Saint Patrick’s Park

Karen McCullough Posted on by

I still have a couple more posts about the family visit last month that I’m now posting after a break to take care of other things. They’ll make a good way to wrap up summer now that we’re moving into fall

The final outing of our visit to South Bend in August was to St. Patrick’s Park, a fairly new park set up on the grounds of a former farm, on the outskirts of South Bend. It includes a number of walking trails and some interesting play spots for the children.

We started our visit with one of the walking trails that winds its way through a wooded loop of the park for about a mile and a half. An early beginning meant the temperature was pleasant, especially in the shade of the trees. The only unpleasant feature was the hordes of mosquitoes, but, fortunately, Sarah brought bug spray, which fended them off.

That part of our visit done, we piled back into the van and headed to the next stop, a play area for the children. Actually two play areas. One was a large, traditional playset with steps, slides and climbing poles, but the boys found the other, less traditional area more intriguing.

The big hit there was a water pump and system of movable wooden sluices that spilled water in a sand pit, where the kids could dig lakes, rivers, streams etc. to guide the liquid in whatever direction and into whatever form they wanted. The older two boys went into this trip with a plan that involved digging an elaborate stream leading under the old wooden rowboat shell, through a series of sand bridges they created and finally ending near the edge of the sand pit. One of them (mostly C.) pumped while the other excavated.

Meanwhile, the six-year-old followed his own program to make use of some of the other intriguing play possibilities. He spent quite a bit of time jumping along a series of tree stumps, negotiating an elastic web about ten feet in diameter, and climbing a hollow log some six feet high.

The four-year-old did his own thing as well, but that involved mostly digging in the sand.

A covered picnic area in the center of this section made the adults happy. The shade and place to rest was most welcome!

For the last half hour or so of our visit, the boys played on the more traditional climbing stairs, swinging from bars, and sliding down the slides (plus trying to run back up them).

A fun time was had by all of us!

No Time for Mistakes Cover and Blurb

Karen McCullough Posted on by

I now have a cover and official blurb for No Time for Mistakes. Pre-order link coming soon.

No Time for Mistakes (No Brides Club Series)
October 8, 2021
Sweet Promise Press.

As an ad designer, she puts all of her focus on her career. Now if only she wasn’t so irresistibly attracted to her new client’s marketing director…

When Lisa Harper is offered the career-defining job of creating an ad series for her largest client to date, she vows to get the work done without any distractions. That was before she met a member of their team who brings up painful memories that threaten to sidetrack her from her goals.

Eric has no idea that he bears a striking resemblance to the fiancé who dumped Lisa a few weeks before her wedding. Despite their tight deadline for finishing the project, the more he works with this attractive advertising exec, the more time he wants to spend with her.

As glitches and obstacles abound, Lisa and Eric are unable to deny their instant mutual attraction, but she has no time for mistakes. Can Lisa resist taking a chance with a personal relationship when her career is on the line?

Also this anthology is now available for pre-order in ebook and paperback!

Crunchy with Chocolate
An Anthology of Dragon Stories
October, 2021

My story is titled “The Princess and the Dragon”

If you think this story is a standard handsome knight rescues damsel from fierce dragon tale, think again. Here are the first three paragraphs to give you the flavor:

Suppose that, like Cyndrith, you happen to be the child of an ambitious mother joined to an insolvent father, a young lady of high birth, better than average looks, and broad but unorthodox education. As fate twists—only slightly assisted by your own and Aunt Vellie’s peculiar talents—you catch the eye of a neighboring prince at a time when he’s under pressure from the relatives to consider his duties. Your problems are solved. Right?

But further suppose that you do the obvious and necessary, you snag your man, and then you wake up the next day or week or month to find the honeymoon is over and you discover that your handsome, charming husband is a terrific dancer but an incompetent prince? And worse yet, your father-in-law, overjoyed that junior is finally settling down to business, and having just enough mens sanus left to realize that he’s losing it, decides to retire to Bath to take the waters, leaving the kingdom in the hands of your sweet but unqualified husband.

Cyndrith found the literature dealing with her particular problem scarce; the old legends insisted that everyone tended to live happily ever after, but her story looked likely to be a short, brutal tale — a leader who is hazy on the difference between cavalry and chivalry can generally expect an early and traumatic retirement.

Clearly, Cyndrith will have to take care of her own rescues, including confronting a rather unusual dragon!

From Vine to Jelly Jar

Karen McCullough Posted on by

My daughter’s new house came equipped with a tree on which a Concord grape vine was growing. During our visit many of those grapes had ripened. There were a lot of them, and it seemed a shame to let them go to waste. On a lark, we decided to try our hand at making grape jelly.

The boys were more than happy to help. From pulling down the vines so we could reach to grab clusters off them, to stripping grapes from the clusters and then mashing them in the bowl, they were delighted to participate.

Being newbies to the whole process, Sarah and I relied on online sites and directions. We followed along carefully, and on the whole it worked out well.

After boiling the fruit and straining, (a process we didn’t let the boys help with) we ended up with four cups of juice. We let that sit overnight (per the directions), which gave us time to go out and buy canning jars, pectin, and another bag of sugar.

The next day we started by boiling the jars and lids to sterilize them before we went ahead to the next step.

We brought the juice to a boil again and added in seven cups of sugar. We were stunned at how much sugar it called for, but several recipes warned us to follow them exactly, so we did as they said. Once the mixture was boiling, we added the pectin.

After boiling for a bit, we were directed to skim off the foam. The directions did not warn us that of the seven inches of goo in the pot, five of them would turn out to be foam. We scooped and skimmed, scooped and skimmed, and began to wonder if there really was anything else beneath it.

Finally, though, we got down to the clear goopy liquid that was molten jelly. We had enough to fill five pint jars, which then went into the water bath for another 5 to 10 minutes to seal them. On first taking them out of the water, the top of only one jar felt like it had squashed down a bit, indicating it had sealed, but after sitting a few minutes the rest developed that indentation as well.

After skimming, we were also left with some of the actual liquid jelly that had a bit of foam still mixed in. We decided to see what would happen if we poured that into jars, too. Instead of putting them in the hot water bath, those jars went into the fridge after they’d cooled.

Did it jell? Oh, yes. Our first indication it had worked came when the boys scooped up a few blobs that had spilled on the counter. Those had congealed into glumps that matched the texture of jelly from a commercial jar. The smiles indicated they passed the taste test.

The bit of foam mixed in meant those last jars of jelly didn’t look so beautifully rich and crystal clear, but it nonetheless congealed into something that looked and tasted very much like Concord grape jelly. Spread on slices of bread, it got the boys’ seal of approval.

The five jars of pure jelly looked spectacular, beautifully clear and richly grape-colored. The oldest provided us with hand-crafted labels for the jars.

Once, many years ago, I acquired an unexpected bounty of plums and I made jam from them. I recall that it was fun, and the jam tasty, but it involved a lot of work, even though I didn’t attempt to seal the jars, but kept them in the refrigerator instead. I think we only got about two jars’ worth, but we enjoyed the taste. That’s the only previous time I’ve made the effort.

With a crew of helpers working on it, though, it made for a fun project, with an end product that everyone could relish!

Anthology Release Today and other Short Story Sales

Karen McCullough Posted on by

Prepare for some BSP (blatant self-promotion) here.  This released today (Sept. 3):

Until Dawn
A Supernatural Anthology
Red Penguin Press
Sept. 3, 2021

Buy from Amazon

My story is titled “The Dog and the Dead Man.”

Lyana is both a witch and a Crime Scene Investigator for the Metro Washington D.C. police department, but her latest case, the murder of a prominent local philanthropist is going to test her ability to keep the two callings separate. The murdered man had a bit of magical talent himself, and it’s clear that the crime could only have been committed using magic.

 

Over the last few months, I’ve had quite a few stories accepted for publication in various periodicals or anthologies. They cover a broad range of genres.  Those I know of with approximate release dates:

Crunchy with Chocolate
An Anthology of Dragon Stories
October, 2021

My story is titled “The Princess and the Dragon”

If you think this story is a standard handsome knight rescues damsel from fierce dragon tale, think again. Here are the first three paragraphs to give you the flavor:

Suppose that, like Cyndrith, you happen to be the child of an ambitious mother joined to an insolvent father, a young lady of high birth, better than average looks, and broad but unorthodox education. As fate twists—only slightly assisted by your own and Aunt Vellie’s peculiar talents—you catch the eye of a neighboring prince at a time when he’s under pressure from the relatives to consider his duties. Your problems are solved. Right?

But further suppose that you do the obvious and necessary, you snag your man, and then you wake up the next day or week or month to find the honeymoon is over and you discover that your handsome, charming husband is a terrific dancer but an incompetent prince? And worse yet, your father-in-law, overjoyed that junior is finally settling down to business, and having just enough mens sanus left to realize that he’s losing it, decides to retire to Bath to take the waters, leaving the kingdom in the hands of your sweet but unqualified husband.

Cyndrith found the literature dealing with her particular problem scarce; the old legends insisted that everyone tended to live happily ever after, but her story looked likely to be a short, brutal tale — a leader who is hazy on the difference between cavalry and chivalry can generally expect an early and traumatic retirement.

Clearly, Cyndrith will have to take care of her own rescues, including confronting a rather unusual dragon!

Home for Holidays
A Christmas Romance Anthology
November, 2021
My story is “The Ghosts of Christmas Present”

Going home for Christmas is not at the top of Lyndsay Williams’ list of things she wants to do, but when her foster brother Josh asks her to come, she agrees, though Lyndsay and the rest of her foster family have never been close. She arrives to find that Josh has also invited his best friend Aaron Hampton to join them. Lyndsay had a crush on Aaron growing up. At Josh’s wedding, she and Aaron found a special connection, only to have their reunion end in disastrous humiliation. Really, she’d hoped never to see Aaron again. The holiday promises to be memorable, though possibly for all the wrong reasons.

BOULD Anthology
November, 2021
My story is titled “Reservations Required.”

Carolina Crimes: 20 Tales of Rock, Roll, and Ruin.
Date: TBA
My short story is titled “Rock ‘n’ Roll Never Forgets.”

42 Stories Anthology
Date: TBA
My 42-word short mystery story is “BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.”

Wading in Lake Michigan

Karen McCullough Posted on by

On a hot, summer day a trip to the beach makes a perfect outing. Fortunately, South Bend has several within easy driving distance at Indiana Dunes State Park. The park sits at the very southern tip of Lake Michigan and offers a couple of large beach areas and several smaller sandy coves open to the public.

We opted for one of the smaller beach areas and an early arrival to beat the crowds. As it happened, there weren’t a lot of crowds to beat. Despite near-perfect weather, by noon our small area had maybe ten family groups or couples sharing the space, but there was still plenty of room to let everyone spread out and remain well distanced.

We discovered one reason this particular spot was less popular than other areas – the surface in the shallow part of the water was very rocky, once you got a few feet in. The stones made for very unstable (not to mention unpleasant) footing as you stood on them.

On the other hand, the lake water was crystal clear. Even several feet in, you could still see the bottom, and a number of fish, I’m told. I didn’t make it out that far. The unstable rocks kept me close to the edge on the sandier parts. Plus, the water was cold. For someone used to the coastal beaches of the Carolinas, where in summer the water tends to be quite warm, the chill of the lake was a shock.

Even so, the boys had a wonderful time in it. The calm lake water made them more comfortable than the ocean waves, which are rough by their standards even on fairly quiet days. Other than those generated by passing boats, there was barely a ripple at the shore. The boys splashed and floated and played in the water for a long time.

And of course, the sand offered other joys. L. insisted I bury him up to his neck in it. He played dead and then suddenly rose up out of his gritty tomb. Several excavation projects were embarked on, including one mighty hole so deep the surface was at waist level when C. stood in it. H made the bottom of the dune at the back of the beach into an impromptu slide.

Their grandparents mostly sat in the shade of the dune or the beach umbrella and watched, enjoying the pleasant day, beautiful vistas, and the family fun.

A Walk Along the River

Karen McCullough Posted on by

What could be more intriguing to four small boys than a river’s edge? Especially one with places where they can get right up to water, throw stones in to watch the splash, and look around for fish and other aquatic creatures.

Fortunately South Bend is named for the twist in the St. Joseph river it occupies and features several nice places to walk alongside the water. One of them offers a few places where kids can get close to the edge, plus has the bonus of going by a playground that is an excellent goal and terminus. During our recent visit, we took advantage of the pleasant weather to investigate.

The boys spent time collecting pebbles and small sticks and enjoyed throwing them in the water. The oldest, L, moved a small piece of wood near the edge and jumped back startled when something he described as a “small lobster” swam out from underneath. Further observation confirmed that he’d disturbed a crayfish who swam quickly away. Sadly I couldn’t get a good picture of it in the muddy water.

After a short but pleasant walk that featured a few low walls for boys to walk and trees just made for climbing attempts, we finished up at the playground where the boys got a chance to run, jump, climb, yell, and slide to their heart’s content.

A Visit to the Zoo

Karen McCullough Posted on by

The whole gang (sans me, taking the picture) waiting for the train to get underway.

My husband and I recently returned from a visit with our daughter and her family in Indiana. We made the eleven-hour drive from our home in North Carolina because I’m not ready to resume flying again yet. Some fog, heavy rain, and traffic in cities led to portions of the trip being white-knuckle efforts, but for most of the journey each way we had sunshine and smooth sailing.

The weather cooperated during our visit as well and my daughter did a great job of planning outdoor activities for all of us. We had a great time with her and her husband, and their four boys, ages nine (soon to be ten), eight, six, and four.

First stop was the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend. The zoo is small, but well arranged and carefully managed. The interesting assortment of animals includes rhinoceros, okapi, emus, otters, monkeys, bison, and even a lion. The lion’s current habitat is temporary as they’re working on more spacious digs for him. The anteater is surprisingly huge and furry. Also in progress is an exhibit area for a set of animals due to arrive this fall: giraffes.

The boys enjoyed watching the various animals, but most popular things for them were the petting zoo, the train, and the carousel. A good time was had by all.

L (age 9, almost 10) and a vicuna. They are curious about each other.

C (age 8) and the vicuna contemplate each other

A giant anteater. When they say “giant” they mean really, really big!

L. reaches a tentative agreement with a goat.

C. and L. on the carousel.

L. and H. (6) unleash their wild beast side.

And F. (age 4) and C. have a turn.

 

Summer Time and the Gardening is Slow

Karen McCullough Posted on by

‘Sterling Silver’ is one of my favorite roses. It’s actually a pinkish shade of violet

I’m not the world’s most serious gardener, but I do enjoy it. I get a lot of satisfaction from digging in the dirt, planting seeds or tiny plants, and watching them grow.

But August in North Carolina is not a great time for working outdoors. Temperatures generally hover in the low nineties and the humidity is about the same. What gardening I do at this time of year is mostly maintenance and done early in the morning before the sun gets too ferocious.

Weeding and deadheading are the main activities right now. I try to stay on top of the weeds to keep the job from overwhelming me, but sometimes they spread faster than I can manage. Deadheading the blooming annuals keeps them looking sharp and encourages them to produce more flowers. I deadhead most of the perennials, too, mostly to keep them neat.

The gladiolas only bloom for a couple of weeks in July, but they’re spectacular when they do.

The roses are still blooming sporadically. I continue to feed them once a month from spring to late fall but cut back on the amount a little in the summer.

But this is the time when I mostly just enjoy the fruits of my fall and spring labors. I love walking in the back garden, sitting and enjoying the plants, and cutting flowers to bring indoors.

Bed of flowers

Password Rant

Karen McCullough Posted on by

My bank recently demanded that I change password. I know that it’s a good practice to change passwords periodically, so I understand why they did it. It’s an annoyance but an understandable one and I go along. But then they posted this on the password change page:

Best Practices for Stronger Passwords

Use:

  • A unique password not used anywhere else.
  • UPPER and lower case letters along with numbers and special characters
  • (@,%,&,#).

Don’t use:

  • Your username or email address.
  • Personal information (your name, phone number, etc.).
  • Common words or phrases in your password.
  • A password you’ve previously used with us.

Avoid:

  • Writing down your password.
  • Sharing your password with anyone.
  • Saving your password in a browser.”

Can you see the problem here? They want you to create a unique password that doesn’t use anything that’s easy to remember, then they tell you not to write it down or save it in your browser.

Excuse me? At my age it’s hard to remember my own birthday – and it happens to coincide with a major holiday! They think I’m going to remember a long password full of strange characters with no logical relationship to each other? Worse yet, every other one of the hundred or so sites I log into periodically insists on the same thing.

So—major confession here—I write down my passwords. They’re in a small notebook that lives in my desk, though not in an obvious place. And I work from home, where I live with just my husband. I figure if someone steals my password book, even if they can figure out my system and my handwriting, I have more serious problems than someone getting into my online accounts.

Even back when I worked in an office, I wrote down my most important passwords and kept them on a piece of paper in my wallet. I guarded it closely.

Obviously we need a better system.

Two-factor authentication is one approach. I find it annoying, but it does provide some extra security. A password keeper like LastPass is also an option, but, honestly, I have a trust problem with all of the companies that provide the software. After all, one hack into their system exposes everything!

Biometrics (like the iPhone’s fingerprint or facial recognition for login) is even better, but it has to be built into the hardware and we’re a long way from that across the board.

So for now, I use long, complicated passwords to foil would-be brute-force attack hacks. I write them down because I can’t remember them, and do my best to keep the written copies secure. I hope someone can come up with a better and more secure system to protect us.