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26 03, 2015

Showing Up

By judythemorgan|2015-03-26T06:00:25-05:00March 26th, 2015|Company's Coming|0 Comments

A Guest Blog by Gail Kittleson

Someone decided to take an older relative to Europe to celebrate her retiring from work. When they broke the news, the woman said, “Oh . . . I’ve really been wanting to go to Florida.”

Another friend of a friend was discussing her plans to go to Oktoberfest. My friend asked, “Wonderful—have you been in Germany before?”

“Oh, we’re not going to Germany, we’re going to Oktoberfest at the Epcot Center.”

The two conversations stuck in my mind, since both reactions were unexpected.

These narratives fit my purposes right now because today I had an unexpected, pleasant surprise.

A friend of mine has found numerous ancient pottery shards in her Arizona yard. She’s also unearthed a Native American grinding stone, and when I recently met a man who worked on our house, he said the excavators discovered a large metate (most likely the mate of the grinding stone) on the property back in the eighties.

This was especially intriguing, since one of my historical novels takes place right here. My heroine looks out at the Mogollon Rim every morning, and in her forced isolation on a desolate ranch, that landmark steadies her, gives her hope. She yearns to meet some natives and learn their language.

Research tells me several tribes wandered this land, but the news about the grinding stone found right under our house . . . Wow!

Back to the shards.

I’ve looked and looked, but nary a shard peeped up at me from the rocky red soil, and I resigned myself to being shard challenged. But on this gorgeous March morning, TA DA . . . drum roll, please,

I found one!

Yes, and it actually matches a larger piece my friend found last year. How cool is that?!

Yesterday I attended a contemplative prayer workshop facilitated by a well-known instructor. He shared how spiritual experiences come to us when we least expect them, and how our part is simply to show up.

We might be “doing everything right,” disciplined in our practice, and nothing seems to happen. Then one day, maybe we feel wretched and unfaithful and so ridiculously unworthy, we can hardly lift our heads. And that might be the time we experience our clearest connection.

Every other time I went out to search for shards, I hoped to find one. So why, when I’d pretty much given up on success, did I discover one today?

“Ours is not to reason why . . .”

Ours is just to show up with our whole hearts and open ourselves to the moment. Such a positive way to face life – our work, our hobbies, and our spirituality.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meet Gail Kittleson

Sometimes we learn what we’ve done only after we do it. I wrote Catching Up With Daylight over a ten-year period, but learned the term “spirituality writing” only after the book was published. This is a life theme for me–figuring things out after the fact, but even though it may make things a little harder, I learn a lot in the process. I live with my very patient husband (35 years) in St. Ansgar, Iowa, teach a small creative writing class, and facilitate workshops on creativity/memoir writing/aging with grace. Vintage Rose Press offered me my first fiction contract in December, 2014, so I’m deep in edits and loving every minute of it. Well, almost every minute…

Catching Up with Daylight: A Journey to Wholeness is available from

Amazon Paperback or Kindle

Barnes & Noble Paperback or Nook

Christian Books.com

23 03, 2015

Write a Book Review? Why?

By judythemorgan|2015-03-23T06:00:45-05:00March 23rd, 2015|Monday Motivations|2 Comments

I can see your cringe and your wrinkled brow on the other side of the computer screen when you read today’s blog title. I hear the muttered protest, “I’ll read, but please don’t ask me to write a book review.” I guessing you have one or more of the concerns I read in a recent post by Joan Reeves about why readers don’t write reviews. • Readers may not know exactly what to say or how to say it • Readers are wary of attacks from other readers with different opinions • Readers don’t want to hurt the author’s feelings or invoke the wrath of a popular author’s loyal readers • Readers are concerned that they don’t have the writing skills necessary to write a review. All are legitimate reasons, but also reasons easily overcome if you truly want to support your favorite authors. You can write a book review. Really. A book review is simply a conversation about a book you’ve read. A good book review talks about the story and tells others why you did or didn’t like the book. There are only two no-no’s when you write and post a review: • Never include “spoilers” (elements of the book that should surprise) • Don’t allow personal prejudices or attitudes about the author or anything not related to the writing to intrude into your review. Now, consider the benefits of writing a book review. • A good book review helps readers decide if a book is for them. • A good book review helps authors improve their writing. Authors recognize not all readers will love their “baby” as much as they do. Even bad reviews are valuable, if they are constructive. Most important, when you write (and post) a book review to sites like Amazon and GoodReads, you help increase an author’s visibility. The more reviews a book has, the more likely the author and their book will be noticed in the great sea of available books. Now, go finish reading your book and then write a review. You can do it. I know you can.

20 03, 2015

Repairing Chickens

By judythemorgan|2015-03-20T06:00:19-05:00March 20th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara

I recently gathered all my materials to teach the song “Chicken on a Fencepost” to my 3^rd and 4^th graders. (See previous post Chicken on Fencepost for a look at the music.)

This included two chicken puppets that make chicken noises when “played” just right. I made them several years ago and the sound was so authentic, the chickens in the backyard came running to meet their new friends.

The sound is made by running a damp sponge along a string running through the top of a cup which is decorated to look like a chicken. The students love it. (And so do I.)

As I demonstrated the proper technique, a tragedy occurred. The string broke.

Then the comb fell over. It was a sad sight.

Fortunately I had another, smaller, chicken puppet that worked for the moment. Of course, everyone wants to use the bigger chicken so I’ll have to fix it eventually.

I am probably the only person on earth who has a “to do” list which includes “repair chicken.”

16 03, 2015

SPRING BREAK, MUD, and AMAZING ADVENTURES

By judythemorgan|2019-03-23T10:06:33-05:00March 16th, 2015|Uncategorized|0 Comments

It’s Spring Break time and every other car in our little tourist town sports an out-of-state license plate.

Not complaining. It’s great for our local businesses.

At our house, grandkids from Texas, siblings, nieces, and friends are coming to enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, and hiking beneath the bright, blue Colorado sky.

Again, not complaining. It’s great to see them.

Spring Break time brings another phenomenon—MUD.

Squishy, slippery, mud puddles line the edges of the road, the yards, the trails. Ruts are carved into every unpaved road. Mud gathers on your shoes, in your car, in your house, on your dogs’ paws. It’s everywhere.

The Forest Service marks hiking, snowshoe, and snowmobile trails based upon safety issues. Many trails close because the roads are deemed unsafe, but you can still see some wonderful snow-covered mountainsides in the Rio Grande National Forest if you are careful.

We ventured out in our four-wheel vehicle with our granddaughter, Catherine, and her friend, Caleb, while they were here.

We did fine until we tried to show Catherine the trail where her father comes to fish every summer. The trail was not blocked nor was it snow covered.

But we did get stuck…in guess what—MUD.

Very stuck. The car sat perpendicular to the roadbed on a very squishy, slippery, rutted road after a failed U-turn.

Catherine, Caleb, and I tried to push our Pilot SUV out of the ditch. No luck.

We slipped rocks under the tires to gain traction. No luck.

We used the dog’s car water dish as a shovel to try to dig out. No luck.

Night was falling fast. The temperatures were dropping. We called for help, but had to leave a message with a friend who has towing capability.

As we sat patiently waiting for a return call, Catherine, our very smart, very talented oboe-playing granddaughter, says, “Floor mats. I think I remember reading to use floor mats under the tires when you’re stuck in snow or mud.”

Brilliant girl, our Catherine. Brilliant guy, Caleb.

Between the added traction from the heavy-duty place mats and the strength of the two college kids pushing from the front, the car, once again, headed back to paved road.

Mud covered us, our jeans, our boots, and our hands, and face, and caked in our hair. The outside of our car was now polka-dotted in mud, and the inside of the car oozed in mud.

While it wasn’t so amazing during the excitement, quite the opposite, I can look back now and say, what an amazing adventure!

And two amazing college kids have returned home with a long-to-be-talked-about Spring Break MUD adventure.

13 03, 2015

Hippo Hair

By judythemorgan|2015-03-13T06:00:48-05:00March 13th, 2015|Friday on the Miller Farm|0 Comments

By Chicken Wrangler Sara

Every year at Christmas, I sing “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” It’s a real song I promise.

This year Rachel got me a hippopotamus – she made me a hippo hat.I love it. Now I can sing “I Got a Hippopotamus for Christmas!” – which I do.

This week we had another cold spell so I wore my hippo hat to school. The kids (and teachers) all love It was so worth it.d it.

I wore it all day and as I walked into the teacher’s room at lunch, all the teachers were looking at me. I explained that I could not take my hat off because I now had “hippo hair.”They thought it was hysterical.

Of course they did, their hair looked wonderful. Mine, however, looked as though a hippopotamus had been sitting on it all day.

Wednesday is “hat day” at school. I may wear my hippo hat again – unless I decide to wear my magic hat. Decisions, decisions……

6 03, 2015

That’s No Chicken

By judythemorgan|2015-03-06T06:00:53-06:00March 6th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I was working at my computer this week when I caught a glimpse of something out the front window. At first glance it appeared that a chicken was in the road. (Was it trying to cross? If so, why?)

I got up and started toward the door, wondering if it was one of ours chicks or another stray chicken (see You’re not My Chicken! You’re a Snort.)

About that time a car drove by and the bird took flight.

It looked like a small plane – huge wingspan. It was a turkey vulture. It flew to the roof across the street then waited in the yard for a while.

Eventually it flew away.

Yesterday the grandmother of a piano student was waiting in the driveway and said she saw some huge birds circling the back yard. I sure hope it wasn’t the turkey vulture and his friends. Chickens I will wrangle but I draw the line at turkey vultures.

4 03, 2015

OLD MAN WINTER vs THE GROUNDHOG

By judythemorgan|2015-03-04T06:00:35-06:00March 4th, 2015|Holidays|0 Comments

The tradition of predicting how long Old Man Winter keeps us in his grip based upon whether the groundhog sees its shadow has ancient roots.

European’s celebrated Feb. 2 (winter’s midpoint) on Candlemas Day, a festival of lights that also included a folk song for predicting the arrival of spring.

If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, winter, have another flight;

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go winter, and come not again.

The German settlers of Pennsylvania brought the tradition along with their folk song:

For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, So far will the snow swirl until the May.

Then the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club added a slight variation with Punxsutawney Phil, who has predicted Old Man Winter’s length since the first trek to Gobbler’s Hill in 1887.

These days we don’t think of the old folk songs. We’ve worry about two possibilities:

If the prognosticating groundhog (also known as a woodchuck, or whistle-pig), sees its shadow, it becomes frightened and scurries back into its burrow. This means six more weeks of winter.

If it’s cloudy and the groundhog does not see its shadow, he stays outside. This indicates a mild spring.

Last month on the 129th official Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. Long Island’s Malverne Mel and Michigan’s Bill Murray went along with Phil’s forecast.

However, his country cousins – Staten Island’s Chuck, Georgia’s General Beauregard Lee, Ohio’s Buckeye Chuck and Las Vegas’ Mojave Max – all disagreed, predicting an early spring.

Stormfax says Phil has only been right 39% of the time. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club boasts he has 100% accuracy.

This year I’m thinking Phil was spot on. If you’ve watched the news for the last four weeks you know most of the country is buried beneath a lifetime quota of snow, ice, and cold.

My concern is Phil’s six more weeks of winter ends on March 16. That’s two weeks from now. I’m not sure Old Man Winter will surrender.

In fact, as I write this, snow is coming down outside. The weather forecast is for nineteen inches with more snow next week. How on earth will those crocus and daffodils I planted last fall push through all the white stuff?

Please Old Man Winter, give it up. My daffodils beg you.

And, so do I!

27 02, 2015

Operettas and New Chicks

By judythemorgan|2015-02-27T06:00:23-06:00February 27th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The private school where I teach music does a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta each year and has for the past 37 years. When I took the job I specified that I could not help with the operetta. Our children were still in elementary school and I knew the time commitment of a performance would be beyond my ability. This was fine as I was teaching only the elementary grades.

Our enrollment has declined over the past few years so I am now the only music teacher which means I am helping with the operetta.

This year the Gala performance was last Friday evening. We had rehearsals all day every day last week. My Tuesday/Thursday teaching job became a Monday through Friday job. Brian asked me Wednesday evening if I would have time on Thursday to pick up 25 chicks he had ordered.

I took a deep breath and said “Sure, I can go during lunch.”

Now picking up chicks sounds pretty simple but, remember, they have bird brains. Each chick must have their beak dipped in the water trough so they know where to get water. Knowing the limited amount of time I had for lunch, I decided to enlist some help. I couldn’t afford to miss any rehearsal time.

One of the students in the operetta is an experienced chick handler so I took her with me. She knew exactly what to do.

I explained to the directors where I was going and what I was doing. They had no idea how much was involved with picking up the chicks. I felt more like an animal science teacher than a music director.

Now we have chicks in the brooder in the garage once again.

We can hear them cheeping happily as we eat breakfast every morning. I check them regularly to make sure they have food and water along with the quail, big chickens, bantam chickens, dogs and humans.

Helping with the operetta doesn’t seem like so much work any more.

25 02, 2015

4 Ways to Keep Your Productive Faucet Flowing

By judythemorgan|2015-02-25T06:00:34-06:00February 25th, 2015|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

February is almost over. We’re moving at warp speed through 2015. So how are you doing on those plans and resolutions from New Year’s Day?

If you’re like me, that faucet of enthusiasm has slowed to a trickle or off entirely. Barely a drip.

It’s time to heed the words of a great writerly quote from Louis L’Amour, an American author of hundreds of authentic western novels:

“The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

The full quote, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” provides great advice for writers.

You see when life spins out of control writers, well at least to this writer, lets the distractions stop my writing. Instead of moving ahead, I tend to think, “I’ll just finish __________ then I’ll get back to writing.”

Fill in the blank with whatever distracts you from working toward your goal. You don’t have to be a writer to fall into the distraction trap.

What happens is each passing day we don’t work on our goal or resolution, it becomes easier not to do what we planned. Doesn’t take long before self-doubt makes us question if our project is even worth the time at all.

Here are four ways I plan to get myself back on track, and turn my faucet on again.

Establish a Schedule

A schedule doesn’t have to be set in stone or the same every single day or week. Make it adjustable. Most important, put the time slots on your calendar the way you would any other appointment or commitment.

Seize Small Chunks of Time

An hour may not seem like much, but you’d be surprised at what can be accomplished in a small, consistent, and repeated amount of time. Snatch those minutes wherever you can.

My goal for 2015 is two books published so I’m training myself to keep my iPad with me and write wherever I go like when I’m waiting at the doctor’s office or a passenger in the car. Since I live in the mountains and the nearest Wal-Mart, doctor, or grocery store is at least thirty minutes away. I’m amazed at how my word count builds.

Set your goal as your priority every day.

I work toward my goals BEFORE I do any other tasks for the day. I find if I do the laundry, clean the house or any of those other very necessary tasks first, I always run out of time. You will too.

Reward Small Successes

Be proud of small incremental steps. I remind myself almost on a daily basis that one word a day gives me 365 words of my novel by the end of the year. When I write an entire chapter, I celebrate with chocolate, usually M&Ms!

If you’re like me and your faucet isn’t flowing as it should, it’s not too late. Do not give up or abandon your goals and resolutions altogether.Rejuvenate that motivation you had six weeks ago. Turn your faucet on.

Hear that water rushing? Now turn your faucet on and let it flow steadily.

20 02, 2015

Mythbusting on Miller Farm

By judythemorgan|2015-02-20T06:00:55-06:00February 20th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

By Chicken Wrangler Sara

There are many things I have been told throughout my life that I have come to realize are just not true. For example, I’ve always thought that a bee can only sting someone once and then it dies. I learned this weekend that is a myth.

We had an unusually warm day on Saturday so the bees thought it was Spring and were out gathering pollen. One of the hives sits on the back porch right next to the path I take to the chicken coop. During the real Spring, I alter my path so as not to disturb the bees. This being February, I didn’t think about walking around the busy bees.

Halfway to the chicken yard I felt a sting on my back. I instinctively reached back to brush away the bee and quickly felt a sting on my finger. Then there was buzzing in my hair. I began to walk quickly around the yard saying “go away, go away.” This was one of the times I was grateful for the privacy fence. Then the buzzing stopped.

I took care of the chickens then went back inside (via the alternate path) to have Brian check my back for a stinger. There was none but I had definitely been stung. Then the buzzing started again. I headed for the door but Brian called me back so he could find the bee. It took every bit of self- control I had to stand still while he searched my hair. He knocked the bee to the ground and then used a napkin to pick it up. It had lost its stinger but was still alive – until Brian squished it. That reminds me of a song – I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee…..but I digress.

So the myth of bees only stinging once is busted. Next, I’ll tackle the myth that only roosters crow.