Animals – My Corner

The Ones and Twos of Going Number 1 and Number 2

Good morning. When you were a kid, you probably wondered why you had to learn math. Well, maybe this post from Common Place Fun Facts will enlighten you. It should definitely give you some food for thought while you’re picking up your pet’s droppings. Enjoy, and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Commonplace Fun Facts

Did you ever complain while doing your math homework and ask, “Why do I need to learn this?” Probably someone responded by telling you that no matter what you choose to do with your life, you’re going to have to use math in some way.

It turns out this is true, even if you plan to spend your life cleaning up after animals. Scientists have applied their finely-tuned brains to unlock the mysteries of what happens on the other end of an animal’s body. To put it a bit more bluntly, thanks to a bit of math, we now know just how long it takes for animals to poop and pee.

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Over the Bridge and Along the Creek #Monday Musical Memories

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, here’s a little ditty I wrote to the tune of “Over the River and Through the Woods.” Years ago, when I was single, I often walked from my apartment to my grandmother’s home for family get-togethers, Thanksgiving included. My route took me over a bridge and on a walking path next to a creek, hence the song.

As you’ll note, I wrote two verses: one from the perspective of a blind person using a cane and the other from that of a guide dog user. I’ve never used a guide dog but know people who do. So, I hope I’ve portrayed that realistically. Now, click on the link below to hear me sing this parody.

Over the Bridge and Along the Creek

How about you? Did your family travel anywhere for Thanksgiving when you were growing up? How did you get there? Was there the usual fare: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc? Whatever you do this year for Thanksgiving, have a great holiday!

New! The Red Dress

When Eve went to her high school senior prom, she wore a red dress that her mother had made for her. That night, after dancing with the boy of her dreams, she caught him in the act with her best friend. Months later, Eve, a freshman in college, is bullied into giving the dress to her roommate. After her mother finds out, their relationship is never the same again.

Twenty-five years later, Eve, a bestselling author, is happily married with three children. Although her mother suffers from dementia, she still remembers, and Eve still harbors the guilt for giving the dress away. When she receives a Facebook friend request from her old college roommate and an invitation to her twenty-five-year high school class reunion, then meets her former best friend by chance, she must confront the past in order to face the future.

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Anthology Portrays Life in the West #Thursday Book Feature

Leaning into the Wind: Women Write from the Heart of the Wes

by Linda M. Hasselstrom, Nancy Curtis, et al.

In this collection of essays and poems, 125 women from six states share their experiences living in the west. Most stories are about ranch life. Some relate childhood memories while others share reminiscences from adult years. Some pieces are by women in other professions such as a veterinarian and a teacher in a one-room school. All these works are about women who survive what life throws at them, whether it’s a cantankerous bull or an undesirable husband.

I met several of the authors featured in this anthology through Wyoming Writers. It was refreshing to read their work, some of it for the first time. Having been a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, I enjoyed reading these women’s stories of hardships on the prairie and being thankful I wasn’t there.

In one essay, a woman talks about how some people think ranch life is glamorous. If you’re under this misconception, read this book. It’ll open your eyes to a world of hard work, hard times, and some rewards. You’ll respect the rancher when you finish the book.

New! The Red Dress: A Novel

My Other Books

My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds

That’s Life: New and Selected Poems

How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver

We Shall Overcome: A Novel

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The Alligator #Poetry

The following was published in the summer 2019 issue of The Avocet. It was inspired by an incident that happened several years ago while I was visiting my brother and his family in Florida. My sister-in-law took the photo of the alligator. You can click on the poem’s title to hear me read it.

The Alligator

A warm afternoon under a cloudless Florida sky,
we float down the Loxahatchee River.
I sit on the canoe bottom,
cramped, while brother and sister-in-law paddle.
It suddenly appears.
Not a snake, but just as deadly,
it stands on the bank,
gazes at its reflection in the gleaming water.
I don’t see it—my family does.
After snapping a picture,
we sail far, far away
while icy fingers of fear massage my spine.

My Books

Coming Soon: The Red Dress: A Novel

My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds

Click to purchase My Ideal Partner from Smashwords absolutely free!

That’s Life: New and Selected Poems

How to Build a better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver

We Shall Overcome

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Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered #Thursday Book Feature

Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered

by Gary Paulsen

In the 1950’s, a boy, living in the city, is sent by his alcoholic parents to spend a summer with his uncle, aunt, and cousins on their farm. While there, he survives many misadventures such as being kicked by a cow and attacked by a rooster. He also learns about milking cows, feeding chickens, and other tasks associated with farming. He feels at home for the first time in who knows how long.

This book is written for grades 6-9, but it can be enjoyed by older readers. I wouldn’t have read it, though, except that it was selected by my regional talking book library’s book discussion group.

I’m glad I picked it up. In a way, it’s a modernized version of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series. I enjoyed escaping to the farm and laughing at all the humorous situations into which the young characters got themselves.