I Ain't Said Nothin' But A Word...

If anyone had ever told me that I could stand in the midst of a herd of deer, some so close to me that I could reach out and pet them, I would not have believed it. But I did just that thing today and the experience was so surreal that I am still in awe of it. I am not normally a naturalist. I love the outdoors in very controlled doses. Wild creatures, dirt, bugs and things that fly about don’t typically give me any warm and fuzzy feelings. But I like looking at most wild animals from safe distances back and I abhor cruelty of any kind if it’s inflicted upon a defenseless creature with wings, fur, or gills. Today though I met a woman who has taken animal rescue to a whole other level. She lives alone on a two-acre stretch of land. Her back yard has become a sanctuary to some sixty-plus deer of assorted sizes and shapes. She started feeding them back in 1986. Back then there were only three. Their family has grown substantially over the years. They feed twice daily at seven-thirty in th

Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. — Rossiter Worthington Raymond The loss of a loved one is an experience so profound that it is sometimes difficult to find words to express just how debilitating it can feel. When you lose someone near and dear to your heart, you are left with a sense of sadness like no other. I remember well the expanse of emotion that left me feeling as though I was riding on a rollercoaster of complete and total heartache. When my son died two years ago from cancer complications I did not believe that I would ever recover from the loss. But I did. There are still moments when I long to hear him call my name, to spin a joke that only he and I shared, and there are even days when I am filled with rage that his young life was stolen from him so early. But I keep going, finally able to dwell in those memories that made our relationship as magnanimous as it was. Finally able to more r

My very best friend in the whole wide world married the love of her life this weekend and I’m just now getting back from the chapel. I’ve been to one or two incredible weddings before, but this wedding was truly the most spectacular affair that I have ever had the blessing of being a part of. The ceremony and reception were held on the grounds of Brookgreen Gardens which is located between Myrtle Beach and Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. Brookgreen Gardens is described as the floral jewel of South Carolina’s coastal community, and it’s a magnificent non-profit organization committed to preserving the native flora and fauna. Originally, Brookgreen Gardens was four separate plantations. It’s now a nature preserve of some 10,000 acres of land. It was America’s first public sculpture garden and the collection now contains well over 900 works spanning the entire period of American sculpture -- from the early 1800s to the present. This place is absolutely incredible, so much so that I could

WOW! It’s been exactly one year since I started blogging. One whole year of me bellyaching about one thing or another. I said in my first post that I didn’t have a clue where I was going with this and that I imagined it would be one hell of a ride. Well, I’m still riding this roller coaster without a clue where I’m going. I’ve enjoyed the highs and the lows and there have been plenty of both to go around. But I’ve been having fun and for me, right now, that’s all that matters. It wasn’t my intent to impart words of wisdom about writing or life and I truly didn’t give a rat’s behind if folks liked what I had to say or not. I just knew that this would be an opportunity and a medium where I could express myself and enjoy doing it. There have been many comments recently about just how much of one’s personal self a writer should or shouldn’t put out here in Never-Never Land. I personally know that if I put it out here in writing, I’m also talking about it with the cashier at the grocery sto

Did I ever tell you that I was a child from hell? I’m sure I did. I was every parent’s worse nightmare, the torment I put my folks through beginning shortly after my eighth or ninth birthday. I became disagreeable, argumentative, bratty, annoying and just out and out mean-spirited. Those were the good years. Then I hit my teens and all hell broke loose. I became completely and totally out of control. I would not wish a child like I had been on my worst enemy. I was seventeen when I began to change things around. Interestingly, it was marrying too young and raising six children that moved me to reassess my wanton ways and walk the path of the straight and narrow. My babies moved me to be a better person. I was desperate to be a shining example for them to emulate and there was a time that my behavior was a far cry from being what I would want any child to model. My own experiences though gave me much insight into how to raise my kids. I had a keen sense of what to do and more importantl

I’m still under a tight deadline but I needed to come up for some much needed air. I swear I’ve just completely lost my mind recently. I’ve been acting right crazy and loving every minute of it. I stepped right out of my comfort zone and have been doing things I probably have no business doing. But I’ve been having a great time and interestingly enough I’ve felt very safe and secure stepping out of my box. I have a long list of things I want to do in this lifetime before I’m physically or emotionally unable to do them at all. At this point in my reality I’m thinking what the hell. Why waste time that I’m not necessarily guaranteed. Life is short and no one has promised me tomorrow. Waiting serves no purpose whatsoever so I just need to do what I want to do and get it over with. Next on my BIG list is moving to Arizona. I want to move to Phoenix or Tucson. I fell in love with Phoenix years ago while traveling there on a business trip. It was a great trip and I have some incredible mem

I’m acquainted with a couple who appear to have an incredibly amazing relationship. Watching them interact is like being at a ballet. They move in perfect sync with each other, balancing themselves nicely and you can almost see this symphony of violins and flutes playing like some gossamer veil around them. Their perfection appears almost too perfect to be believed but that is all anyone ever sees when they are together, or apart. I jokingly asked her what was their secret, curious to know what it was that made them gel so beautifully together. It was clear that she’d never really given it any thought as she stood pondering my question, searching their history to find the answer. And then she said, “timing”. An interesting discussion followed where she expressed how she thought timing can make or break a relationship. And apparently the duo have been able to keep step with one another more times than not. She felt that saying that right thing at the wrong moment, or being in the wrong

I swear people are talking at me and I’m not hearing a darn thing they have to say. It’s just a whole lot of blah, blah, blah going in one ear and out. I’ve also got major attitude and couldn’t tell you why. But everyone and everything has been annoying the hell out of me. It started with an acquaintance’s idea of constructive criticism about my writing. She’s never written a book but had much to say about how I should be writing mine. When I’m writing I live my characters. I know what moves them and what doesn’t. I understand why they do what they do and why they don’t do what other folks might think they should. I mold and shape them and their story and allow them to control the dynamics of what does and doesn’t happen. So I’m not moved or motivated when someone who hasn’t a clue has the audacity to suggest what should and shouldn’t move the characters I’m writing about. In fact, I tend to get a little abstinent when that happens moving my characters as far from the suggested path as