Well, “Back-to-School” season is here, and I’m reminded of when I was a girl returning to school, being assigned an essay on “How I Spent My Summer.” While some of my childhood summers were action-packed with travels to Yellowstone and Disney World, most were spent at home, playing in the heat with neighborhood friends, and doing very ordinary things that I then thought were boring, such as helping pick and weed in the garden, and shucking corn.
Now, I look back at the last three months and wonder where in the world time has gone, for it seems there is no end to activity and there is never enough time to enjoy all the ordinary things of life, which I so greatly cherish.
If you follow my blog, you probably noticed I skipped a July entry. Quite honestly time got away from me because of my focus on other projects. But, for you enquiring minds, let me fill you in on what you’ve missed.
At least a few hours each day, I spent time writing and revising manuscripts, searching for comps, and preparing queries for agents. It’s easy to sit down at my computer with that first cup of coffee and get lost in the world of words and writerly routines. What I intend to be a two-hour work session can quickly turn into a six-hour session, then I switch gears and rush through the other things I’ve outlined for the day.
Special projects this summer included watercolor, ceramics, collage, and paper-making classes, tending my sweet chickens and gardening. Since spring I have been digging up perennials and relocating them into new beds, adding to those beds, and establishing a new shade garden around our deck. Of course, putting in gardens doesn’t mean the work is complete. Throughout the growing season there is watering, weeding, a little more planting and then harvesting fresh vegetables. Oh, and did I mention the bees? We raise honeybees. Last week we harvested oodles of beautiful liquid gold. In June, my daughter surprised us and announced she too wanted to raise bees. We couldn’t be more thrilled. There have been a few “mentor” check-ins to see how she is doing, but the truth is she needs no mentors. She’s done her homework and is doing a super job.
And then there has been blessed time spent with loved ones – a handful of fun-filled days with three lively wonderful grandchildren. The oldest one, Jaycie, is now a freshman. She has come to stay at our house a few times this summer and I wonder how much longer she’ll think it’s cool to hang out with Granny and Papa. I dread that inevitable time when she’s too busy to come and has moved on. Her childhood has lasted all of five minutes. Her little sister Hallie, and brother Owen, are both high energy toddlers who are into everything and finding their words. Hallie has decided to call me Bammaw and Owen calls me Nana, the word he also uses for banana. It’s okay, I’ll answer to anything and just count myself blessed that they run to me when I come for visits. What pleases me even more is that, like Jaycie, they associate me with books, and it usually isn’t long after I arrive that they pull on me and ask to be read to.
Throughout this summer I enjoyed frequent calls and visits with my friend Mihaela, a young woman I met in my ceramics classes five years ago. Every week we would sit together and share our life happenings and ideas for experimenting with glazes, favorite recipes and swapping flowers with one another. She has been a treasure in my life. But alas, times change. Mihaela and her family decided to move back to Romania. I bid farewell to her this month and hope it’s not the last time I ever see her. While I wish her love and all the best there now is a void where she used to be.
So, there you have it. My July was spent relishing living and loving on the hottest dog days of summer. And it flew by. Now it’s time to march on and be more faithful about blogging.
Under Recommended Reads, you will find this month’s book review for Sourgrass by Hope Lim and Sharhzad Maydani, about two good friends who must part ways. I know you’ll find it as touching as I do.
Little Seeds Read 