In The Wake of Disaster...

This is not the blog I'd hoped to write...but one that must be written.

It's difficult to focus on the relatively petty events in our lives when the world is rocking after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunamis. Now, massive waves are even crashing over our West Coast.

It is difficult, from the comfort of our cozy homes, to comprehend the magnitude of this tragedy. What must it be like to be in Japan today, searching for loved ones who have disappeared, trying to locate towns that have been consumed by the sea? Now, amidst the relentless after shocks, as death tolls continue to climb, Japan struggles with nuclear explosions and the threat of a potential melt down. How much worse can it get?

My thoughts and prayers are with the survivors, with all who have lost loved ones. I urge you all to keep them in your prayers and to contribute whatever you can towards Japan's recovery efforts.

If there's any possible lesson to be learned from this tragedy, it is this: Disaster has a way of bringing us back to reality, of reminding us of what is truly important in life. Be grateful for all that we have - family and friends, food, shelter. Everything else is secondary. Perhaps our little problems really aren't as important as we once thought they were.

In the wake of disaster, it's time to put our squabbles and grievances aside. It's time to come together, to focus on what is truly important in life.

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Full Moon Mania

This is the night of January's "wolf moon."

Well aware that my fellow "Luna Chicks" are gathering someplace in the frigid northwoods of Wisconsin to celebrate this event tonight, I can't help peering out from the balconies of my condo on Galveston Island, Texas, to see the infamous Wolf Moon. I miss my Luna Chick friends...and it's hard to connect with them tonight as the moon darts and dodges behind and between cloud formations that shimmer seductively across the endless waves of the Gulf of Mexico.

I thought about going down to the Beach Club to sit in the outdoor hot tub overlooking the ocean, with a glass of wine to toast my old friends back home. But... the sky is eerily black. The wind howls. I can no longer see the full moon.

Instead, I will bury myself in a new novel, one that I cannot put down, one that will undoubtedly impact my writing in the future. They say that one of the best things that writers can do to improve their writing, and their chances of publication, is to READ.

It's not always easy to find time to read... BUT, I have recently discovered a novel that speaks to me - and compels me to spend the night of this full moon devouring its messages, poetic images, and insights. The title is "Sea Music" by Sara MacDonald. A resident of Cornwall, England, this is the first of her novels to be published in the United States. Check it out!

Here's to "happy howling" and all the blessings that a full moon can incite within us all!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

New Beginnings

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life!"

I've always loved this quote,from an unknown source. As we enter a New Year, I think it's appropriate to think about what that means. Perhaps some of you wrote New Year's Resolutions... and have conveniently forgotten about them already. You know, the same resolutions that many of us make year after year... dieting, exercise, speending less money, etc.

This New Year's Eve was a special one for me with two of my three children's families gathered here with me on Galveston Island, Texas. We made New Year's Resolutions for each other. There was a sheet of blank paper for each of us. We passed them around the room and took turns creating resolutions for the others. At the end, each person (including 6 of my grandchildren) read aloud the resolutions made for him or her. It was hilarious at times. We laughed until tears ran down our faces. Other resolutions were serious and set some important goals. One of the resolutions that family members made for me was to write another novel this year! Yes, I will take that one very seriously. Seven-year old Jared even gave me the gift of a special pen to write my next book!

Whether you believe in resolutions or not, a New Year can still be an important "new beginning" in life. Maybe it's not all about what we do or don't do. It begins with how we think, how we choose to view the world and to react to other people and situations. It's about learning to see, and appreciate, the silver lining in every cloud. About turning challenges into opportunities. Life's problems are frequently blessings in disguise.Only YOU can decide how to view your world - and what choices you will make.

Speaking of choices, it's easy to get into a rut, doing the same old thing. Trying to juggle impossible schedules and demands. No time to pursue old interests or new friendships. BUT, we can re-evaluate our priorities. It's a matter of understanding the natural rhythm of life. Sometimes we need to let go of things that no longer work in our lives (including relationships) or things we've lost interest in. By letting go, we free up space in our lives to pursue new adventures and follow our dreams.

Here's to new beginnings! Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

I May Be a Wimp...BUT I still wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!

A traditional White Christmas does not seem to be falling upon Galveston Island, Texas where I'm spending part of my winter.I still wear shorts and go barefoot in the sand as I hike beside the Gulf of Mexico,collecting sea shells. I've hung my Christmas ornaments on an artificial palm tree in the living room of my condo. I awaken each morning to spectacular sunrises over the ocean. In the evening, I relax,with a glass of red wine,on my western balcony as I witness some of the most incredible sunsets that I've ever seen.

Life is good...long walks beside the ocean,time to reflect and to explore the rich historical heritage of this amazing island... much of which will be included in one of my future novels.

Still,looking back...wasn't I the one who recently elaborated upon the splendors of a good old Midwestern winter? Yup...that was me... before I immigrated to the south. Before the water pipes in my Wisconsin home burst at the seams and my furnace went out during one of our good old-fashioned snowstorms...

It's difficult, sometimes, to get into the Christmas spirit on this paradise island... I'm used to frigid winters, being buried in snow drifts. How can it possibly be time for Christmas??

Christmas, this year, will be a tad bit different. What remains unchanged is the love of family and friends, wherever they may be. I'm blessed to have both Shannon's and Sherry's families celebrating down here with me. I will miss Shane's family, and my best friend,Len... but want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
jkjenson01@yahoo.com
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Traveling Back In Time ...

Have you ever felt that you belonged in another time, another place? Do you identify with people, places, and things associated with another era? If so, you're not alone! I must confess that I've always identified with the Victorian era, and with the world of Emily Dickinson. Several editors have told me that my writing style is quaint, reminiscent of the Victorian era. Is that all bad??

Anyway, I recently had an opportunity to travel back to the Victorian era, courtesy of the Dickens on The Strand Victorian Holiday Festival on Galveston Island, Texas. This annual celebration is held in the Strand National Historic Landmark District which is filled with Victorian-era buildings, brick cobble-stoned streets, gas lamps, and horse-drawn carriages. Many of the participants (including yours truly) dressed in Victorian costumes. Victorian music filled the air.

Highlights included Victorian bed races, parades, a Piccadilly circus, a living history encampment commemorating the war between the states, jugglers, magicians, Victorian Christmas carolers, Victorian arts,crafts and turkey legs! Down on the Galveston wharf, we also toured the 1877 tall sailing ship, Elissa, Texas' official tall ship.

My Texas grandchildren weren't sure, at first, if they wanted to be seen with crazy Grandma Jan in her lacy black Victorian costume and feather hat! However, once we arrived on The Strand, they realized that I obviously fit in with the other guests.

I'm inspired by all that I saw and learned at this unique celebration. That means, of course, that I'm now researching Galveston and its unique Victorian era. Someday, I hope to set a novel here on this fascinating island in the Gulf of Mexico.

You can check Dickens out at www.galvestonhistory.org.

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Welcome, Winter!

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.

Pietro Arentino, Italian author/poet 1492 - 1556

Winter has arrived in the northland in all its glory - and fury. I woke this morning to find that the world had turned white overnight. Naked trees have donned frosty coats of snow, bowing low,swaying to the rhythm of the winds. Angry waves tumble across the lake, determined to keep layers of ice from silencing their energy. The Canadian geese have already given up the fight, loudly organizing themselves into formation for their annual flight south.

Soon there will be silence, solitude, as we drift into a winter's frame of mind. Soon we will turn our attention inward, taking time to reflect. Time to sit by the fire with a good book, perhaps to take an online course, to learn something new. Time to think about our lives and plot future directions.

As we turn inward, winter has a way of unleashing our creativity. As the snow falls, I'm drawn to my writing. My characters seem to come to life more readily in the winter than in any other season. Plots thicken.

I'm already hard at work researching my next several novels...and making plans to visit the destinations where they will be set. Of course, I'm doing a sequel to my "Waters of the Dancing Sky" which will be set again on Rainy Lake. Other destinations include Galveston, Texas; Virginia City, Montana; and Walnut, Iowa.

Here's to winter! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Stay tuned - and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Inspirational Moments in Sweden

They say that life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away! While Sweden was full of these moments for me, one of the most inspirational was a visit to the home and gardens of the famous Swedish artist, Carl Larsson. Born into a poverty-stricken family in 1853, he found a way to follow his dream and talent, to become a world-renowned artist - and to actually become wealthy from the sale of his art work.

Winding through tiny streets in his picturesque village of Sundborn, it felt almost surreal, as if I'd just stepped back into the last century. Carl lived with his wife, Karin, and his eight children in a red Swedish cottage on a private lake. His family, home, and gardens were frequently the subjects that he painted.

I was entranced - and greatly inspired by his quaint cottage. French windows overlooking the lake and gardens were lined with red geranium flowers in clay pots. There were nooks and crannies in which to write, paint, or do needlework. Carl had painted portraits of each of his children, and his wife, on the interior doors, sometimes extending his artistic endeavors up and across the ceilings.

Standing quietly in the midst of his gardens, I marveled at a 350 year old apple tree that is still producing apples! There is something magical about this place...

Breathing deeply,I could almost feel spirits of the past lingering on here. Inspiration flowed through me like a river, as if I'd been touched by the stroke of Carl's paint brush.

I'm back home, back to work on my computer. I've framed one of Carl's photos above my desk, a source of inspiration for me. When I look at it, I hope to tap into my experiences in his gardens. Thanks, Carl!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com