Restaurant Review of Go Fish Marina Bar and Grill

On the banks of the Mississippi River in Princeton, Iowa sits a delightful and delicious restaurant called Go Fish Marina Restaurant and Bar. Or simply “Go Fish” as the locals call it. 

Go Fish is built up on stilts like a lot of coastal property due to flooding. It has a good size indoor seating area, a bar, and a lovely outdoor deck.  The deck has tables with umbrellas and a covered Cabana. The restaurant bar also opens to the outside deck. 

On warm days, the outside deck is an especially delightful place to eat ~ the food is very good and the scenery is charming.  Last week my son & I had a birthday lunch there. The sun was shining, the sky nearly cloudless, the temperature a warm Fall day, and the river mesmerizing to watch. A very pleasant and peaceful place to eat. 

Go Fish Menu

The menu has a wide variety of options with many items made from scratch with fresh and local ingredients. The dishes range from chicken to steak to seafood, and from pork chops to burgers.  

The Go Fish Cowboy Burger is a filling treat. It's a half-pound of flame-grilled Black Angus Iowa Beef topped with pepperjack cheese, crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions. 

The pork chops are wonderful. They are the Iowa Pork Chops our area is known for. I've never had better pork anywhere – not just that served in restaurants, but any you buy at the grocery stores. Iowa pork is terrific!  

On this particular day, I had the batter fried fish & chips and they were delicious. Their 'chips' (french fries) are listed as Crispy Battered Fries and they were outstanding! The fish consisted of two good sized Haddock filets and the batter was fantastic. Served with cole slaw, the fish & chips was a very tasty dish for sure. 

Oh, did I mention the desserts? Homemade ice cream and Key Lime Pie.

Check out the Go Fish Website here for more culinary delights. 

Go Fish Location

The Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill is located at 411 River Drive in Princeton, Iowa. They also state that they are located in Pool 14 of the Mississippi River at Mile Marker 502. That terminology is new to me (being a new Iowa resident), but I looked it up. The term Pool (or Navigation Pool) is used to describe the area between navigation dams on the Mississippi River. For instance, Pool 1 begins in the Upper Mississippi River at St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Most probably the reason Go Fish specifies the river location on their website is because you can approach by river, dock your boat and walk up to the restaurant. 

Their operating hours are seven days a week year round. 

• Mon-Thu : 11am-10pm
• Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
• Sun: 11am-9pm 

Summary

So if you find yourself traveling through Iowa or taking a boat ride up or down the Mississippi River, consider stopping at Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is only a few miles north of the Quad Cities almost straight over from Chicago. Dining on the banks of the Mississippi is a charming experience. 

If  you do not live near rivers, lakes or oceans where you can enjoy delightful 'dockside dining', create your own at home with the delicious recipes in these cookbooks on Dockside Dining.

For more food and restaurant reviews, check out 

Food Reviews on ReviewThisReviews

Quick Links:

Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill website


More Places to visit in Iowa:

• Field of Dreams - Dyersville, Iowa
• Tycogo Vineyard & Winery - DeWitt, Iowa
• Figge Art Museum - Davenport, Iowa

(c) Wednesday Elf 10/26/2019

*Photos & Photo Collages Created by Wednesday Elf 

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Love Surreal - Hallmark Movie Review

Have you ever overlooked a great movie simply because the feature image does not appeal? That is exactly what happened to me with the Hallmark movie, "Love Surreal". I admit, the title didn't draw me in either! 

During a stressful day recently, I went in search of a nice movie to help calm my concerns for the day. After all, there was nothing I could do to change the outcome of the source of my stress. I simply had to wait. 

When I find myself having to "wait", I tend to imagine the worst. Therefore, it is best for me to refocus and stop the horrible images having a field day in my mind. I turned to the Hallmark channel to find my balance.  I needed a calm and peaceful movie, preferably with a happy ending.

Unfortunately, I had seen most to the movies currently available on the Hallmark channel.  I scanned the images several times and finally gave in to one that I intentionally dismissed previously.  I would watch "Love Surreal" and hope for the best.  

As it turns out, it was a pretty good movie.  A romantic story with a dose of comic relief.  I found myself laughing out loud several times during the movie and being equally delighted by the story line.  Love Surreal was exactly what I needed!

Love Surreal Movie Synopsis

This is the featured image for the movie.
It didn't draw me in, which is a shame.  What do you think?

Being an only child, Abigale Morrison always felt alone when she was growing up.  Since her parents focused their attention on each other and traveling, instead of on Abby, she believed she was only an accessory in her parents marriage.  Not really a part of their lives.  Young Abby found company in her imaginary friend, Simon (Sy for short).  

Sy was understanding, compassionate and always available. When Abby loved drawing and when she drew pictures of herself, she included her friend, Sy as her companion.  She found contentment with her new ally. So much so, she maintained her friendship with her imaginary friend throughout her high school years and into her college life. Simon becomes a barrier between Abby and relationship pain.  It all works wonderfully well until Abby meets her roommates cousin, Quinn.

Quinn happens to be a fellow student in Abby's art appreciation class. He doesn't really appreciate art or the class, but he needs a good grade.  Which means, he needs help!

With a bit of coaxing by her roommate, Jessica, Abby becomes Quinn's tutor and subsequently his friend.  However, Abby makes it clear that she has a long time boyfriend, Simon.  But, that only works for so long.  

Conclusion

Yes, the basis of the story is rather unbelievable.  However if we suspend reality for a few hours, we can really enjoy this romantic comedy.  All of the actors are adorable and fun to watch as they fumble their way through life and make some difficult choices.

This truly is a delightful movie to watch! 

By the way, Love Surreal is also included in Amazon Prime Video.  I just happened to find it on my Hallmark Channel subscription.

   

 Love SurrealCheck Price

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Review of New Wheel at St. Louis Union Station

The Wheel at St. Louis Union Station was opened on September 30th, 2019 to help celebrate the 125th anniversary of Union Station.

Facts about the Wheel

• 200 foot high observation wheel
• 42 fully enclosed and climate controlled gondolas that each seat 6 adults
• 3-4 rotations high above the St. Louis skyline during the 15 minute ride
• The wheel is  now open from 10 am to 10 pm till October 31st when the hours will be changed to noon to 10 pm for the rest of 2019

My Experience on the Wheel

When my granddaughters visited in mid October, I decided to take them to Union Station to ride on the new "Wheel" that had just opened in late September.  In the photo above you see my friend DeAnn, my sister Julie and my granddaughters Ella and Rachel waiting for their turn on the wheel.

I had seen on the news that there could be rather long waits to ride the wheel, but the day we went we were able to walk right up, buy our tickets and ride the wheel when it stopped for the next rotation.  It was a rather chilly day but the gondolas on the wheel are all climate controlled so it was nice and warm.  There were five of us in our gondola and we had plenty of room to be comfortable and even move around a bit so I could get photos from all angles.

I am sometimes a little leery of heights but this  did not bother me at all.  I felt very secure in the enclosed gondola and thoroughly enjoyed the views of the city.  It was a cloudy day so I'm sure you would see more on a clearer day but I still thought it was fantastic.  I would like to go back at nighttime and take photos of the city lights from up on the "Wheel".

Views from the Wheel

This is the view looking east.  Directly in front you see the Enterprise Center where the Blues play.  Farther in the background you get a glimpse of the Gateway Arch. Also if you look close on the far right side of the photo you see the red brick of Busch Stadium where the Cardinals play.

This view is to the north/east.  Here you see the tops of the old train depot  and the red roof of the top of Union Station.

This view is looking to the south.

Information about St. Louis Union Station

St. Louis Union Station was first open to the public on September 1, 1894.  At one time it was the biggest and busiest train terminal in the country.  It is on the registry as a National Historic Landmark.  Today it is being renovated as a family entertainment complex.

Inside of Union Station you will find the St. Louis Union Station Hotel.  A beautiful hotel that serves guests from out of town along with many meetings, weddings and other celebrations of St. Louis residents.

The Grand Hall is a wonderful meeting place for people.  It is beautiful and the architecture is truly amazing. After our ride aboard the "Wheel"  we visited the Grand Hall and as we stopped to rest at one of their many comfortable seating areas the lights dimmed, we heard a sound of a train coming, and then a fantastic 15 minute 3D light show began.  We weren't expecting it so we were pleasantly surprised.  Beautiful music played and the ceiling was transformed with an different light scenes.  The photos below show two of the scenes.

More to do at St. Louis Union Station

There are several places to eat in the complex and we chose to stop at the new Soda Fountain Restaurant which also opened on September 30th.  It features "Freak Shakes, Boozy Shakes and Remedies".  We were however a bit cold to try the shakes so we enjoyed their delicious cheeseburgers and fries.  They also have a gift shop and a candy counter with lots of barrels and bins of old fashioned candies.

The outdoor area at Union Station also includes a carousel, a mini golf course and in the evenings a fire and light show with dancing lights, water and fire.

A big coming attraction for Union Station will be the 120,000 square foot St. Louis Acquarium.  It was under  construction while we were there but should be open by the end of 2019.  

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Review of The Only Clue: A Gorilla Novel by Pamela Beason

 Image by Curtis Yancey from Pixabay 

The Open House

It was obvious to Grace McKenna that Neema, the mother gorilla, was worried and getting closer to a melt-down. She and her baby Kanoni weren't used to so many humans around.They weren't used to hearing blaring music, seeing and smelling popcorn carts, and having reporters and cameramen constantly in their faces. They really hated the smell of the portable toilets that had been brought into the area surrounding their compound for the day.

Gumu, the huge father gorilla, was the most upset of all. He had retreated to his "nest" --  a bunch of tangled blankets at the top of his two-story enclosure. Although Gumu was twice Neema's size, he was much more afraid of strangers than she was. When he was a baby back in Africa, he had watched helplessly while poachers shot the rest of his family and cut up them into pieces.

Neema, Gumu and Kanoni trusted very few humans. Grace McKenna and her staff and volunteers were about the only humans the gorillas would let get near them. Grace was studying the ability of the gorillas to learn language. Neema knew about 500 words of sign language. She could use her sign language vocabulary intelligently with humans and with her gorilla family.

The local college was funding Grace's studies, and the board had insisted on this Open House as a prerequisite for continuing their funding. Grace had a splitting headache, there were rude children teasing the gorillas, and Grace just wanted the whole event to be over.

She was glad when her boyfriend Detective Matt Finn and his helper finally ushered all the visitors out. They had volunteered to handle security for the event. Matt invited Grace to relax at his place for the night. The staff had a party on their trailer on the compound.

Back in the Gorilla Enclosures

Image by m k from Pixabay 

After the humans were gone, Neema ate some strawberries and wanted to play. She went in search of Gumu, but he wasn't in his nest. So she took Kanoni back to her own nest in the barn to see if Gumu was there. But he wasn't anywhere. Instead all she found was a big wet spot on the floor.

"Creeping closer to the big dark wet, holding Kanoni tight, she looked at the spot out of the corner of her eye. Red wet. She leaned close. Meat smell. She touched her fingers to the red and tasted the wet. Meat wet. Red meat smell. Bad, hurt, she signed."

Where was Gumu? She wondered if Gumu was meat and was never coming back. She turned to the back of the barn and saw the wall was open a crack. It had never been open before. She pushed the wall away, grabbed Kanoni, and went outside to search for Gumu.

The Next Morning

When Grace went to feed the gorillas the next morning, all was quiet in the barn. She called them to breakfast, but no gorillas came. They were gone. Someone had removed the padlock from the outside of the door. Matt began to look for evidence, since the animals could not have escaped by themselves. Then Jon Zyrnek, the staff member who got along best with Gumu, discovered the huge puddle of blood and called them all over.

Matt immediately wanted to put out an all points bulletin, but Grace nixed it. Many of their neighbors in their town of Evansburg opposed having the gorillas in their neighborhood in the first place. They had gotten out once before and they were almost closed down then. Word of the escape getting out would endanger their funding, as well.

Grace finally talked Matt into investigating the the disappearance by himself and the staff promised to keep quiet. They canceled all the volunteer shifts, saying that Jon had the flu and they'd all been exposed. They couldn't chance passing it to the gorillas.  They also made up a story about a valuable missing dog that had been at the open house. They needed to report some case involving an animal to get the blood they had found tested at the lab. Jon and Grace continued to search outside, calling and naming the gorillas' favorite foods, but no gorillas responded.

The Undercurrents

Matt doesn't like Jon because he and the volunteer staff are all part of the Animal Rights Union that has been freeing lab and other animals they believe are mistreated. They've all been arrested and Jon had served time. They had begun their volunteer work with the gorillas as a community service sentence. But they enjoyed the work so much they kept at it.

Matt is sure Jon and the others are involved somehow. The gorillas are very valuable, especially since they can sign and paint. The sale of their paintings has helped fund the work. Jon's father recently got out of prison. Matt also considers him a suspect. 

Grace is worried about whether her gorillas can survive on their own in the woods, if that's where they are. She's convinced at least one of them has been killed. When you read the book, you will also be concerned for them and wonder what happened. I couldn't stop reading.

My Review  

I recommend this book to those who are interested in the intelligence of gorillas and their ability to talk to humans. They would find the book fascinating even if there were no mystery. I read this, the second book in the Neema series, because I had enjoyed the first book so much. Now I see a third book is also available and I plan to read that one, too. I like learning more about the capabilities of gorillas. But I also like trying to solve the mystery.

I would recommend this to any animal lover who likes mysteries  It's full of not only gorillas, but also dogs and Neema's two pet cats. The human characters are believable, though Matt seems to have a stereotyped view of Jon. The animal characters are also well-developed.

I found myself looking for clues right along with the detectives. The author shows us not only what the humans are doing, but also what Neema is doing. We know just enough to hope that the story will end happily, but we still have to wonder until the very end.

You might also be interested in my review of the first book in the series: The Only Witness.

The Only Witness (The Neema Mystery Series Book 1)The Only Clue (The Neema Mystery Series Book 2)The Only One Left (The Neema Mysteries)The Neema Mysteries: A Box Set Including The Only Witness and The Only Clue

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Shadows in the Sun Movie Review

Finding Love And More In Italy

A friend of mine, Joan, recently suggested that I watch the movie Shadows in the Sun. I took her suggestion and would like to review it for you today. 

A street in Italy
image courtesy of pixabay.com

First of all, I'll share that I loved this movie! I have always wanted to go to Italy so the setting where the story takes place appealed to me a great deal. The countryside and the small village are charming and very much somewhere I would like to visit in real life someday.

There is a reason, Joan recommended that I watch this movie. The general theme in the plot involves a relationship that develops between two writers. One is famous while the other is aspiring to write his first book. Since I write novels, myself, of course it grabbed my attention.

Synopsis of the movie Shadows in the Sun

Jeremy Taylor is a successful agent in a London publishing firm. He is sent to Tuscany by his boss to do what others have failed to do; sign a reclusive author to a contract for a new book. Weldon Parish, the author, hasn't written a book in a few decades. His past work was a huge success but he gave up writing after his wife died. 

It is a struggle for Jeremy to even find Weldon in the beginning but he perseveres; eventually meeting the eccentric and crabby older man. Their first meeting doesn't go well as Weldon makes it known that he hates publishers, editors and agents. 

As the plot unfolds, Weldon and Jeremy become friends. Jeremy is a huge fan of the books that the former author wrote years ago and he is struggling with his own writing. Weldon wants no part of writing another book but he does start to teach Jeremy ways that he might improve his own style. 

Jeremy learns to let go of his rigid restraint as Weldon drags him into a few wild adventures in the small village and surrounding area. He is also falling head over heels in love with Weldon's daughter. The growing feelings between Jeremy and Isabella are sweet and touching while the antics by Weldon are humorous.

I'm really glad that Joan suggested this movie to me. It isn't a new movie, it was first released in theaters in 2005 and in DVD in 2006. Jeremy is played by the actor Joshua Jackson from Cursed and Dawson's Creek. The character of Weldon Parish is played by Harvey Keitel who has been in many movies and television shows. 

If you like a romantic comedy, I think you will enjoy this movie. It can be viewed for free if you are a Prime member. You can rent it to stream or you can buy the DVD. 

Shadows in the Sun

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Reviewing Alaska Photoventures: Season 1

In Alaska Photoventures, Dan Redfield explores Alaska through photography. This is an unscripted photography series in which each episode takes place on a different location in breathtakingly beautiful Alaska via a different mode of transportation (i.e. kayaking, hiking, biking, etc). This series hits both my curiosity about Alaska and my enjoyment of beautiful photography.

Reviewing Alaska Photoventures

I initially clicked on Alaska Photoventures with the thought that it would be a tutorial on photography in Alaska. While there are some general tips, it truly was focused on Dan's adventuring in Alaska and displaying those interesting places via his drone videos and photography. 

The episodes of season one include:

1. Knik Glacier ATV Adventure
2. Jet Ski to Blackstone Glacier
3. Downhill Mountain Biking in Hatcher Pass
4. Exploring a WW2 Fort in Seward
5. Fly Fishing on the Kenai River
6. Super Cub to a Floating Ice Cave
7. Nighttime Kayaking
8. Snow Machine Jumping w/Arctic Cat Athletes

I enjoyed all of the episodes, especially the kayaking episodes but I think Downhill Mountain Biking in Hatcher Pass is my favorite. Perhaps because it also includes some photos of nearby Independence Mine. Perhaps because Hatcher Pass is amazingly beautiful. Perhaps because guest Matt Sanders has such a great attitude and big personality.  Probably a combination of all of the above.

When shooting the riders on the biking trail, Dan noted that the sky was very bright but the light was not getting to the trail in the pass. He described it as "super hot blown out sky and then a really dark foreground".  Dan notes that he had to adjust for this so that he could get both some details of the riders and in the sky. He shows a photo of the examples of the different settings. However, he does not give an actual ISO setting or any other numbers (sorry, I'm only a very amateur photographer so my vocabulary here is lacking). Some people who are looking at this series as a tutorial may be disappointed by the lack of the actual settings. 

There is a chance that I like this series more than other people might because Dan Redfield and friends put me in mind of my sons. Also, visiting Alaska is on my bucket list. But honestly, I think that a variety of people will enjoy this series; viewers who have been to Alaska and want to reminisce, viewers who have always wanted to visit this beautiful state but have not yet been able to, and photographers at many levels of ability. 

Related Links:

Amazon Prime. I watch this series on Amazon Prime. I LOVE Amazon Prime for many reasons. But one of those reasons is because I refuse to pay a cable bill. I want to invest my finances elsewhere. With my Roku television and with Amazon Prime, Youtube, and Sling, I have more things than I can watch on any given day. 




Dan Redfield's Official Page. Learn more about Dan Redfield here. 

The photographers of Review This! I am realizing how much the Review This Reviews writers are photo-adventurers. Mary Beth in particular takes us on her lighthouse photo-adventures and shares photography tips. 

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Confessions of a Newbie Self Publisher

Confessions of a Newbie Self Publisher

To help you dreamers out, I'm writing this review about my experience of self-publishing my first paperback book through Amazon.

First off, I'm absolutely a newbie at this; the piles of pulled-out hair beside my desk rests as evidence. 

I'm going to go point-by-point with some of the major issues I faced during the learning process.

Again, this article isn't meant to come across as all-knowing, because I'm not all-knowing on this subject!

However, I did spend hours, and I do mean hours researching and learning and doing and swearing just to get that first paperback book up on Amazon. So from that perspective, I know a little bit more than I did a month ago.

What was most daunting was learning the technical aspects of getting that book up on Amazon.

You writers out there would probably agree that writing the book is the easy part! A few weeks back, I posted an article on getting a Kindle eBook up and running. You can read about that swearing event here. Again, I'm not a guru!! Just sharing my newbie nightmares.

So here we go, point by point on some of the things I learned about self-publishing a paperback book through Amazon:

1. You Need the Paperback Book Templates from Amazon

First, if you haven't already, sign up for KDP Self-Publishing.

Before you get started, go to the Amazon self-publishing help area to get those templates.

Download them, unzip them, then decide on the size you want your book to be. Choose the Template that reflects the size you want. You need the Template because it has all the borders and guidelines you have to follow when writing. While you're in that help area, watch their videos and read all their tips. Good stuff there.

Note: Standard size seems to be 6X9 - For my poetry book, I went with 7X10. There are a lot of sizes to choose from.

2. What Word Processing Program Should You Use to Write Your Book?

There's a loaded question. I must have landed on fifty different answers during those google searches from hell.

I don't have the full version of Microsoft Word on my computer, and I wasn't about to frigging buy it.

So I researched alternatives to Word. I found the common ones people use; one is a free download called OpenOffice.org, and the other freebie word processing download I found is LibreOffice.

I've used OpenOffice in business before but based on some of the comments I read from the LibreOffice users, I thought, what the heck, let's try that one.

So to answer the question, you can use Word, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice - maybe there's more? I dunno.

3. What About Writing and Preparing Your Book in Google Documents

That's the first thing I did before even starting the 'technical aspects of what to do after it's typed." I typed the book in Google Docs. At least I had it there for safekeeping until I knew what the heck to do next!

From what I've learned so far, you can type your book directly into your word processing program using the Template from Amazon KDP, of course! Can you skip the google docs part? Well, I still plan to write my books in google docs and then copy and paste them into the word processing program with the book Template.

4. LibreOffice - Using the Amazon Paperback Templates

I have no idea whether you can upload the Amazon paperback templates into Microsoft Word or OpenOffice. However, I'm going out on a limb and saying, yah, of course, you can.

With LibreOffice, the first thing I did was upload the Paperback Template I needed for the size of the book I wanted to do. At that point, it was a matter of learning the LibreOffice program. If you're familiar with word processing programs, you'll probably be able to muddle through. When in doubt, google those questions, that's what I did in spades.

Since my book was already written in Google Docs, I simply copy and pasted it section by section into the template.

LibreOffice: What I Like About it

When you open the program, your books are there, individually listed as nice sizeable Icons. It was fairly easy to learn, but I'm not a pro at it by any stretch of the imagination (yet).

LibreOffice: What I Don't Like About it

Holy Hannah, who designed the Footer Page Count area - YUK! Very difficult to use. Yes, my mouth needed to be washed out with soap a few times. Some of the comments I made (whilst hubby was laughing) "who designed this part of the program! Are they so self-absorbed with their intelligence that they had to make it complicated?."

Other word processing programs have easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy Footer Page Counts, but not LibreOffice! Yes, the table of contents auto-generates and the pages count properly, but it's the number system in the Footer and where the counts start that cause you to drink lots of wine!

Will I use LibreOffice again for my next book? Yep, I learned so much; I don't want to switch now. But I don't have that page count thing in the Footer sorted out yet! And yes, I watched a lot of YouTube videos on it - still not clear.

5. Prettying Up that Book as You're Putting it in the Template

I decided on font styles, headings, and font sizes. From what I read, consistency was important. However, my book is a Poetry Book, so it's different than a novel. A novel, I would imagine, is more straight forward.

I did quite a bit of research on what the best fonts are to use in books, particularly poetry books. After my research, I ended up choosing the Garamond font. I used that font throughout the whole book. I didn't choose it because it was the best for poetry. I preferred the look of it for easy reading on the page.

My paperback poetry book has chapters and sub-chapters, and also a few graphics throughout. So yah, more convoluted to lay it out.

6. How Should the Sections of Your Book Flow and in What Order?

I googled this over and over. You guessed it, different answers from different people. Being that I wrote a Poetry Book, I didn't follow the traditional page designations that a novel would. Here's how I laid out my poetry book:

•  First Page inside the Book - Title Only

•  Second Page inside the Book - Title, Sub Title, Author

•  Third Page inside the Book - Copyright Page (I googled some content and modified it to suit my book). On the copyright page, you'll include your ISBN number - more about that below.

•  Fourth Page - The Dedication

•  Fifth Page - A Summary of the Books Contents (that's optional)

•  Sixth Page - Acknowledgments

•  Seventh to Eleventh Page - Auto-Generated Table of Contents (my table of contents ended up being 4 pages)

•  Twelfth Page - A Chapter Page that summarizes the poetry content for Chapter One

•  Thirteenth Page to page 136 - The content of the book with all chapters in there (I have six chapters)

•  At the End: About the Author, with sections on 'Why I Decided to Write a Book of Poems' and 'What's Different About This Book of Poems'

• My Personal Favorite poems are also listed at the end

• "Thanks for Reading" was next. The gurus say to ask for a review - um, no I didn't do that

• Closing Message to My Kids

7. Book is Done, Sitting in Your Word Processing Program - What the Heck is Next?

Logging into KDP Publishing is next. Start your engines. 

Select the type of book you're uploading (Kindle eBook or Paperback). 

Go through each of the areas to fill in the information they ask for (this is before any uploads). Honestly, I just watched a lot of tutorials and tips on how to fill everything in. 

Uploading Your Book:

If you're confident that your book is the way you want it, you can upload it. 

However, to upload your book it has to be in a format that's conducive to Amazon's format. LibreOffice extensions are not. After searching out how to do this, I discovered that you can upload the book to amazon in PDF format. (There are other acceptable formats as well). 

In LibreOffice, to get a pdf extension on your file, you simply go to - FILE - EXPORT AS - and CHOOSE PDF. Save it to your computer. Bingo, you're ready for uploading.

Don't worry if you upload the book and you need to change it for some reason - you can overwrite that upload easily if you're not live. Just don't approve it until you're sure. I ended up re-uploading mine a few times as I discovered some errors. I'm sure there are more I missed, being my first time and all.

Note: The Gurus strongly stress hiring a professional editor to check your book for errors. Yah, I didn't do that either. Are they right about that? YES. It's the smart thing to do. Hire a professional. But again, this is Newbie territory I'm in so of course, I'm not listening. Lol. Down the road, yes, that's something I will consider.

8. WAIT! You Need a Book Cover! OMG

Ok. The gurus say, 'get your cover professionally done.' They're right, did I do that, no. Why? Because it was my first book of poems and, well, I had to be the opposite. Plus, I wasn't ready to spend money on that until I felt more confident about what I was doing.

If you're a graphics guru, by using Amazon's KDP Cover Page Templates (you can download those - google search), you can make your own personally designed professional cover. 

There's no way on God's green earth I could possibly do this in a timely fashion. Yes, I tried. More booze. However, I am thinking of hiring a graphics professional down the road for other books I plan to write. 

Oh, I did create my own cover for the eBook version using the online program, Adobe Spark. But that's not useful for actual paperback books that need high-quality digital print.

Inside KDP, there's a Cover Creator Section.

The gurus say, don't use this! So I did the opposite, and for this book, I used it. It's better to hire someone, but I'm not there yet. Play with Cover Creator; you're not obligated to any design until you finally hit save. Even then, you can still change it if you want. You need a high-quality photo of yourself if you're putting it on the back of your book (at least 300 DPI - that was challenging!).

9. ISBN Numbers

Both eBooks and Paperbacks need them. They're different for each book, and every book. Yes, you can ask Amazon to generate one for you. 

The downside to having Amazon generate one for you is that you can only use that particular book with that particular ISBN number for Amazon. In other words, if you're going to offer your book elsewhere, you would have to get your own ISBN number for those.

So you're wondering, how do I get ISBN Numbers? Right?

Canadian ISBN Numbers:

If you're in Canada, you can go here, a Government of Canada page, and register to have the ability to generate ISBN numbers. It could take a few weeks before you're approved. I thought, what the heck, so I registered. 

I used my own self-generated Canadian ISBN number for my eBook Version. Easy. 

However, what I discovered with the Paperback Version is that along with the ISBN Number, the book needs a Digital Code thingy on the back, and I had no idea how to get one of those through my Canadian ISBN account. I'll learn later. 

So for the Paperback Version, I used Amazon's auto-generating ISBN number. Easy. Just be sure that when you get that number from your KDP Account, you put it inside your book on the Copyright page. Best to do that before you actually upload the book.

United States ISBN Numbers:

Since I'm Canadian, I didn't research this very much. However, from what I read, it seems Americans have to pay for those? Don't quote me on that though; I'm not sure. But, again, you can have Amazon auto-generate the numbers for you.

There's more, but that's enough for today.

In closing, my guiding principle while doing this was that famous quote, "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." My goal was to get one done.

I'm already onto my next book (It's not poetry, it's not a novel, oh what could it be?) Just a tad addicting.

I hope this helps other newbies, because wow. :)

Here's what my newbie-book looks like - front and back covers.

Available on Amazon (Note: I'm an Amazon Associate, however

the link under this particular photo does not contain my AssociateID)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing a Multi Vitamin & Mineral in Powder Form

Purchase here

It doesn't matter how good a diet you have when food doesn't have the same level of nutrients in it as it did when our grandparents were our age.   This is one of the reasons why I've always thought of taking a multi vitamin and mineral supplement as a form of insurance - nutritional insurance so to speak.

The other reason is (although I know I've been writing about good nutrition a lot over the past year) because sometimes I don't make the best nutritional choices, I'm only human!  I have a sweet tooth and I also love me a cheeseboard!   Having said that I have been making much more healthier choices over the past 18 months as I've shared with you.

Why Did I Stop Taking a Multi Vitamin?

Now for years I took a multi vitamin and mineral tablet every single day, but I actually started to have problems swallowing them.  The tablets are so big, I can still swallow them if they're the right shape, but when they changed the tablets I used to take and the bottles were dark (which I realise is to keep the integrity of the ingredients intact) and the blister packs were shrink wrapped I just stopped getting them.

Luckily I discovered Greens Balance and this gave me lots of vitamins and minerals each day and I really noticed the difference when taking it.

So Do I No Longer Need a Vitamin & Mineral Supplement?

I still felt that a multi vitamin would've been a good idea, but I was eating well and took greens balance every day along with a good quality protein powder and fizz sticks.   When Arbonne introduced their whole food multi vitamin and mineral supplement I was really happy that it was in a powder form.

I tried it with water first as it was supposed to be tasteless - nothing is tasteless and although I couldn't say what it tasted like I wasn't overly happy with it.   I do have a protein shake at lunch time though so I diluted it in my shake and I couldn't taste it - mission accomplished!

My husband doesn't drink a shake so I got him to put it in a little tropical juice drink that he enjoys drinking and he liked it as well.

How Do I Feel After Taking This Supplement for a Couple of Months?

I don't feel a lot different, but everyone I've been working with has been really sick over the last few months and I haven't been so who knows if it's the multi vitamins or the greens balance or a combination.

What I can report is that I forgot to take them over a long weekend and I did notice my energy levels weren't as high as usual (but I also wasn't doing very much which could have made that difference).

In conclusion I don't know if a multi vitamin and mineral supplement makes a lot of difference, but I do like to take one as a form of nutritional health insurance.  I definitely recommend this powder form over a tablet as I believe it gets absorbed easier and it's a lot easier to swallow than some of the multi vitamin tablets I've had over the years.

Do you take a multi vitamin and mineral supplement?

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The Memphis Zoo Review

A Zoo You Must See!

The Memphis Zoo is definitely worth the drive! No matter where we go on vacation, we always take a day to visit that city's zoo.

From Florida to Hawaii we have visited zoos across the U.S.  By far, my favorite zoo is in Memphis, TN.  

The city of Memphis may be home of the Blues, Beale Street, Elvis, Graceland, Sun Studios and the Mississippi River Bluffs, but I would add the Memphis Zoo to their list of places you must see when you visit. As a matter of fact, if you ask me, it should be at the top of the list!

If you find yourself traveling through Mississippi, Arkansas or Tennessee, I would highly recommend a side trip to Memphis for a day at the zoo. 

Entrance of the Memphis Zoo at Christmas

Entrance to the Memphis Zoo

Before you even buy your ticket and enter the zoo, you are greeted by Egyptian style architecture which is in and of itself a vision.  There are large concrete animals in rows out front where we saw parents taking pictures of their children proudly "riding" the animals.

This is your first indication of the adventure that awaits you inside the gates of the Memphis Zoo.

Tigers in Cat Country at the Memphis Zoo

Cat Country at the Memphis Zoo

White Bengal Tiger Photo by Sylvestermouse
You Can Learn More about Bengal Tigers at Amazing Wild Animals

This is one of the areas that make the Memphis Zoo spectacular. These gorgeous cats are not behind bars! They are in open fields created to mimic their natural habitat. Believe me, these "cats" can definitely make you feel like you are the prey in an African savanna with just a look.

Cat Country is the home of some of the most beautiful specimen of big cats. In addition to tigers, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and jaguar, this is also the area for a red panda, a gorgeous lynx and a family of meerkats, which are my daughter's personal favorite.

If you want to go on an African Safari for a reasonable price, this is the place for you! 

Meerkat Photo by Cynthia Sylvestermouse
Click Here for Meerkat Facts & Photos

Animals of the Night at the Memphis Zoo

Cacomistle Photo by Sylvestermouse

This is where I first fell in love with a vampire. Step aside "Twilight", the bat was here first!

There are so many wonderful creatures in this house. This exhibit is full of nocturnal animals. I doubt we even saw them all. In addition to the bats, they have an Aardvark, a Mole Rat, a few Porcupine, several different species of Loris, a Sloth, a Wombat, a Cuscus and a lot of other night time beauties. I have never seen a better nocturnal exhibit anywhere.

The Komodo Dragon at the Memphis Zoo

Komodo Dragon Photo by Cynthia Sylvestermouse

This dude is huge!  He made me feel like I was on exhibit for him instead of the reverse.

While the Komodo Dragon is not normally dangerous to humans, it was obvious to me that he eats mammals. Ironically, I was not the least bit intimidated by any of the big cats or the bears, but this guy scared the dickens out of me.

But don't worry, he has a gigantic fan club. I'm just not a member. 

Tropical Bird House at the Memphis Zoo

This is another house where we could spend hours. So many beautiful birds and so little time. 

The colors on these birds are so bright & vivid.

Seeing them up close truly is better than seeing them through binoculars. In spite of the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them up close, I honestly had the desire to set them all free, but logically I know that they are healthy and well cared for by their keepers at the Memphis Zoo.

While there are lots of gorgeous birds behind glass enclosures for one to view up close, the fabulous attraction in this house is the vast open room with trees and water literally filled with birds. The sounds and sights in this area are breathtaking.

This really is a birdwatchers fantasy come true! 

Nicobar Pigeon

(Do you see the little Yellow Headed Blackbird in the background left?)

Hippos at the Memphis Zoo

Hippos can be viewed daily at the Memphis Zoo. These awesome Hippos recently moved into their new home, "Zambezi River Hippo Camp" 

This section of the zoo also features other animals found near the Zambezi River such as the Nile Crocodile and Okapi.
Memphis Zoo guests are able to enjoy seeing hippos both on land and below water.

Did you know that Hippos are considered the deadliest animals in Africa?  You can find out why by visiting Amazing Wild Animals!

Aquarium at the Memphis Zoo

This is another building one could explore for hours. The Aquarium is home to 156 species of marine and freshwater organisms from around the world.  The Memphis Zoo currently breeds and exhibits two species of cichlid that are extinct in the wild.

If fish, turtles, or aquatic wildlife are your passion, this is the place to be!

Herpetarium at the Memphis Zoo

If I ever lost my son at the zoo, the Herpetarium is where I could find him. This building is literally packed with frogs, spiders, snakes, lizards and small alligators.

While there are plenty of faces crowding around the snakes, I am glad to say that we crowd around the frogs. The colors on frogs are so bright and vivid. It is hard to choose, but I think our favorite would be the Poison Dart Frog.

However, the Memphis Zoo is reknowned for being the first zoo to successfully breed the endangerd Mississippi Gopher Frog.   The Memphis Zoo has produced 93 Mississippi gopher tadpoles, a number nearly matching the 100 frogs still living in the wild.

 

Penguin Rock, Round Barn & Once Upon a Farm

These are a few areas that little children especially enjoy. My daughter would never allow us to visit a zoo without locating the penquin. She adores the little "tuxedo" babies and believe me, there are plenty of penguin on Penguin Rock.

Close by is the Round Barn, an exhibit of smaller exotic hoofstock and birds. It is the home of the gazelles and warthog.

"Once Upon a Farm" is an exhibit where visitors can learn about the basics of farm life. This area is built to resemble a farm in the 1900's. They even have a working well that pumps up fresh water and everyone can enjoy a ride an old-fashioned train around the exhibit. 

China Exhibit at the Memphis Zoo

The Memphis Zoo has built a big, beautiful home for the Giant Panda Bears. 

As you enter through the gates of the China exhibit, you follow a path that leads to Ya Ya and Le Le, but long before you get to them, there are huge ponds of fish, a variety of birds, ducks and several other species native to China. There is even a little Otter. 

No question the Panda's are fantastic, but the other animals in this "house" are fascinating as well. 

Learn All About the Asian Small-Clawed Otter on AmazingWildAnimals.com

Primate Canyon at the Memphis Zoo

Primate Canyon is another area that features naturalistic, outdoor exhibits. This large open area is home for a variety of monkeys and apes. Monkeys, Orangutans and Gorillas abound in this exhibit.
Primate Canyon is in the center of the zoo. As a result of its location, you call hear the monkeys howling throughout the park. It opened in 1995 and has been a top favorite of Zoo visitors ever since.

Butterfly Garden

This extraordinary Butterfly Garden is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. It is absolutely filled with gorgeous flowers graced by lovely butterflies. Some were so exquisite that they didn't even look real, but they were definitely alive.

Not only did we see hundreds of butterflies, but my son found a Luna Moth. Because a Luna Moth has such a short life, it is rare to sight one. Clearly, seeing the Luna Moth was the highlight of our visit to the Memphis Zoo.

African Veldt at the Memphis Zoo

The African Veldt is an area dedicated to Giraffes, Rhinos, Zebras, & Elephants.

We were there at just the right time to see the whole Giraffe family. Mother, father & baby giraffe all came out to eat while we were standing in front of their enclosure. While the baby may not be little next to one of us, she was absolutely dwarfed by her parents.

The African Veldt is where the ostrich and the antelope play. Okay, I admit it, this is usually the point where I start singing "home, home on the range."  Seriously, you know those little antelope look like deer.

Oh, well, at least Memphians are accustomed to various styles of musical talent and my family learned decades ago to either laugh with me or to ignore me.

Grant's Gazelles & Bongo Antelopes (laying down)

White-Naped Crane

World of Waterfowl

This area is a more peaceful area than the rest of the zoo. It is aptly named because there are indeed a world of waterfowl!

There are two bridges to walk across and watch beautiful Swans,
Pink Flamingos or a variety of geese and ducks swimming or view a Crane just standing around.

The area around the waterfowl lake is lovely too. It would make a great background spot for photos. I have often imagined a wedding party enjoying this wonderful opportunity for outstanding and original pictures. Or, perhaps, an anniversary party.

Like all of the photos in this article, the picture of the White-Naped Crane is from my own personal photo album. I was thrilled to be able to snap this shot! 

Northwest Passage at the Memphis Zoo

He is Almost Close Enough to Touch!

Another one of my favorite exhibits at the Memphis Zoo is the Northwest Passage. In this exhibit there is an air conditioned, indoor viewing area where you can watch the Polar Bears swim. There are even a few stadium benches for you to sit and rest a while.

The Polar Bears are beautiful. Who would ever imagine such a large bear could be so graceful when it swims? These giant animals seem so playful and cuddly when you have a thick piece of Plexiglas between you and them. What a magnificent way to enjoy the company of bears.

Northwest Passage is also the home for the sea lion observation bubble and a 500-seat amphitheater for daily sea lion shows.
Outside the viewing area, are the Bald Eagles and the Ravens. Both of my children "talked" to the Ravens and they answered. They are beautiful, majestic birds with attitude.

This is also the area of the Black Bear. I loved this beautiful, big pawed, pacing baby! I would swear he was waving to me every time he lifted his big paw to turn around. 

I've been back to the Memphis Zoo several times since this photo was taken.  I always go by to visit this guy.  I think he is probably my favorite animal in the zoo.

Teton Trek at the Memphis Zoo

Home of the real Memphis Grizzly! 

In February, 2008, the Memphis Zoo began construction of the zoo's gorgeous Teton Trek exhibit. The four-acre Teton Trek exhibit is now home for animals native to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem such as Grizzly Bears, Elk, Gray Wolves, Trumpeter Swans and Sandhill Crane.

I was among the guests at the Teton Trek in the Memphis Zoo the very first week it opened. Let me tell you, it is the most beautiful zoo exhibit I have ever seen, arguably the most beautiful in the world!

The entrance to the Teton Trek lodge is not only inviting, it is charming with a rustic appeal befitting it's occupants. A lovely 25 foot geyser greets visitors and even allows children, or adults, to cool off in it's spray and surrounding pool.

The Great Lodge, itself, is a two-story, 5000 sq. foot multi-purpose building suited for a gathering or dinner party and features a fabulous large fireplace. A spacious upper mezzanine provides a photo and artifact area that leads to a outside deck for animal viewing at a safe distance.

For the truly adventurous, you are free to walk around the actual grounds via the boardwalk. It is extremely safe, so fear not! Don't miss the opportunity to walk through the entire park.

Read More about the Teton Trek at the Memphis Zoo

• Teton Trek at the Memphis Zoo
  I absolutely love zoos! My all time favorite zoo is in Memphis, TN. They have been improving and adding new addtiions to the Memphis Zoo for years. Every time I go, it is like a new adventure. Their most recent addition, called Teton Trek,...

The Photos in this article are the Exclusive Property of ©Sylvestermouse.
Please Do Not Copy, Reproduce or Use the Photos without the written permission of Sylvestermouse Cynthia.

Many of the photos are available for purchase at Zazzle.com if you would like to own a legal copy.

The Photos by Sylvestermouse Available for Purchase at Zazzle.com



 

Thank you for stopping by!

Do Come Back and See Me Again!

~ Sylvestermouse ~

© 2009 Cynthia Sylvestermouse - This Article was originally published on a website that has closed.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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