Judythe Morgan Archives - Page 67 of 153 - View from the Front Porch

25 11, 2019

Thanksgiving Week? Really, Oranges?

By judythemorgan|2019-11-24T18:27:44-06:00November 25th, 2019|A Writer's Life, Holidays|1 Comment

We’ve been watching our two orange trees beside the driveway. Every day the oranges slow turn from green and hidden in the leaves and branches to orange and shouting, “It’s time!”

This weekend they screamed, “Now!”

Here it is Thanksgiving week, the time when there are a million other things to be doing in the kitchen besides squeezing oranges.

But no. The oranges couldn’t wait.

Hubby dear selected the most need-to-be-picked ones and loaded the picking crates and bucket.

Twice.

I prepared the sink area. Because orange juice tends to squirt when juicing, I drape the counters and cabinet doors with towels. Makes cleanup easier-no sticky floor or counters. I also sit on my vintage kitchen chair while I work.This is our third year of juicing. We have a system—an assembly line. He washes then slices the oranges in half and pitches the halves into the colander. I run the juicer and pour through the strained until the pitcher is full then pour the strained juice into quart jars. He seals, dates the lids, and carries to the garage freezer.We recently found a great, small freezer at a garage sale unbelievably cheap and it’s now the orange juice freezer.We prepared five gallons of juice this weekend and there’s another five or more crates on the tree starting to whisper our names. It looks like, while the rest of the world is wrestling and grabbing for bargains on Black Friday, we’ll be into orange juice manufacturing.

I know I’ll be happy come February when I’m sipping fresh orange juice. And, some lucky people on our Christmas list will be excited too.

Except right now, I’m not happy with the oranges. I need to be baking!

22 11, 2019

Full Up at Miller Farm Inn

By judythemorgan|2019-11-21T10:25:03-06:00November 22nd, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog memory from Chicken Wrangler Sara

A fellow teacher at my school shares our love of dachshunds. Not quite as much as we do – she only has one. Her dog’s name is Elvis and he is not fond of being put in a kennel. His mom asked if he could possibly stay with us when they went out of town. He came for a play date and everyone seemed to get along so it was settled.

Elvis came to stay over the Thanksgiving Holiday. He arrived on Tuesday and seemed to be excited to join our 6 pack at Miller Farm.

Then Beekeeper Brian got a text from Miller’s mom. He needed a place to hang out also. Had Brian not said anything, I might not have noticed. After all what’s one more dachshund.

Miller arrived on Wednesday bringing our total to 8 dachshunds. It went remarkably well.

I decided to do an intermittent mop of the kitchen floor and put everyone in the back yard but they began to bark so I brought them back in. A neighbor who works nights has asked us to try to keep them quiet during the day. That seems reasonable even if it is difficult.

So I put them all in the living room so I could mop the kitchen without help. They didn’t mind that at all. In fact, they all climbed on the couch for a nap. Elvis and Miller, the two black and tans, nearly blend into the sofa in the top right corner.Rachel missed out on all the fun. She was pet sitting for a couple who have 3 Great Danes. She sent this picture with the largest who weighs in at 180 pounds. I think I’ll stick to large numbers of small dogs rather than small numbers of large dogs.

This post originally appeared on December 1, 2017

20 11, 2019

Start with a Grateful Heart

By judythemorgan|2019-11-20T07:31:27-06:00November 20th, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words|1 Comment

About the graphic

This is a meme I created several years ago for my November gratitude blogs. The quote is not original, it’s around any place inspiration merchandise is available. I selected the rising sun photo for my version.

About the quote

Like I said, this is an extremely popular quote. I’ve seen it on journals, posters, magnets, and bumper stickers. Reading it always brings a smile to my face and it reminds me of the rich blessings I have in my life.

11 11, 2019

Veterans Day Gratitude

By judythemorgan|2019-11-10T11:16:33-06:00November 11th, 2019|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

November 11 is Veterans Day.

Do you know the origins of Veterans Day? Why it’s not a normal four-day weekend holiday like so many of our other federal holidays?

This two-minute video from the History Channel provides the Cliff Note answers.

I love that the day falls in November now and not October.

After all, November and Thanksgiving and gratitude are so interlinked, it’s only right that we pause today to say “thank you” to a friend, a relative, or a co-worker who is a U.S. military veteran or active member of the military.

These men and women have made tremendous personal sacrifices so that we enjoy freedoms unheard of in so many nations of the world.

It’s been said, “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

Don’t let that happen today! Find a vet and say, “thank you!”

8 11, 2019

Wind chimes

By judythemorgan|2019-11-02T15:09:41-05:00November 8th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We have in my family what is known as the “obligatory bag.” It was started by my mom after I got married and moved out. She has a bag full of random things for us to take home each time we visit.

Sometimes it has clothes, empty mason jars, magazines or maybe even my favorite candy. Recently there was a set of chicken wind chimes in the obligatory bag. I was very excited.

I thought we could hang them outside the kitchen window where I could see them as I work in the kitchen. Beekeeper Brian hung them on the front porch where I can hear them as I teach piano.

This was a much better plan.

Now when I get out of the car at the end of a long day, I can hear my wind chimes and it makes me smile.

Thank you Mother!

4 11, 2019

C.S. Lewis Advice to Writers

By judythemorgan|2019-11-03T11:00:59-06:00November 4th, 2019|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

C.S. Lewis is probably best known for his The Chronicles of Narnia. His Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been made into three major motion pictures. He’s also the author of The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, and The Great Divorce.

His biography is fascinating. Did you know he and J.R.R. Tolkien were friends? Want to learn more? Click here.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=826864

Lewis has long been a favorite author of mine. He is, after all, Irish. Born in Belfast, the The Mountains of Mourne inspired him to write The Chronicles of Narnia.

I’ve read the Narnia books to my children and grandchildren. Recently, I read a blog that shared some of his advice to budding young writers from his Letters to Children.

I wasn’t familiar with that book but discovered great advice that applies to writers regardless of age or what you write.

Four of pieces of his advice were very familiar. All were things I’ve heard repeatedly in workshops, podcasts, and from editors.

Always try to use the language so as to make quite clear what you mean and make sure your sentence couldn’t mean anything else.
Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. If you mean “More people died” don’t say “Mortality rose.”
Never use abstract nouns when concrete ones will do.
Don’t use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feelabout the things you are describing. (I’d add the same thing applies to the use of adverbs.)

Lewis elaborates on Number four: “I mean, instead of telling us the thing is “terrible,” describe it so that we’ll be terrified. Don’t say it was “delightful;” make us say “delightful” when we’ve read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers “Please, will you do my job for me.”

His advice boils down to immersing the reader in your story. It’s so much easier to just tell a story. Today editors use terms like show, don’t tell, write for emotional impact, and keep it simple.

Which of Lewis’ four pieces of advice to authors is most important to you as you read?

28 10, 2019

Reading Together

By judythemorgan|2019-10-26T13:58:38-05:00October 28th, 2019|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

I saw a fun meme recently of two people reading while sitting in the back of an SUV with piles of books around them. It made me think about how we interact with other book lovers.

We talk about the books, we share books, and we belong to book clubs. But how often do we actually sit quietly together and read ?

I’m picturing the old silent reading days where on certain school days all the students brought a book to read. I loved those days. Silent Reading days are probably why I’m such a voracious reader today.

My writer’s heart speeds up when I see someone reading like I am in a waiting room. That’s kinda like reading together. But I’m picturing the days before television and radio when evenings were spent reading.

Nowadays that would mean turning off all the electronics and television, but it’s doable. Sometimes, Hubby-dear and I do just that.

Think about it, reading together could be the best response to this noisy world.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

25 10, 2019

Where’s Bella?

By judythemorgan|2019-10-22T09:54:14-05:00October 25th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|3 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Besides being an accomplished chicken catcher, Bella is also quite adept at playing hide and seek. I’m not sure that is her intention however, I frequently find only parts of her sticking out from under various objects.

Most recently I found her under a couch cushion.She is particularly fond of the blanket on the couch and can get herself completely under it. (That’s Tucker’s tail. He was looking for her.)Sometimes she gets completely under the sheet.Other times she leaves her head out.She also likes to be under the table – especially when we are trying to eat.Most of the time she just lays in the middle of the floor – tongue out. Being Bella is very tiring.

23 10, 2019

Quote on Wonder

By judythemorgan|2019-10-09T08:25:11-05:00October 23rd, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Weekly Quote|1 Comment

About the meme

On October 6, The University of Arizona ran a full page congratulations ad in the Houston Chronicle for the students, faculty and staff who participated in the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. The group had received the 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, which is the “Oscar of Science.”

Congratulations to all of them.

Their ad graphic was the first-ever image of a black hole taken by the collaboration group. This graphic is one I selected from a stock photo website to convey the idea of wonder.

About the quote

The words immediately reminded me that without wonder very little would be accomplished in this world. Most often wonder translates into What if and discovery begins. Or, if you’re a writer like me, wonder and/or what ifs create plots and stories.

The important take-away is this: It doesn’t matter if you’re part of the some collaboration or simply sitting on a porch swing looking at the sky, never lose WONDER. Always look for unseen possibilities.

21 10, 2019

Egrets, Egrets

By judythemorgan|2019-10-20T12:32:15-05:00October 21st, 2019|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

The blog title might suggest I’m blogging about how to respond to an e-invite or invitation. I’m not.

I’m talking about are the small white herons that are seen in fields with cows. They’re about 20 inches long with a 36-inch wingspan when they fly and stand in a hunched position.

Recently, I spotted the white birds wandering in and out of cattle at the edge of a friend and fellow writer’s pasture pond.

“Oh, those are cowbirds,” she said.

We begin to discuss how we always see cowbirds but had no idea why the name. or anything about the bird. That led to some research. Writers do love their research.

Cattle Egrets are native to Africa but somehow reached South American in the 1870s and migrated up. By the 1960s the white birds were documented as far north as Canada, west as far as California and east as far as Florida. Since Texas is about in the middle of those three, that would explain why we see so many of the birds in our cow pastures.

Sometimes the birds can be confused with Snowy Egrets. If you look closely, you’ll see a thicker neck, an orange or yellow bill, and dirty yellow legs and feet. Snowy Egrets like wet, water feeding.

Cowbird egrets prefer foraging field grass and pastures for the crickets, grasshoppers, and other insects the cattle hoofs stir up. They also clean the cows’ hide of ticks and fleas. That’s why you’ll see them on the cows’ backs and pecking the legs.

Their name comes from the grazing animals they team up with to forage. In other places, they are known as cow cranes, cow herons, cow birds, elephant birds, rhinoceros egrets, and hippopotamus egrets.

Breeding season runs April through September and depending on the arrival of fall even into October. Fall is running late here in southeast Texas and that’s why there are still so many cattle egrets this year.

My romance writer heart fluttered to learn they pair up and nest in established heronries year after year.

Now the next time you’re driving and spot a long-legged white bird on a cow’s back, you can wow your audience with tidbits of trivia.

If you really want to impress, throw in this little fact.

The oldest Cattle Egret on record was at least 17 years old when it was captured and released in Pennsylvania in 1979. It had been banded in Maryland in 1962.