Barbara V Evers

Giraffes watching for their treats © Barbara V. Evers, All rights reserved. If we travel to a spot that offers a zoo or wild animal park with giraffe exhibits, my husband knows we are going to add that to our itinerary.  A few years ago, we visited Virginia Safari Park which provides an above-ground stand where you can feed the giraffes.  Of course, we were going to do this! The day we went, I led my husband straight to the giraffe habitat.  We purchased the feed, and I stood face-to-face with these beautiful animals for quite some time.  My husband endures this for me, but I know he wants to see the rest of the animals (as do I), so eventually we took the drive through the safari park.  Of course, once we finished the trek, we returned to the giraffe habitat. I wanted a photograph of me feeding the giraffes, and two giraffes remained at the stand, gaze glued on the treats in my hand. Digital cameras take a few moments to reset for the next pict...

Thank you to everyone who commented on my interview with author, David Burnsworth. The winner of the free, autographed copy of Southern Heat is... Drum roll, please. Marion Aldridge. Congratulations Marion! If you haven't seen my message requesting your mailing address, please respond so we can send your book to you. Preparing for this announcement got me thinking about contests of luck, and, in particular, my own experiences with them.  Sometime in my early twenties, my mom told me I was lucky.  When I asked her why, she said because I always win. The Prize Egg! From her perspective, I get it.  I wasn't even looking for the prize Easter egg at the church picnic.  I was fifteen.  Little children ran around looking for eggs, not me.  All I wanted was something to serve as third base in an impromptu softball game.  Underneath the stray board I picked up lay the most amazing egg I'd ever seen.  I took it to where my parents sat wit...

This week, I'm excited to share a recent interview with author, David Burnsworth .  In his debut mystery, Southern Heat , we meet Brack Pelton--widower, ex-military, risk-taker, and a bit damaged.   When his only close relative is killed, Brack dives into a murder mystery that reveals the seedy side of life in Charleston, SC, among the wealthy and on the other side of the tracks.  This book overflows with intriguing characters and situations.  You won't be able to put it down. NOTE:  David will be giving away a signed copy of his book to one lucky commenter on this post. You've mentioned that your wife encouraged you to write.  Can you tell us a little about why she did this? What led to her suggestion? First of all, thanks for letting me be a part of your blog. My wife, Patty, is a very driven person. She really has a passion for what she does, which is in the field of logistics. During our courtship, she realized I wasn ’ t very happy wi...

Quilt made by my great grandmother © Barbara V. Evers, All rights reserved Life follows patterns.  You might not recognize it during the unfolding of a pattern, but, as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.  For me the patterns surface in odd ways.  If I run into someone I worked with in a previous company, it's like the floodgates open, and I start running into several people from that company, people I haven't seen in years. In training, requests for particular topics often follow trends.  Over the last few months, I've seen an increase in requests for the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This assessment allows people to understand their behavior as well as the behaviors of those around them.  It's one of my favorite topics to train, and I enjoy watching the workshop participants as they begin to apply  the concepts to their understanding of each other. Interestingly, this trend has extended beyond my typical business clients to include church and...