This year, Eliot is right about our weather in MN. I find spring in general particularly cruel since I can no longer ski, but the roads are still too gritty/icy for me to ride my bike safely. This spring is taking its sweet time to unfurl and, at least here in this northern 'burb, the birds have not yet heralded its arrival. It's a silent spring, but the squirrels are enjoying the errant bird
Maybe I won't exactly finish a novel this month, but I did take the opportunity to start on my next one. Due to popular demand, I am going to try to continue the story of Maggie and company. The working title of this one is Winter at the Weir Farm. It's both exciting and daunting to embark on another novel, but the time seems right and the ideas are coming, so I look forward to seeing what
While perusing one of the few big box bookstores that still remains in these parts, I noticed that there seems to be a trend afoot in the magazine world (yes, magazines, those archaic paper things that are rumored to be dying) toward a rustic, reminiscent, back-to-the-land, hands-on crafty lifestyle. I find it particularly interesting that these are physical magazines and not just online
Having Mondays off still feels somehow illicit to me. I don't know if I will ever feel otherwise. I sort of hope not, because there is a delicious pleasure to be gleaned from slipping away from the city on a weekday that is not in the middle of vacation season. The roads are free of traffic. Everything seems quieter and slower. What's even better is to have a partner with whom to enjoy these
Just spent a lovely weekend retreat at the Audubon Center of MN near Sandstone. It was only a few miles off the interstate, but the mental distance from the buzz of the crowds was much greater. I attended a Loft writers' conference on nature and environmental writing. It was much more informative than I could have imagined. This conference had my favorite kind of workshops, where there was no
My book is now on Amazon! You can actually search for me or for the title and it comes right up! Wow. If you really put your mind and effort into something, you can achieve it :) I dare you to try!
bARTer I was down a rabbit hole on Amazon last night, which started with me looking up the book "Twelve by Twelve"- an account of a man who lived in tiny cabin in the woods. I ordered it from the library, but I'm number 22 in line, so I may not get to read it for awhile. That book led to "Possum Living" which was written in 1978 by an 18 year-old woman who lived off the grid with her father in
Upper Midwest Summer Vacations The above shot is from my three-day weekend visit to Madeline Island. Look at that water! Lake Superior is surely superior to any other lake. And to add to the attraction, it was actually warm enough to swim in! At least this summer, in Chequamegon bay. I visited the North Shore (Gooseberry Falls and Grand Marais, MN) a couple weeks later, and the water temp was a
Dog Days at the Weir Farm has finally been unleashed upon the world. After some attempts at traditional publication methods (a.k.a. collecting rejection letters from literary agents), I thought the timing may be good to try this new e-book publishing gambit. The idea of self-publication is losing much of the stigma that used to be associated with "vanity presses" as more and more authors are
Simply Living I've been finding inspiration all over the place for my new obsession of living simply. I haven't embraced it in my own life yet, aside from combining my bedroom and office into one small room in my house, but I'm looking forward to purging stuff that I don't need and making do with much less. Maybe it was the Tumbleweed Tiny House site that first got me hooked on the idea, or
A May bouquet to brighten your day! The month of writing and guitar is going swimmingly. And I mean this literally, since it's been rainy for the majority of the first two weeks of this month. The weather has been cooperating with my intentions for indoor activities. But today the sun is back out, and it's time to get back outside for a bit. Before I do that, just wanted to share the latest
Yoga and Bike Month I wanted to do the 30 days of biking challenge, but I also wanted to do 30 days of yoga, so I decided to do both in April. Yoga and riding the bike every day for a month. It went well. I only missed four days of cycling, mostly due to going out of town one weekend. I still made it 22 days in a row, which is way more than I would have done without the challenge, so I'm pretty
Anyone else feel a little lopsided, off-kilter, discombobulated or generally messed up lately? Ever since last weekend I haven't felt myself. Maybe it was the huge effort of the Birkie, or the blow to my tailbone (first chakra and all) when I fell at km. 48, or maybe it was the latest big earthquake which shifted the Earth's axis (Ruth Montgomery, you were prophetic after all; I wonder how much
These are bulbs that were for sale on the street in Paris in November, but the photo makes me think about what may be stirring underground here soon. I don't wish for winter to end too soon, but if it must, there are worse things to replace snow than flowers.
I found this wonderful quote today:"Everyday, think as you wake up: Today I am fortunate to have woken up. I am alive. I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself to expand my heart out to others for the benefit of all beings." Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
Random Item:I sent a manuscript of Dog Days to the editors at Random House as an entry in their First Young Adult Novel contest.Wish me luck!
PARIS!Yes, it is just that gorgeous ALL the freaking time! They really do have a way with lights, that I cannot understand or possibly replicate. In fact, most of my Parisian pleasures were things that could only be experienced and enjoyed in Paris. The food, the lights, the sounds, the wine, the champagne, the bread, the art, the architecture... none of those things could be packed up and taken
It's a Beautiful Day!Ever have one of those days when everything just seems so right and perfect that you wouldn't change a thing?This is one of those days for me.I went for a run this morning down by the river and stopped to watch a plane fly overhead against the thin, rumbly-looking clouds and thought "that is going to be me soon."I stood a couple feet from the Mississippi and watched the
The book website is up!http://www.dogdaysattheweirfarm.comThank you, Heather, for your gorgeous design and brilliant ideas.Now it's time to find a publisher. Wish me luck!
I've started work on a kids' story. Its working title is "The Fabulous Adventures of Oona Oolong." Here is a bit that I've written so far...Oona Oolong opened her front door and stepped onto the porch. She took one big inhale and looked around. A tendril of morning glories wrapped the faded wooden fence in green and sky blue. They were not there last night. Orange sunshine streaked across the
Book Website update...I have seen some sample pages of my book website from the very talented Heather Murphy. I am absolutely thrilled with her gorgeous design and I can't wait to see the finished website! This is just so very exciting for me to see it come alive. I am lucky to have such a professional and inspirational artist to work with.I will share her lovely work as soon as the website is
Smile PhilanthropistIt usually pays to do that thing that you are afraid of doing because someone might not approve, or you may face ridicule. In fact, those are the things you really should do, because there are way more people out there who are waiting for you to do it. Someone has to pave the way to show that it's okay to be honest and bold and brave. Go ahead. Do it. Then watch what happens.
Yoga teacher training is going great so far! This week I learned how to give good Sivasana.I'm going to state my BIG DREAM here right now, because I know the more I focus on it, the more likely it is to come true!So here it is...I'm going to start a yoga/writing/art/meditation/nature retreat center. It's going to be in northern WI. I'm going to live there with whatever friends and family wish to
A SongI'm sorry if this makes no senseI just got back in townI went away to find myselfAnd got all turned aroundI met a crow out on the roadWho pointed to the skyHe said your answer lies up thereAnd flapped his wings to flyI wandered on and met a girlWith marbles white and goldWho stretched her arms out wide and saidContinue on this roadI walked until I reached the seaA turtle there turned '
