Get Even More Visitors To Your Blog, Upgrade To A Business Listing >>

Blog Directory  >  Arts & Entertainment Blogs  >  H.A. Larson - Author arts-and-entertainment Blog  > 

H.a. Larson - Author Blog


halarsonauthor.com
H.A. Larson is an author living in the Midwest. A self-publisher of several paranormal thrillers, she waxes poetic on writing, life, traveling, photography, and other pursuits.
Weekends Are For Living
2024-03-22 13:24
When Friday creeps up each week, the excitement starts to build and the possibilities of what one can do with a few days of freedom loom large. This encapsulates my experience with nearly ev… Read More
Motivation And Momentum, A Short Tale
2024-03-17 15:22
Here I am, for the first time in forever, writing a blog post on the weekend! While this might not seem like a big deal, trust me...it is. My lack of blog posts and new writing (such as shor… Read More
Ramblings Of An Overstressed Mom
2024-03-05 22:43
Last week, in true Midwest fashion, I walked out of the building after work one sunny afternoon to a balmy 80 degrees. The next evening, the temps dropped and by the time I left for work the… Read More
Gift Giving
2024-02-26 19:46
I typically only buy gifts for my kids. As a single mom living on a strict budget, it can be difficult to find gifts they'll like, although I try my best. Still, after Christmas this past ye… Read More
Enjoying The Finer Things In Life
2024-02-12 22:28
Wine, Cheese, and Fruit: 1857. John F. Francis, American. On display at the Art Institute of Chicago.If it weren't evident by the numerous posts about wine and charcuterie that have started… Read More
The Long-Awaited Return To Europe
2024-02-01 16:51
Ever since I traveled to Ireland in 2014, I've been aching to return to Europe. My love affair with the continent began as a child so my visit to the Emerald Isle was a dream come true. I pl… Read More
A No-Buy Year
2024-01-21 14:46
In the few months leading up to the holidays (and during the holidays themselves), I spent more money than I had planned and had saved up for. This is why I recalculated my sinking fund for… Read More
2023: The Year In Review
2024-01-02 17:29
Can you believe that it's 2024? Me neither. 2023 was a great year for me. In fact, it was the best year I've had since 2019. So what made it so great? Lots of things.* I started the Iowa Win… Read More
The Month Of November
2023-12-20 22:04
Here's what my November looked like this year. My daughter spent a week with her brother in Lincoln at the tail end of October, so in early November, we met up halfway so she could come… Read More
A Financial Tune Up
2023-11-30 17:17
Recently, I decided that I needed to sit down and do an annual financial tune-up. Sure, I go through and manage my finances roughly one hour per week, but this is to evaluate my day-to-day a… Read More
It's A Matter Of Time
2023-11-15 16:24
Patience has never been a strong suit of mine. I've always been in a hurry to get things done, get the work day done, make supper, get back home from an outing, for bills to clear my bank ac… Read More
Breaking Up With My Crap
2023-11-09 21:59
Over the past few months, I've been on a mission to go through my belongings and dispense with things I don't need or use. I started with my closet. As I looked through it, I decided that an… Read More
An Perfect Autumn Weekend
2023-11-03 18:24
In mid-October, my son turned 24 on a lovely weekend with near-perfect weather. My friend Audrey drove up that Friday evening and, after a gut-busting big breakfast the next morning, she, my… Read More
A Busy Calendar
2023-10-12 20:38
Two years ago, I wrote a post about saying, "Yes," to everything. It was a period in my life where I hibernated in my house and avoided doing pretty much anything. It was a hard spot to be a… Read More
Free To Be, Free To Do
2023-09-27 20:54
Lately, I've been feeling a sense of freedom that I haven't felt in, well, forever. I feel the most free I've ever felt in my whole life and it's nothing short of amazing.I'm physically free… Read More
Autumn Awaits
2023-09-12 21:08
 I don't know where the times goes...I really don't. It seems like Spring was leading into Summer mere weeks ago, and yet here we are, staring Autumn in the face.Autumn is my favorite s… Read More
I'm Debt Free
2023-09-06 17:51
Well, it's finally happened. I am officially debt-free. Sure, I paid off a big chunk of debt two and half years ago, but I was still left with my student loans and a new car payment. If you… Read More
Summer Vacation 2023: Maquoketa Caves
2023-08-23 21:54
About 30 miles south of Dubuque, Iowa, and 40 minutes north of Davenport, Iowa, is a true gem: Maquoketa Caves. When the kids and I went camping in Eastern Iowa during the tail end of my vac… Read More
Summer Vacation 2023: Part One
2023-07-22 14:20
A recent Friday night at my happy place: Soaring Wings VineyardHello, friends. In my last post, I mentioned that I was on vacation. I planned my vacation for the last two weeks of June but s… Read More
Preserving Food
2023-05-02 18:50
As someone who lived many years of adult life on the edge of poverty, I firmly believe in cooking food from scratch. I also don't like food to go to waste so always use various ways to prese… Read More
Learning Charcuterie
2023-04-22 15:00
As a fan of wine and cheese, there's nothing I love more than charcuterie. While the word charcuterie actually means "cured meats" in French, here in the States we use the word to refer to a… Read More
Early Spring Hike
2023-04-11 14:04
Good morning, friends. I had meant to get a post out quicker than this but life has been quite busy lately. I've been pulling extra duties at my job during the week, I've been out of town a… Read More
All My Best Financial Links In One Place
2023-03-28 15:33
Over the years, I've written a bunch of blog posts dedicated to frugality. Whether I talked about it through my series "Basic Financial Fitness", general posts, or in my book The Urban Prepp… Read More
It's Only Going To Get Worse
2023-03-23 14:12
The writing is on the wall. Inflation is climbing and rents are climbing, but wages aren't. I don't see any relief in sight for quite some time. It's a time in our lives when we need to pond… Read More
24ish Hours In Des Moines
2023-03-19 16:32
The wanderlust has been striking pretty hard lately. So hard, in fact, that I recently started thinking about spending a Saturday night in either Sioux City or Des Moines - both of which are… Read More
Healthy Life: It's Damn Hard
2023-03-11 12:31
 Oooo, boy. The last time I posted one of these was in June of 2021. Yeah, gaining on two years now. What happened? Well, I'm not going to go over all of that again because what was hap… Read More
Twenty Years
2023-03-07 14:47
Back in early January, I passed a milestone: my 20th year of living in Omaha. In many ways, it feels like I've always lived here. Most of my adult life has happened in this city I call… Read More
Trip To Seattle: Part Two
2023-03-04 13:52
It might have taken four months, but damnit, I did it. I finally edited the rest of my photos and have prepared the second part of my trip to Seattle. Mind you, I took the trip back in Septe… Read More
What Have I Been Up To Lately?
2023-02-27 20:46
As I mentioned recently, life has begun again for me after a rough few years. Coming through it, things have definitely changed in my life - for the better. The main thing is that I resumed… Read More
My Top 10 Tips For Life
2023-01-23 16:24
1. Learn how to use public transportationLearning how to use and be comfortable taking public transportation is a skill. It means that no matter where you go, you'll have no problem getting… Read More
Goals And Stuff
2023-01-05 21:43
Alright, folks, new year new me. Right? Right! This year is shaping up to be great (no matter what that nagging little voice in my head tries to tell me) and it's high time I get some goals… Read More
I Rode Out The Storm
2023-01-04 20:32
For various reasons, the last three years of my life were hard. I mean, they were fucking hard. So many shitty things happened. Okay, more like a handful of shitty things, but still, they we… Read More
Afternoon Coffee And Chatter
2022-12-15 20:56
The days are shorter, the nights are colder, and I can't wait to get home every day after work, put on something comfortable, and either make a drink or a cup of tea. Whichever one I choose… Read More
Winter Beckons
2022-11-22 22:06
Thanksgiving is nearly here; after that, we only have a month before Christmas arrives. During that time, the air will get colder, Fall will officially turn to Winter, and snow is likely. De… Read More
Trip The Seattle: Part One
2022-11-09 20:20
Back in September, I made my annual trip to Portland - with a twist. This year, I met my bestie Lisa in Portland where we took the train to Seattle for a few days. Before I get ahead of myse… Read More
Meteor Showers Coming Your Way
2022-11-03 13:49
It's been a while since I've posted about the night sky but with the upcoming Taurids meteor showers active through early December, it's a good time to post about it. What are meteor sh… Read More
Evolving Finances
2022-10-24 17:13
Learning and mastering your finances takes practice and time. Over that time, we evolve along with our finances, myself included. Recently, I realized that I've been going about some things… Read More
Another Year, Another Passport
2022-10-16 13:37
I love nothing better than a good passport. My U.S. Passport has taken me out of the country and I love it for that, but there are so many touristy-type passports you can get for a variety o… Read More
A Postcard Objective
2022-09-29 13:21
I love postcards, I really, really do. My love of postcards began when I was a young child and my mom would send me postcards from her world travels. My love of the hard, rectangle-shaped ca… Read More
A Week In The Appalachias: Part Two
2022-09-25 18:16
It's another beautiful day here in the Midwest! The temperatures have cooled down and the leaves are starting to turn. This means, of course, that Autumn is here and you all know that it's m… Read More
Autumn Is Nearly Upon Us
2022-09-14 13:24
I was out at one of my favorite spots this weekend when I snapped this picture. While the foliage is still quite green, you can see that it's touched with a hint of brown. Soon, the leaves w… Read More
A Week In The Appalachias: Part One
2022-08-23 10:02
Several years back, I was rediscovering a love for hiking that I hadn't experienced since I was a kid. As I was learning and growing as a hiker, I heard about the Appalachian Trail (or AT fo… Read More
Life Lately In (Unedited) Photos
2022-08-05 19:29
Life is grand, my friends, and I've made good on a promise to myself to get back out and live life again. You know, like I used to. Recently, I drove out to one of my favorite nature spots:… Read More
A Season Of Change
2022-07-21 11:13
"Seasons change and so do we."Hello old friends. Your weary author is back and change has finally smiled upon me, but first, let's catch up.The last time you heard from me, I was in the thro… Read More
A Weekend In The Mile High City
2022-05-28 12:04
Back in October of 2021, I was supposed to attend a concert in Denver with a friend of mine. Earlier in the year, I had hesitated to buy a plane ticket because...well, you know...Covid. Ever… Read More
The Long Road Home
2022-05-20 14:02
A handful of weekends ago, I was relaxing at home when I realized that for the first time in a long time, I felt that the huge weight I had been carrying on my shoulders was lifted. Even bet… Read More
Color The Wind Festival
2022-04-16 12:33
In 2002, avid Clear Lake kiters, Larry and Kay Day, started the Color the Wind Festival. Held on the third Saturday in February each year, this colorful festival of kites has been a traditio… Read More
Day Trip Adventure: The Day The Music Died
2022-04-10 15:30
In January of 1959, some of the biggest stars of Rock 'n Roll set out on a whirlwind 24-day tour called the "Winter Dance Party". The headliners of the show were 22-year-old Buddy Holly, 17… Read More
Squirrel Cage Jail
2022-03-23 10:42
In early January, my friend Rebecca and I took a day trip over to Council Bluffs. We tried to visit the Union Pacific Railroad Museum that day but, as it was a Sunday, the museum was closed… Read More
The Write Life: Guess I'm A Liar
2022-03-13 14:32
Last month, amidst a long spell of not blogging regularly and not having published a book in four years, I declared that I wasn't much of a writer anymore. Well...I'm a liar. Sooo, whil… Read More
Day Trip Adventure In Council Bluffs
2022-02-27 14:10
Not long after the 2021 Holiday Season was over, and life returned to a normal pace, I had a hankering to do a day trip. Around the same time, I was visiting my friend Rebecca one evening an… Read More
The Future Is Always Uncertain
2022-02-13 13:38
In life, the future is always uncertain. Stock markets, relationships, jobs, kids, even our own demise, can never be predicted with certainty. Sometimes we can come close to figuring it all… Read More
December's Seasonal Fun
2022-01-24 12:09
Another week begins and I completely forgot to post this blog entry this weekend, even though it was ready. Admittedly, I had a busy weekend mixed with a lazy weekend - if that's a thing, an… Read More
Things I'm Into Lately
2022-01-19 12:09
Now that I have a home that I love, I've been enjoying the time that I spend there. Sure, I like to get out and about as often as I can, but in the evenings, either after work or after a day… Read More
Miles And Miles
2022-01-15 14:44
Back in April of 2018, prompted by a need to get healthier and get some regular exercise, I started keeping track of the steps/miles I walked every day. At the time, I had an old step counte… Read More
An Afternoon In Brownville, Nebraska
2022-01-13 12:18
Brownville, NE, circa 1907. Brownville, Nebraska, is a small town in the far southwestern part of the state. Once the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population of 1,309… Read More
Day Trip To Yankton, South Dakota
2022-01-08 13:20
 Believe it or not, I labeled this post for later writing in mid-October of last year. By the way, it still feels weird to say last year when last year was literally just days ago. Anyw… Read More
Coffee Talk: Let's Have A Chat, Shall We?
2022-01-05 12:57
Good morning! I have a cup of coffee in my hand, per my usual morning routine, and I'm ready to sit around the table and have a chat with you. So, grab your own coffee (or whatever motivates… Read More
Life Is Good - A Recap Of 2021
2022-01-01 12:38
2021 started off quietly and different than in past years as covid turned my life upside down (like it did for everyone else). I had been divorced for a few months but was still living as ro… Read More
Loess Hills Hiking
2021-12-16 11:49
One of my best friends from high school, Amy, and I are doing a section hike on the Appalachian Trail in June (of 2022). Because of this, we've been getting together every three weeks to tak… Read More
Finding Joy In Cooking
2021-12-11 14:48
Once upon a time, I liked to cook. I spent my 20s single and eating gas station food, so as I neared 30 and started a family, I began cooking. I discovered that I liked it so did it fairly o… Read More
Buffalo Bill Cody Ranch
2021-11-30 17:26
 Last month, my friend Rebecca and I took an overnight trip to Western Nebraska to visit some wineries on the Nebraska Passport Program. We spent the night in North Platte, NE, which is… Read More
Shocktober! 2021
2021-11-16 11:09
It's hard to believe, but this is the 6th year of my annual Shocktober! In case you are new around here, Shocktober! is where I watch horror movies (based on a theme of some sort) just for y… Read More
A Forgotten Winery And A Tasting Room
2021-11-10 11:01
Back in late July, my friends Jayne, Keith, and I loaded up into my car to head north. Our destination? An out-of-the-way winery and a tasting room. The winery in question was Native 32 Wine… Read More
Back At It
2021-11-05 20:09
Remember when my whole life was hyper-focused on walking and hiking? Yeah, well...me too.See, here's the thing. Last year was a bitch and, as a result, I got lazy and put some weight back on… Read More
2021-10-25 14:55
Another week is upon us, so before I get too deep into it, I want to reflect on the last one.Fall is here, a bit delayed, but you can finally see it in the landscape.Because of this, I made… Read More
2021-10-11 10:44
Early this summer, I really began to notice how many things I was avoiding....err, evading. Sometimes when we get stuck in a rut and just aren't feeling ourselves, it's easy to avoid doing t… Read More
2021-10-08 10:13
Now that I'm all settled and have a bunch of debt paid off, I figured it was time to start aggressively working on paying off my student loans. Granted, I do have a loan on a new car that I… Read More
Hell Yeah, It's Fall!
2021-09-27 16:29
Well, well, would you look at that? It's FALL! To say I'm excited is an understatement. It's my favorite season and I always look forward to all the Fall things that I love: the colors of na… Read More
Coming To Terms With The Dreaded MLC
2021-09-23 19:04
I think it's fair to say that I've been going through some shit these past few years, a fact that has played out here in my blog for the world to see. I chalked it up to this, that, or the o… Read More
My Staycation And All The Hiking
2021-09-16 20:34
I was on vacation the week of Labor Day and, except for my brief trip out to Western Nebraska, I stayed around home this time. Yes, I took a bonafide staycation. Why? Well, I'm a single-inco… Read More
Scottsbluff National Monument
2021-09-11 13:42
On Labor Day weekend, I took my daughter out to Western Nebraska for what I hoped would be a fun, bonding mother-daughter trip. We packed up the car early on Saturday and headed just shy of… Read More
Future Hiking Plans
2021-09-02 11:14
Not meA handful of years back, when I really started getting into hiking, I read a good article about the Appalachian Trail (aka the AT). It triggered an idea in my head that I might like to… Read More
Why Do I Give Up So Easily Sometimes?
2021-08-25 10:39
I don't know why, but sometimes I give up too easily and it needs to stop. It's nothing more than an act of self-sabotage that gets me with my second, third, or even last option....for every… Read More
The Past Few Weeks: A Picture Story
2021-08-11 10:32
I'm not going to lie, the past few weeks have been pretty great. I've gotten out and done more things during this time than I have in literal months. Of course, I've taken plenty of photos… Read More
Nothing But Blue Skies
2021-07-26 10:53
I was hiking the other day when I snapped this lovely photo and I thought about how beautiful it was. It was slightly overcast but the clouds couldn't hide how blue and bright the sky looked… Read More
Coffee Talk: The Latest
2021-07-22 09:42
Good morning! The mornings are still cool, even if the afternoons are heating up, so I'm sitting here at my desk with my cup of coffee and a light, cool breeze. Have you got a cup of coffee… Read More
Healthy Life Update: July 2021
2021-07-18 12:37
It's been a while since I last posted one of these, so I figured it was overdue. Bearing that in mind, where do I even begin? Well, I guess we can start with the fact that I recently have ha… Read More
2021-07-11 16:16
The first weekend of May, Mother's Day weekend, I took a break from all the chaos that was moving to spend a fun couple of days in Des Moines. The goal was to attend the Des Moines Renaissan… Read More
Unwind And Relax
2021-07-08 11:38
Not long after I moved into my own place, I was sitting on the couch after a long day and I noticed something: my body was tense and my mind was racing a mile a minute. And you know what? It… Read More
Knock It Off 2021
2021-07-05 14:09
Anytime now, 2021 can just slow down a bit. I mean, we got past Winter, barely had a Spring, shot off some fireworks, and in looking at the calendar, school starts back up next month. What t… Read More
Wine And Art In Nebraska...Mostly Wine
2021-06-30 20:28
A few weeks ago one of my best friends, Libby, had a birthday. To mark the occasion, and because she has a rambunctious five-year-old at home, she really wanted to get out for a day of girl… Read More
2021-06-26 12:38
Lately, I've been feeling stagnant. It's strange as this seems like the last thing one would expect me to be feeling. After all, I spent the last two years working hard to create a new life… Read More
Portrait Of Omaha: Fort Omaha
2021-06-12 11:26
Tucked away in the northeast corner of Omaha sits Fort Omaha. Built in 1868, known as Sherman Barracks, it was a supply depot for various other forts along the Platte River. Today, four parc… Read More
Back On The Trails
2021-06-09 18:59
Finally, after months of working two jobs or being incredibly busy, I'm back on the walking/hiking bandwagon. Besides walking to work and back again - and at double the distance I might add… Read More
Frugal Living In My New Place
2021-05-31 13:12
 We finally finished emptying and cleaning out the old house the other day, and it's simply the best. Turning in the keys to a place I lived in for so many years seems like it might be… Read More

Share the post

H.A. Larson - Author

×

Subscribe to H.a. Larson - Author

Get updates delivered right to your inbox!

Thank you for your subscription

×