SOOOO many good things this week!
Jean Reinhardt, author of A Pocket Full of Shells, has a stunningly rich website, studded with wonderful features. Watch the dance videos! Read her flash fiction, poetry, short story! Follow her links! You’re welcome!
Beyond the Window Box is a beautiful site that began as an exploration of small-space gardening and has expanded to a visual feast.
Holly Jahangiri (the real one) provides a Punctuation Check-Up that’s invaluably informative and immeasurably entertaining.
My second-favorite anthropologist (Sara Marian is my favorite), Barbara J. King, is retiring from teaching at William and Mary. You can watch her entire almost-final lecture (this is a public one; the final lecture will be a class lecture in December) here. It’s an hour of wonderful insight about animal emotion. What a treasure!
Holly (still the real one) shared the link to Yuckylicious: Exploring the World’s Worst Cookbooks. I believe I made some of these, back when I was learning to cook. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.
Finally, have you ever wondered if you’re actually a character in a historical novel? The marvelous Tara Sparling, who is about 30 degrees off true (and I do like that in a person), provides a quiz so you can find out.
Well, that should keep you busy for a while!
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: What does your main character grow in their windowbox?
MA
Dan
November 6, 2015 at 7:45amChecking out the punctuation post now. I need all the help I can get.
Marian Allen
November 6, 2015 at 10:12amOh, me, too!
Jean Reinhardt
November 6, 2015 at 8:21amThanks so much for highlighting my blog and for your kind words, Marian. I must check out the Punctuation blog, I could definitely use that one. I’m connected with Tara’s blog and Beyond the Windowbox but I must pay a visit to the others you mentioned. Have a lovely weekend Marian.
Marian Allen
November 6, 2015 at 10:13amI love blog hops — they lead me to the most interesting people!
Jane
November 6, 2015 at 10:36amGreat recommends today!
On punctuation:
I had the advantage of having learned explicit (and numbered) comma rules,, as well as other such lovely details about writing from a 75-year-old English teacher some 55 years ago, so I received the best Victorian info on this subject one can imagine. I don’t know where people learn this stuff these days. Just reading proper writing usually gives you a strong basis……oh, wait! TWITTER! I forgot.
Marian Allen
November 6, 2015 at 3:51pmI’m sure any number of people tried to teach me punctuation, but I’m still winging it. But it’s obvious that some people don’t learn this stuff at all. I want to throw things when I see a sign like this:
You will “not” be seen by the doctor if you forget you’re medicines.
I’ve been known to make corrections to such signs with Sharpies, but they just print and post new ones — with the same mistakes.
Holly Jahangiri
November 6, 2015 at 2:40pmOh, my – totally basking in the attention over here – thank you! And why are you apologizing? I’m planning to stop by the grocery store to stock up on gelatin, things to throw in it, and … yeah, mom did say “Don’t play with your food,” but she’s not here, now, is she?
She also used to say, “The cook always eats her mistakes.” I really hope I’m not making a huge mistake with this new-found, morbid interest in Jello.
I have a whole bunch of Swedish Fish. I wonder if I could find a tiny little edible deep sea diver?
Marian Allen
November 6, 2015 at 3:53pmI’ve been to parties where I was served chocolate pudding in a flower pot, with crushed chocolate cookies on top and GUMMY WORMS MIXED IN. Yuck!!!!!
Holly Jahangiri
November 6, 2015 at 2:41pm@Jane – Hm, did you have Mrs. Cameron for English, too?
Tara Sparling
November 6, 2015 at 5:52pmThank you so much for the shoutout! Glad you liked the quiz. Thank you even more for the 30 degrees off true comment. Think I might put it on a t-shirt.
Marian Allen
November 6, 2015 at 6:19pmLOL! That would make a good t-shirt! I’m glad you took it in the spirit in which it was intended: a compliment. 🙂
Holly Jahangiri
November 6, 2015 at 8:30pm@Marian Allen – Yay!! Dirt cups! Loved those since the first time my kids got one!