Pumpkins Memoir And A Bull Ride And A Radio Spot At The Rodeo

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Sherri Matthews

This time last year, we had just moved house.  What a difference a year makes.  We’ve painted, repaired and put up new fencing for starters. And Animal Farm has a new addition: a tiny ball of kitten naughtiness and heart melting cuteness, nine week old, Olive…

(Photo a bit blurred…she’s too quick, little rascal…)

(c) Sherri Matthews 2018

I found a place I thought would be good for growing pumpkins, my first attempt for twenty years since living in California. I got the seeds, germinated them indoors, then planted them out after the last frost and hoped for the best:

They grew and grew and by early October, had Eddie in a Halloween mood…

The seeds worked! We got our Pumpkin Patch…

Like those of you who garden, I’ve had a mix of triumphs and failures.  In California, I also grew zucchini (courgettes) with great success.  Until one year when gophers got to the roots and did for the lot of them.

Like writing.  It thrives and then it doesn’t.  It calls, sweetly, then whacks you like a fist to the eye. It holds you captive until you get that damn sentence written and you get it written right.  It turns you into a raving loon if you’re interrupted, but even when hours stretch out unhindered – ahh, the bliss – it doesn’t let up.

It’s passion gone mad; a lure to the edge; a messing of your mind.  You bleat on and on to all who would listen until their eyes glaze over and you know they’re thinking, for crying out loud, get the thing finished already and give us all some peace.

Exhilarating and punishing in equal measure and it has to be to get the job done.  Harvest time for the pumpkins, then for my memoir.

Meanwhile, back at the Rodeo, I’m proud and honoured to wear my beautiful Rodeo Leader badge for my contest, ‘Travel With A Twist’.  Thank you, Charli Mills!  And this week it’s time to saddle up for some bull riding at the Rodeo for the last, but certainly not the least, of the contests with D Avery, all details in the link below:

D Avery’s Rodeo #5:  Sound and Fury

Entries must be received by November 7, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Contest winner, second and third place entries announced here December 14, 2018.

Carrot Ranch is also running an exciting new bonus contest, open to all for a fantastic opportunity to win a cash prize and a radio spot advertising The Continental Fire Company, a proud sponsor of Carrot Ranch:

ATTENTION WRITERS: Bonus Rodeo: Old Time Radio remains open to enter through November 7 11:59 p.m. EST. There are THREE cash prizes and an opportunity to hear your story on the radio! Questions or concerns, contact the Lead Buckaroo.

Thank you again for supporting Rodeo, 2018, the response has been wonderful. The next part is the hard part for the judges.  Read here for a round-up of all the contests with dates of upcoming winner announcements. As a reminder, mine will post at the Ranch and here at the Summerhouse on Friday, November 30, and once again, good luck to all!

I’ll be back for a major catch up when I’ve crossed the finish line…until then…

Happy Halloween!

(c) Sherri Matthews 2018

 

 

About Sherri Matthews

Sherri is a British writer working on her second memoir while seeking publication of her first. Her work has appeared in magazines, anthologies and online as well as long/shortlisted and special mentioned in contests. Once upon a time and for twenty years, she lived in California. Today, she lives in England with her human family, owned by two black cats.
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60 Responses to Pumpkins Memoir And A Bull Ride And A Radio Spot At The Rodeo

  1. Sue says:
    October 31, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    Well grown, you! Pumpkin soup?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. insearchofitall says:
    October 31, 2018 at 3:22 pm

    Happy Halloween, Sherri! Love the new kitten and the successful pumpkin patch. Have never tried them myself. I get the words either flowing nicely or not at all.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • dr.davidsamadih says:
      November 1, 2018 at 3:25 pm

      Please try some, my dear friend. You will see the out come out it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • Sherri Matthews says:
      November 2, 2018 at 10:27 am

      Happy Halloween, Marlene! Lovely to hear from you…I’m chasing the finish line to get my memoir MS to an editor in a couple of weeks, so it’s all a bit manic at the moment, looking forward to catching up with you when I’m less crazed, ha. This is the second time I’ve grown pumpkins, last time over 20 years ago when the kids were little in CA, so I admit to being quite proud of this harvest 🙂 And yes…those words are a fickle thing, aren’t they? 🙂 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  3. Heyjude says:
    October 31, 2018 at 4:54 pm

    You grew ALL those pumpkins? I am very very impressed. Glad to see you are keeping well and that the family is growing 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Sherri Matthews says:
      November 2, 2018 at 10:25 am

      Hey Jude! Wow…high praise, thank you! Yes, I grew them all from seed, but our extraordinary heatwave did the trick, I’m sure. I did go a bit mad and planted too many, it was like Day of the Triffids at one point! But I got this lot, so I’m happy. Youngest carved three for jack o lanterns, of course 😉 Great to hear from you…I’ve been MIA for while, but hanging on by a thread, just! Wrapping up my rewrites for my date with an editor in a couple of weeks…it’s really happening! Hope all is well with you and yours, I’ll be over to catch up properly when I’ve landed… 🙂 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. D. Avery @shiftnshake says:
    October 31, 2018 at 6:34 pm

    Congratulations on a fine harvest of pumpkins and prose. It’s been quite a rodeo already. I hope a few folks have some stamina left for these last two contests.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  5. anotherday2paradise says:
    November 1, 2018 at 2:09 am

    Great pumpkin harvest, Sherri. Happy Halloween. 😘🎃

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  6. Charli Mills says:
    November 1, 2018 at 4:15 am

    May your words prosper as well as your pumpkins! Your darling feline muses sense how close you are, write, write, write! Thank you for taking time in your crazy-busy schedule to lead at the Rodeo and push our last contests. It’s been an excellent ride! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. watchingthedaisies says:
    November 1, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    Happy Halloween Sherri. I love your kitten and your pumpkins. 🌼

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. purpleslob says:
    November 2, 2018 at 2:12 pm

    Those pumpkins are gorgeous, Sherri!!
    I’m excited for your success with growing them!!
    <3, Melinda

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. Genny says:
    November 2, 2018 at 6:03 pm

    Olive is so adorable and great job on the pumpkins! We tried growing some mini ones this year and got a couple. Hope you had a Happy Halloween! Love and miss you, Genny

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Sherri Matthews says:
      November 5, 2018 at 10:03 am

      Hi Genny! Love hearing about your pumpkins, how fun! We had a quiet but fun Halloween…hope you did too! Little Olive is a delight, albeit a very naughty one! Love & miss you too…thank you so much for your lovely message, huge hugs ❤ xoxo

      Like

      Reply
  11. Marje @ Kyrosmagica says:
    November 3, 2018 at 9:05 pm

    Wow that’s some harvest of pumpkins Sherri! Love your badge too. It’s been fun joining in with some of the flash competitions. Hope you had a lovely Halloween. X

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Sherri Matthews says:
      November 5, 2018 at 9:57 am

      Thanks, Marje!! Thrilled you’ve been able to enter some of the contests…I’m hoping to get in with the last one…but might be pushing it. We had a quiet Halloween after all that… but more sweets for us, right? 😉 Hope you had fun…glad you liked the pumpkins! xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  12. Andrea Stephenson says:
    November 3, 2018 at 10:02 pm

    I’m very impressed by your pumpkin patch Sherri, what a great harvest! And Olive is soooo cute.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Hugh's Views and News says:
    November 4, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    A big welcome to Olive. I bet she’s keeping you busy, Sherri? And well done on the success of growing pumpkins. We also had a successful crop of them this year, although only three came to fruit. They are sat just outside our living room window. They certainly signify that Autumn is well and truly here.
    Wishing you many more happy years in your new home. I don’t know where that year went.
    Hugs
    xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Sherri Matthews says:
      November 5, 2018 at 9:49 am

      Hi Hugh! Ha…yes, sweet Olive, she’s definitely keeping me on the run, in an adorable, very naughty kittenish way 😀 Oh I love that you have a pumpkin patch too, I didn’t know you grew them, how wonderful they are for the autumn season, this time of year is wonderful, isn’t it? This year has flown by, scarily so. Aww…thank you so much, Hugh…we’re so very grateful for finally settling down again…and breathe 🙂 And now to the Rodeo! Big hugs right back! 🙂 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  14. dgkaye says:
    November 5, 2018 at 12:37 am

    Your pumpkin patch is gorgeous Sher, way to go girl! And congrats on the badge! I managed to get into 3 challenges and am excited to start hearing results! What a fabulous Rodeo it’s been. ❤ Hugs and more hugs! xxxx 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. TanGental says:
    November 5, 2018 at 4:43 pm

    seriously? That’s your crop? Geez, you’re good! I’m in awe

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. robbiesinspiration says:
    November 7, 2018 at 5:41 pm

    Your pumpkins grew so well, Sherri. Ours are different here in South Africa, they have thin skins and are much flatter and fatter.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. evelyneholingue says:
    November 9, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    Wow! Your pumpkins are as great as California pumpkins, Sherri. Your own patch, indeed. Your kitten is adorable, too.
    Yes, a year in a new home makes a huge difference as you write. Hope all is well for you, and for yoru writing projects too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. Norah says:
    May 17, 2019 at 5:20 am

    How did I miss this one at the time?! Love those pumpkins. They are made all the more effective with the little rascal in the photo and then the gorgeous painting. The rodeo was fun. I guess the next is on its way. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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