A Soft Blanket of Snow

The snow is lovely this morning, as I look out my kitchen windows--not too deep, and marked only by the occasional set of deer or coyote tracks.  Since the stuff probably reaches the middle of Bernicie's chest, we'll have to wait for either a thaw or a pass of the plow before we can take our walks.

I had an excellent writing day yesterday, even with a dash to Walmart for in-case-of-snow things, and attended my second Photoshop class in the evening.  Photoshop is, alas, still pretty much of a mystery to me, but I'm determined to stick with it.  I'm certainly not looking to become an expert in four lessons; I just want to be able to navigate the program well enough to continue learning in my usual bumbling, trial-and-error fashion. (I'm not quite as thick as that statement makes me sound, but my firefly brain seems to have difficulty with complicated technical concepts--forget Soduku.  I've tried.)

I'll be writing again today, and happily, in the light of my happy lamp.  Of course when the sun is shining, I don't need it.

I'm waiting for "The Artist" to come to pay-per-view, and downloading the first season of "Downton Abbey" as we speak.  For a cowgirl, I sure do love stories set in merry old England.

As for listening to books, I've just finished Ali Wentworth's "Ali in Wonderland".  It was funny and fascinating.  Now I think I'm in the mood for a big, complicated novel.  The question is, which one?  Any suggestions?

That's the news from my kitchen table, at least for this morning.

Winter Wonderland--Or Not :)

Short blog today--I'm really into the book and I don't want to break my momentum.  :)

The new website is coming soon, so please watch for it.  Special thanks to all of you who 'liked' my new Facebook page.

We've been living in a smooth, white, sparkly world for the last few days--it's lovely out here in the country; acres of diamonds glitter in the horse pasture and one memorable morning the fallen needles from the tall pines that stand all around us were laced with a fragile dusting of snow--an exquisite sight.  Now, there's been a thaw and the sky is overcast again--more snow on its way.  More beauty.  (Hope I'm not snowed in before my Photoshop class tonight, though, and I MUST get to Walmart at some point.)

Photoshop.  What a challenge--but I'm determined to show up for all four classes, if I have to go by dog sled.  (Bernicie is not up to the job of pulling, but we could round up some Huskies somewhere.)  I'm not a person who learns technical processes easily, much as I love electronic gadgets and gizmos, so this effort requires some discipline.  Failing discipline, I can fall back on my streak of good old-fashioned stubborn Lael-ness.  (It's there to be done, so do it, that's our credo.)

And, of course, the book is there to be done, so I'm going to do it.

Stay well. 

Like Me Facebook--Please :)

You can find my new Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/lindalaelmiller.

Thanks!

AT LAST!

I've been trying to blog for several days, with no success.  I was really getting worried that you'd all think I just up and vanished, and I'm right here.  We're making some changes, with the new website coming up soon, and I sure hope you'll all stick with us until we iron out the rough spots. 

Right now, you can find me on Facebook by going to the "Official Linda Lael Miller" page--pics of the animals are posted there, and we'll be adding fun stuff right along, so I hope you'll stay tuned.

You'll always be able to find my blog by going to http://www.lindalaelmiller.com/, but there'll be a short transition period between the old website and the new, and I don't want to lose a single one of you along the way.

What I've been doing while I was invisible:
Walking Bernice and myself.
Writing the new book--which I LOVE.
Not much else.  :)

Thanks for hanging in.  More tomorrow, if Blogger doesn't go all weird on me again.

Changes

Within a very short time, I'll have a new website and a new blog.  My Facebook page has been altered, too--lots of pix of the pets there, and more to come.  As I understand it, you won't have trouble making the transition--all very exciting.  There will be contests and lots of fun things.

My main focus these days is the book--I'm loving it, though I did take the weekend off to restore my energies.  I had the house Feng Shui-ed on Saturday--very interesting process--and I'll keep you updated on that.  I start a Photoshop class tomorrow night--long term goal, about to be fulfilled.  I'm excited--I've tried repeatedly to get into one of these classes and I finally made it.  YEEHAW!  Again, I'll fill you in on the experience--I imagine it will be a challenge.  Photoshop is not something I've been able to learn via books or internet stuff--I need a real person to point things out to me.  :)  Such is my learning style that I'll have some trouble mastering the process, but then I'll know it, solid. 

Art, on the other hand, seems to lend itself well to online learning, at least for me.  I watched a new video from Interweave.com, called "All About Faces".  Julie F.F. Balzer, a very talented mixed media artist, is an excellent teacher.  Love it.

Bernicie and I took our walks over the weekend, as we will on this President's Day--we saw four white-tail deer dashing through the woods at one point, and that was so great.  The horses sometimes put on a little show, too--especially my bad boys, Banjo and Traveler. 

I'm writing today, going for 10,000 more steps, walking my dog, and generally being grateful to--and for--all of you.

Snow and Steps

I continue to work toward my 10,000 steps a day goal, and so far, I'm doing great!

I wrote today--it's challenging, but I'm loving it.

Bernice and I walked--she's not as committed to the Fitbit as I am :) so we stop a lot, so she can smell out the situation.  :)  Skiffs of snow were coming down all day--very pretty.

Yesterday, I had my hair cut and colored.  I like to say, at this point, I needed emergency care.  :)

Back tomorrow.

The Journey of 10,000 Steps

You know how I love gadgets.  Well, so does my friend, Debbie Macomber, and she just recommended a really fun--and healthy--one.  It's called the Fitbit, and it's basically a wireless pedometer.  Besides how many steps the wearer takes, it will also record how well that person sleeps, and a few other things as well.  (I have yet to find one that records how many Randy Travis songs I listen to.  :) )  It's tiny and plugs into the computer to charge, where it also records the data.  Mary Ann, my practical cousin and the Trail Boss here on the Triple L, wanted to know what made it different from ordinary pedometers.  She cracked up when I answered that this one sends me an congratulatory e-mail and awards virtual badges.

Hey, motivation is motivation.  Whatever works.

It looks a little slick out today, and I have a much-needed hairdresser's appointment, but I'm determined to go for 10,000 more steps, though it may be done mostly on my treadmill.  You guessed it--I was one of those kids who work hard for gold stars.  :)

Bernicie is back from the vet--she had a dental cleaning and six extractions, so she's got to stay in out of the cold for a day or two, eat soft food and take anti-biotics.  Still, she's herself, and Yorkie energy is important to well-being, at least around here.  Chacha, the kitty, who is Bernice's biggest fan, would certainly agree.  She was waiting for me when I came in from one of my strolls around the pasture yesterday, and clearly disappointed to find me Bernice-less.

So, the journey continues.  It will be a partial writing day--appointments throw me off and I can't avoid this one.  :)  I'm feeling terrific and I hope you are, too.

God bless you, my friends.

Sisters

Hearts and Flowers

A very happy Valentine's Day to one and all.  Tell somebody you love them--you can't say it too often.  :)

The book is just FLYING along--once I've finished blogging, I'll be sitting down at my other computer, the one with the magic happy-lamp beside it, to take up where I left off.  This story really pulls me in--I'm feeling it very deeply, which sometimes makes me want to shy away a little.  Instead, I just crank up the Randy Travis tunes and go for it.  :)

Bernicie is getting her teeth cleaned today, so I went on the morning walk alone--she'll be with me for this afternoon's rounds.  The walk is my time to talk with God--and listen to Him, too--and I treasure that.  Plus, exercise helps keep the blues at bay, as does the happy-lamp.  Also, I try to be at least as nice to myself as I am to my pets.  :)

Sally and I are still texting each other in Randyese--in other words, lines from his songs.  :)  What a good time we had, whooping it up.

And I'm off to Parable.

See you tomorrow, pardners.

What a Weekend!!!

Here I sit at my writing computer, with my happy light shining down on me, fixing to write a new chapter and bursting at the seams to tell you about my weekend.

My sister Sally flew up from Oregon on Friday night, and on Saturday we did a lot of catching up, and a little shopping.  Saturday NIGHT, now, that was the biggie--we went to the Randy Travis concert over at Northern Quest Casino.  What a show, that's all I'm saying.  What a singer!  We just had more fun than the proverbial barrel of monkeys, tapping our feet, singing along, cheering every song.  There wasn't an empty seat in the place, and Randy and his band put on an unforgetable performance.  We left, exhausted, with music in our heads and our hearts, matching sounvenir T-shirts, and promises to do things like this together more often.

Sal went back on Sunday, and I missed her as soon as I drove away from the airport's departure lane.  It was definitely a flying trip, all too brief, but these days, with all of us living such busy lives, we have to grab our chances to get together and hold on tight.

Bernice and I had our walk this morning--good for both of us.  I do the praying, and she does the sniffing and turkey tracking.  :)

I'm off to Parable, where things are definitely popping.

Be well, be happy, and be kind.

Early Start

Bernicie and I have already been out for our morning walk--in fact, it's early enough that the horses are still in the barn, waiting for the Canadian Wrangler to bring them room service.  :)  It's very cold out here in Spokaloo, and the sky is gray, as it was yesterday.  Still, the quiet and the peace were lovely, and God and I had a great talk.  :)

Yesterday, on the afternoon round, all the hayburners were out in the pasture, and Banjo and Traveler, my boys, were showing off big time.  It takes my breath away, watching them run. 

The writing is going very, very well--I turned on my sunshine lamp and sat down at my computer and presto, I was in Parable, with Hutch and Kendra and Slade and Joslyn, sharing in their adventures.  I forgot all about the murky weather, I was so absorbed in the story. 

I just started reading Ken Keyes' "Handbook to Higher Consciousness."  Isn't it strange how a book might as well be written in Greek if you're not ready for it?  I've tried to read this classic many times in my life, but it just plain didn't make sense, until now.

Off to the Randy Travis concert this Saturday night, over at Northern Quest Casino.  If you happen to see me there--I'll be the one tapping both feet and grinning like a fool--come over and say howdy.  After Saturday, I'll be clearly identifiable by my souvenir T-shirt.  :)

That's the chat for today, my friends.  Thanks for riding the same trail--I do enjoy your company.

Gray Skies, Happy Heart

It's a writing day, and I'm thrilled about that, so I'm making the blog short this morning.

Bernice and I are taking our prayer walk in a few minutes, and then I'll be at the computer again.  Yesterday's chapter practically wrote itself--I love it when that happens.

More tomorrow, or later today.

Still Walkin' On Sunshine

What an excellent writing day I had today!  All four thousand words, my quota, just seemed to spill out onto the computer screen--I watched the action unfold in my imagination and then simply wrote down what I saw.

Bernicie and I had two walks, one in the morning and one this afternoon, when I'd finished my pages.  The weather is cold but otherwise completely glorious, and the walks have turned into my prayer time. 

I plan to spend at least some of the evening downstairs, in my craft room, which no longer looks like a blurb for "Hoarding: Buried Alive", thanks to Debbie Korrell, Nicole Clark and Chris, who tries his best to keep chaos in check.  :)

Mom and I enjoyed a birthday lunch on Saturday, at Red Lobster, which is one of our very faves.  I set aside the D.I.E.T. and had some of those amazing cheese biscuits.  Yum.  Mom looked mighty snazzy, all dressed up in her red coat and red shoes, and the wait staff gathered around to sing a round of Happy Birthday.  I conducted, instead of singing.  :)

Wendy had a nice birthday yesterday--she and Jeremy were planning to whip up a special sea food dinner at home.  What a lucky woman I am, to have her for a daughter.

And that's the news.

More tomorrow, though whether I'll blog in the morning or the afternoon is anybody's guess.  Either way, I hope you'll stop by.

The Best Day of My Life

February 6 is the anniversary of the very best day of my life--the day I gave birth to my (okay, 'our', but her dad and I have been divorced for years)--daughter, Wendy Diane.

Wendy is: smart, funny, beautiful and amazingly talented as both a writer and a singer.  Her screenplay, "Truth Below", was shown on MTV last year and of course that makes me proud, but there are many more "ordinary" reasons to be proud of Wens, too.  Her deeply gentle love for animals, for instance, goes back to earliest childhood--how well I remember how she sobbed at her hamster's funeral.  (He was buried in a Ziploc.)  

I hear tell that adult children don't like to have stories told about them on blogs, so I will desist.  :)

Suffice it to say, I won the daughter lottery on February 6, 19--, and I won in a big way.

I love you, Weniki.

Another Good Writing Day!

YES!  I'm rollin', ladies and gentlemen.  "Big Sky Mountain" is flowing like a river.

Looks like I won't be going to France for that art workshop in September, though.  It was cancelled, and I figure this must be one of those times when God has a better idea.  :)  (This happens a lot, obviously.)

This weekend, I'll be taking Mom out to lunch, as I've already mentioned, and doing some art work.  No matter how tight the deadline, I seem to need those two days to let the engines idle. 

Bernice and I will probably be going out for our walk in a few minutes--I washed my hair this morning we all know what awful things can happen if we got out into the cold with wet heads.  :)  So, lest I wind up with a rose in my teeth, murmuring my last words in the pnuemonia ward, I'll wait.  (See, Mom, I did listen.  Mostly.)

I'm thinking of having my house Feng Shui-ed.  Have any of you ever done that?  What were your results?

Hope you have a good weekend, my friends.

I'll see you on Monday.

Intermittent Sunshine

And I'll take any sunshine I can get!  :)

Yesterday was SUCH a good writing day--I can hardly wait to get back to the book.  I won't pretend it's been easy to get this one rolling, but the story touches me very deeply, and I hope it will touch you as well.  It's called "Big Sky Mountain" and it's the second book in my Parable, Montana series, following "Big Sky Country."

Mom and I are going out to lunch on Saturday--a belated celebration for her birthday.  We always have a good time together, and I'm looking forward to the visit.

The gardening catalogs are starting to arrive, and I'm getting the itch to raise another container garden on my deck.  I skipped it last year, but it's time to try again.

I'm listening to a great book recommended by my friend Debbie Macomber--it's called "The Circle Maker", by Mark Batterson, and the subject is the power of prayer.  Very good material.

Not much time for art these days, but I've got some backgrounds ready for two new batches of artist trading cards. 

Lastly, my new website will be up soon.  Very cool.

And that, for today, is the news from the Triple L.

Happy Birthday, Edith

Your card is in the mail.  No, really.  :)

It's a rainy Wednesday morning here in old Spokaloo, as we locals affectionately refer to the place.  Just the right kind of day for writing.

I had a great writing day yesterday, and Bernicie and I managed a good walk.  We spotted moose tracks in the snow, huge ones, but fortunately did not encounter Bullwinkle 'in person'.  :)  What am I thinking?  I had a fierce Yorkie along to defend me--just ask her.  She's always chasing off wild turkeys, lest they storm the house and take us all captive.

Still listening to the Daily Audio Bible on iTunes.  Brian reads from a different translation of the Bible each week, and I enjoy his messages and powerful prayers after the reading.  The app is free, if you think you might be interested.  If you're not interested :), that's okay, too.  I like to pass on things I enjoy.

On the art front, I found something cool, Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plates.  You smear them with acrylic paint and then press paper onto them and lift, so the color stays behind, the idea being to use layers, different paints and textures, etc.  I haven't had time to try them out yet, but you can bet I will soon.  Art is my therapy--I use it to decompress.

At the end of May I'll be attending the CREATE Retreat, in Irvine, California, and I'm so excited.  Finally, I get to take classes from Laurie Mika, polymer clay artist extraordinaire.  I simply LOVE her work.  Looking forward to that and hustling to get plenty of writing done beforehand, so I can concentrate in the workshops.  September will find me in Durfort, France, studying with Lynne Perrella and Lisa Renning.  If I've already regaled you with all this, forgive me, please.  I'm just YEEHAW excited!

More tomorrow.  Be well and, as always, be kind.  Folks are having a tough time out there, and a smile and a warm word can make all the difference.