Liebster Award #3!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful July thus far! Summer here has been full… but in the best sense, so on the whole quite enjoyable.

On the blogging front, I received the Liebster Award again a few weeks ago! (Thank you, Hamlette!) So here are my answers for all your enjoyment and—of course—edification. ;)

1. Do you have a favorite mug or teacup? ~ Yes, indeed! It makes me happy every morning—and I’m sure it’ll be a big surprise:

2. Are you an adventurous eater? (Do you try “strange” foods?) ~ Hmmm. Generally I’ll try something as long as I know what’s in it. But then, on the other hand, sometimes I won’t (if I—accordingly—know what’s in it). I did once try a tiny bite of raw, healthy ground beef.

3. What fandoms are you into? ~ First and foremost, almost anything Zorro related. :) In further general terms: Disney, period dramas, classic films and any other spectacular stories truly told.

4. What famous author/book do you really not care for? ~ Don Quixote! Honestly, it’s dreadful. (I did get halfway through the massive tome and then stuck fast where he’s turning cartwheels for “penance” in… well, never mind. Let’s just say he didn’t have much going in the way of clothing.) Cervantes’ mockery makes me angry, but for a long time I didn’t completely understand why until I read some background on Spenser’s Faerie Queene. Writing at the same time as Cervantes (and a couple centuries after the heyday of armored knights) Spenser’s work is a stunning epic in defense of Christianity, including nobility, sacrifice, and honor (along with a lot of other truths well worth dying for). I now find it fascinating to compare the two—Spenser and Cervantes—but I still haven’t gotten around to forcing myself through the second half of DQ. (Side note, there IS an excellent 90’s Zorro episode on the Quixote theme, though, and—while it’s dealing with an old man’s dreams—it ends resoundingly in favor of a true fighting hero. ;))

5. What obscure author/book are you nuts about? ~ One (I think) little known story I love is Chaim Potok’s The Chosen. It’s one of the three books that have actually made me cry. And don’t worry, it does end happily!

6. What’s the oldest movie you’ve ever watched? ~ The Mark of Zorro (1920). The silent film with Douglas Fairbanks, it’s both frightfully fun and funny. (I did warn you about my Zorro thing up above, didn’t I?) Incidentally, though having the same name, it’s also different from The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power listed here on my author blog. 

7. What did you have for breakfast today? ~ A mango-gelatin smoothie.

8. When did you first see your favorite movie? ~ I feel like I’ve been linking to Shadow on the Mesa here every five posts or so… but it does truly seem inevitable. I first saw it last Thanksgiving and I’ve now seen it five or six times.

9. Do you prefer fantasy or sci-fi? ~ I don’t think I’ve ever actually read any sci-fi… so fantasy.

10. What did you expect your blog to be like when you started it? ~ A place to share about my stories and surrounding interests and/or further delightful happenings—I was pretty open to seeing where it would end up going. 

11. Has it changed? If so, how? ~ The story sharing part has hopped a little, but in the main it’s stayed pretty constant. One major development I’ve noticed is I’ve gotten more comfortable writing what I actually think—both on and off the blog. Learning to be comfortable opening up and honestly sharing my opinions. I’m still growing, so thanks goes to all you wonderful readers and friends who have (and still are) helping me along! It’s also helped me even in some smaller details like faster typing and editing. I still cringe when I discover a typo (and am known on occasion to cut-and-paste and delete and repost my reply comments if I’ve made an egregious error), but it’s helping me learn to get words out and achieve the fine balance between crippling perfectionism and excellent, well-executed work. :)

And now for 11 facts about myself (in no particular order)!

1. I love clear turquoise water.

2. I have a splendid story board up behind my computer with all my character “castings” for On David’s Shoulders and also my important writing calendar.

3. I’d like to learn Spanish someday.

4. I can recognize quite a few different butterflies. 

5. I milk cows.

6. I’m crazy about Egyptian archaeology and history.

7. One of my favorite musicals is the ‘03 Music Man with Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth.

8. I love studying dinosaurs.

9. I’m hoping to use the Leisl’s Dance Dress pattern here, when making my bridesmaid’s dress for a friend’s upcoming wedding.

10. I’m 5’4” tall.

11. I don’t like flies and gnats, etc., but otherwise bugs, spiders and creepy crawlies really don’t bother me.

I hope you all enjoyed and thanks so much again for the tag, Hamlette!

Tell me! Do we have any of those last “11 Facts” in common?

Ring Around the Rose Week 5 ~ From the Philippines to Pixar

This week brings two Ring Around the Rose questions!

1. What is the first story you ever wrote?

My family will find this very humorous, but here it is… coming out in the open! ;)

My first story—now printed out in my early writing binder—is colloquially referred to among the intelligentsia as Heidi’s Nilamokie story. Set in a small village in the Philippines, it’s about the second daughter and third child in a large missionary family. Nilamokie—with long dark hair, dark eyes, and a cheery smile—is the young Philippino girl who is both friend and neighbor to the protagonist. (Incidentally, the protagonist’s older brother’s name is Josh and somehow I’m not at all surprised that Captain Bryant’s first name in Ellen ended up being Joshua. I’m just not sure how much time there was between the missionary story and my starting Ellen. Not that much I would guess.) 

I didn’t make it tremendously far in the Nilamokie story, but it’s still extremely vivid. Shady trees with reading nooks came into it—and also tub loads of laundry and the two girls setting out to visit the town store. I think the most vivid moment of all is picturing the dusty street shaded with tropical trees and dappled with green light outside their house. (I wonder… Did that lead to my loving the tropics so much? Which came first? The love or the story?)

I’m pretty positive one other early influence on it is that we had missionary friends in the Philippines at the time. (I’ve never found the courage to show them the story, but then… they might indeed like it!)

2. Which Pixar movie is your favorite and why?

Okay, switching gears! (And no, even based on my coming answer that is not a pun.) Since Tangled and Frozen are technically not Pixar—I’ll say my other top favorite (which most definitely is) and that’s Cars. 

First, it’s a redemption story, and the themes go running every which way. 

Second, the characters are so incredibly developed. I’ve known people like the ones Lightning meets! (Well, they’re cars, but you know what I mean. ;)) And—often driving a beautiful stretch of Route 66 myself—the atmosphere rings true.

Finally, it has stunning southwest scenery!

Tell me! If you write, do you still have your early stories? And do you have a favorite Pixar film?

June Happenings and Delights!

Reveling in deep green against blue skies.

Moving house and getting my new writing area set up—photo calendar, character sketches and all complete!

Carrying armloads of plates and pantry items and all the extra (highly important) odds and ends needing new homes.

Working in our brand new kitchen!

Sleeping with the windows open.

Wading in the deliciously cool creek after chores.

My garden a wildflower patch of Queen Anne’s Lace and my favorite blue chicory and a few Bachelor’s Buttons.

Brilliant orange daylilies.

Grandparents coming a-visiting.

A new calf.

Elastic hair bands advertised to last up to 145 ponytails.

Helping out at a church friend’s wedding: baking cookies and helping with reception preparations and running errands. (Note to self: don’t steam chiffon bridesmaids dresses under a smoke detector. The fire department may very well show up in the hall outside. :))

Watching Beauty and the Beast.

Listening to soundtracks: Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella (2015), and Ever After (which I haven’t seen and which is high on my TBW list).

Writing David’s Shoulders.

Shining new ideas for a Sleeping Beauty retelling; then hitting my head against the wall with frustration over them; then starting to write and regaining the shining-ness.

A marvelous church summer dance and conference.

Two close friends announcing their engagements—within two days of each other. (I’m so thrilled!)

Getting a Pinterest account. I've already started three boards and it's going to be SO fun.

Rearranging bookshelves.

And shifting piles and piles and piles of books from the old attic to the new basement and stacking them—now patiently waiting—for fresh paint to dry on the shelves.

Still mulling over this excellent post—The Only Thing You Need to Know About Writing Strong Female Characters.

And laughing over this one—16 Things You Need to Know About Dating a Girl Who Writes.

And enjoying Kaycee’s spot-on defense of Frozen’s Anna here.

Trying to implement this quote in my own life both on and offline: “Maud was of the class whose education consists mainly of a training in the delicate ignoring of delicate situations.” 

P.G. Wodehouse, A Damsel in Distress 

(Hard for this girl who loves confronting everything head on, but sometimes it’s simply the wisest course.)

And last (but most CERTAINLY not least!) watching the 90’s Zorro tv show! This is truly embarrassing, but at first I admit I was just going, “It’s okay. Very 90’s. But pretty good....” Then we hit certain episodes and I melted to a thousand pieces. I’m crazy about it! The theme song and—and—and—well, let’s just say it’s safer to leave any more for a future discussion. I LOVE IT and can’t get enough!

And there were other things this last month, too. Lots of conversations—lots of emotional growth. In all of it, even though I have no idea where my squiggled path will end up—or who else’s path it may happen to run across—I can truly say that God’s plans are always deep and right. I’m so thankful for the friends He has given me—and so amazed by the joy He has poured out.

It’s been a full month and wondrously good!

Tell me! Do you have any highlights to share from the last month?