Wisdom from Rural America – Rust
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05, 2017
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05, 2017
Remembering on Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a sad day for so many. Far too many of us have been touched by the loss of a loved one or friend who “gave their tomorrow for our today.”
As you enjoy a hot dog or a hamburger with family and friends to usher in the unofficial start of summer, pause and remember why the day was originally established.
Celebrate Memorial Day but
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET.
26
05, 2017
d’Uccle Chicks
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Among Rachel’s recent acquisition of chicks is a pair of d’Uccles. This breed has very long feathers on its feet.
For the longest time, I couldn’t understand what Rachel was saying and called the chicks “duseldorfers”.
Rachel, having lived with me all her life, would patiently repeat “d’Uccles, Mom, D’Uccles”
I finally looked them up and seeing the name in writing helped it stay in my head. It also convinced me Rachel was not just making this all up.
She moved the d’Uccle chicks out of the chick pen in with the big girls. Since there are two we figured they would keep each other company. However, they have bird brains and one of them spent much of its time running up and down the chicken wire fence enclosing the chick pen.
The other night I discovered the poor chick with its head stuck in the chicken wire. I was afraid it was dead, but I got to it in time. I carefully removed its head from the chicken wire and returned it to the big pen with the other d’Uccle.
This afternoon I found them both in the chick pen. I have no idea how they got there but I’m leaving them alone. They may have bird brains but they know where they want to be.
24
05, 2017
Wisdom from Rural America – Plowing
This farmer’s advice is good whether you have a field to plow or a book to write.
Quit procrastinating and Just. Do. It.
22
05, 2017
Are you a Master or a Captain of your writing?
We use the two terms interchangeably in common use while each has a distinctive nuance and historically the titles represent unique roles in nautical vocabulary.
Before standing navies were established, armies used civilian ships to transport soldiers and their supplies. When the captain of a company of soldiers came aboard with troops for transport, he assumed military command of the ship. He determined its destination and, if the ship engaged in hostilities at sea, directed the battle.
A captain had overall authority, but the master maintained responsibility for sailing operations. The rise of steam-powered vessels phased out the need for sailing masters and the demise of the term ship’s master.
On civilian ships such as cruise vessels, the one in charge is officially the captain though sometimes called master. In popular usage, captain or skipper prevails over the term master for pleasure craft owners.
You’ll find the term captain employed in fire or police department hierarchies and on sports teams, but not master.
Simply put, the difference between the terms is that a master is someone who has control over something or someone while the captain is a chief or leader.
If we think about our writing as our ship, I prefer the term master of writing.
Why? Because a writer who controls her writing skill and, at the same time, understands the business aspects of publishing is more likely to be successful.
That doesn’t mean a writer can’t be a captain of writing and be successful too.
Being a leader (aka captain) in a genre or professional writing organization is not a bad thing as long as the leadership responsibility doesn’t hinder writing time.There are those rare individuals who can be both master and captain of their writing.
What do you think? Would you prefer to be a master or a captain of your writing?
19
05, 2017
A Frizzle of a Different Color
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Frizzles are some of my favorite chickens. We had a black one – Frizz – who had the greatest attitude. Now we have Frizz 2 – one of her children. And then there’s Richard, the spastic frizzle rooster. He gets most upset if you try to move him.
My current favorite is a partridge frizzle Rachel has named Watson. She was given this name because she is paired with a very curious red rooster named Sherlock.
Watson is a product of Rachel’s color project and she is wonderful -most of the time.
She and Sherlock like to roost on the chain link fence at night. We have to put them into their coop to keep them safe.
She has inherited the slightly spastic personality of Richard but once you hold her close, she calms down. She did get stuck once between the chain link fence and the chicken wire. It was a little tense because Rosie, the dog next door, was also between the fences.
I had to be careful as I extracted Watson so as not to strip her feathers. Fortunately, Rosie was not interested in Watson and all ended well.
I had hoped she would have learned to stay in her own area. But alas each night we get to snuggle her as we put her and Watson into their coop.
17
05, 2017
15
05, 2017
Writing Mistakes on Social Media
Copy editing is hard. That’s why I use a professional for my novels, but when I write blogs, FB posts, and tweets, I proofread myself.
Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes not so good.
Recently I ran across this GrammarCheck infographic to use as a fantastic guide for checking for writing errors when writing for social media.
Source: www.grammarcheck.net
Do any of these common writing mistakes pop up in your social media posts?
12
05, 2017
New Business Venture
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Recently our local feed store was running a sale – on chickens. Buff orpington hens to be exact. Beekeeper Brian and Rachel figured that if we raise them until they lay eggs then we could sell them at a nice profit.
So after just hatching 42 eggs, we bought 14 chicks. After all, who can resist a sale, right? We put them in the grow-out pen with the other chicks.
They are the four lighter colored ones.
I must confess they are kind of cute. Not that I am getting attached. They are a business venture.
They will be sold, they will be sold. I have to keep reminding myself.
One of them is different from the others. She managed to get herself into the live trap that Rachel had set for the baby possums that like to eat the chick feed at night.
At first, I took it as a sign that this chick wanted to stay with us. Then I remembered –
they will be sold.
10
05, 2017
Something to think about this Mother’s Day
This Sunday celebrate the women who have brought life to your world.