Tag: CurrentWordsPublishing

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I Buy Myself Flowers: Yellow Is the Inspo~

Today my beautiful lady has been filled with what I believe are gerbera daisies. Cost for flowers, about $20 @ Trader Joe’s.

I had gerberas in my wedding bouquet by necessity and not choice. Unfortunately my April wedding came to be about two weeks after the ranunculus were spent and gone. I wanted ranunculus, because they have a wind-blown look. I wanted orange, and my sister had an orange dress. We both had our dresses made by Kevin Simon, who seems to have vaporized since she once had a very pricey store on Abbott Kinney Boulevard. Kevin made everything in linen, and she was a master of sort of vintage-farm looking clothing, like late 1800s. I loved her work and could not afford any of it, so I splurged on my dress and my sister’s, assuming I was only getting married once. A regular skirt at Kevin’s was over $500. My wedding dress and my sister’s MOH dress combined were $1000. The back bottom of my dress had tulle orange flowers pinned to it. My dress was linen with a silk slip, and my sister’s was orange silk. I’ve since lost about 70 pounds, and I left the dress at Goodwill in Delaware when I moved, but I kept all the organza flowers.

In any case, I do have to say I’m not usually a gerbera girl, except when needs must. But today the yellow (which is a lot lighter in real life) on the flowers screamed, “Butter!” at me, with just a hint of orange at their centers, and so I was compelled. Mixed them with orange and some green greenery, et voila!

The little pumpkin/squash you see there I plan to eat, not carve. LOL. Roasted pumpkin in things is divine! As are these lovely gerbera. Ranunculus are actually not great cut flowers, so droopy.

It is a blessing to have flowers anywhere in the world, of any kind, and especially on my very sunny kitchen counter. Buy the flowers, hold them high, and repeat after me, “Here’s to the times we bless others, and also to the times we bless ourselves!”

Have a wonderful week~

PS. Most flowers I buy last a full two weeks! Just keep the water clean and fresh.

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I Buy Myself Flowers: Orange!

Today my beautiful lady head is holding pincushion protea, safflower, and eucalyptus. When I was younger I was more snooty about flowers: they had to smell, and smell good. None of these really have a smell, although fresh (really fresh) eucalyptus can smell wonderful. Cost for flowers, again about $11 at Trader Joe’s.

I venture to say I’ve almost made it through summer, always a challenge for me as a person who prefers chillier climes. My sister reports that up (up the hill) in Idyllwild where she lives now it has been chilly and stormy… of which I am envious as we’ve had a 90-100 degree heat wave here. It’s been a bit of a year so far, her dealing with a diagnosis of mucosal melanoma, and me dealing with her diagnosis. We’ve done the majority of her doctor’s appointments together, and although I know she sometimes must get sick of me, I really have treasured spending all that time with my baby sis. She was supposed to go visit our handful of a mother, but there were new protocols to try, so that got cancelled. She’s hoping our mother will come to her. I am not holding my breath on that because the mountain usually doesn’t go to Mohammed.

I now present an actual undoctored video of Mama:


Ha!

No, that’s not actually her, but the “everything” about Lucille is pretty close to Mama Pearce. And… if I tease out the comparison… I’m probably Michael in that scenario, who is probably the lamest Bluth. Sorry Michael. I have to tell the truth… on both of us!

As long as I have been a parent I have been worried about my daughter’s summer plans/schedule, because she’s a kid who does better with one than without. She was too old for any camps this year, so we just made a deal: she took an online Driver’s Ed course; she had to make plans with one friend at least once a week, and she did some new and interesting chores around the house in preparation for someday being in charge of her own dorm room or apartment. She mopped, and organized, and did all sorts of things she doesn’t have a lot of time for when school is in session, because her program has days that run from 8-5, but can go as late as 9. She’s joined a teen program at Pasadena Playhouse for the fall, where she’ll begin to get a little real-world backstage experience. And she passed the driver’s ed course. We’re waiting for the necessary pink slip to arrive in the mail, which will allow her to take the permit test (it is a rule in California that they have the pink slip before they take the permit test.).

Anyway, it’s been a busy few months, and I’m glad school has begin again, and the patterns are falling back into place that alleviate some of the the pressure. Is there a mom out there in a hetero relationship whose partner takes on the responsibility for the kid(s) over the summer?

🦗 🦗 🦗 🦗 🦗

Are those… crickets?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

When life comes in waves of responsibility and busyness, you STILL have to manage to get to the ever more expensive grocery store (wait, I thought he was lowering the prices on day 1…. Good thing none of us held our breath), so skip a few of the overpriced boxes of cereal, or other overpriced things, and make sure you use ten bucks or so to buy yourself flowers!

These flowers I love because… orange, and green, the two best colors ever.

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I Buy Myself Flowers: Iris!

Today my beautiful lady head is holding iris and Veronica. I once saw neighbors rip up an enitre patch of iris and throw them away I asked if I could have them, but they said no because they didn’t like them, so they didn’t want to see them anywhere. Can you imagine? They put in something foul, like geraniums. When I return from the temporary status as renter back to home owner, iris are absolutely in the plan. Veronica I wasn’t aware of until this year, which is painful to admit. They are absolutely brilliant flowers, long lasting, straight and tall with sometimes a graceful curve to them. They’re a real eye-catcher. A friend once took a plant pot filling class, and was told that if you plant a pot you should have a filler, and spiller, and a thriller. Veronica is the thriller. Cost for flowers, about $11 at Trader Joe’s.
Also pictured… future Chex mix!

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VIRGINIA WATTS SHOWS EVERYONE HOW IT’S DONE!

The cover of ECHOES FROM THE HOCKER HOUSE: it features a mountain in the mist

Big shoutout to Virginia Watts, one of the OGs at OSP! Her short story collection, ECHOES FROM THE HOCKER HOUSE, just landed on the shortlist for the 2024 da Vinci Eye Award and the Eric Hoffer Book Award. As the editor on this project, I gotta say, these stories are straight-up mesmerizing. They’ll take you on a journey you will not be able to forget, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you binge-read the whole thing in one go. Virginia, you’re killing it! Fingers crossed for the win!
PS. Virginia already won this one!

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YOU AND ME AND DAVE AND FREE!

bsolutely delighted to extend a warm invitation to join us for a Current Words One-And-Done Session—an exclusive and enjoyable opportunity designed specifically for fiction and memoir writers to refine their skills in a highly supportive environment. And guess what? It comes at no cost to you!

Picture this: a virtual gathering hosted by Di and Dave (D&D), happening from 9-11 AM Pacific time on select Saturdays, and limited to just five participants. In an intimate Zoom setting, you’ll exclusively share your work with D&D along with the other participants. D&D will come prepared for a deep dive into your work, seeking out your distinctive patterns, challenges, and talents as an author.

Here’s the rundown on how to secure your spot: shoot us an email with a 450-550 word snippet of your writing at workshops@currentwords.com. Don’t forget to include your full name and the genre you’re working on (whether it’s short stories, long-form fiction, or memoir). Once you snag a spot, expect an email with exclusive instructions and the meeting URL. Prepare to join our small-group discussion via Zoom, where we’ll give your work the thoughtful attention it truly deserves.

Wondering why you should participate? Every writer has unique qualities—some that add zest to their writing, others that might slow it down. Have you ever pondered the role of an editor or what it’s like to be edited? Find answers to these questions, connect with a small group of fellow authors, and get a boost to your enthusiasm—all in a brief Saturday morning session.

Few things boost a writer’s productivity more than mingling with other authors. We’re eager to dive into your creative world, share in this enriching experience, and connect with our fellow wordsmiths.

Remember, this is completely free of charge! D&D have been extending a helping hand to fellow authors since their bi-monthly free workshop started at their home in 2017. We genuinely enjoy the company of other authors and can’t wait to explore your words, embarking on this exciting writing journey together.

To secure your spot, simply shoot an email to workshops@currentwords.com with 450-550 words of writing for our review.

We’ll then send you the first available date, followed by a Zoom link if you’re able to attend. Looking forward to seeing you at the virtual gathering!