Sunset Dreams and Coffee Cup Wishes
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  • A Dab of This...

Got Chaos? 

8/30/2015

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   Every morning I wake up long before troosters think about greeting the dawn. 
   It's "me" time, and I cherish it. In the silence that envelopes me like a warm blanket, I can reply to emails and focus on what  needs to be accomplished that day. 
     I walk up and down my long driveway, all the while enjoying the sleepy chirps of the occasional meadowlark, and the damp, earthy smells of the grasses from the nearby pastures as the sky lightens.  My resolve is always strengthened, and I feel as if I can tackle anything. And a good thing too.
     The ringing of the alarm clock for the rest of my family is comparable to the starting gate at the Kentucky Derby--doors fly open and chaos ensues. There's a mad dash for the bathroom, followed by a hundred choruses of "Mom, Where is...", and numerous rounds of hide-n-seek with shoes and backpacks. Once, in a frenzied state, I caught myself handing my child a bowl of kibble and tried to dress the dog for school. It's enough to make even the legendary Erma Bombeck run screaming from our house. 
     I try to ensure that my younger  son Joseph eats something before he leaves. There's just a few ways to make toast or pb & jelly interesting, and my Joseph's solution of stuffing scrambled eggs into his pocket wasn't an option. 
     After some research and experimenting, we came up with the solution--Breakfast Bruschetta. Topped with fresh fruit, this is simple to prepare, and a hit with my family. 
     If you're looking for a slightly healthier alternative, eliminate the pudding, milk, peanut butter, and substitute everything with strawberry yogurt. 

 
You can find these and other recipes in the award-winning Amelia Frump...is Cooking Up a Peanut Butter Storm.

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Unbreakable Bonds

8/26/2015

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     There have been few years when dogs were absent from my life. Beginning with my childhood, they have served as willing participants in adventures, and sometimes as scapegoats for mischief. Ever tried to outfit a dog in a dress? And of course I could never say no to a tidbit request from a pair of warm brown eyes peering over the kitchen table, especially when the morsel was calf liver.
     I found, when I became a teenager, that my dogs were great listeners, My pups were privy to the latest in school gossip, the gushings about the fella I thought I'd marry,  and always offered a furry shoulder to cry into, especially after the death of my father.
     Extreme love and heroism was exhibited by these animals, and bonds were unbreakable, as demonstrated between my father and his German Shepherd, Snowball. I documented the latter, and the story was published in Chicken Soup for the Dog's Lover's Soul ("Some Snowballs Don't Melt"). I was humbled and honored when a few years later, publishers from Chicken Soup asked permission to re-print the story in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Wisdom of Dads. Here is a link to the story, published in a CS newsletter. 
http://www.chickensoup.com/book-story/30802/11-some-snowballs-don-t-melt



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The Dragon's Loyalty Award

8/12/2015

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     I'm flattered and honored to be bestowed the "Dragon's Loyalty Award" by fellow author/illustrator JD Holiday. We became acquainted several years ago via her radio show "It's Story Time, Gather 'Round," and through Facebook. 
     JD is a compassionate lady who goes above and beyond to promote her fellow authors, and it's a privilege to know her.  Thank you JD, for this award.
     
And now the rules for the award:
* Display the award certificate on your website (right-click the image and select "save as").

* Announce your win with a post, and link to whomever presented your award.

* Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers (I selected 5)..

* Drop them a comment to tip them off after you’ve linked them in the post.

* Post 7 interesting things about yourself.



     Now for the seven facts. Hmm...seven that are appropriate for the general public to know that I haven't already shared...that might be challenging. If I repeat anything that I've already written, please feel free to share your chocolate stash with someone else. 
    You were going to share with me, right? And you know that writers (especially editor types) are starving artists existing on piles of chocolate and caffeine IV drips...right? Ah well...*sniffle*. 


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Fact 1
     When I was a young child, one of Daddy's dearest friends was a veterinarian. I loved helping him any way a little kid could, and that, coupled with my deep love for animals made me believe it was my destiny to become a vet too.  
      In high school that dream faded, and I decided to pursue other career options. Do I have regrets? Sometimes.

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Fact 2

     Sometimes  my animals take on human qualities. In the past I've had a dog that smiled (see above picture), a cat that loved riding on bicycles and in golf carts, and a horse that passed out if a gate touched her on the rump.
     
Fact 3
     But no wonder my pets think they're human. When I was eight years old, Easter ducklings accompanied my mother and me to the local grocery store. Mama convinced the manager to let us bring the quackers in by telling him the truth: they were just purchased at the local feed store and it was too hot to leave them in the car. The kind man agreed with the conditions that the ducks were imprisoned in their shoebox and kept quiet. The latter worked until we reached the poultry section. Unable to maintain his silence any longer, the drake poked his head through hole in the box and quacked his rebellion...at the top of his voice. 
      Mama turned shocked looks into fits of giggles by clearing her throat and saying, "My, when they say fresh meat, they mean it, don't they?"
     On a side note I've brought a horse into my mother's house and a kitten  to church services.

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Fact 4
     I have a thirst for adventure, and ove exploring new nature trails. There's also been white water rafting tours down a river in Colorado.
     During an anthropology/archeology field trip in New Mexico, we braved rattlesnakes to learn about ancient rock art. It became an even more educative experience when I was forced to jump off a cliff into the arms of my classmates below. It was learning, because I discovered no matter how good the intentions, a falling human body can't be caught in a crowd of people's arms, and that in some cases, extra fat on the rump is a good thing. 
      

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Fact 5
I love indulging in somewhat exotic foods:


  • calamari
  • octopus
  • sushi
  • mountain oysters
  • venison
And if you count the beetles that've become hapess victims when I ride my bike, I've eaten a bug or two!

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Fact 6
I love staying at old hotels  reported as having paranormal activity.  Places I've stayed so far.
Inn on Bourbon (Also known as the French Opera House  New Orleans, LA)
Emily Morgan (San Antonio, Texas)
Menger Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)

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Fact 7

     Like my character Amelia, I was a very imaginative child. I dressed chickens in doll clothes, and shared peanut butter sandwiches with my pony.  I told members of the church that my mother fed me cat food (it was Cracklin' Oat Bran), and pretended to be a calf by licking off a salt lick in the pasture. Yeah, my dad put an end to that, fast.






The people I tag for this award are:


Val Muller
Christy Diachenko
Victoria Roder
Laura Thomas
Melanie Macek


                                                                  

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There's S'more to this Cookie

8/10/2015

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Who can resist the delicious combination of marshmallows and chocolate? Certainly not me. Top the two off with a crisp graham cracker, and I'm in heaven.


So, in honor of National S'mores Day, I'm posting a new spin on an old classic.

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Up for the Challenge

8/7/2015

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I love a challenge,  and when I can't find adventure on new nature trails, I take on a puzzle. 

What's your favorite way to challenge yourself?
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    A little info about me...

     Award-winning  author (and sometimes illustrator) Debbie Roppolo grew up in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas, where miles of grassland and her horse stimulated very imaginative adventures and served as writing fodder for later years. She had to do something with those memories; having tea parties with chickens was too good to keep to herself.

         She has written for several of the Chicken Soup books in addition to various magazines and newspapers. Her children’s book titles include: Amelia Frump and her Peanut Butter-Loving, Overactive Imagination; Amelia Frump…is Cooking Up a Peanut Butter Storm (award-winning activity/cookbook);  and He’s My Brother.

          Shortly after beginning her own family, Roppolo discovered the reason why her mother turned prematurely gray, and that a cell phone, toilets and toddler make a poor combination. Rather than sitting in a corner, whimpering, and eating her weight in chocolate, Roppolo wrote her first parenting humor book, The Toilet is Overflowing and the Dog is Wearing My Underwear, that was based on her family’s antics. 

          After her younger son was diagnosed with autism, Roppolo and her husband co-founded Central Texas Autism Network, a network for persons who may have a relative or friend diagnosed with Autism, or professional that may deal with Autistic persons. She serves as an advocate for people with autism through her writing, by speaking to groups, and spreading awareness as various health-related functions.

         Cooking is her second passion, and Roppolo holds the honor of being an eight-time award-winning baker.

         Married for over twenty-four years, she resides in the Texas Hill Country with her husband and two children.

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