Marsha Ingrao – Always Write – Page 22 – Having fun blogging with friends

Back Before Gluten-Free There Were Parker House Rolls

Natural leaders in history social studies groups remember facts and […]

Flash: Old Ironsides is White Oak

I must be my father’s daughter since I can’t ever pass up the opportunity to get on board a ship, whether it goes somewhere or it doesn’t. The USS Constitution […]

Travel

Boston with Eunice

Eunice’s mother asked her why she was going to meet a “perfect stranger.” Eunice answered that I wasn’t a stranger, and I added that I’m not perfect either. We had […]

Travel

Word Press Photo Challenge: Street Life

When I read that challenge, I thought, “I’ve visited lots of streets in the last two years I’ve been blogging and photographing.” In fact I just arrived in Boston, so I’ll […]

Travel

Boston Here I Come

I have the fortune to be going to the historic city of Boston on social studies business. I’m extending my stay since I have never been there, and live in […]

Photo Challenges

WP Photo Challenge: Reflections

These birds lined up on the log and posed for this picture so beautifully. Were they preening for the morning, admiring their own reflection? As I watched them, others pulled […]

Travel

Visiting Cal’s Used Bookstore in Redding, CA

Blue sky and 75 degrees made today a tourist-magazine perfect […]

Hobbies

Market Analysis for the Neophyte Author

When I went to Barnes and Noble in Fresno to check out the competition in romance novels and children’s books, I looked through the new lens of market research instead […]

Hobbies

Local California Artist, Linda Hengst

I enjoy meeting people. I even like to meet people who do things well. Then I can brag that I know them. That makes me a better, more capable person, […]

Hobbies

Book Review: The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Today I spent several hours at Barnes and Noble in Fresno doing market research for both picture books and romance. I’ll describe that experience later. Tonight I want to share […]

Hobbies

Blurbs for Manny’s Picture Book

I am on my fifth draft of the picture book I wrote about Manny last week. Can I Sleep Over at Justin’s Tonight? 499 words This week we had to […]

Hobbies

What Kind of Animal Are You?

People love animals. Popular picture book writers use this adoration. Children and adults alike identify with real and stuffed animals. One of my writing groups asked the question, “If you […]

Travel

Black and White Sunday: The Friendly Beach

My brother and I took a side trip to Michigan to see the Warren Dunes where we vacationed once as kids. I wasn’t inspired to return. I’m sure it must […]

Travel

For the Love of Valentine’s Day

Day 44 My Five Hundred Words Challenge. Prompt: It’s Valentine’s Day. Maybe you think this is a manufactured Hallmark holiday, or you might really believe in the magic of love. […]

Travel

Sunday Post: Nature

Is nature natural or just outside? Are objects of nature found inside a building still considered nature? Jake always makes me think! The nature we have here in the California […]

Personal Stories

“What Did You Do Today?”

Don’t you hate it when your mate comes home from a hard day at work, or your boss comes up to you and says those words? Moms do this to […]

Hobbies

Introducing the Three Guinea Pigs

I’ve been working on this story for years. Since I started the Australian Writer’s Centre class on picture books, I’ve rewritten it 5 times and gone from 1700 words to […]

Hobbies

WP Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

We live in a natural aviary. I learned Wednesday night that Bravo Lake, which I have featured several times on this blog, is one of the best places in CA […]

Hobbies

Sunday Post: Flowers

Jakesprinter always animates his challenges. I respond unanimatedly. The topic this week is flowers, and what woman can resist that? This first picture came from Pikes Peak Market in Seattle. […]

Travel

Weekly Photo Challenge: Juxtaposition

Juxtapositions, what a great word for a challenge. Even greater to find pictures that fit the bill. I went back to a trip to Solvang, CA. Going through the outdoor […]

Hobbies

Without illumination, there would be no photography. Even the worst pictures illustrate illumination. That being said, shooting into the sun illuminates. When the sun is blocked, an interesting outline appears. […]

Photo Challenges

Weekly Photo Challenge: Windows in Chicago

I’ve needed a place to post some of these wonderful pictures I took in Chicago. I bet they are seeing different scenery out of them than Randy and I did […]

Travel

How to Recognize a Great Museum

When I was a kid, it seemed like museums stored old stuff that only grandparents recognized. Now museums come in all shapes and sizes in every community. Representing agricultural Tulare […]

Hobbies

Book Review: Off the Leash by Rupert Fawcett

Hi everyone, Manny here, again. Mom’s still busy. Mom asked me to write a book report for you today on the book Off the Leash: The Secret Life of Dogs […]

Personal Stories

Manny Here

Dear Friends, I am writing for Mom this morning cause she has her nose in her book all the time. I’ve been making some resolutions as I sit here on […]

Travel

Travel Highlights of 2013

This was my first full year of retirement. All my life I dreamed of traveling when I retired, and certainly God granted my every wish. When I didn’t get […]

Travel

Merry Christmas WP Friends

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your holidays have been happy so far. I got up this morning feeling blessed and so happy. Kalev was glad to have me back, but […]

Hobbies

How to Conquer the Mountain of Manuscript Editing

You think you’ve done a great thing when your screen […]

Health

Three Steps to a Positive Environment

Many people struggle Christmas and holiday time, so I trolled the positive quote bin before I started writing this post to give you some guaranteed happy thoughts. You can’t make […]

Personal Stories

Christmas At Home

This is my 500th post to you. Thank you all for being friends and readers. Over the past year and a half many of you have become dear, dear friends. […]

Hobbies

Poppe, the Hypnotic Clown of Bruges

by Manny Ingrao I am NOT afraid of clowns, but look into his eyes. Scary, huh? I was really brave when this clown asked for volunteers. Justin didn’t want to […]

Hobbies

A Flurry of Book Reviews

When I have too much to do, I do more so that nothing gets done perfectly. In November I chose to write 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo. I completed the basic […]

Travel

Manny’s a Whale Watcher

Here comes one now. “They’re right here, Mom. See them swimming. And here we are.” “Unfortunately, Manny you’re just looking at the sign. You have to look at the ocean […]

Travel

Manny’s Hooked on Travel

“Manny, are you ready to stay home for a while?” “No!!! I have an idea of where I want to go to next.” That was a dumb question. As Carol […]

Personal Stories

Weekly Photo Challenge: Let There Be Light!

Light makes me bubble with joy. Let there be light! When I was a child, we had family December light-viewing rituals. From early in the season to a few nights […]

Travel

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

How fortunate for me that the WP Photo Challenge is so unexpected. I didn’t expect to have Monday alone in St. Louis, but most of my friends left on Sunday, so […]

Travel

Best “Don’t Do This” Travel Tips

take off your shoes and make yourself at home “You […]

Hobbies

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Two

Many things come in twos. I find it hard to be original here. I’m using two hands to type these words, two ears to hear the dishwasher churn away, and […]

Health

Improve Your Novel With Physical Exercise

It takes me about 2 hours to write a chapter which averages 1,300 unedited words per chapter so far. For two hours I barely move a muscle except my fingers, […]

Hobbies

Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers

Layers conjures all kinds of images for me. As a gal from the Midwest, I learned to dress in layers, but layers envelops us at even more basic levels than […]

Hobbies

Which Is More Important Plot or Character?

Today is Nov. 14, almost halfway through the month, and I have written 32, 398 words to date, so I should be more than half-way through the novel. Writing my […]

Travel

Avila Beach, The Perfect Place to Write a Novel

Notice I didn’t say set a novel. I set the […]

Travel

Willis Tower Joke

Randy: What if we got stuck in here and had to sleep up here all night? Marsha: Sounds pretty scary! Randy: Which side would you rather have, the full window […]

Personal Stories

Weekly Photo Challenge: Habit

I walk every day at least two or three miles. It helps me eat more sweets, which is what I really love. When we travel, my husband walks with me […]

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