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Deep in the Heart of Texas

Posted in Favorite Places, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing, tagged , , , , , on April 15, 2012| 9 Comments »

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by.  How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment?  For the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone.  That is where the writer scores over his fellows:  he catches the changes of his mind on the hop.  ~Vita Sackville-West

Among My Writing Soul Mates 

So many things I want to tell my writer friends out there about the tremendous amount of energy and good advice going on at the Story Circle Network’s Stories from the Heart Conference being held in Austin this weekend.

Austin skyline from Lady Bird Lake -- Wikipedia photo

Much of what I’ve learned, however, still needs to be digested, and practiced, before I feel I can write about it.

But Gail Straub’s keynote Friday night  presentation “My Mythic Memoir Journey,”  had a secondary significance for me. She spoke about her memoir, “Returning to My Mother’s House,” which is about her relationship with her mother.

 Sitting next to me was my own daughter, Deborah. Gail hit a few familiar notes with her talk and it seemed as if I weren’t  nudging my daughter, she was nudging me. 

University of Texas fountain, a familiar sight to Austin residents. -- Wikipedia photo

Gail’s talk was full of interesting insights, and came at a time when my daughter and I could both recognize them — and most importantly laugh about them.

The best thing about the conference for me is being in the midst of a circle of supportive female writers. It’s not that any of us, well among the many circle members I know, have anything against men. It’s just that our voices are different and it’s nice to be among people who understand female quirks, and the difficulty women often have in finding their voices.

I can say with 100 percent accuracy that this writing circle is the most supportive group I’ve ever encountered in my years on this planet. I can’t think of any place I would rather be this weekend than right where I am — deep in the heart of Texas with writing soul mates.

Bean’s Pat: Darla Writes  http://tomurl.com/77xu6pf  13 Tips From Writers. It seems only fair that today I should give a thumbs up to a blogger who writes about writing,

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Playing Hooky From the Writing Conference

Posted in Favorite Places, Nature, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing, tagged , , , , , on April 14, 2012| 10 Comments »

“The earth laughs in flowers.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Wright's skullcap -- Photo not by me (remember I left my camera in the hotel room), and I'm not sure who the photographer was.

A delayed plane and a missed flight put me into Austin after 10 p.m. yesterday. It meant I missed meeting with a couple of old friends here in town, like me, to attend the Story Circle Network’s Stories from the Heart Conference.

Instead I treated myself to a nice strong Jack and Coke at the hotel bar, while I waited for my oldest daughter, Deborah, who is attending the conference, too  to arrive on an even later flight. I woke up this morning, thinking it was 6 a.m., only to discover it was 8 a.m., seeing as how I was in Austin instead of Tucson, where it was 6 a.m.

After taking care of a bit of business for the conference, four of us writing buddies, took off for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. When we arrived, I realized I had left my camera back in the hotel room, which was a darn shame because there were plenty of beautiful flowers to photograph.

My favorite was the Wright’s skullcap, whose blossoms reminded me of Darth Vader.

And that’s all I have to say today. While it’s just after 9 p.m. in Austin, it’s after 11 p.m. in Tucson and my body remembers and is telling the brain it’s time to go to bed. I think I will sleep well tonight, even without a Jack and Coke.

Bean’s Pat: Portraits of Wildflowers  http://tinyurl.com8ywkbd5  Standing winecups. Steve Schartzman’s blog is why I could identify many of today’s plants at the wildflower center.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey

Posted in Favorite Places, Journeys, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing, tagged , , , , , on April 7, 2012| 3 Comments »

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.” Don Williams 

Oregon’s Highway 395

My kind of journey is one in which I travel slowly and has many twists and turns and surprises around every curve in the road. -- Photo by Pat Bean

Sunshine Blogger Award

Just Words   kzackuslheureux. wordpress.com  awarded me a Sunshine Blogger Award. It’s always nice to think that I’ve brought sunshine into someone’s day, so thank you very much. I’m using my Bean’s Pat to pay back the honor on a daily basis.

Bean’s Pat: Write to Done http://tinyurl.com/89wxokt  One’s writing is something that can always be improved, and this is a great blog to help you do just that. It’s also a new way to look at your “quirky” family. 

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged

Posted in Favorite Hikes, Nature, Travel, Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Challenge, tagged , , , , , , , on April 1, 2012| 2 Comments »

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir

Balanced Rock, Arches National Park, Utah 

Mother Nature's arrangement of rocks was used in the opening scenes of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." -- Photo by Pat Bean

Bean’s Pat: Ummm, really? http://tinyurl.com/6t3vgps Start your day with a song.

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Books: The Rain Wild Chronicles

Posted in Books, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on March 31, 2012| 4 Comments »

“The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” – Dr. Seuss

Don’t Do That To Me Robin

Look what you did to me Robin. My hair might not last until the fourth Rain Wilds book is published. -- Art by Pat Bean

I’m a big fan of fantasy books, but particular about which ones I read. Actually I’m that way about all the books I read, which includes just about all genres except horror, or books where the dark side dominates the pages.

Along with wanting a good plot that keeps me turning the page, a book’s characters must have both strengths and failings and grow in depth as the story progresses.

Without a character with whom I can connect, a book gets tossed aside at my self-imposed 50-page benchmark — or at the end of the first free chapter that Amazon provides Kindle users.

Poor writing, naturally, will turn me off much sooner.

I have many mystery authors that I follow but far fewer fantasy authors. That’s because an abundance of them seem not to measure up to my 50-page limit. This means when I find an author I enjoy, I usually read everything they write, and eagerly await their new offerings.

I took this photo today at the Sonora Desert Museum in an area that talked about prehistoric Arizona. It's only connection to this blog is that it reminded me of the kind of creatures on finds in fantasy books. -- Photo by Pat Bean

George Martin, whose series, “Game of Thrones,” I started reading when it first came out, taught me a lesson, however. His lengthy sabbatical between books convinced me to wait until a series was completed before beginning it.

With this in mind, it was with great delight that a few years ago I came across the work of Robin Hobb. I read her first book, “Assassin’s Apprentice,” in the Farseer Trilogy and was deeply hooked. In rapid succession, I absorbed the other two books in the trilogy and then continued n with her Liveship, Tawny Man and Soldier Son trilogies.

Soldier Son was weird, but even that I couldn’t put down. Of the other three trilogies, I would be hard-pressed to name a favorite as I loved each and every one of them.

At the time I discovered her, Hobb was still writing her Rain Wilds Chronicles. I patiently waited until the trilogy was finished before I began reading them. Last night, I finished the third in the series, only to be left hanging.

Unbeknownst to me, this series has a fourth book, which isn’t out yet.

AAAAccccchhhhh!!!!

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Favorite Places: Hannibal, Missouri

Posted in Favorite Places, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 14, 2012| 6 Comments »

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ” — Mark Twain

Tom and Huck’s Cardiff Hill

Mark Twain put Hannibal on the map, and the city is now using the places where Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn played and roamed to entice people to the tourist town. You can take a ride on a paddle boat, tour the dark corners of the cave Tom and Becky got lost in, visit his home and walk up 253 steps to get to the top of Cardiff Hill. I did them all, simply because. -- Photo by Pat Bean

I climbed the steps and then discovered the road that most others took to the top. I think I would have taken those steps even if I knew the road existed, however. That’s just who I am.

Bean’s Pat: Camping With a Canine in Cornwall http://tinyurl.com/726he22 This reminded me of many of my own adventuress when I was a tent camper. .

 

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Royalty Enters My Life

Posted in Journeys, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on March 12, 2012| 31 Comments »

 
Meghan: Beagle, Dog; Houston, TX Enlarge Photo
 
Meghan: Beagle, Dog; Houston, TX Meghan: Beagle, Dog; Houston, TX Meghan: Beagle, Dog; Houston, TX

Meghan

Beagle: An adoptable dog in Houston, TX

Small • Adult • Female
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This sweet little beagle girl looks like a perpetual puppy due to her small size and her cute little mannerisms. She is only 12″ tall and weighs about 17 lbs! She was brought in to a Houston-area shelter as a stray and not claimed. The shelter guessed her age at approx. 5 – 6 years, but it seems she may be younger. She tested heartworm negative, has been updated on vaccines, has had her teeth cleaned, is now spayed, microchipped and dewormed.
 
Meghan is a little princess, and wants to be your lap-doggie. She will install herself on the lap of whomever happens to be sitting down at the time. Her dream would be to sleep in the bed with the humans. She loves humans, and believes her status to be above that of the other dogs in the household. There are no cats in the foster home, but we think she might chase cats if given the opportunity; after all, she is a beagle! Her favorite activity is taking a walk on leash, and she also likes to ride in the car.

At night she will sleep quietly (but reluctantly) in a dog crate at her foster home, ever hopeful of earning a spot on the “big” bed. During the day she is allowed to be loose in the house, as she does not chew things and she gets along with the other dogs. She WILL sometimes bark at noises outside, and makes quite a racket when the humans are either leaving or coming home — for such a little thing, she does have a very loud bark! Therefore she might not be a great fit for an apartment unless the neighbors can be informed that the occasional squeals are from a protesting dog and not a banshee! (grin)

She knows how to use a doggie door, but little princess that she is, she really prefers not to go outside unless accompanied by a human friend. The ideal home for Meghan will be a quiet one where there is not a lot of activity. She would not be comfortable with young children or super active dogs. There might have been some traumatic incidents in her past that led her to worry about her safety, so she worries about being picked up quickly or being bumped by rowdy dogs. She will be a loyal and loving companion to anyone who can give her lots of love and attention. To adopt Meghan or one of our other rescued beagles, please follow the instructions on our website and complete an application to adopt. 

  Princess Meghan

She's got melt-your-heart-chocolate-brown eyes and a regalness about her that prompted me to call her Princess Meghan. -- Photo by Pat Bean

I discovered the above notice on the Internet — and immediately  knew I had found a perfect new companion for my RV travels.

 
It took filling out a  lengthy application, a  120-mile round-trip drive through a Texas-sized rain storm the next day, a sales job to convince the beagle guardians that I would treat an adopted dog humanely, and finally writing a check for $225,   but Meghan is now mine. It was an instant bonding. She crawled up in my lap as I was driving home. 
 
I stopped at the first opportunity, stacked three pillows in the co-pilot seat and put her atop it.  She was happy and alternated between looking out the window, howling at passing semis and snoozing. 
 
She met three big canine cousins without fear, made friends with Pippin (see yesterday’s blog, proving she doesn’t chase cats),  claimed a large comfy chair to snooze in while I played a game of Settlers with my son and his wife, dragged me around for a couple of walks, howled in response to the local hound’s passage,  explored my RV and immediately claimed Maggie’s favorite spots as her own, and finally curled up beside me in my bed for the night.
 
Her actions told me she was no Maggie-Too as I had planned on naming any new dog.  She’s a Princess through and through. 
 
Princess Meghan I shall call her.  Count on hearing a lot more about her in coming days.
 
  Bean’s Pat: Bobby Harrison http://tinyurl.com/869plkp   This is a great blog for bird lovers. Bobby takes great bird photos, and I especially enjoyed these shots of a purple gallinule.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on March 12, 2012| 1 Comment »

 “In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him.” — Dereke Bruce

Pippin atop my daughter-in-law's Escape -- Photo by Pat Bean

This week’s photo challenge to demonstrate contrast naturally had me thinking of color. So this morning when I saw golden-haired Pippin sitting on top of my daughter-in-law’s black Escape, my mind went “AHA!”

I grabbed my camera and went out to take his picture, knowing that this was a cat who would pose for me. He’s that kind of cat.

Rocky sizing up what's under the Christmas tree. -- Photo by Pat Bean

I got his picture, but in the process I stepped on a bed of ants and they retaliated. Thankfully, they weren’t fire ants, but the leg that they crawled up and the hand that brushed them away stung for about half an hour.

And the pain was all for naught. When I looked at the photos, I realized they really didn’t show the contrast I wanted. .

Then I thought of Rocky, a fat, black and white, cat that belongs to my youngest daughter, and the contrasts between the two felines. .

Pippin is an outdoor cat that gets pleasure out of tormenting the neighborhood raccoons. He simply showed up one day at my son’s place and decided it was home.

He got neutered, is fed daily, and has a warm garage in which to sleep at night. But he remains an outdoor cat. Of all the cats in my large family’s menagerie, Pippin is my favorite. While very independent, he’s always ready for human contact and loving from any human who enters his territory.

He considers himself an animal guard cat, however, and any trespassing dogs should beware..

Rocky, on the other hand, was rescued during a Guam typhoon by my daughter and is not allowed outside. He’s picky about whom he cozies up to, preferring my son-in-law’s lap to any other.

His primary playmate is a great Dane, whom he bosses around.

So, for contrast, I offer up Pippin and Rocky.

Bean’s Pat: where’s my toothbrush: Camel Riding in Jaisalmer http://tinyurl.com/7phjrsn A delightful travel blog about a camel adventure in India.

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Favorite Places: Zion National Park

Posted in Favorite Hikes, Favorite Places, Nature, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on February 15, 2012| 5 Comments »

“In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes; so with present time.” Leonardo da Vinci

 

All cares drop away when I hike Zion National Park's Gateway to the Narrows trail, an easy 2-mile out -and-back roundtrip that parallels the Virgin River. -- Photo by Pat Bean

 

“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” Winnie the Pooh.

Bean’s Pat: Philosopher of the Mouse Hedge: http://tinyurl.com/6mfskt4 Belly laughs and smiles. Especially if you click on the Carman Miranda link at the end. Remember her –  and her energy. I smiled all the way through the clip.

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Who’s Youer Than You? No One

Posted in Art, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on February 15, 2012| 13 Comments »

“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.” Frida Kahol

Roots, a strange painting by Frida Kahlo

Frida’s quote explains everything perfectly — at least to all of us who grew up thinking we were strange.

And if  the women I know best are examples, Frida’s feeling about being strange is pretty much a universal thing. It’s too bad that too  many of us let decades go by before we appreciate our own special strangeness.

 

Dr. Seuss' world at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. -- Photo by Pat Bean

We’re too caught up in what others expect, or what other people will think if we do something strange, like hugging a tree or riding roller coasters when we’re 70. Yes, I do both.

I also think men have problems accepting their strangeness. After all “only sissies cry” and “real men don’t eat quiche.”

Why in the dookie have we allowed others to have so much power over us?

Frida used her strangeness to produce mind-bending art. .

Dr. Seuss, whose characters you must admit are a bit strange, embraced it with his unconventional stories and verse. He also understood how difficult it was for the rest of us to accept being different. Why else would he have wrote:

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind … Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

I say we follow Dr. Seuss’ advice.

Bean’s Pat: http://morezennow.wordpress.com This is the blog on which I found Frida’s quote. It’s a blog that makes me think, and I love it when someone does that to me.

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