The Brainstorming Room

A Final Adieu. . .

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 13 Sep 06 10:13:00 UT

There has been a strange twist of fate it seems...

One reason (of several) I moved my blog from journalscape to Wordpress is because I felt my association with (gasp) Grantsville, WV to journalscapers, (and association with journalscape to locals) was tainting me.

Then, just this week, Grantsville blogs were banished from journalscape.

So far my almost-abandoned blog has remained, I assume because I use a different dial-up than all the other Grantsville bloggers.

That is, until today.

This afternoon, I'm having DSL installed here at home, and my ISP will clearly identify me as one of those "Grantsville" people. . .

I'm assuming DeLaHaye will vanish soon after that, and wanted to
A. Apologize to journalscape and Kenny for all the troubles caused by my... my... my neighbors,
B. Toss all of you good wishes, and
C. Offer "DeLaHaye the Journalscape Blog" as an example that not all people in Central West Virginia are - well, so troublesome.

(I also wanted to prove someone around here can spell.)

If, indeed, my new high speed connection leads to an instant erase of all I have created here, know I have popped up elsewhere on the WWW. Please come visit me at the new place: WVTravelers .

(Note, that's a different address than posted recently, I moved it to my own server over the weekend. AND, it's still under some construction...)

So, here in the last moments before I am digitally branded a Grantsville, West Virginian, I call out to all of you to say:

I am from Stumptown, NOT Grantsville, West Virginia -

I have enjoyed my stay with journalscapers -

Best wishes of wonderful blessings to all who remain.

Adieu ~

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Daisy Dew Drop Report

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Mon, 11 Sep 06 16:58:00 UT

Geesh, I'm still learning the new blog, and there will be even more changes there as I move it to my own server, but in the meantime, I've added a Daisy Dewdrop report at the new place. View it online if you wish at: The Adventures of Lisa, Frank & Daisy Dew Drop

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Out of sight, out of mind...

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 6 Sep 06 19:05:00 UT

Hey all, I know I've abandoned you, but I thought I would let you know that this week's column is now online at my new blog:

http://wvtraveler.wordpress.com/

and at The Calhoun Chronicle:

www.calhounchronicle.com.

I haven't quite mastered Wordpress yet, and am not rushing it, but soon I will have email notifications for that blog as well.

In the meantime, if you have an RSS Reader, you can catch the feed at http://wvtraveler.wordpress.com/feed/.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Goodbye Journalscape

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Fri, 1 Sep 06 14:14:00 UT

The six months I've been blogging here have been an experiment, just to see where it all would go.

I've enjoyed it, and frankly, it has helped me immensely. However, I've decided to blog in a different direction, and thus am ambandoning this for another blog at
The Adventures of Lisa, Frank and Daisy Dew Drop.

While journalscape was easier for me and for my dial up connection, wordpress allows me to do more of what I wanted, to lead me where I want to go.

Don't worry, I'll still be "lurking around" - and I hope you visit the new weblog.

Oh, and the RSS Feed for the new site is: http://wvtraveler.wordpress.com/feed/

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

This Week's Off The Cuff

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 30 Aug 06 16:17:00 UT

Well, I've got The Chronicle web site updated for today, and think there may be some new features added there soon!

In the meantime, here's this week's column:

Under the harvest moon,
When the soft silver
Drips shimmering
Over the garden nights,
Death, the gray mocker,
Comes and whispers to you
As a beautiful friend
Who remembers.
--Carl Sandburg, Under the Harvest Moon

As of the date of this issue (Aug. 31), we are one week away from the Harvest Moon.

Harvest Moon is one of 13 names applied to full moons. Thereâs Wolf Moon, Snow Moon, Worm Moon, Pink Moon, Flower Moon, Strawberry Moon, Buck Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Hunterâs Moon, Beaver Moon, and Cold Moon--one each for every monthâs full moon, and then Blue Moon, referring to the second full moon of the month when there are two in the same month.

Harvest Moon, also known as Wine Moon, Singing Moon and Elk Call Moon, is special in many ways. It behaves differently than any other full moon because it rises each September near the autumnal equinox. The moon rises at a point which is opposite to the sun, and is situated close to the eastern point of the horizon. Normally, a full moon will rise around 50 minutes later on its second and third nights, but the Harvest Moon rises only around 30 minutes later on its consecutive evenings.

Another characteristic often applied only to Harvest Moon is âlunar illusion.â Because of an illusion caused by the earthâs atmosphere, Harvest Moon appears larger than any other full moon as it sits on the horizon.

More legends and stories are associated with Harvest Moon than any other, and most are related to death. For example, in Welsh mythology, this is the day of the year when the God of Darkness, Goronwy, defeats the God of Light, Llew, and takes his place as king of the world.

To this day in Japan, the equinox is celebrated by visits to the graves of family members, at which time offerings of flowers and food are made and incense is burned. The three days preceding and following the equinox are called âhigan,â or the âother side of the River of Death.â

In Roman mythology, Harvest Moon was the time when Hades kidnapped Persephone to his underworld kingdom. Persephoneâs mother, Demeter, goddess of the harvest, withdrew herself in loneliness, and the earth ceased to be fertile. Knowing this could not continue much longer, Zeus sent Hermes down to Hades to make him release Persephone. Hades grudgingly agreed, but before she went back, he gave Persephone a pomegranate. When she later ate it, it bound her to the underworld forever and she had to stay there one-third of the year. The other months, she stayed with her mother. When Persephone was with her mother, crops grew. When she was in the underworld, winter came.

No other moon is so celebrated, so remembered, so honored. No other moon is saddled with the status of endings, of death before rebirth. How ironic then, that a moon so associated with death is the moon to shed the most light upon the world below.

Although the coming of winter will follow it, Harvest Moon itself is the last blossom of the summer nights. Hanging low in the sky, round, bright and big, Harvest Moon is the last and most beautiful bloom of the season.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Autumn Afternoon Rain

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Tue, 29 Aug 06 16:25:00 UT

It isn't raining yet, but even now, in the afternoon, the skies are dim and grey. The wind is blowing, and although it is hot and humid, both wind and sky have taken on the characteristics of their winter counterparts.

Summer is over, and there's nothing to do about it.

If there wasn't so much green out there remaining, I could look out the window and think it was October.

Of course, this time of year marks the passing of a season, but I also think sometimes that we yearn at this time of year to honor something we have forgotten, are missing some ritual or ceremony we no longer remember.

There's the rain now.

Big, fat, hard drops pounding every inch of the lake's surface for less than a minute, and then, the rain dying off to nothing before the water even stops rippling.

A casual drop here and there, and the rain is already gone.

Ah, wait.

Here comes a light drizzle, fine drops falling in a damp haze.

This mist of moisture, seeming to have popped from molecules of invisible air, will likely continue all evening.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Lazy Sunday

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Sun, 27 Aug 06 10:36:00 UT

I'm finally getting caught up with the house chores after our five days away last weekend. We left the house in such a mess, in the middle of hay season (second cutting), and then I came home with all these new ideas.

(It's also weed season here in West Virginia, so I've been mowing, cleaning, writing with itchy eyes and the nose-faucet running on high.)

House cleaning duties were extended while we were gone by teeny tiny spiders. While we were gone, they strung cobwebs all over everything - the lamp shades, bookshelves, every nook and cranny in the house. An interesting development that took two hours with a broom and feather duster to remove before I could even dust or vaccuum.

As for the new ideas, most of that is the result of the various reading I did on the trip.

I read an article in Writer's Digest magazine about "the basics of a writer's web site", and thus, upon my return, spent a day reworking www.hayesminney.info. (Link listed as "What I'd Really Like to Do" at left.)

Then, with a few new ideas and the Daisy vacation photos, I added some new designs to www.cafepress.com/impecunious/, putting Daisy on T-shirts and posters. I also added a new theme with items saying, "Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it that often."

None of the new designs have sold yet, but I did sell four "Hillbilly" shirts in the last two weeks, and a couple of shirts that say "I go where my GPS tells me."

While camping, I also had (what I think) is a great idea for a guide book, and I spent about two hours yesterday working out a book outline.

I also have ideas for three or four magazine articles, and researched potential markets. After taking a four-day free online course about writing query letters, I hope to start sending queries within the next three weeks.

I have a problem with one story though, I had the research file on the floor (yes, that's a filing location at my house) and Daisy peed on it when she first arrived, and I think I threw it away.

I'd forgotten about it until now.

So, with that piece, I'm going to have to back up and punt.

Of course, the world of hometown news didn't stop spinning just because the reporter was absent, and while we were gone, a DNR officer shot a man, the police chief got fired, two new deputies were hired, two buildings in town were demolished, and the county clerk darn near killed himself riding his mountain bike at the county park.

Add that to the ongoing saga of the former police chief facing sexual assault charges and gossip-mill of the local blogs. . . .

Well, let's just say it's hard to keep that good vacation feeling going now that I'm back.

So, I try to focus on my side projects when I'm not working, and remind myself that news coverage for Calhoun is my job, not my whole life.

Sure, I love my job. Love it, love it, love it.

HOWEVER,

I have, over four years observing, come to the conclusion that our community is just never going to get it together.

With regionalization laws just passed in the state, I realize now that we'll just keep fightin', screwin' up, scramblin' to get ahead, complainin' that nothin' ever changes, until someone just votes us away - out of existence.

I believe, if I keep covering local news, I'm eventually going to cover the death of the town, and possibly the county too.

I'm sure I'm just over-reacting and looking for problems... I just have the wrong outlook on life.

I suppose I should look at the bigger picture and do what each good citizen is told to do -

prepare for the Bird Flu and the death of 30% of the people I know,

talk about global warming while driving my SUV,

bend over and take it at the gas pump,

and forfeit my freedoms to prevent terrorism in America.

Why worry about the death of a small town? I've already got enough on my plate.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Daisy Dew Drop's first Camping Trip

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 23 Aug 06 16:02:00 UT

The camping trip was fabulous.

Daisy Dew Drop did so good!

With leash regulations, she was "tethered" for five days. She took it fairly well, we had her on a runner with the "elasto-leash" from there to her neck.

She did try to chew it in two when she really wanted to get into something she shouldn't get in to.

She slept in her little bed in the tent, without insisting that she join us on the air mattress.

In the day, I took her bed out and put it next to the tent, and she happily napped there during the day.

She wouldn't poop in the campsite. We had to take walks for that.

She did not like swimming.

She liked licking kids' faces, and climbing over the rocks.

She seems more "in tune" with us since returning from the trip. I don't know if it was the constant leash, or the constant attention, but she really matured over those five days.

(I got a lot of writing ideas over the break, and am feeling clearly focused.)

We had a few pictures we took of Daisy on the trip that were so cute, I just couldn't resist uploading them to my cafepress store and seeing what they looked like on posters, mousepads, t-shirts.

Here's a link to the new "Beagle Adventures" section, where you can see the photos well: Beagle Adventures

Sorry, I'm being lazy, and don't want to upload them to another server - so I'm sending you to my store.

But they are really, really cute.

Everybody loves a beagle.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

This Week's Off The Cuff

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 23 Aug 06 15:57:00 UT

Well, after the vacation, life is back online.

I've always been meaning to do this regulary, but here's this week's "Off The Cuff" from The Chronicle. You can see it, and past installments online at www.calhounchronicle.com.

Autumn has already arrived in the West Virginia mountains. Evenings have a chill, leaves are falling to float aimlessly in the river waters, and the breezes carry the scent of summerâs end.

I thought about timeâs passing; time wasted, time misspent. Projects never completed, never started. Goals for the summer that were never met.

Of all the times my father gave me advice, only twice did I not follow his recommendation. One of those suggestions, I consciously chose a different option, and the second suggestion I just cannot master, and it is likely the most important tip he gave me.

âLisa,â he said to me long ago, âif you want to have a successful and productive life, youâve got to learn to be a morning person.â

Daddy got up every day at 5:30 a.m. I used to think he did so to beat two teenage daughters to the hot water, but he continued to get up that early even after we moved on.

He was at the diner by six to meet his friend for breakfast, and was then in his shop working by 7 a.m. The shop didnât officially open until nine.

For 20 years, and countless New Yearâs resolutions, I have set a goal to become what I am not--a morning person. Sure, I set my goal, and my alarm clock, and my attempts to morph into a morning person last a week at the most.

Curses on the man who invented the snooze button!

It is amazing then, that when weâre camping in the mountains, without an alarm or even a clock, I awake often with the dawn, feeling refreshed and ready for the day (and camp coffee).

So many people value money above all else. What is fleeting, more valuable and harder to come by is time, not money. If you spend your time and manage your time wisely, money (or a lack of such a need of money) should come in return as a result.

Those who spend time with a vegetable garden need less in their pocket at the grocery store. Those who take time to properly care for the items they have will not need the funds to replace or repair them as often. Those who spend time dealing with stress will spend less in the future on medical bills and prescriptions.

A wise investment of time is more important than a wise investment of money. The gratification we seek in buying new things seems never to satisfy. The gratification that comes from time well spent carries on for days.

How do you invest your time?

The average American watches over eight hours of television a day, and that time spent increases every year. Eight hours of each day is spent with bubble gum for the brain! If you, like other average Americans, sleep six to eight hours a night, then you have spent 14 to 16 hours of each day doing nothing. Add in the average three hours a day Americans spend on the computer, and 17 to 19 hours have passed away from the 24-hour day.

No wonder we say there isnât enough time in the day. Weâre only left with five to seven hours to get everything done.

Without having television in the house, I have a head-start on everyone else. Sure, we spend about two hours of the day watching a movie before bed, but I also spend two-to-three hours reading, at least an hour on the Internet at home, sleep eight hours and work eight hours of most days. That, taking up 22 hours of the day, leaves me with only two hours for anything else Iâd like to do.

As much as I hate to admit it, if I want to use those two hours, Iâm going have to get up earlier in the morning. With only two hours to get ahead, I donât want to sleep that time away.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

The Red Button

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Tue, 22 Aug 06 17:15:00 UT

Get This Button On LoserAlliance.Com

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

We're Off

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Tue, 15 Aug 06 23:01:00 UT

Well, we're almost ready and we're off on a five-day camping trip tomorrow.

I have a list of future photo needs for Blue Ridge Country Magazine, and a few features of our destination to research.

Other than that, I plan to fish and nap a lot.

We have three cameras ready for the trip, and plan to visit two covered bridges and a few country churches in the area.

We typically hike two of three trails at this park, but with Frank's hernia - we're not going to push it in any way.

This trip is for relaxing, regrouping, forgetting the rat race.

Still, we have our self-imposed photo assignments.

We also have new fishing poles, and tackle, and bait, and a recipe for omelettes in a bag.

I'll let you know how that turns out.

The weather looks to be fabulous for at least four of five days, but of course, we have survived various weather assaults in the past with stride.

I just want to hear the water gurgle and hum in the background as I rest my eyes and my bones along the river bank.

I want to hear the whirr of the fishing reel as the prey grabs the bait.

I want to smell the forest, and listen to the whisper of the wind in the trees.

I want to spend hours watching a camp fire flicker.

I want to watch the morning fog slip from the river valley while I, sleepy-eyed, slurp strong camp coffee from my insulated camp mug.

I want to run my hands across huge river-washed boulders, lift my face to a rising mountain breeze, a fill my lungs deeply with fresh-washed air...

and let it all go...

...

Damn.
Are we there yet?

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

MeMe

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Tue, 15 Aug 06 22:51:00 UT

We're taking Daisy on her first camping trip tomorrow! I cannot wait to fall asleep by the river with a fishing pole in my hands...

I hope to post photos upon our return.

Meanwhile, the meme.

meme from wanaki

Things you may not have known about me.....

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1 - Beautician
2 - waitress
3- magic trick instructions writer
4- political poller

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1 â Forrest Gump
2 â The Stand
3 - Schindler's List
4 â Twister

Four places I have lived:
1 - Marietta, OH
2 - Parkersburg, WV
3 â Normantown, WV
4 - Stumptown, WV

Four TV shows I love to Watch
1 - I don't watch television
2 â I do own seasons of M*A*S*H
3 â Seasons of Monk
4 â And Seasons of The Muppet Show

Four places you have been on vacation:
1 - Disney (Florida)
2 - Mexico
3 â Myrtle Beach
4 â Virginia Beach

Four Web sites you visit frequently:
1 â Journalscape
2 â Blue Ridge Country
3 - Writer's Market
4 - The Weather Channel

Four of my favorite foods:
1 - Chocolate
2 â Corn on the cob
3 - Chicken Cordon Bleu
4 â Steak, medium well

Four places you would rather be right now:
1 â Alaska
2 â Any sunny beach
3 â By the river with my fishing pole
4 â On a massage table

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Friday Greetings

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Fri, 11 Aug 06 09:54:00 UT

Well, first off, hello to DS, out there, somewhere, and to DJ, hope the new job is going well.

Now, let's get caught up a little.

Frank's leg is healing, slowly, in spite of Dog Days. The hernia? Well, that's another story, but it has improved some.

He has, at this point, become very restless. Doing nothing is not his thing.

August is booked.

Last weekend was the company picnic, and this weekend is the bluegrass festival and the annual family reunion. Next weekend we're going camping for five days.

FIVE DAYS!

Yeeeeeee Haw!

Yes, I do realize how lucky I am to have a job that allows my to fill my need to run away on a regular basis.

Of course, I do have a job that one must run away from on occasion to stay sane.

Our former police chief has been charged with sexual assault and released on bond.

The new police chief is being run through the ringer after hitting a puppy in the road, giving warnings for speeding to folks on their way to church in the heart of the bible belt, and wrecking the town's only police cruiser two counties away from his jurisdiction.

I backed him in last week's paper, and I belive I'm going to regret that.

It wasn't a popular stance, as has been shown by the comments over on the GrantsvillesNews blog site. I'd give you the link, but instead will just advise - don't bother with the blather.

In my mind, I have prepared to publicly cut the column from the newspaper and "eat my words" where all can see.

That'll make a good picture for the newspaper.

As for the travel writing side kick, I have researched my markets, and outlined them by deadline, theme, and guidelines. I have given myself assignments for submissions, queries or photos through December.

My first challenge will be an entry in the West Virginia Parks essay contest due September 10. No money prizes, but nice prizes never the less. Plus, it would look good on the resume.

I still haven't organized "clips" for the queries and submissions, so that needs to be tackled as well.

I suppose I just keep pecking away at it, and it will come.

I finished my travel writing book, first read through, and am preparing to start over again and put the lessons into more action this time.

Also, a publishing company sent a query to the newspaper asking if I knew of anyone wanting to to a historic pictoral for the county and get royalties from the book sales.

Uh, yes, send the details, I know someone who is interested!

Oh, and it's official. I won 3rd Place, Best Columnist, Division 5 in the West Virginia Press Association Contest this year.

Two years ago, I won first place, so I'm feeling that perhaps I've slipped a little.

Of course, when you win first place in your first year as a columnist, it's kinda hard to keep that status annually.

Daisy is losing her puppy teeth, has still not perfected going potty outside, and has mastered "sit" and "up".

"Down," "come here," and "no" - we're still working on.

Where has summer gone?

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Back in the saddle. . .

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 2 Aug 06 22:09:00 UT

Life, it seems, has come back into focus a bit.

Perhaps I should say I have regained my focus.

I picked up the travel writing book I laid down two months ago, and am finishing it.

I haven't done all of the exercises, but I did subscribe to four magazines to study the market, and have gotten it in my little head that I could write a few West Virginia guide books if I put my mind to it.

In the meantime, I brought home some books on travel photography for Frank and I, and I started a free four day online basic travel writing course.

Yes it's basic, yes it's free, yes, it's the free sample of the class I really want to take, which is $350.

I'm still thinking on that though.

For breaks from the travel writing venue, I've been working on some new drawings and mandalas for my t-shirt shop, and have loaded them on the jump stick for uploading to the net at work on DSL.

Dial up sucks by the way.

I also cleaned and reorganized my desk for travel writing focus.

I pushed a lot of other little side projects out of the way for now.

They're really just diversions from the main goal.

So anyway, now after reading two issues of Southern Living, Cottage Living and Country Living, I'm thinking about painting the kitchen red, and all my wood furniture white.

A minus side to the research I suppose.

I was tickled to discover a nearby resort featured in Southern Living. It proves there is an interest in West Virginia articles there.

So, I'm progressing, I'm learning, and I'm really thinking about taking that computer course on travel writing.

Even if it just builds my confidence a little, it might be worth it.

I just keep reminding myself, I've already sold two magazine articles.

That's a good start.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.

Die Dippers

wvtravelers@hayesminney.info — Wed, 2 Aug 06 21:52:00 UT

A summer treat this year has been the upbringing of two young die dippers in our yard.

No, I don't know their scientific name. The locals call them die dippers.

We've had adults around since we moved in, so I assume they are some kind of water fowl. To me, from a distance, they look like small herons with shorter legs.

But I'd never really seen them up close until now.

The two youngun's, I discovered, were living in the pine boughs by my sun bed. In the mornings, they would perch on the hay trailer that Frank was working on in the yard to sun themselves.

As I snuck closer, I realized they couldn't fly yet, and they ran into the tall grass.

Within a week they were flying from the branches of the pine to the nearby maple, then were hopping onto the old diving tower before venturing test flights across the lake.

They're awkward creatures really, especially at that age. But even mature, their long necks, when streched out, never look even close to the graceful neck of the heron or the goose.

They always look as if they might tip forward on their face.

And while young, they sometimes do.

Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.