I have been spending hours every week with my flowers, mowing, pruning trees, raking, etc. One day last week, I mowed our entire lawn. It was seven hours on the riding lawn mower. Growing up on a farm, it is like second nature to me to want to be outside and involved in the care of our land. Yesterday was our first 90 degree day of the season, and for a change there was no wind. So we decided to burn two brush piles - one at time. It was hard hot work. We were prepared: cell phone on hand, two hoses, three 5 gallon buckets of water on stand by, shovels, garden rake and heavy duty gloves work gloves for each of us. Two lawn chairs, and a cooler of water and diet cokes. I enjoy working outside. And my husband who grew up in a large city does too. I feel a sense of pride when I can see the immediate results of my efforts.
Gardening is so unlike writing. Writing is a constant pressure to meet deadlines, then hoping and waiting for acceptances while most often receiving rejections. A few weeks ago one of our teen granddaughters was helping me with something on the computer, she read a sign I have hanging above my desk: Today we do…what we must. Then someday we can do…what we want! Then she looked at me skeptically and blanched. I asked her if she liked the sign. She nodded, and then hesitantly asked, “How old do you have to be before you can do what you want?” I didn’t know how to answer. I finally said, “It varies from person to person.” As a big birthday is fast approaching … I’ve seriously been wondering.
Busy time of the year. We have hosted and attended several parties and dinners over the last few weeks. Plus district and state competition for our granddaughter who had a great year in Pole Vaulting, made it look easy to fly over the barrier at ten feet with a foot to spare! Our travel plans are always directly related to the availability of kennel space tor our dog. A change of scene is refreshing but coming home is always the sweetest. We spent Memorial Day Weekend in Pittsburgh with dear friends. I took a couple hours and drove across Pittsburgh to meet our grandson for lunch; he’s a hair stylist. His hair was a pretty shade of purple this time. Cute!
While in Pittsburgh, we went to the theater and watched the movie, Gifted. It was wonderful. We have had few movies to watch lately because we like good dramas, and there have been so few.
We binged on the series, Prime Suspect, starring Helen Mirren. Our friends lent us their entire set to bring home. Loved it!
I have read fewer books than usual this month:
No Certain Rest by Jim Lehrere. Interesting and educational historical novel about the Civil War.
Jewels of San Fedele, a wonderful anthology written by a group of fourteen writers who spent a week on an Italian hilltop surrounded by vineyards and orchards. The book is samples of their writing retreat efforts, memoir samples, poetry, essays, short stories and even a segment of novel. A writers dream come true for those lucky fourteen!
King’s Mountain by Sharon McCrumb. Historical fiction about the American Revolution. Well researched, good character development. Another great novel from this much loved Appalachian author.
Roads by Marina Antropow Cramer. Historical fiction about WW2 with a different angle. Well researched and unforgettable characters, the plot takes so many twists that the reader is tied in knots at times trying to imagine how anyone managed to survive at all. There was certainly no need for Weight Watchers during those times!
Rare Objects by Kathleen Tessaro. Historical fiction. Our book club’s choice for this month. Well written and researched. The protagonist makes several attempts to reinvent herself and then doubts her efforts. Good plot and some of the characters were less then likable. it is hard for me to really love a book if I don’t like the characters!
My review of Jewels of San Fedele is posted on Story Circle: http://www.storycirclebookreviews.org/reviews/jewels.shtml
Till next time, keep reading my friends.
Later, Ann