fbpx

C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

You are here: Home / Uncategorized / AtoZ Reflection and Happy Trails to You

AtoZ Reflection and Happy Trails to You

By

MY REFLECTIONS on the AtoZ Blog Challenge

There are some highly imaginative bloggers out there that turn their creativity into captivating moments or highly instructive ones. Either type of blog is great to me and I’ve enjoyed visiting each of them. I wish I could have visited more, but time . . . well, you all know about Time.

YAY! Here’s my badge for crossing the finish line.
Here are a few of my favorites. This is not a complete list by any means, but only a sampling. 
I learned so much about the lore of British Cookery from Hilary and she taught me about Pond Pudding. More about that in the near future.
D.L. Hammons had a great contest during this AtoZ. He posted bits about himself all month, and then gave his visitors a chance to win a prize if they answered quiz questions based on those posts. I didn’t get all the answers to his quiz, but I had fun trying.
Medeia Sharif featured a book each day by authors in alphabetical order. My book, Alligators Overhead, was very lucky to have a spot in one of her posts.
Mark Means updated me on all sorts of super-powered heroes. Some I’d never heard of before this Hop.
Bish Denham gave me a brief vacation to her beautiful island every day.
Laura Eno delighted me with her cat sayings and, of course, her Snarky Teas.
Al Diaz introduced me to his very special dragon cave with minions and dwarves and magic, so each day was special when I stopped in for a visit.
Samantha was a delight with her “What I’ve Learned” theme. 
Carol Kilgore made me want to read her book by giving me glimpses of her characters. Very clever theme.
There are so many I could mention, but another time–after I get some R & R and my head isn’t buzzing  alphabetical.   
Thanks again to Arlee Bird and Alex Cavanaugh and all who co-sponsored this year’s hop. It takes a lot of work and you made it smooth and easy for all of us.
The big news is that I already have my theme for next year. I feel like this smug pup or his twin, the president.
Now I’m mounting up on my trusty steed and riding off into the month of May. I’ll leave you with these Happy Trails lyrics, but you’ll have to hum the melody. 
Lyrics to “Happy Trails” by Dale Evans Rogers

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin’ until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again.

Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It’s the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here’s a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin’ until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again.

Comments

  4. Good for you for already having a theme picked out for next year! I have ideas, but won't know until much closer which I'll go with (or if it will be something completely different).

    Have a good blogging break! (I'm assuming from your Gone Fishing post above)

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

  5. I enjoyed my first trip on the A to Z Challenge. You visited my blog pretty much every day, so I wanted to give you a special thanks.

    Enjoy your rest and I hope your head quits buzzing the alphabet soon:)

  9. Happy trails to you, too! I will be singing that song all night now. πŸ™‚

    Congrats on completing the A-Z Challenge! I enjoyed your posts and loved trying to guess the words you would pick.

    Enjoy a break!
    ~Jess

  11. Congrats on finishing the challenge!
    I really looked forward to your visits, and your whacky, wonderful definitions. Thanks for playing along so faithfully, Lee! I had a blast! I've never ever laughed so much. Thanks for the entertainment!
    I think I missed lots of good themes… there was just no time… but I did follow DL's theme, and I won the $75 Amazon gift, so that means my TBR pile will be skyrocketing! Woo-hoo!
    The A to Z is special… so I'm sure that I'll be signing up for the challenge next year.

    Writer In Transit

  13. I saw a photo like that with George Lucas and an ewok. Very similar. lol

    Not sure if I'll do next years. At the moment, I think no. But who knows what I'll think by next spring. I don't.

  14. You're already planning next year's? Actually, I should probably get an early start too, might actually be prepared.

    mood

  15. Congrats on finishing! I saw some of the themes you mentioned but a few are new to me so I'm looking forward to checking those blogs out.

    Love the smug pup LOL.

  17. Thanks for that list, Lee. It's helpful. I see a few blogs I need to check out.

    "Happy Trails" is such a sweet, innocent song – much different from the *bleep* that's popular now.

    Be well.
    xoRobyn

  25. Greetings human, Lee,

    Yes, your wait is over. It's close to three in the morning and my human has to get up at five in the morning. So, lucky human, you are getting a comment from me, yes me, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!

    All those amazing bloggers you mention. To think they, along with you brought further awareness of the alphabet with 26 letters.

    On an almost bordering on serious note, our alternative, sometimes satirical postings, were hopefully light relief for those who might of been having trouble coping with it, or just wanted a bit of a distraction.

    Anyway, well done to you and to all those who participated in a challenge we would never do. Thank goodness it's May and we have blogland back! πŸ™‚ Happy trails to you, Lee.

    Pawsitive wishes,

    Penny the Jack Russell dog, from the anarchic alternative alphabet astounding adventure and official anti-A to Z spokesdog! πŸ™‚

  26. I'm so glad my cats and snarky teas could entertain you. πŸ™‚ I'm REALLY looking forward to your pond pudding challenge!
    You already have next year's theme? Wow!

  27. Thank you for the shout out! I'm glad you enjoyed my theme and I so enjoyed yours!

    You already have a theme?! It will take many more naps before I come up with mine…

  28. You're so right…there were a ton of great blogs to come across this challenge and I'm glad I found yours!

    Looking forward to what you come up with after you're back from the 'dusty trail' πŸ™‚

  29. Thanks for sharing some of what you learned during the challenge. There was soooooo much info out there, and so many interesting posts. Great fun!

  34. Awesome you got so much out of the challenge. And wow, that you know your theme for next year. I remember that song from watching the show as a kid. Shows how old I am, I guess.

  37. Hi Lee – yes our inter-relationship about dripping cream from teapots must be a blogging marriage made in Pond Pudding Heaven! More to follow as you say … I wonder if I can conjure other creative recipe exploits from the annals of my life! They be not springing to mind .. but creativity could be to the fore …

    I loved this year's A-Z .. my theme was easier and I relaxed and just decided the A-Z continues through the year .. I'll be across and meet friends in the A-Z universe.

    Your words made me laugh and cry at the descriptions and the photos .. while others had lists of films, books, gardens to visit, places to see – loved them all – way too many!

    Cheers – it was a fantastic time – Arlee's inspiration is just the best – Hilary

  38. You already have your theme!? That is awesome! I have a hard time committing to one theme so ideas bounce around my head all year, we will see what happens πŸ™‚
    It was fun, but I am very happy to have made it to the end! Enjoy May!

  40. You more than deserve a May blog-cation after the A-Z. And yay for you that you already know you loved it enough to go again next year!

  41. Hahahaha, that's a prize winning picture! I am extremely glad you liked the tour to the cave with dwarf hairballs and all. πŸ˜€

  42. It WAS a lot of fun and so amazingly varied! …and you've just posted about some blogs that I simply must visit this moment! Off to do so – and happy trails to YOU!