Juggling!

Acer palmatum 'Omurayama' beginning to turn color.
Acer palmatum ‘Omurayama’ beginning to turn color.

I’m juggling a half dozen things in my life and trying to make a little progress on all fronts.

I’m writing a sequel(s?) to a book I wrote last year. It’s a Fantasy that takes place in our day and age. The first one is called Faerie Unbound. It’s about what happens when the boundaries of Faerie come crashing down. There’s lots more going on of course, but I don’t want to toss out any spoilers.

So, it came to me this Fall, (okay, I’m willing to admit Fall is here now) that I should put all my plans on hold for publishing the first book once I realized there were more. And until I’ve got them all written.

When I’ve written a series in the past, things shifted in the first book. And once it’s out, it’s done.

So, I don’t know how long this series is. I’m well into the second book and I’m not even sure how long it’ll be. I like to have my unconscious figure all that out. It’s much smarter than the rational part of my brain. And tells better stories.

So, there’s that.

I’m slowly learning In Design. S-l-o-w-l-y, being the operative word. One step forward, four steps back. Seriously. It seems like I fix one thing on a file and break something else. I’ve been told it’s a steep learning curve, but I’ll get it figured out.

And then there will be more books in paper! Yay! But don’t hold your breath, I’ll let y’all know when that little miracle happens.

I’m trying, once again, to reshape my life. Adding in exercise. So after walking my daughter out to the bus in the mornings I’ve been making myself walk around the garden for half an hour before I come back in and write. Thus all  the early morning photos and not quite as much walking as I’d like.

Which leads to yet another thing. A year ago, maybe longer, I finally decided to cut down the horse fence we’d put up, since the horses were long gone. This year we’ve finally gotten to that project.

So, the fence is coming down (rather expensive firewood). In the far back corner of the property, in front of the hedgerow, I’ve been planning a garden. It’s almost complete shade and we’ve been digging up Hydrangeas and other plants for a year or two.

After the fence is gone we’ll rake back the gravel, pull up the extra thick weed barrier and compost the whole area. Then start digging holes. I’ve got other plants that are going there that still need to be dug up and moved from other parts of the garden. So, major construction.

The rains are one their way and then planting can commence.

Stray mushrooms under the cedars
Stray mushrooms under the cedars

Speaking of rain, we haven’t gotten much of our fall moisture yet, but the mushrooms are beginning to appear. These are some of the first. There will be more. Lots more. And new types pop up every fall.

Such fun to find them. Even though I don’t eat them. I only know about three types of mushrooms and around here there are hundreds. And most of them look alike.

I just take photos and watch them disappear day by day as the slugs find them. The slugs I’ve told more than once to go visit the neighbors. Permanently.

Plus, I’ve joined another bookclub. The last one I was in gradually fell apart as everyone’s lives changed. I miss the people, the conversation and the food. That bookclub had smart women who read AND who could really cook! My cooking skills have gone down the tubes these past several years through lack of interest.

The new bookclub meets in a coffeeshop once a month and reads exclusively Science Fiction and Fantasy. The age range is from women in their late teens to their 70’s. And they are serious readers! Three books a month. I’m making an attempt, but I’ll be lucky to get through one a month.

Fall color on laceleaf maple out the front door.
Fall color on laceleaf maple out the front door.

I need to stop reading the internet. Okay, not really.

I need more time in the day! And more energy!

Well, I’m off to wrestle In Design to the ground now. I’ll leave you with another photo.

If you stop in, what are you reworking in your life right now?



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