Word! JT Twissel Is Mean To Her Cows Under a Dark Sky #FridayRecommends

Friday RecommendsI lucked onto the Word Bank blog — that’s Word Bank, not World Bank — and WOW whatta resource! Check it out for posts on reading, writing, editing, and just about anything word-related.

What led me there was an interview there with my online writer friend JT Twissel. She isn’t really mean to cows, insofar as I know.

No, it’s Dairy Carrie who’s mean to her cows. Sometimes. When she needs to be. You know how, when your toddler gets overtired and really needs a nap but really doesn’t want one and you put the toddler to bed and he/she tells you what a mean mommy you are? She’s that kind of mean. Otherwise, not.

You know what used to be fabulous but isn’t anymore and it sucks that it isn’t? The night sky. [Update: I meant to say that Holly Jahangiri (the real one) has a great article about this problem.]Β  I live in the freakin’ country, and I can’t see a fraction of the stars I used to see when I was a kid. Yeah, okay, I can’t see as much of anything as I could when I was a kid, but still. Even out here in the sticks, there’s so much light pollution I can’t even see the Milky Way. The International Dark-Sky Association is working to remedy that. Turns out there are lots of ways — ways that are not only cost-neutral but cost-effective — to keep what needs to be lit lighted and to radically limit the light lost to light pollution.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: What does your main character miss most from childhood, not counting people/pets?

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “Word! JT Twissel Is Mean To Her Cows Under a Dark Sky #FridayRecommends

  1. Jane

    February 5, 2016 at 7:57am

    That’s easy. We used to leave our doors unlocked.
    Not just when we were all in the backyard, but when we all had LEFT THE HOUSE!
    Weird, huh?

    Youngsters, I am serious.
    Occasionally, when we’d leave for a weekend visit to Grannie’s farm, we might go, “Say, did we lock the doors?” “I don’t think so!” “Oh well (shrugging) it’ll be ok.”

    I literally can not imagine that anymore. Perhaps it was a dream.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      February 5, 2016 at 8:27am

      I heered that’s how you down-home folks done things. πŸ˜‰ We locked our doors even if we were home, and you and I are the same age. I think it may have had to do with WHERE you lived more than WHEN you lived. That’s a good answer, Jane — thanks!

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      • Jane

        February 6, 2016 at 7:41am

        At least none of us ever got left home alone!

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        • Author

          Marian Allen

          February 6, 2016 at 8:19am

          Wow. We got left home alone all the time. On purpose. “Lock the door, and don’t let anybody in until I get back.” When we were little, too. I mean, we could reach the lock and all, but pretty young.

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  2. Holly

    February 5, 2016 at 9:27am

    ALL credit for that post goes to the author, Kent Biggs – he’s a friend and colleague (I can honestly say that I know a person who owns his own observatory! How cool is THAT?) I found his article gathering dust and loved it, and he graciously allowed me to use it on my blog. I’m just glad I could share it with you there! You really need to click through to his site for more photos.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      February 5, 2016 at 10:59am

      That is WAY cool, Holly! Going over to click on some star shots now!

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  3. Shelly

    February 6, 2016 at 1:08am

    Believe it or not, the stars are still very bright where I live in rural Northern Calfornia. My kids are always pointing out the constellations.

    A few years back we traveled a lot between our home and Beaver Utah visiting my husband on a job site. The kids and I would drive down through Las Vegas. Wow, that city just lights up the night sky and you can see the city glow long before you get close.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      February 6, 2016 at 8:14am

      As a city gal born and bred, I find city glow comforting, but I’d give it up in trade for the stars. I’m glad your kids appreciate what they have. πŸ™‚

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      • Holly Jahangiri

        February 7, 2016 at 9:49am

        I love seeing big city lights from an airplane. But then there, they just look like stars, upside-down, don’t they? The rest of the time, I hate it. I have decent night vision, but it’s hampered by too many bright lights. In Paris – at least years ago, this was true – you had to turn off your headlights and use your running lights only if you were in the city. The city lights are more than enough. Headlights don’t add anything to the view or usability of the roads.

        I have windows in my home that need blackout curtains (not the wood blinds I currently have) to block out light from the Kroger parking lot across two streets from me. My next door neighbor’s bathroom light wakes me up during the night. Their security light flashes on in the wee hours if two cats are caught mating within 50 yards of it. Our lights are ugly, and they have robbed us of the stars. I resent that a little.

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        • Author

          Marian Allen

          February 7, 2016 at 2:23pm

          Preach it, sister!

          I agree: electric lights are ugly and pollution is a good way to characterize the illumination that’s wasted and that — as you say — robs us of the stars. πŸ™

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