Liz Tyner - Liz's Latest

When Pollen Is On The Loose

2/22/2020

Living in Oklahoma, it seems the very air can be against me. Well, it is. In more ways than one.

I looked up the word allergic and found it not in usage until the 1900's. I looked up sneeze, and found it was much earlier...from the 1600's.

No one can convince me that people didn't suffer allergies in the past. Then, I remembered my mom calling it hay fever.

I looked up hay fever. Bingo. It was in usage around the early 1800's but intimidated it was more an upscale term. Before that it was summer catarrh. Hay fever does sound more appealing than catarrh.

'd read about this malady somewhere in the past but I'd not know what kind of a tragic disease that was.

And apparently, I am a sufferer of summer catarrh. Stand aside everyone. I may have a sneezing fit.

But I'm looking forward to the bees, flowers and colors of spring and summer.

Photos are from my acreage.

Leonardo's Sad Lady

2/1/2020

I just didn't get it the first time I saw Ginerva de' Benci. It just didn't seem quite right somehow. This was a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, and he was one of the greatest artists ever and yet, there seemed something wrong about the painting.

But the second time, when I got a chance to spend more time with her, I came away impressed.

One, the painting had been cut down. I could just imagine myself thinking that the painting would be just a bit better if it were trimmed to fit a smaller space. Then, someone seeing the painting after it had been altered. Their face looking much like Ginerva's as the knowledge seeped into them that the artwork would never be the same.

A tragic mistake, but it didn't affect her value as much as it could have.

I'd not been sure about the juniper bushes behind her, but I discovered had a reason for being there, perhaps as a play on her name.

But the lifelike skin, and texture of her hair impressed me when I stood closer.

And then when I looked at the photo with a reflected glare, I imaged life from inside the canvas. I hope the real Ginerva was happy.

Writing 101: Overwhelmed By a Lily

1/25/2020

Writing a manuscript can seem a bit daunting. This bug is inspecting a flower and seems overwhelmed. But it's just a lily. And while it truly is a magnificent flower, from his perspective, he could get trapped inside.

Sometimes people writing a book get trapped inside the first three chapters.

The beginning of the book is setting the stage for the reader. The story needs to take off, and the characters need their own world.

Just jump in, and don't get lost inside. Turn the page. Step back.

I didn't stick around to see what happened to the little bug. But I hope—instead of being overwhelmed, he took it all in perspective and found what he was looking for.

Buffalo

1/18/2020

In my childhood, I heard the stories of the buffalo being slaughtered on the plains. I was also aware of the efforts to reintroduce buffalo in my area.

Now, I live relatively close to two herds that I can visit, and while they're not a common sight on the plains, they're not difficult to get a photo of.

They always seem peaceable to me, but I have a respect for them. Some can weigh 1100 pounds, and I wouldn't want to make one angry.

Birdwatching

1/11/2020

I rarely tire of trying to catch a photo of an animal in it's natural surroundings...or even looking natural in a zoo. But these birds are from my yard, and I'm fortunate to have them in the area.

Writing: How Do I Get Past Chapter One?

1/4/2020

If your New Year's Resolution is to write a book, go for it. Four tips for getting started:

Dive in.
Don't worry about getting it perfect the first time.
Chain yourself to the chair. Set three appointment times on your phone, and have three dates a week to be in the chair until you're finished. Or...five dates.
Get positive reinforcement from your characters. You've left them hanging. The poor little ones won't have a life—a happy ending—or another breath until you get back in there and wrestle with them. Can you do that to your little ones? (I hope not!)

The Woods In Darkness

12/28/2019

The two previous pictures are some of my favorites caught by the trail camera.
I also have some from the back yard that I continue to enjoy.

The birdhouses have a short lifespan sometimes. I discovered one on the ground broken, and evidence of the culprits who benefited from the crime.

All's fair in love and birdseed.

Merry Christmas!

12/21/2019

Decorating 10 mini-Christmas trees in 20 minutes probably isn't recommended. I should have fluffed them out a bit first, and I could tell that their lack of perfection concerned others. I should have said, "Go ahead. Finish them however you wish." And meant it.

I realize that my version of Christmas decorating had been started by my mother many years before. She let us put the tree up, and then she basically left the room. We had the decorations and could do with them as we wished. She didn't complain, or comment, if I remember correctly. She may have told us, "Lights first," but I'm not sure.

She let us enjoy the process and our creativity. I'm sure it was easier for her to do as she had her hands full with her day-to-day duties. I'm also sure our decorating would never have won any positive awards. But, the end result was that our mother won all our hearts for nurturing us as she did.

In her later years, I realize she may have regretted allowing me so much freedom in my creativity. My Christmas cards moved away from traditional good cheer and took more of a Bad Elf phase.

Now, I see myself returning to the traditions...but maybe not entirely. Ten trees in 20 minutes. And without glitter or spray paint.

Merry Christmas!

Photo: My dining room table and a traditional Christmas display.

Writing 101: Procrastination

12/21/2019

Procrastination is to writing what Scrooge is to Christmas.

Charles Dickens said that procrastination is the thief of time.

While I was looking that up, I saw a bunch of other things online about procrastination which pulled me their direction.

You can't write a book when "more important" things are pulling you away.

Just make sure they are more important to you. Is it really how you want to spend your time?

If it is...go for it. You can always, always write that book next year. Well, not that book. You'll have a different idea for a different book eventually. But you can always write that the year after.

Those little characters inside your head might give up on you, and wander off into another person's head.

The answer to procrastination?

Prioritize.

Gifts for the One Who Has Everything

12/14/2019

While watching a podcast about Microsoft founder Bill Gates, I noticed that reading was very important to him. It was suggested that for the person who has everything, a book is the perfect gift.

So, I started imagining which book of mine would be best for Bill. I think Saying I Do to the Scoundrel will fit because the heroine has a business-like spirit when she hires her own kidnapper.

For Ms. Gates, I would recommend Redeeming the Roguish Rake because the heroine deeply believes in helping others.

In case Oprah needs a gift, I'd suggest To Win a Wallflower because the underlying theme of the book is about women's empowerment.