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Marble Mania

I’ve been a marble maniac as long as I can remember–puries, steelies, cat’s eyes, shooters, those with print on the outside and figures on the inside. Some are as big as paperweights and others are as small as fresh green peas.

I keep them in jars, bowls, purses, pockets, in games like Chinese Checkers, in drawers and under tables. Most have been given to me by friends and family which makes them even more special.

Some are over one hundred years old and made of clay or glass. It’s fun to think about the children who used those so many years ago.

Oh, and one other thing. If I’m feeling stressed out or cranky, just rolling one around in the palm of my hand will calm me down. See if that works for you.

Poetry

Most often when I write a poem, I start with the last line. In this poem I sold to Alphabet Soup (a children’s magazine in Australia), I liked the internal rhyme of “squirms of the earthworms” so I placed that last.

I always make a word bank of possible words and never use all of them and I often look to Rhymzone.com for 2,3,4 and 5 syllable words that have the same end rhyme. Anyway, here’s an example. Give it at try. It’s like solving a puzzle. It can be lots of fun!

Worth of Worms

The next time Mom sees on your palm

swirls of worms,

curls of worms,

don’t be put off

though she may scoff.

Stand firm for the worm!

Sometimes grimy; never slimy.

Won’t win a race;

can’t make a face.

Made of wiggles

and lots of squiggles.

Enjoy the squirms of the earthworms.

Picture of My Family

Simple Second Day Soup

Each year on the day after Thanksgiving, our daughter, Sarah, makes this simply scrumptious soup! Thought you might like to try it and so here’s the recipe.

SIMPLE SECOND DAY SOUP

6 cups homemade turkey stock (recipe follows)
1 cup of five of the following vegetables diced:
• celery
• carrots
• onions
• green beans
• cauliflower
• mushrooms
• Brussels sprouts
• corn
• peas
•
(Use canned vegetables to supplement.)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 can straw mushrooms, drained (available at Asian food markets)
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup dried orzo
Gravy to taste (get a packet)

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sauté your choice of vegetables for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook another 3 minutes.

Add the turkey broth, mashed potatoes, straw mushrooms, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add orzo, cook until tender (about 6-7 minutes) and serve.

Homemade Turkey Stock

8 cups chicken broth
1 turkey carcass, meat on, skin removed
1 onion, sliced (unpeeled)
1 carrot, sliced (unpeeled)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 tablespoon peppercorns
2 teaspoon salt

Put chicken broth, turkey, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and salt in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium/high heat about 2 hours. Strain stock into new pot through paper towel-lined colander. Discard solids.

Conversation

Along with the electric bill and several catalogs for merchandise I never intend to buy were two envelopes I hoped held contracts for manuscripts I’d sent to a favorite editor.

As I read the reasons why these were rejected, I noted that she asked me to give her a call. Give HER a call. And so I did.

We’d met before at conferences and I have to say she’s just the kind of person I’d invite to coffee or to dinner. What I want to say is that she’s real, she’s personable and she’s not the least bit intimidating. So…I think I’ll send something to her again soon.

Web Designer

Did I tell you how wonderful my web designer is? I know you’ve been WOW-ed by the style, professional look, accessibility and more, I thought you’d want to know how to link up with her. Tessa Elwood at andanything.com is a design maven. When I ask “Could’ya? Would’ya? Can’ya? Will’ya?” she always responds, “Sheesh! That’s no problem.” Before you blink, issues are resolved. Say, did I tell you she’s a mighty fine author of YA books as well? That’s a whole other WOW!

Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Marshmallows

Here’s a recipe sweet enough to make any musician hit the high notes. This was one of Mary Lou Williams’ favorites. Why not make it for your Mary Lou Williams party?

INGREDIENTS
3 (15-oz.) cans sweet potatoes, drained
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 large marshmallows

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12×8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place sweet potatoes in sprayed baking dish. Pour margarine over potatoes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and salt. Top with marshmallows.
3. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are thoroughly heated and marshmallows are lightly browned.

Writers as Musicians

Mary Lou Williams liked to say that “Jazz is created in the mind, felt in the heart and heard through the fingertips.” Writers do much the same thing. We play our hearts out on the keyboard.

Off to the ballgame!

Good friends, free tickets and hopefully, a winning hometown team. The weather is fine and my sweetheart will be seated beside me. Does it get better than that?