Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up 8th -14th December – Make a Wish, Choirs, Cranberries, A-Z Christmas and Cheesy funnies!

Before we get into the posts you might have missed this week on the blog, a reminder about the Christmas Party on the 21st of December…

The theme for this year’s party is ‘Just One Wish’. We are all familiar with the story of Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother, who was pretty liberal with that magic wand of hers and managed to turn a pumpkin into a golden carriage.

Unfortunately, she has long since retired and hung up her wand, but because I asked nicely (and she would like me to promote her memoir – The Prince Charmings I have Known!) she has agreed to allow you all one wish.

• Your wish can be for anything you like, for you, for someone close to you, real, imaginary, massive such as world peace (that might be a bit of a stretch for her) or something you wish you had done or said in the past.
• Humour is very welcome as it is tough for anyone to deny you anything if you make them laugh, and this particular Fairy Godmother has a very active funny bone.
• Her memory is not as sharp as it used to be, and her attention tends to wander, so I suggest you keep your wish to 100 words or less. I cannot guarantee that your wish will be fulfilled, however, putting it out there could produce magical results.
• My part of this is to fit in as many of your requests in as possible and so I suggest you get your wish in as quickly as you can.
• I will also do the usual addition of links to your Amazon Page if you are an author, blog as well as one of your main social media.
• There will be younger family members at the party, so please bear that in mind when submitting your wish, and the Fairy Godmother is not very worldly!

If you are a regular visitor to the blog I will have all your details and just need your ‘one wish’ in an email to sally.cronin@moyhill.com

If a new visitor then please include your blog or website, Amazon link if you have one and your main social media link to sally.cronin@moyhilll.com.

Now time for this week’s posts and as always my thanks to the regular contributors who share such wonderful articles.  And to you for keep showing up with your amazing support.

I am so pleased that William Price King will be a sharing a selection of Christmas music to get us into the festive spirit up to Christmas Day.. enjoy.

Here is another of our posts where I share the nutritional benefits of an ingredient and Carol Taylor incorporates it in a delicious recipe. Next week Carol will be back to share some of her creations from her Thai kitchen offering you some alternative delicacies to eat over the festive season. This week… ..Cranberries – a bitter berry which has a long history in medicinal terms and is still used today in certain over the counter preparations.

Christmas Cook From Scratch – Cranberries Bittersweet

The A-Z of Christmas in Britain – Part Three – Holly and Ivy to Sprouts by Mike Biles

Mike Biles A – Z of Christmas – Holly & Ivy to Sprouts

Delighted to share a story by Victoria Zigler from the book Ulrike’s Christmas and you can find details of how to buy this book and Victoria’s many other children’s books after her story.

The Tinsel Story by Victoria Zigler

As a special treat, Linda Bethea is sharing another wonderfully entertaining story from her archives, and today we experience a Christmas from the depression that was still filled with homemade gifts, love, laughter and some retribution for past misdemeanours.

Kathleen’s Cuthand Christmas (from Kathleen’s memoirs of the depression) by Linda Bethea

Most of you will know Carol Taylor from her Food and Cookery Column here on Smorgasbord as well as her own eclectic blog located in Thailand, where she shares the wonderful food on her doorstep and recipes that turn them into delicious meals. Carol has shared a very poignant short story.

The Snow Storm by Carol Taylor

This week the prompt words are ‘Give and Shake’ for Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 157 And I have chosen the synonyms ‘Grant and Tremble’ in a Butterfly Cinquain.

I Grant you Permission by Sally Cronin

I grant
you permission
to abandon restraint
and tremble with ecstatic bursts
of joy.
It is the time of chocolate
and freedom to consume
as many bars
you wish.

©Sally Cronin 2019

This week on the Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge by Charli Mills we were tasked on writing a story about a garden gnome or gnomes…mine is loosely based on an alleged true event…

Carrot Ranch – Missing by Sally Cronin

I was given a gift of this lovely anthology and over the last few days I have enjoyed the stories, imagining myself on a front porch swing enjoying balmy breezes somewhere in the southern states of America.. having lived in Texas and visited Tennessee and Mississippi frequently, it did not take much imagination.

My review for Southern Season Stories from a Front Porch Swing

New books on the Shelves for Christmas

#Children 3 – 6 Oskar’s Quest by Annika Perry

Author updates with recent reviews

#Romance Karen Demers Dowdall, #Thriller Toni Pike, #Design Valentina Cirasola, #Memoir J.E. Pinto

#Romance P.C. Zick, #Fantasy Jim Webster, #Thriller Stevie Turner, #Poetry Balroop Singh

YA A.J. Alexander, Romance Christine Campbell, Family Claire Fullerton, PostApocalyptic Sandra J. Jackson

Fantasy Deborah Jay, Memoir Abbie Taylor Johnson, History adventure Andrew Joyce, thriller Daniel Kemp

#Poetry Lynda McKinney Lambert, #Memoir Marian Beaman, #Thriller JP McLean, #Romance Shehanne Moore

Wendy Janes shares the differences in proofreading fiction and non-fiction and it is very interesting.

Musings on Proofreading Fiction and Non-Fiction

Robbie Cheadle who is an experienced book reviewer shares her easy to follow methodology on writing a review.

Robbie Cheadle on how to write a book review

Review D.G. Kaye, Contest Kaye Lynne Booth, Christmas Cake Robbie Cheadle

Story Contest Stevie Turner, Flash Fiction Charli Mills, Book Review Angie Quantrell

#Q&A D.G. Kaye with Lisa Thomson, #Jacksparrow Dolly Aizenman, #Redwine Christy Birmingham

It is that time of year when we tend to throw caution out of the window along with any slimming books and fitness apps we might have (well some of us anyway).

Unfortunately, our pets are also treated to our sense of liberation and they end up eating many things they are not used to. Also their eating patterns might be thrown out the window, and in my experience their inner body clock is more accurate than a Rolex. This does not make for happy pets. Some treats are toxic to pets and can lead to not just stomach upsets but death.

Safe Christmas Treats and Homecooked dinners for Dogs and Cats.

More funnies from D.G. Kaye and a festive recipe from. Sally!

More funnies from D.G. Kaye and a joke for Sally.

Thank you so much for dropping in today and every time you pop by. Your support is very much appreciated and I always love to hear from you… even if it is to say Hi… thanks Sally

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Christmas – Colleen Chesebro’s Tuesday Tanka Challenge – #Butterfly Cinquain – Permission is Granted by Sally Cronin

This week the prompt words are ‘Give and Shake’ for Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 157 And I have chosen the synonyms ‘Grant and Tremble’ in a Butterfly Cinquain.

I Grant you Permission by Sally Cronin

I grant
you permission
to abandon restraint
and tremble with ecstatic bursts
of joy.
It is the time of chocolate
and freedom to consume
as many bars
you wish.

©Sally Cronin 2019

If you would like to participate in this lovely weekly challenge then please head over to Colleen’s for all the details: Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 157

My thanks to Colleen for kindly including my latest release this week in her new poetry bookstore Tanka Poetry bookstore

Amazon £3.50:Amazon UK

And $4.53: Amazon US

Thank you for dropping in today and as always your feedback is very welcome..Sally.

 

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Christmas – Colleen Chesebro’s #Poetry Challenge -#Double Etheree Happy Christmas by Sally Cronin

Being the first challenge of the month, Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 156 is left to our discretion as ‘Poet’s Choice’.

Having lived in several countries during the last six decades, it has meant that we have celebrated Christmas in a number of languages, with people of other faiths. There have been some amazing celebrations and parties, and without exception we have all come together in love and friendship irrespective of our individual beliefs. And the wonderful outcome is their reciprocation in including us in their own traditional celebrations.

Double Etheree – Happy Christmas by Sally Cronin

You
would think
at my age,
I would have lost
this childish delight
and anticipation
of the weeks of fun ahead.
Christmas represents many things,
depending on our faith or culture,
but at its heart is peace and love to all.
We are encouraged to be inclusive,
and change the name of this festival,
to call it just ‘the holidays’.
But my friends of other faiths
are delighted to share
our celebrations,
bringing their love
and friendship
as their
gift.

©Sally Cronin  2019

If you would like to participate in this lovely weekly challenge then please head over to Colleen’s for all the details: Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 156

My thanks to Colleen for kindly including my latest release this week in her new poetry bookstore Tanka Poetry bookstore

 

Amazon £3.50:Amazon UK

And $4.53: Amazon US

Thank you for dropping in today and as always your feedback is very welcome..Sally.

 

 

 

Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Tuesday Tanka Poetry Challenge -#Etheree Thanksgiving by Sally Cronin

Happy Thanksgiving and whilst I won’t be sitting down to Turkey and all the trimmings, amongst my family and friends, I am with you in spirit and any spare pumpkin pie and I will let you have my postal address…. In the meantime, this week for Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 155 Colleen offered us a choice.. Thanksgiving theme or two prompt words… as you can see.. I have gone with the former.

Etheree – Thanksgiving

This
week has
me thinking
about the things
I am grateful for.
I have many blessings
on the material side,
but they fade away to nothing,
compared to the greatest gifts of all,
our health, and love of people around us.

©Sally Cronin 2019

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge, head over and check it out: Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 155

Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly #Tanka Challenge – Mirror Cinquain – Westward by Sally Cronin

As it is the second Tuesday of the month, Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 154 is a photoprompt and it has been selected by last month’s poet of the week Linda Lee Lyberg.  And a stunning prompt it is.

Mirror Cinquain – Westward by Sally Cronin

We wait
within the cave;
looking towards the east.
The sun rises to guide the way
westward.
We leave,
driven to pass on precious genes,
of strength and stamina,
humans will need
to thrive.

©Sally Cronin 2019

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge you have until Sunday night: Colleen’s poetry challenge

Thanks for dropping in and I hope you have enjoyed the poem…Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 4th – 10th November 2019 – Books, Reviews, Videos, Health and Humour

Welcome to the weekly round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

We arrived back from two weeks in the UK on Thursday in slightly rougher sees than we might have liked but you can expect this in November. My two sisters had been on the Ventura for a cruise down to Portugal and back and they certainly had much rougher seas than we did and in fact it made the papers when a passenger shared a video of the water exiting one of the swimming pools and flooding a lounge. Both my sisters are good sailors and very little seems to phase them… they thought it was a storm in a teacup!!!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7650639/Cruise-ship-passengers-carry-drinking-eating-torrent-water-surges-feet.html

Anyway, it has taken a couple of days to catch up online as I was off more than I was on during our time away. It gave me time to get some reading done and expect some reviews over the next couple of weeks. I also began plotting out the direction that the blog will take next year and how I can increase author and blogger promotions. There will be more reviews on a more regular basis and there will be a return of the Posts from Your Archives series for both new bloggers and those of you more established.

This week sees the start of the last major outside projects with the removal of the old broken down fence between us and our neighbour’s garden and a brand new post and concrete wall, making the garden fully child and dog safe for the next owners of the house.

A couple more inside jobs and then in the spring the house goes on the market and we shall be off further down the coast between Wexford and Waterford, two historic cities with a great deal of cultural appeal and great amenities.

Highlights of the coming week.

There will be the usual Cafe and Bookstore updates with recent reviews and several new books on the shelves. The Blogger Daily will resume and plenty of fun with afternoon videos and funnies.

Monday – The Travel Column by D.G. Kaye and this month Debby is taking us to the lovely not-so-well known little gem of a place, Puerto Peñasco, for a tropical escape in Mexico.

Tuesday – William Price King shares the life and music of jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman.

Wednesday – Carol Taylor and I join forces to share the mineral Manganese and some recipes to include regularly in your diet to ensure that you do not become deficient.

Thursday – our Italian food expert Silvia Todesco shares a wonderful almond dessert that would be perfect for Thanksgiving.

Friday – The Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair kicks off with a selection of children’s books in the Cafe and the first of the guest posts. D.G. Kaye will be sharing her expertise in writing memoirs.

The Weekend – Another post from Mike Biles about Britain’s history and Allan Hudson joins me for the Sunday Author Interview. There will also be two more stories from my Flights of Fancy Collection.

Time for the review of this past week’s posts.

This week Mike Biles lifts the lid and reveals the truth about one of my favourite books and television series as a child..Lorna Doone…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/09/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-guest-writer-mike-biles-a-bit-about-britain-the-dastardly-shooting-of-lorna-doone-history/

My guest this week is multi-genre  bestselling author P.C. Zick who shares the inspiration behind her popular Crandall Family Series and what we can look forward to later this year.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/10/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-sunday-interview-and-new-book-on-the-shelves-love-on-course-by-p-c-zick/

My review for the latest book by Frank Prem – The New Asylum

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/smorgasbord-book-reviews-poetry-the-new-asylum-by-frank-prem/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/05/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-my-review-passport-to-death-by-yigal-zur/

I have put together a pdf of the recent book marketing series so that you have all in one place. It is free and the content page and email is in the post.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/09/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-the-book-marketing-series-by-sally-cronin-free-pdf/

It is remembrance Sunday and as it was Poet’s Choice this week on Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka challenge… I have written a double etheree ‘Young Soldiers’. I also wrote a Haiku for the header.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/10/smorgasbord-poetry-colleen-chesebros-tuesday-tanka-challenge-152-double-etheree-young-soldiers-by-sally-cronin/

Two more stories from the Flights of Fancy collection and Free book offer.

A combination of language issues and an unhappy marriage offer a parrot the chance to put things right!

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/09/flights-of-fancy-serialisation-fantasy-the-psychic-parrot-by-sally-cronin-and-a-free-book-offer/

An old woman reflects on her life using the changing colours of her bedroom curtains to tell her story.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/10/flights-of-fancy-serialisation-wartime-romance-curtains-by-sally-cronin-free-book-offer/

 

New Book on the Shelves

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/06/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-a-new-life-in-ventis-science-fiction-steampunk-adventure-by-richard-dee/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/07/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-googling-old-boyfriends-book-7-camilla-randall-mysteries-by-anne-r-allen/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/08/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-a-z-of-dumfries-places-people-history-by-mary-smith-and-photographs-by-keith-kirk/

Author Updates

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-author-update-reviews-stevie-turner-terry-tyler-and-teagan-riordain-geneviene/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/08/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-author-update-reviewsvictoria-zigler-fiona-tarr-and-barbara-silkstone/

My go to recipe to bring as many nutrients together on one plate – Brown rice pilaf

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/06/smorgasbord-health-column-cook-from-scratch-multi-vitamin-on-a-plate-brown-rice-pilaf-sally-cronin/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/05/smorgasbord-laughter-lines-comedian-in-residence-d-g-kaye-and-a-joke-from-sallys-archives-2-3/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/11/07/smorgasbord-laughter-lines-comedian-in-residence-d-g-kaye-and-a-joke-or-two-from-sallys-archives-2/

Thank you very much for dropping in this week to like, comment and share.. I am so appreciative of the support. Thanks Sally

Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Tuesday Tanka Challenge 152 – Double #Etheree -Young Soldiers by Sally Cronin

After being away for two weeks it is time to get back into the swing of Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 152 and this week being the first challenge of the month, it is ‘Poet’s Choice’.

It is Remembrance Sunday in the UK and at this time I like to pay tribute to my grandfather who was killed on November 2nd 1918 after serving from the start of war, being wounded three times, and then being killed just 9 days before the Armistice. My mother was just over a year old.

This year, I thought I would write a double etheree to honour all young men who ended up on the front lines. And in the image is a haiku from a previous year.

Double Etheree – Young Soldiers

Young,
eager
full of fire,
they stand in line
waiting for orders
that will force them into
leaving their boyhoods behind.
In the trenches rank and muddy,
where rats scurry amid the clutter,
final cigarette butts fall to the ground.
The whistles blow and driven by duty,
a khaki wave flows into action,
straight into a hail of bullets
that only few will survive.
In those first dire minutes,
an eternity,
they push forward
just to claim
one more
yard.

©Sally Cronin 2019

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge here is the link: https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/11/05/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-152-poetschoice/

As always delighted to receive your feedback and thank you for dropping in … Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – AWOL – Benny Goodman – Magnesium – The Magic Carpet – Television Interviews and all that Jazz…

Welcome to the round up of posts that you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

On the news front I will be offline from this Thursday to Monday 28th October and for a few days in the first week in November. I have however left some posts for you… the regular book promotions and also some surprises.

Delighted to share the news of the start of a series by guest writer Mike Biles, author of A Bit About Britain’s History who will be joining us every Saturday until Christmas. His first post next Saturday is about the visit he made to author Rudyard Kipling’s home.

As Just an Odd Job Girl has now finished, I am starting a new serialisation, this time of my first short story collection from 2009, which has just received a lovely review. The first two stories from Flights of Fancy air next weekend.

And I would be grateful if you could pop in on Sunday when Eloise De Sousa will be my guest on the Sunday author Interview

I will be online again by Monday and will respond to any comments then… I will also catch up with any retweets etc on social media.

On with this week’s posts.

As always my thanks to the contributors and guest writers for the time and work that goes into preparing the posts for the blog and to you for keep coming back to read them.

William Price King shared the life and music of the renowned King of Swing, Benny Goodman.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-the-music-column-with-william-price-king-the-king-of-swing-benny-goodman/

Magnesium – Calcium’s BFF and a deficiency alert One of the minerals that most people focus on is calcium (the last column) but it is in fact magnesium or the lack of this mineral in our diet that may be the contributory factor in many of the diseases that we suffer from, particularly as we get older.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/16/smorgasbord-health-column-cook-from-scratch-to-prevent-nutritional-deficiencies-with-sally-cronin-and-carol-taylor-minerals-magnesium/

If you are a regular visitor to the blog you will be familiar with Jessica Norrie and her Literary Column which ran in 2018 and has enjoyed a revival this year too. We also get to enjoy an extract from Jessica’s latest release – The Magic Carpet

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/20/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-sunday-interview-jessica-norrie-with-an-extract-from-the-magic-carpet/

 Last week I covered the basics of the preparation needed before a radio and podcast interview  This week preparing for an interview on camera.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-book-marketing-for-authors-preparing-for-an-interview-on-camera-sally-cronin/

This week in the Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 145 we are being asked to write in response to the photo prompt selected by last month’s winner of the challenge, Diana Wallace Peach.. I have composed a double Etheree – The Moonlight Concerto

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/16/smorgasbord-poetry-colleen-chesebros-tuesday-tanka-challenge-photoprompt-the-moonlight-concerto-by-sally-cronin/

This weekend the last two chapters of my novel Just an Odd Job Girl. A surprise visitor changes Imogen’s future.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/just-an-odd-job-girl-serialisation-chapter-nineteen-full-circle-by-sally-cronin/

The final chapter…a new life

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/just-an-odd-job-girl-serialisation-final-chapter-a-new-life-by-sally-cronin/

In the UK according to overall cancer statistics from Cancer Research UK there were 363,484 new cases in 2016, and 164,900 deaths in 2017. There is now a 50% survival rate over 10 years but, 38% of cancers are preventable.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/smorgasbord-health-column-major-organs-and-systems-of-the-body-female-reproductive-system-breast-cancer-by-sally-cronin/

This week I am share the the impact on a child’s body of a high sugar diet and lack of nutrition in relation to their brain development and hormone production as they head into puberty.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/smorgasbord-health-column-the-obesity-epidemic-part-four-finding-a-point-to-intervene-in-the-life-cycle-7-14-healthy-diet-for-brain-function-and-hormon/

In her final post Linda Thompson shares the sadness of loss. In this case when a relationship dies and we have to leave elements of our previous life behind. Thankfully most of us find another safe haven.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-new-bloggers-on-the-scene-dreamcatcher-on-loss-divorce-by-linda-thompson/

New Book on the Shelves

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-non-fiction-creative-solutions-for-the-modern-writer-by-harmony-kent/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-non-fiction-writing-on-water-self-awareness-by-jane-sturgeon/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/16/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-pre-order-the-last-will-of-sven-anderson-the-harry-spittle-saga-book-2-by-geoff-le-pard-and-free-book-offer/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-children-molly-finds-her-purr-by-pamela-s-wight/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-ya-fantasy-through-the-nethergate-by-roberta-eaton-cheadle/

Author Update #reviews

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-author-update-reviews-teagan-riordain-geneviene-balroop-singh-bette-a-stevens-and-julia-benally/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-author-update-reviews-jacqui-murray-vandana-bhasin-and-smitha-vishwanath-anne-goodwin/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-monday-14th-october-nicholas-rossis-bookblurb-charles-f-french-with-robbie-cheadle-1984-and-susannah-leonard-hill-halloween-childrens-story-competition/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-tuesday-october-15th-d-g-kaye-astralplaning-alex-forshaw-click-training-babies-andrew-petcher-instagram-and-tourist-attractions/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/16/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-wednesday-october-16th-beetley-pete-bookreview-mary-smith-afghanistan-janet-gogerty-essentials/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-thursday-17th-october-c-s-boyack-with-roberta-eaton-cheadle-carol-taylor-pumpkins-and-jack-eason-politicians/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-friday-18th-october-annika-perry-bookreview-bienvenue-press-flash-with-sharon-marchisello-and-joelle-legendre-insomnia-humour/

 

 

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/smorgasbord-laughter-lines-comedian-in-residence-d-g-kaye-and-a-joke-from-sallys-archives-13/

 

 

 

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/smorgasbord-laughter-lines-comedian-in-residence-d-g-kaye-and-a-joke-or-two-from-sally/

 

Thank you very much for dropping in and all your support this week. I hope you will pop in next week thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Weekly Round Up – First Class Jazz, Guests, Food,Books with a dash of Humour thrown in..

Welcome to the weekly round up with some of the posts you might have missed on Smorgasbord..

This week has been interesting with the tail end of Lorenzo and with two more storm fronts rolling in behind it. I almost got my wish for my own swimming pool right outside the front door but thankfully we had one sunny day in the week and another today to evaporate some of the moisture. I have decided that my arthritis in my knee is actually rust and am going to see if the DIY hack of using WD40 might help.

But I cannot complain as the tiny pansies that I planted along with the mini cyclamens are thriving despite wind and rain and they are clearly Irish born and bred.

The week’s continue to fly by and hard to believe it is October, until you go into the supermarket and see that Quality Street is back in tins, two for a tenner and frozen turkey’s are on special! They do draw the line at mentioning the ‘C’ word but any week now..

Anyway… here are the posts from the week and thanks to the contributors who give up their time and offer their expertise to us all.. and to you for your continued support.

This week William Price King shares the life and music of Bill Evans, American Jazz pianist and composer (1929 – 1980).

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-the-music-column-with-william-price-king-bill-evans-jazz-pianist-and-composer/

Author Robbie Cheadle has been sharing  The York Chocolate story with us, following her recent trip to the UK. The York Chocolate Series Part Four – Chocolate in wartime First World War 1914 – 1918

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-guest-writer-robbie-cheadle-the-york-chocolate-series-part-four-chocolate-in-wartime-first-world-war-1914-1918/

Annette Rochelle Aben takes us through the Universal Energy of October… what does it hold in store for you?

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-your-universal-energy-for-october-with-annette-rochelle-aben/

The series continues after the summer break with a look at the minerals we can become deficient in… this week we feature Calcium and Carol Taylor whips up a couple of great recipes to make sure you and your family are getting sufficient.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/02/smorgasbord-health-column-cook-from-scratch-to-prevent-nutritional-deficiencies-with-sally-cronin-and-carol-taylor-minerals-calcium/

Silvia Todesco shares the recipe for a wonderfully warming autumn soup..Orange Creamy Butternut..

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-italian-cookery-with-silvia-todesco-orange-creamy-butternut-squash-soup-energize-your-mood-and-satisfy-your-palate/

Today my guest is Marian Longenecker Beaman talking about her recently released memoir Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-sunday-author-interview-marian-longenecker-beaman-and-an-excerpt-from-mennonite-daughter-the-story-of-a-plain-girl/

It is my mother’s birthday today and she would have been 102. Goodness knows what mischief she would have been up to if still with us, but I have a feeling that she is probably with my father and has got him suited and booted and going to a dinner dance tonight. Happy Birthday Mollie Eileen (The Duchess) 1917 – 2012

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/05/smorgasbord-posts-from-my-archives-happy-birthday-mollie-eileen-the-duchess-1917-2012/

Imogen heads off to the wilds of Cornwall to start working at Killbilly Hotel… with a very spooky welcome..Chapter Fifteen – Killbilly Hotel, Cornwall and a Gothic Welcome.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/05/just-an-odd-job-girl-serialisation-chapter-fifteen-killbilly-hotel-in-cornwall-and-a-gothic-welcome/

The new job begins training up the staff for the opening weekend party. Chapter Sixteen.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/just-an-odd-job-girl-serialisation-chapter-sixteen-the-new-job-begins-at-the-killbilly-hotel-sally-cronin/

This week it is poet’s choice for Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 147 and since time is whizzing faster than I can keep up with… I thought I would remind you just what October is really all about…time to get prepared for the night of reckoning….The Spell by Sally Cronin

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/smorgasbord-poetry-colleen-chesebros-tuesday-tanka-challenge-poets-choice-double-etheree-the-spell-by-sally-cronin/

Delighted to share my review for the latest children’s book by Eloise de Sousa.. Space Dust which is available in print.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/05/smorgasbord-book-reviews-by-sally-cronin-childrens-space-dust-by-eloise-de-sousa/

Getting yourself noticed locally – Media

Despite the fact that it is very difficult to get the attention of the mainstream media, I still believe that you should make every effort to get your book noticed.  If you have done everything right – well written, edited, formatted and produced either in print, E-book or both, then it deserves your best shot.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/05/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-book-marketing-getting-yourself-noticed-locally-media-and-bookshops-sally-cronin/

New Book on the Shelves

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-viral-blues-the-hat-book-2-by-c-s-boyack/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-poetry-the-new-asylum-by-frank-prem/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/02/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-sci-fi-preorder-andorra-pett-and-her-sister-by-richard-dee/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-irishfiction-under-a-dark-cloud-by-mary-crawley/

Author Update #Reviews

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-author-updates-reviews-miriam-hurdle-jessica-norrie-cynthia-reyes-and-gwendolyn-plano/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/sallys-cafe-and-bookstore-author-update-reviews-colleen-m-chesebro-sally-harris-and-sandra-j-jackson/

In her second post, Linda Thompson shares her encounter with Donna C… who matured faster than her fellow schoolmates and had two elder sisters to give her a head start. Linda also has some wisdom to share on body image.. Thank you, Donna C., Wherever You Are

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-new-bloggers-on-the-scene-thank-you-donna-c-wherever-you-are-humour-on-body-image-adolescence-by-linda-thompson/

This is the third post of Melanie Stewart who blogs at Leaving the Door Open: A Daughter’s stories about an aging parent.  In this post, Melanie’s mother faces the loss of a friend who had become like a sister to her. Saying Goodbye, a Story of a Friendship

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/02/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-new-bloggers-on-the-scene-melanie-m-stewart-saying-goodbye-a-story-of-a-friendship/

This is the third  post from Peter Mohan who blogs at Cheers, Govanhill .  In this post witty observations on the absurdity of modern life. I’m not going to Polmadie at this time of night

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-newbloggers-im-not-going-to-polmadie-at-this-time-of-night-cheers-govanhill/

 

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-tuesday-october-1st-2019-challenge-special-colleen-chesebro-d-wallace-peachcharli-mills-and-carol-j-foster/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-thursday-october-3rd-2019-amy-m-reade-jennie-fitzkee-and-mary-smith/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-friday-october-4th-2019-pete-springer-beth-i-didnt-have-my-glasses-on-janet-gogerty-and-jim-borden/

The Female Reproductive System – The fertile years 10 – 50 years old. In this third part of the series on the female reproductive system a look at some of the health issues that might occur in the 40 years that it is active.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/smorgasbord-health-column-the-female-reproductive-system-an-overview-of-health-issues-sally-cronin/

In  part two of this series I looked at diet from two to seven years old with the emphasis on  developing a healthy immune system in a relatively short window of time. This week I look at declining activity levels for this age group.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/02/smorgasbord-health-column-the-obesity-epidemic-part-three-finding-a-point-to-intervene-in-the-life-cycle-2-to-7-years-old-activity-sally-cronin/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/smorgasbord-laughter-lines-comedian-in-residence-d-g-kaye-and-a-joke-from-sallys-archives-8/

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/smorgasbord-laughter-lines-comedian-in-residence-d-g-kaye-and-a-joke-from-sallys-archives-9/

Thank you for dropping in and I hope you have a fantastic week ahead… Sally.

Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Tuesday Tanka Challenge – Poet’s Choice #Double Etheree – The Spell by Sally Cronin

This week it is poet’s choice for Colleen’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge 147 and since time is whizzing faster than I can keep up with… I thought I would remind you just what October is really all about…time to get prepared for the night of reckoning….

The Spell by Sally Cronin

Step
into
October.
The month when those
who live in shadows
stir in unholy crypts.
Plans are afoot for mischief.
The victims are those that breathe air,
can survive the bright glare of sunlight,
and are unaware of the doom to come.
But there is a spell to thwart the demons.
Potent when spoken by a young child,
more so when they are in costume
with fangs and a devil’s tail.
So remember humans
on that special night
always respond
not with trick
but with
treat.

©Sally Cronin 2019

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge here is the link again: https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/10/01/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-147-poetschoice/

Thank you for dropping in and I hope that you have enjoyed this week’s response.. thanks Sally