TAKE JOY, A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft, by Jane Yolen. At the end of each week as I ponder over which direction to take my writing career, I must not linger long or doubt may enter.

This morning, I looked down at a book I discovered under piles of notes. It is a little book I had finished reading a couple of weeks ago, titled, "TWO OLD WOMEN." An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival, by Velma Wallis.

Betrayed by the people they thought would never forsake them. But, they did, leaving the two to a lonely life without hope. The two women decided they would not fade away, they were too proud. Each one thought of the skills they had not used for many years, and knew if they wanted to survive they must depend on their own skills.

Each one of us must do what speaks to us, not what other people think we must do, for they can kill the creative spirit.

An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out? - Michel de Saint-Pierre

Positive thinking - Life's beautiful Path was chosen as the name of my blog to remind me to always think positive. I am sorry, today, I don't feel positive. But its' okay, for tomorrow I'll feel positive. Life is a roller coaster of ups and downs.

Treasures lost and The Garden Studio Office mess. Gosh, I hate it, that I was unable to attend the Baxter County Library Booksale. I love to go to booksales. For me they are an exciting unknown adventure for discovering important treasures, that propel me into different worlds, or books that allow me to peep into the lives of people who live interesting lives.

On one of my past blogs I show pictures of my Garden Studio and explain why I named it. I am continuously weeding out the old and growing new material. Today, My studio office needs weeding out for I have been so very busy working on projects. To be able to work on the projects I have seeded, I have to clear a new planning area. The studio was named and information about it was created for Darcy Pattison who asked writers to submit to her. She need this information to be able to put a booklet together to show students who ask, where do writers work.

Ozarks Creative Writers http://www.ozarkscreativewriters.org/

Today, I updated my other two blogs: http://submarinestories.blogspot.com/ and http://belarcowritersworkshops.blogspot.com/

White County Creative Writers 13th Annual Writers' Conference, Saturday, August 30, 2008 , 8 am to 4 pm. www.whitecountycreativewriters.org Their list of speakers: Linda Apple, Dr. Fred Pfister, Editor of the Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine, Velda Brotherton and Dr. Terry Engel.

Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR is having a three day book sale Thursday 21, 8:30 -6:30, Friday 22 from 8:30-5:30 and Saturday 23 from 8:30-2 pm.

Yesterday, I had a rejection of three poems from a church magazine and today I was published in a military magazine. My credit will be place on my submarine stories blog tomorrow.

Writers workshop article and Poets Association. Click on http://bsbeacon.blogspot.com/ to read an article and enjoy photos from the Bel Arco Writers' Workshop, Saturday 16th.

Baxter County Poets Association meets the fourth Friday each month at 1 p.m., at the Baxter County Library 624 W. Seventh St., Mountain Home. For more information call Debra Hall at 1-870-499-4397.

Writers Write, blogs and useful information. Everytime, I meet a new author or agent my highway to information as a writer leads to new crossroads filled with advancements to new adventures. Writers Write at http://www.writerswrite.com/ is filled with information such as Markets for Children's Writers. It is stated as "Your one-stop resource for information about books, writing and publishing."

To learn more about creating a blog or blogs check out 150 Useful, Educational, and Inspirational Blogs for Aspiring Writers OEDb athttp://oedb.org/library/features/150-useful-educational-and-inspirstional-blogs-for-aspiring-writers

I attended the Ozarks Writers League Saturday, at the College of the Ozarks near Branson where I enjoyed the two speakers Jordan Dane (http://www.jordandane.com/) a novelist with Avon/HarperCollins, and Holly McClure author of adult and teen novels, plus an agent with Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency.

I thought this Missouri non-fiction author's blog and website was of great interest. Check out Linda Fisher at http://www.lsfisher.com/ and her blog http://earlyonset.blogspot.com/.

We at a great time Saturday at Bel Arco Writer's Workshop with author Terry McDermid. She fed us plumb-full of unbelievable helpful information. Pictures and more about the workshop will be up soon on http://belarcowritersworkshops.blogspot.com/ where future speakers will be listed.

The simple life is so comforting. What a relaxing day with cool breezes circulating through the summer porch's open windows. It has been weeks since I had a free day to kick back to enjoy the sounds of a Blue jay sending warning cries that "Whiskers," the neighbor's cat was slowly approaching our property. The wildlife finds the Woodland Garden and our yard a safe haven to eat and live. They have become our watch dog since Baby Girl, our miniature dachshund went on her long journey April 13, 2006.

I was going to work in the Woodland Garden, but it was too wet after several inches of rain. So, I watched the sun play hide and seek causing shadows to dance below the large oaks and hickory trees. The birds came in for suet as a squirrel sharpened its teeth on a near-by plastic bird bath. Oh. for the simple life of taking off my shoes, kicking-back and saying thanks you God for allowing me to live and be so blessed.

This evening the pinkest reds of the sun reflected on the lake as it blended with a few clouds. The sky was filled with activity as the swallows, dragon flies and bats gathered mosquitoes for their dinner. Tomorrow, back to preparing for a full week ahead. Remember to attend the Bel Arco Writers Workshop Friday. Starting with the week of the 18th it is back to writing and submitting.

Smile and peace be with each of you.

Beacon - The Bull Shoals Beacon, an on line news magazine. http://bsbeacon.blogspot.com Please check out this blog magazine, you will not regret it.

Blogs & gardening, what do they have to do with with writing? Also, writers want to know why I named this blog, "Life's Beautiful Path." First of all when I started, I knew little about blogs. I thought the name/title would remind me to write positive on my blog after receiving a rejection or it had been a difficult writing week. To read my article, Blogs are Very Important, click on http://www.missouriwritersguild.org/.

Gardening, what does it have to do with writing? It has to do with writing articles about gardening. I have written and published several articles on the subject, and I love to write poems about gardening. I have kept a garden journal for years on the ups and downs of creating a woodland garden for wildlife and me. I love creating items from the garden and for the garden.

I finally purchased my first bonsai plant. There wasn't a name on the tag, but I believe it is a juniper. The shape reminds me of the famous cypress tree I seen years ago along Pebble Beach's 17-mile drive in California. Last night, I took one of my special bonsai tools, the scissors and trimmed it to appear as if the Pacific Ocean winds had shaped it.

Take your writing wings, fly to new adventures and recall old adventures - Write - write - write! Keep a smile on your face.