Photo-Finish Friday -- Spock Comes Home

Leonard Nimoy, Vulcan, Alberta, April 23, 2010.

Twofer Tuesday - A Busy Week

I've made a bit of headway. I try to put down at least 750 words a day on the WIP. It's a manageable amount and some progress gets made. I thought I was going to do twice that amount, but discovered I was being a bit ambitious.
There's gardening to get at, and ordinary household matters as well.

Also, last week I was called away on important business

which prevented me from writing for a few days.
I did manage to get some reading and writing done, though.

Two lines I read:
"The gentleman gave Bekka a polite half-bow, stepped sideways into the shadows, and vanished. The adepts do it better, Bekka told herself."

-The Price of the Stars, by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald (Tor, 1992)
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From my current WIP Dead Broke:

"It was a funny swirling happy feeling in that part of me where the heart had been. The one that got shattered by the bullet."

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For more or to get in on the fun, please see the Women of Mystery.

Gratitude Monday - Live Long and Prosper Edition

On the bridge at the Vulcan Tourism and Trek Station.

My friend Sylvia and I went to Vulcan last week to see Mr. Spock come home.
We had a two-day road trip, we drank Romulan Ale --it's most refreshing--and we took many, many pictures.
I am grateful to have had the chance to see Leonard Nimoy in person, grateful that Sylvia suggested it, grateful for the fun, and most of all, I am grateful for the time I spent with my best friend.
Live Long and Prosper.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Dizzying Heights

Looking down to the Bighorn River from the viewpoint at Crescent Falls.
This scene is south of the falls and marks the start of a hike in for those feeling adventurous. It's another mile or so drive to the campground at the falls proper.

Up With Rhubarb

You'll be pie some day, my sprouts.

The rhubarb is up in my garden.
Yay.
It's a sign of new life and the renewal of the earth each spring.
These plants are colorful and stubborn and come back no matter what I do, or don't do, to them.
It's awfully dry this spring and that's worrisome for a wide spectrum of reasons, but mostly it means the produce will be hot to the taste, and bitter or sour.
Rhubarb is a mouth-puckerer to begin with. It needs no help from nature. If this dry weather continues I'll have to water the rhubarb.
It's worth it.

Sod Busting For the Soul

A bit more garden patch.

Playing in the dirt is good for the soul. So is gardening. I'm combining the two and making my garden patch a wee bit bigger this year. This means digging up some lawn and busting clumps of grass- tight soil.
It's fun.
Maybe fun isn't the right word. It's makes me feel good to do it. It's easy to see that something's being accomplished, it's good, physical labour, and it leaves my mind free.
I opened up a patch that's maybe three feet by four feet on Monday. I'll need to do more, but I wasn't about to do anything that would make my heart all fussy.
Yesterday I started chopping at the great clumps of soil. This is most satisfying.
Thinking pleasant thoughts is no good when you've got a sharp instrument in your hand and you're bent on destruction. Nothing gets done.
Rather than concentrate on any one thing I let my mind go. In fact, I let it so loose I was quite mindless for the whole 45 minutes or so that I was working.
It was wonderful.
I felt the sun and wind and the fresh air. I smelled the good, clean smell of the soil. I saw new life poking out even as I was destroying it.
It was destruction for the ultimate goal of building up, and that's as good a renewal as any.

Twofer Tuesday- Dead and Undead Edition

After a few false starts I finally got going on my current WIP. I've been good, too. I write in the mornings and then edit my third manuscript in the afternoons.
In fairness, I usually only edit one chapter a day. I find the mistakes, or some of them anyway, and get the corrections done right then and there. I thought I'd try it this way for a change and see if it made a difference.
So far it's added to the feelings of accomplishment.
This getting things done business has opened up time for me. I'm often done by early afternoon at the latest and that means I can get outside work done. I've collected the garbage that blows into the yard and the cigarette butts deliberately flicked in by our thoughtful neighbors.
I'm enlarging the garden this year and that means digging. It's good to move around after staring at the computer all morning.

I've had a chance to get some reading done, too.
The two lines I've read are from Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore. (Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 2008):

" 'Please,' Tommy begged, 'I'll sign anything, but they have to deliver it right now. Okay?'
Lloyd pumped Tommy's hand to start the flow of cash. 'Welcome to better living through frozen food. ' "
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My contribution to the cause from my current WIP, Dead Broke:

" 'How can I be sure this is the afterlife I've heard so much about?'
'Oh, sweetie. It ain't.' "
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Thanks for stopping by.
For more, or to get in on the fun, please see the Women of Mystery.