In A Bookish, Quilty Mood

We enjoyed a lot of sunsets. Pondered the state of our nation and the world at large. Wondered what kind of future our grandchildren will inherit. Came home to a garden in need of attention. The improbable butts up sharply against the mundane, yet I have to remain optimistic that my small contributions in all facets are not only helpful but necessary, from prayer to stories of hope. More in a few days. For now, it's good to be home.

17 August 2005; a walled garden in Helmsley, England. Tomorrow we're leaving for a couple of weeks away; admittedly it's strange to think about traveling, but I have purposely kept from my head the less stellar parts of this adventure, concentrating on where we'll be and what we'll do. Which is far from home and not much beyond sightseeing and visiting dear friends. Or I hope that's the outcome; only yesterday I packed a suitcase, not wishing to overstep any bounds by prepping too early in advance. And if things fall through at the last minute, I won't be overly saddened. There's a book to write, tomato plants to get into the ground, quilts to make, that sort of thing. Sipping my morning coffee, I admired the stars, then conjured an essential plot point for the new story. If I'm smart, I'll make some notes, but the folder for this book is at the bottom of luggage, so I'll stash it in my backpack for later perusal. I never did finish Chapter One,

A happy tomato plant; I can't wait to partake of its fruits! So around ten-thirty this morning I started a new book. The opening hit me while I took a shower and while I had other things in mind for the day, instead I sat at my computer and ninety minutes later I had accumulated a little over seventeen hundred words and quite the appetite, it was after twelve noon by then. A rainy start to the day precipitated the noveling, then a break in the rain got me outside to put seven tomato plants in the ground. While that was immensely satisfying, even better was slipping back into my office to add another thousand words to Chapter One. Ah, a new book, what a thrill! Not that a plethora of tomato plants isn't cool; I put in cherry toms and bigger fruits, several of them from my eldest daughter who loves potting up seeds, then watching for the ensuing tiny plants. Which is a lot like fleshing out a story in one's head, then tap-tap-tapping away all those thoughts, dreams, schemes,

Photo from 24 April 2004, that's nearly twenty years ago! Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire.... Spent a few days hanging out with the eldest daughter and family. Pondered a story idea that was brewing a few weeks back and has undergone several shifts. Mulled over a big trip on the horizon. Wondering how other large projects will sort themselves, then came home to a belated birthday gift of the 2017 season of The Great British Baking Show . We moved from the UK a couple of years before that program got underway, and watching it reminds me of those years, that lifestyle, learning to write, and how much I miss the English; one of the contestants said she needed to 'get herself sorted'. Oh yes, I know that feeling. Staring out my office window, a large billowy gray cloud looms ominously, yet the lighter gray sky acts like pixie, noting the sun is just a few hours away. I read a LOT about pixies and fairies to my granddaughters this past weekend, three chapter books that my four-year ol