Showing posts with label celebration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celebration. Show all posts

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Calkins Day is Less Than a Week Away!

Calkins Day is less than a week away!

What is Calkins Day, you may ask?

It's the BryonySeries official holiday, and a day to celebrate creativity, generosity, and laughter.

This post will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Calkins Day (and most likely more than you ever dreamed possible).

The flyer at the bottom of today's post sums up the event experience (although you really need to attend for the full experience).

Can't attend due to prior commitments? Live to far away?

Why, just attend in your imagination, which is an Ed Calkins-approved way to attend anything.

Concerned financial restrictions might impede your ability to celebrate? Then check out "Calkins Day on a Budget."

However, if you live reasonably close to The Book Market in Crest Hill, the only financial concern is gas money for your car, since the entire event is FREE (unless you buy a book, which is highly unlikely, as Ed is more likely to simply give you one).

Wearing a striped shirt like this one is optional and only if you have one. One year I didn't wear mine, and Ed called me out on it. However, that's only because he knows I DO own one. So you probably have more flexability on this point.

Your greater concern really should be your answer to this question: "Are you a member of the IVA?" And my advice to you is to carefully consider your answer and ONLY after you read this post.

And remember: CALKINS DAY IS LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY!



Saturday, January 24, 2026

Save the Date: Calkins Day 2026

Calkins Day (Feb. 13) is the BryonySeries' official holiday. It's a day to celebrate laughter, imagination, generosity, and the birthday of Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara: man, myth, and author.

And we are inviting you to that celebration from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

The drop-in celebration will include free food, a chance to win an original acrylic waterscape painted by Ed’s wife Nancy Calkins (an accomplished artist and retired art teacher), and the opportunity to purchase books authored by Ed and books in which Ed appears as a character.

One of those books will include “Recovering Ruthless,” the third book in the outrageous, literary nonsense BryonySeries Ruthless series, all authored by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara.

The first book is simply called “Ruthless.” The second book is titled “The Fifth.”

Ed also wrote my Irish genealogy. (I’m not Irish).

Ed also appears as himself (as in himself, a ruthless dictator, and an Irish vampire) in “Bryony,” “Visage,” and “Staked!”

Who is Ed Calkins? Here is a twenty-question interview withthe real Ed Calkins, here is my Calkins Day address from 2020, and here is Ed’s Calkins Day message from 2018.

Here is why we celebrate Calkins Day.

Here is how to celebrate Calkins Day in our "Guide to Becoming Un-Serious."

I must also add that Ed is very dyslexic, which makes writing more challenging for him than many other writers. But he not only works through the challenge, he’s made dyslexia a key part of the plot in his Ruthless trilogy in ways that has nothing to do with reading or writing.

You also might want to listen to this podcast.

And if you follow those links, you might find yourself almost prepared to celebrate Calkins Day at The Book Market on Feb. 13.

But if you really want to impress the Steward of Tara (also known as Your Ruthlessness), come prepared to recite a limerick about him as WriteOn Joliet member Mauverneen Blevins did in 2023.

Or memorize “Birches” by Robert Frost and recite it to him.

And then watch the magic unfold.

Happy Saturday!



Monday, January 5, 2026

The Entire Christmas Season

Many years ago, we started celebrating our family Christmas on January 7.

But that doesn't meant we don't celebrate Christmas on December 25.

When I was first married in 1981, my in-laws gathered on December 24 and my side of the family gathered on December 25.

As my family grew, I wanted Christmas traditions that were ours - and wouldn't interfere with THEIR in-laws traditions when the time came.

We also had a few friends who celebrated Christmas on January 7. And that's how we birthed the idea.

However, that doesn't mean we celebrate two (or more) Christmases. We celebrate one Christmas, with multiple celebrations.

We're Eastern Orthodox Christians, which means our Advent begins November 15. So that gives us an extra two weeks to thoroughly prepare ourselves to celebrate Jesus' birth (and we still never feel ready).

We honor Christmas Eve is December 24, like most everyone else does.

Christmas Day is December 25, which begins the Christmas season.

We honor all twelve days of Christmas and celebrate the Magi on January 6.

We conclude the festivities with our family Christmas on January 7.

However, the Christmas season continues until Candlemas or the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2, which is when we typically start putting away Christmas decorations.

A short time later, we celebrate creativity, generosity, and laugher with Calkins Day on February 12, and then we celebrate love with Valentine's Day on February 14.

By now, we might have started (or are close to starting) the pre-Lenten period - and then we move into Lent.

After Lent comes Easter.

And look at that, winter is gone and spring has arrived!

The liturgical year, of course, continues, with two more minor fasting/abstinence periods, days of rejoicing, and days of solemnity.

The best part about living life with the liturgical year is that living that life is not dependent on "things" going well for us.

Whether we're struggling or smooth sailing, stumbling or running the race to its fullest, we're still enveloped in that mystery that is God manifested in our lives.

It's an incredibly satisfying way to live.

Happy Monday!



Thursday, December 11, 2025

Photos: Here's the Food You Missed at WriteOn Joliet's 2025 Anthology Release Party

Good morning!

WriteOn Joliet will hosted its 9th Annual Anthology Release Party from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa St. in Joliet.

The event was free to attend and open to the public. 

The chef-created heavy appetizers, coffee, water and hot chocolate, along with  photos with Santa, were also free. 

In fact, we had ten great reasons why we wished you could have attended.

Here's what Chef Tim of the BryonySeries B.L.O.C.K.S. team prepared for attendees last Thursday.

If you missed the party, you can at least feast your eyes on the photos.

And if you braved the bitter cold, parking challenges, respiratory illnesses, and scheduling challenges this time of year, you can visually relive the delectable experience.

Happy scrolling!



Beef Tenderloin Sliders


Marinated and roasted beef tenderloin, slow cooked onion, garlic aioli


Chicken Ceaser Salad


Applewood smoked chicken breast, lightly toasted croutons, creamy caesar dressing


Kale and Cranberry Salad


Peppered pulled pork, buttered crumbs, carrots, cabbage, and a creamy mustard dressing


Key Lime Bites


Lime Juice, lime zest, lime syrup, whipped cream


Cream & Berries


Fresh vanilla scented whipped cream, assorted berries, vanilla wafer, raspberry sauce


Cookies & Cream


Cocoa crisp, white chocolate, flake salt

(My year-old corgi is serving for a placeholder for this item, while Timothy looks for a photo).


Now, Timothy purchased all the food from his own pocket and prepared it fresh that day, too. He and Daniel (who worked all day in Chicago) set it everything up, did all the serving and replenishing, and took it all down, too, loading and unloading the entire setup from their vehicles multiples time that day.

So they do look understandably tired.

However...



It is my humble opinion that of all the competing events in Joliet last Thursday night, none had a spread quite so delicious or pleasing to the eye than we did.

Enjoy scrolling through the remaining photos!









For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com and bryonyseries.com.


Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Menu for WriteOn Joliet's 9th Annual Anthology Release Party on Dec. 4

Good morning!

WriteOn Joliet will host its 9th Annual Anthology Release Party from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa St. in Joliet.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. 

The chef-created heavy appetizers, coffee and water (we might have hot chocolate, too) and photos with Santa are also free. 

In fact, we have ten great reasons why you should attend.

But today's blog is all about the food. Here's what Chef Tim has planned for you on Thursday.


Beef Tenderloin Sliders

Marinated and roasted beef tenderloin, slow cooked onion, garlic aioli

 

Chicken Ceaser Salad

Applewood smoked chicken breast, lightly toasted croutons, creamy caesar dressing

 

Kale and Cranberry Salad

Peppered pulled pork, buttered crumbs, carrots, cabbage, and a creamy mustard dressing

 

Key Lime Bites

Lime Juice, lime zest, lime syrup, whipped cream

 

Cream & Berries

Fresh vanilla scented whipped cream, assorted berries, vanilla wafer, raspberry sauce

 

Cookies & Cream

Cocoa crisp, white chocolate, flake salt


This pre-Calkins Day 2020 video Timothy created for the virtual event gives you an idea of his culinary skills.

Happy Tuesday!

For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com


Thursday, October 23, 2025

BryonySeries Pre-Halloween Party is Saturday

Come out to the the BryonySeries "Pre-Halloween Party" at The Book Market in Crest Hill on Saturday.

Several of us will be there from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. telling spooky stories, distributing Halloween treat bags (while supplies last) with fun Halloween "stuff" inside, and drawing the winner of our pumpkin decorating contest (four pumpkins remain as of this writing - pop in and decorate yours!)

Here's how it works.


Simply select one of our Bertrand the Mouse-approved, Cindy-created Ribbit-Ribbit pumpkins.

And then decorate it in the store with sticky back felt shapes and designs, which are divided by shape and design and placed in the plastic Jack-o-lanterns next to the pumpkins.


Leave your pumpkin on the table, so customers can vote "by number." (The pumpkins are numbered).

Write the number of your favorite pumpkin on a sticky note, fold the note in half, and drop it in to the bucket.

Voting ends shortly before 1:30 p.m. October 25 (a the conclusion of the BryonySeries pre-Halloween Book Party), upon which time the notes will be counted and a suprise bookish "prize" will be awarded and all pumpkins may go home.

All pumpkins are free to choose, free to decorate, while supplies last. Decorated pumpkins have an approximate retail value of $25, so this is a free fun way to bring personalized autumn decor into your home.

Questions?

Email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. Or pop into The Book Market and ask owner Janet Staley before Saturday.

Happy decorating!

Thursday, September 25, 2025

BryonySeries "Jump Into Fall" Book Party

Good morning!

It's been a busy, busy, busy week of work and physical therapy - and this blog will be the shortest and the simplest of nearly all the blogs since I began it on Aug. 1, 2010.

I am looking forward to a lowkey, fun-filled party on Saturday.

Details are on the flyer and on our "pumpkin patch" blog.

Pleaaw join us! 



Thursday, September 18, 2025

Ever Decorate a Crocheted Pumpkin?

Seriously: HAVE you ever decorated a crocheted pumpkin?

Well, here's your chance!

BryonySeries is hosting a lowkey "Jump Into Fall" Book Party from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, September 27, at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

BUT - in the days leading up to the event, we are hosting a pumpkin decorating contest.

EXCEPT - those pumpkins are crocheted (in honor of Bertrand the Mouse) by Cindy as part of her Ribbit-Ribbits line.

We will offer these FREE crocheted pumpkins and decorating supplies for you to accessorie and personalize your pumpkin in the store on a first-come, first serve, basis (while pumpkins are available; supply will be limited).

Our soft little "pumpkin patch" should be ready to go this weekend.

HOWEVER - you must leave your decorated pumpkin on display at The Book Market until after the Sept. 27 party.

During the week, patrons may vote for their favorite pumpkins.

The person with the pumpkin with the most votes (as counted by us during the party) will receive a BryonySeries prize.

Afterwards, all decorators may take their pumpkins home to enjoy during the autumn season.

Keep scrolling for the rest of the details.


Patrons may also pull a BryonySeries "leaf deal" from our leaf pile all next week and during the event.

We will have autumn crocheted mice for purchase.

During the party, we will also have free chef-created werewolf bark (while supplies last) and "turn the leaves" author readings.

We hope this helps you line up your cooler weather reads!



Monday, June 30, 2025

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3, 2025

We are official!!!!!!!!

After two years of offering one (and then three) games at the BryonySeries booth, we are now an officia part of the celebration!

Yes, I'm talking about the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre's annual Independence Celebration on July 3! (Do you see our logo on the flyer??? Yes, I'm stoked!)

Tomorrow I will share a wonderful story about why this is so important to us.

But for now, scroll past the flyer for ONE DOZEN ways to have fun at our booth this year!



Come celebrate Independence Day with us!

BryonySeries returns to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre on July 3 as part of the park's celebration.

The Independence Day celebration will be from 6 to 10 p.m. July 3 at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

Here are the TWELVE ways you can have fun at our tent.


1. Spin for a free BryonySeries children's book (while supplies last).



2. Play five other carnival-style games with free prizes (while prizes last).




3. Take home a free hand-dyed and stenciled BryonySeries shirt with select book purchases OR buy a shirt at full price OR win one.


4. Take home a free BryonySeries baseball cap with select book purchases OR buy a cap at full price OR win one.



5. Take home a free BryonySeries beverage container (several available styles) with select book purchases OR buy beverage containers at full price OR win one.



6. Get a summer-themed Ribbit-Ribbit at half price with the purchase of any book OR buy a Ribbit-Ribbit at full price, while supplies last. (Pictures below are only examples. The exact Ribbit Ribbits shown here may not be available on July 3).


7. Inspire a loved one (or yourself) with a BryonySeries Mystery Quotes for $1 (perfect for gift giving).


8. Adults: Be one of the first THIRTY people at our booth and take this book home for free! (one book per family)



9. Adults: Be one of the first FIVE at our booth and take this book home for free! (one book per family)



10. Adopt one of TEN friends of Bertrand the Mouse with the purchase of ANY Bertrand the Mouse book.



11. Be the first to say the magic word and take home a BryonySeries mystery bag, which will be filled with...well...it's a mystery!



12. Browse a vast selection of BryonySeries books and WriteOn Joliet anthologies, all for sale!

The Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration will also include live entertainment, food trucks, and fireworks over the water.

For more information, visit bryonyseries.comwriteonjoliet.combicentennialpark.orgnewlenoxdental.com.