When my lovely blogging partners Raining Acorns and Carol-Ann asked me to join them in this adventure, I had no trouble coming up with my nom de plume, "Wide Open Spaces." It is the title of a Dixie Chicks song that seemed especially appropriate to me as I dipped my virtual toes into the waters of writing for an actual audience. Although the song is written about a young girl just starting out on her own, it also fit my 40-something stage of life.
When we began Raining Acorns, we had no idea where we would meander, just that we wanted to continue polishing the writing skills we worked on in the writing class where the three of us met. Over time, I found my voice on topics of substance (Memorial Day, melanoma awareness, Moving in Circles) and lighter fare - my minivan, an old Bride's magazine, and of course, Giada DeLaurentiis.
Just as much fun was seeing my partners explore their interests - learning about music, poetry, and Louisiana from Raining Acorns, dining in the dark, chalk paintings, and South Africa from Carol-Ann.
So while I may be taking a break from blogging with Raining Acorns, I do hope to continue to write in some fashion. And I am eager to hear what Carol-Ann and Raining Acorns have to say in the future.
This has been a great learning experience and a whole lot of fun for me. Sincere thanks to all of you who took the time to read what I had to say and comment on it. And my appreciation and thanks to my writing partners for including me on this journey.
Hi Everyone .. my brain has kicked in - and I realise only Wide Open Spaces is leaving the fold - good luck with all the roads ahead.
ReplyDeleteGlad Raining Acorns is still here as well as Carol-Ann .. tricky these co-hosted blogs!
Cheers and all the best to you all ..Hilary
Thanks for all of the smiles, WOS. I will miss reading your posts. All the best to you and please do keep on writing.
ReplyDeleteI realized now I should have included the lyrics to "Wide Open Spaces" Here are the first few verses:
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't know what I'm talking about
Who's never left home, who's never struck out
To find a dream and a life of their own
A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone
Many precede and many will follow
A young girl's dream no longer hollow
It takes the shape of a place out west
But what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed
[Chorus:]
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
So that's where you got that "handle"! In all this time, I never realized it (another alarming gap in my musical education now exposed). I'm very pleased you put up the lyrics, too. It's remarkable how apt this song is both to the start of our writing venture and now, at its end, which, as the song underscores, is just another beginning, after all.
ReplyDeleteWOS - I always meant to ask how you chose your blogging name!Thank you for giving us this lovely parting melody.
ReplyDelete