tea – green tea.  Yum!

I fell in love with the clotted cream.  I know the title doesn’t do justice to the taste.  I thought clotted cream would be our equivalent of cottage cheese.  Imagine my amazement when I discovered it was condensed heavy cream with the taste of whipping cream.  Double yum!

However, I have found it nearly – not totally – impossible to buy clotted cream after I returned home.  I checked at Whole Foods in Oklahoma City.  Yes, they carry it, as does Trader Joe’s, but both locations were out.  Can we say major disappointment.

However, another kind shopper came to the rescue.  She was looking for the same thing.  She had heard of making clotted cream in the Instant Pot.  Bingo!  I bought an Instant Pot for Christmas.  She also shared her recommended heavy cream to buy, pure cream without additives and not ultra pasteurized.  Ultra pasteurized is a no-no in making clotted cream.  The cream won’t clot properly, will be gritty.

Here are the some of the references I checked.

https://noemptychairs.me/2018/03/07/clotted-cream-in-an-instant-pot/

http://eatseats.blogspot.com/2016/06/instant-pot-clotted-cream.html

I ended up with about 2 cups of clotted cream and 2 cups of whey.  I used the whey in my coffee and made it taste like I had added half-and-half.  Yum!  Probably not good for the cholesterol level, but majorly delicious on taste.

 

 

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November Reflections

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November has been a month for lots of new happenings. 

I learned many new things.  I learned how to maneuver around GoDaddy and set up my hosting account.  I took an online webpage class and learned basic HTML, how to read the code in a barebones webpage, sizing images, and a little about CSS.  I learned how to work the basics of WordPress.  I learned how to upgrade installed programs on my hosting account. 

Learning how to do these things as babysteps adds to my confidence and courage to try new things outside my comfort zone.  This also helps with writing, because an author learns these basic skills to help stretch the writing muscles, to keep the new work fresh, and to progress as a writer.

And I was on the go.  I traveled to the Arkansas Crater of Diamonds and visited the Oklahoma Runestone near Heavener.  I went to Oklahoma City and Wichita Falls, Texas.  I spent Thanksgiving with family and friends, shopped a little, watched the OU/OSU football game and parts of the Missouri/Kansas game, because it was on while I volunteered as Santa’s helper.  I toured the Christmas lights display at Ardmore, OK, where the lights are visible to motorists on I-35.

It’s so much fun to view the holiday season through the eyes of children, as if one is seeing the sights for the very first time — Christmas lights, Christmas displays, Christmas movies.  Remember those first times.  Recapture the joy, the awe, the excitement … the miracles of life and the always changing seasons. 

Give thanks for the little things, so many others have much less.  Find happiness and contentment in what you have.  Gratitude. 

Have you written today?  Think you have nothing to say or nothing to write?  Try making lists.  Select a topic.  List twenty-five items or more in five minutes or less.  How many lists can you create?

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Travel and Adventure

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I decided to call this category “Travel and Adventure.”  The term would more aptly describe my writings in this area.  I don’t necessarily travel much, but I travel some.  In addition, I’ve been known to find adventure outside my own backdoor that spurs my muse to new wondering, new connections, and new ideas. 

 

A few places to which I’ve traveled — in no particular order — include Hawaii, New York City, Minneapolis, Dallas/Ft. Worth, the Ozarks, South Carolina, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the Caribbean, Canada, the southern United States, Niagra Falls — to name a few.

 

As I have time I post pictures and share the adventures.

 

For a writer, all your experiences can be considered as fodder for your writing.  Place your character in that location, create a situation, and see what happens — how the character acts and reacts, in respect to the character’s personality and traits.  You might find some writing surprises along the way.  Gotta go.  The dryer’s buzzing.

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Yikes! Life’s Busy

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Yikes! Life’s busy. I’ve been so busy that it’s been nearly five weeks since I posted to the blog.

During that time I’ve — rewritten parts of my novel and developed a new story for a novel, created a soothing getaway for my writing muse on my back patio – complete with fountain, swing, plants – flowering and non-flowering, bird feeder, miniature bird bath, and inanimate yard critters. In the front yard, I’ve hung pots of petunias, a bird feeder, and set up a birdbath I can view from the bench on my front porch.

I’ve also vacationed in San Antonio, Texas, at Sea World and the River Walk, where I took loads of pictures.


I’ve hosted a weekend Plotting Party for one of my RWA chapters, which was fabulous. Here we are after dinner Friday evening.

Yesterday I drove to a nearby metro area where I bought a brand new notebook computer for my birthday. I didn’t want to order off the Internet and wait nearly two weeks for it.

Now, I’m charging into my writing to add a layer that will round out my flat characters and strengthen the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine.

Have a great day! And think of your intention to write today. Focus on that intention. Then take action. Write on!

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