Check out my new Updates on the Patreon App!

The free Patreon App gives me a chance to show you update photos and videos–on the fly.

I just uploaded the first one! Some photos and a video of our snow-pocalypse and some of my travel items. 

A teaser photo for you: 
(Yes, it hardly shows you anything too well, so you get excited to see the real thing!)
If you want to ask me questions, I’ll answer them in future update installments!

The App is available for iOS and Android. Once you download it, find Spark My Muse and become a sponsor (if you aren’t already). Then you won’t miss a thing. The updates go away after 24 hours.  Eek.

($1 sponsors will get some updates, and $5 sponsors, and up, will get everything I create.)

Special End-of-Summer News and Updates Episode

Here’s a picture of me “at the office” as I write this post. I love creating episodes and posts for you, and it’s especially nice to do it outdoors…but I’m going to need a hoodie…more on that later.

hammock offic

 

This short Sunday episode contains news and info.

I’m debuting my new microphone for you to hear. Tell me if you can hear the difference!


A few Episodes are already in the queue, but after those air, you will hear a much richer and higher quality sound demonstrated in this short episode! Many thanks for your kind response to my need for financial support. I still need to buy more monthly space at the audio hosting site, but it is a landmark accomplishment to upgrade my mic and I had to share my joy, gratitude, (and the new and improved sound) with you!

 

newmic

 

In September, I will launch a Slack Community just for us!

Slack allows you to connect and collaborate much like Facebook but without all the ads and baloney.

At the Spark for Creatives community, we will be able to share, talk about the podcast topic of the week, connect, collaborate, communication, trade notes, and encourage each other in our communication and creative endeavors.

If you’re calling involves creating or communicating, welcome to your tribe!

(If you feel like reading political, religious, or societal rants, seeing posts from only about 12 people, being inundating with horrible news stories, seeing animated GIFs, playing Pet Saga, or looking at adverts from the places you just visited online, you will still have Facebook to turn to.)

• You must be subscribed to my email update list to get the application to join.

• You can join this community for free if you start as a charter member. In the future there will be a few special access areas, education options, and premium groups options that will be paid add-ons or features, too.

 

Subscribe to the mailing list for the chance to apply (and you also get the latest audio episode links delivered to you, 2-3 times per month.)

* indicates required



Email Format


It’s getting chilly. Time for a cozy hoodie (ends SEPT 7th! These are on sale to finance the show and ordering ends soon: SEPTEMBER 14th.

Click to see all the color and style options, including t-shirts if you like to layer! I hope you stay all snuggly warm as you listen to the shows I’m making for you!

sparktshirts

An inside peek to summer 2015

Look a regular blog post…wow!

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If you’ve visited this website over the years, you probably noticed that I’ve usually published a post (article) about 2-3 times per week. Not so this year.

I’m broadening and enhancing my own process of creation this year; I learned how to podcast and I’ve been releasing audio here (and on iTunes and Stitcher) each Wednesday since late April.

• Some fantastic guests have been on the show and some wonderful ones will be coming on the show soon and it’s going to be a lot of fun!

For tiny glimpse…Mako Fujimura, Shane Claiborne, and Nicole Unice will be guests in the next weeks and months, (and plenty more who aren’t as famous but super insightful and interesting as well).

Because, I’ve had the unique experience of working at a winery and vineyard, I have also included a “wine education” segment each show.

• After episode 15, I’ll be pulling that segment out, and adding it back in when (and if) listeners submit questions about wine that they want me to cover on the show.

• I send out an update newsletter 2-3 times per month to alert you to shows and new stuff. So, if you are not on the list…please sign up! (HERE)

 

Other things I should mention.

• I will be making some things available for patrons only. (sponsors)

Extras, documents, resources, transcripts and other goodies are to be included.

See how to get in on that here.

• I’m hosting a relaxing retreat and gathering for creatives. There’s just 10 spots.
Want to come? Find out more here.

• I have a little summer challenge for you. See if it sparks your creative muse.
Question Quest

• I’m deciding whether or not to release two episodes per week. I need to hear from you. Does one seem like enough, or would you enjoy a double scoop? :)

Will there still be blog posts?

Yes. A few times per month…plus….

• Video updates.

(That’s the plan anyway.)

So, I’d like to hear from you.

1. What are your favorite things here at the site?

2. Which podcasts have you like the most? (and why?)

3. What’s missing?

(Do you have suggestions? I’d like to hear them! Just leave your comments below or contact me privately, here.)

The Berry on the Vine? (Wine Series)

I plan to take this series and broadcast it…as a podcast!

The Spark My Muse podcast is coming in May and a “wine for newbies” segment will be on every show.

Two shows are finished so far, and a few more will be completed before it launches officially.
Stay alert for updates!


 

If you want to make sure the podcast can happen as planned, you can help.

Be a patron!

See how on my new Patreon Page!

Each level has special rewards.

It only takes $1 to help.

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Be a patron! click here to see the page.

So, about those grapes!

Grapes are actually classified as a berry. They are berry cool.
(shout out to Strawberry Shortcake, yo!)

What’s so interesting about grapes is that only taste like grapes if they are eaten fresh or squeezed into (unfermented) grape juice at just the right time, with few exceptions.

• Fermented grapes seldom taste likes grapes (among those few exceptions are Muscat, Niagara, and Concord).

• Instead, once grapes are wine they taste like a whole variety of fruits and other things.

The chemical compounds in fermented grapes are even more complex than blood serum and taste far better (unless you’re a vampire).2854238804_a8b92961e9_z

Wine takes on characteristics of many different sorts of fruits, depending on the variety and where they have been cultivated. Additional taste notes happen during fermenting, refining, filtering, aging, and so on, done by the vintner (wine-maker).

Here’s a very short list of the many fruit notes (subtle tastes) that fermented grapes can offer in both sweet and dry (non sweet) types of wine.

Citrus Fruits:

lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, etc…

Pome Fruits:

Apple, pear, quince, etc….

Stone Fruits:

Peach, plum, apricot, etc….

Tropical Fruits:

Mango, pineapple, star fruit, passion fuit, papaya, etc….

Seed Fruits:

Pomegranate, persimmons, etc….

Berries:

Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, blueberry, etc…

Wine takes on other qualities too, such as vegetal notes, herbal notes, mineral notes, and many more.

Never underestimate the grape!

Do you have a question about wine?

Ask me!

“Survey says!” (7 second Survey results of 2014)

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

 

Did you take the survey? Thank you!

A few weeks ago I created this The 7 Second Survey to see who was reading this blog and what you like best.

 

Screen Shot 2014-02-21 at 1.49.59 PMFINDING #1

I was going to post much more heavily on the thing that brings in the $ in my “day job” this year. I was hoping to get more work and inspire other creators and writers like me.

That’s right, Marketing Communications tips and tactics. But, it appears my reader base is mostly the original one from my first blogging efforts in 2007. Overwhelmingly so.

That’s probably good news, and honestly, it surprised me.

So, I will not discard the topics and theme that started it all!

Once per week, at the very least, I will hit on a spiritual topic. It may be anything from a Christian spiritual practice, to theology, to Christian living, or personal and spiritual transformation and improvement. If that’s how you found me, and that’s why you visit, I’m glad I know better now!

Also, I will be a bit more aware of including my brand of humor, which as you may know, I have determined as “damp”. (i.e. Almost dry humor)

(Please note that unlike many “Christian author” websites, I will very rarely step into the fray of controversy so commonly seen on religious blogs. I just don’t have the stomach for it anymore…for a while now, really. I find it 95% shallow and disheartening. If you like that stuff, you have plenty of options, though, and I hope you find what you like for that.)

 

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FINDING # 2

Another thing I learned is that I don’t have too many folks who come by to read more than once per week, even though I post 2-3 times per week. Now, I’m wondering if I’m writing too much. Maybe. Or maybe you should come back more often!

I’m guessing that there are two possible solutions, or three, to cope with that:

1. I can encourage you, my dear readers, to list the blogs you read through the super handy free reader service called Feedly which houses posts you haven’t read yet. It works like a catalogue of awesomeness. No more bookmarks and time-killing web surfing. You just paste in the websites you like, and boom, they’re all in one place. The best part, no more relying on your memory to visit a few times a week. What a relief! (Can you tell I use it?)

2. I can encourage you to get email delivery through free Feedburner service (top right sidebar)…for no more silly and random blog searches and relying on your memory.

3. Don’t sweat it.

(I’m doing all three.)

FINDING #3

The third question was open ended…”fill in the blank style”. About half of the respondents left something to answer the question:

“What would you improve at the website?”

The funniest one (or whatever) was…

“Use spellchecker.”

As if I don’t.

…Yes. This site is full of mistakes. Typos. Proofreading issues. Editing errors. Etc. I try to hunt them down. I find plenty too late and some not at all.

If you see a problem that bothers you or you’d like to help me out, please use the contact button and let me know. I do like the help. :)

Also, I’m flawed and weak human–awash in imperfections. I’m more creative than I am a good speller or editor of my own work. If I ever have the money, I may hire someone for that. But, I’m doing #3 on this. (The “Don’t sweat it” option.)

In truth, I use this site as a sandbox. I build stuff. I sculpt the messy sand of words. I don’t worry too much. I would be creating posts even if no one came to read them. I cannot help it. At all.

It’s like this:

Sometimes you’ll find a few lincoln logs from the cat of imperfection here in my sandbox, as it were,

 

but hopefully more often you’ll find that what you’re reading is still worth it despite the shortcomings.

Anyway–
Thank you for reading and journeying with me through these years. I appreciate it immensely.

More great things are brewing!

The next post is here. It’s about the day I turn 42. The photo will give you a chuckle!

xo

-Lisa