Our Last Friday Drawing Winner...

Image courtesy of Clker.com

Congratulations to our latest winner...

Melissa K!  

(To see the video of the drawing, please click on the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152993001630515)

We will be drawing for the Grand Prize Winner on July 8th, when I return from vacation.  Even though I won't be here in the meantime to post new content, please feel free to comment on any older posts and earn more entries for the "Blue..." is Two Birthday Contest!

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

This Week's Friday Drawing Winner...

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Drumroll please...

The winner of this week's "Blue..." is Two Birthday Contest Friday Drawing is...

Karen R.!

More details are posted at this blog's Facebook page.

Congratulations, Karen!  Enjoy your Barnes & Noble e-gift card, and happy reading! :)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Reading: Summer

Emmalie at the beach, summer 2012

Reading: Summer

Summer is with it
                       she's wild,
                       she likes
                       bare legs and cutoffs
                       and camping
                       and hikes;
                       she dives in deep water,
                       she wades in a stream,
                       she guzzles cold drinks
                       and she drowns in ice cream;
                       she runs barefoot,
                       she picnics,
                       she fishes,
                       digs bait,
                       she pitches a tent
                       and she stays up too late
                       while she counts the stars,
                       swats mosquitoes and flies,
                       hears crickets,
                       smells pine trees,
                       spies night-creature eyes;
                       she rides bareback,
                       goes sailing,
                       plays tennis,
                       climbs trees;
                       she soaks in the sunshine;
                       she gulps in a breeze;
                       she tastes the warm air
                       on the end of her tongue,

                       and she falls asleep
                       reading
                       alone
                       in the sun.

~ Myra Cohn Livingston

Happy First Day of Summer, everyone! :)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

The stories her father told her...

Image courtesy of NYPL Digital Gallery

An excerpt:

     What kept Minli from becoming dull and brown like the rest of the village were the stories her father told her every night at dinner.  She glowed with such wonder and excitement that even Ma would smile, though she would shake her head at the same time.  Ba seemed to drop his gray and work weariness -- his black eyes sparkled like raindrops in the sun when he began a story.

~ from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon,

written by Grace Lin

I've been out of town for a few days, spending time with my parents, sister, and other family, and I didn't get a chance to post anything new while I was gone.  I'd like to wish a belated Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!  I decided to post this excerpt (from a book I read on my trip) because it reminds me of my own dad who used to always tell me stories at bedtime.  His eyes would sparkle just like Ba's, and I'm sure that I glowed like Minli as I listened. :)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Listen...

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PublicDomainPictures.net

"The poet doesn't invent.  

He listens."  

~ Jean Cocteau

I think this quote works for other writers, as well.  Listen, listen, listen, write, write, write. :)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

A New Friday Winner!

CONGRATS!

Congratulations to Lois N., this week's winner of the  "Blue..." is Two Birthday Contest!  She has won a $10 e-gift card from Barnes & Noble.  Happy Reading, Lois! :)

Here is a link to the video of the drawing, posted on this blog's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152946189040515

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Happy Birthday to Me?

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Happy Birthday to Me?

I was born in May.
Or June, perhaps.
It might have been
November.
The truth is,
I was very young;
I simply
don't remember.

~ Alan Katz

This poem makes me laugh!  I thought it was a perfect one to share on my birthday.  Hope you all have a wonderful day!  (Hope I do, too.)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Cerulean

Photo courtesy of
PublicDomainPictures.net

I love the word cerulean [suh-roo-lee-uh n] for two reasons: the way it sounds, cool and peaceful, and also its meaning.  Cerulean is an adjective that means "deep blue; sky blue; azure".  Blue (any shade, really, but especially a deep sky blue) just happens to be my very favorite color. :) Here are some examples of the word in a sentence:

Digging her toes in the sand, 

she gazed out at the cerulean sea.

I painted my bedroom cerulean, 

a serene color to remind me of sunny, summer days.

The child's kite resembled a big, colorful bird 

against the cerulean sky.

How would you use the word cerulean?  What else can you think of that can be described that way?

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Nothing like a dream...

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

"There is nothing 

like a dream 

to create the future." 

~Victor Hugo

Dreams are like the dandelion in the picture above.  They start out as little seeds, but with the right "push" and nurturing, they will eventually take root and sprout, growing into something truly amazing....

A Happy Birthday

Image courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

An excerpt:

     "You ought to write 'A Happy Birthday' on it."

     "That was what I wanted to ask you," said Pooh.  "Because my spelling is Wobbly.  It's good spelling but it Wobbles and the letters get in the wrong places.  Would you write 'A Happy Birthday' on it for me?"

[...]

     So Owl wrote... and this is what he wrote:

HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY.

     Pooh looked on admiringly.

     "I'm just saying 'A Happy Birthday,'" said Owl carelessly.

     "It's a nice long one," said Pooh, very much impressed by it.

     "Well, actually, of course, I'm saying 'A Very Happy Birthday with love from Pooh.'  Naturally it takes a good deal of pencil to say a long thing like that."

     "Oh, I see," said Pooh.

~ from Winnie-the-Pooh,

written by A. A. Milne

It's birthday week at our house -- my husband's birthday tomorrow and mine on Thursday.  (And then Blue Sky, Big Dreams's next Monday!)  In honor of all these birthdays, I thought I'd share this passage from Pooh.  It always makes me smile -- hope it will do the same for you! :)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Never too old...

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"You are never too old 

to set another goal 

or dream another dream."

~ C. S. Lewis

My birthday is coming up this week -- I will be 45 on Thursday.  (Gulp.)  Imagine my delight at the beginning of this month when I turned the page in my Mary Engelbreit calendar and saw the quote above.  It felt like a message meant just for me!

My writing goals and dreams have been put on hold for most of 2013 so far.  Life got busier than ever for several months, and then even after things calmed down a bit, I've still been having trouble making the time to write.  Part of that has to do with working on some other goals unrelated to writing; those goals take time, too.  I think the rest of it has to do more with my own insecurities, though, and fear of failure.  

I worked really hard on writing last year.  I wrote over a hundred poems, I think, plus some short stories, and I started on a new novel.  I also submitted my work to dozens of magazines, publishers, and agents -- only to be turned down by every single one.  My head KNOWS that I just have to keep trying.  My heart, on the other hand, is tired of being bruised and wants a little break from rejection.

I originally intended to set new writing goals in January, for the new year ahead, and then share them here.  That never happened.  I was beginning to give up on 2013, thinking it would be completely unproductive, even with six whole months left in which to accomplish great things.  But then along came C.S. Lewis and Mary Engelbreit, to remind me that it's never too late -- not even when I'm turning 45 and the year's half over -- to set another goal.

So, here are my goals for the remainder of 2013:

1. Carve out time every week (if not every day!) to write
2. Finish my latest novel
3. Write at least 30 poems ~ that's only five per month
4. Start working on the new book I've been thinking about for several months now
5. Keep looking for an agent
6. Send out at least 2 submissions per month
7. Don't give up!

I hope that everyone reading this will take C. S. Lewis's quote to heart.  You're never too old.  (Or too young.)  Set new goals.  Dream new dreams.  Dream BIG dreams.  And then work to make them come true.

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Our First Friday Winner!

Image courtesy of Clker.com

Congratulations to Ellen D., the first winner of the "Blue..." is Two Birthday Contest!  She has won a $5 e-gift card from Barnes & Noble.  Happy reading, Ellen! :)

Here is a link to the video of the drawing, posted on this blog's Facebook page (I've tried uploading it here, but it's not working, unfortunately):

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152923006120515.  

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Cat Kisses

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

Cat Kisses

Sandpaper kisses
On a cheek or a chin
That is the way
For a day to begin!

Sandpaper kisses
A cuddle, a purr.
I have an alarm clock
Covered with fur.

~ Bobbi Katz

This poem makes me smile. :)  It reminds me of the cat I had growing up, Hobbit (best kitty ever!) -- he loved to wake me up with his sandpaper kisses.  I sure do miss him.

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Enough bookshelves...

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com

"I would be most content 

if my children grew up 

to be the kind of people 

who think decorating 

consists mostly of 

building enough bookshelves."

  ~ Anna Quindlen

I'm pretty sure that my kiddos will grow up to think this way. (Well, my daughter wants to work in the field of interior design, so her decorating will include many other things, I'm sure -- but I have no doubt that she will also use lots of bookshelves!)  The main problem (the same one I currently have) will be not having enough space for all the bookshelves they need....

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Brabble

While browsing through Dictionary.com recently, I came across the word brabble [brab-uh l].  I was unfamiliar with the word, so I looked it up.  After reading the definition, I decided that it was an appropriate word for summer vacation when the kids are home together all day long!  (To be fair, my three kids usually get along pretty well together. There are days, though....)

Brabble can be used as a verb meaning "to argue stubbornly about trifles; wrangle" or as a noun meaning "noisy, quarrelsome chatter".  Here are some sample sentences I came up with:

"If you're going to brabble with each other all day long, 

I'm going to make you go to separate rooms... 

and STAY there!"

Their incessant brabble grated on my nerves 

and gave me a pounding headache.

You never brabble, do you?  I know I never do. ;)  What ways can you think of to use brabble in a sentence?

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

June

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

June

The sun is rich
   And gladly pays
In golden hours,
   Silver days,

And long green weeks
   That never end.
School's out.  The time
   Is ours to spend.

There's Little League,
   Hopscotch, the creek,
And, after supper,
   Hide-and-seek.

That live-long light
   Is like a dream,
And freckles come
   Like flies to cream.

~ John Updike

June has always been one of my favorite months.  The fact that it's my birthday month probably has something to do with it, but it's more than that.  In his poem, Updike lists many of the things that I, too, love about June....

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

The last day of school...

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

An excerpt:

     The last day of school is pretty loose and they probably wouldn't even bother to have one except that that's when you clean out your desk. If you didn't have to clean out your desk, Mr. Crabtree could just get on the PA system any old day in June and say, "All right, this is it, last day of school.  Go on home.  Have a great summer. See you in September."

~ from The Best School Year Ever,

written by Barbara Robinson

Today was my kids' last day of school.  They only had to go for an hour, so they are already home now and summer vacation has begun!  (Wow, I can't believe it!)  Wishing all of you a wonderful summer vacation filled with fun times and lots of good books to read! :)

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

Collect words!

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"In your poems, 

talk about what you know.  

Talk about what you think.  

Talk about what you feel.  

Talk about what you wonder.

COLLECT WORDS!

Buy your own dictionary.  

Read your dictionary every day.  

CIRCLE exciting words.  

The more words you know, 

the better 

you will be able to express yourself, 

your thoughts." 

~ Gwendolyn Brooks, 

in The Place My Words are Looking For

Great advice from a great poet!  I still have the notebook I started in 8th grade or so, that I used to collect words. These days, when I come across new words I want to remember, I usually don't write them down in my book.  I do put them into a list on the computer, however. :)

How about you? Do you collect words?

(Psst... if you haven't heard about the "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest yet, you can find all the details here.)

"Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest

Image courtesy of Clker.com

I can't believe that it's June already -- is this year flying by or what?  Around our house, June means birthday time!  Not only is it my birthday later this month, it is also my husband's, my mother-in-law's, and my brother-in-law's.  It is also the birthday of Blue Sky, Big Dreams!  I launched this blog almost two years ago, on June 17, 2011.  Yes, it's true; "Blue..." is two.

Since that first day, I've shared 657 posts (including this one!) with you, my fellow BookWyrms.  This blog now gets around 3000 hits per month, more than triple the amount from a year ago!  (In a post from last year's birthday celebration, I wrote that I could only dream about having 1500 visitors to the blog in a single month.  See... dreams really do come true!)

I still don't get very many comments here or on my Blue Sky, Big Dreams Blog Facebook page the way I would like to -- if you don't count all the spam, that is!  (That's what I get for allowing anonymous comments, I guess, but I still stand by that decision.)  I'm not really sure how to increase the number of real (not spam) comments, but please know that I always LOVE to hear from my readers.  Feel free to comment any time!

Last year's Birthday Contest was a big success and a lot of fun!  I want to celebrate this blog's second birthday with some more fun and another contest.  How about you? :)

Throughout the month of June, I will be collecting the names of my blog readers and putting them in this bowl:

Like last year, some of your names are already there!*

Every Friday I will draw one name from the bowl.  The lucky winner each week will receive a $10 e-gift card from Barnes & Noble (which can be used online or at an actual store). Then, on the 30th, I will draw one last name.  (Edited on June 27th: When I originally posted this, I had no idea that our family will be going out of town on the 29th.  I will not have internet access for a week, so have decided to change to final drawing to July 8th, when I'll be back home.)  The "Blue..." is Two! Birthday Contest winner will also receive an e-gift card.  In addition, he or she will receive one of my favorite books -- perfect for BookWyrms like us -- BookSpeak!: Poems About Books, written by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Josee Bisaillon.

(To learn more about this wonderful book, 

please see what I wrote about it in this post.)

You may be wondering: How do I get my name in that bowl?  It's really not too hard to enter this contest.  I will write your name on a piece of paper and drop it in the bowl whenever you do any of the following:

1. Become an "official" follower of this blog
2. "Like" the Blue Sky, Big Dreams Facebook page
3. Post a comment on the blog (Please see my note about comments here.)  If you don't have a blog of your own, Blogger will let you post anonymously -- just be sure to sign your name at the end of your comment so that I'll know who to make an entry for!
4. "Like" a post on my blog's Facebook page
5. Post a comment on my blog's Facebook page (Please follow the same courtesies in the note mentioned above.)
6. Share a link to this blog or the blog's FB page on your own blog or on Facebook, encouraging others to check it out (Be sure to let me know you've shared it, so I can write your name down.)
7. Share any of the links to this blog that I post on the FB page (Again, please let me know you've done so.)  I often share links to other blogs or book-related pictures that I like.  Please feel free to share those, also, but doing so will not earn you an extra entry.
8. Also, if any of your friends/blog readers check out this blog or its FB page, and lets me know that you referred him/her to the site, I will enter both of your names twice.

*Those who are currently followers of this blog already have three entries each in my vase.  The same goes for those who have already liked my FB page.  I appreciate your support over the past two years VERY much! 

Thank you all for visiting Blue Sky, Big Dreams and helping me celebrate its second birthday! :)