Each Day Already is a Challenge

Miracles and Freebies

Cool beans. I got a second place prize in vivacious 's contest, "Invalid Item" 
Check it out:

Miracles Do Happen  (E) He never did believe in miracles, even when they happened right in front of him. #1209695 by Kenzie

There were some great entries in that contest. If you have not seen them all, I recommend a visit.

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Someone commented to me that she didn't qualify for that no-entry fee contest I mentioned yesterday, because of the age thing.

Here's another place you can look for poetry contests without entry fees:

http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/free/log/frl_results.php

You might have to register - free, of course - to view the list of contests. There's also a newsletter that you can get.

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It must have been last summer when we found out that 3 year old Marcus Fiesel had been killed. His foster parents reported him missing/kidnapped. But they had bound him and put him in a closet while they went out of town. At the trial of the foster mother - Liz Carroll - there was some confusion about whether or not he was actually dead before being tied up.

Yesterday, it took the jury between 5 and 6 hours to decide that Carroll was guilty on all counts. The prosecutor was good. In his closing remarks, he showed a picture of what Marcus looked like alive. Then he held up a styofoam coffee cup and said, "Marcus' remains would fit in this cup." (The foster parents had burned his body after - surprise, surprise - discovering him dead when they returned from their trip.) Then he said, "People would say they wouldn't do this to a dog. She wouldn't. She wouldn't. She took her dog on the trip." What a powerful closing.

Today, the sentencing hearing took place. Some thought she would get about 15 years in prison, but the judge sentenced her to 54 years to life.

I don't know when the foster dad's trial is scheduled. Sadly, the other adult involved in this - the girlfriend of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll (huh?) - is going to get off, since she's the one who got a plea bargain. For telling the whole horrible tale, even though she participated, she'll get off.

You have to wonder about the process that decides who is and isn't worthy of being foster parents. After all of this happened, it was determined that the Carroll's could not afford their own children, let alone a foster child. They were, apparently, only into foster parenting for the money.

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The higher temperatures the last few days and the rain yesterday have melted the snow. Yippee. Here's hoping we don't get any more.

I'm ready for bright Spring colors. The shades of gray of winter are some of the things that keep me "down", I think.

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Here's another poetry contest (no entry fee) for the over 50 crowd. Not just for women this time.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/foundation/Emily_Dickinson.html

The Poetry Foundation seeks one book-length poetry manuscript to be published in the Emily Dickinson Poetry Series. The competition is open to any American citizen 50 years of age or over who has not previously published a book-length volume of poetry. In addition to publication and promotion of the manuscript, the winner will receive a prize of $10,000. Submissions accepted: May 15, 2007–June 15, 2007