Sunday Snippet: The Rainy Edition

It’s been soooo dry here in the Midwest for the last four weeks. We’ve been watering gardens every day, and the potted plants sometimes twice a day, but we held back watering the lawn because all the experts said not to. It’s hard to watch your lovely green lawn go slowly to brown straw, but lawn people say that you can let the yard go without water for up to four weeks before you risk losing it.

After four weeks, water only every two weeks to keep the roots hydrated. So we waited… and day before yesterday, Husband finally set out the sprinklers and gave the grass a good drink, per the Purdue Ag Department. (We are faithful followers of Purdue Ag advice–they’ve never steered us wrong!) Then yesterday, the rain came. It poured a good bit of the day, so the earth got a great soaking. The grass is starting to green back up, and it might be close to time to mow again.

Most all the flowers survived the drought, although the ferns outside my office window got some brown on them. The hollyhock seeds I planted finally pushed through and they’re on their way, as are the California poppies. The lavender didn’t like the heat much and it may have to replaced next spring, but everything else is doing well. The peaches are tiny, but they’re coming along. This is the first summer the peach tree has borne fruit for us. We’re excited to taste them when they get ripe enough.

Writing goes along…Jo and Alex’s story is ripening along with the peaches and I hope I can get it done by my deadline. It seems to be moving better after a slow start. It’s funny, some books take off with a bang and the whole first third gets written swiftly and then you get to the middle–that and then stuff happens stage and your mind goes blank. Just nothing. You have to write and edit and write and edit and process with writer pals (in my case, Liz or my editor), and finally you pick up steam again and the story gets told.

Or, like with Alex and Jo, the beginning is slow, but the story moves faster as you get to know the characters and they start to talk to you more. Either way it goes, little pieces of the next story creep into the telling of the current one, and you are taking notes furiously so you don’t lose those nuggets. Jenny and Gabe’s story is brewing in the back of my mind… they’re old-fashioned folks and may do a real courtship instead of a whirlwind like Jo and Alex. We’ll see.

Gratitude for this week: Rain, blessed rain! A fun day with sis for mani/pedis and ice cream. I’m writing a lot–even a 2300-word day, which is a lot for me. We are dealing with a health issue right now for Husband, but he is strong, so I’m grateful for his fighting spirit. The temperatures have moderated, so walks in the ‘hood are much more pleasant.

Stay well, stay safe, wear your mask in a crowd, send light…everywhere–the world is a freakin’ mess, but most of all, mes amies, stay grateful!