Welcome To My Blog!

Things happen. The ceiling starts dripping, My dog chews up another glove. COVID shows up. And off and on my website doesn't let me blog! But here I am months after trying to fix it and hopefully this entry will actually show up this time! I call these "life...

Win one of my autographed books! Enter this challenge by Saturday Oct 31 at midnight. Rules: write 75 word (can be less, but no more) Halloween story with a character, a scary problem and a surprise ending. Send it to me: mary@marybleckwehl.com  and happy...

Does your child ask you to tell them a bedtime story? Are you a writer in need of a nudge or support? Has COVID alone time grown old and you find yourself longing for someone to share your ideas with? and I'm not talking zoom time! Here's an idea that fits all ages...

If you notice the date of my last blog entry it was 8 months ago. It's not because I forgot about blogging. I thought about it often. The reasons I didn't write an entry are numerous. Taking care of a high maintenance dog, spending the fall contacting and...

I am a children's author. No matter what voice I am using, I am challenged to get into the role so I can see, smell, taste, feel and hear like that character. Yes, even if I'm writing about a chick with a seeing problem, which is one of many stories I'm working on...

It's the week of the Fourth of July. Usually I'm picking strawberries, planning a cook-out, and thinking about what the perfect location is to watch local fireworks (if I can get the dog calmed down-she DOES NOT like the boomers). But two days ago, our kitchen remodel...

I have been in schools every day this week and am headed to one soon. Sometimes I'm an author presenter and sometimes I'm a substitute teacher. Having taught for many years, it never gets easier and it never gets less rewarding. Here's to all my teachers, especially...

https://marybleckwehl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/IMG_5531-300×225.jpg

It's not easy to stand out and get noticed unless you are willing to rob a bank and get caught on the surveillance camera. Then you can become an overnight sensation. If you're looking for a slightly more positive way to be recognized, it takes  talent, perseverance...

We don't like to hear those two words in the same sentence. Monday I visited a school in my home town in Iowa. I did my usual presentations-first to a lively group of 3-6 year olds, then to grades 2-4 and finally 5-6th graders. I shared my author journey, did some...

Maurice Sendak--Kids don't know about best sellers. It's why I like them. Liking kids isn't very hard is it? They are cute, sweet, new, innocent, lovable, loud, ornery, mean, snotty, brats... WHOA there! What happened to the liking kids part you say?  Hey, I had to...

When I taught first grade, I gave my students 15-20 minutes of DEAR time every day. DEAR stood for Drop Everything and Read. I've heard this time when students sit and read called many things: SSR (Sustained Silent Reading), DIRT (Daily Independent Reading Time),...

Spending two days with 140 preschoolers at GDK (God's Discovery Kids) preschool is a whirlwind experience. As the director said, "It's a day of chaotic joy" to spend time with these little people. You've got someone saying they have to go potty in the middle of my...

It's not really Christmas until I've created something with my own hands to give as a gift. And I'm not one to really follow a pattern or the recipe. I like putting my own touch on things. Over the years, it's been jewelry, knitted scarves, candles, pinterest ideas...

It is the most wonderful time of the year but it's busy isn't it? Shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, recitals, parties, family gatherings, cleaning, Christmas programs and on and on. In the middle of it all, we are all doing our regular jobs, walking the dog, and...