Art in the Park

Sat. March 28th was the annual Art in the Park in beautiful downtown Orange. The skys were clear. The temp in the very low 40s with high gusty winds and a chill facter that felt like zero. Mother helped man my book booth until the cold and wind forced her inside. The wind blew several tents over.



The young ladies below took shelter in empty Waste Management boxes.



A Barbershop Quartet braved the cold to doff their jackets and sing for us.

Due to the weather the shopping crowds were thin. The beautiful Stark Mansion and other historical building added to the fun.

With paintings, sculpture and jewelry, as well as a variety of other crafts, I heard that there was only one other author on the opposite side of the park. Is reading becoming an eccentricity?

Interrupted narative is common: ie TV movies rudely split by commercials. Has the silicon chip interfeared with our ability to consentrate on reading? iPods, BlackBerrys, and email slang has broken narrative into shorter and cruder sequences. Can our brain endure sustained reading?

I, and all writers, certainly hope so.

Crystal Beach, six Months after Ike

Last week I joined Texas Diaster Relief teams from several states to cook for youth volunteers who gave up their Spring Break to help clean up the debris along the Texas Gulf Coast.

These flags were attached to one of the pilings that was all that was remaining of someone's beach house.

First Baptist Church of Crystal Beach was the location of the feeding units. The church experienced severe damage and extensive flooding but was still standing. The church made the area news as it was refuge for a resident and his lion. The lion rode out the storm with human evacuees in the sactuary.The picture on the right is of me stirring a tilt-skillet to cook chili for 700 youth that came from Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma and distant areas of Texas to help out.

Notice the long line of hungry workers to the left of the servers. The line waiting to be served seemed to have no end. We often served for 1-2 hours at each meal to get every one fed.

Some of the student volunteers worked in the church hanging sheetrock and painting, while others cleaned the fire station, individual homes and businesses. Other teams cleaned up trash in the area as well as in Galveston.

Of course all work and no play makes for a tiring day.Even the sea gulls got fed!




Volunteering is a satisfying experience wherever you go and whatever you are led to do whether cook, paint or pick up trash.

dogtober parade

Sassie and I braved the unseasonably cold damp weather to attend the
Beaumont Dog-tober celebration.
Postponed due to Ike until March, the festivities was a time of meeting folks and trying to take pictures of cute dogs, inspite of Sassie pulling on the leash as she tryed visit with all the other dogs.

Here we are visisting with Sparky the fire station mascot.

This little lady has the right idea.

I'm not sure the doggie below is very happy in her

outfit,

but the poodle looks lovely.

All dressed up and ready to go. My camera batteries died before I could capture other fasinating pooches. What fun being a writer. Now if I can think of a story to incorporate the adorable dogs.

signs of spring

What a wonderful time of year to take long walks with a camera.

Today is a non-renewable resource.

Once it's gone, it's gone forever.
Give Thanks for today because it's given to you by God. Author Unknown

Author DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills, a prolific writer, is my mentor, teacher and friend. We met during an Inspirational Writers Alive Conference in Houston several years ago when I attended her presentation on turning fact into fiction.



DiAnn has masterfully researched facts in her latest novel, Breach of Trust , to be released in March. Romance takes a back seat to deception and danger in an action packed tale of suspense.






Heroine, Paige Rogers, hiding behind her cover as a small town librarian is a strong, couragous woman with a past. Discover this page turner.

You won't be disappointed.

writing tips I've learned from dogs

Always greet editors, agents and other writers with enthusiasm, even if you just saw them three minutes ago. They never grow tired of thinking they are the most important people in your life.

Continuously learn new tricks. It keeps you in the game.

Sleep as much as possible but always be ready to play when the chance arises.

Don't be afraid to get ddirty, it fact relish it.

Barking a lot is annoying, so don't do it often. Be a good listener so when you do bark you will get attention.Don't confuse your tail with a goal worth chasing.

Be prepared to roll over and accept changes.

body language for writers

I haven't had much luck with humans allowing me to study their body language, so after reading the book "Do Cats Think" I decided to analyze the three cats who dominate my home.

Frizbee, posing amoungst the books, seems to say, "Of course we think. Do you?"


Haughty Beowulf's posture says, "Why should I communicate with mere humans."


Grendel and Beowulf share a secret, "We exist to eat and sleep. Sometimes we allow humans to stroke our fur to vent their frustrations. and reduce stress."

"It 's obvious that we are intent on tracking that pesky squirrel.

Why won't someone let us out? We'll get him."





"Squirrel? What squirrel? All I see is birds."

" At the end of a tough day of posing for wanna-be writers and chasing off squirrels, it's time to relax. Resting is what cat's think about all day. Napping is what we do best."