When I’m in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like.
— Jane Fonda
https://instagram.com/p/xc5EUxwaiB/?taken-by=canada
Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category
Happy Canada Day!
Posted in Holidays, tagged awesome, Canada, Canada Day, fun, history, home, Jane Fonda, quotes, yay on July 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »
This Day In (My) History
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged #aroundtheworld, #feistywomen, Alexander the Great, Cappadocia, fairies, Istanbul, Motivation, museums, nonfiction, Thoughts, travel, Turkey on June 25, 2015| Leave a Comment »
According to an old journal, fifteen years ago today I was in Turkey…
June 25
Sunday
Istanbul-CappadocciaI’m in seat 34 and already seven minutes late. I’m on the night bus to Cappadocia and I’m settling in for a ten-hour ride into the heart of Turkey. The old woman ahead of me is getting feisty, pounding on the window and demanding to leave, loudly. This little drama is all in Turkish, of course, but it’s hard to misunderstand this kind of impatience. Most of the country seems to travel by bus and this is the largest terminal I’ve ever seen. The station is huge, complete with hotel and shopping complex, mosque, 200,000 lira WCs, and plenty of air guns to keep the kids occupied.
Today was busy. I decided to see Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys, and an underground city carved from solid rock.
Then it was off to make reservations, pay more than expected, and recover from sticker shock with a quick lunch at the Backpacker’s Bar. Greek salad again, a bargain with bread at 750,000 lira ($1.20), plus tea and cake.
After checking out of the hotel at noon I sought cool haven at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. The Museum had a number of interesting exhibits, including the so-called Alexander Sarcophagus. Actually the resting place of a king from Sinon, I think, the stone has finely detailed carvings of Alexander the Great in battle.
The museum’s dim lighting preserved the displays, while making the charging horses, valiant men, and straining muscles seem one step short of alive.
Dreaming of Spring
Posted in Holidays, tagged around the world, floating market, inspiration, summer, Thailand, Thoughts, travel, winter on April 9, 2015| Leave a Comment »
The temperature is rising and we are consistently having days around 0C. Um, yay? That is a good thing, relatively speaking, but it’s a cold start to spring. My yard is still half-covered with snow and a dusty layer of grey gravel from winter street maintenance, and I am so ready for color.
Today I give you a random photo from the archives. This is the Floating Market outside Bangkok, in Dumnernsaduak. It takes me back to a July day of light, the calls of coconut vendors, the smell of fried rice cakes and roasted meat, and the sticky heat of morning sun in Thailand. Enjoy:)
Happy Holidays, and Some Reflections on Writing
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged artists, creativity, Fiction, inspiration, literature, persistence, The Atlantic, Thoughts, Writers, writing on December 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. If you have time between the presents and the eggnog and family celebrations, consider spending a few moments with The Atlantic’s series on writers, writing and the creative process, “By Heart.” I spotlighted the By Heart interview with William Gibson a few weeks ago, but there are dozens of other perspectives on creativity here as well.
…we live so many lives, contain so much experience, that even the people who know us best don’t know.
Featured artists start with a favorite line from literature and go from there, discussing how that line shaped them, sharing practical advice on getting started, revision, productivity, genre fiction and more. Joe Fassler has a nice summary column called “How to Write: A Year in Advice from David Mitchell, Yiyun Li, and More” with highlights from the past year; the full series lives here.
Happy Halloween! Love, The Sun
Posted in Holidays, Likes, tagged awesome, Halloween, jack-o-lantern, NASA, science, space on October 31, 2014| Leave a Comment »
To The People of Earth,
You’re welcome.
Happy Halloween!
Love,
The Sun
Jack-o-lantern Sun. Credit: NASA/SDO
Cake v.2014
Posted in Food and..., Holidays, tagged birthday, cake, chocolate, creativity, food, fun, home, yay on September 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Every year I make a cake for my birthday. This year I decided it was time to try tiered layers, plus butterflies, fondant flowers, pearls and gold dust (those last all technically edible but we know better; save your taste buds for the good stuff). What you see here are two 9″ layers supporting two 6″ layers, all in chocolate with a ridiculously decadent Grand Marnier frosting. Delicious!
/not a lie:) Also, what better fuel for writing than cake?
Gone Fishing…
Posted in Holidays, tagged bald eagles, creativity, fishing, fun, inspiration, nature on July 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Literally. Time in the great outdoors will be good for all sorts of reasons, and we’ve even had reports of bald eagles nesting near the fishing spot. Have a great weekend!
Hey, America, Happy Birthday!
Posted in Holidays, tagged America, Erma Bombeck, Fourth of July, Harry Emerson Fosdick, home, independence day, quotes, Thoughts, USA, yay on July 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have.
— Harry Emerson Fosdick
And also:
You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
— Erma Bombeck
On Practice
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged creativity, double rainbow, Fiction, finishing, genre fiction, goals, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Motivation, persistence, Thoughts, work, writing, yay on May 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »
This may be the best advice I’ve given myself all week:
Don’t worry about being good – worry about getting better.
P.S. More good advice – don’t run barefoot over these sand dunes in the middle of summer. Ask me how I know!
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