Posts in the My Own Backyard Category at Mental Mosaic: Even Home is a Travel Destination

Barbie Cow: You found me how?
My Own Backyard

Barbie Cow: You found me how?

You found me how? Most of the time, new readers find this blog by searching for travel-related terms, such as …Read the Rest

Traveler’s Show & Tell: From Favelas to Faceburger
My Own Backyard

Traveler’s Show & Tell: From Favelas to Faceburger

Welcome to the January 21, 2012 edition of Traveler’s Show and Tell. This week’s Traveler’s Show and Tell blog carnival …Read the Rest

Transatlantic Cruise Sunsets and How I was Inspired by a Vacuum Cleaner Salesman
My Own Backyard

Transatlantic Cruise Sunsets and How I was Inspired by a Vacuum Cleaner Salesman

One of the first things people ask when I tell them I’m a writer is, “Where do you get your ideas?” I find this kinda funny, because to me, ideas are like spores; they are everywhere, but seem invisible until they suddenly pop up into your mind like tiny mushrooms. For instance, I recently wrote “Is Transatlantic Cruising Right for You?” for The Traveler’s Way. Where did I get that idea? From a conversation I had with a vacuum cleaner salesman.

Traveler’s Show & Tell: Road Trips, Layovers and Wanderlust
My Own Backyard

Traveler’s Show & Tell: Road Trips, Layovers and Wanderlust

Welcome to the January 7, 2012 edition of Traveler’s Show and Tell. This week’s Traveler’s Show and Tell blog carnival …Read the Rest

Seven Links Challenge: Tag – I’m It!
My Own Backyard

Seven Links Challenge: Tag – I’m It!

I am not sure who started the 7 Links Challenge, but I was recently tagged by Susan Silver of Cirque du Mot. (Thanks, Susan!) Here are links to posts on Mental Mosaic that are: the most beautiful, the most popular, the most controversial, the most helpful, surprisingly successful, and the most overlooked. I’ve also tagged several bloggers to take the Seven Link Challenge for themselves.

Predictions: Which came true for 2011, and what’s in store for 2012?
My Own Backyard

Predictions: Which came true for 2011, and what’s in store for 2012?

My Prediction Tradition As I’ve mentioned here before, when my step-daughter was little our New Year’s traditions included writing down …Read the Rest

Resound11: How Instagr.am and an iPhone Rocked My World in 2011
My Own Backyard

Resound11: How Instagr.am and an iPhone Rocked My World in 2011

Taking photos is a big part of my life, so it’s really hard to call one single photo “the best one.” Plus, I like different photos for different reasons. Some are great because they transport me back to a special memory, some are artsy, and some just make me laugh. I especially enjoy photos that wake me up to overlooked beauty, such as a photo I recently took of dried cocoa powder in the bottom of my coffee mug. That dirty dish is a piece of beauty I might have overlooked if I had been sleepwalking through the day and had plopped it into the sink without truly seeing it. So, with all that in mind, here’s the photo I’ve chosen as my best of 2011.

Reverb11: Community in my Kitchen (and the best sugar cookie recipe ever!)
My Own Backyard

Reverb11: Community in my Kitchen (and the best sugar cookie recipe ever!)

Community in my kitchen I could fill several blog entries talking about all the places I have experienced community in …Read the Rest

Reverb11: Santa Meets Synchronicity
My Own Backyard

Reverb11: Santa Meets Synchronicity

Santa Meets Synchronicity What with getting married in the spring and finally unpacking stuff I’ve been carting from one storage …Read the Rest

Resound11: Synesthesia is my Superpower
My Own Backyard

Resound11: Synesthesia is my Superpower

Synesthesia is my Superpower I chose Synesthesia as my superpower because, while I find it a positive quality, it is …Read the Rest

Reverb11: My Fear of Driving
My Own Backyard

Reverb11: My Fear of Driving

Reverb11 prompt: Fear The Reverb11 prompt I’ve chosen for today’s post comes from Coach Jennie a.k.a. @CoachJennie, on Twitter, in …Read the Rest

Reverb11: Balancing the Virtue-Flaw Continuum
My Own Backyard

Reverb11: Balancing the Virtue-Flaw Continuum

The Virtue-Flaw Continuum Have you ever noticed how people’s virtues directly link to their flaws? Look closely, and you’ll see …Read the Rest

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