The Woodland Garden - I am so excited that we have been promised
sunshine next week. The garden is flooded again this year. The daffodils
shine bright through rain and flog as they invite me to the woods to see
the Redbuds displaying a touch of red covering all the small branches.
I can't wait to spend a few hours turning the brown leaves, pulling
unwanted grass, and weeds. I want to discover who has taken up homes
in all the holes in the ground and old trees. More fun!

SUNRISE

The sunrises on the upcoming new year
above The Woodland Garden,
like bright Spring flowers
announcing an exciting year ahead.
Be thankful for the small joys,
sing their praises each day.
For they are the stepping stones
into a happy world
of what is to come.
Photo - Verse  (c) by Mary Nida Smith                       

Garden Visit: I entered The Woodland Garden on October 19th
on a rare day where the sunshine sparkled through the colorful
autumn leaves. The tree trunks are turning dark as they prepare
for their winter rest. My thoughts on The Woodland Garden:

Mary, Mary quiet contrary how does your garden grow?
My garden grows in weeds you see, they come up
where they entangle me.

I pulled and pulled with all my strength,
the tall, Blue-eyed grass growing thick on the bank
of my wild woodland garden.

I spent three hours a pulling and enjoying
the fresh outdoor air. The birds flew in singing me songs
of welcome, welcome back.

The squirrels hopped by. The chipmunks peek out.
They all thanked me for entering the world
I created for all creatures; including me.
.

Promotional Campaign, Gardening, Crafts & Focus:

I volunteered to help promote a wonderful young man named Wes Bensching and his new label Hard Fault. He has a great love for writing and composing his own style of unique music. Every note on Hard Fault’s CDs is performed by Wes. He plays several instruments, compiles, and edits to create leisure music. http://amiestreet.com/music/hard-fault

January’s ice storm removed many tree limbs in the Woodland Garden. No more canopy of trees. The sun has found its way in where I have to rethink from shade to sun growing plants. This is a new adventure. The garden is my place to think – refocus my life as a writer- what book to rewrite, what one to submit, and what one to start writing.

Focus, focus, focus- How does one keep focused in this crazy, changing world. Deadlines I can keep because I gave my word – I keep my word. I just wish, I could keep my word I place on myself,

Before I start submitting crafts and recycling articles and two books I have finished on these subjects, I would like to start a blog on these subjects. What I have sold in the past and what I have researched; non-fiction sells quicker than fiction for children and adults.
What do you think?

Workshop, Library, Lamp, Garden, Cat: I finished creating my workshop poster (Will display it at Bel Arco) and flyers, plus started writing the press release and placed 2-pages of information on Bel Arco Writers Workshop blog. http://belarcowritersworkshop.blogspot.com/

I worked in the garden – replanted one bush and a sapling tree. I am not sure what it is, for a squirrel planted it last fall in one of my potted plants on the patio. I replanted a native fern growing in the garden where it wouldn’t be trampled. Wild native plants choose where they want to grow. I sowed a wild flower seed gathered from the forest in a spot I wanted it to grow. But, oh, no – it moved the second year about two feet from where I plant it. Now, three year’s later I have a collection of five. I must remember the Woodland Garden is wild.

My neighbors will agree I am probably the wildest thing out there. I will not share why, but you can ponder it over after I share this – Mrs. Pileated Woodpecker was enjoying breakfast at the base of a stump, when out of no where, like a demon from Hell, a neighbor’s huge stray cat pounced at it. I was watching from an open, un-screened bedroom window. I almost fell out the 8-foot drop while screaming above what my voice box is tuned for, “NO. NO GET OUT,” over and over I repeated as I frantically waved my arms. The bird flew to the bottom of a tree as the feral cat dashed to who knows where.

No, my list for last week is still intact as adventures took me on different paths after I attended the Friends of the Library (I am a member) yearly white elephant sale. I purchased a large, wrought iron floor lamp which I have converted into three different useful pieces. While at the meeting I learned what is happening throughout America in our libraries. I came home did some research about a very important piece of news on Children’s books. I will have follow-up news as soon as I receive some information in the mail. Please keep up with what is going on in libraries at http://www.ala.org/ the American Library Association.

Saturday May 2, 9 a.m. SCBWI Children’s Writers Springfield, Mo meet in the meeting room at the Library Station Library.
Sunday May 3, Books in Bloom, Eureka Springs, AR http://www.booksinbloom.org/
May 15-16 SCBWI Conference, Conway, AR 72032 http://www.arkansasscbwi.org/

When the world says give up, hope whispers one more time. I have been blessed with another day.