Michael Weitz's Blog
December 2, 2015
Chess is everything
When it comes to my books, Even Dead Men Play Chess and The Grandmaster’s King, I’ve been asked, Why chess? Why is Ray Gordon (the main character) a chess teacher?
For some people chess is an enigma, that interesting looking but mysterious game in grandpa’s den, but for others chess is much more than a game. Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov said, “Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.” His predecessor, Bobby Fischer, took it a step further by saying, “Chess is life.” I agree with Karpov, and while I think I understand what Bobby was getting at, he may have been a little obsessed.
I taught chess for a while at a Montessori school in Phoenix. My students were between 6 and 10 years old. Most of them had seen the game but never played while others had a rudimentary idea of how some of the pieces moved. I was nervous because I’d never taught chess before, let alone been the only grown-up in a room full of children. How was I going to hold their attention long enough to explain that a Rook is not a castle, or that a Knight is not a…I can’t bear to say it…a…horsey? Augh!
Deep breath. I had to step back and think about my own chess history. I had played against kids in tournaments and I’d been beaten by kids in tournaments and it was a mistake to underestimate them. This was proven later in the semester when one morning I arrived and began setting up only to discover a cockroach staring at me. It was tucked within the folds of a stack of paper towels the children used on a daily basis and it was as long as my hand. It stared out of the towels like it was tucked comfortably into bed and its long antennae swam lazily back and forth daring me to make a move.
Not cool! My students would freak once the giant creep fest was spotted and they would all run screaming. I had to move it, right? But I didn’t want to move it! So I did what any sane adult would do; I slowly backed away and hoped the cockroach would skitter into a dark hole when I turned on all the lights.
Once my master plan of ignoring the creature was in place I went about setting up my display board, rearranging the desks and so on. By the time my students began to arrive I’d forgotten about the cockroach. I was deep into a lesson about how sacrificing your Queen could be a beautiful and dramatic way to win the game when a little girl of about 7 went to the sink. I braced myself for the imminent panic and thought about how I could stop the mad rush of students toward the door.
“Mr. Michael,” I heard her say. “There’s a bug.”
The rest of the class looked in her direction, acknowledged that one of their own had identified the intruder and then returned their attention to me. No screams, no panic, no freaking out.
Huh?
Was it the power of chess that kept everyone in check? Perhaps. Chess has so much depth it teaches us lessons to use even when we’re away from the board. Look before you leap, there are consequences to your decisions, work with what you have, and so many more.
And I’m not the only one who thinks so. A New York area organization, Chess in the Schools, is on a mission to improve academic performance and build self-esteem among inner-city public school children. According to their website, Chess helps promote intellectual growth and has been shown to improve academic performance. Also on their website are several quotes from teachers and others
praising what chess has done for their students. Here’s an example from a Manhattan elementary school Principal, “Our teachers believe that the game of chess fosters concentration, critical thinking and positive self-esteem.”
Read more about Chess in the Schools here: http://www.chessintheschools.org/s/in...
I learned to play chess when I was in 3rd grade. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the years of playing chess, it became more than a game for me. I appreciated the art, studied the science and enjoyed the sport. Chess had everything. When I began writing it took a while before the mantra write what you know sunk in. Once I thought about that and what kind of book I wanted to read, it made perfect sense. Chess had everything, so it needed to be part of my stories.
Even Dead Men Play Chess and the award-winning The Grandmaster’s King feature Ray Gordon, a former cop turned chess teacher. The third Ray Gordon mystery, Till Tomorrow, will be available soon!
Available in print and multiple e-reader formats.
www.michael-weitz.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Weitz/e...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
For some people chess is an enigma, that interesting looking but mysterious game in grandpa’s den, but for others chess is much more than a game. Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov said, “Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.” His predecessor, Bobby Fischer, took it a step further by saying, “Chess is life.” I agree with Karpov, and while I think I understand what Bobby was getting at, he may have been a little obsessed.
I taught chess for a while at a Montessori school in Phoenix. My students were between 6 and 10 years old. Most of them had seen the game but never played while others had a rudimentary idea of how some of the pieces moved. I was nervous because I’d never taught chess before, let alone been the only grown-up in a room full of children. How was I going to hold their attention long enough to explain that a Rook is not a castle, or that a Knight is not a…I can’t bear to say it…a…horsey? Augh!
Deep breath. I had to step back and think about my own chess history. I had played against kids in tournaments and I’d been beaten by kids in tournaments and it was a mistake to underestimate them. This was proven later in the semester when one morning I arrived and began setting up only to discover a cockroach staring at me. It was tucked within the folds of a stack of paper towels the children used on a daily basis and it was as long as my hand. It stared out of the towels like it was tucked comfortably into bed and its long antennae swam lazily back and forth daring me to make a move.
Not cool! My students would freak once the giant creep fest was spotted and they would all run screaming. I had to move it, right? But I didn’t want to move it! So I did what any sane adult would do; I slowly backed away and hoped the cockroach would skitter into a dark hole when I turned on all the lights.
Once my master plan of ignoring the creature was in place I went about setting up my display board, rearranging the desks and so on. By the time my students began to arrive I’d forgotten about the cockroach. I was deep into a lesson about how sacrificing your Queen could be a beautiful and dramatic way to win the game when a little girl of about 7 went to the sink. I braced myself for the imminent panic and thought about how I could stop the mad rush of students toward the door.
“Mr. Michael,” I heard her say. “There’s a bug.”
The rest of the class looked in her direction, acknowledged that one of their own had identified the intruder and then returned their attention to me. No screams, no panic, no freaking out.
Huh?
Was it the power of chess that kept everyone in check? Perhaps. Chess has so much depth it teaches us lessons to use even when we’re away from the board. Look before you leap, there are consequences to your decisions, work with what you have, and so many more.
And I’m not the only one who thinks so. A New York area organization, Chess in the Schools, is on a mission to improve academic performance and build self-esteem among inner-city public school children. According to their website, Chess helps promote intellectual growth and has been shown to improve academic performance. Also on their website are several quotes from teachers and others
praising what chess has done for their students. Here’s an example from a Manhattan elementary school Principal, “Our teachers believe that the game of chess fosters concentration, critical thinking and positive self-esteem.”
Read more about Chess in the Schools here: http://www.chessintheschools.org/s/in...
I learned to play chess when I was in 3rd grade. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the years of playing chess, it became more than a game for me. I appreciated the art, studied the science and enjoyed the sport. Chess had everything. When I began writing it took a while before the mantra write what you know sunk in. Once I thought about that and what kind of book I wanted to read, it made perfect sense. Chess had everything, so it needed to be part of my stories.
Even Dead Men Play Chess and the award-winning The Grandmaster’s King feature Ray Gordon, a former cop turned chess teacher. The third Ray Gordon mystery, Till Tomorrow, will be available soon!
Available in print and multiple e-reader formats.
www.michael-weitz.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Weitz/e...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
July 1, 2015
4th of July Cake with Sara Daniel
By Sara Daniel
Happy Fourth of July, all! Here is a special dessert I make every year. I guarantee you'll love it!
Nothing beats Independence Day for showing our pride in our country. Flags wave proudly, and red,
white and blue are suddenly displayed on every piece of merchandise in the local discount store.
While I don’t have flag plates, napkins or—God forbid—a star-spangled bikini, I love bringing out my
once-a-year crafty side to make an American Flag Cake for a cool patriotic treat.
So to satisfy your sweet-tooth I offer you my easy and delicious recipe.
American Flag Cake
pound cake
8oz Cool Whip
Blueberries
Strawberries, sliced
Pound cake can be store bought or made from scratch. Here’s a quick recipe:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat sugar into butter 2 tablespoons at a time until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time.
Mix in remaining ingredients.
Bake in a greased and floured 9 X 5 pan for 1 hour. Cool completely.
To Assemble American Flag Cake
Cut pound cake into slices and lay across the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.
Cover cake with a smooth layer of Cool Whip.
Turn pan horizontal. In upper left corner, fill an approximately 3-4 inch by 3-4 inch square with
blueberries.
Make seven horizontal lines of strawberry slices. The first four lines should begin from the blueberry
section to the far right edge. The bottom three lines should span the entire length of the pan. The top
and bottom lines should be touching the top and bottom of the pan respectively to create 13 alternating
red and white stripes.
The last step is very important - Thank a member of our Armed Forces and/or a Veteran, and share a
piece of patriotic cake.
Enjoy.
~Sara
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and
everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited
squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and
href="http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com...blog. Subscribe to Sara’s
href="http://eepurl.com/rx_AL">newsletter.
Stay connected on Facebook ,
Twitter , and
href="http://pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/&quo...Pinterest.
Happy Fourth of July, all! Here is a special dessert I make every year. I guarantee you'll love it!
Nothing beats Independence Day for showing our pride in our country. Flags wave proudly, and red,
white and blue are suddenly displayed on every piece of merchandise in the local discount store.
While I don’t have flag plates, napkins or—God forbid—a star-spangled bikini, I love bringing out my
once-a-year crafty side to make an American Flag Cake for a cool patriotic treat.
So to satisfy your sweet-tooth I offer you my easy and delicious recipe.
American Flag Cake
pound cake
8oz Cool Whip
Blueberries
Strawberries, sliced
Pound cake can be store bought or made from scratch. Here’s a quick recipe:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat sugar into butter 2 tablespoons at a time until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time.
Mix in remaining ingredients.
Bake in a greased and floured 9 X 5 pan for 1 hour. Cool completely.
To Assemble American Flag Cake
Cut pound cake into slices and lay across the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.
Cover cake with a smooth layer of Cool Whip.
Turn pan horizontal. In upper left corner, fill an approximately 3-4 inch by 3-4 inch square with
blueberries.
Make seven horizontal lines of strawberry slices. The first four lines should begin from the blueberry
section to the far right edge. The bottom three lines should span the entire length of the pan. The top
and bottom lines should be touching the top and bottom of the pan respectively to create 13 alternating
red and white stripes.
The last step is very important - Thank a member of our Armed Forces and/or a Veteran, and share a
piece of patriotic cake.
Enjoy.
~Sara
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and
everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited
squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and
href="http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com...blog. Subscribe to Sara’s
href="http://eepurl.com/rx_AL">newsletter.
Stay connected on Facebook ,
Twitter , and
href="http://pinterest.com/ssaradaniel/&quo...Pinterest.
May 28, 2015
The Straight Martini
Let’s talk about olives. Specifically, green olives. I’ve always been a fan of green olives, the kind with the cheery red pimento stuffed inside; they have a flavor that can’t be compared to anything else, they’re just…olivey.
As a kid I remember pictures, posters and TV ads for restaurants, depicting perfectly stacked and delectable looking sandwiches, their sharply cut triangular halves topped with a perfect green olive,
all of it held together by a toothpick.
I don’t think that’s where my love of the green olive came from though. There’s a story in my family of how I ate an entire jar of green olives (pimentos included) when I was 3 years old. I hid under a table and gorged until the jar was empty and then promptly vomited all over the living room wall. To this day my mother still thinks they used green olives in the famous scene from The Exorcist. But I wasn’t deterred. My love of green olives lives on.
Which brings us to today. While the ubiquitous orb is no longer prominently featured as a sandwich topper, it is integral to a good straight vodka martini. It’s here that I need to make a confession. I don’t particularly like martinis. My wife, however, does, and she says I make a pretty good one, so I’m going to tell you my secret.
Actually, it’s not much of a secret and by now I’m sure you’ve figured it out. Olives. Mmmm, green olives.
Okay, obsession moment over.
The Fixings
martini shaker
good, non-flavored vodka
dry vermouth
ice
green olives
I know flavored vodkas are all the rage, but imagine eating raspberries and green olives together in the same bite. Exactly. We’re making a straight martini here, a la James Bond.
Prepare the Glass
Ideally, though not necessary, you have a classic martini glass (an inverted cone on a stem). Why?
Because martinis are served cold and holding the glass by the stem prevents your hand from warming the drink. There are a couple of ways to prepare your glass. The one I prefer is to keep your favorite martini glass in the freezer so it will be nice and frosty. Another way is to put some ice and water in the shaker, mix them up a bit to get the water super cold and then pour it all into your glass and let it sit a few moments. I don’t care for this option though because any water in the shaker can dilute the drink, but I’ve seen bartenders do it so maybe I’m just being picky.
The Method
Fill the shaker half way with ice cubes.
Add two (2) jiggers of your favorite vodka (remember, non-flavored).
Next add a splash of dry vermouth. This is really all about personal taste so you’ll need to experiment.
When I add a splash, I tilt the bottle down and back up again rather quickly. If I’m too speedy I repeat the process. If you like your martinis dry, once may be enough! But you must add vermouth in order for this drink to be a martini. I have a friend who likes his martinis so dry, he waves an open bottle of vermouth over the shaker like a voodoo shaman so only the fumes will settle on the ice cubes. That, my friends, is not the driest of martinis, it’s vodka on ice. So, again, add a splash or two of vermouth to taste.
Cap the shaker and get your groove on! Shake that shaker! Shake it until it turns frosty and your hands hurt from the iciness. This will ensure your martini is completely mixed and at a nice cold serving temperature.
Once you’re satisfied with your shaking, quickly spear a couple of olives with a toothpick; personally I like three olives on the stick. Place the skewered olives in the martini glass and then gently pour your drink over them. If you’ve never used a martini shaker before, the ice stays in it. Depending on the model you have, the top may have a built in strainer, or if you prefer a hand held one, that’s cool too.
This martini is basic and straightforward to make, but the secret is all in how it’s prepared. Just like a
chess game in my book, Even Dead Men Play Chess, there’s an art to preparing something that’s to be appreciated.
Now, sit back and enjoy your martini while you take a glimpse inside my first novel.
EXCERPT
To take my mind off the task at hand, I thought about Brian Kelly. Was it just the cabin going to waste that rubbed him the wrong way or was it the land value he was afraid of missing out on? Real estate assessments had been big news over the last month or two. Housing prices and land deals had gone berserk and sellers were making massive profits. Maybe Brian was in trouble financially and he just couldn’t take it anymore? Walt refused to sell and Brian killed him for it, knowing the cabin would
eventually come into his hands or he would at least be able to talk his mother into putting the land up for sale.
Outside, I heard Ed Carter’s back door creak open and closed. I poured fresh water over the floor and started mopping it up. If Ed planned on being neighborly again, I didn’t think he needed to witness the clean-up process. But after several minutes passed without an appearance from the Kellys’ neighbor, I
began my attack on the table saw with a scouring pad.
Just as I got into a nice scrubbing rhythm, Morphy growled low in his throat and raised his head off of his paws. I stopped and watched him. His ears were erect and his gaze was on the window behind me.
Goose flesh erupted on my arms. To hide the shiver that ran down my spine, I resumed wiping down the table saw with calm casualness. I kept my attention focused on Morphy, though, and he growled again.
This time, the hair over his shoulders stiffened and rose up as his emotions kicked in. Someone was watching or trying to look in the window. Morphy wouldn’t get so angry over something like a skunk or a cat.
I twisted around just as Morphy leapt to his feet and barked. Someone ducked down before I could see a face. I ran to the door and pulled it open. Morphy tore around the corner, barking after the intruder and I followed as close as I could.
In the darkness of Margie Kelly’s backyard, I saw Morphy’s blond fur disappear into the black shadow of Walt’s shop. He chased a dim figure, which ran toward the back of the property, to Helen Parker’s house. I ran full out once I saw the shadowy form of the person who had been spying through the window. Gone were the trepidations of twisted ankles and bloodied shins from unseen objects lying hidden on the grass.
I ran.
For a limited time, the bestselling book that started the Ray Gordon series, Even Dead Men Play Chess, is available for only $0.99 on Kindle
As a kid I remember pictures, posters and TV ads for restaurants, depicting perfectly stacked and delectable looking sandwiches, their sharply cut triangular halves topped with a perfect green olive,
all of it held together by a toothpick.
I don’t think that’s where my love of the green olive came from though. There’s a story in my family of how I ate an entire jar of green olives (pimentos included) when I was 3 years old. I hid under a table and gorged until the jar was empty and then promptly vomited all over the living room wall. To this day my mother still thinks they used green olives in the famous scene from The Exorcist. But I wasn’t deterred. My love of green olives lives on.
Which brings us to today. While the ubiquitous orb is no longer prominently featured as a sandwich topper, it is integral to a good straight vodka martini. It’s here that I need to make a confession. I don’t particularly like martinis. My wife, however, does, and she says I make a pretty good one, so I’m going to tell you my secret.
Actually, it’s not much of a secret and by now I’m sure you’ve figured it out. Olives. Mmmm, green olives.
Okay, obsession moment over.
The Fixings
martini shaker
good, non-flavored vodka
dry vermouth
ice
green olives
I know flavored vodkas are all the rage, but imagine eating raspberries and green olives together in the same bite. Exactly. We’re making a straight martini here, a la James Bond.
Prepare the Glass
Ideally, though not necessary, you have a classic martini glass (an inverted cone on a stem). Why?
Because martinis are served cold and holding the glass by the stem prevents your hand from warming the drink. There are a couple of ways to prepare your glass. The one I prefer is to keep your favorite martini glass in the freezer so it will be nice and frosty. Another way is to put some ice and water in the shaker, mix them up a bit to get the water super cold and then pour it all into your glass and let it sit a few moments. I don’t care for this option though because any water in the shaker can dilute the drink, but I’ve seen bartenders do it so maybe I’m just being picky.
The Method
Fill the shaker half way with ice cubes.
Add two (2) jiggers of your favorite vodka (remember, non-flavored).
Next add a splash of dry vermouth. This is really all about personal taste so you’ll need to experiment.
When I add a splash, I tilt the bottle down and back up again rather quickly. If I’m too speedy I repeat the process. If you like your martinis dry, once may be enough! But you must add vermouth in order for this drink to be a martini. I have a friend who likes his martinis so dry, he waves an open bottle of vermouth over the shaker like a voodoo shaman so only the fumes will settle on the ice cubes. That, my friends, is not the driest of martinis, it’s vodka on ice. So, again, add a splash or two of vermouth to taste.
Cap the shaker and get your groove on! Shake that shaker! Shake it until it turns frosty and your hands hurt from the iciness. This will ensure your martini is completely mixed and at a nice cold serving temperature.
Once you’re satisfied with your shaking, quickly spear a couple of olives with a toothpick; personally I like three olives on the stick. Place the skewered olives in the martini glass and then gently pour your drink over them. If you’ve never used a martini shaker before, the ice stays in it. Depending on the model you have, the top may have a built in strainer, or if you prefer a hand held one, that’s cool too.
This martini is basic and straightforward to make, but the secret is all in how it’s prepared. Just like a
chess game in my book, Even Dead Men Play Chess, there’s an art to preparing something that’s to be appreciated.
Now, sit back and enjoy your martini while you take a glimpse inside my first novel.
EXCERPT
To take my mind off the task at hand, I thought about Brian Kelly. Was it just the cabin going to waste that rubbed him the wrong way or was it the land value he was afraid of missing out on? Real estate assessments had been big news over the last month or two. Housing prices and land deals had gone berserk and sellers were making massive profits. Maybe Brian was in trouble financially and he just couldn’t take it anymore? Walt refused to sell and Brian killed him for it, knowing the cabin would
eventually come into his hands or he would at least be able to talk his mother into putting the land up for sale.
Outside, I heard Ed Carter’s back door creak open and closed. I poured fresh water over the floor and started mopping it up. If Ed planned on being neighborly again, I didn’t think he needed to witness the clean-up process. But after several minutes passed without an appearance from the Kellys’ neighbor, I
began my attack on the table saw with a scouring pad.
Just as I got into a nice scrubbing rhythm, Morphy growled low in his throat and raised his head off of his paws. I stopped and watched him. His ears were erect and his gaze was on the window behind me.
Goose flesh erupted on my arms. To hide the shiver that ran down my spine, I resumed wiping down the table saw with calm casualness. I kept my attention focused on Morphy, though, and he growled again.
This time, the hair over his shoulders stiffened and rose up as his emotions kicked in. Someone was watching or trying to look in the window. Morphy wouldn’t get so angry over something like a skunk or a cat.
I twisted around just as Morphy leapt to his feet and barked. Someone ducked down before I could see a face. I ran to the door and pulled it open. Morphy tore around the corner, barking after the intruder and I followed as close as I could.
In the darkness of Margie Kelly’s backyard, I saw Morphy’s blond fur disappear into the black shadow of Walt’s shop. He chased a dim figure, which ran toward the back of the property, to Helen Parker’s house. I ran full out once I saw the shadowy form of the person who had been spying through the window. Gone were the trepidations of twisted ankles and bloodied shins from unseen objects lying hidden on the grass.
I ran.
For a limited time, the bestselling book that started the Ray Gordon series, Even Dead Men Play Chess, is available for only $0.99 on Kindle
May 26, 2015
Spring 2015
My longtime friend author Emma Lane visits today with what I hope will become a series of her expertise on plants, how to use them in our gardens, and what to do when a season ends. The blog is all yours, Emma!
When I moved to Western New York (a very long time ago), I bought a wildflower book to learn all the native plants, names, uses, colors. Although I’m now into the study of cultivated varieties, I still love the free offerings of nature found under rotting logs, beside a burbling stream.
This small white daisy-like blossom makes an appearance with its jagged leaf wrapped around the stem like an over-sized coat. Only when the temps warm does the leaf open to expose its precious blossom. Horrible nickname of Blood Root, real name Sanguinaria, it’s listed as a medicinal plant. (I didn’t spot any vampires.). Some may be allergic to the red sap. Rumor has it listed as a historical favorite of Native Americans for paint. The pretty yellow one is Celandine, which sports bright yellow sap with the same uses as its neighbor. (Marsh marigold family.)
Tips:
Annual gardens (only lives once, but makes seeds) are best for intense splashes of color. Perennials (comes back yearly) are more interesting with different foliage textures. The blooms last only 6 weeks or so; plant varieties that show at different time of the summer, such as:
Spring: daffodils, bleeding heart
Summer: Delphinimum, Rudbeckia, Asiatic lilies, Crocosmia; Fall:Butterfly Bush, mums, Hibiscus.
Don’t forget to throw in a sunflower seed or two for the birds.
Happy planting!
~Emma
In the five years Detective Fowler has lived and worked in Hubbard, NY, never has he been forced to investigate a murder, until now. Meet the citizens of Hubbard, NY in MURDER in the NEIGHBORHOOD as they react to a criminal in their midst.
MURDER in the JUNKYARD sees the demise of a man no one likes, a romance, and plans for a wedding as Detective Fowler and his friends keep their small-town America free from danger.
THE GLASS CAT is a sweet story about an elderly lady, her friend and neighbor, and a wicked nephew. There’s a romance brewing as well. It’s a shorty, but I think you’ll finish it with a smile on your face.
Read more about the cozy mysteries by Janis Lane on Amazon.
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter .
When I moved to Western New York (a very long time ago), I bought a wildflower book to learn all the native plants, names, uses, colors. Although I’m now into the study of cultivated varieties, I still love the free offerings of nature found under rotting logs, beside a burbling stream.
This small white daisy-like blossom makes an appearance with its jagged leaf wrapped around the stem like an over-sized coat. Only when the temps warm does the leaf open to expose its precious blossom. Horrible nickname of Blood Root, real name Sanguinaria, it’s listed as a medicinal plant. (I didn’t spot any vampires.). Some may be allergic to the red sap. Rumor has it listed as a historical favorite of Native Americans for paint. The pretty yellow one is Celandine, which sports bright yellow sap with the same uses as its neighbor. (Marsh marigold family.)
Tips:
Annual gardens (only lives once, but makes seeds) are best for intense splashes of color. Perennials (comes back yearly) are more interesting with different foliage textures. The blooms last only 6 weeks or so; plant varieties that show at different time of the summer, such as:
Spring: daffodils, bleeding heart
Summer: Delphinimum, Rudbeckia, Asiatic lilies, Crocosmia; Fall:Butterfly Bush, mums, Hibiscus.
Don’t forget to throw in a sunflower seed or two for the birds.
Happy planting!
~Emma
In the five years Detective Fowler has lived and worked in Hubbard, NY, never has he been forced to investigate a murder, until now. Meet the citizens of Hubbard, NY in MURDER in the NEIGHBORHOOD as they react to a criminal in their midst.
MURDER in the JUNKYARD sees the demise of a man no one likes, a romance, and plans for a wedding as Detective Fowler and his friends keep their small-town America free from danger.
THE GLASS CAT is a sweet story about an elderly lady, her friend and neighbor, and a wicked nephew. There’s a romance brewing as well. It’s a shorty, but I think you’ll finish it with a smile on your face.
Read more about the cozy mysteries by Janis Lane on Amazon.
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter .
May 12, 2015
Used Books
There are a lot of stores out there these days that take gently used media such as CDs, DVDs and books as trade. Usually you receive store credit rather than straight across goods for goods, but it's better than nothing, right? Other options are donations to libraries, schools, Goodwill or other similar stores. I've found another option as well. I put my book down and left. Yep, walked away.
What? you're saying. How could I do such a thing? I know, but let me explain.
My wife and I took a vacation recently. It doesn't matter where, but let's just say there was a beach, a swimming pool or two and more than enough lounge chairs fit for reading. Lots and lots of reading. One of the things we discovered while walking around was a tray of sorts with a few books on it. You could even describe them as gently used. Great idea, we thought! Any books we get through and didn't want to schlep back home in our luggage could be left there for others to enjoy.
After all, when you've read a great story you can always tell your friends about it, but getting someone you don't know to read something you've enjoyed is just as fun. Remember, they'll run out of reading material too! In fact, we heard people talking about how they didn't bring enough books to read. So we may very well have rescued someone from not having something to read! Think of it. And if one of my bookmarks directing them to my website happened to be left inside, well, what can I say? More for them to read on their next trip, right?
What? you're saying. How could I do such a thing? I know, but let me explain.
My wife and I took a vacation recently. It doesn't matter where, but let's just say there was a beach, a swimming pool or two and more than enough lounge chairs fit for reading. Lots and lots of reading. One of the things we discovered while walking around was a tray of sorts with a few books on it. You could even describe them as gently used. Great idea, we thought! Any books we get through and didn't want to schlep back home in our luggage could be left there for others to enjoy.
After all, when you've read a great story you can always tell your friends about it, but getting someone you don't know to read something you've enjoyed is just as fun. Remember, they'll run out of reading material too! In fact, we heard people talking about how they didn't bring enough books to read. So we may very well have rescued someone from not having something to read! Think of it. And if one of my bookmarks directing them to my website happened to be left inside, well, what can I say? More for them to read on their next trip, right?
