Wishing You a Bouquet of Dandelions

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Dandelions.

We've known about these sunny yellow flowers since our toddler selves picked them for our moms. As kids, we obeyed Mother Nature and scattered their fun seeds everywhere.

Our adult selves rarely see them as pretty or fun. They’re a lawn pest. They grow back. And they multiply like bunnies.

A few weeks ago, I learned something positive about them. Dandelions are now my inspiration. Yes, you read that correctly.

Forget the perky one above and its seedy sister.

Look at this one.

Old. Bedraggled. Pulled from the warm earth it called home. Left to wither and die on the cold, hard concrete. It refused. Instead, its flower spikes turned upward in defiance.

It had made it's first appearance a little before Christmas. Live-In Handyman had pulled it during one of our spring-like January days that were followed by days of cold and rain.

When I took this photo, the dandelion had been lying on our patio for about a week. All total, the dandelion lay there for at least ten days, probably more like two weeks before Live-In took pity on it (translate that to mean the next warm day) and stuffed it into a trash bag. Had I known this dandelion had such heart, I would've taken more photos.

This dandelion refused to die. I wondered if it would send roots into the concrete. I'll bet it was trying to break through.

We can learn a lot from this mere weed, determination and desire among them.

So when life's problems get you down or you never hear back from the agent who gushed over your novel at the conference, remember the dandelion.

Keep your head up, plaster a smile on your face, and get to work on the next greatest thing, whether that's your life, your health, your next idea, or the next sentence.

If a dandelion can do it, so can you.

Dandelions = Determination

Also, since it's the first Monday in February, it's time to tell you about the new contest on my website. This month, the author is Nancy G. West. Nancy and I have been writer friends for several years. All her stories are filled with mystery, humor, and romance. They'll have you laughing out loud. For real.

Nancy is giving away the winner’s choice of any of her ebooks to THREE lucky winners.

Here's a little bit about Nancy's books:

Nancy was writing NINE DAYS TO EVIL, Meredith Laughlin's story of psychological suspense, Shakespeare, and nonstop-action, which won the Blether Gold Award. But a funny thing happened. Meredith's graduate school friend, Aggie Mundeen, with her wry sense of humor, demanded that Nancy write a book about her. Or maybe a series. The result was the Aggie Mundeen Mystery series.

FIT TO BE DEAD #1, was a Lefty Award Finalist for Best Humorous Mystery.

DANG NEAR DEAD #2, named a "Must Read" by Southern Writers Magazine, depicts love, mischief and murder in the Texas Hill Country.

In SMART, BUT DEAD #3, Aggie, still single, pushing forty and getting desperate, returns to the university to study how genes affect aging. Can scientists change her genes to keep her young? She gets a professor who dislikes her, stumbles on a campus corpse and lands in jail. Detective Sam is not pleased. (2015 release.) 

Anyone who has tried to start over, get in shape, stumbled into trouble or loved the wrong man will appreciate Aggie Mundeen. 

Meredith and Detective Sam reappear in all of Aggie's books. She needs their help.

You can learn more about Nancy at her website: http://www.nancygwest.com/.

To enter, click the big WIN button at the top of my right sidebar. It takes you directly to the contest page on my website. Read the rules, Choose the answer to the question about the photo, fill out the entry form, and click Submit.

Winners will be chosen after 6 p.m. on February 28.