Wednesday, April 3, 2019

IWSG Day: Wednesday, April 3, 2019 ~ Better Late Than Never!







It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.






To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG founder Alex Cavanaugh are:
J. H. Moncrieff,  Natalie Aguirre, Patsy Collins, and Chemist Ken. 

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

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Every month the IWSG that members can answer with advice, insight,
a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:

If you could use a wish to help you write just ONE scene/chapter of your book, which one would it be? (examples: fight scene / first kiss scene / death scene / chase scene / first chapter / middle chapter / end chapter, etc.) 

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Happy IWSG Day, Everyone!
I apologize for posting late today and for the fact
that I will be later getting around to visit today.
We arrived home late yesterday evening
after an intense week of traveling, community checking, and house hunting.


Not Quite Eight Miles High ~ Again
Sunrise Manor, Nevada, USA
April 2, 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved




March has been a month, and we have been working through a number of major things,
one of which is relocating to a warmer place.
We have possibly found a community and have possibly found a house.
More intensity to come and more writing to come.
I've had a lot of intensity this past month and little writing.

I am sad at the prospect of leaving Colorado after thirty-seven years;
but I know Terry's biggest retirement dream is to live in a sunny, snow free place,
and I support his dream.
He has made huge sacrifices for me throughout our decades together,
and now it is time for me to return the favor.

It will be hard to leave my beloved Piney Creek and my furry friends,
not to mention all the treasured connections I have with my friends, community, and home.


Upper Pool
Along My Stretch of Piney Creek  
Aurora, Colorado, USA
March 12, 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved





A Furry Friend
Along My Stretch of Piney Creek  
Aurora, Colorado, USA
March 12, 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved



Terry has pointed out that, if we do move,
I'll have a much bigger open space to explore:
the magnificent Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
just a few miles west of Las Vegas.

This conservation area is a world-renowned geological wonder
with some of the most diverse flora and fauna found on our planet.
It consists of 195,819 acres within the Mojave Desert,
and it encompasses 600 million years of geological history.
redrockcanyonlv.org


Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area
Mount Wilson (left) and Rainbow Mountain (right) 
A few miles west of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
April 2, 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved




For me the highlight of this special place is the Keystone Thrust Fault
where older gray Paleozoic limestones and dolomites have ridden over
younger red and tan Jurassic sandstones.


The Keystone Thrust Fault
Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area
Wikimedia
Attribution:  Ken Lund
Originally Posted:  Flickr



There are spots in Red Rock Canyon
where you can place one foot higher on ancient limestone
and the other lower on young sandstone,
and the temporal difference is 250 million years
(give or take a few million).

The paleoenvironments represented by the limestones
and the sandstones are equally impressive.
Five hundred million years ago,
an ancient ocean existed in this area,
where limey sediments accumulated for 250 million years.
One hundred eighty-five million years ago,
a vast desert of sand dunes existed in this location,
where windblown sands roamed for 10 million years.

Concurrent with the demise of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period,
sixty-five million years ago,
monumental forces shoved the older rocks
on top of the younger like a plow pushing snow.

At that pivotal time, the ancient Farallon oceanic plate began to subduct or sink
below the western edge of the North American continental plate.
As a result the Sierra Nevada granite batholith intruded 
(think Half Dome, Yosemite), 
forming the core of the modern Sierra Mountain Range in California
and creating compressional forces that thrust the Paleozoic limestones
east and over the Jurassic sandstones in the Keystone Thrust.


Half Dome, Yosemite, 
a classic granite dome of the Sierra Nevada Batholith
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Attribution:  Jon Sullivan

    
And what does all this have to do with this month's IWSG question?
It is oh so much easier to write about rocks than to write a romantic, erotic scene.
I'd love to conjure up a genie to grant a wish for help with that!

The just-announced genre for the next IWSG anthology 
is Middle Grade Historical: Adventure/Fantasy.
Perhaps I can come up with a rock angle!




Happy Writing in April!
I'm looking forward to visiting around!

On Southwest Airlines
Over Kanab, Utah, USA 
March 26, 2019
Photo by Terry Barbour
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved








20 comments:

  1. Glad you made it home safe. So you're moving to the Las Vegas area? So much to see out west in the desert!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're about 90% decided, but we're still pacing the floor! Argh! Remember when I had to cancel being a co-host in November, 2016 because we were thinking of relocating in Vegas and a house hunting trip interfered with IWSG Day! We've come full circle over the past 2 1/2 years. We make decisions carefully ~ LOL! Have a good one, Alex!

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  2. You're moving to the desert? I miss ABQ so much. Most beautiful sunsets in the world.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's looking probable, Diane! I understand your missing ABQ. New Mexico and ABQ are magical. Have a good one!

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  3. Phew, our grandson would have such a wonderful time with all that history and differences. Warmer climes, maybe a good move, and knowing you, and your writing, there will soon be new friends, a new home? any pics yet of where it might be? I know for us we are happy to be in the same area, a bit of a struggle on a MUCH smaller section, we do miss the big circular driveway, but the builder and all the other "guys" are on the way with some alterations that will make life a lot easier everyday.I will keep you close in my thoughts as you ponder the changes. XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes he would, Jean! No pictures yet; but if we go for it, there will be some relatively soon. It will be a big change, for sure; but if we're going to do it, we need to do it soon. Thanks for your support, Jean! I really appreciate it! Big hugs to you and Hugh! And good luck with the builder and guys.

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  4. Looks like a much bigger plane than I took to DC. I can't recall a small Southwest plane I've seen in the sky.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Adam! Thank goodness the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft were grounded before Terry and I flew to Vegas on Southwest Airlines. They had 34 of these planes, and I don't care how safe all the experts were saying they were. Two of these aircraft seesawing out of the sky within five months was too many for me, even though I love to fly. As more and more comes out about these accidents, my trust in Boeing and the FAA is increasingly shaken. I'm back to being freaked out by turbulence after conquering that fear years ago. I gave my Southwest planes an extra special pat when boarding to fly to and from Vegas. Yes, I'm superstitious, and I always pat my plane when boarding ~ like giving a favorite dog a gentle ear scratch of greeting. Some scientist, eh?

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  5. Going where there is no snow is a win, one may not think so though when it is so hot they are sweating in places where sweat shouldn't be haha Sure sounds like much to explore there of a different variety. Super erotic can be a pain, better to get your rocks off with rocks. What?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely ~ LOL! Often your comments put a big smile on my face, Pat! Have a good one!

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  6. What a great selfie of you two on the airplane! Good luck and best wishes as you hunt for a new, warmer home with no snow!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Debra! This upcoming move has been a process! I thought I'd have it all figured out by now ~ LOL! Have a good one!

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  7. What a major life change you are making. That is so awesome that you are helping your husband fulfill his retirement dream.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Natalie! He has fulfilled a lot of my dreams! Take care!

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  8. beautiful series of photos...
    have a great day

    ReplyDelete
  9. it must be little hard to leave a place after 37 years dear Louise!

    but how nice that you are supporting Terry with his decision to move in a less cold place :)

    i am so happy and excited for you and i am sure this change will inspire your writing more for even better !

    thank you for a happy image ,floating over the clouds must be exquisite experience

    looking forward for your upcoming adventure sharing my friend!

    i also find to write a romantic scene :)

    stay blessed !
    hugs!

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  10. You two are so cute! Wishing you all the best in finding a home! One of my friends, who lived in Sedona, now lives in Nevada and the go on hikes all the time! Make sure you where your hat! It's hot!
    Needing help for writing an erotic scene! LOL!
    Big Hugs!

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  11. What an amazing adventure! That's my dream as well--to move somewhere warm. Still working on it. Best of luck with your move.

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.