Hope is where you see it

I was driving to work an early morning of World Series week, still somewhat bleary-eyed from my beloved baseball squad’s defeat that ended not too many hours ago. Gray day. A little drizzly. Eight hours in store for me. Then ahead I spotted a rainbow. A big one, too, stretching toward me as I approached…

Badges for Nano Poblano 2015

Are you ready for some Nano Poblano action, Peppers? Below are your badges for this year’s November action, hot from the mind of your good friend Fish of Gold. She’s come up with two versions this year for your graphic pleasure. Grab them from here and use them where you’d like on your blog. I…

One month out from National Blog Posting Month, time to start considering your Nano Poblano role

National Blog Posting Month sure is a lot of work. But I found out last November with the little group that calls itself Nano Poblano, it also can be a lot of fun. I went from plain old Mark to Captain Poblano during the process of meeting and greeting new friends and keeping up correspondence…

All I Have to Do Is Dream

The sun still shines The clouds still cry The moon still beams The stars still align Every night when they last rattle the gate, I draw a last breath and finally close my eyes. The artwork above that inspired my poem was one of several sent by fellow blogger Rara to my friend Colleen Brown…

I’m swimming with the pretty Fish of Gold card

The artistic hand of Fishy has brightened my holidays. All of them. Fish of Gold’s hand-drawn card (then printed out) arrived by U.S. post yesterday morning. Fishy gave me a smile with her snow person up front visiting from the left coast, and many smiles with her inside message. I am now wished thoroughly well,…

Captain Poblano, true traveler

Why she’ll always be my dear wife Karen, Chapter I’ve lost count: When the mail came today, I was handed a bubble envelope and told to open it. A present had arrived via U.S. post, ordered special by my beloved spouse. Alas, it came six days late for my Beddian Birthday but five days before…

Nano Poblano unfinished business: Chatter Master wins The Name Game!

This just in … Chatter away, Team Pepper. Colleen is victorious as I tie up Blog Hop II: The Name Game. For those of you keeping score at home, the author of Chatter Master, the owner of Chatter Mind, the woman who can’t quite decide which of the M’s best fits her compelling mix of…

It’s been something, Nano Poblano

As I sat type-type-typing away on my recliner this Sunday morning, my dear wife Karen looked over from the couch and said, “Is this the last day of Nano Poblano?” No tone. Straightforward question. Yes, dear, said I. She had me. Yes, I was indeed going up my email notifications, last night to right now,…

My journalism teacher once again sends me a real letter

A week ago the letter came in the mail, and I immediately recognized the handwriting on the envelope. A little early for the annual Christmas wishes from journalism teacher at Morrisville Agricultural and Technical College from 1975 to 1977, I thought, but as I tore open the envelope, the familiar type font on his printed…

I think the squirrels will be up in the air this winter

Back when I last changed my header photo two seasons ago, my friend Bill of Evil Squirrel’s Nest shouted that he saw one up a tree. A squirrel’s nest, that is. In a tree. In a photograph. In my blog header. Anyway, that’s obviously stuck in my head because walking Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle…