The Beginning
Dinner in Milwaukee
Stage set for five days of non-stop activity.
Trip was planned around a family wedding.
Sister provided our resting location.
Visited with as many family and friends as time allowed.
Good times and memories abounded.
Last sight in Milwaukee
The Ending
…about friends
I’ve found myself often thinking of friends and recognize how much I appreciate them.
Friends, you are a blessing to me.
I saw this posted on a board at an art gallery. There was no name associated with it. The words ring true in my life, and I hope they will in yours as well.
Rewrite… Due to an incorrect setting when publishing. My error.
Clouds, Dreams & Fantasy is my creative by-product developed during Covid-19. The Pandemic created a unique time in global history and affected each of us differently. No matter how our personal lives were affected, life continued. Babies were born, people were married, people got sick, people died, people continued to experience the full scope of life, but often without the support of others. Like you, my life was impacted.
Technology allowed many to connect in new ways. Creatives became my circle and my imagination ran wild. This collection of work includes short stories, short shorts and poetry—much teased out by other writer friends.
Look for this book as a tool to set your imagination free as you allow the tales contained within to affect you.
Creatives influence one another. Plan to let this book impact you.
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
As seeds lay under the soil until condition are right,
so my next work has been slowly preparing to unfurl.
My first blog post for January, I said:
with a clean slate
and a grateful heart
I have a new start
I decided to end 2022 closing a chapter I’ve referred to as my Pandemic writing. Previously, I’ve shared little about Covid or its effect on me, in my writings. Mostly due to recognizing each of us went through this time in our history, yet each dealt with the Pandemic individually. Life continued, but in uncharted ways. Births, deaths, weddings, illness, moves, loneliness, fears and uncertainties still happened. There was no correct way to process the last couple of years. Because the impact resides within each of us, we all have a story to tell.
My story is a collection of writings, short stories, short shorts, and some poetry. Covid opened the door for me to connect with other writers from around the world. Some groups offered writing prompts, others met via Zoom or on Facebook. It was a time to draw deep into my feelings and thoughts. Sometimes I was surprised at what rose to the surface.
The time has come to allow these writings to become part of my works. Currently, much of my time is dedicated to completing this project.
Title to be disclosed later.
How did living through the Pandemic effect you? Please share your responses in the comments. There are no incorrect responses, only your experience.
The words below jumped off the page as I read them.
Do you get social media fatigue at the end of the year?
I wanted to scream YES. It’s the Holiday season and the thought of Christmas conjures up cheerful and pleasant feelings which radiate throughout my being. Most are personal. Those feelings don’t translate well to social media.
Are you laughing, or agreeing?
There’s this tug, which pulls me in conflicting directions.
I released a book in late October. I should market said book. There is another I should format for publication.
Somehow, all these aspects of life swirl together, creating my here and now.
The Christmas season of 2022.
To you, those who follow my blog—may you find moments to enjoy whatever makes this season special to you.
Are you looking for a book your kiddos might read?
Look no further.
Gabriel and the Bear may be the answer.
This story provides a peak into a fun outing where a young boy sees his first bear in the wild, and it also offers insight into how to enjoy wildlife and remain safe.
I grew up in the Midwest, in a small town. My exposure to wildlife was limited to the few small critters we’d spot in our yard or visiting a zoo. Books for children painted pictures of animals being our friends, or were stories of cute interactions between children and animals. My eight years of living in the mountains in western Colorado taught me the realities of sharing the land with wild animals. I learned a healthy respect for these creatures. I knew women whose homes had been invaded by bears; whose cars had been demolished by a bear who got inside the vehicle. I witnessed how enormous bears are. There are foolish, unsafe behaviors of tourists seeking selfies of themselves or their children with wildlife that I read about.
Gabriel and the Bear may provide the subtle encouragement to keep your eyes peeled when driving through the countryside. You may spot something and be able to watch a creature of the wild in their natural habitat. The book also has a section dedicated to bear facts. Are you aware of how fast the slow, lumbering black bear can run, or of all the different colors a black bear can be? Learn those truths and others in the book.
Carol Gault, who is an amazing wildlife photographer, has provided the art within the story.
You can find the book on Amazon.com
Until We Meet Again…
Our last week in Ireland was a mixed bag. Covid behind us, weather mixed, last meetings, countryside drives to soak in the unique beauty. Most have been the same drives we’d take on our journeys to connect with friends, but during out last week we’d stop to photograph some of the sights.
Lunch with new friends from this trip, Kirsten and Tim was time filled with laughter, shared interests, allowed Tom the opportunity to talk buildings and construction while Linda and Kirsten talked about creative arts.
The Tuesday fellowship was a study from James on wisdom. Tom taught the study this week and there was an opportunity for much discussion, and interactions. Questions and examples proved how this wisdom is evident. The richness of life experience provided varied instances others had as they witnessed this type of wisdom.
A lunch meeting provided us the opportunity to connect again with Mark and Lona Webb. Missionaries here for over ten years, and friends now since our first trip in 2019. It has been a gift to see how they have flourished since then and through Covid. Later this year will be their first trip back to the US in many years, where they will be making a whirlwind trip across the country to visit with supporters and family. We hope to connect again on “our side of the pond.”
The writing group was smaller, due to many traveling or having other commitments. However, the fellowship was as rich as ever. Covid changed the dynamic of this group. With the first lockdown in 2020, they went online via Zoom, then as the culture opened up, they morphed into two weekly meetings. One in person, and the next day, one on Zoom. So, Linda will continue with these meetings once we’re back home.
Thursday evening was a women’s meeting coordinated and hosted by Living Rock Church. What a fun evening and what a treat to see women from different fellowships groups gather together in friendship, worship and a time of sharing. Linda encouraged the women with some words from Esther on the topic of “For Such a Time as This.” The interactions and camaraderie of the women was evidence of God presence. What a blessing it was to be a witness of this evening. May it be the beginning of more interfaith gatherings in County Kerry. And what a treat, to meet an Irish woman from Killarney, living in Dublin, who also feels the call to minister to and encourage the pastors. Tom and Michael spent the evening together and had one last long conversation.
Friday breakfast with JP and Fidelma was one of those bittersweet moments. A final gathering for this trip, and confirmation of a deeper and growing friendship. Cherished moments.
We squeezed in a performance at Saint John’s Theatre in Listowel, and tea with a fellow writer before making the trek back to Dingle. The sun was in and out, the air was cool and the day beautiful. Daffodils were popping all over, adding simple beauty.
While in Listowel, Linda was introduced to a gentleman who is connected with a writer from the San Diego area. Sometimes the world feels so very small.
Concerns abounded for the Ukraine, and still do. Remember to pray for those trapped in this war, fighting for their homeland and way of life; for those who have family and friends in this environment; for world leaders; for God’s peace and grace. Pray for the people.
Time is such a strange phenomenon. Seven weeks sounded like a long time to be in Ireland, and yet in many ways, it passed too quickly. There were people we hoped to see, or those we hoped to see more frequently but either schedules, work, life or lack of time prevented our connections. Perhaps, next trip.
Ireland is a beautiful country and many will tell you so. But it is the people, the people…who have captivated our hearts. Those people, and the knowledge of how much God loves them and wants to call them to himself keeps pulling us back. We will return. …in His timing.
As mentioned last week, we had been invited by JP, the pastor at Listowel Christian Fellowship, to come Saturday and spend the night and have dinner together. This in itself is such a testament to the work God is doing in establishing us here. On the way, we stopped in Tralee to pick up some fresh flowers for their home. I ducked into a grocery store and Linda informed me she was going to get something at the drugstore across the way. I picked up a bouquet and walked over to the drugstore to find Linda. I couldn’t find her, so I returned to the car to wait. About ten minutes later Linda returned. I told her about not being able to find her. She fessed up and told me that she had walked past the drug store and had found herself about a block past when she realized she had missed the entry to the drug store. We had a good laugh.
We arrived at JP and Fidelma’s home and continued our mutual discovery of each other’s history and mission. JP had kitchen duty and prepared a wonderful roast with all of the fixins’.
Our weekend in Listowel ended on the sweet note of sharing in worship and teaching at Listowel Christian Fellowship. This group is transitioning from Zoom only to meeting in person again. The fellowship is lively and enjoys a weekly opportunity for testimony.
Driving back to Dingle, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and explore a new area for us, Brandon Point. The sun highlighted some of the spring flowers popping up around the county. We find the activity in the sky fascinating. Cloud formations are different around the world. We drove home over Connor Pass. As the passenger, Linda was able to enjoy lovely views of the seashore, catch glimpses of sheep traversing rocky steep fields and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. Tom got to navigate the long, twisting, narrow pass. At the top, where the road widens, there is a rest stop perched high enough above the shore that one is able to see the sea on both sides of the peninsula.
We lunched with Michael and Ninfa at one of the hotels in Killarney renown for hosting weddings. Much laughter ensued as we talked about some of Michael’s culinary surprises when he visited the United States. Though we all speak English, there is such surprise in learning how each culture uses some of the same words. He was encouraged to try biscuits and gravy for breakfast. He did, but could not imagine being served cookies with gravy for breakfast. They shared some of their dreams for their church. We felt honored to be part of their conversation.
The Tuesday fellowship group continued their gathering, moving onto “anointing” this week. There were good questions, conversation and encouragement.
Sometime in the night, rain moved into the area. There were a few breaks during the day. Laughter and great conversations filled the air of the alcove where the writers met at the Meadowlands Hotel and pub. The heat from the free standing stove kept everyone cozy on a dreary day. National news advised of worse weather coming late Thursday, and continuing onto Friday. A Red Alert was issued. Many events were cancelled.
Thursday, Linda met with the writers via Zoom. Maire Holmes is back as Writer in Residence again. What a treat for the group!
The wind howled and raged through Thursday night. We’d awaken to rain pelting the windows and doors. Brief reprieves offered calm moments. From the safety of our cottage the sound made me think we were in the middle of a brutal winter snowstorm. But no, it was an Irish winter storm. We enjoyed the safety of our cottage. The weather continued. Slightly abating on Saturday when we took a short drive. The wind and rain returned. Another storm on the heels of the first continued through the weekend.
This was the week Covid caught up with Tom. Seems to be a mild case, doing a lot of reading and taking naps. Perhaps a good week for the weather to be so bad it too limited our activities. Linda has continued to test negative. We’ll have to wait and see how Covid affects the rest of our trip. We appreciate your prayers.
Finding the Way Home, Book 2 of the Rosethorn series by Linda L Flynn.
This is a fictional story and will be available later this year. They say “All good things come to those who wait.” For those of you who read Dream Glasses and have been waiting for the sequel, thank you for your patience.
It’s editing, layout and then final editing time.
In Finding the Way Home, you pick up with Liz returning home from Paris with high expectations for all the future will hold. Before leaving the airport, it becomes obvious the plans she and Eric had set in motion are unravelling. Life happens. Just like to it does to me and you. The messiness of relationships and unresolved family issues threated to undo Liz. Finding the Way Home invites you to shadow Liz as she matures and refines the dreams for her future. Much of this story uses the Colorado Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. In this environment, you will discover the richness of natural beauty and friendships found there.
Visit the Sign Me Up page to be one of the first notified when this book is available.
Journey to the Heights 