catnipoflife

Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties, Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

Oct 24

Moving Autumn

by catnipoflife

Photo Credit: Garden Stop Sign – Rosanne Jordan

STOP! Take a few moments to just sit back, relax and enjoy the Piano Instrumental – Moving Autumn

soothing clear waters
wind magically
amid chatoyant
gems of autumn

Thanks goes to Peggy Strack @Kick Back Moments for sharing this great video on her blog. Peggy is the author of A Stop in the Park, which is quickly gathering nothing but 5-star reviews. After reading her book, I have decided while it does encompass ‘a stop in the park’ it is definitely ‘a stop in the heart’! Highly recommended good reading!

Author Connections Inspiration Nature

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Oct 22

Rosemary “Mamie” Adkins (radkins) on about.me

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – Water the mind – READ

Rosemary “Mamie” Adkins was born and raised in Houston, Texas for the first sixteen years of her life. She is the author of Extraordinary Dreams of an Ireland Traveler.

See on about.me

Author Connections Uncategorized

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Aug 11

One Lovely Blog Award #2 and #3

by catnipoflife

WOW! Not one,but two! When I entered the blogosphere, I never dreamed of acquiring so many wonderful relationships, true friendships, through my writing. What is so amazing is the inspiration I receive on a daily basis through visiting other blogsites, as well as comments left on catnip. Not only do I love to write, I LOVE to read!

FIRST, A BIG THANK YOU TO. . .

Jen Davies, A Writer’s Journey, who has graciously bestowed One Lovely Blog Award to catnipoflife. Jen has an awesome blog and shares about her journey in writing, plus she has some great photos on her site.

Jen Owenby, Jen’s Thoughts, who expresses her thoughts on writing, reading and life. Visits to her site never have me leave without inspiration.

Thank you to both Jens, for this honor which now allows catnip to pay the award forward to other bloggers who offer inspiration on a regular basis.

SECOND, before announcing the nominees, the ‘rules’ begin with my posting seven random facts about myself.

1. My favorite foods: bacon, grits and toast with honey (The honey is NOT store bought!)

2. I love to travel, just don’t get to go as much as I would like.

3. Our children: Scott, April, Nicole, Wendy, Foxie and Boots [Guess which two are the cats. LOL:>)]

4. I enjoy painting as well as writing.

5. My favorite poet: Wendell Brown, aka the One Brown Poet

6. While working at the computer, you can find Boots in my lap on a regular basis!

7. I am a photographer for Voyage en éphémère [Visit my homepage and The Murals of Colquit, GA and The Murals of Colquit, GA #2]

THIRD, as I ponder the list for my nominess, I find some are totally inspiring through the written word while others are solely visual. The world of photography is indeed an art within itself providing insight into the marvelous world around us. Thus, the nominees are

Soulmetry

Marbles in my Pocket

Inspiration Import

My Own Heart

Women Making Strides

The London Flower Lover

Marla Martenson

The Why About This

Valerie Davis

Books That Sow

angchronicles

Extraordinary Dreams of an Ireland Traveler

Cosmuse

Free Tag Zone

Don in Massachusetts

AMS Daily

Please leave a comment so I will know you have received notification of the award.

Author Connections Awards/Nominations

34 Comments »
Aug 4

Living a Book

by catnipoflife

How many of you ‘LIVE the book’you are reading? By that, I mean feel like you become part of the scene, a member of the family, the main character, the villian or the victim? The written word has a way of sucking you in, dragging you down or lifting you up dependent upon the nature and the purpose of the writing. You laugh, you cry, you fuss, you cuss (sometimes, admit it), you love, you hate, you question, you wonder why but you don’t put the book down.

The best of the best hook you from the start, dangle you in suspense and
lead you on a journey never to be forgotten.

What have you read lately that pulled at your heart strings or left you hanging by a thread wanting to know when the sequel will be out?

Author Connections Reflection

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Aug 3

Free Write Friday #2: The Street I Grew Up On

by catnipoflife

FreeWriteFridayBadgeIt has been awhile since catnip participated in Kellie Elmore’s Free Write Friday. When I read the topic for today’s writing, The Street I Grew Up On, I could not let it pass by without a walk down memory lane. As thoughts shifted back and forth in memory, several images passed through my mind. In the poem below I do hope I have captured the essence and sadness of East Fourth Street.

* * * * * * * * * *

East Fourth Street
(Donalsonville, GA)

Similar street in Donaldsonville, LA
(Interesting coincidence in town name)

A narrow street
First began as dirt
Straight as an arrow
Always on alert

Watchful as children
Walked to and fro
Kicking up dust
Without shadow

Bumpy along sides
Longing for rain
Rutted and worn
A rough domain

Through the years
Change remade
What once was dirt
Now was paved

Where once I walked
Now a bike trod
Over gravel and stone
It plod and plod

A quick turn
Slid across stone
Cuts and bruises
No broken bone

Gravel and rock
Did meet its fate
Covering of asphalt
Brought it up-to-date

Lined with oaks
Massive on scene
Intense in beauty
Regal of queen

Forces of nature
Hurling all around
With mighty fury
Ripped the ground

A narrow street
Barren along each side
Bears only ghosts
Where mighty oaks once thrived

©2012
catnipoflife

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love,
the things you are, the things you never want to lose.”
~From the television show The Wonder Years

Author Connections Free Write Friday

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Jul 31

Writing: Gift or Curse?

by catnipoflife

Click HERE!

Have you ever experienced sleepness nights where you are caught between dreams and reality? Your mind is spinning as thoughts weave in and out filling the crevices of your mind.

Have you ever thought about writing being a curse, as well as a gift? Recently I was contacted by a fellow writer, Ron Lemco. Ron has published a compelling book, Rest Stop, that is scary in a sense because it could happen in real life – in fact, it DID happen. While the language is rough, the way difficult, the result frightening, the way I look at it, it’s life! Reading his book left me with the impression that I might not want to take advantage of the convenient ‘rest stop’ on my next vacation.

He shared with me a writing that definitely got me thinking about the writer’s world being both, a gift and a curse.

THE WRITERS’ CURSE
by Ron Lemco

A thought about what a person is writing enters into his head.
It becomes a vision and then, like magic, he begins to see a dialog.
He is trying to sleep but words are escalating taking control.

Jumping from his bed he writes notes he needs to contain.
All too often an image is lost and recollection is not the same.
Notes no longer satisfy the thoughts that must be transposed.

After a fix here, a fix there, he climbs back in bed. . .
One thousand words later.

Share your thoughts…have you experienced The Writers’ Curse?

Author Connections

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