Thanks, Kateri. Your note and lovely watercolors were a little gift for me this morning. Dandelion lesions are a pleasant surprise to find in my in box too, even though I know they are coming.
One of my favorite treats is what I call, tea with Annie. Annie was a very good friend. The kind of friend that listens gently—no judgment, no criticism. If I was upset or worried, it was as if she just absorbed the sadness and melted it away. If I was happy or had something fun to share, she was all in. Annie loved Genmaicha, green tea with roasted rice. She called it popcorn tea because the toasted rice looks like tiny kernels of popcorn. Because she was a quadriplegic, she had to talk me through the very precise process of brewing it—just the right amount of tea, water at the right temperature, brewing time not too long, not too short. Sadly, Annie died a couple of years ago, but whenever I am feeling a bit down or up or somewhere in between, I hit the pause button, brew a cup of popcorn tea, and think of Annie….and smile.
So beautiful, Bev. I also love Genmaicha! I wish I could find a decaf version. It is so so delicious. What a beautiful friend, your Annie. I am sorry for your loss. ❤️
As Agnes said, Kateri's Patreon, Sitting on the front porch on the swing with my dog, Henry and a good book and cup of coffee. I just started Kateri's notebook class and I find I really enjoy sitting with my notebook and writing my thoughts (So soothing). Watching a British mystery movie. Watching a pair of downy woodpeckers in an old tree in our front yard, build a nest, feed their young & then get to watch the funny little frizzy-headed young leave the tree, as we did a few weeks ago. Jigsaw puzzles- drawing with pen and ink.
I love this piece ♥️ Love the loving little gifts and the list you made of them. When I’m overwhelmed and don’t want to face (parts of) a day because it just feels to hard I tend to binge series, not able to stop and eat chocolate while doing so 😂 The last months I’m trying to stay aware of this pattern and choose things that actually help me in those moments instead; like a meditation, breathing exercise, yoga or yoga nidra, reading a book and just feel all the feels instead of grabbing for that remote 😉
Sometimes it works and I can stay aware, sometimes it doesn’t and I try to forgive myself after binging again.
Maybe I’ll place a sweet Post-it on my remote or on top of my chocolate stack. 🙏🏻
Little gifts-a new article or dandelion lesson from you of course!-brewing a cup of artisan tea, a good book and gummy bears-lighting a candle and listening to music etc. I like the idea of placing these suggestions In a cup, because we don’t always remember what to reach for when we’re upset. I have lists of things in my journals, but it’s easy to forget.
well, u've done it again, kateri -- given me pause for contemplative reflection on aspects of my own manner of 'coping' with the daily murphy's laws in one's life...rude, unplanned interruptions which are not real deal breakers in life, but just annoying enough to fuck up an otherwise great day. i find ur essays refreshing, six-to-ten paragraphed gifts exquisitely journaled, meticulously edited (except for one missing italic to identify 'The Book Worm.'
which brings me to an important question i have for u, o kindred writer of western n.y. fame (and fortune?): i have had a strong urge to make a general announcement on FB to make a general apology and mea culpa for anyone who took a chance on my recent publication, "a chip off......".
upon giving it a more introspective rereading of its contents after it was already published in its final form, i discovered i am a decent enough writer, but am one lousy proofreader. was shocked, embarrassed, dismayed up the wazoo to discover a dozen or so miniscule errors in the text, mostly ticky tacky stuff like: uncompleted parentheses, a missing article (such as 'a'), and at least two incidents of repeating a juicy little adjective within a paragraph of each other.....none of it caught by my editor's eye in the preceding proofings i gave my little tome.
kateri - what would YOU do if u knew that these tiny boo boos escaped out into the light of a reader's day? i feel like i want to 'splain myself to those who were kind enough to buy my book and tell them i am not as moronic as one might think IF they caught sight of my teeny editing blunders and thought, "how on earth did this get published? what's up with that?" so, question to u is: SHOULD i make a formal acknowledgement of the oopsies sprinkled in my little vanity project, or keep it to myself and hope people speed read and never catch the errors? I await ur advice, because it's eating me up.
oh - the other thing i wanted to comment on regarding ur piece is that i haven't stopped (the writer's itch, that is). i am now working on another project which is more of a contemporaneous auto bio kind of a deal on thongs which i am grateful for and things which have made me feel a small sense of pride in the doing (of something). i seem to be deriving almost as much pleasure from this writing as from the memoir and the recipes (and of course, the poetry). who would've thunk it? ur thoughts, please?
Thank you for kind comments, Chuck. As for discovering mistakes in a published work, we all will find a few. I guess it depends on how many there are and how easy it would be to have a reprint. Self-published works are easier to fix and I would definitely make sure I fixed them. No need to explain, just fix them. Typos happen in every publication ever published. If we can fix them, we should fix them :) Another thing... never be the only set of eyes on a work you are going to publish in print. Find a professional proofreader. Even then, a few things will escape the most careful eyes. SO glad you are enjoying your writing practice!
A trick I use – but you won't be able to – is… watching a Patreon video by Kateri! That's a huge reward ❤️ Another one? Art and Spirit Studio…
You are kind. And I have my own places to go, too. But I am truly grateful you found me and stayed xoxoxo One day we will meet!
Thanks, Kateri. Your note and lovely watercolors were a little gift for me this morning. Dandelion lesions are a pleasant surprise to find in my in box too, even though I know they are coming.
One of my favorite treats is what I call, tea with Annie. Annie was a very good friend. The kind of friend that listens gently—no judgment, no criticism. If I was upset or worried, it was as if she just absorbed the sadness and melted it away. If I was happy or had something fun to share, she was all in. Annie loved Genmaicha, green tea with roasted rice. She called it popcorn tea because the toasted rice looks like tiny kernels of popcorn. Because she was a quadriplegic, she had to talk me through the very precise process of brewing it—just the right amount of tea, water at the right temperature, brewing time not too long, not too short. Sadly, Annie died a couple of years ago, but whenever I am feeling a bit down or up or somewhere in between, I hit the pause button, brew a cup of popcorn tea, and think of Annie….and smile.
I love this Beverly!❤️🩹
So beautiful, Bev. I also love Genmaicha! I wish I could find a decaf version. It is so so delicious. What a beautiful friend, your Annie. I am sorry for your loss. ❤️
Oh the memories. I love the coffee cup idea.
As Agnes said, Kateri's Patreon, Sitting on the front porch on the swing with my dog, Henry and a good book and cup of coffee. I just started Kateri's notebook class and I find I really enjoy sitting with my notebook and writing my thoughts (So soothing). Watching a British mystery movie. Watching a pair of downy woodpeckers in an old tree in our front yard, build a nest, feed their young & then get to watch the funny little frizzy-headed young leave the tree, as we did a few weeks ago. Jigsaw puzzles- drawing with pen and ink.
All such comforts, at least they feel that way to me. Big hug. And thank you. 🙏🏼
I love this piece ♥️ Love the loving little gifts and the list you made of them. When I’m overwhelmed and don’t want to face (parts of) a day because it just feels to hard I tend to binge series, not able to stop and eat chocolate while doing so 😂 The last months I’m trying to stay aware of this pattern and choose things that actually help me in those moments instead; like a meditation, breathing exercise, yoga or yoga nidra, reading a book and just feel all the feels instead of grabbing for that remote 😉
Sometimes it works and I can stay aware, sometimes it doesn’t and I try to forgive myself after binging again.
Maybe I’ll place a sweet Post-it on my remote or on top of my chocolate stack. 🙏🏻
I adore this. Hey, we all have our ways of coping. I always say, it could be worse! I miss chocolate so much. Eat a piece for me! xoxo
Little gifts-a new article or dandelion lesson from you of course!-brewing a cup of artisan tea, a good book and gummy bears-lighting a candle and listening to music etc. I like the idea of placing these suggestions In a cup, because we don’t always remember what to reach for when we’re upset. I have lists of things in my journals, but it’s easy to forget.
Thank you for this. And let me know if you try the cup :) xo
I will❤️
Your tiny paintings are precious gifts indeed.
Thank you so much, John.
well, u've done it again, kateri -- given me pause for contemplative reflection on aspects of my own manner of 'coping' with the daily murphy's laws in one's life...rude, unplanned interruptions which are not real deal breakers in life, but just annoying enough to fuck up an otherwise great day. i find ur essays refreshing, six-to-ten paragraphed gifts exquisitely journaled, meticulously edited (except for one missing italic to identify 'The Book Worm.'
which brings me to an important question i have for u, o kindred writer of western n.y. fame (and fortune?): i have had a strong urge to make a general announcement on FB to make a general apology and mea culpa for anyone who took a chance on my recent publication, "a chip off......".
upon giving it a more introspective rereading of its contents after it was already published in its final form, i discovered i am a decent enough writer, but am one lousy proofreader. was shocked, embarrassed, dismayed up the wazoo to discover a dozen or so miniscule errors in the text, mostly ticky tacky stuff like: uncompleted parentheses, a missing article (such as 'a'), and at least two incidents of repeating a juicy little adjective within a paragraph of each other.....none of it caught by my editor's eye in the preceding proofings i gave my little tome.
kateri - what would YOU do if u knew that these tiny boo boos escaped out into the light of a reader's day? i feel like i want to 'splain myself to those who were kind enough to buy my book and tell them i am not as moronic as one might think IF they caught sight of my teeny editing blunders and thought, "how on earth did this get published? what's up with that?" so, question to u is: SHOULD i make a formal acknowledgement of the oopsies sprinkled in my little vanity project, or keep it to myself and hope people speed read and never catch the errors? I await ur advice, because it's eating me up.
oh - the other thing i wanted to comment on regarding ur piece is that i haven't stopped (the writer's itch, that is). i am now working on another project which is more of a contemporaneous auto bio kind of a deal on thongs which i am grateful for and things which have made me feel a small sense of pride in the doing (of something). i seem to be deriving almost as much pleasure from this writing as from the memoir and the recipes (and of course, the poetry). who would've thunk it? ur thoughts, please?
Thank you for kind comments, Chuck. As for discovering mistakes in a published work, we all will find a few. I guess it depends on how many there are and how easy it would be to have a reprint. Self-published works are easier to fix and I would definitely make sure I fixed them. No need to explain, just fix them. Typos happen in every publication ever published. If we can fix them, we should fix them :) Another thing... never be the only set of eyes on a work you are going to publish in print. Find a professional proofreader. Even then, a few things will escape the most careful eyes. SO glad you are enjoying your writing practice!