August 22, 2015 · 10:32 am

The Afternoon Crowd at the American House Tavern *new book out

The_Afternoon_Crowd_Cover_for_Kindlejpg    A bolt of lightning came out of the sky and struck me in the spring of this year. This book is the result of that moment. I have no idea which of my deceased ancestors dredged up these old memories and sent them to me or why it came, but it lifted me out of a gloomy week, filling me with so much laughter while I wrote it and again, when I re-wrote it.

This easy-to-read poetic narrative is of my few years tending bar at the American House Tavern, in the middle of the horse country of New Egypt, New Jersey, in the 70s. I share my take on the people who came into my life at that time, in that place. This is my interpretation of those sitting across the bar from me while I scooted around, pouring beers, mixing cocktails, and playing amateur psychologist, sometimes matchmaker.

The books are being printed up now and available on Amazon in hardcopy and e-mode. If you would like a signed copy, or one inscribed to your best friend, lover, relative, etc. please send $12 (includes shipping) using Paypal or a check in snail mail.

If you enjoy it, please write a review.

3 Comments

Filed under American History, booksigning, Memoir, poetic narrative, Poetry

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

August 21, 2015 · 11:04 am

THE SALE GOES ON . . . .

THE SALE GOES ON. . .Aug. 22, Saturday 7 a.m. items shown will be sold. Brian Baker & Shelia’s, too, Sorting out has been a journey. Grown. Groan is more like it. The horrors of moving include sorting, tossing out what hasn’t been used in 10 years-even 5 years, re-reading cards & letters-do I continue to save them-donating, I won’t be saying ciao to my friends. Thankfully.
Please spread the word. 434 S. Holiday Dr. Lake Gaston Estates, Macon NC 252-257-4838.DSCF3905DSCF3903DSCF3897DSCF3907

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

August 16, 2015 · 11:05 am

MOVING, MOVING, MOVING

MOVING, MOVING, MOVING. Aug. 22, Saturday 7 a.m. items shown will be sold. Now I know why people stay in houses that they have long ago outgrown. Grown. Groan is more like it. The horrors of moving include sorting, tossing out what hasn’t been used in 10 years-even 5 years, re-reading cards & letters-do I continue to save them-donating, eating what is in the fridge & pantry-less to move, and saying adieu to this lovely house that has welcomed me into its nooks n’ crannies. I won’t be saying ciao to my friends ‘cause I’m only moving a short distance away. Thankfully.
Please spread the word. The ad and address is in the Warren Record.DSCF3897DSCF3903DSCF3905 DSCF3900

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

July 29, 2015 · 8:11 am

more on WRITING DOWN YOUR SOUL by Janet Conner

writ soul

If you have been awake at all, you must have heard that writing is healing. You don’t have to be a writer, or English teacher, or a good speller, you just have to put your pen/pencil in hand and put it to the paper. No PC or Mac or word processor for this one. Paper & pen. That’s all. No one else is going to read or critique it. You can throw it away when you are finished if you like.

Why write? Because it works. More than the writing, being healing; Conner leads us to do the writing we need. She leads us to emotions even if we don’t know how to get into them, she does. Writing is visual-we see it on the page and what we are writing is pictured in our mind; auditory-we hear what we are saying as we write; and sensory-we feel the pen, the paper, the physical act of writing.

Writing is a mystical experience. Conner takes us into forgiving those who have cut us deeply. You know, the ones that left us scarred for life. The scars may be hidden from the public, but we know they are there. Plus, she shows us why we must forgive, how we benefit by this act as well as the person who hurt you. Conner is extremely honest in her writing, allowing her anguish to fall onto the pages. She holds nothing back. Compassion comes out of that.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, I may do another post on this book. That’s how important I believe it is, to spread the word. It’s my way of helping someone as I have been helped. I uncovered events that I had thought I’d forgotten-thought I’d healed. Surprise! I had just buried them. There is a big difference.

I have had miracles to prove it.

1 Comment

Filed under book review, books, First Friday Poetry Night

Tagged as , ,

July 28, 2015 · 7:01 pm

WRITING DOWN YOUR SOUL by Janet Conner

writ soulThis book came to me highly recommended. It is so much more than what I expected. Author Janet Conner says: Show up. Open up. Listen up. & Follow up. Miracles will happen. I can attest to that.

Too often, I have read books without doing the writing exercises. Not so with this one. This time I did all the writing exercises requested. I even bought the companion workbook. That’s something else I don’t usually do, thinking that a ruled notebook is sufficient. It may be, if your budget is pinching you. But the workbook offers so much more and it will continue to offer more as I return to it for the quotes, thoughts, and suggestions that will continue to inspire me even now that I have finished the book awhile ago.

This time, I wanted to see if it really makes a difference; if completing the writing exercises in the book is that wee bit extra that makes a giant difference. IT DOES.

Janet Conner put me in touch with my spirit guides. I’ve known for a long time that we all have spirit guides and angels that hang around us, keeping an eye on us and getting us out of trouble from time to time. I didn’t know that they were waiting around for us to actually ask them for help! What a difference that makes!

Thanks to Janet, I found my guide, Timothy who said to me, “It’s about time. I get bored with nothing to do. I cannot do things for you unless you do your job of ASKING for guidance, help, and/or answers.”

Whoa! I never knew that I could actually talk to my guides and get actual answers from them!

There is so much more that I want to tell you about this book. So I am going to end this post and write more in the next post.

A word to the wise, first; when you buy the book be prepared to write on the pages! Yes, this is something else I never allowed myself to do. I’ll be returning to this book over and over again. My writing in the margins, underlining, drawing little attention-getting icons and doodles, are an important part of the education of me, Arlene. WOW!

Leave a comment

Filed under book review, books

Tagged as

July 28, 2015 · 5:01 pm

Found in Life & Labyrinth

I recently re-read Dun Aengus by David Whyte and felt compelled to re-read my Italy poem, inspired by his. It still brings vivid images to me of Italy. I hope it does for you, too.

purplestoneblog's avatarpurplestoneblog

Image

Italy

(Inspired by Dun Aengus by David Whyte)

And when you go, try to go before the ‘season’

when tourists fill every place. They take the soul of

place away.

See Italy as its people have, from

centuries ago to the present. Join them with

colorful pottery pitchers of wine on each table alongside

baskets of bread yet warm, with the scent of hot oven-baking

still floating out from the kitchen to your table to your nose to whet

your appetite.

Walk the narrow cobbled streets

where the clatter of horses’ hooves fill

your ears even though that time is a long way

passed. Throw open the casement window in your

castle bedroom to sweep your eyes over the clay tiled

roofs to the mountains in the distance. The mountains that

pierce the clouds as you do, driving down the mountain, the

road carrying you through the cloud slowly so…

View original post 216 more words

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

July 19, 2015 · 9:39 am

UNEARTHING VENUS: My Search for the Woman Within BY Cate Montana

DSCF3884

I would have chosen a different path if I had this book to read when I was a teen. Montana’s journey through life reads so amazing that I sat up all night to finish it. Her sincerity, brutal honesty, and deeply touching moments jumped off the page and into my heart. It took tremendous courage for her to just pick up and do, trusting in the universe to support her when she wasn’t sure of it herself. Montana’s life reads like a feminine Indiana Jones, yet it is true. Reading of her stamina that got her through the tough parts, followed by the tenderness of cat Grace sitting on her lap at the computer brought home the complexity of a woman; this woman and so many of the women out there, including me. This is the best memoir I’ve read in twenty years!

Leave a comment

Filed under book review, Uncategorized, women, women's stories

July 16, 2015 · 1:07 am

WOMEN’S OPEN FORUM Saturday, July 18, 2015

WOMEN’S OPEN FORUM
You are invited to an intriguing afternoon ~
spent with interesting women
Mission statement: To inspire women of all ages to discover their full potential.
3rd Saturday of each month 1:00 to 3:30PM
The Gathering Place” on Lake Gaston
115 Magnolia Ct. Wildwood Point, Littleton NC 27850
July 18 special meeting this month: Open discussion on:
“Even though your past has a big influence on your decisions, it doesn’t own you, nor are you bound by it.”DSCF3880
Coming. . . .Aug 15, 2015 TBA
~ Inquiries: Ellie Newbauer: ellienewbauer@gmail.com
*$10.00 Fee                       Come, Join Us!

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

July 15, 2015 · 10:21 pm

WOMAN’S OPEN FORUM

JULY DISCUSSION
WOMEN’S OPEN FORUM
You are invited to an intriguing afternoon ~
spent with interesting women
Mission statement: To inspire women of all ages to discover their full potential.
3rd Saturday of each month 1:00 to 3:30PM
The Gathering Place” on Lake Gaston
115 Magnolia Ct. Wildwood Point, Littleton NC 27850
July 18 special meeting this month: Open discussion on:
“Even though your past has a big influence on your decisions, it doesn’t own you, nor are you bound by it.”
Coming. . . .Aug 15, 2015 TBA
~ Inquiries: Ellie Newbauer: ellienewbauer@gmail.com
*$10.00 Donation Come, Join Us!

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

May 16, 2015 · 8:15 pm

JENNY GORDON GRAY BOOK READING/SIGNING FOR SIR ARCHY

Sir ArchyThe Warren Artists’ Market is hosting a Book Reading/Signing on Thursday, May 28, at the Warren FoodWorks, with Jenny Gordon Gray featuring her first book Sir Archy. Her book is about horses, in particular about the greatest sire the USA has ever known. Sir Archy was born as Robert Burns in 1805. One partner is his ownership, Col. John Tayloe III, changed his name to Sir Archy. These were the days when horse racing was for the gentry only and races would commonly last for four miles. It wasn’t long before no one would race their thoroughbred against him.
It was William Ransom Johnson who brought Sir Archy to Warren County, North Carolina in 1808. That’s when Sir Archy’s fame would become even more so; that’s when, in 1810, he became a stud horse. He was farmed out from one place to another siring more than 400 winners. His bloodline includes such champions in the Racing Hall of Fame as Man O’ War, Seabiscuit, Native Dancer, Secretariat, and Seattle Slew. While Ms. Gray is not into thoroughbred racing, she does own a descendant of Sir Archy and does dressage riding
The public is invited..

Leave a comment

Filed under American History, books, booksigning, Warren FoodWorks

Tagged as , , ,