I am hooked on reality cooking shows! It started with Top Chef. That show starts with 12 people from all walks of life, competing with each other on various cooking challenges every week. The winner gets $100,000 to start his or her own restaurant. Contestents work individually (usually) to cook with chocolate, seafood, or bar-b-q-ing. Four judges taste the results and one contestant is eliminated every week. The judges are generally “nice” but at least one contestant every season is annoying or irritating to the others.

Hell’s Kitchen came into my life next.  (We call it Heck’s Kitchen so as not to say that “other” word). In this show, the contestents are divided into teams; each team cooks for the HK restaurant during each show. The owner of the restaurant is the judge, and he can be mean and nasty! He shuts down the kitchen before everyone has even been served, if the contestants are not doing a good job. The show is filled with plenty of bleeps. Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for the contestants, but then I remember that they knew what they were in for when they applied to be on the show!

I discovered The Next Food Network Star just a few weeks ago, when the season was almost over. Luckily the cable stations seem to show the most recent episode several times during a week and often run marathons of the episodes so far in the season. In this show contestants were competing for their own show on The Food Network. All of the contestants were nice, and so were the judges! It was fun to see them learn how much more difficult it was to cook for a TV show than in their own kitchens.

Most recently I discovered Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. The host on this show is the same as the judge/host on Heck’s Kitchen, but this show is on BBC. I’ve only watched a few episodes, but it seems that he goes into restaurants throughout the world, that are not doing well, and helps them improve. There are a lot of bleeps, and in the first episode I saw he was strongly suggesting that they sweep the doggy doo out of the seating area and cleaning up an absolutely filthy kitchen. I’m not sure if I want to watch the show too much and find out all the behind-the-scenes details of how restaurants are run!

The good part about watching all these cooking shows is that I’m positively inspired to cook. The bad part is that I rarely have the shrimp, balsamic vinegar, fresh gouda cheese, or other fancy ingredients the contestants have on hand. But I’ve gotten some fun and good ideas, and if I’m inspired to cook, that’s always a good thing.

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Have you ever wondered what to say when you are in a group of people and the gossip starts? Should you tell someone she’s being gossiped about? Find out in my new book, What Should I Say? The Right (and Wrong!) Words and Deeds for Life’s Sticky, Tricky, Uncomfortable Situations. To read the excerpt about gossip, go to http://www.shellyburke.net/say/excerpts.php 

I have a lot of good childhood memories are of gardening; I think our garden then was acres and acres big . . . at least it seemed so to my childhood mind. (A not-so-good “garden” memory is of the worms that were sometimes in the broccoli and sweet corn . . . sometimes not discovered until it was on my plate . . . )

This year I decided I was going to have a garden, for the first time in many years. My dad has a garden of all raised beds; he made boxes out of 2 x 8 pieces of wood, filled the boxes with dirt, and planted the plants or seeds in the raised beds. Cody and Tim made me two of these raised beds for Mother’s Day. 

I can be a procrastinator; I’d purchased a bunch of tomato and pepper plants early in the season, but left them out in the elements, forgot to water them, and they dried up. I started herb seeds in the house, forgot to mark what they were, and then put them outside to get used to the weather. One night we got about 4″ of rain and they were flooded; in the 95+ degree weather of the next few days, they roasted.

But I was DETERMINED to have a garden, even if very, very tiny. I planted basil and another herb (remember, I forgot to mark them) in one box. In the other box, I planted two hills of cucumbers, two hills of canteloup, and 8 beans.

I was thrilled when they started coming up . . . and mad at the deer when the beans and either the cateloup or cucumbers got eaten (forgot to mark them again!). 

BUT–the basil is doing great! I have 16 BIG plants, and have been picking the leaves to eat with fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market, or in salads. I’m planning to dry some for use this winter, too, and keep a few plants for the window sill.

I’m already planning my garden for next year!

Do YOU have a garden? What’s your favorite thing to grow? To eat?

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Books are on their way! My first shipment of What Should I Say? The Right (and Wrong!) Words and Deeds for Life’s Sticky, Tricky, Uncomfortable Situations, is on the way. As soon as the shipment gets here, I will mail out the advance orders and orders I’ve already received.

I’ve had several people comment that they see themselves in What Should I Say? . . . and they tell me that is not a bad thing!  One friend said it helped her see a negative trait she has, and she’s going to work on correcting it. After she e-mailed to tell me she saw herself in the book, I wrote back to assure her I didn’t write any section with one particular person in mind–all the sections had been suggested by several people. She wrote back to tell me she wasn’t upset–she’d have been hurt if I hadn’t included things that were important to her. Then she told me that she saw ME in several sections, too . . . I’m not brave enough to ask her which ones.

It was so exciting to see the box from UPS on my steps . . . with the very first copy of What Should I Say? The Right (and Wrong!) Words and Deeds for Life’s Sticky, Tricky, Uncomfortable Situations, safely tucked inside. What a thrill it was to hold that very first copy in my hands! I thank God for guiding me through the process, and everyone who offered their thoughts, information, and especially encouragement, during the process.

I did not meet my goal of selling 250 copies pre-publication . . . I think the goal was probably a bit unrealistic. I am happy with the number of pre-orders, however. I plan to place my first book order (from the company) today, and the books should be here and be ready to be shipped out, by next week.

If you have not ordered a copy of What Should I Say, but would like to, you can do so from the website. The $12 pre-publication special will be in effect until the lady who does my web site gets it all changed to the regular price of $14.95, plus shipping and handling. Hurry–it won’t take her long to get it changed! And THANKS to everyone who placed a pre-publication order.

My goal now is to do at least 5 book-related tasks every day, 4-5 days a week. These tasks include things like placing a book order, contacting people, returning e-mails, sending out books (when they arrive), sending out press releases, making blog entries, etc.

Do you have a big goal you are working towards? Sometimes a big goal is overwhelming. Try breaking it down into smaller steps–that can make it much more workable. If you’d like help working towards your goal, e-mail me about it. I’ll give you suggestions for taking smaller steps, to meet your goal.

If you have not signed up for the Shelly Burke Shelmar Publications Update Newsletter, consider doing so now, on the website (www.shellyburke.net) ! The newsletter comes out about once a week and contains valuable information and inspiration.

It’s been a busy 10 days or so since I posted last!

 Last Wednesday I gave a presentation to a group of women. I really enjoy talking with women about the importance of taking time for themselves, and giving them ideas for doing so. I also encourage women–of any age!–to think about and work toward making their dreams come true. As I was talking to one of the women there, we discovered that her roommate in college is one of my good friends from our church! The “small world” things that happen are always interesting.

My mom, dad, and grandpa came from Missouri late Wednesday afternoon, so they could watch the kids show at our county fair. They’d never seen the kids show their animals! Both kids did great–Morgan won Intermediate Sheep and Cattle Showmanship, and Cody won Senior Cattle Showmanship. In the showmanship contest, the way the kids handle the animal is judged. It’s interesting to watch.

Both Cody and Morgan did very well with their animals, also. Grandpa and mom and dad asked a lot of questions, and it was fun to teach them about showing. They were sooo proud of their grand and great-grandkids! I even saw grandpa wipe a tear or two from his eyes when they won. Their visit was short, but very nice.

The kids and Tim got home last night very late, after their animals were released. Today has been kind of a catch-up day; everyone is tired.

Hopefully we will have a few quieter weeks now that the fair is over.

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The pre-publication special for What Should I Say? The Right (and Wrong!) Words and Deeds for Life’s Sticky, Tricky, Uncomfortable Situations, has been extended. It will end tomorrow night, July 18th, at midnight. Remember, until then you can purchase What Should I Say? for ONLY $12 and receive FREE Shipping and Handling on ANY order!

You can order through PayPal, using your PayPal account or credit card. You can also order by check; send it to Shelmar Publications, 42887 G. G. Road, Genoa, NE, 68640. Drop me an e-mail to let me know you’ve ordered, and you’ll receive the book at the specail price.

FRUSTRATION. That word describes the last week or so in my life! None of the problems have been big, or even really important, just frustrating. Troubles with the Shelmar Publication newsletter. Dropping things and making more of a mess than I had in the first place. Not finding what I need (want?) in the store. Not being able to sleep Tuesday night, leading to a very unproductive Wednesday. Book pre-orders are definitely NOT what I was working for!

Then I’m reminded of the words of James 1:2–that I should consider it a “JOY” to face trials, and to persevere in the midst of them. My trials are NOT major, and I probably won’t even remember them in a few days.  Aren’t most of the things we complain about like this?

Morgan had a follow-up doctors appointment in Omaha on Tuesday. We had a GREAT day shopping and just talking. She’s really developing her own opinions and point-of-view, even at the age of just 13!

We walked into the doctors office and were informed he was running a bit over an hour late. On the spur of the moment, we decided to get pedicures. We’ve never done that before, but Morgan really wanted to and we were able to get in right away. It was VERY relaxing–and my toes look great! The fair is next week, and I’ll be able to wear sandals and not be self-conscious about my feet.

After the pedicure, Morgan told me it was the most fun she’d EVER had with me! She reminded me that sometimes it’s good to do something different, even if it takes a bite out of my budget. The memories she and I have of the time we spent together is worth scrimping a bit on something else. She admired her toes all the way home!

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The Shelmar Publications pre-publication special for “What Should I Say? The Right (and Wrong!) Words and Deeds for Life’s Sticky, Tricky, Uncomfortable Situations” has less than a week left! Until July 11th, get the book for ONLY $12, which includes shipping and handling.

FREE Shipping and handling on ALL orders from Shelmar Publications through July 11th! Start your holiday shopping now, and plan ahead for birthdays and other gift-giving occasions also.

Go to www.shellyburke.net TODAY to read excerpts of any Shelmar Publications book, or to order via PayPal, using your credit card, or by check or money order. Please pass the link on to anyone who would enjoy any of the Shelmar Publications books.