Coming Home to Myself

If you plant seeds—

—be sure to water them. I declared my intention to grow flowers in memory of my husband. He was a much better gardener than I. Of course, I had to weed first. Winter brought us a lot of rain, which resulted in an extra large crop of weeds (still undefeated). Many I can’t name, butContinue reading “If you plant seeds—”

In-Between Season

With apologies to my readers, lately I’ve been in stasis. Essentially, my world has stood still. When I began this blog, we were between cold and warm, with more of each to follow. My apricot tree had already opened its first blossoms, which bodes poorly for the survival of any apricots. Bumper crops happen rarely.Continue reading “In-Between Season”

Rules

Love rules. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. Characters rule. I’m still struggling with the climax to Quantum Quest (the first draft of which was scheduled to be completed in 2023). But, as I’ve been saying for months, it is inching forward. My latest discovery is 1) I’ve got lots of characters to settle; 2) I’ve failedContinue reading “Rules”

Trickster Tales

First of all, what are tricksters? Their purpose is to remind us to be real. When we put up barriers to hide (often from ourselves), they delight in tearing down those walls. Only when we are real do they lose their power. This past week, I became nursemaid to Sophie. A trip to the vetContinue reading “Trickster Tales”

Muse, where are you?

The things I’ll do to avoid finishing my trilogy: Write a blog. Knit a cap and immediately begin another, hoping to avoid the mistakes made in the previous one. Introduce Sophie to a new mode of transport for family walks (because she’s so pokey the rest of us don’t really even get our legs stretched).Continue reading “Muse, where are you?”

Paying Attention

Some time ago, I discovered that most of my (rare) falls happen when I’m ungrounded. I can walk and think, but only by keeping one piece of my mind sensing the ground beneath my feet. It was when I fell and broke my little finger that that lesson came clear. Every subsequent fall comes as aContinue reading “Paying Attention”

Counting Days

The best laid plans . . . , Robert Burns said. In our case, a cold Monday and fresh snow on the streets upended my to-do list. No gym. No errands—which seemed so important to make note of on Sunday. Everything’s on hiatus. Meanwhile, I’ve work to be done, this second week of the newContinue reading “Counting Days”

Looking back on the Old Year

Generally, the only yearly resolutions I make relate to writing. The second item on my 2023 list states: “Complete Quantum Quest draft.” I certainly drew near to its climax but must confess, the draft remains incomplete. It has now moved to my 2024 list. Neither did I complete the first item on the list: “HiddenContinue reading “Looking back on the Old Year”

Taking Stock

December is almost half gone. The question of whether I’ll succeed in my deadline to complete a rough—very, very rough—draft of a novel this year remains in limbo. Will I or won’t I? I’ve done a lot of soul searching. How have I written novels in the past? How can I change my methods? MyContinue reading “Taking Stock”

Ambiguous Grief

The crows are back, with their raucous calls, dropping signs of their pecan foraging. We’ve had some rainfall, dampening the falling leaves. It’s been a beautiful autumn, as the year rounds another corner, nearing its end. This past week has been an exhausting one of minor and major upheavals, which put a temporary stop toContinue reading “Ambiguous Grief”