Category Archives: writers

Harvest Full of Blessings

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“All-cheering Plenty, with her flowing horn, Led yellow Autumn, wreath’d with nodding corn.” ~Robert Burns, poet

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“Dad… Mom… I’m home!” I yelled out, when I arrived at my parents place in Maryland along the trail of my East Coast book tour. “Let’s party!”

I hadn’t seen my parents since the publishing of my memoir back in March, and I was promised that once I got home, there’d be a celebration and reunion.

What a splendid time it was on the shores of the Chesapeake. Couldn’t have asked for more stellar weather  to celebrate being with my family, my hard work and the real star of the story, Fanny!

This day there is no need for too many words.The pictures will tell the tale of a few fun filled  days with remembering the best things about all being together under one roof. Unfortunately, not everyone was present due to work and college obligations. Some missed the party, and I would have loved to have spent the day with them also. But, I can’t help but reflect on the harvest of blessings I have in my life. Here are some of them:

Photo Below: Always the “bestest hostess” ever , my Mom! I swear the woman has hosted more family gatherings in her 85 yrs of life  than any person on the planet! IMG_20141025_103816_849

Two photos below: A beautiful fall day on the Chesapeake! Couldn’t have asked for much better!IMG_20141025_103556_906

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Above: My contribution to the party – I baked a pineapple-upside-down gingerbread cake and easy, flavorful pulled chicken sandwiches.(Thanks to http://www.mccormick.com/. A Maryland company!)  The cake was also yummy and definitely a do-over recipe. Will make again!

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Above: Me with my twin sister’s family – her two daughters and their partners. The guy and gal on each end of the picture are husband and wife architects – the Babcocks!

Below: Two great women in the kitchen – my mom and my niece Devon! She is usually at  http://www.milarepacenter.org/index.html, in their kitchen, cooking up nutritious food for one and all.

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IMG_20141025_134147_528Above: What’s a family get together without a few games? My brother-in-law, the REAL chef of the family setting up for a good wholesome Corn Hole Competition! My brother Scott and I were a champion team. We beat the pants off my twin sister and her team mate, Jay. (She’ll say I am exaggerating).

Below: The day was spiced with more family, food and discussion.

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Photo below: The patriarch and matriarch at the far end of the table – surrounded by  family (grandchildren, in-laws & significant others)

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Below photo: What’s a BBQ without ribs? My two brothers are digging into food instead of digging foundations. Thanks Scott, the ribs were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and messy too!IMG_20141025_143533_873

Below: Jan looks like she is practicin’ to sing in the choir. Glad to see you are holding your hands like the Trapp Family singers always did in the “Sound of Music.”

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The end of a fabulous day on the Chesapeake Bay.
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I’m never at a loss for subject matters to continue a story with this family of mine that keeps on building and getting larger!

For some of us who can’t always get home for the holidays – we decided this was an early Thanksgiving! Tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, I will show just a few more fruits of God’s creation that my sister and I discovered when we went biking and exploring in the woods together. It was just like old times.

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard and her book Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. http://amzn.to/1vDFUMt.  More information will be coming later on in the week about a nationally broadcast book reading that I will be participating in soon. Thanks to blog radio! https://richerlifellc.com/Harvest_Book_Reading_2.html.

Laboring At the Same Time

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Leo the LionBefore we close out this month of  celebrations for babies born under Leo the Lion zodiac sign, today it’s my husband’s turn. He was born on this day, August 21st many moons ago.

My twin sister, my husband and I will continue our yesterday’s birthday celebration for one more day. Tonight we look forward to a gondola ride to the top of the mountain, a picnic dinner and an evening hike.Hopefully, it will be a stellar evening with clear skies so we can see the twinkling stars and an impressive sunset.

The fact that my husband’s mother and my mother gave birth to us just one day apart is pretty neat. Statistically speaking, I can’t find any information about the odds of spouses with birthdays just one day apart (and in the same year).

Today, I’ll enjoy another August day with the two who have been at the top of my world for what seems like forever! They both make my life so much more fulfilling!

Dear Terry ~~~~

Terry bday cake

 

This blog brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard. For information on Sue’s memoir, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, please follow this link http://amzn.to/1nb9tO0.

Sing-A-Long Songs

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Monday’s blog fired-up my noggin’!  Today on All Things Fulfilling, I’ll share tunes that baby boomers will have fun recollecting.

Vintage record playerI’ll bet this image piqued your memory. If you are a baby boomer, you’ll remember LP albums and 45 rpm vinyl records. I’m willing to bet that you listened to tunes on a portable record player, like the one pictured.(That is if you could hear the words with all the scratches.)  See if you remember the full verses to these songs –

  • How much is that doggie in the window…
  • ….And if that mockingbird don’t sing, daddy’s gonna buy me a diamond ring…..
  • All around the cobbler’s bench, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey said…..
  • Zippedity doo dab, zippedity aye – my, oh, my what a wonderful…..
  • I love you a bushel and a peck and a ……
  • Bibbidi…bobbidy…boo. Put it together and what do you got?
  • Jeepers, creepers! Where’d you get those ….
  • A dream is a wish your heart makes when you are ……
  • Mama’s little baby likes shortnin’, shortnin’, Mama’s little baby loves……

I hope your memory has served you well, and you haven’t lost your faculties. Chances are you are aging better than your ancestors! Are you singing yet?

If you can’t remember the verses of these songs, you can listen in to a few bars of music from each of them, and other popular hits of the same era through this link, http://bit.ly/1oSzXIz.

See how much fun it is to arouse the brain with past times in our personal histories?

We survived

 Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Now available for your listening pleasure in audio book (the voice holds the real treasure), paperback and e-book for all types of e-readers.  Click the link to see how to get it. http://amzn.to/WQbl8O

 

 

 

 

We’ve Got Ya Covered

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“Travel is more than the seeing of sights, it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of the living.”   –Miriam Beard

I’ve always had a penchant for covered bridges. I suppose it began during my childhood years when our family spent time on Lake Champlain in Vermont for many summers. Every time we passed by the Shelburne Museum, I saw their covered bridge and loved it.

When I was in college and moved off campus, I had to cross a covered bridge every morning and evening on my way to campus. Sometimes it was by way of foot and sometimes in my old hand-me-down station wagon. The girth of the car took up the entire bridge it was so wide. Only one car at a time could travel through it.

If you are a fan of covered bridges, you’d love Vermont, and you ought to visit the State. Leaf peeping (aka fall foliage) time is the best. Colors of golden yellow,  vibrant orange and firey red from the maple trees are a sight to behold along with the contrast of verdant green in the fields and meadows. From the northern border which touches Canada to the southern part of the State, bordering Massachusetts, vibrant color is everywhere.

Crossing over that covered bridge in Johnson, Vermont every morning and evening gave me warm, fulfilling feelings. As it turned out, this girl who originated from the south of the Mason-Dixon Line had found a place in the North Country that she would call home for three decades.

Covered bridge near Chaffee House

Above: Covered Bridge at Rt 100C, Johnson, Vermont

This image and more wonderful Vermont images can be purchased through www,hansonstudio.com

Johnson State College  http://www.jsc.edu

Below Photos: Shelburne Museum   www.shelburnemuseum.org

shelburne museum1Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont.Shelburne_lighthouse1shelburne museum3Shelburne Museum 5

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. For information on the memoir, please visit this website

http://amzn.to/1oj1hjW

TV Shows of the 1950s and 1960s

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“Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun.” ~ Randy Pausch

Let’s keep All Things Fulfilling fun and frivolous for the rest of  the week. Baby boomers do you remember the Lorenzo Stomp and Yakety Saks? I can still recall the catchy tune they’d play on channel WJZ TV in Maryland,  “The Land of Pleasant Living!” My sister and brothers and I loved doing the Lorenzo Stomp – it made us laugh and we all looked as if we’d all gone haywire as we whistled and danced around the room.

Click here and you can read what others remember about the Lorenzo the Tramp Show that originated in Baltimore and later was broadcast in Pennsylvania. http://www.topix.com/forum/city/allentown-pa/T0HNE8P1SAKD5J0J1 As years go by, memories fade. Surely, if you don’t remember Lorenzo the Tramp, you will remember Bozo the Clown. How can you forget this  face? Bozo the Clown After all these years, Bozo has not completely disappeared off the planet. You can still purchase a Bozo the Clown punching bag from http://www.vermontcountrystore.com . What a great gift to give a baby boomer who is celebrating his or her 60th or 65th birthday. Most people who remember Bozo are in that age group.  With aging, life sometimes deals us some punches we aren’t fully prepared to deal with. A gift of a Bozo the Clown punching bag will provide a safe place to vent and bring fulfilling memories of TV yesteryear back. How can this fella not make you smile? bozo clown - available at VT Country Just another fulfilling memory from Sue Batton Leonard, author of  the memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.  Ready for a little nonsense? Watch the video I’ve posted and practice up the Lorenzo Stomp! See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

Hand-Me-Down Memories

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Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. ~Hans Christian Andersen

I don’t think there is a person alive who doesn’t attach memories to the cars they’ve owned. The car my twin sister and I had in college was a hand-me-down from our parents. They thought the Plymouth wagon had seen it’s better days, but we proved them wrong, big time.

Our college friends nicknamed the vehicle the “The Batmobile.” My maiden name is Batton, hence, the moniker made sense! It was one of the most recognizable cars on campus because it was as long and wide as a barge, and our friends could see us coming down the pike from far distances. For me, just seeing over the steering wheel was a challenge.

We carted around as many fellow students as we possibly could, with all their gear, to Stowe http://www.stowe.com and Smugglers Notch Ski Areas http://www.smuggs.com and places way beyond. We’d pack  ’em in like sardines, because seat belts were unheard of in those days. Off we’d head for another day on the slopes. The Batmobile could slurp the gas alright, almost as quickly as it was filled up. And when the fuel gauge finally gave up the ghost we had to keep an emergency gas fund just in case. After all we were only poor college students with limited budgets.

One fall weekend, my twin and I and our girlfriends decided to go hiking on the Long Trail http://www.greenmountaintrail.org (an extension of the Appalachian Trail  www.appalachiantrail.org ). Being typical college students we…. ummmm….sometimes got hair brained ideas. We decided we’d be trail blazers and take the lazy louts approach to hiking. We drove as far as we possibly could up the Long Trail and parked it. The next day when we returned to our car after spending the night on the trail in the cabins, here is a photo of what we were faced with. One of our housemates had gotten wind of our plans, and decided to play a prank. BATMOBILE It was all in good fun, and one of my most dear memories from Johnson State College http://www.jsc.edu. This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Click for Info & Ordering

Friday’s Hush

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Our greatest gift is the thunder of Silence.  ~Joel Goldsmith

It’s the end of the week, and the wisdom of the wordsmith in me says “that’s enough!”

Happy Friday everyone

Do return on Monday to All Things Fulfilling. You’ll be Looking at Lucky and I will tell you how that relates to my life. Some details of my journey weren’t  included  in the memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, so I’ll share more on this site. Sue’s memoir

Paper Flowers Redux

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“My dear girl, you must cultivate a taste for the finer things. Civilized pleasures give meaning to life.” 

― Barbara Taylor Bradford,  Being Elizabeth

Did you read yesterday’s blog about my childhood fiasco of trying to take my little brother on a road trip? If not, check it out.

Speaking of road trips – A few weeks ago, a friend and I took a journey from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We gallery hopped, window shopped and had a tasty lunch. It was a wonderful and a much needed day away for both of us just before Easter.

Not only did my friend get to return to something familiar from her past, so did I. My book, Sue’s memoirGift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected had only been published shortly before and as I entered into a fanciful women’s  clothing shop, called Confetti Design http://www.confettidesign.net. I was nearly blown away when I saw their window dressing!

glenwood springs paper flowers dressThere she stood a shapely women, a manikin, dressed in a fitting Easter outfit all made from tissue paper flowers. I couldn’t believe my eyes! My memoir has a chapter entitled Paper Roses. which recounts my fulfilling experience of learning to make and sell paper flowers as a project in  junior Girl Scouts.

I had never seen an entire frock made out of tissue paper flowers. As you can see from this image, it was gorgeous and so was the women’s clothing shop. The store had a real vibrancy to it, every color in the spectrum was represented in their high quality and creatively decorated shop. The sales clerks in it could not have been more hospitable either.

I could have shopped til I dropped, but instead I behaved myself. I’m trying to be fiscally conservative so I can properly get the word out about my publication through a diverse marketing plan and that takes some bucks.

Some day soon, I will take Barbara Taylor Bradford’s advice and will return to Confetti Designs with cash in my pocket to splurge on something deserved and special just for ME – perhaps an accoutrement to an outfit for a book talk! From all appearances, the ladies in Confetti have an outstanding eye for style and design.  Maybe they will help me find just the right thing. I will be back!

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I want to remind everyone to shop around by visiting different blogs – it’s a great way to discover fascinating sites and topics through the world-wide-web. You never know what you might run into that may peak your interest. Looking for a fun fashion blog? Visit http://invisiblecrowne.blogspot.com/. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. 

 

Book Club Selection

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“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” ― Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing
Last summer I had the opportunity to join in with a Dorchester County Book Club as they discussed the book The Postmistress. I enjoyed being with this group of ladies immensely. Here is the blog that I wrote last summer about the experience. https://allthingsfulfilling.com/2013/06/26/book-clubs-buzz/

book clubI have been notified by this Maryland-based book club that my new publication “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected” will be their group’s June selection and the subject of their discussion. How exciting is that! They’ve asked whether the author (yours, truly!) can be present.  Of course, I’ll do all I can to be there in person. But, if the logistics don’t work out, perhaps I can Skype in and have an “author chat,” like many libraries and bookstores arrange in this day and age.http://bit.ly/1gMOBNs.

This group of ladies, no doubt, will find the cultural and historical references  familiar. Many of them were living in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland and in the prime of their lives raising young children when the story takes place (1950’s- 1960’s). Their discussion of my memoir, is sure to be rich with opinions. And, I am sure, the book club members will have their own fulfilling memories to contribute to the discussion.

So, that’s the good news on this Easter Monday on All Things Fulfilling. We will see what transpires on that story. I will keep you posted.

Wrap Up: Writing Process

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First Step: “Forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Write for yourself and celebrate writing.” ~Melinda Haynes

Last Friday I gave a presentation about independent publishing and my newly released memoir to the Yampa Valley University Women. As a way of concluding my presentation, I mentioned how much I loved every part of the writing and publishing process –

  • the creative

  • the daily discipline of writing

  • bringing the voice of my stellar character alive for the reader

  • the end result of the feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction for having done it

Having a regular writing routine is easier for some than others, but for me I am a very disciplined person, so regular writing was not difficult. Authors have their own ways of motivating themselves to start, stay on task and seeing a project through until the end.

Inspiration-to-writeHere is an interesting article that I came across that speaks to tactics that some very well-known authors have used to tackle the problem of how to be successful in finding time to write. http://bit.ly/1fPjdd0 .

Some people go to all lengths to motivate themselves. I consider myself fortunate. All I have to do is sit down to the computer put my fingers on the keyboard, and pour my heart out. I don’t second guess myself until it is all out on the paper – it’s that easy! Then comes the editing part. Well, if I must be honest ….that’s a different story.

Do return tomorrow. We are going to switch gears.  I have “twin issues” on my mind that I will share with you. This blog brought to you by http://www.AllThingsFulfilling.com,