Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Out of the Dust ...

and chaos and complete utter mess that a remodel can bring.

I had no idea what I was in for when the remodel on our house started, and now that the largest part of it is done, and we are back to living on the first floor, it almost seems like the summer has been a surreal existance, at least as far as trying to stay connected with the writing and publishing world. I learned that I can not necessarily write "anywhere," at least as far as keeping up with office to-do lists. Being limited to 2-square-feet of floor space at an itty bit desk-that-is-not-a-desk in my daughter's room underneath the watchful starry eyes of Ashley Tisdale and Taylor Lautner (who is now wallpapered on my screen, thanks to youthful daughter) did not do a lot for inspiring the muse to keep the blog updated. (Or the photos downloaded--sorry, Mom! Those will follow.) But thankfully, the embers that feed the creative side--at least as far as making fiction--kept burning and I managed to wrap up my middle grade and get a picture book hammered out by writing in quiet pockets outside.

It's hard to believe summer has passed by and fall is well upon me. The first big rain of the season lured me from bed early this morning, and already I'm looking forward to drier and warmer weather to return. There are too many things left to be done in the garden. Green beans and corn plants are ready to be ripped out, and limas, carrots and beets are standing tall for harvest. Thank the Lord for a friend like Kristen, who does not have a garden and who has found a new passion for helping in gardens that are not her own. We have a date to do all good things with beets, carrots, and a bottle of wine on Tuesday. Yesterday, we tackled the beans, tomatillos, zuchinis-that-are-now-listed-as-deadly-weapons, cucumbers, and tomatos. Good times, good times.

I'll leave you with a few photos of summer journeys 2009.....