In Come The Ides of March IWSG

The Ides of March is the Roman calendar date of March 15, 

which is associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE

The term "Ides" comes from the Latin word iduare, which means "to divide

Interesting that Ides comes from Iduare, to divide. 

We are in such a state of flux right now, I find no surprise in this timing.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky

And now on to another subject! I've been "binge reading" a series called "The Guardians of Ga'Hoole. Have any of you read it? There are a few spin offs as well about wolves and such. Meant for children (published by Scholastic) it makes me think of Harry Potter in how it was written for children/youth, but adults loved it too. If you like owls, these are the books for you. The author Kathryn Laske, is a wonderful world builder. She creates such an interesting and full place that sometimes I feel I'm flying right along with the owls. I'm learning as well, from reading all of these novels together. I've only binged with a few other authors. Anne McCaffrey is one, Ray Bradbury another, C.S. Lewis and of course Tolkien. Also C.S. Harris and her St. Cyr Mysteries and our own Alex Cavanaugh's Cassa series. Well... I guess I have binged quite a few! I don't know if I could ever write a series, but maybe one day I'll give it a try.

Now, on to the IWSG portion of this post today! 

The question of the day is "If you could be anyone or anything in the world, what would it be?

There are so many things to be, so many people who inspire, yet, I think I would still choose to be me. "The grass is greener..." analogy works best for my reasoning. Too many unknowns to being something or someone else. I'll just be here and continue learning to love me, warts and all, lol.

Please go by our co-hosts this month and thank them for being who they are!

Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

Now for the necessary photos this month... Photos (large size for the details) in February and the COOOOLLLDDD! These are all in Hocking Hills, The Old Man's Cave section, southeast Ohio.

February 2025 Already IWSG

 

IWSG

Conflict. Every story must have this at some point or no one will read it. This is a truth we all know and have come to live with. This year however, for me, is about more than dealing with conflict in my stories. It is how to deal with conflict in my life, in my country, and in my future. I know some people are happy with where our country is and where it seems to be going. I will admit here and now I am not. I am afraid. I have never felt this way about my country before. I still have hope in humanity and the good in people, however I'm not sure right now that that is enough. I won't say anymore because I'm too emotional about this. All I can do is pray and send as much love and light as I can throughout this country that I love, and the world and hope for the best. I wish you all well...

Please go and visit our co-hosts this month and thank them for being there for all of us.

Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour,  and Tyrean Martinson!

February 5 question - Is there a story or book you've written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

Yes! The one I can't seem to finish right now! Maybe this year when I get home...?

Some photos of our current trip in France. I look at them a lot as they help me remember the good things, and people, in my life...

Co-grandparents! Geoffrey, Bob, Christine and Lisa!

New friends we met in Laguiole, Annie and Jean-Claude from Bozouls!

Looking for a special knife in Laguiole (No! You don't pronounce the g!)

A friend paragliding

Bozouls

Joan of Arc

"Le Trou de Bozouls" The Canyon of Bozouls, very worth visiting

January 2025 IWSG First Post Of The Year, And From France!

IWSG WEBSITE

Bonne Annee as they say here in France, but with an accent on the first "e" in annee. It looks funny without it. Happy New Year, as we say in the States! We've been traveling since December 5th, 2024, so I missed December's post. Can't say I'm sorry because, yes, traveling! I'm sitting in the Pyrenees mountains in a "gite", like an AirBNB and it's quiet and beautiful, serene and a good place to start out the new year. I miss my children, yet know they are doing well and are happy in their lives. I miss wanting to write and have decided to talk to my doctor about some meds I've been taking to see if what I am suspecting is true. Since I started taking them I have no desire to use my imagination. It's disheartening. So, that is what I plan to do after my return to the States. 

Meanwhile, the question for this new month in this new year for the IWSG group is:

Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?

My Dad. I admired him greatly. He was strong, handsome, loved my mom, and seemed a good role model. He was my Dad. As an adult my opinion did change, but not in a cut-and-dried sort of way. He was still my Dad. I loved him greatly and respected his force of character. Yet, as an adult I could also see less positive traits and I became aware of how his anger had played a real part in my growing personality. So, I saw him as a man, a human who had failings as well as strengths. I think perhaps we all go through this with our parent, and also idols along the way in life. People are, after all, perfectly imperfect. 

Please go and visit the websites of our wonderful and brave co-hosts this month and thank them for being here for us all:

Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza @ Middle Passages, and Natalie @ Literary Rambles

To begin this new phase of life, here are a few photos of the trip so far. I hope you enjoy them. Here's to wishing you every good thing this year...

The cathedral in St Bertrand de Comminges 

My husband in the Pyrenees, his heart place.

The Pyrenees...

Engres & Bourdelle Museum in Montauban

A Bourdelle sculpture in the museum 

Us in Toulouse

One of the many light figures at the Village de Noel!

Projected on the side of an historic building

My husband and me

With our friends Titou and Gilles in Perpignan, in the JOB mansion

My favorite meal: Confit de Canard!

On the Mediterranean...

November Is Not Tidy IWSG

IWSG

Co-hosting this month! I love being able to contribute back to this group. By the time you read this the election day voting will be done, but not the election itself. I won't go into all that means because it will be different for all of us. I will leave it to our poet Walt Whitman who wrote this for a very long ago election, because it still holds truth for this newest one...

May peace be with us all.

Please visit and thank our co-hosts this month:

Diedre Knight, Kim Lajevardi, JQ Rose! and me!

The question of this month is: What creative activity do you engage in when not writing?

I garden, crotchet, sometimes knit, build photo albums for family calendars, and photo books for family, reliving trips or special moments... Like these below. Our niece married the love of her life in October. Here are a few photos reliving the amazing experience that came to mean so much not only because we love them so much, but also because it was able to happen in spite of the destruction surrounding us from Helene. 

"First Look" and a private reciting of their vows to each other.

The "fairy-like" atmosphere they (we all!) created.

The weather was perfect and sooo many friends and family came. We were all blessed...

October Has Blown In With A Vengeance IWSG

IWSG

 I didn't know what I was going to write about this month. I waited until the words came, now, and the first word is Helene. This world has so many disasters happening in it right now, that to say this one is so completely horrible and devastating feels almost surreal, not reality. But most of my family, and a LOT of my friends have been hit hard. I am so grateful that so far everyone is alive and doing all right, everything considered. My sister has power again, but no internet. The roads are starting to be cleared so my parents can come down off the mountain they live on, for now, but cousins are stuck, brother and sister in law are stuck, can't get out to get food or water or internet service, and are hoping to be relieved soon...

My issues are so small, except for this. My family. My friends who lived through the devastation are very important, and so their issues have become paramount for me. Please, help in any way you can, donating, sending prayer, sending positive and healing thoughts, whatever you can, please do it. And, not just for this most recent disaster, but for all of the conflicts happening all over our planet. Because we are all human, and eventually, what happens "far" away from us, affects us in one way or another. 

Life lines are a part of healing and rebuilding. IWSG is a life line for a lot of us, keeps us in, even if it's only a toe in the water at times. I am grateful for this medium and all it offers to us. So, on to that part of this post.

October 2 question - Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.

Well, my favorite ghost story is Evangeline's Miracle, my first published novel, so guess I don't need to give the reason why! Please give it a shot if you like ghosts, from the past and present...

And, please go and thank our other amazing co-hosts this month for being there for us!

Kim Lajevardi  http://kimlajevardi.com/  

Diedre Knight  https://pensivepenspost.blogspot.com/ 

J Q Rose  http://www.jqrose.com/ 

An Oregon Coast Sunset September 2024