Tag: A. Catherine Noon

  • I Is For… Irrigation!

    #AtoZChallenge 2025 letter I

    Contributed by A. Catherine Noon

    As Spring springs, a person’s heart turns to the garden. I’m watching my fall bulbs coming up and am so excited to see hyacinths and crocus come up. I’m sad that my daffodils do not appear to be growing, and I don’t know why. They came up last year, but this year they aren’t showing up.  We’ll see if they arrive eventually; if not, I’ll try planting some more this September.

    We are taking a course called Grow Your Own Groceries, and one of the segments talked about irrigation options. It seems so odd to be thinking about that right now, since I live in the Pacific Northwest and it’s still quite wet and rainy now. But our summers are dry and increasingly hot, so much so that it’s caused a large-scale die-off of the Douglas fir trees. This means that we do need to figure out whether to water our gardens and if so, how do set up our irrigation systems.

    There’s a method of gardening that’s actually not a method that uses watering of the plants, which is fascinating. It is lauded as a way of growing veggies that actually taste better, even if they don’t look pristine. That’s been tempting, as has a method of using an irrigation hose that has holes in it and waters the plants just as the roots.

    What about you, Dear Reader? How does your garden grow, and how does it drink?

  • G Is For… Genesis!

    #AtoZChallenge 2025 letter G

    Contributed by Mary Economou Green PhD.

    Genesis (Greek word) refers to a beginning, origin, creation, generation, “mode of formation or production” (Oxford English Dictionary). In the cosmos we find ourselves in, a world of reptilian mad men/women wreaking division, wars, environmental devastation, we could use a little ‘rebirth.’ A bright time in our world history was not only the ‘re-discovery’ of the classics in art, architecture, philosophy, writings, but also the placement of human beings in the centre of our universe – the concept that looking upward, we encompass, absorb a more ‘heavenly’ spirit; looking downward, omnipresent reptilian instincts prevail, exhibiting bulling behaviour, selfishness, greed.

    Perhaps now is the moment to seize the Gs – to be genuine, genial, generous. Genuine, authentic, “being as represented, true not counterfeit” (OED). Geniality, so much needed – a sense of joyousness, kindness, sympathetic cheerfulness. A few dashes of “gentilesse” would not be amiss, not to do with being noble in birth of course, but noble in nature; with being courteous, affable, polite. Add a splash of generosity – being liberal in giving, magnanimous, compassionate toward others. In this rather “dark patch” (Milton), we are at a crossroads. But remember, in Pandora’s box Hope hesitated and hovered at the rim of the box – and our next letter in this A to Z challenge may very well be H for Hope!

  • E Is For… Education!

    #AtoZChallenge 2025 letter E

    Contributed by Tina Holland

    E is for…Education

    This particular topic seems to fit well with growth.  As a full-time writer, I often take the time to learn new things about the writing business, genre expectations, and occasionally craft.  Although I’m pretty comfortable with my style so if I do pick something up on craft, I try to do it between stories.

    Continuing Education is for everyone, and it doesn’t have to be in a formal classroom setting. Nowadays, there are also options like MasterClass, Skillshare, and Teachable. If you are on a budget, think of YouTube videos that show you how to cook, crochet, or build a deck. Your local library also likely offers classes on a variety of topics.   A few years ago, I took a FREE class on Female Regency Authors through North Dakota Humanities.  I learned about more than Jane Austen.

    If you missed our Spring Forward, we offered a few classes there as well.  You’d be amazed at where you can learn, and it’s essential to do so.  A new skill or perspective can change your course and hopefully bring you newfound joy.

    I will continue to be a perpetual learner and am always curious where the next thing will take me.  In the next few months, Writer Zen Garden will be putting together a resources page.  I hope you’ll utilize it and continue to grow.

  • D Is For… Decision!

    #AtoZChallenge 2025 letter D

    D Is For… Decision!

    Contributed by A. Catherine Noon

    “Just do it,” Nike famously said in their successful ad campaign that became a catch-phrase for motivational talks everywhere.

    But what happens when you can’t “just” do it? And I don’t mean a physical inability, either. I mean, when your brain just won’t let you?

    Think I’m kidding?

    Our brains are incredibly powerful organs, so much so that we don’t yet understand everything about them. But the field of trauma treatment and recovery, as well as our growing understanding of neuroplasticity, tells us that the brain can literally change itself over time. We can literally change our brains. And what’s more, that unless we believe that change is possible, our brains, literally, won’t let us change.

    Let me explain.

    Say, for example, you want to get a job as an astronaut. You journal about it, cover your home with pictures of space, read everything you can about being an astronaut, even go to astronaut conventions and stalk Neil deGrasse Tyson tickets for every chance to see him speak. (Seriously. There’s a ticket site for that.) But. You’re not a pilot, you’re not in the best physical shape in your life, you don’t know any science or math, and you get woozy on really fast roller coasters.

    Your brain knows that stuff. It knows that you aren’t a pilot, aren’t in the Air Force, don’t know any actual astronauts, have poor vision, and are “over the hill” for being in peak astronautly condition.

    Your brain is no fool. Your brain just will simply refuse to believe this.

    And therefore, it won’t happen.

    Let’s try another example. Let’s say you really, really want a cookie. You love cookies. You have cookies in your kitchen, right there ~points~. Your cookies are waiting, calling your name. All you have to do is to walk into your kitchen, open up the container, and mack down on that luscious, chocolatey morsal…

    Excuse me, I’ll be right back.

    See how easy that was? Your brain knew it was a possibility.

    So what does this have to do with decisions?

    As we work on doing hard things, like getting in shape, writing a book, and overthrowing the patriarchy, we learn to approach the outer edge of what we believe is possible. That’s where decisions come in. That might look like not buying the cookies in the first place. That might include talking to a friend about your cookie (or Neil deGrasse Tyson) obsession. (Sorry, Neil!) That might even include working with affirmations, but adding the words, “I am learning to…” in front of them. One thing about our beautiful brains – they love to learn. So if we give them opportunities to learn, they will work their little brainy hearts out doing it.

    And this brings me back to the astronaut thing. Just because we, ourselves, may not realistically become an astronaut, doesn’t mean we can’t fill our lives with astronaut-y things. What’s wrong with going to see deGrasse Tyson speak? Reading everything you can about math and physics and science and engineering, oh my? Nothing’s wrong, that’s what.

    All we need to do now is, decide.

    So. What do YOU want?

  • Join Us On Saturdays for Craft Circle

    Join Us On Saturdays for Craft Circle

    A Good Yarn: Craft Salon & Makerspace

    One of the most important tools we have is to remember our agency. It’s like the Serenity Prayer says: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” It is easy to get rolled under the wheels when the train is going as fast as it is. What helps it slow down and even stop for a while is to spend time doing things that bring us joy.

    Sometimes, doing so is an act of resistance. “Living well is the best revenge.”

    Come join us. We meet every Saturday on Zoom, free, from noon to 2:00 PM (1400) Pacific time, which right now is UTC -8 (it changes in Spring with the time change in the States). If you’d like to come, please fill out the form on the following link and we’ll send you the link by email.

    Remember. We can always make something of our experiences. And sometimes, that’s exactly the change that’s needed in the world.

    Namaste.

  • Z Is For… ZED!

    Z Is For… ZED!

    We made it.

    The 2023 A to Z Blog Challenge is in the bag. We have two straggler posts, and may get them up; if not, I’m STILL declaring this a win BECAUSE…

    1. One of us got laid off.
    2. One of us had a family memorial to attend.
    3. One of us went to Europe for three weeks.
    4. One of us is dealing with the disposition of the estate of a parent.
    5. The world is crazy right now, and everyone is dealing with Entirely Too Much (TM).

    What did we learn this month?

    1. Don’t let the best be the enemy of the good. (I heard this from Colonel Lawrence R. Stack, and he said it’s “an old army saying.”)
    2. Some writing is better than no writing.
    3. Sometimes rushing gives you an edge. The trick is knowing how much to rush and on what things. Example: I didn’t get this post in on time yesterday, but I have 15 minutes right now and voila. A post.
    4. Sometimes stress makes you have to stop. Like, everything.
    5. Corollary: when you need to nap, do it.
    6. The body keeps the score. (This is from a book by that title, which discusses the impact of trauma on the human body.) But it’s true. If we don’t take measures to mitigate stress’s harmful effects, it will, perforce, HARM us.
    7. Meditation makes you faster.
    8. Slow down to speed up.
    9. Focus on one thing at a time.
    10. Multi-tasking is a myth. (No, really. Look it up. Emerging brain science insights prove it.)

    And so, my friends, my message to you is this:

    Thank you for visiting. You are why we do this.

    Well, that, and chocolate. Will write for chocolate. And friends. And words.

    Oh, hell. I write because it love it.

    And you, Dear Reader. Much love to you. May you find the peace you need, the accomplishments you long for, and the goals you’ve set. Believe in yourself and take regular rest breaks.

    And above all,

    Write on.

  • V Is For… Values

    It’s been a challenging week for me, and for a lot of people with whom I talk. As I was thinking up what to write for today, I decided to look up Creative Commons images for “funny values.”

    This came up.

    Talk about distracting. “Yum, milkshake!” “Wait, is that an avocado?” “Who ARE those people?”

    As my friend Alexandra put it, don’t beat yourself up for not doing something. We’re doing the A to Z Challenge to have fun and create things for our followers. And she’s right.

    As I continued my research for funny pictures about “values,” (as in, personal values, core values, etc.), I saw this one.

    What struck me is that each of the people in this picture seem at home in their body. Even the man glaring at the cooking pot is focused on what he’s doing, which is helping to cook (I hope, and that it’s not that he’s the “boss” and about to berate the man stirring the pot).

    This speaks to me because I am learning to be in my body and respect my body’s need for fuel (i.e. food but also sleep and exercise). But let’s keep researching.

     

    Um…

    Well okay then.

    What have we learned?

    1. Internet searches aren’t always linear.
    2. It’s okay to mess up on this journey we’re on. Progress is more important than perfection.
    3. Some lessons we keep returning to.
    4. Food is more fun with friends.
    5. Keep your taser and your personal appliances in separate drawers.
    6. You might need to re-evaluate your life choices if you feel it necessary to keep a taser in your bedroom.
    7. Tasers come in pink?
    8. Avocados apparently go in milkshakes.
    9. I have plenty of time.
    10. Don’t rush. Sometimes, the journey IS the destination.

     

    Stay curious, my friends.

    Cheers.

  • U Is For… Unbelievable!

    Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, used to say, when someone asks you how you are, you look ’em in the eye and you say, “Great!”

    The idea being, that when you had that energy, it attracts people to you. It presents the image that you are cheerful, motivated, and have things going on.

    I was at a training with a Mary Kay Director whom I’m embarrassed to say I’ve forgotten her name. But what she said stuck with me.

    “Sometimes, we cannot honestly say, ‘great,’ because of things going on in our lives. So when that happens, I want you to look them in the eye, and say, ‘Unbelievable!’”

    I thought, well, that’s kind of silly.

    About a week later, I was at the office and I was having, well, an “unbelievable” day. You know the kind, where nothing goes right, everyone is cranky, and your boss is being a so-and-so. (Boss, if you’re reading this, I’m not talking about you.) And it happened. A client asked me, “How are you?”

    I took a beat and said, “Unbelievable!” and looked ’em right in the eye.

    Pause.

    We both burst out laughing at the same moment.

    And you know what? I felt better. They felt better. And damned if it didn’t make my DAY better.

    Huh.

    Unbelievable!

  • T Is For… Try!

    I know, I know. Yoda (not Grogu, pictured above), said “Do, or do not. There is no try.”

    With all respect to the Jedi Master, I call bullshit.

    Sometimes, all we can DO is TRY.

    Sometimes, trying is as brave as doing.

    And sometimes, trying IS doing.

    If there’s a thing you want to do, and your mind is stuck and your emotions are high, and your inner monologue is like Cruella D’Ville only meaner, I suggest that instead of “doing,” we try.

    TRY writing for 5 minutes.

    TRY sketching something.

    TRY getting out of the chair and walking around the house.

    TRY giving it a shot.

    TRY calling back the prospect.

    TRY.

    Our culture, and late-stage capitalism, are obsessed with the doing. “Just do it.” Yes, I know I’ve quoted that slogan before, and yes, I know that it works. Sometimes.

    I’m not talking about sometimes.

    I’m talking about those times when we don’t even have the sometimes in our brain, and we’ve forgotten the sometimes we’ve succeeded, we’ve forgotten how to do, we’ve forgotten who we are and that we have skills and experience.

    I’m talking about the times when we feel small, and stuck, and blank, but yearn with desire to feel those times when we have been motivated, and competent, and productive.

    It’s in the interstices of those times that I propose “try” belongs.

    Sometimes, try can get you from that in between place into the doing place.

    Still don’t believe me?

    This blog series, right here, the A to Z for 2023 on Writer Zen Garden, is exactly that: we tried it, and we did it.

    Try.

    Please.

    Just try.

  • H Is For… Hummingbirds!

    Image from Creative Commons, used under Creative Commons license.

    Hummingbirds make me happy.

    We have a feeder right outside my office window, so I can see them coming and going. During the Spring migration, we have to refill the feeders (we have two; one by my office, and one out on Grandpa, an ancient broadleaf maple in the yard) every two days. During normal non-migration times, about once a week will do it. We have native the “Anna’s Hummingbird” here; they’re tiny (even for hummingbirds) and greenish metal color.

    Do you have hummingbirds in your valley? If so, do you feed them? If not, what birds do you have that live near you?

    Some resources for the bird-challenged:

    1. Merlin Bird App: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
      1. This is one of my favorite apps, because it lets you record bird sounds and the app will tell you what the likely culprit is that’s making the noise. There’s more info on Audubon (see below), but for straight up identification I like this one. My local library turned me onto it.
    2. Speaking of, check out your local public library. They may have classes on birds, especially right about now; our library did a class last year on “online options for outdoors,” which covered all sorts of things – bird apps, nature tracking apps for trees and bugs, even astronomy apps.
    3. Audubon Bird Guide App: https://www.audubon.org/app
      1. If you want to learn about specific birds, this is a great repository of information. Once you know what birds you have in your area, you can come here and read up on them.
    4. Seek, by iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app
      1. This is a fun one – it tracks not just birds, but bugs and plants too. They have challenges, and you can track what you find on your nature walks. This is a great tool – especially for our urbanites! You’ll be startled by just how much nature is right around you, even in the concrete jungle.

     

    What are your favorites?