Pumpkin Party

Full Moon October 2017

Enter if you Dare 

When leaves turn to the colors of fall and the crisp, autumn wind wisps through the nooks and cranny's of the hollow, my favorite time of year arrives in ghostly splendor!

The wheel turns, and with it October comes bringing everyone back together after a year of hard work and wandering.  To kick off this most perfect of months, we held our annual Pumpkin Carving Party where witches, goblins and haints all stopped by to join in the pumpkin revelry and autumn treats.

Burton inspired table

Illuminated by candles, lanterns and the light of the full moon, my friends and I gathered around the mini-bonfire to sing a few songs from ages long past and to catch up with old friends.

We supped on a delicious Buffalo Chicken Chili and toasted French bread with spicy corn dip and chips on the side for snacking. Witches hats made from Hersey's kisses, tombstone cupcakes, and vampire chocolate bars added to the night's ambiance and fueled our sweet tooth.   

And to drink, the star of the evening, was a little thing we like to call Autumn Sangria.

The original recipe was named Fruit Jar Sangria; however, its flavors and presence at our autumn party caused it to be dubbed with a the new name of Autumn Sangria.

Directions:  Just add snipped dried apricots to jars, a few green grapes, diced apples and pears (which were floated in acidulated water first), a cinnamon stick 1/3 cold apple cider, frozen apple cider ice cubes, 1/3 Barefoot White Moscato, and top with ginger-ale, sprite, or club soda.

Well fed and relaxed, there was only one thing left to do...admire our pumpkins beneath the moonlight.

Voodoo Doll

Ghoulish Ghosts

Skull and Crossbones

Mardi Gras Mask 

Doing anything fun this October?  Tell me all about it below! 

Pumpkin Party

Full Moon October 2017

Enter if you Dare 

When leaves turn to the colors of fall and the crisp, autumn wind wisps through the nooks and cranny's of the hollow, my favorite time of year arrives in ghostly splendor!

The wheel turns, and with it October comes bringing everyone back together after a year of hard work and wandering.  To kick off this most perfect of months, we held our annual Pumpkin Carving Party where witches, goblins and haints all stopped by to join in the pumpkin revelry and autumn treats.

Burton inspired table

Illuminated by candles, lanterns and the light of the full moon, my friends and I gathered around the mini-bonfire to sing a few songs from ages long past and to catch up with old friends.

We supped on a delicious Buffalo Chicken Chili and toasted French bread with spicy corn dip and chips on the side for snacking. Witches hats made from Hersey's kisses, tombstone cupcakes, and vampire chocolate bars added to the night's ambiance and fueled our sweet tooth.   

And to drink, the star of the evening, was a little thing we like to call Autumn Sangria.

The original recipe was named Fruit Jar Sangria; however, its flavors and presence at our autumn party caused it to be dubbed with a the new name of Autumn Sangria.

Directions:  Just add snipped dried apricots to jars, a few green grapes, a cinnamon stick 1/3 cold apple cider, frozen apple cider ice cubes, 1/3 Barefoot White Moscato, and top with ginger-ale, sprite, or club soda.

Well fed and relaxed, there was only one thing left to do...admire our pumpkins beneath the moonlight.

Voodoo Doll

Ghoulish Ghosts

Skull and Crossbones

Mardi Gras Mask 

Doing anything fun this October?  Tell me all about it below! 

New Beginnings

Seance Lounge at Muriel's in New Orleans

Gulf Shores Friend

Evolution is necessary for all things even a humorous blog written by a disgruntled Southern author living amid a long-gone Southern way of life. In previous blogs I’ve shared funny stories, outrageous occurrences, and a few tidbits from my travels here and there.   And I’ve learned from each of you that you enjoy the eclectic and odd places and events I find myself doing.  Whether I’m down in my beloved New Orleans or trying out a new restaurant or show, what you guys like best (and secretly, so do I) are the stories and pictures I collect from my experience. And I find that the time has come to allow this blog to evolve into something much more than it was once.

So, while I’m out in the world trying new things and busily writing my edgy paranormal books, I will gather what tales I might find and share them with you right here. Books Available on Amazon

Moving Statue and me
Alabama Renaissance Faire

From this day forth let it be known that the blog formerly known as Morons, Mules and other Southern Disappointments shall be dubbed Tea Leaves, Travels, and Tapestried Tales.  And shall henceforth contain cool stories, new places, and lots of pictures.  

Please hop in and join the conversation and share your experiences too. All are welcome!

One Voice, One Light in the Dark

"She's going to save the world."

My number one supporters, family and friends, have said this of me so many times that my overactive imagination sees myself, complete with super-hero cape, charging through the world accomplishing anything and everything I put my mind to… And I want this.  I want to save the world.  Save the animals from cruelty and extinction.  Save our waters from pollution and mistreatment.  Save our people, ALL PEOPLE, from hatred, violence, disease, and from themselves…

I have upended my household, nagged my family and co-workers, and downright chastised my friends, who are all in-tune enough to “know better.”  If education is the key, then I talk (maybe not well) about the horrors of sugars, the nasty chemicals found now in our "fake" foods, the true nightmare on earth and by sea that is plastic, that judgment ,no matter what your belief, is not your job.  No one was put on this earth to be a deity of any kind nor to step-up in false representation of such.  Your job is to love.  That’s it.  

Mostly, I know, my words go unheeded and unwanted.  However, I continue to speak.  Why?  I care. I love our planet.  I love our animals.  It’s nice to have air and water...in fact, it’s sort of necessary.  And why on earth, when we’ve come so far in increasing longevity in our ever-so- short lives, would anyone continue to consume poison when it’s proven to be bad for you (aka as oil-polluted sea waters)?  Worst of all, how can you condemn someone else to the fate of indifference and uncaring?

“She’s going to save the world.”

How?  How do you fix the horror that happened in Orlando last night or any of the countless horrors happening all over the world?  How does one even begin to address such pointlessness?  How does one face hatred and come out with love?

In an effort to find some sense of balance after the latest bombardment of tragedy dished out to us, I began contacting all of my friends early this morning.  “Hello. I love you.”  Because all of my friends and loved ones… they are all DIFFERENT: different races, different religions, different sexual orientations, different political parties.  Some are vegetarians, some vegan, and some are hard core "must-have-steak-ivores".  Some are dog people, some are cat people, and some are kids people.  There are musicians, artists, therapists, accountants, military, etc. and so forth… Some are into sports.  Some are into Broadway musicals.  

I have a false sense of pride for getting the chance to know and love all of these individuals, at having so much diversity in my own life. It would be nothing short of boring if I all of my friends and family were like me.  How would I ever learn anything?  How could I ever grow if there were no new ideas to learn?

“She’s going to save the world.”

Maybe, but I don’t know how -- not yet.  Yet, I continue to search for the answers, and I hope that others do, too.  Never should people anywhere be afraid to live their own chosen life.  Animals should not be hunted to extinction (not even those dreadful, awful spiders I detest.)  Food, products, clothing, etc…should not be poisoned with chemicals.  We should not be afraid to buy something for fear that it will be the trigger that causes dreaded cancer or some other horrific affliction.  Stop littering.  You are polluting your own home when you do so. Everyone has to live here.  We have to breathe the air that is being polluted by oversized vehicles and unchecked industry and drink the water that frankly is no longer clean enough to properly hydrate us.

Am I going to save the world?  Not by myself, I’m not.  No one can do this alone.  It will take everyone to banish this darkness we’ve brought on ourselves and find the light.  It will take everyone shifting their ideas to inclusion and respect.  We must learn to listen and to do.  We must learn to do the one thing we always search for, the one thing that always starts within us, but seems so hard to find.  We must learn to love.

Nothing can be solved with hatred.  Nothing can be solved with ignorance.  Nor can anything be solved by willful ignorance.

Love and action are the answers.  Caring is the answer. And knowing that it will take everyone, no matter what their beliefs, where they come from, what they are into to truly effect change in our world.

I have a whole list of quotes that I’ve thought out to add to the list by many of the great minds who’ve blessed our world with their thoughts and ideas...but I’m left with one famous quote by Maya Angelou tonight… “When you know better, you do better.”

We HAVE to do better.

Bitten by The Crescent City Muse

 It’s been some time since my last blog entry. So, I thought it was high time I check in to let everyone know what I have been up to in my absence.  Upon releasing Awaken, the first book in my new trilogy, The Priestess and the Warrior, and finishing up Accept, book two of same trilogy, I decided to take a small break and write a fun little short story about vampires.  Tons of research goes into The Priestess and the Warrior series, and I have been overcome with a longing to write a small story for my own entertainment before I finish the final book, Avowal.

St. Louis Cathedral
Right before the rain.
Satisfyingly gloomy and mysterious.

          

   

My original plan involved writing a quick little read which I could share for free on various media sites.  I love vampires. For those of you that know me, you know I have been a closet vampire fiction girl since I was 9 years old.  Naturally, my “just for fun” short story would be about what else but vampires.  On this one topic, no research was needed.  Again, since I was 9 I have consumed every single piece of vampire literature I could grasp with my hands.  I’m practically an expert; I thought.

 Errr…

 326 pages later…

              

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  Short story, hah!  Only this week I finished up the final chapter of the fun little vampire story, and lo and behold, it’s 326 pages and 36 chapters.  That’s right! It’s the longest short story in history.  It’s a freaking novel.  AND I have done more research for this book than any other I have ever written.  The only part that I had right about this entire project is that it has been very fun to write.  The atmosphere is dark and lush.  The vampires are moody and beautiful.  What’s not to love?

Lone Sousaphone
The promise of music to come

Needless to say, I should have known before I put pen to paper that I could not possible write only a few pages about vampires, especially when the entire story takes place in none other than New Orleans, my favorite city in the entire world.  So, now the titled book, Bound by Blood, is a working novel that I shall release sometime in the near future as I continue to finish up the final book of The Priestess and the Warrior trilogy to be titled Avowal.

 

Panoramic of one of the Easter parades we attended.
The corner of Bourbon and St. Philip.

              

In the meantime over Easter weekend, I took a much awaited sabbatical to the beach for a few days, and then crowned the trip with the perfect outing on Easter Sunday to New Orleans for a little lunch and a couple of Easter parades!  It seems that whether I am attempting to write a short story that takes place in that beautiful, vibrant city, or whether I’m stopping by for a little lunch and adventure, I cannot seem to shake New Orleans from my soul. 

        

 If you are interested, available in both paperback and for Kindle, you can purchase a copy of Awaken here: bit.ly/AwakenTPATW.

                

Clearly, I have been bitten by the Crescent City Muse. New Orleans is the spark to my imagination and the song in my heart.  What inspires you?

Elaborate Mardi Gras Indian Costume
We met this man on the corner of Jackson Square.

Awaken is finally Here!

Hi everyone,

I apologize for the delay in updating my blog recently.  As many of you know, I have been hard at work on my trilogy, The Priestess and the Warrior.  And now, I am thrilled to announce that Awaken, the first book of the trilogy, is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback versions!

If you are looking for something new and intriguing to read, please give Awaken a chance, and let me know how you like it.

Sending love and light to everyone!!

Buy Awaken Here!

Down by the River Where It's Warm and Green

Strolling through Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Way down in the deep, deep South sits a city built upon only four foot of silt. Situated between the mighty Mississippi River and the brackish water known as Lake Pontchartrain, is a place where European charm, Southern hospitality and superstition, African lore and the finest musicians in the world mix and mingle together to form what can only be New Orleans.

As you might have guessed, I am just back from my first visit to the Crescent City. It was a whirlwind trip that began with a wonderful lunch of Po’ boys and red beans and rice at Parasols Irish restaurant, located, since 1952, in the Irish Channel.  Not too far from the artist’s loft where we stayed, Parasol’s was the perfect way to begin a week of New Orleans culture.

Brass Band at Jackson Square

On day two, we took a Cemetery tour, visited Marie Laveau and Congo Square, hopped into a voodoo shop for a card reading, enjoyed a delicious drink called Dragon’s Breath at another eatery called Bayou Heat, and then headed over to Jackson Square, where we admired the beauty and peace within St. Louis Cathedral before taking a few moments to enjoy the various musicians set up between card readers and artists within the Square.  The entire day was a whirlwind to the mind and body, a delight to the senses.

On day three, we began with incredible, indescribable doughnuts from the District on Magazine Street, and then we headed over to Lafayette Cemetery to explore  and confirm the “smell of old death” before we took a tour of the Garden District. As I do in all places that I roam, I made a cat friend, he obviously hailed from one of those magnificent homes.  Lucky Cat!  When our tour was complete, we paused our endless exploring to ride the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Line, the oldest streetcar line in America.  On the way back to the Quarter, dinner was prepared by Pat O’Brien’s, where we sampled their famous Hurricanes, muffaletta sandwiches, shrimp and grits, and some delicious gumbo. Then, we rounded off the third night in the sometimes macabre city with a Ghost/Vampire Tour which lead us historically and creepily around the darker sections of the Vieux Carré.   So exhausted were we from the constant trek through block after block, we hailed a cab to get back to the loft in record time for some much- needed rest.

Day four continued our endless trek and mission to see and do everything in New Orleans.  We realized very early on that it would be impossible to do everything we wanted, but we were determined to fit in as much seeing and doing as we possibly could.  So, on the fourth day we began with beignets and café au lait at Café Du Monde before we boarded the steamboat Natchez for a jazzy, yet peaceful ride down the Mississippi.  With snowballs in our hands and the river of mud beneath us, we enjoyed a tranquil afternoon in slow motion.   After arriving back on land, we hopped aboard another Street car and rode down to the French Market to peruse and look for snacks to take on the picnic we had planned for the next day.  Being easily distracted, our French Market tour was only semi-successful in that…yes, we found what we were looking for, but no we didn't look at everything because I stumbled upon Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.  It’s well-known that I have a physical incapability of ignoring anything Buffett.  So, of course we ambled in for a nice meal and smooth beverage called a Bama Breeze, which was served to me in a blender, a cold libation that simply topped the perfect New Orleans October day.

We departed from New Orleans on the fifth day, but we weren't quite ready to let the city go.  (Actually, I may never let this city go.)  So for a final hurrah, we traveled the 23-mile Causeway across Lake Pontchartrain (both ways) and then steered towards the St. Joseph’s Plantation to take their “mourning tour” and to partake of the aforementioned picnic goodies we previously procured at the French Market. The food was even more delicious eaten beneath a grand oak tree. 

Since my return, I have been asked countless times what my favorite part of the trip was, and my answer seems to be surprising to most.  What I most enjoyed was the spirit and joy of the people, and the way everyone seemed to be looking out for the person standing beside them. A friendly nod, smile or greeting was on the face of practically every soul we passed on the street or met on the bus. I found human kindness, once synonymous with the word Southern, and a laidback graciousness that is seldom (if, at all) seen in other southern cities of today.  My favorite thing about New Orleans is the way this special gathering of people embraces difference and diversity, as they instantly absorb all into their distinctly unique culture. 

To those that know me, I can sum up my entire trip with one comparison.  If I were a city, New Orleans in all of its embodiments would be me, and although it’s not my place of residence, New Orleans could easily be the place I soon will call home.