Thursday, March 14, 2013

Dabbling Pays Off

While in Alaska last summer, my friends, Lynne and Dale, helped me introduce Nick and Monique to foraging. We searched the roadsides for stalks of fuchsia fireweed blossoms, the woods for blueberries, and for high bush cranberries.
Lynne and I photographed our excursions and the process of making jelly in her 32 foot motor home.

 When I returned home with several cases of jams and jellys, I was happy to share our labors with friends, neighbors and family.
Last fall, I wrote an article and submitted it to the Escapees Magazine. It was accepted! Escapees RV Club is a loosely organized, national organization of folks who travel or live full-time in their recreational vehicle and includes articles submitted by members.
"Blossoms and Berries" describes utilizing the fruit of the land as a wonderful way to savor the memories of RV travel.
 The three page article gives recipes for fireweed jelly, blueberry jelly, cranberry jelly and a bonus recipe for blackberry cobbler using blackberries we found along the Oregon coast.

The bottom picture is of me cooking jelly in the RV.
I sent a second article to Escapees Magazine that was also printed. This story is about the Signpost Forest in Watson Lake, Yukon. During the construction of the Alaskan Highway (the AlCan), a homesick soldier erected a wooden sign indicating his hometown. In the Fall of 2012 there were over 74,000 signs. This light pole that is plastered with Escapees stickers stands out in the forest.

I encourage travelers to add their own sign to the forest and Escapees members to write their membership number and date on a sticker and add it to the light pole.

The day I received the magazine, I also received a lovely check for my writing.  Dabbling in a variety of interests pays!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Time to Catch up

February has flown. Not much time to write with taxes to prepare for the CPA, speaking for a parenting class at the Pregnancy Resource Center East (PRCE), planting a spring garden and then moving flats inside and covering seedlings for a couple of late frosts.

Last week my cousin, Diane, her son, Toby, and her mom, my Aunt Elsie, spent the week with us. We visited all the thrift stores and resale shops, ate, gossiped, and ate some more.

Now back to writing.
 Last Saturday, I held a book signing in conjunction with the PRCE Crafts Fair in Baytown. A new writer friend, Frances Collins, joined me at the last minute. Frances is the author of "Seashell Prisoners"; the true story of how she had to kidnap her granddaughter to protect her from an abusive man. To learn more about her book see www.seashellprisoners.com/Seashell Prisoner Facebook/blog.

My daugher, Colleen Wait, the author of nine inspirational fiction books sent me copies. They sold well, as did Frances's books and mine. More than 50 venders offered their crafts and specialties.
 Happy the clown entertained us with her antics.
Elvis and one of his fans greeted us with songs. Brings back memories and makes me feel my age!

I will be signing my books and presenting Colleen's books again this year at Art in the Park in Orange, March 16.  Linda Leonard, a writer from Lake Charles will be joining me. We'll be back in booth 27.
Stop by for a free copy of "Adopting Darrell".