Back in Wyoming.

This last week I spent traveling with my hubby. He received the honor of being in the National Sculpture Society's 84th Annual Awards Exhibition hosted at Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina.

With the help of some very dear friends, we were able to attend the closing reception. We met some wonderful people, saw many beautiful sights, and had a fabulous time.

I didn't take nearly enough photos, as is my weakness. I get so caught up in enjoying the experiences that I forget to record it. But I've included a few here.

Not only did we get to see Brookgreen Gardens, but I was able to see the Atlantic for the first time up close. The weather was supposed to be rainy, but God must have taken pity on me because we had temperatures in the seventies all that day. We started the day at the beach, at the Lichefield Resorts where we stayed. I collected shells and photographed the wildlife.

Then, after breakfast, we spent the day at Brookgreen Gardens, shown above. 

That evening we attended the reception and met more great people than I can possible list.

Sadly, we had to leave the next day and return to Georgia. But all was not sad, as we had dinner with some wonderful people in Cartersville who I feel are now life long friends.

We spent the next morning in Cartersville at the Booth Museum of Western Art. Normally it is not open on Mondays but we were given a personal tour and made to feel like celebrities. I'm learning what people mean by southern hospitality.

Many thanks go out to my gracious nephew in Westminster CO for letting us stay with him and taking us to and picking us up from the Denver airport. He and his dear wife made coming and going a much more pleasant experience. 

Now I'm back in good ol' Cody where it's snowing, and . . .

Well . . . I still have my memories.

Book Launch Open House

Hello friends!

Welcome to the party! Grab some virtual food, pull up a chair and chat about whatever you like. If you don't see me, I must have stepped out to water my garden. I'll be back soon. Make yourself at home.Soft drinks are on ice, snacks on the side table.

Help yourself!

I'm throwing this open house for the rest of June to celebrate the release of my latest book, Planet of the Red Dust. (See the side bar for info on where to get it.)



Sign up for door prizes below and please invite all your friends to join the fun. Every action you take gives you more chances to win. Don't be afraid to do more than one and some can be done every day!
Prizes will be announced on July 1st.




Win some cash to buy copies of my new book to give your friends, or, okay, get whatever you want.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm also giving away . . .

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Stirring up some dust!

Hey WOW, golly gee, doing the happy dance. I'm a little gob smacked, giddy, floating on cloud nine, and all the other stupid cliche's you can think of.
The BOOK, after waiting over a year, is finally coming out.
With a new title, new cover, and all the fan fare I can give it, here it is:

See the side bar for links to pre-order and add to your Goodreads list. Please share this EVERYWHERE!

Of Good Report

(Article of Faith 13, 3rd blog post)

Image credit to Secular Yakking

"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." Article of Faith #13

Oh, how I wish the world would take these words to heart . . .

I 've just spent a wasteful amount of time trying to find news sources that tell me the real news, or in other words, the real facts. I've come to the conclusion that there is no such source. All this, so called, "Breaking News," is breaking our country apart. I'm done with it.

Suggestion: instead of looking for things to throw at each other, why don't we have a contest to see who can do the most good? At the end of four years, the American people can decide, by their votes, who was most successful in improving our country.

You might say, "I don't have any power, only the people in power can change things. I have to protest and get their attention so they will fix the things I want fixed." I say, you have more power than you know. However, marching doesn't fix the problems. Action fixes problems.

Mother Teresa had little political power, and yet she did a great deal of good in the world.

"None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." Mother Teresa

Let's follow her example and see how  we can make, not only our country but the world, a better place.

As for me, to start with, I'm going to quit commenting or reacting to things on Facebook and other media about things that I disagree with, or find unnecessarily negative in either direction. If you post something that annoys me, and I don't comment, it isn't because I don't have something to say, it is because I find your post unworthy of the attention. Posting only gives more fuel to the anger and debate and does nothing at all to solving this world's problems.

Second of all, I am going to try very hard to post things of my own that are uplifting, that I feel might be helpful. For instance, I love gardening and I think a lot of the world's problems could be fixed if we only had more gardens. My next post is going to be about that.

Thirdly, I apologize to anyone who I may have offended by anything I've done or said. Even if I disagree with you on things political or moral, I still love you as my sibling in spirit. I know of at least one person who dropped me on Facebook because I ranted about a nasty post she shared. I'm sorry about that.

And last of all, but not least, I challenge all my friends to follow me in my quest to better the world through positive actions. Together we can make things wonderful. We can fix wrongs and heal hearts that are broken. All of us has a circle of reach that is wider than we know. Lets see how far we can send out our love, one overlapping circle at a time.

Chased by an Elephant

 (13th A of F, 2nd post)

Sorry, I was hoping to keep these posts light hearted and fun but this one just wouldn't cooperate. It's a "heavy" subject. I promise the next one will be more fun.

 

(photo found at:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkpicturegalleries/9737226/Elephant-dung-coffee-Black-Ivory-beans-passed-through-the-animals-guts.html)

Article of faith 13 begins "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent . . ." or "chased by and elephant" as my friend back in grade school always said it. I often chuckle inside as I read or hear this verse, because those words come to mind.

But what does it really mean?
These words, chaste, and benevolent are so old fashioned and seldom used now that I'd be willing to bet that some people don't even know the meaning of the words, let alone the concepts.

For chaste, Merriam Webster has four definitions, one with two parts:
1:  innocent of unlawful sexual intercourse
2:  celibate <Monks lead a chaste life.>
3:  pure in thought and act :  modest <was sincerely trying to be chaste>
4  a :  severely simple in design or execution :  austere <chaste classicism> <the pure, chaste lines of   ancient Greek buildings>
b :  clean, spotless

Definitely not something you hear promoted these days, is it?
Chastity has become so politically incorrect that it has become an elephant in the room that's chasing us.

Photo credit goes to : https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://trustworks.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/elephant-in-the-room.jpg&imgrefurl=https://leadingwithtrust.com/2012/10/14/heart-to-heart-talks-three-steps-to-discuss-the-elephant-in-the-room/&h=457&w=600&tbnid=oviqaKyDYtnHyM:&vet=1&tbnh=152&tbnw=200&docid=hflgi13InqcnHM&itg=1&usg=__3Yj651UdcsGiFeCwSxEuYHHqG2s=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_9Kfr--XRAhWiqVQKHYHTBrcQ_B0IgQEwDw&ei=wiWNWL-LGqLT0gKBp5u4Cw


In fact, the very idea of being chaste seems to offend some of those who proclaim to be progressive thinkers, as if refraining from free sex or immodest behavior makes a person frigid, intolerant, illiberal, or unenlightened. Why, how dare anyone imply that chastity would be a logical choice over abortion? How can you be so frigid and judgmental as to say a woman is more beautiful covered in modest clothing than parading nude on national television? How backward to think that we should teach our children abstinence rather than giving them free contraceptives.

It makes me sad. Is sex the sum of our existence? Is it so important for us to satisfy our bodily desires of the moment. that we throw away all other considerations? This is not freedom from repression; this is a form of slavery. This is the type of thinking that turns women into objects to be used and men into mindless addicts.

This truly is a massive elephant thundering down on an unsuspecting society.

As for benevolent?
1 a :  marked by or disposed to doing good <a benevolent donor>
b :  organized for the purpose of doing good <a benevolent society>
2 :  marked by or suggestive of goodwill <benevolent smiles>

Well, let's just say I'm attempting, by writing this post, to promote a more benevolent society. Please take my comments as I mean them, not to judge, but only to discuss my opinions on the matter. I'm trying to live by the 13th article of faith and practice benevolence, not to stand above anyone, just to point out how confused I am by the attitudes of the day.

We hope to endure all things.

In these times of hating and finger pointing it is very hard not to jump on the angry train and join the rebellion. But, I don't want to do that. I don't want to add to the problem.

Pondering this dilemma, I came to realize that the only way to fight hate is to love. The only way to fight ignorance is to be informed and to teach. The only way to fight prejudice is to be open minded.

I have no control over others but I do control myself. I can be an example. So I am setting myself a challenge. This year, on my blog I want to follow the thirteenth Article of Faith. Articles of Faith #13

I'm going to attempt to write a blog post relating to each of the things listed in it this year.
I'm going to do my very best to ignore the negatives, accentuate the positives, and to promote more good in the world. I'm going to try to blog more often and try to make each blog something that will inspire and uplift.

I will start today with "Endure All Things."

There are always going to be people in this life who think differently than we do. Sometimes they say things that to us that seem stupid, hateful, hypocritical, or just plain mean. Generally it is a case of perception. Like two people viewing the letter 9, one from the bottom and one from the top. The one on the bottom says "nine" the one on the top says "six." both are right from their own perspective. The trouble is when they try to convince the other that they are wrong.

It's nearly impossible to change some one's perspective. I like to think that I'm open minded enough to step to the other side and see their point of view, but I'm not willing to adopt that point of view when it conflicts with my convictions.We all like to think that we are the one with our feet on the ground, that in fact, the other person is looking at things all wrong.We might even try to draw them a diagram, "see, it looks like this, it's a nine." but they are still on the other side seeing sixes.So how can we ever agree?

Sometime it comes down to agreeing to disagree. Sometimes we have to endure the fact that they will probably never see things from our side. All we can do is make sure that we are not the one reading backwards. We can offer a hand, a loving invitation to take a look from your side, we can step over the page and lead the way, but we can't force them to come. So, when they refuse, we lovingly ignore the opposite opinion and let it go. Yes, it's okay to ignore someone. They will probably get in your face, shout, whine, call you names, get their friends to torment you as well, and generally try to get under your skin and argue. Sometimes we have to treat adults as children when they act childish. The best way to deal with a recalcitrant child is to ignore the bad behavior. When they no longer get attention for those behaviors they become bored and desist.

So I'm going to do my best to ignore those who anger me with what I perceive as ignorant and hypocritical actions or remarks. I shall endure all things with love in my heart for my brothers and sisters who share this earth with me. It isn't necessary to comment on everything. It does no good to argue. I will try my best to be an example of love, kindness, and forgiveness.

I will be honest, but I will also try not to be offensive in my opinions. I will ignor those things that are blatantly stupid and hurtful to me just as I would ignore an annoying child. I won't give out the attention they want. It isn't worth the time spent being angry or annoyed. I love the child, but I don't love the behavior. I will speak up when needful. I've spent too many years hiding behind a quiet exterior, trying to avoid confrontation. I will not fall into silence again. But, I will try very hard to express myself in a loving and peaceful way.  I shall not promote dissension by participation.

I shall do my best to endure all things. I hope to be able to add to the good in this world in any way that is possible for me. I pray that in some way, as small as it may be, I can be a positive force to those around me.