Monday Morning Musings

Last Friday I felt good enough to go out in the back and putter a bit with my flowers. On my way to the side faucet to get some water, I noticed these little beauties growing along the fence.

This one looks like a teddy bear face.
This one could be a flower.

Thinking about a mushroom and whether it could be a flower, I decided to do some research. This is what I found on the site Encyclopedia of Life: “For those fungi that produce them, the mushroom plays a similar role to a flower or a fruit in plants. Some part of each mature mushroom produces microscopic spores that are similar to pollen or seeds, sometimes numbering in the trillions.”

Mushrooms assist in breaking down decaying wood, which is why we often see old tree stumps covered in them. This stump is in a neighbor’s yard.

I used to love to find unusual mushrooms in my pasture when I lived in the country. I had lots of decaying wood, as well as big animals who left “presents” in the pasture. That was ripe fodder for these fungi. Unfortunately, I never learned which of the mushrooms I found were edible, which is kind of silly now that I look back on it. I love mushrooms and have always had to buy them. Oh well…

Now some bits of trivia from Trivia Genius.

First up: Did you know that rhubarb is poisonous? I was shocked when that bit of info popped up in my mailbox. Here’s the skinny direct from Trivia Genius: “Rhubarb leaves contain about 0.5 grams of oxalic acid per 100 grams of leaves. The lethal level of oxalic acid is around 15-30 grams, so you’d be chewing on the bitter greens for quite a while before you suffered ill effects.”

So, this would not work as a method of killing someone in a murder mystery.  

Another question that came from Trivia Genuis is “What country produces the most movies.” I’m pleased I got the answer right. “In 2013, there were a record 7,610 feature films produced around the world, with India producing 1,724 of those. The United States followed, with 738 feature films.” 

Are you a fan of the movie “Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory?” I am, and I never knew exactly where the title came from until this from Trivia Genius: 9 Fascinating Facts About “Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory.” Apparently the Quaker Oats company invested a lot of money in the film and planned to release a new chocolate candy, the Wonka Bar. They thought the movie was a perfect marketing tool for the candy bar.

Did it work? Check out the article to see the answer, as well as the other interesting things about the film.

Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.” Madeleine L’Engle

This quote is from the site Inspiring Quotes and this one resonated with me because, well, first because she was an amazing author. Like me, she didn’t think we had to wait for our muse, but rather had the philosophy that one should just show up to write and inspiration will come. “Waiting for a bolt of creative lightning to strike,” she explained, “is a surefire way to never get started.”

That is so true for me and many other writers who just come to the keyboard and blank computer screen and start typing.

If you’ve never read A Wrinkle In Time, L’Engle’s most renowned book, I highly encourage you to give it a try.

Before I close, I want to remind folks who might be interested about the summer writing classes at Story Circle Network. There are lots to choose from, including mine on editing and rewriting. Other classes offered include one on memoir writing, writing book review, getting emotion into your story, and more. Check it out if you’re needing help with a work in progress, or you’re a new writer just getting started.

That’s all from me for today, folks. I hope you have a terrific week.

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