Nanoing Pittsburgh … and then some!

At  Point State Park, the Monongahela, the Allegheny, and the Ohio all come together to merge in the City of Bridges. Take Roberto Clemente Memorial Bridge north from the park and run into PNC Park, home of the Pirates, and Heinz Field, home of the Steelers. You can walk the bridge. It’s a gorgeous view and a short walk. On game day, it’s closed to vehicle traffic to allow for the flood of pedestrians.

Cross the Fort Pitt bridge heading south of the park, and you find South Side and the Monongahela incline that will transport you up to Mt. Washington for an incredible view of the city. Carson Street runs along the river and provides plenty of social activity, including Hard Rock Café and a plethora of any other kind of restaurant you might want.

Stay on dry land and walk east from the park and you find the beautiful cultural district: Heinz Hall, the Benedum Center, and Mellon Arena. Duquesne University is barely south of the arena.

All of this can be seen in one day’s walk.

Where are we? Pittsburgh, of course!

I love Pittsburgh, nearly as much as if I was born right here and grew up knowing how much it offered. Truthfully, I’ve been here four years and I’m over an hour’s drive from the city, but I’ve often wished I was closer to its doors to be able to slip in and out more easily.

Recently rated America’s most livable city, Pittsburgh is also at the top of the charitable giving list. I understand both. Within several miles, you can jump from the German district, to the Italian district, the Irish district, the Jewish quarter, and of course don’t miss the Strip district for local shopping.

Six eminent businessmen during Pittsburgh’s history have contributed to its beauty and cultural offerings, including Carnegie, Buhl, and Heinz. From their business proceeds, they donated millions to enhance the city and set a precedent that continues today. The city’s businesses and residents continue to invest in their beloved home and beyond.

What does this have to do with the fact that Nanowrimo starts today?

I decided sometime after midnight when I should have been sleeping that it had to be the setting for the beginning of my 2011 Nano novel. Up until then, I had only the basic idea of what I wanted to write and a couple of characters lightly gracing the so far still translucent plot. Finding the setting filled in where I’m headed. Pittsburgh. A city that could have crashed with the collapse of the steel market in America, but did not. It adapted. It thrived. I found my novel’s theme in the setting: Rebirth Through Determination.

Now to start writing.

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Throughout the month, several guest bloggers will come spend the day and tell us about one of their favorite travel spots. Please check back or follow my blog and enjoy armchair travel of more beautiful places described by writers, published and not, this November.

For those who are part of Nanorwrimo (http://www.nanowrimo.org), good luck on your quest! Let us know what your novel is about, if you’d like, and feel free to leave the link to your Nano page in the comments.

Happy Journeys!
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Bennington VT part 2

Along the River walk along the back side of downtown Bennington, there are markers depicting the town’s past. One of these was as a rail station used for logging, marketing, and travel.

The walk itself is short and quiet, with a lovely little seating area on one side. I couldn’t help think it would be a nice place to write on a beautiful Vermont day.


Head down a block from the river walk into the town center and you’ll come across these charming pedestrian zones. They were being repainted (yes, by hand) when we were there.


But on to the Bennington Battle Monument (as promised in the first post)!

The Battle of Bennington was an important factor of the Revolutionary War. The British army needed supplies and Bennington had plenty in their supply depot. With the help of the Green Mountain Boys, Brigadier General John Stark and his troops held them off, saved their supplies, and helped lead to the surrender of the British troops.

The monument stands where the supply depot stood back in 1777. A statue of John Stark embellished with his favorite quote – (“There they are boys! We beat them today or Molly Stark sleeps a widow tonight!”) stands on one side:


On the other is Colonel Seth Warner of the Green Mountain Boys:


And be sure to go up the elevator to the top (the fee is very small and the sights are well worth it):


That’s Massachusetts in the background! I couldn’t help being amused at the painted moose, either. Although I read much about the many moose spotting sites, we didn’t see any other than this guy:


After visiting the monument, it only made sense to stop by Old Bennington Cemetery to pay homage to the local boys resting there since the Revolutionary War, as well as the poet Robert Frost, who made his home in next door Shaftsbury but chose this mountainside view as his final resting place.



I’m not sure what the pennies are for. If anyone does, please comment below. [For more info, see the Frost Friends  site.]

If you’re looking for relaxation, recreation, or need to cool off, be sure to visit Lake Paran for a swim. I came to make sure my facts are straight before I use them in the further story of Ryan and his friends. 


All in all, we had an incredible visit, although very short, and have every intention of returning to explore more of Bennington and the area.

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Technorati Tags: Bennington,Vermont,travel,Robert Frost grave,war monument,Off The Moon

And The Next Day…

One of my favorite novels is Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. It’s a gritty story full of flawed characters who continue on their journeys despite mistakes and struggles. Through it all, they are in it together. They don’t always like each others’ choices, but they accept it as part of who they are and realize their friends do the same for them. At least today that’s what I’m pulling from the story.

I can’t do an “I was here doing this on 9/11” post this year. And this is a day after post because I couldn’t do it yesterday. Yesterday I maintained internet silence, in tribute.

Ten years.

The other night my husband and I went to see one of our favorite bands play and they did a tribute song for those who were lost in the attack. Most of the audience didn’t pay much attention. Yesterday when we stopped at the mall briefly to visit Borders on its last day (*sigh*), I saw employees in Steelers shirts – it’s the start of Steeler, ahem football, season after all. What I didn’t see is any thought to the fact that it was the 10th anniversary of 9/11. I did see a ‘stupid politician’ shirt. *sigh* Yesterday was not the day to wear that.

Very sad. I cringe when I hear people say we need to let it go and move on. Are they serious? Move on, yes. Let it go? No.

I also cringe when I hear people bash our president at the time of the attacks for saying we should “keep shopping” as though he was brushing off the event. No, he was saying we should move on and not let them win. He absolutely didn’t mean let it go.

Much of me today is swamped with the thought that, like the Holocaust, people will before long start claiming 9/11 never happened. Very sad. I’m an optimist. I focus on the positives. I cling to the remembrance of the whole US and our allies supporting each other and ourselves, standing up for who we are and the right to be who we are, flying flags everywhere, sending donations, going to New York and the Pentagon and Shanksville and volunteering time to help with search and cleanup. I do focus on that, and on the fact that yes, we are still here despite the terrorist wishes, we are still functioning as a nation.

However, I will not let it go. I will not let it stop hurting as it did that day and every day after. I will not forget the sight in the photo above that I took as we drove past the Pentagon a few days later, or the face of the wife who lost her husband there as I stood within arms distance of her, or the fear of all of those who felt within harms way of another attack if it was to come.

I will not forget the hate that brought on the vicious attack. I will not forget that many, many of the group that planned this still wish our demise. As it is football season, the following is highly appropriate for both events: The best offense is a good defense.

It is the next day. The sun is bright and warm. We move on with our lives, as we should. Let us hope we can reclaim the feelings of the next day, of togetherness, of determination, of the fighting spirit that made America what it is.

Let’s continue to look forward to our future as well as honoring and remembering our past and how we got where we are. That cannot be forgotten, or we will be lost.

God Bless America and keep it safe and intact.

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Since I was an art therapy student, I have to include this link to drawings done by children after 9/11. Really look at them.

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Technorati Tags: 9/11

Summer ‘11 Travels: Bennington VT

Summer 2011 has been packed full of travel! We love to see new places and experience new things, and this year, we indulged. During September, I’ll be highlighting some of it, although not in order.

I’m starting with a place I’ve wanted to visit for at least 3 years, ever since I decided to set Off The Moon partly in Bennington, VT. Why? It worked for the story, it’s in the northeast (which I love), and it gave me a good excuse to want to explore a new state. I’ve been to most. Now I can add Vermont to that list.

My husband and I have talked about taking a bike trip for some time. Now that our youngest is 18 and my husband had leave time built up, we grabbed the chance. We set up 5 days of leisurely travel on the Harley, packed light (there’s only so much you can fit on a Harley, even with two saddlebags), left enough food for the kids and dogs, and took off … under iffy skies. Luckily, it held out well. Other than finding, on our first long bike trip, that taking back roads adds more than twice the time interstates take, we made our way through the west edge of scenic PA along Route 6 through the Alleghenies to the west edge of scenic VT by evening of the second day (600+ miles).


Mountains!

We’re used to rolling hills, and we love them. But VT has Mountains! I couldn’t stop staring out at them and taking far too many photos in the hopes some would turn out well (while riding on the back of a bike with sun glare on the view screen and dark sunglasses on, it’s hard to tell what you’re getting.)  In this one, you can see the tip of the Bennington Battle Monument.


We talked about staying at Four Chimneys if they had space available, but since we wanted to be off the bike for the night and walk around town, we opted to drive into the middle of Downtown Bennington. We found a quaint Motor Lodge right beside this gorgeous Episcopal church. (How can you not sleep well with this at your side?)  As it turns out, the lodge is run by one of the Chamber of Commerce members (maybe he said president? we were tired by then and my memory is faulty) who directed us to some nice choices for a nice meal.

 
We chose Carmody’s, an Irish restaurant and pub, established around the year 2000, although it was there under different names long before that. It turned out to be a wonderful choice! Have you ever had Irish Nachos? Incredible, and I’d take the fried potatoes topped with corned beef and cheese over regular nachos any day. And then there was the meatloaf with Guinness sauce. Mmm.. I think hubby will agree to visit Bennington again just to enjoy that luscious Irish gravy again! They’re also super friendly. (I only got the left edge of Carmody’s in the photo – thought I had a better one.. sigh. But if you check the white sign on the green building, that’s the Bennington Banner.)


Here’s what we saw as we walked from the motel up the street into the main part of town. It’s a beautiful and well-cared-for town that shows its pride in being a large part of the battle for American Independence, as well as a wonderful tourist stop.


This is Evan’s Country Store. Fans of Rehearsal will understand why I had to grab a photo of this little shop that has souvenirs of Bennington. Across the road is Doug’s, a sports bar we didn’t visit this time. Apparently, there is also a Ryan’s Café on Main Street, also a bar, which we didn’t see, but we sure would have stopped in if we had! (Yes, only those who have read Off The Moon will get the reference.) We did stop for a drink at Madison Brewing Company, a microbrewery where families stop for a meal, as well.


We also stopped at the library the next morning. Unfortunately, because of budget cuts, its hours are currently limited and it didn’t open until 1 pm. With our schedule limits, we had to bypass it this time.


The Bennington Bookshop was open, though! I stopped and grabbed a few postcards and browsed their fairly large local author rack. With limited space on the bike, I figured I’d better be good and only browse. I did leave bookmarks for Off The Moon. Thank you to the manager for allowing it, and if any of their customers happen to find this post, they can order it for you. 

 
Simply walking along town is a nice relaxing treat. Along with being clean and pretty and having hand-painted brick-like crosswalks, the street is lined with both these advertising cultural banners (can you tell this one features a guitarist?) and the Bennington Flag. We asked why they had “76” flags out when we visited the Monument and were proudly told that the Bennington Flag commemorates the town’s part in the victory of American Independence and can be used in place of the Stars & Stripes.

More on the monument in the continued entry to come…

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Technorati Tags: Bennington,Vermont,travel,bike trip,books,photo journalism

Cover Contest/Blog Hop

Moondrops & Thistles is out already. That is, the full version is out (and getting nice reviews!). I’m still working on the shorter & spicier version (and got an A+ rating on my first actual “love scene” from a fellow author who does tasteful, romantic love scenes). Of course, a different version requires a different cover. So when I happened upon this blog cover contest today, I couldn’t help use it as a chance to push myself to revamp the cover for the new edition. This is what I have. I used sketches of the characters I created for the trailer and put them in place of the Canna lily. It may not be the final version (might depend on comments), but thoughts are welcome!

And go vote here (for what you like best!):
A Writer's Journey: Book Design Contest

Technorati Tags: books,authors,covers,design,contest

Goodreads Giveaway: Moondrops & Thistles

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Moondrops & Thistles

by LK Hunsaker

Giveaway ends July 18, 2011.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Be Wary Of What You Honor

It’s graduation season!

Some of you and yours have hit that special day. Others will do so any day. Endings that lead to new beginnings are fully in our thoughts these days. Commencement speeches will honor those who have done well with their achievements and encourage all to continue to achieve, or to change course and start to achieve on new paths.

The valedictorian and salutatorian who have sailed through with flying colors will address the rest of the class. Awards programs show who sported the best grades.

However, in between all of the pomp and circumstance for those who did and whose grades show they did, be wary of bestowing more honor on those who got there easily than on those who struggled much harder to get as far as they did.

Let’s face it: school is far easier for some than for others. Some of us book learn well, sit still well, listen well, learn by lecture well. That’s wonderful. It is.

How many of us, though, don’t? If you are one of those who have struggled through learning by lecture, have trouble sitting, have trouble focusing, have trouble reading (and you know who you are: dyslexia, autism, ADHD, other learning differences, home life struggles, emotional issues…), have trouble feeling like you CAN, get distressed by how easy it is for those around you when you have to put four times the effort to achieve half the result…

This post is for you. CONGRATULATIONS!

You’ve learned more than book knowledge. You’ve learned how to struggle. You’ve learned to overcome, to persist, to stand up for yourself, to try and try again, to not give up on yourself even if it feels like everyone around has given up on you. Did you pass the test? Do you have that diploma in hand?

Then good for you! Your path is just as bright as the A students, the honor cord crowd path. You have just as many options, just as many credentials (they may be different, but there are as many), just as much opportunity.

Simply KNOW you do. Because you do.

How do I know? Yes, I’m part of the honor cord crowd. But a little secret: I spent probably four times as long on my homework to get there. There were many days I could not focus and I had to go do something else until I could, leaving me to finish at midnight so I was tired the next day. Science and math concepts felt so far over my head I couldn’t even touch them with my fingertips. With some help, I struggled through. Maybe I didn’t get better than a C in those classes, but for me, that was success. And I claim that success.

I also struggle with social phobia. No, not shy. Shy is different. I get nervous talking to a friend, even a good friend. Still, when I need to make money, I work. I’ve smiled at customers while cringing inside. Now, although I can work at home for the most part, I go to book signings and force myself to talk and then go home and crash because the social exertion is exhausting. But I do it. Because I can. If I will. I still have bad focus times where I have to go do something besides write. Then I come back to it later. Or I put music on in the background to help my focus. I’ve learned tricks to be productive, to get through issues others don’t understand.

So can you.

Whatever your obstacle, you have it for a reason. The reason: to learn to overcome. That’s a lesson that will help you thrive more than any other lesson on earth.

Overcome. Keep going. Stumble. Fall. Get back up. Keep going. The earth is round, indeed. You won’t fall off. Simply keep getting up and know you can get up and some days will be glorious while others are not so much. Fall. But get back up.

And never mind those “top of the pack” people. Be glad for them. They worked to get there, also. Don’t put them down for being as they are, and don’t allow them to put you down for being as you are.

Stand straight. Don’t be arrogant about it. Be humble (you’ve not done it by yourself; remember that, and be gracious to those who have helped along the way). But don’t look down. Look straight ahead. And keep going.

CONGRATULATIONS!  Now, commence with the next part of your life and choose the path that will make you happy and that will support you. If you are supporting yourself and you enjoy what you do, and you don’t step on others to do it, then you’ve made it. Pat yourself on the back.

And keep going.
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Technorati Tags: graduation,awards,honors,commencement,inspiration,adversity,overcome

A Life of Service

“If you get to read this, I will have died in defense of my country and all that it stands for—the most honorable and distinguished death a man can die. It was not because I was willing to die for my country, however—I wanted to live for it—just as any other person wants to do. It is foolish and foolhardy to want to die for one’s country, but to live for it is something else.

To live for one’s country is, to my mind, to live a life of service; to—in a small way—help a fellow man occasionally along the way, and generally to be useful and to serve. It also means to me to rise up in all our wrath and with overwhelming power to crush any oppressor of human rights. . . .

Try to live a life of service—to help someone where you are or whatever you may be—take it from me; you can get happiness out of that, more than anything in life.”

Captain Henry T. Waskow, U.S. Army, WWII
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You’ve heard of Gomer Pyle, but have you heard of Ernie?

Ernie Pyle was a war correspondent during WWII. The soldiers loved him because they could see how much he cared for and about them, how much he wanted their truths told. And he worked beside them and put himself at the same risks they were taking. Killed by sniper fire, Pyle left behind a collection of war stories from 1938-1944. Find more info at The Library of America, to include his account of how Captain Waskow, largely the source for the 1945 movie, G.I. Joe, was brought down the mountain in Italy.

Journalism these days seems much different than it was during WWII. Sensationalism has taken the place of dirty boot reporting. Anchors must look good and be charming. Certain segments want to shut down news stations that are on the “other side” (never mind we should all be on the same side). And indeed, our media shows much more divisiveness than cohesion.

Many soldiers these days are afraid to be interviewed because so many of their words have been skewed. Are there still reporters out there like Ernie Pyle who reported what he saw and heard without slanting everything toward his personal viewpoint or toward whoever is paying for his viewpoint? I have my doubts.

I’m not naïve about WWII days. I realize there were then, too, skewed reports and such. It’s impossible to have any written record that is not skewed in some manner. Facts always bend to personal bias.

Still, it seems since the Sixties, our military has been largely a political tool for the media and politicians (which go hand-in-hand). They know they are. So much for the days of Hemingway’s from-the-hip saying what he saw and Vonnegut’s true life experience being the voice of war. Now it’s pretty-boy look-at-me broadcasters followed by cameras who likely-as-not go for ratings rather than full truths. Why else, when we are told about children in war zones killed by “our” forces do we not also hear why they were killed, about how they had bombs strapped to them by their “own” people and handed by “civilians” to our soldiers? Where is the reality of this in our spruced up pretty journalism?

”Don’t offend the enemy!”  We’ve all heard it, although they don’t “say” enemy. Have to be Politically Correct, right?  How about, “Don’t side against our troops and turn part of the country against them,” as well? How about telling more of the truth, the larger truth?

How about serving your country and not expecting it to serve you?

We’ve lost that somewhere. Well, some of us have. The rest are out there doing it, supporting our right to slant opinions and to tell them they shouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. Or we’re supporting them. Fully.

Memorial Day is not a holiday. It’s a remembrance day. How about we remember how we got where we are, and better yet, where we once were? How so many brave and valiant soldiers fought for our right to live in freedom, to not be controlled but to keep our government in check so it can keep us free and no more than that. Let’s remember all who are still fighting for that. Let’s honor them by helping their cause, to insist we keep that freedom.

”Support our troops” is a slogan seen everywhere these days. It’s nice and all, but what are we doing to support them? The more we turn our backs on what they fight for and give their lives for, the more we betray their sacrifice.

Honor them. Honor the freedom the allow us to have. Vow to help uphold it.

Thank you to all those who live in support of our country, and in support of freedom and democracy around the world.

”to rise up in all our wrath and with overwhelming power to crush any oppressor of human rights. . . .”


source: Ernie Pyle, from the Indiana University School of Journalism
click on “Wartime Columns” to read some of his work
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Technorati Tags: Memorial Day,Ernie Pyle,support our troops,journalism,military,opinion

Natural Nurture

It’s fully appropriate that Mother’s Day should be in May, when life is regenerating, spring flowers and flowering shrubs are announcing what they are or what they will become, and warmth creeps in.

Yesterday I noticed the Hummingbirds have returned. A pair of them checked out a bright red tulip and fluttered away together. A vivid black and orange Oriole visited the feeder outside the window. I’ve seen them on rare occasions since we’ve been here. I also saw the most beautifully shaded little blue bird enjoying a treat of wild bird seed. Not a blue jay, I know. It’s smaller, about the size of a goldfinch, and vivid blue. Was that a bluebird? I had to look it up. Indeed it was a bluebird. A signal that happiness is on the way? I’m not sure I’ve seen one before. I sure hope he returns.


It’s funny how when I was young, I appreciated my grandma’s love of birds, and the cardinal especially, but I didn’t share her penchant for studying them. I also didn’t share her love of gardening, of growing things, of keeping healthy house plants. I remember Mom saying the same: she didn’t appreciate any of that until she was older. Now my daughter is so highly unimpressed by my tons of flower and bird photos and penchant for amateur gardening. I tell her that may change. She thinks it won’t.


Why is it that so many of us lean toward absorbing nature as we age? For us moms, is it filling a natural need to nurture something growing? My youngest is “adult” age now. My oldest is close to having her degree and moving on with her own life. More and more, I find myself attracted to nurturing plants and watching the birds. And to capturing them in photos as though I can hold them where they are forever that way.


Perhaps the nature nurturing is a way of telling ourselves that all things ebb and flow, come and go, fade and are reborn.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and all who revere their mothers.


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Technorati Tags: Mother's Day,flowers,nature,gardening

On May Day

This May Day
I reclaim my spirit
with music
(David Garrett’s gorgeous violin)
with birds singing outside my open window
with a day of rest
after physically tiring, mentally healing
days of working in the gardens
with writing
having recaptured
the spirit
of the writing
itself

May I hold it,
cherish it,
remember
why.

And May you.

”There are two things to aim at in life;
first to get what you want,
and after that to enjoy it.
Only the wisest of mankind
has achieved the second.”
Logan Pearsall Smith
(from my calendar for May)

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