In Cindy Dyers Own Words

Published: My first series of stamps with the USPS!

28 01 2014

Yesterday, after more than a year in the making, my series of USPS-licensed fern photographs were released as 49 cent stamps in large coil format for business use. Special thanks to art director Phil Jordan for being so great to work with on the series! I’ll be back with more details on how we can POSSIBLY get a smaller amount than the issued 3,000 and 10,000 quantity rolls!

Read more about the stamps here: http://uspsstamps.com/stamps/ferns

Order a first-day-of-issue set within 60 days here:

http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2014/pb22381/html/info_013.htm

Cindy Dyer has been an outstanding volunteer who has helped our nonprofit since 2008. Yes, she bought some milkweed seeds from me on eBay years ago and we have been friends ever since. She brings her professional expertise to create our marketing materials, logos, and even when it comes to publishing books.

We are so proud of her. Congratulations Cindy from the officers and board of Happy Tonics, Inc.

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Winter Barn

I loved the barns at the family farm. I loved to explore within, up in the loft and the first floor too. There were memores here with my great aunts furniture that simply couldn’t be just thrown away. My furniture was stored in the barn too, upstairs and out of the way.

Winter barns have memories. Love to see the light on a winter night. It always shies bright and warm.

Canoe Communications

It’s twilight on a winter night, and a light shines bright on a old red wood barn. An barn is so much more than an agricultural architecture.

A poem written long ago by Charles G. D. Roberts is an eloquent description of the value of a barn.

In an Old Barn

by Sir Charles G. D. Roberts

Tons upon tons the brown-green fragrant hay
O’erbrims the mows beyond the time-warped eaves,
Up to the rafters where the spider weaves,
Though few flies wander his secluded way.
Through a high chink one lonely golden ray,
Wherein the dust is dancing, slants unstirred.
In the dry hush some rustlings light are heard,
Of winter-hidden mice at furtive play.
Far down, the cattle in their shadowed stalls,
Nose-deep in clover fodder’s meadowy scent,
Forget the snows that whelm their pasture streams,
The frost that bites the world beyond their walls.
Warm housed, they…

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If Only

I miss my animal companions. My feral cats became tame and eventually lived lovingly in my home. They had short lives compared to domestic cats, but they had the most unconditional love of all.

Jennifer's Journal

If only people were a little more like us.
 Quiet, serene, affectionate beings…

…who understand the need of one-on-one comfort,
as well as solitude.

We totally understand why you enjoy nature…

…and we love to tag along.

Cats look at you a certain way.

We purr,
give you a nuzzle…

…or a  head bunt,
to show how much we love you.

We don’t act as if we love you, then withhold it…

…and cats don’t care how much money you have.
Your company is what we want the most.

We don’t like it when things come between us…

…and we love you just for being you.

We care when you are hurt…

and we can’t imagine living our lives
without you.
❤

Big thanks to our feline e-friend, Buddy,
for inviting us to guest-post on his blog,

and thank you for visiting!

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First Parish UU Ftchburgm MA

Today was a sample of how one can worship. We celebrated our selves and Creator.

Dave Curry is a master drummer. He came to lead us today in a primal communication with Mother Earth’s Heart Beat. Drums have honored Creation and the Creator for thousands of years by Native Americans and tribal people from around the world.

I brought an Africal hand drum that Sheila Lumi gave me. She knew that eventually I would be able to play it at the Drummers Circle on First Thursdays. Sometimes I make it there after exhibiting at the Farmers Market, at Fitchburg Art Museum, on First Thursday, that is if I have any energy left.

Today was unique. Loved the chant: The Earth is Our Mother (repeat each line twice)

The Earth is our mother, we must take care of her;  Hey yung a-ho yung, a-hey yung yung

The Sky is our Father, we will take care of him; Hey yung a-ho yung, a-hey yung yung

The Sea is our Sister, we will take care of her; Hey yung a-ho yung, a-hey yung yung

The Forest is our Brother, we will take care of him; Hey yung a-ho yung, a-hey yung yung

The Earth is our mother, we must take care of her; Hey yung a-ho yung, a-hey yung yung

I can only remember how we chanted the first part. I guess I will make up the rest of the melody, until I hear it again.

Perhaps the following will be some help with translation:

The Earth is Our Mother

 The earth is our mother, we must take care of her
The earth is our mother, we must take care of her
Hey yunga, ho yunga, hey yung, yung
Hey yunga, ho yunga, hey yung, yung

(Her sacred ground we walk upon,with every step we take)

 (The sky is our father, we must take care of him)

 (His sacred air we breathe it in, with every breath we take)

http://www.newview.org/salem/earth_songs.htm

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast – short stories episode no.36

Time is going faster and faster and still, I can’t keep up.

Morgen 'with an E' Bailey

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast ‘short stories’ episode number thirty-sixth went live today and contained three flash fictions and a batch of 6-worders, that have appeared on my blog as Flash Fiction Fridays. Do email me should you like to submit your own.

This episode contained the fifth batch of 6-word stories, The Unspoken Middle by Diane Corriette, Revenge by Jane Risdon, and D’Santa by Annie Ireson.

*

See the links above to read the stories… or hear my dulcet tones on the podcast.

The podcast is available via Google’s Feedburner (there immediately), iTunes (within an hour or so of launch), Podbean (when it catches up), Podcasters (which takes even longer) or Podcast Alley (which doesn’t list the episodes but will let you subscribe).

**

Biographies of the authors of the three longer flash fictions:

Diane Corriette writes flash fiction and poetry over at her blog Pen…

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Meltdown

Into every life a little trouble must come.

After giving the cab driver the fare and tip, I quickly got out of the cab, grabbing a shopping bag that I had with me. It was raining out and the cab was dark. I walked into Rollstone Studio for a meeting with Fitchburg Cultural Alliance and took off my rain coat. I thought I took off my sweater also because it was hot inside. I was early so I walked around the studio to admire different artist’s work.

Then, I thought, “Where is my purse?” Realizing that I didn’t see it, I wanted to call the cab company IMMEDIATELY. I couldn’t see the phone book listings. I needed reading glasses to see the numbers. An elder artist looked up the telephone number for me and I rang up the cab company. Wrong number! This was the business office. I was getting more panicky as the minutes ticked by.

Then Bob found the right number. I called the dispatcher. He in turn called the driver. Upon the second call, the dispatcher confirmed that the driver had my purse. I waited one hour and 15 minutes for the cab to return. He was in the next town over doing business for the cab company. After picking people up and dropping them off, he returned to Main Street where I was waiting.

While I waited outside, a young man walked by twice and said, “You have good legs and a strong back to wait like this.” While I waited, I sang softly and did Tai chi. It was chilly out, but this was a small price to pay to get my purse back with my life documents inside. I am talking about credit cards, Medicare, insurance cards, money, keys. Out of which my life would have been victimized and full of trauma. You can imagine what it would have been like. Purse snatching is a common occurrence in cities.

There are miracles that happen in this life. Fitchburg is a city of 40,000 people. How likely is it to have a purse returned intact in a city of this size? I am reminded to be thankful for all my blessings. Tonight was one of these.

Oh and it doesn’t hurt to say a prayer to St. Anthony, patron saint of missing things. Thank you St. Anthony.

A Story About O-Dark-Thirty from The Writer Magazine

A Story About O-Dark-Thirty from The Writer Magazine.

Hope this link lights your fire.

 

 

Author interview no.698 with Shirley You Jest Fiction Winner Amy Sprenger

Morgen Bailey does a great joy of introducing new authors. She gives no authors an opportunity for readers to learn about them.

Morgen 'with an E' Bailey

Welcome to the six hundred and ninety-eighth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with writer and blogger Amy Sprenger. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, Amy. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

Amy: Hi, Morgen, thanks for having me! I’m Amy Sprenger, mother of three, wife of one (so far, although we could always up and go polygamist some day), house frau, and when I actually stop procrastinating, author. I live in Chicago, where I used to be a sports writer and editor, then horrified Sheryl Sandberg by leaning waaaaaay out to stay home with my kids. While full-time mothering was rewarding (and also unpaid) and we…

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You’re Beautiful – Siete belli – Sunteți frumoși

Beautiful. How lovely to capture the thoughts of sunrise.

valeriu dg barbu

Trilingual text: English, Italian and Romanian language

If you could see the rays of dawn
rising from the earth to the sky, with shyness and joy…!
behold, the sun does nothing than send back
every ray that your soul you issue
all of humanity is a crown of light
is the reflection of the Creator within ye, his gift – and what can you ask for more?
and just today I was able to see how ye are beautiful

se tu potessi vedere i raggi dell’alba
che salgono dalla terra verso il cielo, con timidezza e gioia…!
ecco, il sole non fa altro che mandare indietro
ogni raggio che con la vostra anima lo invia
tutta l’umanità è una corona di luce
sono il riflesso del Creatore dentro di voi, il suo dono – e cosa si può chiedere di più?
e appena oggi ho potuto vedere quanto siete belli

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Poetry Writing Exercises 265: Friday 10th January

Morgen Bailey did an Interview with Mary Ellen Ryall awhile ago. Here’s a glimpse into Morgen’s day.

Morgen's Online Poetry Writing Group

Here are your four poetry exercises for today. Time yourself for 15 minutes for each one, then either have a break or move on to the next one.

You can do them in any order.

1. Keywords: compelling, whole, work, always, complicated
2. Random: clever enough
3. Picture: what does this inspire?
4. One-word prompt: challenge

Have fun, and if you would like to, do paste your writing in the comment boxes below so we can see how you got on! Remember though that it counts as being published so don’t post anything that you would want to submit elsewhere (where they require unpublished material).

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