Writing and Riding

Racing and Riding

2012-02-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

I recently finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain for our neighborhood book club. I'll report on our club discussion next week. However, while reading the book I couldn't help but note the similarities between driving race cars and riding hunter/jumpers.

The book is narrated by Enzo the dog who shares advice about driving at speed learned from his owner. The following statements caught my attention.

It requires balance, anticipation, patience. This is so true for riding. Balance in the saddle, anticipating the next turn and/or fence, and patiently waiting for the fence to come to you.
Your car goes where your eyes go. Exactly. Which is why we're constantly reminded not to look at the base of the fence, because that's where you'll end up.
Attention and intention is far ahead to the next turn and the one beyond that. The old cliche for jumping is to throw your heart over the fence and follow it. That is the intention. Attention should be on the next fence, the next line, etc., because your horse goes where your eyes go!
Racing is about discipline and intelligence. Riding horses over fences requires repetition to build trust and timing. The discipline to show up day after day, to ride the horse you have that day (they have moods just like we do), to put the horse first -- always. Intelligent riders enter the arena with a plan and have the knowledge and skills to adapt that plan as the course unfolds.
A driver's hands should be relaxed, sensitive, aware. A rider's hands should be relaxed, sensitive, aware. :-) A tense grip makes for a tense horse.
The driver must have faith. Hoo boy! The rider must have faith that the horse will take the fence, as the horse must have faith that the rider will never attempt an obstacle beyond their capabilities.
It's all about the ride. That sums it up perfectly.

Sunday Stills: Liquids

2012-02-05T00:05:00.001-08:00

More cooperative weather this week. This is the fountain at our adjacent neighborhood.

Kind of has a "Splish splash I was takin' a bath...." vibe. ;-) With apologies to Bobby Darin.

To see how others met the challenge, visit Sunday Stills.

Sunday Stills: Nature's Frames

2012-01-29T00:05:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature wasn't too cooperative for this photo challenge. The Pineapple Express kept us pretty wet this week, and I spent half of our lone dry day on appointments and errands. I grabbed the camera for Indy's afternoon walk but didn't find any photo-worthy material.

So once again I snapped my photo at the front porch.

This was the closest I could come to the assignment. One of Kiyara's old shoes placed in a planter for some interest.

For those who may be wondering -- those are stud holes at the heel of the shoe. Like cleats on athletic shoes, studs give the horse more traction for jumping on turf. The size of the studs varies per the conditions. Once competition is finished for the day the studs are unscrewed and the hole is plugged to keep the threads clean.

To see how others met this week's photo challenge, visit Sunday Stills.

Book Club: The Lace Reader

2012-01-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

After a two month break over the holidays our small group reunited to discuss Brunonia Barry's The Lace Reader. Although one of our members was absent we welcomed a new member to the group. We all agreed that two months was too long between meetings and even though a book a month is ambitious for some of our busy members, we decided to stick with it.

When selecting the book for our January meeting we read the five-star as well as the one-star reviews. Most readers praised The Lace Reader. Those who gave it a low rating primarily did so because of the ending. So in reading this book we were expecting a twist at the end. Even so, none of us guessed correctly.

The author's web site describes the story as follows:

Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.

In the opening pages of the novel, Towner tells the reader that she lies, and that she is crazy. Barry does an excellent job of hooking the reader with tantalizing hints about convoluted family relationships. The reader struggles to make sense of Towner's past (she changed her name from Sophya) and the parts played by her mother and aunts. In the end we learn just how unreliable Towner really is as a narrator.

Although we all liked The Lace Reader, our discussion revealed just how convoluted the story is. Perhaps a sign that Barry did an admirable job in developing her theme of Perception versus Reality. It would require a rereading of the novel to verify that Barry played fair with the reader. I think she did. During our discussion we were repeatedly correcting each other as to which character knew and did what, and which events were real or imagined.

The Lace Reader does have its shortcomings. There were dangling story lines that were not completed satisfactorily -- at least for us. The first half of the book is written in first person present text. From the middle to the end of the book the point of view alternates between first person and third person and at times becomes confusing as to which POV we are reading. We wondered if the POV confusion was intentional or a breakdown in writing.

Interestingly enough, we found the title and the fortunetelling associated with the title to have little relevance to the novel. Each chapter begins with a snippet from "The Lace Reader's Guide" compiled by one of the characters. I expected these passages to have relevance to the following chapter but didn't always find a connection. Clairvoyance does play a part in the novel, but the vision of the future most relevant to the story's climax did not emerge from a lace reading. We decided the novel should have been titled Swimming to the Moon.

Despite the issues we had with the novel, it did spark a lively discussion about individual perceptions, how we carry and project our personal perceptions of events, and how people cope with trauma (in healthy or unhealthy ways).

Since one of our members had already started reading The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, we selected it for our February meeting. We are all contributing book ideas for the coming year and will choose our 2012 books at our next meeting. It sounds like we'll have an intriguing mix of fiction and nonfiction to sort through.

Really?

2012-01-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article about a study on Middle Age. As defined by the study, "middle age" includes those 40 to 60 years old. Based on that criteria, it would seem that I am officially a Senior Citizen.

Now, how this happened, I don't know. Because I sure don't feel old. Oh, there are those physical signs like the arrival of a few arthritic joints and a metabolism running backwards. However, I've always been bad at remembering names.

But really -- when did my childhood toys become collectible?! And what's with the gray-haired woman in my mirror?

Oh well, I'll keep horsing around and learning new subjects as I conduct research for my books. And as long as I can keep up with Indy on our walks I guess I'm doing okay.

For a Senior Citizen. ;-)

Snow

2012-01-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

Indy at our favorite neighborhood high tech campus.

Here in the temperate Willamette Valley, snow is maybe a once-a-year event that causes temporary problems and then is gone for another 12 months. It's a special event. Indy particularly loves to eat the snow.

Snow nose.

I let Indy walk off leash Sunday morning before anyone else was about. Fortunately, he didn't see the wild bunny dash across the drive up ahead of us (I checked out the bunny prints in the snow).

The white stuff is a fun break from our dreary gray rainy days.

Sunday Stills: Corners

2012-01-15T00:05:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot about this week's challenge. Indy got me up this morning before there was decent light to take photos, but thanks to digital cameras with their enhancement programs I managed to salvage a couple of snaps.

I like the following photo because of the rust.

The next one I like because of the depth of the picture as well as the metaphor that we never know where we will end up when we turn a corner in our lives.

Visit Sunday Stills to see how others were "cornered" this week. ;-)

New Hairstyle?

2012-01-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

Pixelated, but you get the idea.

So I'm flipping through the December issue of Real Simple magazine and spy this model with an asymmetrical crop hairstyle. Now -- I don't look anywhere near as good as the model. And I don't color my hair so it's considerably more gray than this (see sidebar). But my short hair is in danger of looking too much like my high school gym teacher's. I may be an AARP member, but I ain't dead yet. So why not go for a little pizzaz?

With the help of the talented crew at Synergy Artistic Salon (thanks Michelle!) I took the first steps toward growing and shaping my hair in a style similar to that above.

And speaking of pizzaz, I've also been thinking about a single streak of neon color in my hair. No bleaching required prior to adding a splash of color to my grayest sections! Maybe I'll be brave enough once my hair has grown into the target style. We'll see.

Isn't it typical? Once you've grown out your hair you find a much shorter style that you want? And after you have it all whacked off, you find a longer style that you have to have. At least with long to short you don't have to go through the ugly-grow-out stage.

Nothing better to do during a wet, gray Oregon winter/spring than grow out a hairstyle. Switching styles keeps the moss and lichen from getting a firm hold. ;-)

Books Read 2011

2012-01-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

I seem to have accumulated a longer list than usual for 2011. So here goes.

Personal Reads

On, Off, Colleen McCullough; The Case of the Missing Servant, Tarquin Hall; Impact, Douglas Preston; You Only Die Twice, Edna Buchanan; Above Suspicion, Helen MacInnes; The Lost World, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Dinosaur Summer, Greg Bear; Three Men in A Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), Jerome K. Jerome; The Jury Master, Robert Dugoni; The Double Comfort Safari Club, Alexander McCall Smith; Bellfield Hall, Anna Dean; Still Life, Louise Penny; Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, John Grisham; Too Many Murders, Colleen McCullough; Short Stirrup Club: Blue Ribbon Friends, Allison Estes; Short Stirrup Club: Ghost of Thistle Ridge, Allison Estes; Canterwood Crest: Take the Reins, Jessica Burkhart; Canterwood Crest: Chasing the Blue, Jessica Burkhart; Blackout, Connie Willis; The Surgeon, Tess Gerritsen; All Clear, Connie Willis; The Apprentice, Tess Gerritsen; The Inner Circle, Brad Meltzer; The Dinosaur Hunter, Homer Hickam; Standing in the Rainbow, Fannie Flagg.

Book Club Reads

The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton; Winter Garden, Kristin Hannah; Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier; Someone Knows My Name, Lawrence Hill; To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis; The Lincoln Lawyer, Michael Connelly; Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese; In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson; The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood; Corduroy Mansions, Alexander McCall Smith; Can't Wait to Get to Heaven, Fannie Flagg; The Lace Reader, Brunonia Barry.

I'm getting off to a very slow start for 2012. I began George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones, but I've put aside all reading to write Galactic Empress (my young adult space adventure tale). I have the binder containing the "shitty first draft" handy at all times. I am either scribbling scenes or editing as I type the handwritten scenes on the computer. So my reading list for 2012 will likely be much shorter.

Sunday Stills: 2011 Favorite Photo

2012-01-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Happy new photography year. Nothing like reviewing snaps from the previous year before taking the camera out and about during the new year. Of course I couldn't limit my favorites to one photo.

Making a new friend.

I love the above photo for two reasons: 1) the very relaxed and soft expression of the very large warmblood jumper; and 2) the little girl's firm grip on Mom.

Playing at horses.

The above picture is just about every little girl at some point in her childhood. Most of us didn't have horses or ponies at the age we were yearning for one, so pretending to be a horse or riding a pony was the closest we could come.

As for 2012, I need to learn and become comfortable with all the features of my camera. Doing so will help me figure out how to take interior horse show photos, since the combination of sports action and low light are a problem for me.

Click on the link to see the favorites of other Sunday Stills photo buffs and their photo goals for 2012.

War Horse

2011-12-28T20:22:00.000-08:00

I saw War Horse today with Kim and Gen. If you are a horse owner or a lover of horses you must see the movie with other horse lovers. Otherwise no one will understand why you are blubbering throughout the movie.

A couple of comments up front:

Homo sapiens are the dumbest species on this planet.
Horses are far more noble than we can ever hope to be.

I got through the movie with only three tissues. However, they were shredded and I actually could have used twice that many. Horse owners will recognize the scenes revealing horse nature. Spielberg, whose wife and daughter ride, absorbed some knowledge of equines. The horse that won't be caught? Face plant over a jump? Been there, done that. Velvety muzzle searching for treats, horse head using you as a scratching post? Ditto.

Even though I suspected there would be a happy ending, it was the dickens getting there. If you've read Black Beauty you will recognize a couple of events in the movie.

And there was one heck of a battle scene that made me wonder what in the world is wrong with humans. World War I was the transition from the "chivalrous" form of warfare with cavalry charges to the mechanical type of warfare we implement today. Young men thought they were going off on a grand adventure to protect England. They came home maimed and broken from artillery shells and mustard gas. As for the horses and dogs used in the war effort, they had no idea what they were getting into. Over a million horses were used in World War I, but only 60,000+ survived, and many of them ended up feeding the starving people who lived through the conflict.

War Horse is a favorite for an Academy Award nomination. I hope they have a special Oscar for Finders Key, the California bred thoroughbred who portrayed Joey through much of the move.

So -- if you decide to see War Horse, bring plenty of tissues and be prepared to be emotionally exhausted at the end. Horse owners will undoubtedly bring extra treats for equine partners on the next visit to the barn.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

Oregon Humane Society Santa Paws 2011

Mary, Indy, and Santa wish you and yours

the best for the holidays and new year.

Happy First Day of Winter!

2011-12-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

Freezing fog maintains its grip in the Wilsonville/Aurora area. Temperatures remained below freezing and the fog never lifted. This made for a chilly but beautiful afternoon walk with Indy.

Built in winter coat.

Frosty toes.

Canyon Creek Road North

Sugar coated ivy? Nope, frozen fog.

Frosty pine.

Frozen web.

Books

2011-12-18T13:40:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a home where once a book crossed the threshold it didn't leave. Thus, later in life, I have always been surprised when entering a home devoid of bookcases. I can understand the absence of artwork on the walls. Art can be expensive. Not everyone had a painter in the home like we did (my father). But no books?

Only recently have I taken to purging my library. No reason to keep a book I've already read and didn't care for. I'm now putting a little more consideration into my book purchases. But I'm still growing the library.

So when I enter a home and can't spy a single book, I shake my head. Who are these people?

Then I saw the above book and felt vindicated. Apparently there are enough other people like me to form a sufficient audience to offset the cost of printing and distribution of a book about books. An audience that considers every flat surface as a viable landing site for a book or magazine.

Last week The Oregonian ran an oped from an antiquarian book collector/dealer who begged people not to ruin the value of books by writing inscriptions in the front or scribbling notes throughout. I've always made a habit of writing an inscription when I give a book as a gift. So I was a little taken aback by the recommendation.

This Sunday the paper included responses to the "don't scribble" opinion. Once again I was vindicated.

In the world of rare and collectible books, inscriptions and notes may be ruinous. But I find it intriguing to read these notations in a used book. It sets my imagination into motion. Who were the giver and recipient? Why was that particular book selected? What did the reader think of the book? It's especially fun in older books with a history (from gift to library to used book store).

So, as a book inscriber and book keeper, it was nice to learn I'm not alone in my bookish habits.

Sunday Stills: Pets

2011-12-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

An anniversary salute to the launch of Sunday Stills. Capture and post photos of the "fur people" with whom we share our lives.

Indy and the Yogurt Cup

Oh boy! Yogurt!

Yum.

There's more at the bottom.

Mmm, mmm good.

Gotta get a good grip.

Almost gone.

More?

To see more pets visit Sunday Stills.

Sparkly Air

2011-12-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

It was still dark when Indy insisted on going for his morning walk. I bundled up against yet another morning of freezing fog and set out for the nearby high tech campus. The parking lots of the campus are well lighted but otherwise the area was peacefully dusky and quiet for our walk.

At first I thought it was my eyes, but after a few blinks I realized what I was observing were ice crystals in the fog sparkling under the parking lot lights. Against the darker backdrop it looked like fine glitter floating past.

:-)

The "C" Thing (aka Canter)

2011-12-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

I finally got brave enough to canter Phantom yesterday. You'd think we'd have this ironed out by now, but I haven't consistently taken lessons (for a variety of reasons) during my partnership with Phantom.

My Big Goober Boy (Indy being my Little Goober Boy) attempts to crossfire during the trot to canter transition. This requires popping his rear end as he attempts to arrange his hind legs in a contra-indicated position. This move also pops me out of the saddle. Which means I have to be secure in the saddle before we attempt the initial canter depart of the session. Once we've struggled through the first canters in both directions subsequent canters proceed smoothly.

Now, I know the fix for the problem is to properly set up Phantom before asking for the canter (forward, soft on the bit, responsive to the leg). Leg yielding off the inside leg at a corner or on a circle is generally our best bet for success. But there are those days when we just can't get our act together, or Phantom offers the canter before we're really set up. Heck, I'm only human. I get impatient or go with the flow knowing it will be a struggle.

The lead up to yesterday's canter has been several months of a disrupted riding schedule. It began with Phantom's girth galls. While waiting for the raw areas to heal I rode briefly at a walk. A new string girth solved that issue. Then my mother broke her hip. Once she pulled through and was on the mend I hoped to resume my barn schedule -- only to discover Phantom was mysteriously lame. Trainer Julie loosened up a stiff shoulder but then Phantom had more time off while our schedule was overtaken by therapist visits and doctor appointments. Finally, life returned to a version of normalcy in November.

Phantom, of course, has been enjoying daily turnouts and galloping around with the boys. I'm the one who had to get back in shape. Which involved feeling secure enough to stick in the saddle while Phantom rearranged his hind end for a canter.

So -- yesterday's canter was an accomplishment. I'll take 'em where and when I can get 'em.

NW Authors Series: Christina Katz

2011-12-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

This month's session was especially fun since it was part of Christina's launch of her newest book. Christina Katz is the person behind the Northwest Author Series of workshops at the Wilsonville Library. She is a writing coach as well as an author who helps writers negotiate changes in the publishing industry. Her previous books include Writer Mama and Get Known Before the Book Deal.

Christina and others familiar with the publishing business advise aspiring authors that we will be responsible for marketing our own books. Unless you are consistently on the best seller list, publishers allot few resources to advertising and marketing books. With the advent of digital self-publishing, you are obviously on your own to promote your work.

Christina's previous books helped multi-tasking mothers find time to write and explained the importance of developing a "platform" for nonfiction as well as fiction writers. In her session introducing The Writer's Workout she discussed the job of developing and maintaining a writing career. Foremost is the writing. That is always your priority. But other skills the writer needs include: selling, focusing, learning, and self-promotion.

To sell yourself you must know yourself. What sets you apart from everyone else hoping readers will purchase their books? Assess your strengths and what you are doing to get your name and your work out there. Where have you published? Do you have a blog? Are you using social networks effectively? Christina shared worksheets from her books that guide self assessment. The completed worksheets collect personal information that can be converted into a "one pager" promotional document.

With easy access to digital publishing, Christina believes authors will and should be selling their words in a variety of formats. For example, a collection of poems or articles, small pamphlets or booklets, short stories or novellas, etc. Perhaps you have knowledge or experience that would interest a specific segment of the population. Not enough to interest a traditional publishers, but enough for modest electronic sales to a niche group. She suggests writers go through their work to see what may be appropriate for the new digital world.

Most importantly, Christina emphasized growth and progress. Keep learning. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small.

The Writer's Workout contains 366 tips for a writing life (2012 is a leap year!). Each is introduced with an appropriate quotation. It is divided into "seasons" that may be interpreted as seasons of the calendar or seasons of your writing career. The reader can dive in on any page as needed.

I'm looking forward to discovering the encouraging words and tips that will keep me going

Sunday Stills: Backlit and Portrait

2011-12-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

Catching up with Sunday Stills challenges. Since I put up our tree yesterday (yeah, yeah, fake tree in the Christmas tree capital of the world) I decided to take advantage of the lights and capture a shot of a new ornament for this year.

I couldn't manage "Bokeh" (November 27) as I don't know nothin' 'bout no f stops. Obviously I need to take a digital photography class.

However, I did give portrait (November 20) a try with my handiest subject:

To see how others met this week's photo assignment, visit Sunday Stills.

"Twilght" Redux

2011-11-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

As an aspiring author of young adult sf/f novels, it behooves me to read what's popular in the genre. For that reason I just acquired the Hunger Games trilogy through the Science Fiction Book Club. I also attempted to read Twilight earlier this year. Not only is it a best seller among YA readers, it's set in the Pacific Northwest.

I couldn't finish Twilight. I could not generate any interest in Bella, supposedly the main character. And I found her relationship with Edward to be unhealthy even beyond the thirsty vampire aspect. She was passive, he was controlling -- the classic set up for an emotionally abusive relationship (not to mention the potential physical abuse of turning her into a vampire).

Needless to say, I haven't bothered to see any of the Twilight movies at the local multi-screen. However, when the first movie in the series aired on television I decided to give it a try.

:-P

It was as bad as the book in my opinion. The dialogue was lame. Bella was still passive. Things happened to her. She didn't instigate the action. The exact opposite of everything I'm learning in fiction writing workshops!

So count me out of the Twilight Camp.

The Harry Potter series may not have been great literature, but at least Jo Rowling made me care about the characters and Harry was the driving force in the novels. The characters formed healthy friendships, maintained their integrity, and didn't give up worthy goals against malignant forces.

Bella -- not so much, at least as far as I could stand to read and watch Twilight.

Elevator Pitch

2011-11-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

You're in the elevator with Steven Spielberg or Donald Maas and you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pitch your script or novel. You have mere seconds to describe your project. How do you succinctly express your concept?

_____ meets _____

So ---

My young adult science fiction adventure, Galactic Empress, is:

Indiana Jones

meets

Princess Leia

Momentum

2011-11-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

I didn't sign up for NaNoWriMo because on November 1st I was still developing the novel that had drawn me off onto a tangent. But a week into the month I had a nine-page summary of the story complete with sub plots and an opening scene.

So I started writing.

As of this morning I'm at 8,328 words -- so I obviously won't reach the NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words by November 30th.

However....

I have applied the NaNoWriMo philosophy of write at any and every opportunity without stopping. And this made the light bulb pop on.

The advantage of participating in NaNoWriMo is MOMENTUM. Keeping the story foremost in your mind and focusing on getting it down in thirty days or less. Not getting sidetracked (at least, not for too long). Letting things that can wait, well, wait.

Thus, even though I won't finish Galactic Empress (working title only) by November 30th, maybe I can complete it by December 31st.

I just need to maintain the momentum!

Book Club: "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven"

2011-11-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

Fannie Flagg's Can't Wait to Get to Heaven was the most recent selection of our little book club. Flagg is best know for Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe which was made into a popular movie. This book continues the story of several characters introduced in Standing in the Rainbow.

The story centers on Elner Shimfissle and the residents of Elmwood Springs, Missouri. Elner is an active octogenarian fretted over by her niece, Norma. Elner falls from the fig tree in her back yard when attacked by a swarm of wasps and she is pronounced dead at the hospital. News of her death spreads quickly as family and friends recall how she touched their lives. When Elner unexpectedly wakes up at the hospital, a frightened nurse runs away never to return to the profession and the residents of Elmwood Springs are left wondering what to do with all the "funeral food" they had prepared.

As Judy stated it so well, this is not a "message book" but it is a message book. Flagg makes us aware of how we touch so many others during our lives and how simple kindness builds a network of mutual care.

Elner, the widow of a farmer, left the farm to live in town at the insistence of Norma. She is a robust, independent woman with a mind that doesn't stop working. Elner is awed by the wonders of the universe and full of questions. She admires Thomas Edison and celebrates his birthday by turning on every electrical appliance in her home.

Elner has a near death experience in which she travels down hospital corridors, goes on an amusement park elevator ride, and ends up in Heaven where she is met by the Supreme Being in the shape of her former neighbor, Doc Smith with his wife Dorothy. Elner's Heaven is Elmwood Springs of the decade following World War II populated by friends who passed before her arrival. When she returns to the present and tells Norma about her NDE, Norma insists that she tell no one about it. The doctors will surely institutionalize Elner if they hear her tale.

All of the long-time residents of Elmwood Springs have been touched by Elner. Her selfless gestures ranged from minor thoughtfulness to guiding young Luther Griggs, who was headed for delinquency and worse, toward productive adulthood. These tales uplifted all of us and made us realize how even the smallest kindness may have significance to the recipient.

Flagg is a comedienne, and her books have laugh-out-loud moments as well as thought-provoking stories. The hospital administrator and legal counsel are convinced Elner and her family will sue the hospital. The attorney interviews Elner about her erroneous diagnosis, and she tries to keep her promise to Norma about not revealing her NDE while also answering truthfully. She leaves out Heaven, but mentions floating above the hospital and spying a brown golf shoe on the roof. The shoe becomes the obsession of the attorney in a subplot that ends well -- as do most of the other subplots.

We all enjoyed the fact that Flagg left the tale of the golf shoe and a heavenly piece of cake open to interpretation by the reader. The discovery of a loaded gun at the bottom of Elner's dirty clothes hamper has a shocking story behind it that is resolved satisfactorily but allows the reader to consider the moral dilemma of the characters.

In Flagg's novels, the characters are everything. She portrays them with foibles the reader can relate to and gives them obstacles we can identify with. In a small town, everyone knows everything about everyone else. I grew up in Portland -- so it was Judy, Christine, and Rhonda who discussed their youths in small towns. Childhood in their small towns was free ranging, with entire days spent outside the home. However, by their teenage years they found their home towns stifling. For them, Flagg's portrayal of Elmwood Springs rang true.

During her brief visit in Heaven, Elner gets to meet Thomas Edison. We discussed historical figures we would like to meet: Eisenhower, Jane Austen, Churchill, and Darwin. We added Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mother Theresa. People who touched many lives and who drew on inner strengths during challenging times.

I had both Standing in the Rainbow and Can't Wait to Get to Heaven on my bookshelf, so I read the set. I highly recommend both books. I read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe years ago and, per usual, the book is more dense than the movie (although in this case the screenplay written by Flagg made for an excellent film). I also highly recommend Flagg's Welcome to the World Baby Girl. Her books are easy to read, they are funny, yet they make the reader ponder serious issues.

Our next book is The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. We will discuss it in January after the holidays.

Thirty Day Novel?!

2011-11-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

If it's November it must be National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Chris Baty is credited with creating or at least promoting the effort to draft a 50,000-word novel in thirty days. Lots of folks daydream about writing a novel and seeing their book on the shelf at a bookstore or in the library. But daydreaming is a far cry from actually writing. And it is off putting when we hear stories about people spending years writing and editing a novel -- so most wanna be authors move on with their real lives and never write that book.

Baty determined that, "The biggest thing separating people from their artistic ambitions is not a lack of talent. It's the lack of a deadline." Hey, if a deadline works for cleaning the house before guests arrive, why can't it work for a novel?!

Andi Erickson recently presented a workshop on "How to Write a Novel in 30 Days" for the Wilsonville Library's Dewey Speaks series. A previous winner of NaNoWriMo, Ms. Erickson summarized the effort in three simple steps:

Have something to write with,
Have a plan,
Write.

Okay. See ya!

Of course, there's more to it than that. As we learn in all novel-writing workshops, good fiction is about conflict. The main character has a want and there is an obstacle to that want. Publishable novels require a plot, defined as conflict + action + resolution. Plot is developed around a basic structure, the classic being the three act format:

Act I = set up the conflict (beginning),
Act II = conflict and escalation of conflict (middle),
Act III = resolve the conflict (end).

There are a variety of approaches to developing a publishable novel and Ms. Erickson emphasized that no one method works for all writers. Find what works for you and run with it. But she summarized plot development questions that pretty much work no matter how one goes about creating a long work of fiction.

Who wants what?
What gets in his/her way?
What does she/he do about it?
What is the result?

These questions not only work in developing the entire story arc, but also apply to each scene.

Wants _____ but _____ so _____ and then _____ ... but then _____.

The character has a desire, but there is an obstacle to obtaining that desire, so the character acts, and then there is a result of that action. We are carried into the next scene with "but then...."

At the resolution of the novel the goal is obtained, or the attempt fails, or the goal is reached but it turns out not to be what the character really wanted, or the character fails but it turns out to be okay.

Ms. Erickson drew from her own experience plus Baty's book to provide various aids to help writers through the four week effort. But what I scribbled on a sticky note that I have applied to the front of my Mac was the scene/story arc summary. Even though I've heard it before (or variations), it takes several times before it sinks in. I can only absorb so much at each workshop I attend or from each book I read about creating fiction.

Most comforting is the reminder that a first draft (no matter how long it takes to complete) is not expected to be good. Per Baty, Ernest Hemingway said "The first draft of anything is shit." I've even heard and read of writers who label it "shitty first draft" to give them the freedom to write without interference from the inner editor.

So, if it's November (or any time you choose), write often, write fast, just write.

Sunday Stills: In the Dark

2011-11-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

I've never tried taking photos at night but in thinking about the challenge I wondered if I could capture some Fall color and some dramatic lighting using the street lights. With that in mind I grabbed the camera for Indy's final walk of the evening and came up with these:

Hmmm. No wonder the new NBC program Grimm is filmed in Portland!

To see how others met the dark challenge, visit Sunday Stills.

Okay, Okay -- It's Fall

2011-11-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to take Indy on his morning walk reminded me of suiting up an astronaut. Me: jeans and turtleneck, fleece jacket, waterproof Ariat barn boots, waterproof zip-on pants and hooded jacket, Kerrits baseball cap, gloves. Indy: waterproof "turnout sheet."

We've had some wet days already this Fall, but temperatures were in the high 50s or low- to mid-60s. Recent frosty mornings gave way to sunny afternoons. This week we finally got the first of the wet cold fronts that will be with us until June. Snow levels have dropped and the furnace started early this morning. Not conducive to jumping out of bed except for an insistent Sheltie.

As if suiting up for Indy's walk wasn't bad enough, peeling off the wet clothes when we return is, well, ishy. Everything is drippy and uncooperative. Indy at least waits patiently for removal of his doggy coat because it means I will dry off his paws and give him a tummy rub with the towel.

The calendar says it's Autumn, but it's hard to give up on the pleasant transitional days that are comfortably warm with cool nights. However, this morning I had to admit that it really is Fall. Clammy wet leaves cover the ground, the walnut trees are bombing unsuspecting pedestrians, and the sky is a monotonous shade of gray.

Okay. I give.

Off on a Tangent -- Again

2011-11-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

Artwork of Francesco Paduano

Non-writers often ask where the ideas for novels come from. For me, the story ideas are everywhere. From news stories, novels and movies, to daily observations. Take the evening news, pick one story and ask "what if...?" Add a twist to the reported facts. Dig deeper into the story. Add or subtract a character to the factual story.

My most recent tangent away from Curse of the Blood Stone occurred while watching a typical adventure movie. The hero and his sidekick rescue a beautiful damsel and foil the antagonist's plans. Granted, the beautiful damsel in this case was brainy and resourceful. But the little lightbulb went on and I asked, what if...?

What if the "rescued" damsel turns the tables on the pair of adventurers and uses them to achieve her goal? And what if the damsel falls for the sidekick instead of the dashing hero?

I already had the seeds for a heroine planted with the working title Galactic Empress. I tried folding in the adventure tale twist and actually came up with a story that has a doable main plot with feasible subplots. The main characters are young adults in the 15-17 age range. The setting is a space opera. The plot is a bit of Indiana Jones meets Princess Leia. Hmmm.

Just in time for NaNoWriMo. Although -- I don't think I'll commit myself to 50,000 words this November. But I do hope to attend the local library's session on writing a novel in 30 days. Any hints on speeding up the writing process will be appreciated! I'm still applying the Six Core Competencies and Snowflake methods to developing my latest novel. I've been scribbling ideas in a grid-lined composition book and I have a binder full of research. I've even settled on pictures of the main characters (some well-known actors in their younger years)!

So we'll see where this tangent takes me.

I am such a Gemini! *sigh*

Halloween Chuckle

2011-10-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Every Fall I get a chuckle out of the Halloween decorations I observe while walking Indy. They remind me of a former coworker who was upset when fellow employees decorated their cubicles and the office with the typical witches, ghosts, and hobgoblins. She claimed to be a good Christian woman who was upset by the "devil worship" symbols that surrounded her.

Yet the pagan-based symbols associated with Christmas didn't bother her. Likely because she didn't know that the tree, holly, winter date, etc., were absorbed into the holiday along with the pagans that were converted to Christianity. :-/

Addressing my mother's recent health issues has drained me and I was tempted to leave the porch light dark and front door locked on Halloween. But we're both doing better now so I've got to prepare for the onslaught. Which means a trip to the dollar store for party favors and toys.

For the past few years I've filled a large stainless steel bowl with toys and let the children pick one. The reactions from the children and their parents provide my real Halloween chuckles. The trick-or-treaters are often surprised and stymied by making a decision instead of having candy dumped in their bag. The smallest ones often don't have the concept of taking only one toy. Many parents are grateful for something other than candy. The youngest children are delighted by the toys, while some of the older trick-or-treaters are disgusted (one even threw his bottle of bubbles at our front door - hard). However, last year even the older goblins seemed to enjoy something different.

So -- whether you celebrate Samhain or All Hallows Eve -- have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

Fall Colors

2011-10-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Book Club: "Corduroy Mansions"

2011-10-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

We only had three members in attendance this time (one was on a trip to Paris!) but we managed to discuss a book that didn't lend itself to much analysis.

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the popular Ladies #1 Detective Agency series set in Botswana, plus several more series set in the UK. Corduroy Mansions is the first book in his latest series originally published in serial form for "The Telegraph." The author says he is more interested in the quirky characters than he is a plot-driven story. Anyone expecting a traditional story arc will be disappointed, but when read as a series of vignettes about the characters the book makes for a pleasant read.

Corduroy Mansions is the nickname for the boarding house where William French lives on the top floor above "the girls" (Dee, Jo, Caroline, Jenny) who share a flat on the first floor, and Mr. Wickramsinghe on the ground floor. William is a modestly successful wine dealer who is less than successful in persuading his deadbeat son Eddie to get a job and move out.

We agreed that Marcia the caterer instigated the "action" of the story by insinuating herself into William's life. She suggests William acquire a dog, since Eddie is afraid of dogs and they assume he will depart rather than share quarters with one. Thus, Freddie de la Hay, the Pimlico terrier, is introduced. (I googled the UKC and AKC and found no official listing for a Pimlico terrier, which I presume is a breed created by the author. The photos of Freddie greatly resemble a Jack Russell terrier, a lively breed deserving of first and last names.) When Eddie inexplicably accepts a canine in the flat, Marcia suggests that she move in with William by taking over Eddie's room.

William, being the kind but passive gentle man that he is, does not object. He rather feels that his life has been taken over, yet he allows Marcia to have her way. Eddie angrily picks up his belongings and moves in with his disreputable friends. Despite the shakeups to his settled life, William is pleasantly surprised that he is pleased with the changes.

As is often the case in our modern society, we recognize our neighbors as we go about our individual busy schedules, but never get to know them well. Freddie proves to be an icebreaker for William who becomes better acquainted with his housemates -- in particular the young working women who live downstairs.

Through Carolyn (the art student) and Jenny (the assistant to MP Oedipus Snark) the reader meets a wider circle of characters whose lives we observe. Snark is an egotistical, self-absorbed politician who neglects his editor girlfriend (Barbara Ragg) and takes for granted his assistant Jenny. Snark's mother, Berthea, is writing an expose biography of the son she dislikes. She takes a break from writing to visit her ethereal brother, Terence Moongrove. If you haven't already guessed, the author is having a little Dickensian fun with the names of his characters.

Because characterization takes precedence over plot, we discussed the loose ends left dangling at the end of the book, plus the unexpectedly neat wrap up of other story lines.
Marcia and William seemed to come to an amicable understanding that they would be no more than roommates, but will Carolyn win the heart of the confused James who magically acquired a girlfriend in the last chapter? Is Barbara Ragg's new lover, Hugh, too good to be true? What is Berthea's intention for the biography of her loathsome son? Why was Oedipus so interested in the new book Barbara had acquired for her publisher?

The second book in the series (The Dog Who Came In from the Cold) is available in the US and the third installment of serialized chapters (A Conspiracy of Friends) was recently concluded on "The Telegraph" web site. I have the impression that a more recognizable story arc occurs over the span of the other books in the series and the questions we were left with will be answered in them.

Throughout the book the characters express their views of our modern world and reveal the philosophies that help them contend with the complexities of life. I believe the theme of the book and series is expressed in William's poem that ends the book: "Happiness flows most readily from friendship."

Although we had tentatively selected Rules of Civility by Amor Towles for our next read, the three of us discussed the advisability of choosing newly published books. Since bargain-priced paperback versions are not yet out, and the library often has long waiting lists for popular new reads, we browsed for books that would be easier for our members to acquire. I suggested Fannie Flagg and we came up with Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. We'll see what the rest of the group thinks about changing our selection.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2011-10-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

Naughty runaway Phantom earlier this year.

Apparently the old adage is true. I guess that's why it's an old adage. Duh.

For the first time since I've belonged to Phantom he has, on more than one occasion this summer, run away from me when I walked out into the pasture to bring him in. A couple of times he was still amped up after the geldings had raced around like maniacs. The other times, I'm not exactly sure what set him off. Granted, at our former barn he didn't have as much room for evasive tactics. And last summer at our new barn there was never a problem. But this year he has suddenly taken full advantage of the six acre pasture to play keep-away. Obviously I can't let him get away with it. And so far, after 20-30 minutes of trudging back and forth and fussing with his pasture mates (giving treats to his pal Zorro seemed to trigger cooperation), Phantom would let me catch him as if nothing was wrong.

Regrettably, my time at the barn has been limited of late. My mother's health issues have drastically altered my barn schedule. It's been three weeks since I've been in the saddle and during that time I've only made a few quick trips for a zoom groom to give Phantom a brief check up.

Interestingly enough, Phantom has replaced keep-away with soft nickers and waiting politely for me or even walking toward me. Guess that's the secret to catching him. Once-a-week visits. He is pretty cute, though. Big brown eyes, windblown forelock, welcoming nicker. How sweet! I hope his agreeable attitude lasts.

Barefoot but Not Pregnant

While I was absent last week Phantom once again pulled off his left front shoe (his wonky white foot). This was the third or fourth time he's done this since arriving at CF. *sigh* I just can't deal with it in light of everything else that's going on. So I told the farrier to pull the remaining shoe. I'll leave Phantom barefoot for the winter and consider replacing the front shoes next spring/summer. Shoer Brian says Phantom's feet are in good shape, so my Goober Boy should do okay over our typically wet winters.

I'm hoping I can get out to the barn more often once my mother's post surgery at-home care visits wind down. It's a little hard to get to the barn when two therapists and a nurse keep stopping by between scheduled and unscheduled doctor visits.

So Simple

2011-10-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

Confucius (551-479 BC)

"What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

"Men's natures are alike, it is their habits that carry them far apart."

"Study the past if you would define the future."

"Learning without thought is labor lost;
thought without learning is perilous."

You know you have a problem when...

2011-10-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

...you open your tack locker and it smells like hamburger that's waaay past its prime.

Such was the case on Saturday when I stopped by the barn just long enough to unpack Phantom's old turnout sheet and leave some treats in his feed bucket. I definitely needed to conduct a search and destroy mission, but didn't have the time.

Today I made another quick trip to the barn, this time to check on Phantom and give him a zoom groom. My tack locker still smelled like old hamburger so I started removing the neatly stacked plastic storage boxes and sure enough...

...dead mouse.

Eeeuuw!

It took some maneuvering with implements other than hands, but I removed the carcass and added it to the nearest muck bucket.

Decades ago my father built the tack locker to my specifications with the intent of keeping out mice. Over the years it has done the job admirably. Apparently too well. This mouse must have entered while I was occupied with Phantom and was still perusing the contents when I finished for the day and locked up to return home.

I certainly hope the "old hamburger" smell dissipates quickly now that the source has been eliminated. But we're entering the Mildew Months of the Willamette Valley, so I'm not too optimistic.

Guess I need to install a mouse alert to let them know it's time to exit!

It's Officially Fall

2011-10-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

Not because the calendar says so.

Not because the leaves are changing color.

Not because the geese are flying south.

It is officially Fall because I turned off the sprinkler system...

...and I hung Phantom's turnout sheet on his stall.

Sunday Stills: First Signs of Fall

2011-09-25T00:05:00.000-07:00

With temperatures in the 80s in the Willamette Valley it's a little difficult to believe it's Fall, even if the calendar dictates it. However, I managed to capture the following during Indy's morning walk.

First foggy morning.

Spots of red.

Splash of color.

To see more early signs of Autumn, visit Sunday Stills.

Book Club: "The Blind Assassin"

2011-09-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

This month's selection was Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin. Not quite the simple 1930s murder mystery that the cover indicated for one of our members. This is a story within a story within a story. Two of our members had not completed the book and as we described the events of the story it sounded much like soap opera intrigue, yet the structure of the story and quality of writing was anything but simple afternoon escape.

Iris Chase Griffen recalls her life and that of her immediate family in a memoir for her estranged granddaughter, Sabrina. The story alternates between Iris' observations of her daily life in old age, the chronological tale of the Chase family, and excerpts from her sister Laura's novel (The Blind Assassin) published posthumously. The Blind Assassin is the scandalous story about illicit lovers and the science fiction tale they contrive during their stolen moments together.

We all loved the book and praised Atwood for the interesting structure of the novel, her descriptive language, and the suspense sustained throughout. We enjoyed Iris' insights on decades past in addition to the challenges of old age.

WARNING, the following contains spoilers for anyone who hasn't yet read the book.

One of the first questions raised was the purpose of the science fiction story imagined by the lovers in the fictional novel. One readers' guide suggested it paralleled the story of the Chase family. We agreed that we could see the Chase sisters as the sacrificial virgins, Alex (the fugitive unionizer) as the assassin who rescues the virgin, and Richard Griffen as the powerful wazir granted his way with the virgin before her sacrifice. The virgin's tongue has been cut out. She has no voice -- much like the Chase sisters have no voice in their lives. The assassin was once a child weaver of fine tapestry gone blind due to the intricacy of his work. Alex (a representative for workers' rights) was blind to the discord he created between the sisters who both loved him.

The Blind Assassin was considered quite racy at the time of its publication following Laura Chase's death in 1945. Laura drove her sister's car through traffic barriers and off a bridge under construction. Suicide? Or a tragic accident on an icy Toronto road? The mysterious Laura (described as "different" by many) became a cult figure and her followers speculated about the real identity of the lovers that inspired her novel. They hounded Iris as the only living link to Laura. Only at the end of Atwood's book do we learn that Iris wrote the novel attributed to Laura.

Why did Iris write the fictional story of her affair with Alex? Revenge against Richard Griffen, said one of our members. The man who "bought" young Iris as his youthful bride (in exchange for investment in the struggling Chase Button Factory) and molester of young Laura. Although the lovers in The Blind Assassin were fictional, it would be clear to Richard who they represented and that Alex fathered Iris' child. We also interpreted publication of the novel as Iris' emancipation from her dysfunctional marriage.

Why did Iris publish her novel under Laura's name? Perhaps to preserve Laura's memory for more than her suicide. Or as contrition for the affair with Alex, whom Laura also loved and protected by allowing Richard to molest her.

How did the fictional novel end? We'll never know. The affair between Iris and Alex ended when he left for World War II and died in battle. How Iris concluded the novel within a novel is up to the interpretation of the reader.

Atwood's novel also raises the issue of women's role in society (addressed in The Handmaid's Tale as well). Iris and Laura are a disappointment to their father who wanted sons to join in the family business. Following the death of their mother he abandons them to the household help and a series of ineffectual tutors. Not until Iris reaches puberty does their father take notice of his children, and then it is only to prepare Iris for society and a suitable marriage. Richard and his widowed sister Winifred treat Iris like the child she is (a sheltered 18 to Richard's 35) and manipulate her to appear like the proper wife for a successful man with political aspirations. Neither Iris nor Laura is prepared to make their own way in a world that offered women few suitable opportunities. As Iris describes her life she is little more than an object passed from one person to another (father to husband, housekeeper to housekeeper, attorney to attorney). Laura is "in the way" when their father dies and she comes to live with Richard and Iris. Later she becomes a liability when pregnant with Richard's child. Following the publication of The Blind Assassin, Iris has value only as the "gatekeeper" to Laura for cult followers of the novel. Iris and Laura have little to no power over their lives. Winifred exercises power through Richard, having none herself.

We barely touched on the book's Fantasy theme during our discussion. Like Rapunzel, Iris and Laura live like pampered yet captive princesses in a tower. Laura waits for "the happy ending" following the death of their mother -- as if real life was a fairy tale. Alex arrives like a knight in shining armor into the dull lives of the naive sisters. The fictional Alex relates a fantastical story in The Blind Assassin to entertain the fictional Iris. Iris' daughter Aimee devises a fantasy story about her parentage (Laura and the man from the novel) and thus denounces Iris. Winifred wins custody of Aimee's daughter Sabrina and tells her tales about Iris. Cult followers of the novel and its author fantasize about Laura and the real identities of her fictional characters. Fantasy within fantasy within fantasy.

In summary, our group admired Atwood's ability to maintain reader interest in a complex story we loved her descriptive writing.

Our next selection is Alexander McCall Smith's Corduroy Mansions. Tentatively to be followed by Amor Towles' Rules of Civility.

Life Happens

2011-09-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

I'm still plugging away at The Curse of the Blood Stone, but I was sidetracked big time when my mother broke her hip and ended up in the hospital. Needless to say, the whole episode changed my priorities and diverted my energy. I'm beginning to get back on track with the novel and approaching Plot Point I, the scene that will kick off the real action of the novel.

Which brings me to the oft-debated Outline. As I've mentioned before, I'm using Larry Brooks' "Six Core Competencies" and Randy Ingermanson's "Snowflake Method" to guide my development of the characters and story arc. This resulted in 8 pages of sketched scenes. Basically, an outline.

Some writers claim an outline is too restrictive. They want to discover the story organically. For them, an outline restricts creativity. Other writers construct long, detailed outlines nearly as long as the finished novel. And there are many writers that approach novel writing somewhere between these two extremes.

All I can say is -- without my scene list, I wouldn't have the foggiest idea where I left off the story when "life happened." Whether it's a serious event, like my mother's surgery and recovery, or minor interruptions to the writing schedule -- I don't know how others do it without some sort of outline.

So, place me in the outlining camp. Rather than restrictive, I find my scene sketch freeing. I have added and deleted scenes as the novel progressed. I have deviated from the original concept for the scene. Yet, like a bookmark, the outline has helped me find the place where I left off writing. It has launched me into the next scene immediately on returning to the novel in progress. Works for me!

Northwest Author Series: Jeff Baker

2011-09-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Jeff Baker, The Oregonian

Qualities of Critically Acclaimed Books:

How to Write for Raves

The Northwest Author Series kicked off its fifth season yesterday at the Wilsonville Public Library. The presentations are sponsored by the library and Friends of the Wilsonville Library, with coffee provided by Starbucks and cookies from the fabulous Lamb's Thriftway bakery.

Jeff Baker, book editor for The Oregonian, opened the season with a discussion of how he selects books for review, the use of freelance and wire book reviews, and the qualities that attract him to a book.

Baker, who once had a full-time assistant and a half-time helper, is now a one-man department. He receives about 500 books a week that he winnows down to 4-5 book reviews for print. In supplement his own reviews, he assigns and receives reviews from freelance writers in addition to using wire services.

How does he sort through so many printed books and pre-distribution galleys (advanced reader copies)? Baker prioritizes as follows:

Eliminates categories not reviewed by The Oregonian (including romance novels, self help books, travel books, etc.).
Emphasizes local connections. That is, local authors, publishers, or settings. This includes Oregon and Washington, as well as (to a lesser extent) Idaho and Montana.
Focuses on author appearances in the greater Portland area. He may extend coverage of readings outside the metro area but seldom mentions appearances beyond Salem.
Considers everything else -- which may include books getting a lot of buzz in the publishing business, books recommended by authors/publishers, etc.

According to Baker, you can read a book by its cover. At least when it comes to sorting through 500 a week. As writers hear over and over from agents and editors, Baker indicated he can tell within the first paragraph/page whether a book is well written. Books of limited quality don't improve with further reading. Baker does keep books/galleys from his "maybe" stack for 3-4 weeks in case he changes his mind about reviewing them for the newspaper.

What attracts Baker to a book for review?

He loved the author's previous work.
The publisher's pitch interests him.
The book is receiving a lot of industry buzz due to its quality and/or concept.
Word of mouth recommendations from friends and authors
It's short. (Tongue not so firmly in cheek. Shorter books make his job easier.)
#1 = the quality of writing.

Electronic publishing has tremendously changed the publishing industry, as readers and writers are well aware. Amazon states 40-50% of its book sales are ebooks. Any more, traditionally published books are simultaneously made available as ebooks. E-publishing has made it easier for writers to place their work before an audience. However, self-publishing and e-publishing lack the quality control of traditionally published books.

Avid readers who want to freelance as book reviewers for The Oregonian can expect to be paid $150 for first rights. Reviews are limited to 500 words in which the reviewer must explain what the book is about, whether or not the reviewer liked the book, and why. Reviews are printed within 3-4 weeks of book publication. Baker plans and lays out his reviews several weeks in advance; however, freelancers are welcome to contact him for assignments/proposals. Regrettably, in addition to staff reductions Baker's budget has also been cut. As his freelance funds dwindle toward the end of the year, he relies more on the wire services for book reviews.

What northwest authors currently have Baker's attention?

Brian Doyle, Mink River
David Guterson, The Other (author of Snow Falling on Cedars)
Tim Egan, The Big Burn
Denis Johnson, Train Dreams
Craig Thompson, Habibi (graphic novel)

Finally, the question aspiring authors always ask: what does it take to get a book published and then reviewed?

Persistence. Don't just talk about writing a book, complete it and pitch it.
Talent. Someone will publish a well-written book.

The next installment of the Northwest Author Series is scheduled for October 23 at 3:30 p.m. in the Oak Room at the Wilsonville Public Library. Emily Chenoweth will discuss "Memoir or Fiction? Make the Most of Your Choice." Cost is $5.00. Coffee and cookies are free. Copies of the speaker's books will be raffled off and signed copies are always available for purchase.

Frustrated, Part Two

2011-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

I shared the arena with Gen and Pam yesterday who observed my ride on Phantom. Now we're thinking he may be harboring a deep abscess in his right front. Pam sensed a slightly elevated warmth in Phantom's right hoof -- I never seem to be able to feel these things.

So -- I'm still sticking with the "wait and see" approach. Either something treatable will become more obvious and the plan of action will be clear. Or Phantom will improve on his own. Right now it doesn't seem worthy of a vet call. That may come later, however.

For now, I'll get my saddle time at a walk (as long as Phantom is comfortable) and do some lateral work to keep both of us going.

And I'll watch the weather for the next good day to give Phantom a bath. He's quite the dust bunny right now. Although -- all he'll do is roll and coat himself again following the bath. *sigh* But I know he'll enjoy the sudsy scrub regardless.

As Gen said: "Horses!"

Frustrated

2011-09-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

Phantom seems to have been on pasture vacation most of the summer. I worked him lightly or not at all while clearing up his girth galls. A new, longer string girth seemed to have solved the problem and I was ready to resume our work when my mother fell and broke her hip.

I pretty much "abandoned" Phantom for a couple of weeks while my mother was most critical. I knew he was in good hands, and I did make once-a-week trips to the barn to give him a zoom groom and treats.

Once my mother was settled into the care center for rehab I figured I could resume my previous riding schedule. But when I arrived at the barn I was informed that Phantom appeared lame when turned out that morning. :-(

Sure enough, his trot was "off" on the longe line. Trainer Julie had me trot him down the aisle and indicated it was his left front. But darned if there was any obvious reason. No swelling or heat. No elevated pulse. No tender spots. His walk was fine, but his trot just wasn't right. With no apparent dire need for medical care, we agreed that the best thing was to give it a few days to see what developed.

Since I needed saddle time and Phantom's walk wasn't affected, I tacked up for some walk work.

Then Phantom developed a deep, hacking cough for a few days in response to the dust. Yes, believe it or don't, western Oregon has a month or two of hot, dry, dusty weather each year when the webs between our toes become crackly from a lack of moisture. So Phantom had a couple more days of little to no work.

Fortunately, the cough was short-lived. So I continued lateral work at the walk and experimented with the trot. Phantom seemed to be better. He was no where near as gimpy as he'd been with the girth galls. To the right he felt normal. But to the left, not so much.

Last Friday the geldings were "in a mood" and racing all over the pasture -- Phantom among them. When they finally settled down and I was able to catch Phantom, I figured I'd push the trot during my ride. If he was capable of a full gallop across the pasture I could give his trot a thorough test. After a sticky start, Phantom finally settled into work and once again felt pretty good to the right but not quite right to the left.

Yesterday he played keep-away when I went to bring him in. Hmmm. Just being naughty or didn't appreciate our last workout? I made careful observation when Phantom trotted away from me and he did look a bit off. Was he sore? Or was it the hard, uneven ground? When Phantom finally deigned to let me halter him, I promised him walk work only. I slathered him with liniment from withers to fetlock (since I don't know where the problem site is) and did a lot of leg yields in the arena.

As the King of Siam said, "Is a puzzlement." Phantom still has no physical signs of lameness -- his leg is cool and tight. He doesn't flinch when poked or probed. He gallops around the pasture with the rest of the geldings. I suspect he may have wrenched his shoulder, since he doesn't avoid planting his hoof like horses do when they have an abscess or lower leg injury.

No, I haven't called the vet. I keep hoping that whatever Phantom did to himself will heal with time and I can prevent an expensive vet bill.

Meanwhile, I am frustrated, deflated, and depressed after all that's happened over the past few weeks.

Sunday Stills: Potluck

2011-09-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

We were left to our own devices this week, so I wandered around the living room in search of interesting vignettes.

I liked the texture of this little basket.

The old iron and sewing book seemed a good combination.

Gears from a sausage grinder.

A different angle.

I have no idea where the little basket came from. I remember the old iron from my childhood home. The sausage grinder was one of my father's finds -- he was forever poking around second hand stores for "cool stuff."

The globe is part of our family history. I was told that my grandfather bought it for my grandmother during World War II. My father fought in the South Pacific, while his brother was sent to Europe. My grandmother could use the globe to keep track of her boys. Although, their correspondence was censored so I'm not sure my grandparents really knew where their sons were until both came home safely to tell their stories.

To see what others captured this week, visit Sunday Stills.

Determination

2011-09-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

Waiting to maneuver into the car.

Help from physical therapist Roxi.

Almost there.

Success.

Three weeks after breaking her hip and undergoing a surgery we weren't sure she would survive -- my mother rehearsed getting into and out of the car so I can take her to medical appointments.

She is amazing everyone.

And I wonder where my stubborn independent streak comes from. ;-)

Book Club: In the Garden of Beasts

2011-08-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Our most recent read for our neighborhood book club was Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts. The book is set in 1933 when William Dodd, a scholar, becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany. Larson chronicles the year that becomes a turning point in history -- Hitler is the newly appointed chancellor and few in Germany believe his government will endure.

I had picked up the book at Costco and skimmed through it for research purposes before our group selected it. What better inspiration for fictional antagonists than real-life monsters? I did begin reading the book more thoroughly but I was sidelined by family events, so I assessed it based on my cursory perusal.

From my personal perspective: In follow-up to Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog, I read her Hugo Award winning Blackout/All Clear pair of books set in World War II London during The Blitz. The Oxford historians in Willis' books visit London during The War to conduct research, already aware of what was bombed when and the end result of the conflict. The "contemps" (contemporaries) of course know none of this and live from day-to-day just as we do in our own lives. Reading Larson's book was similar. He had access to letters and journals written in 1933 by people living in the moment with no knowledge of what was to come. Which of course creates tension for the reader. Knowing the Titanic was sunk only makes you that more anxious to learn the outcome of the characters (real or fictional).

So -- knowing the result of Hitler's rise to power with the henchmen who rode his coattails -- it was remarkable to learn that so many people thought that Germany was undergoing a thrilling rebirth and revival of spirit. The German people turned their heads and chose not to see or comprehend what was really happening. The stories of brutality and repression were "exaggerated" or "isolated incidents." The foreign press was blamed for misrepresenting Germany. If an American visitor was beaten for not giving the "Hitler salute" it was the result of a misunderstanding. The official U. S. government stance at the time was the German oppression of certain citizens was a domestic matter and none of our business.

We discussed how this could come about in Germany and whether it could it occur here. The U.S. and Germany of the period had such different psyches. Ours was one of rugged individualism and Manifest Destiny. The Germans had a much smaller, densely settled nation that was culturally and socially regimented. Germany had also taken quite a beating following World War I and it was probably no wonder that the people tightly grasped at indications of recovery and prosperity while ignoring the negative. We hoped our system of checks and balances would prevent any one branch from dominating our own government (read Fletcher Knebel's Seven Days in May for a thriller about an attempted U.S. military coup).

What surprised us was the animosity between the members of Hitler's inner circle. I have to admit, we are all of an age when history was taught as a series of dates and events. We've had to learn "the good stuff" outside of school. This book delivers on the juicy, insider revelations. Hitler's mesmerizing pale blue eyes. Goebels' chilling "smile." Goring's costume of the hour. And not a one of the inner circle was a tall, handsome, blond Aryan. Go figure.

Our second surprise was Martha Dodd's loose morals. The petite, blue-eyed blonde socialized with the Nazi elite, had numerous affairs, left behind a secret marriage in the States, and was the object of a potential match for Hitler. Why she wasn't considered a liability we did not comprehend. We interpreted her rock star lifestyle to be a danger not only to herself but the Amercian diplomatic mission in Germany. How did her staid parents let her carry on in such a manner?

The saddest part of the tale was Dodd's failure to complete his book on the American Civil War. His life's goal and ambition was never realized. The ambassadorship in Germany proved to be anything but a quiet and easy assignment that would allow him to work on his book. In addition, we were repelled by the good-old-boy culture of the State Department where someone as intelligent and conscientious as Dodd was criticized.

I have to say that -- the more things change the more they stay the same. In 1933 the world was struggling with the Great Depression and out-of-reach economic recovery. The immigration issue of the day was the influx of Jewish refugees competing for jobs with Americans. Anti-Semitism was rampant and openly displayed.

Most of all, we were amazed by the volume of research conducted by Larson. His end notes were often as fascinating as the narrative. Because of or in spite of the level of detail he provided, the book remained a page turner and never bogged down. Granted, most of us were fascinated by Martha's antics. But the insider observations of history's most notorious villains was fascinating given our 20/20 hindsight.

Definitely not a "light" read given the subject matter and knowledge of what followed. But an interesting perspective on a pivotal year in world history!

Our next book is Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin. I read this one ten years ago but I am again loving Atwood's descriptive writing.

Sunday Stills: The Letter "B"

2011-08-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

"B" is for bit.

Experiencing a stressful August, so I took snaps of the handiest subject I could come up with.

To see more interpretations of "B" visit Sunday Stills.

One Tough Mother

2011-08-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

Gert Boyle of Columbia Sportswear fame.

Columbia Sportswear had a humorous ad campaign featuring former CEO Gert Boyle testing the durability of their products worn by her son (the current CEO) under bizarre circumstances. It was known as the "One Tough Mother" campaign and Boyle borrowed the title for her autobiography.

Well, Gert Boyle has nothing on my mother. One week ago today, after two falls and a broken hip and finger, one of the many physicians who saw her in the hospital told me the best case scenario was to get her home on hospice care. In fact, my mother was released from the hospital today to a nursing home for rehabilitation.

Lydia after her first tumble of the weekend.

Lydia fell on August 6 when her slipper caught on the linoleum of her bathroom floor. She did a face plant that immediately resulted in a huge knot on her forehead (the EMT said she looked like a Klingon), a broken finger, and bruised ribs. I called 911 and she was taken to the emergency room where she was scanned and x-rayed and miraculously pronounced good to go home with a splint on her finger. The running gag, of course, was "What's the other gal look like?"

Then the next day my mother took another fall in the living room and this time she broke her hip. For so many seniors this is the beginning of the end. Usually the surgical procedure goes well -- it's the pnuemonia, infection, stroke, heart attack or other complications that bring down the person. We had already been told by our doctors that my mother was not a candidate for surgery. Given her heart condition it was likely she would not survive general anesthesia.

I was terrified. As soon as she fell and said she was sure she had broken her hip, I was afraid I'd lost her. In the emergency room the break was confirmed and she was admitted into the hospital. Given her existing health issues, the options were to bring her home without surgery for hospice care to keep her comfortable; or attempt surgery with only a 20% chance of survival. One choice offered no opportunity for recovery to resume a semblance of her prior lifestyle. The other option at least provided some chance, no matter how meager.

My aunt and I opted for surgery. My mother's primary care physician concurred, knowing my mother was a fighter and that I was fully aware of the risks.

The orthopedic surgeon, of course, was all for surgery. Although he did outline the risks. The anesthesiologist met me with an astounded expression on his face. He was not at all confident that my mother would survive the surgical procedure. I acknowledged the risks but my aunt and I stuck to our guns. At least give my mother the chance.

Surgery began around 6:00 p.m. on the 8th. The more time that passed without someone emerging with bad news, the better. After a couple of hours the surgeon appeared to say all went well. No problems. It was a "boring" surgery -- in a good way. When the anesthesiologist caught up with me, he said my mother sailed through without a hitch.

However, recovery was another issue. In ICU they had to intubate my mother and place her on medications to raise her blood pressure. It was touch-and-go on the 9th.

Then gradually and steadily, my mother improved. The doctors who didn't know her visited the ICU with amazed expressions. Our two cheerleader physicians beamed with each stage of recovery. My mother wasn't out of the woods yet. The breathing tube had to be removed, and the blood pressure medications reduced. Would she be able to maintain oxygen saturation and adequate blood pressure on her own?

As one cardiologist expressed it, my mother "flew" off the blood pressure medications following removal of the breathing tube. Twice daily physical therapy sessions began immediately. She was transferred from ICU to a regular room at the hospital. My mother made her first exit from the bed with the aid of two therapists and a walker, and spent 3 hours sitting upright in a chair.

One week after I was advised that the medical chart indicated she had little hope of ever recovering -- my mother walked 30 feet using a walker under the supervision of a single physical therapist. And she was released from the hospital to begin rehabilitation.

There is still a chance of serious complications, but medical tests and examinations don't measure attitude and determination.

So -- move over Gert Boyle. I've got one tough mother!

Sunday Stills: Macro or Extreme Closeup

2011-08-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Eggbutt French-link snaffle bit on hunter bridle.

Fox hunting scene on white plate.

The bit and bridle belonged to my little chestnut mare. The plate was my grandmother's. What I love about the plate (in addition to the picture) is my grandmother's name written on the back in grease pencil. Obviously she took it to a potluck at the Grange or elsewhere.

Visit Sunday Stills to see up-close creative visions.

Sunday Stills: Sunrises or Sunsets

2011-08-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

This is "sunrise" from our deck -- the sun peeking through the Douglas firs behind our neighbor's house. It is well into mid-morning before the sun actually rises above the firs. ;-)

To see sunrises or sunsets from elsewhere, visit Sunday Stills.

Barn Shopping

2011-08-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

Not me. But friends and their barn buddies.

The owner where I previously boarded Phantom made the difficult decision to change from a full care facility to a self care barn. As a result, most of the boarders have made the equally difficult decision to relocate their horses. Sadly, those jobs that pay for our horse habit don't usually fit a self-care schedule.

So my former barn buddies compiled their lists of "must haves" and "would be nices" and started perusing the metro area. Although Oregon's land use planning laws can begin an argument at the drop of a spotted owl feather, it does mean equestrian facilities are still relatively accessible for urbanites/suburbanites lacking acreage. Still, the selection process can be stressful when seeking safe and affordable accommodations with the amenities desired (turnout, covered arena, trainer in chosen discipline, trails, etc.). Based on my sources, it seems most everyone involved in the current change has located and secured stabling. Whew.

However, any barn shakeup (whatever the cause) is traumatic. There is the change in routine. You know where everything is as well as the daily schedule. The move may require a change in professional services (trainer, shoer, vet, etc.). The car knows the way to the barn. Most significantly, a barn shakeup usually results in the separation of a close-knit group of boarders and students.

A bad barn shakeup can mean hurt feelings and the permanent end to friendships. Not to mention a loss of business. I've been known to duck behind cover at horse shows to avoid running into folks from barns past when the parting of ways didn't go well.

However, I've also been delighted to unexpectedly encounter prior barn buddies when out and about.

That's the message I have for my former barn buddies who are in the midst of change. Yes, your cohesive group seems to be scattering to the winds. But you will make new friends at the new boarding stable. And best of all, you will retain the friendships of your former barn buddies. Your circle of equine friends is growing!

My former barn buddies have presided over a statewide equestrian organization, started a successful equestrian clothing business, completed their education, married and begun a family, become grandparents, etc. And I can always say I knew them when....

How cool is that?

Off But Not Off

2011-08-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

I've been dealing with girth galls the past month. Periodically Phantom's string girth rubs a spot but a few days later he's back in action. This time, however, each time I tacked up after the spots started to heal, the girth rubbed them again. And that occurred on the longe line before I even got on. *sigh*

So I went through the check list. Same girth, same saddle. I stretched Phantom's legs to prevent wrinkles under the girth before snugging it up. I did change saddle pads to one that's a little thicker. And Phantom (and herd buddies) plumped up on the new grass in their pasture. So I went back to a thinner pad -- without success. I noticed horses at the dressage show wore their girths in the approximate location of the illustration above, but on Phantom my saddle rests such that the girth lays right behind his elbow. Problem is, my mutton-withered little Arab is so short coupled there is nowhere else for the saddle to settle.

I decided to try a longer girth to raise the buckles above his elbows. I was positive I was using a 24" dressage girth so I ordered a 26" string girth online. When it arrived I took it to the barn only to discover I was already using a 26" girth. Duh! So I went back online to order a 28" string girth. I used it last Friday and it seemed to do the trick. The buckles are now located above Phantom's elbows and it's long enough that I can leave a smidge more room between elbow and girth. I'm not yet considering it a success. We'll see what happens today.

The whole thing began with Phantom appearing "off but not off" on the longe line. Not head-bobbing-limping lame. Just a barely perceptible shortening of his left front leg. Hmmm. Same thing in the saddle. A little off but not really off, a tendency to scramble at the trot when pushed, but a normal stride at the walk. Then when I got off and removed the saddle I found the culprit. Not as serious as an abscess or lameness issue, but still troublesome and enough to give Phantom some "vacation" time in July.

So, I'm hoping he's on the mend. Not that I'm doing much with my riding of late anyway. But saddle time is saddle time and, as Winston Churchill said (or thereabouts), the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man (or woman!).

Did Jo Rowling Have This Problem?

2011-07-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

I hit a roadblock with my first draft of The Curse of the Blood Stone. The scene in question involved a mounted game that I "invented" for my YA fantasy novel. In actuality I have combined two existing games, one of which I was vaguely familiar with and the other I'd never heard of before.

While pondering how to approach the problem scene I returned to the Internet to watch a view videos that helped me figure out how to block out the movements of the characters.

So I dive into the scene and within a couple of paragraphs I'm struggling with the locations of the players on the field. Ack! I snatch a piece of paper and the next thing I know I'm doing the football schematic thing. You know -- the Xs and Os with the arrows going every which way. By the time I was done my sketch looked like a bowl of spaghetti -- but it worked. I think. At least I completed the action and I hope the reader can follow it.

Now -- my game is fairly conventional in that it is played on a large field (or pitch) with a goal at each end. No flying around. Strictly earthbound. And I have only three players per team participating in the action.

How in the world did Jo Rowling block out the movement of Harry et al. for a Quidditch match with everyone flying all over the place?! My thinking cap is off to her because adding the extra dimension of up-and-down to back-and-forth would have given me fits.

Anyway, I'm glad that I can move on from this scene. It is significant for my vision of the novel's climactic scene -- thus the need to get it right.

Dressage at Devonwood 2011

2011-07-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

Riding by the letters.

Trainer's advice at the warmup ring.

Enter at A

Cool shades.

At B.

Canter pirouette for the judge.

Flying change.

Connection.

Trot out.

Trot the diagonal.

A job well done.

The "break room

Only at a horse show.

Sunday Stills: Farm Animals.

2011-07-24T00:05:00.000-07:00

No farms visited this week, but I did spend a morning at one of Oregon's largest dressage shows. Dressage at Devonwood attracts riders from all over the west coast and Canada. I'll post a few of my show photos in a day or two.

For this week's challenge, I chose a couple of the more casual sights at the show.

Done for the day.

Break room.

To see how others met the challenge, visit Sunday Stills.

Book Club: "Cutting for Stone"

2011-07-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Although we all enjoyed the book, several of us were bothered by what we perceived as a passive protagonist and felt the story dragged in many places. We all agreed that Verghese did an excellent job of character development and it was our curiosity about these people that maintained our interest in the book.

This is a multi-cultural novel, the greater portion of which is set in Ethiopia. It begins in 1954 with flashbacks in the opening chapters to establish key characters. Verghese, a physician himself, focuses on the doctors and staff of a charity hospital known as "Missing Hospital" -- a mangling of "Mission" but appropriate for the characters that populate the book (the "Missing People"). The novel chronicles the birth and lives of twins Marion and Shiva who were conjoined at birth and successfully separated by their surgeon father. Their mother, Sister Mary Joseph Praise, died as a result of the difficult delivery. Their father, Thomas Stone, fled immediately afterward. The boys were raised by the two doctors who kept the hospital going following the departure of its premiere surgeon.

The twins are referred to as Shivamarion; a single unit, a collective. Genet, illegitimate daughter of their housekeeper/nanny, completes the threesome that is exceptionally attuned to each other. During childhood the trio are inseparable. However, adolescent betrayal and political turmoil in Ethiopia tear them apart. Marion silently nurses anger and resentment toward Shiva and Genet that he does not resolve until years later.

I won't go into the details of Marion's upbringing, which constitutes seemingly 3/4 of the novel. Personally, the pace and grinding details in some scenes made it difficult for me to read at times. The book read more like a memoir than a work of fiction. Having been immersed in plot-driven novels of late, I grew frustrated waiting for the "action" to begin and narrator Marion to take over his own life. Yet the group wondered if this was done deliberately to reflect the minutia that are significant to children, the slower pace of the Ethiopian culture, and to reconstruct the leisurely approach of 19th century novels.

It seems likely that the entire novel was structured to illustrate the fable of Abu Kassem's Slippers told by one of the characters. The tale teaches that everything you see, do, touch - what you do or don't do -becomes part of your destiny. "The world turns on our every action, and our every omission, whether we know it or not."

Thus -- although several of us found the narrator irritatingly static, his lack of action was as influential on the outcome of the novel as were the choices made by the other characters.

The events and inter-personal relationships of the novel are too complex to summarize here. From adolescent angst to political upheaval to race and social status -- the novel encompasses a number of themes.

What we all took away from Cutting for Stone was the observation made by one of the characters that we live life forward, but understand it backward.

Hmmm.

Our next book is Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts. This will be our first nonfiction book for the group. I recently skimmed through it for research. Aside from Voldemort, who better to study in developing a nasty antagonist that Hitler and his cohorts? So now I will reread the book with more care.

Scenes From Hunter Creek Farm

2011-07-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite photos from The Country Classic Preview and The Country Classic horse shows held at Hunter Creek Farm in Wilsonville, Oregon. I enjoy the challenge of capturing the action in the ring as well as illustrating behind-the-scenes activity at the shows.

Higher jumper fences mean more "air time."

The details: elevator bit, spurs, flying stirrup leather....

Whee!

Happy junior hunter. This it what it's all about.

Neatly braided and waiting patiently.

Arsenal.

Schooling chaps and riding crop.

One last polish.

Field boots and red tack trunk.

Making a new friend. (Note the tight grip on Mom.)

Pony hunter triple combination jump.

Final fence.

Who needs a horse?

Where's my treat?

Final instructions after a disappointing first round.

Determination.

Excused from the ring after naughty pony refused to jump.

Good luck wishes from the trainer.

Ready for the trailer ride home.

Sunday Stills: People

2011-07-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Horse Show People

Trainers in the warm up ring.

Grooms on the way to the wash rack.

Spectators at the rail.

Spectators on the bleachers.

Riders between classes.

Making new friends.

Happy competitors on course.

Intimidated

2011-07-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

The final Harry Potter movie debuts at midnight here in the Colonies. As a build up to the event there have been Harry Potter movie marathons on cable television, and the Biography channel is replaying its making-of series.

It was while I was viewing the efforts to create the world of Harry Potter for the big screen that I became depressed with my current novel-in-progress and intimidated by the touchstone YA fantasy series.

The various directors and producers discussed the search for young actors to play the main characters, the difficulty in locating suitable locations and building detailed sets, and the development of believable creatures by combining animatronics with CGI. All of it done to leap from two-dimensional pages into a three-dimensional world of sights and sounds that transport us to the world of Jo Rowling's creation.

My novel-in-progress is a thin broth compared to Rowling's hearty stew.

I'm still drafting the Set Up section of The Curse of the Blood Stone. I may as well quit while I'm behind. In no way have I established a story world comparable to that of Rowling's.

Yet....

My writing has always been the reverse of peeling an onion. Like blocking a stage play early during the rehearsal process. I have a theme in mind, a protagonist with supporting characters, and settings. I've started moving my characters through the settings and given them dialogue. If I slog on to complete my first draft I will have a framework on which to build the story world that exists in my mind.

After all -- every stew begins with a broth.

And every writer tells her (or his) story in her own way.

Gadget Technicians Are So Funny

2011-07-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

I was 80% into our current book club read when I decided to turn on my Kindle to check out a novel I'd just heard about. The last-page read appeared per normal. I went to Menu and turned on the 3G/WiFi. Then attempted to access the Kindle Store.

That's when I received the "no access" message. Now, I was seated in the exact same location I always occupy when reading and perusing books on my Kindle, so I know darned well I have Wi Fi and 3G access from that site.

Nevertheless, I turned off the 3G/WiFi, turned off the Kindle, tried everything all over again. This time I'd lost all my books as well as access to 3G/WiFi. And the menu items were non-responsive. Nothing I did remedied the situation.

With Kindle in hand, I went to the computer to visit Amazon's Kindle Troubleshooting site. Of the FAQs, none really addressed the frozen menu and lost books that I was experiencing in addition to lack of Wi Fi access. But I tried the option related to the no Wi Fi access message. There I read that when all else fails I should enter: Home > Menu > Restart.

Which I did.

Except -- when the Kindle is frozen, nothing happens when the Menu button is pressed!!

So I used the email option under "Contact Us" to explain the problem.

And a Kindle technician responded in a timely manner.

The solution to my problem? Go to the Menu and press "Restart."

"Doh!"

Fortunately, immediately after sending my email to the Amazon Kindle Troubleshooting site I Googled "frozen Kindle" and located a chat room where I was reminded to hold the power button for 15 seconds. Obviously, I should have done this instead of going to the Kindle Troubleshooting page.

I held the power button for 15 seconds (which I remembered doing before when I got the "no WiFi access" message). My Kindle rebooted, and all my books were recovered. I had to scan to the last-page read for the book club novel (regrettably I lost all my highlights/bookmarks/notes -- but hey, the book was back!) and all was well with the world again.

I love it when the gadget technicians advise you to use the features of the device that aren't working in order to solve the problem you're having with the electronic wonder.
I've never had this problem with a good old-fashioned, ink-on-paper, bound book. Misplaced, food/drink spilled, pages torn or stuck together, etc. But never have I had a book freeze up or disappear in my grip.

I am currently purging my bookshelves to slim down my personal library -- but I will never, ever give up printed books. They never need to be recharged in the middle of the climactic scene.

Sunday Stills: The Letter "F"

2011-07-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

"F" is for Fences!

The horse show season is in full swing and I'm fortunate to live close to an active venue for hunter-jumper competitions. Have camera, will "horse around."

Oxer to vertical fence combination in the hunter ring.

Another combination (fixed stride distance) in the hunter ring.

A mess of colorful fences in the jumper ring.

Jumper fence in use!

Visit Sunday Stills to see how others were inspired by this week's challenge.

Sunday Stills: Patriotism and 4th of July Celebrations

2011-07-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Every year a local realtor places these small flags in each yard in our neighborhood. Some of the residents aren't happy about it, but most of us like the gesture. Personally, I like seeing the uniform appearance of the flags for the Independence Day holiday. Not everyone has a porch flagpole, so these little flags (even with the realtor's business card attached) give everyone the opportunity to fly our colors.

To see how others celebrate Independence Day, visit Sunday Stills.

Walk in the Park

2011-07-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

Willamette River

Photos from today's walk through Memorial Park in Wilsonville. The park has baseball fields, soccer fields, a skateboard site, leash-free area, and meeting facilities. There are several paths through the wooded area, plus access to the river at a dock.

Indy and I have been visiting various city parks on the way home from the barn. Seems only fitting after spending time with Phantom.

MIA

2011-06-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

Our cool, wet, lengthy spring showed signs of coming to an end. Time to get the winter turnouts cleaned for summer storage and put the fly mask and fly spray at the ready.

Phantom's fly mask had served him well for two summers but it was getting pretty ratty, so last year I bought a new one as a backup. It was never put into service, so I whipped it out earlier this month, labeled it with Phantom's name in bold letters, and put it on the front of his stall. Shortly thereafter, the weather turned for the worse (like that was a surprise) and I tucked away the fly mask until last week -- when I replaced it on the front of the stall for the next warm day.

Within a couple of days the brand new fly mask with its sticky (no hair or hay stuck in the loops) double-Velcro closure was gone. Not on the front of the stall, not on Phantom, and not visible amid six-acres of grass.

Really?

After maybe wearing it 3-4 times?

*sigh*

I also noticed a few minor scrapes on Phantom's hide. Hmmm? Pasture fisticuffs? He's not ratting on his pasture mates or giving any hints as to what happened to the fly mask.

So...off I go to the tack store for another fly mask. I hope this one hangs around longer...our summer may actually begin this weekend.

Sunday Stills: Black and White, or Sepia

2011-06-25T14:45:00.001-07:00

So I took the camera along on Indy's morning walk, wondering what subject would suit this week's challenge. I got as far as the driveway where I saw this:

It is actually a color photo of shadows on our white car with black trim.

Near the end of our morning jaunt I stopped to take a couple of snaps of the following picket fence from two angles:

Visit Sunday Stills to see what inspired the rest of the gang.

Book Club: "The Lincoln Lawyer"

2011-06-22T10:51:00.001-07:00

We had a full turnout for our monthly book club meeting last week, but once again only two of us had completed the novel. Although one member had just seen the movie and the others were mid-book. Since two of our members had just returned from once-in-lifetime trips (Israel, Italy) and another was experiencing house-selling woes, it was no wonder the book took a back seat this month.

This is the first in Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller series about a defense attorney who represents less than admirable citizens. Located in Los Angeles, Haller uses a Lincoln Town Car driven by a prior client as his office. He conducts much of his paperwork in the car while traveling the California freeways from one court venue to the next. Haller has two ex-wives and a daughter from his first marriage, plus a list of clients that make one's skin crawl.

Haller never asks his clients if they are innocent -- it's not relevant to him. The law, according to Haller, isn't about the truth. It isn't always fair. But it does require a defense for everyone who arrives in court. Thus, he does what he can to work within the gray area of the law to the advantage of his clients. His first wife is a prosecutor and ultimately can't comprehend his defense of drug dealers and gang members. The police have no use for Haller, who they see as undermining their hard work to bring in the bad guys.

Haller is eking out a living -- and then comes the money-maker case. The son of an influential and rich family hires Haller to defend him in a murder case. But the dollar signs lose their glitter as Haller and his associates dig into the case. Soon they are revisiting an old case that ended with Haller's client in jail. When they get too close to the truth of the current situation their own lives are in danger.

We primarily approached the book as an engaging mystery with a flawed yet approachable protagonist and chilling twist to the story. But I was also intrigued by Haller's belief that the law isn't about the truth.

Any more, it seems court cases are a judgement of police procedures, not the innocence or guilt of the person charged with the crime. Having worked with statues and rules in my previous life, I know that laws can be so generic that they don't address real life situations. And even the best of intentions can result in a badly written law that has unexpected results. These are the gray areas where Connelly's character works.

Haller feared that, after so many years of defending criminals, he would not recognize a truly innocent person. Did he allow the courts to sentence an innocent man to jail? If so, how can he ever make up for it? His attempt to verify the truth and rectify the error provide the secondary story to the primary mystery.

We also got a chuckle when considering perspective. Haller is held in low esteem by prosecuting attorneys, judges, the police, and even his first wife for his defense of criminal elements. Yet Perry Mason and Ben Matlock, heroic literary and television figures, were also defense attorneys. Of course, Mason and Matlock managed to take on innocent clients only. ;-)

Is our court system about justice? Or manipulating the gray areas in plea agreements? Is The Lincoln Lawyer more than a thrilling mystery?

Our next club selection is Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. I'm halfway through Connie Willis' Blackout, but one of our members has started it and says we're in for a good one.

Sunday Stills: Yellow

2011-06-11T14:52:00.001-07:00

So I read the challenge for this week and gazed across the room to ponder where I might go in search of something yellow...and there was the yellow highlighter.

I've already taken photos of the yellow striping on a country road, a yellow fire hydrant, yellow street signs, and Scotch broom in bloom.

So the highlighter it was.

See where others found their yellow subject matter at Sunday Stills.

Fine Art Available for Purchase

2011-06-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Believe me, the following photograph is mesmerizing in person and it would make a stunning addition to anyone's home decor.

Here is another view of the photo:

It was a favorite of gallery visitors who couldn't pull themselves away from the photo or who were drawn back for another look.

This fantastic piece and other photos from Emily's Senior Project are available from Blue Box Art at Etsy.

This is one of my favorites from Emily's senior showing.

The feather almost appears three dimensional in person.

Also from her "Water Water Everywhere" exhibit, this work activates the viewer's imagination.

Proceeds from the sale of these fine art photographs benefit Charity Water. This is an opportunity to invest in gorgeous art as well as support a worthy nonprofit.

Sunday Stills: Potluck

2011-06-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

No specific subject matter this week. Just whatever caught our fancy.

Lousy weather didn't let up here until Friday. I nabbed these just an hour or so before posting.

To see where others took their cameras this week, visit Sunday Stills.

I've Got What on my What?

2011-05-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

Apres-ride fashion: The Country Classic 2009

I got a smile out of Michelle's May 17th blog entry at From the Horse's Back in which she confesses to being a cowgirl. She begins by observing that folks in the grocery store were giving her odd looks. Come to think of it, she'd noticed it before. It seems she was still in her barn gear which was decorated with random bits of hay, a butt sweat stain, and a lovely green muzzle smear on the front of her shirt.

As one who occasionally runs errands on the way home from the barn, I could identify. Although in my case I'm wearing black full-seat breeches coated with white hair,muddy paddock boots, and I smell like Phantom's turnout blanket that I had recently removed and replaced.

Interestingly enough, stable wear is relatively common at the grocery store I most often frequent. Seems our little burg is at the center of a thriving sport horse community with several hunter/jumper, dressage, and eventing stables nearby. Riders coming and going from the boarding/training facilities often stop at the local businesses wearing their barn regalia.

Like Michelle, we don't take much notice of bilious green smudges, bits of clinging stall shavings or hay, or mud-caked boots. Hats pulled low to camouflage helmet hair are de rigueur. Sweat stains (our own or our mount's) are signs of accomplishment. We can generally be found in the produce department loading up on carrots and apples where we assess each other by our breeches. Knee patches? Must be a hunter from the other side of town. Full seat? Eventer or dressage rider from down the road. Kindred spirit? You bet!

Apres-ride fashion: Dressage at Devonwood 2009

Sunday Stills: Weeds and Grasses

2011-05-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Grass.

Scotch broom in bloom.

Volunteer poppy in the park.

Wetlands under the power line.

To see how others met the challenge, visit Sunday Stills.

Phantom

2011-05-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

Kiss for a treat.

Soft eye.

Who's the new horse?

Plain Language Act

2011-05-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

I got a chuckle from the AP article that appeared in last week's Oregonian regarding the Plain Writing Act recently signed by President Obama.

Why are government documents (from the feds to the states and local entities) written in gibberish? My experience (30 years in state government) leads me to believe that people don't know the difference between legalese and sharing information.

My first question was always "who is the intended audience?" When drafting Administrative Rules I worked with an assistant attorney general to assure that the language was legally correct. Scientific reports had to be biologically accurate and could be more technical for a savvy audience. Correspondence and documents for public consumption needed to be correct, yet brief and easy to follow. Was the audience an attorney, a research biologist, or a deer hunter?

Decades ago when I took over the administrative rules from a wildlife biologist, I realized he was writing the regulations synopsis as if it was a legal document. Over time, I worked with staff to develop the regulations into a more informative and less stilted publication. Not that the multiple seasons and legal descriptions for agricultural damage hunts were easy to follow. However, we used bulleted lists and graphs when we could, and I applied the active voice to the documents instead of the passive voice common to scientific writing.

Government documents are often written by an expert in the topic. That expert may not have the natural skills or training in written communications. The expert may be able to convey technical information to others in her/his field, but lack the ability to simplify the subject matter for a general audience.

Plus -- there is stilted-essay-syndrome. You know how it goes -- you can write an entertaining and amusing postcard to family and friends, but as soon as you must write an essay to be graded you become stiff and stilted. For some reason many people revert to 18th century English in their formal writing.

But what I really found amusing about the whole "plain language in government" subject was the Oregon Department of Education's proposal to reduce its budget by eliminating the statewide writing assessment system. Not to mention texting abbreviations and syntax making its way into student reports. Plus the grammar twisting language of interviewees on the nightly local news (I particularly loved the young woman who used "have tooken" during a segment on high gas prices).

So who, I wondered when I read the above article, is going to write this plain language for the government? It seems few students are acquiring correct English during their K-12 schooling. And liberal arts degrees are considered "useless" now that colleges and universities are treated like trade schools.

;-)

Book Club Read: "To Say Nothing of the Dog"

2011-05-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

Our foray into science fiction was of dubious success. Two members were absent from our monthly meeting and only two of us in attendance had actually read the book.

Both of us who completed To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis enjoyed the novel. A couple of months ago I read Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog in preparation for Ms. Willis' book. Although not necessary, it did contribute to the enjoyment of the Willis novel.

The science fiction aspect of To Say Nothing of the Dog is time travel, something Ms. Willis has applied in others of her books (most recently Blackout and All Clear). The majority of the story occurs during 1888 in the same general setting as Jerome's earlier novel. The book does suffer from the inevitable "information dump" common to all science fiction and fantasy. However, once the story gets rolling it has all the fumbles and bumbles of a Shakespearean comedy of errors. Ms. Willis captures the spirit of Oscar Wilde with laugh-out-loud episodes.

Yes, there is a dog. And a cat with a taste for expensive koi. And mismatched couples that must be righted before the end of the book. To say nothing of the missing "Bishop's Bird Stump" that serves at the macguffin for the novel.

Our discussion of the book consisted mainly of describing it to those who hadn't yet read it. But we did consider how minor situations or actions have affected major historical events. The contributions of muddy roads and an illegible note on Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo were a repeated topic throughout the book. The misplacement of a cat was the impetus for the events in To Say Nothing of the Dog.

The customs and mores of past periods was another topic of interest. The main character of the book had an inadequate period briefing before dropping into Victorian England, which made for anachronistic complications.

Then there are the tools from previous times that are no longer in use and rendered unrecognizable to subsequent generations. The search for a can opener and how to use it once located made for an amusing scene. Antique stores are full of items once necessary for daily life that have become collectible oddities.

Willis deftly handles the "grandfather conundrum" (you know, what if you travel back in time and inadvertently kill your grandfather...how will you be born?) by creating the "continuum" that self corrects the errors made by well intentioned Oxford historians of the future who study past eras first hand.

To Say Nothing of the Dog is science fiction light. An excellent introduction to the genre for newcomers. Anyone who enjoys a rollicking comedy of manners will find it a fun read aside from the sf aspects. It is also a lead in to Blackout and All Clear, set during the London blitz of World War II.

Our next reading selection is Michael Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer.

Northwest Author Series: Eric Witchey

2011-05-18T12:30:00.001-07:00

Eric Witchey

The Short Story: Write It & Sell It in 90 Minutes

This was the final workshop of the 2010-2011 Northwest Author Series (supported by the Wilsonville Public Library and Friends of the Wilsonville Public Library). I was looking forward to Eric Witchey, since I've attended his workshops at the Willamette Writers Conference in the past. Although I don't write short stories I hoped I would be able to apply his concepts to the young adult novels I'm writing.

The workshop was well attended, which resulted in a lively collaborative session. Eric shared an informative handout compiled for the workshop that may be the starting point for a future book on writing. :-)

Eric began by describing Story as an extension of language. Learning to write prose is like learning a second language -- we use the same areas of the brain to learn and acquire the skills.

Per Robert McKee, "Story is a metaphor for life." Thus, our story doesn't have to be true in the real world, but it must be true and consistent in the world of the story.

The exercises Eric taught us are a means to teach ourselves the story development process. It is an exercise we can practice daily until (like a new language) it can become a more natural and smoother process.

We worked within the framework of the seven point story arc:

BEGINNING

1. character

2. setting

3. problem

MIDDLE

4. try/fail but learn something

5. try (apply what learned)/fail but learn something more

6. try (apply additional learning)/figurative death (do or die)/fail (tragedy) or succeed

END

7. Climax/resolution

We began by brainstorming interesting jobs for our main character. The job may or may not be an important element of the story, but it is important to the make up of the character. After selecting a couple of unusual jobs we then chose the gender for our protagonist -- a female doing traditionally male occupations. We then discussed what the jobs revealed about the female protagonist and to these we added additional characteristics and situations with potential for story conflict.

With the protagonist sketched out we then moved on to "The Other" -- the character who would create the greatest problems for our main character.

With a start on Point One of the story arc, we moved on to Point Two -- the setting. Again, what would create the most problems for the protagonist and establish conflict for her with The Other.

Themes (cultural expectations) began to emerge as we placed the two characters in the setting. Since each character in a story will have a position on the themes, we designated conflicting beliefs for our two primary characters.

Point Three, the Problem, evolved from the character and setting conflicts.

With the first three points sketched out we then discussed potential scenes that would develop the Middle of the story.

The classic story scene typically has the following elements: setting, conflict, climax/resolution, and result.

Eric applies "ED ACE" to scene development. Emotion leads to Decision leads to Action leads to Conflict, leads to new Emotion. Each character enters the scene in an individual emotional state with agendas (conscious and unconscious). These influence the decisions and actions of each character. The character's "normal tools" for dealing with conflict will fail her and by the end of the scene the character is experiencing a new emotional state with which she enters the next scene. Since the old tools for dealing with the world aren't working, the character attempts to adapt what she learned in the previous scene for the next confrontation.

Eric guided the group as we drafted Point Four, the first try/fail scene of our story. This set us up for what we believed should occur at Point Five.

Regrettably we ran out of time to flesh out Points Six and Seven. However, we were well on our way to an understanding of the process.

As for publication, the writer cannot always predict what editors and publishers will want. Eric's handout included four stories (literary, horror, and fantasy genres) that he developed and wrote in about two hours. Per the whims of the publishing industry, one of the stories he least liked has had the most success. Go figure.

Eric left us with a process for creativity. Using prompts from any source of our choice, he suggested selecting three random concepts to use in a 15 minute writing exercise. Whether practicing the pieces of story arc separately or in combination, don't worry about producing a publishable product. Consider it practice in learning the language of prose. If one of these practice sessions produces the germ of a good story, then fly with it to see what happens.

Per usual, even though I've attended Eric's workshops in the past, I learn something new each time. He is one of several frequent presenters at the Willamette Writers Conference that I watch for.

Many thanks to Christina Katz for coordinating the Northwest Writers Series.

Sunday Stills: Looking High, Looking Low

2011-05-14T16:35:00.001-07:00

My mother and I gave Emily a college-to-career makeover at Synergy Artistic Salon this past week (Pacific University class of 2011). Between capturing pictures of the process for Em, I also took a few "high" and "low" photos for this week's challenge.

Looking high at hair styling utensils.

Looking high at hair colors.

Looking low at hair styling products.

And my favorite of the day, looking low at fingernail polishes.

Visit Sunday Stills to see what captured the imagination of other photographers.

I've Been PANKed!

2011-05-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

Not punked -- PANKed. That is: Professional Auntie, No Kids.

I've been referring to myself as the "adopted auntie" of twins Emily and Steven. But I've just discovered that I am an "aunt by choice."

Those of us who have no children of our own but love and nurture the children of others have been validated by Melanie Notkin's book (see above), website, and Facebook page.

Notkin is the author of Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers, and All Women Who Love Kids. I recently heard her interview on NPR and rushed to her website.

Someone had acknowledged me! Not only that, but I now have an official day!

Women become Savvy Aunties through various avenues. Some choose not to have children, others cannot have children for various reasons. I had the old-fashioned notion of getting married before having children -- but never encountered the guy. And back in the day, single women of modest means didn't have a chance at adoption.

Since I had no siblings (basic requirement for nieces and nephews), I never became a "legitimate" auntie.

So I became the "auntie by choice" to the children of friends and coworkers, and the young equestrians with whom I shared a passion for horses.

It is nice to at last receive some recognition in addition to the affection and friendship of my "adopted" nieces and nephews.

Sunday Stills: Doors and Doorknobs

2011-05-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

No doorknobs. Just doors from the old barn aisle.

The facility was originally a Trakehner breeding barn. It is now an all-breed boarding stable focusing on eventing and dressage, or just plain enjoying our horses.

The antler logo is the official brand for registered Trakehners, a warmblood breed originating in Germany.

To see how others met this week's photo challenge, visit Sunday Stills.

Naughty Phantom

2011-05-04T15:08:00.001-07:00

Must be spring fever. Phantom hasn't been this naughty about being caught in a long time.

I took my camera to the barn to capture pictures of the "naked horses." After the third wettest April on record...we finally have a dry, warm day. Obviously Phantom was enjoying the sunshine and turnout sheet removal. Too much.

Fortunately, other boarders gave Trainer Julie a heads up and she rescued me. Naturally, Phantom waited politely for Julie and allowed her to walk right up to him.

*sigh*

"The evil that men do lives after them...."

2011-05-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

Good riddance.

Problem is, Osama bin Laden wasn't the first.

And he won't be the last.

Sunday Stills: Rust

2011-04-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

Rust? In western Oregon? Piece of cake.

The following photos are a study of the iron fireplace grate that made it as far as our front porch (it weighs a ton). It originally came from my grandfather's home (if I have that correct). Our house has a gas fireplace and therefore can't provide a home for the grate. But I think it's acquired an interesting patina during its sojourn on the porch.

To see more renditions of rust, visit Sunday Stills.

Almost Graduate

2011-04-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

My friend Emily will be graduating from college in May with a BA in Art. Today was Senior Project Day. Classes were cancelled for the day so students and family could attend presentations on year-long projects by the Class of 2011. Emily and the other art majors not only made PowerPoint presentations but also had a gallery showing of select works.

True to her nature, Emily's project not only fulfilled an artistic goal but also benefitted a charitable organization. Water Water Everywhere is her study of water in all its forms. Proceeds from the sale of her 2011-2012 calendar and her photos on display in the gallery will go to Charity Water.

To see more of Emily's work visit Shared Glory, her photography blog. More information about Water Water Everywhere - A Senior Project can be found on Facebook.

Sunday Stills: Wildflowers and Flowers

2011-04-23T16:28:00.001-07:00

Took my little Kodak digital to the barn and captured these:

I kind of like the texture of the mossy concrete in the second one.

Visit Sunday Stills for more floral arrangements!

Book Club: "Someone Knows My Name"

2011-04-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

Lawrence Hill's novel Someone Knows My Name was inspired by "The Book of Negroes," an actual accounting of African slaves granted freedom for assisting the British during the American Revolutionary War. Hill creates the fictional Aminata Diallo who narrates the novel and, through her personal story, relates the experiences of many Africans kidnapped and sold into slavery.

My initial reaction to the book was how plainly and simply it was written after the rich descriptions of Rebecca. However, it is written in Meena's voice and thus entirely appropriate.

The narrative jumps back and forth from 1803 London to various stages of Meena's life during the latter half of the 18th century. In 1745 Meena resides in the village of Bayo with her parents (an inter-tribal marriage). Her father is Muslim, has a copy of the Koran, and can read and write in Arabic. At Meena's insistance, he teaches her to read and write in Arabic even though she is only a girl. It is a period of fear -- since people are disappearing from Bayo and other villages. Even hunters and fishermen travel in groups for safety. Meena is one of the unfortunate ones who is taken by slavers and marched to the coast where she embarks on the Middle Passage to America.

As can be expected, the treatment of Meena and her fellow slaves throughout the book is hard to read. The cruelty of humans never ceases to amaze. But, even though Meena has little control of her life once she is captured, her special abilities open up unique opportunities. She knows more than one tribal language, she can read and write, she is a midwife (a skill learned from her mother), and she is a quick learner. Meena's life journey takes her from Africa to South Carolina, New York, Nova Scotia, Sierra Leone, and finally, London.

We began our discussion of the book with how much we learned. We had been unfamiliar with "The Book of Negroes" and the freed slaves granted land in Nova Scotia by the British. We learned details of the slave trade, the process of making indigo dye, and that some slaves were Muslims.

We talked about slavery itself, a practice as old as human beings. But the commercial and economic aspects of the African slave trade was amazing. Entire industries and the wealth of nations was dependent upon slave labor. This, in turn, brought us to the mind set that allows one group to dehumanize another.

Although we would all like to think we are above such actions, we considered "group think" and how perfectly civilized people can become mean spirited and cruel over a controversial issue. A disagreement over school funding can devolve into death threats between people who used to cooperate in sports team fundraisers.

And interspersed with the socially-accepted cruelties are the individual acts. Meena's story includes inhumane treatment to unexpected kindness as well as surprising betrayals. In the end, she becomes a respected spokesperson for the London abolitionists. Yet even then we sensed she was patronized and used.

Someone Knows My Name takes the reader on an incredible journey and on completing the novel it's amazing to realize where Hill has gone with the story.

The significance of the title, we believe, is one's individual identity. Our names reflect our family connection, which in turn tie us to place and time. Throughout the novel Meena recites the African names of those she meets and of those she's lost contact with. Names humanize the individual. Using a slave's given name rebels against the arbitrary name assigned by the trader or owner. Hill gives the fictional Meena the job of recording the names of the freed slaves in the "Book of Negroes" as they are given passage on British ships to Nova Scotia. She preserves the African names as often as possible.

The slaves that assisted the British during the Revolutionary War were granted freedom, yet Hill reveals it was an empty promise. In Nova Scotia the Africans were forced to live in shanty towns because they had no means to acquire homes and farmland. They were eventually scapegoated when times turned bad and victimized by mobs that attacked their communities. Many of the former slaves leapt at the opportunity to leave Canada to return to Africa where they were again promised freedom. However, in Sierra Leone they discovered their patrons had not secured an agreement with the local tribal chief. As a result, Meena and the others could not move beyond the coastal settlement to establish farms. They became dependent upon the British company that relocated them for their food and supplies. And while they struggled to survive in Sierra Leone they witnessed the slave traders continuing their abhorrent practice.

In London, it was Meena's job to describe the reality of slavery in support of the abolitionist movement. Even here she struggled for the freedom to tell her story in her way. Many thought the reported cruelties of slavery were exaggerated -- until Meena displayed her slave brand. Her patrons repeatedly attempted to "guide" Meena's writing, but she stubbornly kept true to her story. Much to her dismay, the goal of the abolitionists was to end the slave trade, not slavery itself. They acknowledged it was politically and economically impossible at that time to eliminate slavery despite their desire to do so. But Meena took pride in her pivotal role to preserve the names of slaves and the truth of slavery.

We couldn't exactly say we "enjoyed" the book, given the subject matter and inhumane situations depicted. But we were glad we read the novel that challenged the stereotypes of slavery. One of our members wonderfully summed up the novel as a metaphor for Africa and her stolen children.

Our next read: We are venturing into science fiction. I suggested four books that I thought our group might enjoy and we settled on To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie Willis. We thought the time travel novel, reportedly very humorous, would make a good change of pace after the serious subject matter of our last read.

Sunday Stills: Favorite Recipe or Restaurant

2011-04-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

This challenge was more difficult than one would imagine. We don't like to cook. We don't like to clean up after cooking even more than we dislike cooking. When I'm hungry, I want to eat. Not cook.

So here is our favorite recipe (Photoshopped to protect the innocent):

We add a salad and veggies or fruit to our nuked dinner. When finished, the dinner "plates" are forwarded to the dog who slicks them up before they go into the recycle bin.

Since we're living on modest retirement benefits, we go out to eat once every 2-3 months. We generally go to the local Shari's. However, one of our favorite places to eat is Wanker's Corner -- a kitschy pub that originated in the Stafford Triangle but relocated to Wilsonville. Since we are experiencing the juiciest spring (WET) in many years, it's not conducive to taking the camera outside. So I've taken the liberty of posting a photo from the restaurant web site.

Yes...those are peanut shells on the floor. Not only allowed but encouraged by the management. As is walking away with the humorous menu printed newspaper style. The decor is a smash-up of Down Under/Beach Boys/Grandpa's attic. The food is good and generous in proportion. So the next time you're traveling I-5 in Oregon, take a detour at Wilsonville for a Foster's and good grub.

Visit Sunday Stills to see how other folks indulge!

G'day, Mate!

Sunday Stills: Four Points

2011-04-09T11:30:00.001-07:00

This week's challenge refers to the four points of the compass: north, south, east, and west. Participants were instructed to point the camera away from the primary subject toward the "four points."

Yesterday was our first full day of sunshine in -- well, seemingly forever. So I took my camera with me. On the way home from the barn Indy and I stopped at one of his favorite parks to capture photos of one of my favorite public sculptures.

As part of Wilsonville's public art program, the following sculpture is on display at Town Center Park near the Chamber of Commerce's Visitor Center:

The sculpture is life-size and ties in beautifully with the Chamber's Oregon Horse Country campaign to promote equine-tourism in the area. Here is my "PhotoShopped" view:

Using my primary subject as reference, here are the four points of the compass....

North:

North from the other side of the Visitor Center:

South:

East:

West:

To see the view from other compass points, visit Sunday Stills.

Visit the Team Northwest web site for the summer show schedule at Hunter Creek Farm, host of The Country Classic.

The "Oxford Comma?"

2011-04-07T10:00:00.001-07:00

I made a brief visit today to Kidlit.com where I encountered the latest blog post about the "Oxford Comma."

I didn't know it had a name.

Kidlit describes it as:

It’s that last comma before the last “and” (or sometimes “or” or “nor”) in a sentence with a list of three or more items. This is a smartypants comma, as it’s also sometimes called the Harvard comma (or the serial comma).

It seems that in the deep, dark recesses of my Baby Boomer education we were taught that this final comma was required. So I obediently inserted it.

Decades later someone somewhere decided that this final comma was optional. The science-based state agency where I was employed thought this was a good idea.

I obstinately demurred and inserted the "Oxford comma" whenever and wherever I could get away with it.

Admittedly, this was a form of rebellion. I am an English major. I took several composition courses in college and studied well-written fiction. After college I enrolled in fiction writing courses and I continued to read extensively. My scientist coworkers ended their education in writing with the freshman English Composition class that was required for their BS degree. Those who went on to a graduate degree were taught to write their research papers in the passive voice (while fiction/nonfiction writers have the active voice drummed into us). Needless to say, it greatly rankled me when these folks offered writing advice (although I tried to be professional and make appropriate edits).

I believed the "Oxford comma" added clarification and alleviated confusion. During much of my career as a public employee I worked with state statutes and administrative rules. Whether drafting rules or interpreting statute -- grammar proved to play a significant role in the application of the law. If you venture into the comments made on the Kidlit blog you will find an attorney's take on the significance of the "Oxford comma."

Anyway -- I am proud to use the "smarty pants comma." It didn't ring true to me at the time when I was told it was more "modern" to drop the last comma. Today I feel vindicated. And in good company. :-)

Top Websites for Writers

2011-04-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Writer's Digest just released its annual list of top 101 web sites for writers. Larry Brooks' StoryFix made the cut this year.

This is a fun list to explore. Some of the web sites seem obvious, like those for national writing organizations. But there's always a gem or two lurking on the list. You never know which one will provide just what you need.

By the way, for folks just getting started with their writing, Writer's Digest magazine is a good resource. WD also publishes numerous "how to" books on writing. There are other great magazines available for writers, but with a limited budget, this is the one I settled on. It does a good job of covering most writing interests over the year in addition to the columns that appear in each issue. I get a kick out of the new products for writers.

What Puts the Snort in the Horse?

2011-04-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a c****y wet day here in the valley. I've been playing the rotating turnout sheet game trying to second guess the weather as we transition into spring. I love Phantom's "onesie" which covers him from ears to tail, but when the temperature pushes 60 degrees it becomes a bit warm. So I switch him to an older turnout sheet that leaks at the shoulder and is losing its waterproofing status. And of course, the weather chooses not to play along. So yesterday I brought in a dampish gray horse following a fairly dry weekend.

Activity at the barn is difficult to predict at TF. Yesterday turned out to be one of those days when the boarders seemed to show up one at a time. Sally was leaving as I arrived, which meant it was just me and the barn crew (Juan and Filberto). I tacked up my damp horse, took him into the longe area, and my quiet little gray guy turned into a snorting trot master.

Was it the rain? Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, my little Arab should be used to it after 16 years. The barometric pressure? Those storms barreling in from the Pacific Ocean sometimes pack a wallop. Sunspots? Not that we've seen much of the sun for over a month now. The alignment of the planets? Looks like I'd better buy a horoscope for Phantom's sign.

Whatever causes the snort, it calls for an extended period on the longe line. And no napping in the saddle, since the "horse eaters" can appear in the arena at any point during the ride -- generally after Phantom has begun to relax and lulled me into a sense of accomplishment. Darned if I can see the "horse eaters," but they're there. Ask Phantom.

After eventually getting bendy circles and serpentines I say "mission accomplished." Phantom has managed to dry out a little -- all the better to shed all over me. And I again switch turnouts before returning him to the Big Boy pasture.

Who knows which horse I'll have for my next ride? Generally the pre-ride longe session reveals energy-conservation Phantom or snorty Phantom. But I wonder if tarot cards....

Missing shoe update: Juan found the shoe in the arena and placed it on the front of Phantom's stall. Brian the farrier was able to replace it the Monday following it's Friday disappearance. Needless to say, Juan and Brian are my heroes.

Sunday Stills: Our Cameras

2011-04-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

My "good" camera: Canon PowerShot SX10IS:

This is my horse show and "artsy" camera. I'm still learning the basics, so this camera will do for some time.

Kodak EasyShare 360:

This was my first digital camera that didn't get much use until I acquired a decent computer. I take this camera to the barn and other places where it might be exposed to horse slobber or worse.

Film cameras past:

The Canon Stylus is mine, the other camera is my mother's. It uses the skinny film cassettes.

This was my first "real" camera:

Since camera and original box are still intact I will bequeath this to Emily, who really does know how to use a camera.

So see the cameras and equipment used by the Sunday Stills gang, visit Ed's blog.

Sketches

2011-03-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the sketches from the blue sketch pad that appeared in my Sunday Stills contribution.

This Norwegian fjord horse was drawn from a calendar photo, as are many of my drawings:

This classic turnout was taken from a photo of the Royal Windsor horse show:

This sketch was done as a gift from the owner's husband. Both were pleased with the result which, in turn, pleased me.

This is one of my favorites, drawn from the cover of the Dover Saddlery catalogue.

Sunday Stills: The Color Blue

2011-03-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Had my camera on my desk from a previous download, so I prowled the loft for blue items. Not too difficult, since the color scheme is inspired by the Black Watch plaid.

This is my favorite. A navy blue basket:

I like the reflective surfaces in this one:

And the sketch pad, ready for inspiration:

To see more patches of blue, visit Sunday Stills.

Lost

2011-03-25T15:29:00.001-07:00

I don't know how a thrown shoe can become so totally and completely lost in the arena footing, but Phantom's left front is hiding somewhere in the tanbark.

We did a walk-and-talk with Gen and Zorro as our warm up. Zorro, clever man, has an infected cut just above his coronet band. He's on the mend and the initial swelling is down. The vet prescribed antibiotics and recommended stall rest and walking (hand or ridden) so Gen hopped on bareback today for a stroll.

Sidebar: Do vets get their yucks by recommending hand walking a stall-bound horse? "Stall rest (snigger, snigger) for your horse accustomed to daily turnout and hand walking (guffaw) once a day."

After Gen and Zorro's departure from the arena, Phantom and I went to work. For a change, we shared the arena with three other boarders. It was nice to have company and the activity to divert Phantom's attention from the open end gate (tractor access) that is always closed. Took awhile to get bits of round trot, and his left lead canter was a challenge since I'm again weighted to the right side of the saddle. But we handled the distractions for a decent ride. It wasn't until I dismounted and headed back to Phantom's stall that I noticed he had a "flat."

And of course, this was just minutes after the shoer had packed up and left for his next appointment.

I recalled that Phantom had tripped pretty good at one point during my ride, which made me wonder if that's when he caught the shoe. Whatever he did, he removed it cleanly. He just had a trim and reset on Tuesday, so his bare foot doesn't even look like there had been a shoe on it. *sigh*

So after I turned out Phantom I went on a search and rescue mission in the arena. I started in the vicinity where I recalled the trip. I dragged my feet, kicked tanbark, you name it. Not a glimmer of metal. I expanded my search but found nothing. The single aught shoe apparently had gone to ground.

I gave the barn crew a heads up to keep an eye out for a shoe during their arena maintenance chores. The shoer will be back out on Monday so he will remedy the situation then.

But I'm still shaking my head in wonder that a thrown shoe can disappear so quickly. Imagine the surprise of the individual living in the parallel universe where Phantom's shoe appeared suddenly out of thin air!

Book Club Discussion: "Rebecca"

2011-03-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Regrettably, two of our members could not attend our session last week and I was a little late, but we managed to have a good discussion about a book that turned out to be a favorite. Two of us had read Rebecca decades ago, and one of our members was still in the middle of the novel, but there was much to admire about the Du Maurier work.

We considered Rebecca to be an intriguing and unusual book. The title character is deceased and never appears in the novel. The narrator remains unnamed. And Manderley, the de Winter family manse, is a major character in the story.

We agreed that it was based on the tradition of gothic novels -- that is, a naive young woman lacking family connections finds herself in an isolated and darkly mysterious location with a handsome, worldly, tormented man.

We also saw elements of a coming-of-age novel. The narrator, the young and inexperienced second Mrs. de Winter, is very much a girl when she first meets Maxim but the events of the book age her quickly. We found her fanciful thoughts and imagined conversations to be realistic for a young woman of 20. She, like most young people entering adulthood, was desperately trying to find her place in the world and defining herself by her surroundings. She believed she needed to meet the standards established by the sophisticated first Mrs. de Winter and found herself failing miserably.

Although we readily identified with the young narrator via our younger selves (two of us read it while in high school), from our more "seasoned" perspectives we were a bit impatient with the young Mrs. de Winter. "Com'on! Get some backbone!" I have already expressed my irritation with Maxim for leaving his bride to sink or swim on her own as mistress of Manderley. Other members of the club found him disrespectful, treating his wife like a child.

Which brought us to the issue of "unreliable narrator." The second Mrs. de Winter's lack of self-confidence and esteem colored her view of events. All that the reader knows of the other characters and settings is filtered through the young bride. She calls herself plain, yet other characters call her pretty. She is intimidated by the servants and household routines established by Rebecca. Did Maxim really stroke her head like he petted their dog, Jasper?

We pretty much agreed that this was the best written novel we've read thus far. The descriptive passages evoked all five senses. Du Maurier was masterful in her use of the weather to foreshadow events. Likewise, her descriptions of Manderley created lovely images of its exterior and the estate while the interior was portrayed with more ominous and unsettled terms. Du Maurier creates a full-fledged character arc where the narrator is little more than a child when she first meets Maxim but matures to support him later in the novel when the situation turns grim.

Still, there was room for the reader to apply his or her imagination. Just what exactly did Rebecca say and do that made Maxim despise her? Dialogue by Mrs. Danvers and Jack Favell gives us an idea of Rebecca's personality. Maxim wasn't angered so much by Rebecca's infidelities as he was the manner with which she hurt others for her own amusement. Du Maurier leaves it to the reader to fill in the blanks regarding Rebecca's true personality. And what exactly happened to Mrs. Danvers? We know she packed her things and had her bags picked up -- but then what? Was she destroyed with Manderley, as Hitchcock chose to portray? Or...?

We concluded our discussion with the passage in which Maxim de Winter discussed his love for Manderley: "I thought about Manderley too much. I put Manderley first, before anything else. And it does not prosper, that sort of love. They don't preach about it in the churches. Christ said nothing about stones, and bricks, and walls, the love that a man can bear for his plot of earth, his soil, his little kingdom. It does not come into the Christian creed." Maxim had been willing to suffer a loveless marriage and put on a pretext of the perfect relationship for the benefit of Manderley. It was Rebecca's impeccable taste that turned Manderley into a showplace. It was Rebecca's parties at Manderley that people spoke of for years afterward. Maxim's sacrifices for the estate reminded us of Scarlet O'Hara's love for Tara. Both books were published about the same time (1938) as were the movies. We wondered if the Depression highlighted a reverence for land? Holding on to it for all one was worth.

* * *

Our next book for discussion will be Lawrence Hill's Someone Knows My Name. Fortunately, March is a long month which gives us an extra week to read this longer novel.

I've been tapped to select a science fiction novel for our May meeting. This is tricky, since none of our members (to my knowledge) have ever read SF/F. So -- nothing too geeky. I've narrowed it down to Ender's Game, Dragonflight (first book of Dragronriders of Pern), To Say Nothing of the Dog, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Darwin's Radio. I may change my mind before our April meeting when we select the next read for our May discussion.

Sunday Stills: Canine Companions

2011-03-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

This past week was on the stressful side, so I thought I'd have to go to the archives for this challenge. However, I did manage to take a couple of mediocre pictures. So on the way to the loft where my computer resides, I snapped a couple more of Indy on the landing.

Gosh and begorra (I didn't do much celebrating on Thursday, so I'm making up for it) -- the spur of the moment photos weren't too bad.

Well, this one is a little fuzzy:

But then, Indy is pretty fluffy himself.

However, this one turned out pretty good for a brief stop on the stairs:

To see more lovable pooches, visit Sunday Stills.

On Reading "Rebecca" Again

2011-03-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

I'll post the book club comments following our Wednesday meeting, but just a note with my thoughts on rereading Rebecca.

I first read the book in 1967. I so identified with the shy, awkward narrator at that time. Since then I've seen the movie several times on television, which follows the book fairly closely.

This time around I knew the story twist ahead of time and could appreciate Du Maurier's set up and foreshadowing. Her writing is much more dense than is currently popular. Nowadays folks want to speed through novels, but Manderley is a character itself so descriptions of the manse and its grounds are critical to establishing the story atmosphere.

The story is narrated by the unnamed second Mrs. de Winter who is 20-some years younger than her husband and inexperienced with the lifestyle into which she married. Using this POV character was genius. Her interpretation of people and events establishes the reader's expectations of the story's direction. And the story doesn't exactly go where expected.

It's also interesting to view the narrator from a more "advanced" age. When I first read the story I could empathize with the naive bride who was cowed by the servants and awed by Manderley. From my current viewpoint, I was irritated with Maxim de Winter who left his new wife to sink or swim as the mistress of an historic manse. And perhaps a wee bit exasperated by the young woman who crumbled so easily.

Taking a second look at Mrs. Danvers revealed why she also wreaks havoc in Jasper Fforde's Tuesday Next series.

This time around I could not read Rebecca without envisioning the actors from Hitchcock's movie version of the novel. The casting was perfection. George Sanders has never been more oily. Dame Judith Anderson could give one nightmares. Olivier was appropriately handsome yet moody. Joan Fontaine conveyed so much of the narrator's self doubts through her expression and posture. There was a remake with Charles Dance as Maxim de Winter -- but I think the Hitchcock version nailed it.

Anyway -- it will be interesting to see what the other book club members think of Rebecca.

The "Snowflake Method" Part Two

2011-03-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

I discovered Randy Ingermanson's writing blog and his novel development process dubbed "The Snowflake Method" by way of Larry Brooks' Storyfix blog. I've attended Brooks' "Core Competency" and "Story Structure" workshops at the Willamette Writers Conference and found them to be lifesavers. Ingermanson's Snowflake Method melds well with Brooks' guidelines. So I attempted to apply them in the creation of a new story (instead of trying to salvage an existing draft).

Now, Ingermanson's blog gives a good summary of the Snowflake Method, but when I learned he had co-authored Writing Fiction for Dummies, I made a beeline for the nearest book store.

Ingermanson, like Brooks, is not a my-way-or-the-highway type. Both take into account that some people require a detailed outline before writing, while others need only a blank screen (or piece of paper). But Writing Fiction for Dummies is a book-length expansion of his novel development process that includes a chapter devoted to the ten steps of the Snowflake Method.

I've read numerous books and attended many workshops. I've applied bits and pieces of all in drafting my novels. The results have been mixed.

So this time, in developing The Curse of the Blood Stone, I stuck with Ingermanson's Snowflake Method (underpinned by Brooks' story structure guidelines). I breezed through some steps and struggled with others. I let the story percolate on the back burner when blocked, and scribbled like crazy after the solution came to me.

Bottom line: it works!

I just completed Step 8, the Scene List. I have 101 scenes! A beginning, middle, and end.

Step 9 is analyze the scenes. That is, determine the type of scene, the point-of-view character for each scene, scene setting, decide if it's a proactive or reactive scene, etc. Ingermanson suggests using a spreadsheet to create the scene list, but since I have considerable experience with MS Word and very little with Excel or other spreadsheets, I went with a Word table. The spreadsheet/table will allow me to easily add a column of detail and rearrange the order of the scenes. So I'll print out my scene list and jot my notes, make the necessary changes, print out the revised scene list -- and start writing!

For anyone getting started in the fiction process, I highly recommend Larry Brooks' books:

With the aid of the above three books, a newbie can develop the seed of an idea into a real story, and develop that story on a structure that has all the right scenes in all the right places.

By the way, I don't get a kickback from Ingermanson or Brooks. But if I ever get published I owe them an acknowledgment. ;-)

Sunday Stills: Favorite Place

2011-03-05T16:46:00.001-08:00

Bottom line, at the end of the day, this is where I settle to watch television and read or grumble through a crossword puzzle.

This is my mother's burgundy-leather loveseat. I have so many writing supplies and magazines piled on one half that there is barely enough room for me to squeeze into the remaining half. This house is far larger than the tiny home where I grew up, but we still manage to cover every flat surface.

I generally rest my feet on a cushioned footstool (since I'm vertically challenged and can't sit comfortably with my feet on the floor). Indy usually snoozes on the floor between the sofa and footstool -- making sure that I can't make a move without him knowing about it. My mother spends the evening in her forest green-leather Mission-style rocker where she reads the newspaper.

Other favorite places include the barn (of course):

And my computer desk:

To see more favorite places, visit Sunday Stills.

Right Place at the Right Time

2011-03-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

When Indy has to go, Indy has to go. Rain or shine we head out for his "business trips." Generally I head over to the adjacent neighborhood in the mornings, and in the afternoon we often go to the nearby city park.

Yesterday afternoon we darted out between rain storms for a quick spin around the park. As we were heading home I noticed an odd object in the street. It was near the curb in the bicycle lane. I almost walked on by, but something made we wait for two cars to pass so I could take a closer look.

Imagine my surprise to find a soaked check that had fallen out of the damp wallet that still contained cash and credit cards. I collected both and as soon as I got home I began the online search for the owner.

My initial Facebook search was a bust, but subsequent information provided a variation of her name and -- bingo! We made contact and I was able to place the wallet in her hands this morning. Turns out the owner works nearby and suspects she drove off with the wallet on the roof of her car.

I can only hope that someone would do the same for me in similar circumstances. Sadly, that's not often the case. I shake my head when the news media airs a feel-good story about a good citizen. Decent behavior shouldn't be news - it should be commonplace.

Any way, I'm so glad that I came upon the wallet before it had been ransacked and that I located the rightful owner before she had to cancel all her credit cards.

Many thanks to Indy for demanding his walk at the right time.

Ish!

2011-02-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

Windy and wet! Bad enough that the horses are being kept inside at both my current and past boarding stables. So nasty that Indy stopped dead on the front porch with legs crossed he had to go so badly. So icky my cold, wet fingers could barely unlock the front door when we returned home after Indy's "business trip."

Welcome back, Oregon.