Hi,
First off, I have to tell you, last Wednesday, April
17, exactly one month before my book, The Frog’s Song, will be released I
received three complimentary copies in the mail.
Oh Joy! I love the cover, I was afraid I wouldn’t like
it, for it was a surprise from my Publishing House. Bless Jaynie, she’s the
best. (Regal Publishing—the house
that Jaynie built.) I know that people
like to buy Kindle versions, I do too, but this cover’s so pretty you just have
to feel it—like silk. And the background is chalkboard black.
It’s a small book, only 120 pages, but big enough to have the title
printed on the spine.
(I think we ought to have a blank journal to go along
with the printed book, use the same artwork, but put “Journal” instead of the
title. I don’t know, though, if I can convince the publishing house to
print them.)
Now I’m afraid to open the cover and read what’s
inside. Yep, I wrote it, but what if I don’t like it anymore? You know how
things are, like the printed page, or houses after they have sat for awhile
begin to look frayed. With writing, gremlins sneak in during the night.
The Frog’s Song has croaked his heartfelt best, now
there’s no looking back. It’s been ten years in the making—cast of—well, eight,
including two dogs and two cats.
https://thefrogssong.com focuses on the book, but I
will also keep a blog going there, for if anyone buys the book--they better or
I’ll get dumped by my publisher--I want to support my readers, and add content to the site, like
maybe outtakes or I’m tempted to write the rest of the story, like the day we
left Hawaii. I thought it was funny, and
pertinent to the experience, a little drama, although not so much fun in life,
is great for story telling. Alas, it ended up on the cutting room floor. I’ll tell you if you want to hear it.
Okay, I’m off the book for now, and since my other
site is Travels with Jo, we’ll travel a bit.
My husband and I spent the weekend in Sisters, Oregon,
named after the three mountains, Faith, Hope, and Charity that are a backdrop
for the town. (Thanks for the names Greg).
It’s high desert and I noticed a drop in my energy at that altitude, but just
breathe deep and enjoy the beautiful town all dressed up in a Western motif. The
buildings must be under specifications, for they fit together into an
integrated whole.
The photo below is a mural, I had to go up and touch the quilt blowing in the breeze for it looked as though it came out of the painting.
The town’s claim to fame is its Quilts. I don’t
sew—the machine always gives me trouble--but hubby and I entered the most
exquisite fabric store I had ever seen. It made my mouth water--and I’ve been to
Mood in Los Angeles—this was better, more fun, more exquisite. As I said, I don’t sew, but I appreciate art—and
there’s an abundance of it in this town. The Quilts there are so perfect it
makes you want to throw up. I mean this in the kindest way, the craftmanship
(Craftswomanship) is exquisite—just way out of my jurisdiction.
There will be
an outdoor quilt show in Sisters, Oregon on Saturday, July 13.
We stayed at the Ponderosa Inn, a Best Western that is
extremely dog-friendly. the dogs must be kept on the leash on the grounds, but
beyond their lawn is a Ponderosa forest when the dog and people can run free.
The weather was perfect. the sky clear. a quick view
of Broken Top sped past, (a jagged mountain) as hubby was speeding down the highway. It loomed ahead against a
sky so blue it looked purple.
A perfect view of the Three Sisters caught my attention between a smear of trees, but there was no
stopping place for a photo, and soon they were way behind us. I captured Mt. Washington though.
The forest in
front of it was burnt by a devastating forest fire that happened 15 years
ago That wildfire burned 90,000 acres, a
holocaust, they called it, “Natures backlash," "An Oregon wake up call,” due to
wildfire suppression and overstocked forests.
Long ago in Native times forest fires used to break
out once in a while and it helped the forest, it cleared an area between trees,
fertilized the ground, and created homes for wildlife in the dead trees. Lodgepole
pine cones come with the scales glued tightly together protecting the precious
seeds, and those pine cones are heat sensitive. The glue is a sort of resin or
wax that requires heat to melt the wax and open the cones. The pine trees can
drop a great number of cones waiting for the next forest fire to open them,
after the fire, viola, a lodgepole forest.
Now, however, with the crowding of trees and species-specific
forests, fires get out of hand.
It’s a tough call.
I received the most wonderful comment from a reader,
“I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.”
That’s how it ought’a be.
I don’t know what I did for that person, but I do hope
people find value here. No self-improvement today, though, just talk.
Love you,
Joyce