Just Photos, No Words Needed . . .

(all photos by kat magendie)

Five Things Friday: Places I love to Go . . .

I had such fun with the Five Things from last week, I think I’ll do it again. Last time it was “five things you may not know about me.” Today I’ll do Five Places I love to go.

Five Things: Five Places I love to go, in no particular order—

Chimney Rock Park—I love strolling along the little shops and diners before or even sometimes instead of taking a hike in the park. Inside the park is hiking, sshops and snacks. Some of the hiking can feel strenuous if you aren’t used to it, but the views are incredible. Some portions of The Last of the Mohicans were filmed there. It’s just a nice place to visit.

George’s on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana—they make the best fried shrimp poboys, and their French fries are hot and salty just how I like them without any other seasonings but salt! They have so many other good things to eat. This is a real “hole in the wall” place under the interstate and when you step inside, it’s a little dark and seedy looking but that’s part of its charm. There are dollar bills stuck all over the ceiling, some look pretty durn old, and many have something written on them: names, dates, etc.

Half Price Books in Arlington, Texas—my brother and I love to go and shop for books. You can find incredible bargains, and sometimes there are the unexpected finds. I love browsing HPB and buying books for myself and for gifts.

Main Street Waynesville—lovely little shops, ice cream parlors, clean, neat, friendly. It’s just a wonderful little town with a wonderful Main Street. If you go, don’t forget to stop in Mast General Store so you can listen to the creaky floors! Visit the shops, eat, drink, be merry :-D. Also don’t forget that just off main street are other restaurants and shop—Sweet Onion has some good food and a nice atmosphere if you are looking for something where you can take your time to sit and eat.

Jelly Bellies in Maggie Valley--This is such a fun place. There’s trinkets, old-fashioned candy in barrels, fudge and other treats behind glass to ogle, there’s an ice cream parlor with yummy ice cream, there’s jewelry, some clothing items, gifts, and etc, plus the friendliest staff/owners you can find. While there, walk along the “strip” and visit the other shops/diners/ice cream parlors. And please, drive Soco Road Maggie Valley and visit this wonderful quaint little town that I live in. It's quiet, clean, restful, wonderful!


There are more, and these just came to mind this morning, so I’ll visit this Five Things again. What about you? Where are five of your favorite places to go?

First signs of spring in Haywood County; woodprints; rocks; Nova scienceNow, etc

Today is Random photo/video/links day. I thought I'd share with you some photos I snapped at random of first signs of spring, of some "knotholes" in our new porch extension, and some of my favorite rocks around my little log house. I am looking at buying a new camera and I want a GOOD camera. My little sony cybershot has been great, but it no longer fits my needs. I want something that doesn't delay when I snap the photo, and telescopic lens, and will take night photos. I'm salivating over the thought of a really really nice camera (although I'm going to have to suck up the price - lawd!).


Since I have my head buried in VK III, I invite you to direct me, and others, to any links and/or videos that you've come across you'd like to share. Unless you are a "spammer," in which case you will be deleted . . . :-D . They don't have to be writing-book related - whatever you'd like to share that you enjoyed.

But here are a couple:

I will be attending the Gulf Coast Association of Creative Writing Teachers, along with Gumbo Writer Angie. We'll be there on behalf of our Rose & Thorn. Of course I also go as an author. If you are in the area, please come to the conference so we can meet. As you'll see, it's not expensive at all. Also, our Rose & Thorn Blog has some wonderful posts - please check it out and subscribe!

I do invite you to "friend" me on Facebook if you are so inclined or into that. Sometimes I share things on there that I forget to share here.


I LOVE Nova scienceNOW, especially dear wonderful Neil deGrasse Tyson. If you don't watch - think about doing so!

This video on Yosemite's Frazil Ice is beautiful.

See you all on Friday.



 

A Whole Sackful of Crazy-let it out a bit of a time, Kat, and they'be be none the wiser -hahahahahahahaahahahha

Last night when I was doing this silly dance to some commercial's music, I thought how if someone followed me around with a camera every day, America would see just how weird I am. Then I thought, well maybe most of us are a little weird or a lot weird or somewhere in between. I told GMR, "When I first met you I wouldn't have danced like this (or whatever else I do or did or will do) because you'd think I was weird or nuts - so I let my crazy out of the sack a little at a time so you'd not run off screaming..." He just laughed, probably because he was thinking about his own stuff HE let out of his own bag a little at a time. Huhn.

There was an episode of SCRUBS about that, too - when the Janitor began telling his girlfriend alllllll about himself, and Carla stopped him then later told him to let his crazy out a little at a time so the girlfriend doesn't freak out. Made me laugh - made me think of . . . well, me! haw! whoop whoop!

I try to fit myself to situations, and I also try to be myself, but being myself could mean many things according to my mood or how overwhelmed by people I am or whatever--according to how much of my crazy is out of the sack that day or if the sack has contained most of my crazy.

This isn't crazy--um, not by my standards anyway, *laugh* - but, here's an example of Me and then other Me:
I met some friends/colleagues for dinner. One of the women I hadn't seen for a long time looked at me across the table, smiling away, and asked me, "So, tell us how is it going? You have another book out, right? Tell us all about it . . . come on, fill us in!" She was excited for me. And what did Kat do/say? My innards just sighed. I felt so very tired. I just mumbled something about how yes SG was now out and Sweetie would be out soon and it was all going fine. Then I shut up. Nothing else wanted to come out of my mouth. I actually just signed and looked down at the table, then across the room, then into my wine glass, then drifted off somewhere la l a la la tee dahhhhhh. She looked at me with expectation, with puzzlement, but all I could do was smile feebly and shrug and say, "I'm feeling a bit tired." I was - I'd just returned from the SIBA conference and I'd had it up to my eyeballs with people and writing and books and authors and talking about it all or, really, mostly listening to other authors as I walked around in a daze. And I won't even talk about the auction and how difficult it was to chat up a stranger who "won" me . . . lawd!

Now, flash forward to my trip to Oregon when I met the wonderful and beautiful Deb Shucka (Oh! Lucky me! she's marvelous!). I was feeling happy and upbeat and energetic and slightly hyper (okay, a lot hyper!). When we met, we hugged and smiled and while waiting for another blogger/FB friend (we never did see her--somehow we missed each other), I tried to reign in my crazy. But by time we had our coffee/chai tea, I was near bursting out of my skin. Maybe because I'd been with Little Boop and not writing or corresponding or whatever and had all kinds of words backed up. Maybe I'd had too much coffee. Maybe it was just my crazy spilling out of that sack. But I talked and laughed and carried on doodley doo dah day! I don't remember nary a word of what I said except a couple of disjointed sentences - haw!

If someone had been watching footage of both those Kats, they'd wonder which was the "real me," when both are the real me.  You never know which Kat will show up -- the quiet one, the shy one, the jittery wild one, the chatty-kathy one, the weary one, the wise one, the surprised one. I'm like one of those weird dolls they sell that you turn their head to change their mood and expression - haw! And those Kats can show up all at the same party on the same night, even - yup. Teeheeheeheehee.

There's more I can say about my crazy and the sack I try to keep it in, but I see I'm in my Babbling Phase, so I will reign myself in . . . yes. The post I had in mind about this was completely side-tracked by babbling - which is par for the crazy course . . . dang.
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I'm off my MWF schedule, but will get back to that soon. Tomorrow the 10th I will be back at The Tartitude's place for Part II of the interview. There will be another give-away. Come by, say hi, ask a question, or just wave at me. If you aren't following The Tartitude, please do! She's brilliant and funny and kind.

Also, I'll be at Blue Ridge Books & News on Main Street Waynesville this Saturday at 4:00 for Sweetie release "party" -there will be Jambalaya made by "Chef" GMR, and it is also a charity event for Share the Warmth. Above is a pendant image Bellebooks made that we hope to have those there as part of the event--they used part of the cover. Nice--fits with the charity event very well.

Later y'all.

More Random Fall Photos in Haywood County North Carolina

I scheduled this post to go up automatically to finish uploading the fall photos I took while walking about Haywood County this week--the others were published Wednesday (below).

I am now in Portland, Oregon visiting my son, daughter in law, and little Norah Kathryn! I have been looking forward to this since I left them at Christmas last year . . . way too long. I simply must find a way to visit more often and that's that. Thank gawd for Skype.

 In the little log house, Two Dogs, Ghost Dog, and GMR are enjoying the absence of my tornadic vortex . . . um, I mean, they miss me terribly already *teehee*

Enjoy your weekend.

I may post some pics while in Oregon. But, if not, I haven't scheduled any other blog posts to go up and will rarely open my mini laptop while there, so don't forget me *grin* You all are what keeps me connected to Out There when I'm In Here.