Just Fun

Inktober 2024

/ still a dreamer / 8 Comments

This is the third year I’ve participated in Inktober. The challenge is to create a new pen and ink drawing every day for the month of October. They provide prompts, but you don’t have to follow them.

Below are a few of my favorite drawings I’ve done so far.

The prompt was “Remote.” This is my interpretation, as music takes me anywhere (Books, too.)

The prompt was “Hike”. I don’t hike, but I’d like to see this if I did.

The prompt was “Roam”.

The prompt was “Sun”. For me … “Got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good soul in my feet.” from Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake.

This was an instance where I had no inspiration from the prompt, “Guidebook”. So I just drew what I wanted, my beautiful cat, Mewsette (no longer with us.).

Well, I made it to the halfway mark. Whew! Only 16 more to go. Am I more disciplined? Hard to say. But I am persevering.

Come Meet Me at the Tinicum Arts Festival!

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Exciting news! I have been invited again to be at the Author’s Table at the annual Tinicum Arts Festival in Erwinna, PA this year! Copies of my children’s book, Where Do Butterflies Go at Night?, will be available to purchase, and I will happily sign them for you.

This is truly one of the best festivals around – an art barn, and hundreds of fine quality artisans, music, food, books (!), and much more. The festival is June 13 and 14, but I will be there Sunday the 14th, from 10 am – noon to sign books. Other authors will be at the Author’s Table both days throughout the day. Please stop by!

For more details – https://tinicumcivicassociation.org/tinicum-arts-festival-temp/

Something Different

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A friend and I went out for brunch on Memorial Day to the Sky Cafe in a nearby town. They have great food, and source much of it from local farmers, always a plus. They are located at the Sky Manor Airport, a small one that is a home and a landing spot for many small planes.

I know very little about planes other than your standard flights and that I was once in an 8-seater “breakfast flight”, one of the scarier moments of my life!

However, these small planes have a charm all their own. While I was respecting the “No trespassing” sign at the edge of a parking area and using my zoom feature, a pilot approached us and gave me persmission to go up and photograph the planes.

He then asked if we’d like to see a couple planes in their hangars. We said yes, and were soon getting an up-close-and-personal view. The pilot’s name was Bill, and he indulged all our questions and shared more about what flying a one or two-seater plane entailed.

I don’t know that I can retain all he shared, but he successfully convinced me (not my friend), that flying in that size plane would be terrifying. I am a great admirer from the ground! And we both absolutely loved meeting his rescue dog, Angel.

This time chatting with a local resident reminds me of how wonderful it is to live where I live … where people can just strike up a conversation, share stories, and it’s so easy and relaxed. It’s how life should be.

Come Meet Me at Tinicum!

/ still a dreamer / 6 Comments

In the area Saturday? Come join me at the Author’s Tent from 2-4, and I would be delighted to sign a copy of my picture book, Where Do Butterflies Go at Night? and talk picture books – or butterflies – with you!

The festival is almost completely in the shade, and makes for very pleasant touring about. The 130+ artists and artisans featured are truly top-notch, plus there’s live entertainment, and much more. Check here for details:

This is a 2-day event, so if Saturday is not good for you, come Sunday and enjoy the art and festivities!

School Assemblies with “Butterflies”

/ still a dreamer / 8 Comments

I was invited by Principal Melissa Goad (below right) to give a presentation on June 15th at Patrick McGaheran Elementary School – a talk on butterflies and a reading of “Where Do Butterflies Go at Night?”

I was a little anxious in anticipation. This would be my first experience with groups this large – three assembles of 120 kids each, pre-K through 2nd grade. I put a tremendous amount of time into the preparation, not only modifying my talk for a large group, but also learning Power Point, and creating my first slide show ever.

It paid off! I knew my material, and the talk improved with each presentation as I relaxed, became more spontaneous, and got used to using a mic and managing the presentation on my laptop while talking.

The school had really prepared well for me, too. They had gotten books and had read them to all the students in advance. I worked with a wonderful PTA liaison, Kelly (above left) who’d put so much together before I even got there, and had another assistant, Stacy (above right), to help me while I read aloud.

The students had been building a butterfly habitat in their garden-like courtyard, and were very excited to learn more about butterflies and be read to. It turned out to be so much fun. Children today know much more than we did at that stage in our education, and I loved taking their questions. They were shy in asking, but had very relevant points they wanted to know. I could have spent half the time with them just doing Q and A!

I breathed a deep breath when we were done; it went well! 360 small children were more well-behaved and eager to be involved than I had anticipated – whew! – and we all learned a lot. Thanks to all at Patrick McGaheran School!