Tag: summer

Family Friday Updates

sparklers-923029_1280My, how time flies!

Today is July 1st, and everyone is gearing up for the long holiday weekend.

Updates have been long overdue, and since I am on an illness imposed rest period, I thought it was time.

 

This summer has been full of intentions:

I intended to plant a garden. The reality is more that Rob planted tomatoes and potatoes. Both are doing well, but there is nothing else growing except weeds, which are prolific this year.

I intended to finish my third novel and begin editing one of my other novels. Yeah, life has been interesting, and I haven’t worked much on my fiction writing. I have been working on some other things which I will announce soon but not so much with my fiction.

I intended to begin walking every day simply for peace of mind. Well, I’m not sure I need to say anything else about that.

I intended to make it down the river in my kayak, and that hasn’t happened – YET. I still have hope that it will happen.

The goals I’ve had to create to cope with life right now are so much vaguer than I usually create:

1. Do one thing each day to move my career forward. I’ve decided that this means just about anything I do that has to do with writing or learning about blogging etc. This seems to be working.

2. Step out of my comfort zone. More on this one at a later date.

3. Be serious about my creative life. Again, more about this one later.

Summer got busy about a month ago, much busier than I had expected. As usual, things have changed at work which is a struggle. And, we have guests this summer.

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The kids have enjoyed the bigger yard and play area that Papa made for them. Also, pancakes for dinner is a yummy experience!

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I have accomplished a few things. The outside of my building is painted and a small flower garden planted in front. It is quite nice to sit in there with all the windows open; at least until the sun sinks into the west. Then, the heat becomes overwhelming. But still, my writing shed is my favorite place to be.

 

I’ve also discovered furniture painting and will be sharing more about this part of my life. The projects that I have waiting for me keep increasing, and since the summer has gotten so busy, I’m not keeping up with them. Though not part of my intentions, I am excited about this.

Here is a piece I painted in a recent class: img_1118

Rob built a water feature in our yard. It has taken most of the spring, and the plants are now growing well. Evenings are nice to sit out and listen to the babbling brook, even if the river is nowhere in sight.

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Though the summer isn’t over, it feels “too late” for some things. “Too late” is a strange feeling when there is still two months to go before Labor Day. Although summer usually goes fast, when things are chaotic and busy, it goes so much faster with no way to slow it down.

How is your summer going?

Are you accomplishing much or simply hanging on
as the time flies by?

Did you set any goals for yourself?

I hope so.

I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July.

Friday Five: Summer Faves

It’s summer here in northern Michigan. That means that one day the thermometer hits 90 degrees and the next 60. Summer in the north also means lots of good things.

I’ve taken some great photo’s of stormy skies as we’ve had several severe storms this month. Photo’s like this one:

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Life has gotten busy though I’m not sure when it ever slows down. As I sit with my calendar, I see nothing is going to change in the future.

Just like most people, I have lots of things scheduled. Some with family, some with friends and others writing related.

My husband and I are about to celebrate our 15th anniversary and are making a few plans. We have a camping trip scheduled and a grandson’s 1st birthday to attend in the next month.

It is all good, but it takes a toll on my energy levels. That being said, I am taking this moment to simply be in this moment. I picked up my CSA today and decided this was one of my favorite things about summer.  Here is my list:

1. Blueberries – I forget how much I like blueberries until I pick up a quart at the local farmers market and my husband and I race to see who can finish them first.

2. Warm summer days – Winter is quite long here and I want to take the opportunity to soak as much of the warmth into my bones before it gets here.

3. Harvest – Gardens are producing so much right now. Zucchini appears to have lived up to its reputation and I have more in my kitchen than I can possibly consume. Our first tomatoes came in the order. Remember toasted tomato sandwiches? Definitely a fave.tomato-498721_1280

4. Sitting by Water – Lakefront visiting helps to balance the heat with the love of water.

5. Walks in the evening – Finding some serenity outdoors after a long day at work is the best thing. I also like to walk in the morning just as the sun is rising, but I haven’t had enough energy for that. I’ll keep trying.

There seems to be a consensus about summer that everyone tries to enjoy it to the fullest. These are the things that make summer enjoyable for me.

What are your favorite things about summer?

Friday Five: Distractions in the Writing Life

For the past week, I’ve struggled to stay up with my writing schedule. I’ve noticed that besides my decidedly strange mood, there have been distractions that have hindered my writing goals. Though I haven’t stopped, it is most definitely a struggle.

IMG_01641. This Little Black Beast – Her name is Pippa, and she is now about 9ish weeks old. She showed up on my doorstep early one morning and stayed. It was time for a kitten. She is so dark that taking pictures is problematic, not to mention she nearly always in motion.

2. Summer, Just Summer – The days are long and have become hot. There are millions of things to do and often the last thing I want is to be sitting at my computer, writing. Except that writing is what I want to do. This battle is a distraction.

3. The Call of the Water – I haven’t been in my kayak yet this year – life is busy. But I can hear the call of the water and seek it out when I can. I have a friend with a small cabin on a tiny lake and some of my favorite times are spent watching the sun go behind the trees at the lake. I can write but mostly prefer to sit and enjoy the water.

4. Ordinary Life – Life doesn’t stop because summer is here. There is always work, dishes and laundry. Oh, and then there is grocery shopping because, well, you still have to eat, even though it is a million degrees and the last thing you want to do is cook.

5. Changes at Home – My husband and I have recently purchased a piece of property adjacent to our current home.  For the past two weeks, we’ve talked of little else. Will the deal happen? Yes, it finally did. What will we do with the one building on the land? What color to paint? Where are we planting the willow trees? My husband has been excited about this, and that is distracting because he wants to talk about it. He has been exceptionally chatty. Though it is fun to see, I still have work to do.

These are my top 5 distractions of the summer. What are yours?