Do Ya Ever Feel Like a...

Photo by idreamofdaylight

...bump on a log? (Or is that a regional saying? LOL)

I don't know if it's because I had a great few days away at the beach, and coming back into my routine is making me feel sluggish, if I'm just dragging lately, or just plain old.

Whatever the cause, I just want to sit around and do nothing.

What do you do when you feel blah? Give in and wallow in it? Get a change of scenery if possible? What?

Please Take Out Your Notebooks, Class

Photo by Cellular Immunity

First, I've got Part 1 of the interview with Harvey Stanbrough posted at the Rose & Thorn's blog if you missed it featured here. (You ARE familiar with our wonderful little literary zine, right?) If you haven't had a chance to browse and/or follow the blog, consider yourself officially invited! We've been really busy renovating and redesigning for our Fall issue which will be out in mid-October. Kathryn Magendie of Tender Graces and I hope you will sign up to get the announcement newsletter too. {Follow the R&T link above and in the red sidebar on site, you'll find more links to the newsletter subscription, current issue, Twitter, etc.}

We're excited about the new crop of poems and prose we'll be showcasing. And, hey, maybe some of you will be inspired to submit your work in the future!

Second (and don't you hate people who start paragraphs like this?), please visit Harvey's blog for a wonderful tutorial on the importance of getting your novel synopsis/query parts and pieces done right! You'll thank yourself after you read it. Lots more good stuff are housed at his website.

Third and lastly (is that a word?), Kimmi Richardson is having an awesome giveaway to celebrate her second blogiversary at Writer in Waiting! If you wanna "Get Lucky in Kentucky," check out the contest details. Kimmi is giving away "...TWO two-night, three day stays at (her)100-year-old cottage, Summer Shade."

~~~~
Coming Soon: Interview with the author of Tell No Lies, Julie Compton. Now, you have a great rest-o'-the-week, ya hear?

Temporarily Outta Recipes

Since I've been on vacation, I don't have any new food items or photos to share. BUT, before your taste buds shrivel up in disappointment, I'd like to direct you to fellow blogging Louisianian Marguerite over at Cajun Delights!

Just put "recipe" in the blog search box and you'll find a cornucopia of Cajun deliciousness. And if you have a request for certain types of dishes or recipes, let me know so I can work on that for future posts.

Now, what's your absolute favorite thing to cook and eat? (No, cereal does not count.) :)

Sun Lover's Warning

Hello Blogworld friends! I had a great few days at the beach relaxing and soaking up some sun. As always, I took lots of pictures, so maybe I'll post a few more later on in the week.

In case you're heading out for a late summer vacation yourself, or squeezing in a long weekend before the school schedule routine takes over, or just plan on spending some time out in the sun, I've got a tip for you:

Make sure your sunscreen is evenly distributed or you may end up looking like this~~

Thankfully, my smart daughter brought Ocean Potion soothing gel with us, so I'm not hurting. I just look like the mottled muddled creature I am. :)

Sun photo by Alex Stoen

Wonderful.ness

Have you ever seen a full moon hanging over the water? I have now, and it's something I won't forget.

Hope you see/hear/taste/read/smell/feel some similar wonderful.ness yourself before the weekend ends.



Photo by wendylin20

Wish You Were Here!

This is where I am sitting today, or at the nearby table, working on my neglected manuscript. In a place as nice as this, revisions don't seem so grueling. There is lots of good visiting going on and great food Trudy and I made to bring with us. I truly am blessed to have such a wonderful daughter, and generous caring friends. The laughter and fun comes over me in waves, and it's refreshing!

And if I get tired of working, I refill my coffee mug with Community Coffee's Cafe' Special, and look out at the gorgeous scenery. There isn't a big crowd here because it's the end of the season, so it's pretty tranquil. There is parasailing and dolphin watching tours going on right below us. I wish you all a Friday (and weekend) as beautiful as this:

Kidnapped!

Dear Blog Friends:

Gumbo Writer has been temporarily kidnapped and taken to parts unknown. Please do not try to find her. She is in safe hands and no ransom will be asked.

If you need information about her well-being, please call her daughter "Queenie" who has stolen her for some mother/daughter bonding before school commences next week. {If you don't believe she's been kidnapped for her own good, see picture of her above.}

Someone will report on how things are going tomorrow, and maybe post a photo.

Thank you for your understanding, and remember, DO NOT notify the authorities. Gumbo Writer is fine and will probably be a little better and saner upon return!

Love,
XXX??

Cure for "Writer's Block"

Photo by Vince Kusters

One of the best writerly resources I know of is Poets & Writers magazine. Are you familiar with it? Every issue is packed with links to contests, literary news, writer recommendations, how-to articles, classifieds and such. Bonus: the shorter online version is easy to read and navigate if you prefer getting your info fix at the computer.

The August 4th zine says P&W was "Founded in 1970, it is the nation's largest nonprofit literary organization for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers." Each time I browse P&W or look over the contest listings, I'm inspired. I think, hey dummy, why don't you get a subscription?

So today I'm doing just that. If you're searching for something that will throw lighter fluid on your writing fire, look over P&W's newest contest submissions calendar and/or its tools for writers.

What's your favorite writer magazine, journal or zine? How do you jump start your writing motivation when a blank screen or notebook stares back at you?

Pasta Casserole...For 40!

I got laundry caught up yesterday, and in general just got stuff done that had been on the back burner too long. Aren't ya proud of me?

Thanks for all your sweet comments!

Now, as promised, here's the recipe I used last Friday when it was my turn to cook and serve supper at the men's shelter. It truly is one of my favorite things to do because I enjoy eating and talking with people from all over the US. They couldn't be more appreciative either. Some came back for thirds and fourths!

Several guys requested Italian last time I visited, so my friend, sister-in-law did an Italian smorgasbord -- pasta casserole, meatballs and Italian sausage in sauce, marinated vegetable salad, squash casserole, fresh green beans, sliced round bread loafs and Italian creme pie.

Besides the sheer deliciousness of this recipe, the total cost of Pasta-for-40 is only $27.00. Yay...it meets my credo for cooking (and life in general)~~~good, cheap and easy!

Pasta Casserole

6 lbs. lean ground chuck
5 26-oz. cans Hunt's spaghetti sauce (I use 4-cheese and garlic-herb)
3 16-oz. bags of small pasta shells
3 bags Italian shredded cheese
3 T. sugar or 3 packets sweetener
1 can Parmesan cheese
2 large aluminum pans

Spread one can of sauce in bottom of pans. Brown beef, drain off fat, then layer into pans.

Brown rest of the beef, seasoning with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. Let simmer, stirring well to mix.

Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and add to pot with browned beef. Slowly add in other cans of Hunt's and mix well.

Divide contents of pot evenly into pans. Cover with Italian cheese. Sprinkle on entire contents of can of Parmesan.

Cover pans tightly with their lids or aluminum foil. Cook on 350 for an hour. Remove covers and heat for 10 minutes on 400.

Let sit for 30 minutes or so, then cut, serve and enjoy!

Taking A Day Off

Photo by Edgar Zuniga Jr.

Happy Monday and have a great week. I'm going fishin'...or rather, just hanging out and getting caught up on a bunch of stuff I've let drag.

See ya tomorrow with a new recipe or two!

Boo & Thib (& Some Blingage)

Yesterday it was blondes, today it's our beloved Cajuns Boudreaux & Thibodaux!

Vacation Boo Style~~

Boudreaux an' his lovely bride Marie talk about it bein' way too long since dey been on vacation, so Boo, him decide to take dem down to dat Cajun Riviera, Holly Beach, Louisiana.

Dere, da couple, dey have some great time! Dere hotel room got a great view, da weather's nice, and it's juss da relaxation da couple needs.

One day, Marie bury Boudreaux in da sand on dat beach. Den Boo, he bury Marie in da sand. It was too much fun, yeah!

A year later Boudreaux is drinkin' at the Prop Stop Bar & Bait Shop wit his bess friend Thibodaux. "Thib, mais I wish you coulda been at da beach wit me and Marie lass year!"

Thib say, "Mais Boo, dat woulda been some fun. I ain't had a vacation in I don't know how long. Maybe we can go dis summer, juss us two?"

Boo tinks and tinks, den orders two more beer. "Hey, Thib mon amie, why don't we do dat? Me and you, we'll go back to dat Holly Beach. While we dere, you can help me dig up Marie!"

~~~



Thanks to Amanda Bonilla at The Keyboard, GumboWriter is sporting new blog badge blingage. The Humane Award (yeah, yeah, we're all aware of my distaste for furballs, {see Colby's video in the sidebar} but the badge, thankfully, features a dawg! And since Amanda passed on the honor to recipients who are supportive of her writing efforts vs. animal lover humanitarians, I shall do the same.

*Sidebar -- It's always hard to pick just a few recipients because I love all my "regulars!"*

Da Rules:

*Accept and post the award to your blog check
*Link to the person from whom you received it check
*Pass the award to 5 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement check
*Let them know they've been chosen for this award check

"Humane" blogs (that might be new to some of you) that love writers and laughter in equal measures ~~

1. Irish Gumbo - a writing lad if ever there was one
2. Vodka Mom, who has happy hour 24/7
3. Crazy Debbie's Suburb Sanity
4. Lady Glamis, The Innocent Flower
5. Harvey Stanbrough's informative Writing the World

These blogs are owned by lovely, funny, smart or downright crazy people who like to share and encourage, so go visit 'em!

Puzzled Blonde

I know it's been far too long since I posted a new Politically Incorrect joke, so let's remedy that today. Thanks goes to Kimmi, author of The Unbreakable Child (aka Writer in Waiting) for reminding me via Twitter that I've neglected this group. And we all know Gumbo Writer is an equal opportunity insulter!

As good luck would have it, a dear friend in God Bless Texas sent a great joke just the other day. May it kick your weekend off the right way -- with a laugh~~~

A blonde calls her boyfriend and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."

Her boyfriend asks, "What's it supposed to be when it's finished?"

The blonde says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."

Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle. She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."

*crickets chirp*

He takes her hand and says, "Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then ..." he lets out a deep sigh, .....................

(scroll down)

..........

"Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."

Jigsaw photo by: donut

Corn Flakes photo by main.gov