Sunday morning, August 5, 2007

Top of the morning to all of you.

This past week as been a week of worry, reflecting, and celebration.

Herman is missing! Not sure where he is but hubby has come to the conclusion that Herman is in "Estivation-hibernation" because of the 90-degree heat this past week. He has not been seen since last Sunday evening when he came to eat with the fish. Hmm. I checked on different websites and they said when a turtle is in estivation-a form of hibernation due to the increased water temperature, they stop feeding and hibernate. I have added water to the pond twice a day for the last three days. When I checked the temperature on Tuesday, it was 74 degrees in the center (deepest part), and that is warm! The sun shines on the pond from about 11 a.m. to around 2 p.m. then the shade starts to cover it from the trees nearby. He has not been on his log or appeared anywhere. So, we are hoping when the heat subsides, he will reappear.

It has been so hot. We need rain badly. It was raining lightly a little while ago and the weather report calls for showers off and on today. The garden is like cement. I used the hoe yesterday to get rid of some weeds growing (they flourish in any kind of weather), and I just could not bring myself to run the tiller as the ground was so hard. If I did, I would probably be laid up for a while as it would certainly cause my back to give out trying to till the hard ground.

I have been picking peppers, green beans, (don't know how they are flourishing in the dryness, but they are), and some tomatoes are starting to ripen. Boy are they juicy and good! I did spot a tomato worm the other day. I removed him from the plant, but I'm sure he climbed back up and is somewhere. They are a pretty moth when they go through all the stages so I really don't kill them. They don't eat that much.

The zucchini is flourishing and we have been eating it every night (cooked on the grill) with corn and tomatoes. There just isn't anything like it when you can walk out your back door, go to the garden, and pick fresh veggies right off the plants! Hubby's second corn, the candy corn, is absolutely wonderful! The best there is! What rain we did get, filled out the ears and they are fabulous!

We have been sharing out bounty of the garden with friends and neighbors. There is just so much you can eat and freeze!

Now, about my last birthday, August 2nd. Well, it came and went, but I am still absorbing how old I am now. Goodness. It seems like yesterday I was in my forties, then whoosh, time flew by and now I have another decade under my belt. Where did the time go?

I woke up the morning of my birthday and said, "Lord. Thank you for letting me live all these years. Could I please have a lot more to get the things done I need to do?" We will see, won't we.
Hubby has all the electric baseboard heaters installed and they all work. He is so talented. I'm going to send a thank you note to our furnace guy, thanking him for all the last eight years of fixing our "lemon furnace" each winter numerous times. He is a good guy, but now we will no longer need his services.

I have sent out fourteen of my books to domestic violence shelters across Ohio. This week I am sending ten more out. The more people that read my books, recognize the violence and abuse for what it is, can gain the knowledge to survive it, and hopefully strive to get a better life. No one deserves violence and abuse against them. No one. If I can save more lives, it is my goal in life to do so.

I have had the pleasure and rewards of meeting a young and talented author by the name of Debbie Alferio. I met her at the WriteStuff Writers conference last Friday. We have been conversing via email since the conference. She is having some health issues right now, so pray for her. She is trying to finish another book in her series, but her health problems have slowed her down. I'm sure she will up and running (writing) very soon. I also had the pleasure of meeting a sweet lady by the name of Nancy. She works with mentally handicapped children and wants to write a children's book. She is going to see if she can attend my author's workshop, listed in "Coming Events" here in my town at the Arts Center. Hope she can make it.

Lots to do today. The new animal organization has another meeting Tuesday night, and one of the major things on the agenda is to get a website up and running for the organization. I will keep you posted on the progress.

Other authors or want-to-be-authors/writers out there- check out WriteStuff Writers website. There is so much valuable and makes-sense information on their website that is so informative and helpful. Tom Britt, one of the speakers at the conference, also works for Author House Publishing, and I am seriously considering doing my next book with them. They have so much to offer.

WriteStuff Writers was started by J. Andy Murphy, another great writer and speaker. I had the pleasure of meeting her also at the conference. I want to get her book soon, "The Catty, Catty Ways of Women in the Workplace" Sounds like a funny and enlightening book.

Stay safe, enjoy often, and pray for those dealing with violence and abuse against them.

Best regards,
Becky :)
P.S. It is really raining now! Yes!