Today's Lily

I went out to chase a few weeds (my Grandma Angermeier always said that) and saw that the patio day lily is still blooming. Well, today's day lily was blooming. There were a couple old flowers I plucked off and there are a couple more to come. It's such a pretty color.

 

Representing the front of the house is another Dad's rose. This one is leaning up against the house where it has to be broiling hot in the middle of the sunny day but it seems to be happy there.

 

Aren't ferns pretty? There are lots of them in the same patio bed as the day lily and they're thriving. There are two types, one of them is Ostrich Fern and I forget what the other one is, but I love the way they look. And the way they come back year after year with no effort on my part.

 

A pair of House Finches spent a little time dipping their beaks in the grape jelly. I'll have to go out tomorrow and fill it up because it looks a little low. We had a surprise rain shower an hour ago so I'm sure the jelly left is watered down. I'll fix that tomorrow too.

 

Today's drawing prompt was Fish. I like drawing fish. I like coloring fish. So here are the fish I drew and colored.

 

I also made time to draw a gratitude journal page. I drew one for yesterday this morning and one for today after supper. I did the same thing last Monday and then didn't draw one for a week. I'm not even going to talk about how I need to do better. We all know I should but I'm not making promises.

 

In writing news, I took the pages of manuscript analysis I printed off yesterday and went through the manuscript comment by comment adding little scenes and embellishments so that it is closer to what the analysis recommends. I did ignore one suggestion. I even wrote a note in red that I'm not changing it because I like it the way it is. I'm the author and what I say goes.

 

I cast on a new sock. I'm meeting knitting friends on Thursday evening and need something I can knit on while chatting. The name of the colorway of the yarn is Iron Pyrite and I'm excited to see how the yarn knits up.

 

This morning I had a critique zoom with cda. She gave me her comments on the last couple chapters of my novel manuscript, The Summer of Blue-Black Nights (working title). Next time I'll share the first 20 pages or so of Christmas at The Seaview. I'm excited to share it because I'm convinced that it's perfect. It isn't, of that I can be sure, but allow me to wallow in my delusion for a week before reality comes crashing down next Monday.

--Barbara 

And It Rained

But I took DS's advice and mowed the lawn at 10am instead of 6pm like I was planning to and, while I got very hot, very tired, and very very sweaty, the job is done. In the afternoon it was clouding over and getting dark so that's when I went out to take flower pictures because I forgot earlier. The day lilies on the side of the backyard are blooming with enthusiasm. I'm surprised they aren't blurry because the wind was really blowing when I took this.

 

Dad's rose is blooming on more canes than just the first one now. This flower was standing up so pretty and proud. It was waving around in the wind too but my camera is fast enough that it captured it clearly.

 

I saw a flash of white on the suet nuggets feeder and saw a Hairy Woodpecker on there. They look just like Downy Woodpeckers only bigger and their beak is much longer. I doubted myself for a minute but then the next guy showed up.

 

He's a little blurry and rumpled up because he'd gotten rained on but it's a Downy Woodpecker on the suet cakes. Much smaller than the Hairy. Much.

 

Because it was raining I chose Water as today's drawing prompt. But I didn't draw rain, I drew three glasses with water in them. I'd have used watercolors but my sketchbook pages won't tolerate it so colored pencils it is.

 

I spent some time figuring out how to and then writing an elevator pitch for Horizon. I can't figure out why it doesn't sell so I thought maybe I need a new pitch. Now I have to memorize it and we'll see how it goes in July at the Art Garage book fair.

Then I took the manuscript analysis I got yesterday and read through it, not skimmed it like I did yesterday, and started working to fix the yellow tagged places that were "concerns." I avoided the red tagged "major concern" places. I'll tackle those once I get the easier fixes in place. I read the green tagged "working well" parts a few times just to feel good about them.

I'm glad I mowed even though I purely detest doing it. Now I don't have to dread it for at least a week. I'll keep doing it until I really physically can't, not just until I don't like it. Which I already do. A shower is very nice when I'm all disgustingly sweaty. That's one good thing about it.

--Barbara 

More Work To Do

I've been thinking that the manuscript I've been workshopping the last few months with cda (not the Christmas one) was almost ready for publication. Well. I decided to spend a credit I have with ProWritingAid for a manuscript analysis and the news isn't all good. It's good in some places where the analysis says "working well" and has green labels, some places that need a little work are labeled yellow and say "concern," and then there are the places of "major concern" with red labels. Guess I'll be going over the comments tomorrow to see what and where (and if) I can fix things.

 

There was a squirrel melted on the patio this afternoon and I took its picture. I'm sure they get hot wearing fur all the time and the concrete patio feels cool when they press their bellies to it. Makes me giggle when I see it.

 

Today's drawing prompt was Family so I drew my grandchildren from their school pictures framed where I can look at them all the time. I'm not so good at drawing faces but I keep practicing and getting a little better. They don't look like the kids but at least they look like humans.

 

Even more Stella d'Oro lilies are blooming. I love looking out to see all the yellow flowers across the top of the retaining wall. 

 

DS called this afternoon and invited me over for burgers on the grill. He made grilled zucchini and we had cheese on our burgers too. It was nice to sit on the patio and have supper with him and OJ. The girls are away with DIL1's mom and aunt for the weekend. I missed seeing them but was glad for the food and company. The guys went camping with the Scouts last night at a local waterfowl preserve. It sounded like good times were had by all.

I got a call from MW this afternoon saying that he wanted to stop over to buy another copy of Spies Don't Retire. It's the third copy he's bought. He keeps giving them away. I don't mind, I'm happy to sell another book. I asked if he's had time to read it and he said, "More than once." so I guess he likes it.

--Barbara

Bird Day

I saw a flicker of movement on the patio umbrella and when I looked up there was a Nuthatch on it. I picked up the camera and the Nuthatch flew over to the suet nuggets for a snack. It even clung to the side where I could see it. Nice birdie.

 

A pair of Goldfinches landed on the finch feeder and stayed long enough to have their picture taken. I haven't seen many Goldfinches this summer so I was glad to see these.

 

This Robin was very delicately bathing. Usually they're flapping and splashing out half of the water but this bird just carefully dipped its belly into the water, then stood up. It did it again a few times and then flew away.

 

And a House Finch worked on digging out some orange pulp. They're very focused when they're on the orange. They look like they're concentrating.

 

The Stella d'Oro lilies are still going crazy. This plant has a lot of flowers, some coming and some going. It's not the only one that's showing off.

 

For today's drawing prompt I went with Something Made of Wood and drew clothespins. They're made of wood and are surprisingly challenging to draw. I was glad I chose a dark brown marker for some of them. The dark color hid a multitude of sins.

 

Tonight at Friday Night Knitting I finished the Evergreen Alpaca Man Hat. I think it looks like a big green gumdrop. Only knitting on it on Fridays made it take a lot longer than it should to knit it but I've been so driven to write that knitting has taken a backseat for a while. I've got to cast on something else because I've got another knitting night next Thursday and I need something that doesn't need much thinking. Maybe a sock.

 

There was a squirrel laying on top of the fence at the back of the yard looking like it had melted but the picture was blurry because he was too far away. Oh well.

I got to pick OJ up from camp again today. Twice in one week! Hooray! The only writing I did today was the July writing progress email letter. I'm so glad I have KM to deal with MailerLite for me. I could probably load it but it'd take me hours and she can just zip and do it. Worth every penny.

--Barbara 

First Draft Done

I spent another day mostly on the laptop and finished the first draft of Christmas at The Seaview this afternoon. Then I reread it and still liked it, with a few minor edits. The speed with which this story came together is mind-boggling. I've never written at this pace before. I liked it a lot but know that it won't continue. After supper I wrote the blurb, the first draft of it anyway. Now I'll let it marinate for a while and, in a week or so, go back and see if I still like it.

 

In the afternoon, the late afternoon when my eyes were blurry from staring at the screen for so long, I went out and filled the bird feeders. Even though I haven't seen any Orioles in a couple weeks I still filled that one because the House Finches like the oranges and grape jelly.

 

Despite my opinion that the patio day lily was days away from blooming, it proved me wrong. When I went out to fill the feeders there it was leaning over the birdseed can in all of its orange glory. The day lilies on the side of the house and the lot line are starting to bloom too.

 

And the Stella d'Oro lilies are still going crazy. This plant had only a couple blooms on it yesterday and today it had a dozen. They're so pretty. I love taking closeups of them. Although I wish there'd been a bee in there.

 

That was my day. I didn't do any art or take a walk, I was too engrossed in finishing the first draft of this novella. It ended up being 28,437 words and 100 pages exactly. I don't know how many book pages that makes but it's enough to print in paperback, I'm sure. So I ordered a cover designed but they asked for information I don't have yet, like how many printed pages it will be so they can figure out the book spine print. Guess that'll have to wait until I've workshopped this with cda and it's closer to being ready to be published. Dang it. I was really looking forward to getting a cover soon.

--Barbara 

Itchy

I have a mosquito bite on the back of my right upper arm that itches like crazy. That's all. I just needed to complain.

Dad's rose is blooming on one cane. There's a little clump of buds and flowers right under my window so I can rise up out of my desk chair and see it. It's so pretty. Thanks, Dad. Another cane has laid down on the ground. It had a flower on it but something, I suspect a bunny, ate it.

 

Out the patio door there's a day lily that's sent up a very tall flower stalk. The buds are slightly pale orange and days away from opening but I thought you'd like to see them. The weight of the buds has bent the stalk enough so that it's not in danger of being beaten up by the wind chimes. Whew.

 

The Bleeding Hearts are just about done blooming. There are a few flowers left on those arching stems but they're fading fast. I like how they change to a pale purple as they age.

 

Remember I got 2 of the 10 author copy books I ordered the other day? Well the last 8 came today, 3 in one package from the USPS and 5 in another from Amazon. You'd think they could get their act together.

 

I chose Something You Used Today as my drawing prompt and drew my keyring. It's hanging on a peg by the back door so that's what I tried to draw. I didn't color it because most of it is black and the rest is silver.

 

Sadly the spate of words that has been my companion for the last 10 days dwindled to a trickle today. I had to stop and think about what I wanted to write instead of having it careening out my fingers almost faster than I could type. I'm closing in on the end of the novella with 26,619 words on 94 pages. This afternoon I sent the first guests off to the airport for their flight home. Next will come the other non-relative guests, then Rose will have to say goodbye to her children and their spouses. It'll be difficult but she's got Iggy to lean on. I also initiated a ticket to have a cover designed for it. Can't wait to see what they come up with.

I had lunch today with two of my old neighbors from when the kids were kids and we were stay-at-home moms. We went to a place where ladies who lunch were there in droves. The crush was made even crushier because today was the first day of their "20% off everything" sale in the attached store. They are not shy about pricing. We looked around but didn't find anything we couldn't live without.

Tonight was OJ's soccer game. It was the "late" game that starts at 7 o'clock. It rained on the drive over. It sprinkled off and on during the game. And it rained on the drive home. I drive over a really tall bridge there and back and I don't like it much in the rain. The game was a tie. At least it wasn't scorching hot.

-Barbara 

Bearable

I saw a baby Robin this afternoon. You can tell it's a baby because of its speckled breast. It wasn't chasing an adult around peeping to be fed. It was doing its own searching through the grass for something yummy to eat. Like maybe a worm.

 

I went out to take a picture of the Stella d'Oro lily with the most flowers on it. Look at how many there are! It's literally covered with blossoms. So pretty, even if they're only blooming for one day each.

 

There are some pretty weed flowers growing in my lawn. To be frank, my lawn is at least half weeds. I should probably contract with a lawn service to get some weed and feed spread on it, not spray because I don't want the over-spray to affect the flowers, etc. but granules that will stay where they're put. Although I'm afraid if they put on weed killer my lawn will look like it's got the mange. I know this isn't a clover but it kind of looks like a clover. I refuse to pay for the plant ID apps I found on Google Play so I don't know what it is but think it's pretty.

 

What I did most of today was write. I can't stop, you guys. It's completely nuts. I'm up to 25,182 words and 90 pages written since Saturday, June 14. The story's winding down. I'm on the last day of Christmas week and it's the day everyone leaves for home so I'll have some emotional goodbyes. Right now people are making plans to meet in the States to continue friendships made during the week. Oh, and I posted a question on an author FB page asking if I can publish a paperback with this few pages and the answer is an unqualified YES! One respondent recommended making it 5x8 instead of 6x9 so it looks like more. Great idea! I'm having so much fun. I'll be sorry when it's over. (This is an early picture. I was too busy writing to take one today.)

 

It wasn't until I took out the trash for tomorrow's pickup and was closing the house to come back here and blog that I realized I'd forgotten to draw anything. So I opened up my sketchbook and found this prompt of Words, Texts & Letters. I just used a fine liner pen to draw the alphabet. It isn't much, it's in black and white, and it didn't take long, but I like it. And I enjoyed it. Those are shapes that I know.

 

We had a real Wisconsin summer day today. It got up to 76 degrees and while the humidity was still pretty high it was nice enough to have a walk after supper tonight. Ah. 

--Barbara 

Another Rose

I only went out in the heat of the day today to take a picture of another one of Dad's roses. It was still so hot until late afternoon when thunderstorms rolled by and the temperature dropped about ten degrees. That made a huge difference.

I spent a lot of the day writing after a morning critique Zoom with cda. There were a lot of looooong sentences in the piece we critiqued today. I'll have to put my mind to cutting them down so readers aren't so breathless when they get to the end. By the time I logged off of Word this afternoon I had 20,965 words in 74 pages. In the afternoon I used my laptop stand so I could stand up and write. It's not the most comfortable position to write in but I have to keep working on it because I sit too much. I feel an urgency to get this story written and edited so I can release it in the early fall for the holiday season. Hopefully it'll be long enough that I can publish it as a paperback in addition to an eBook.

 

Today's drawing prompt was Chose Your Colour (the author's British). Naturally I chose red so I gathered up a few pottery items I have that are dark red and drew them. I didn't have the perfect colored pencils but this isn't too far from real life.

 

A House Finch landed on the orange half and enjoyed a few pecks of the orange. Then it hopped down to the grape jelly for dessert. The Sparrows on the suet nuggets feeder behind it weren't disturbed at all.

 

 OJ had a soccer game this evening and the rain, thunder, and lightning held off for his game. I don't think it did for the 7 o'clock game though because I drove home in rain and toward lightning in the distance. I love watching him play. He's not the most experienced but he tries real hard and Meemaw thinks that's what counts.

--Barbara 

So Stinking Hot

It was another hot and muggy day. I wasn't going to go outside but I had to take some flower pictures which I'll show you in a minute. But you have to see what I found when I was out there frying my brain. The hen turkey has left the nest. Some of the eggs hatched and others didn't. I never saw a poult (which is what turkey chicks are called) but there must have been one or two judging by the evidence.

 

Okay, here's the best flower. It's Dad's rose's first blossom of the season. If you look closely you can see the Cottonwood fuzz stuck to it. It was even hotter taking that picture because the sunlight reflected off the bricks. I snapped the picture and hurried inside.

 

These two Stella d'Oro lilies are blooming right in front of where the turkey was. I was a little reluctant to go back there but then I saw the empty nest and got brave.

 

This is what happens when I don't have anything to copy when I'm drawing. Random crap. That thing in the middle is supposed to be the Space Needle. Sorry, Seattle.

 

Today I reread what I'd written last week, tidied it up some, and wrote a little more. It's a bad habit that I go over what I've written when I haven't written it all. I need to stop doing that and finish the story. I have crossed from novelette word count to novella word count--18,453 words and 66 pgs. This afternoon I started writing the next chapter/day. It's going to be fun to keep working on because it's a wedding and there will be a sad rejected suitor in attendance. I'll let you know how it's going.

 

I even made time to draw a gratitude journal page for yesterday this morning and one for today this evening. I am most grateful for air conditioning. Period.

 

These two birds landed on the birdbath at the same time. The big Mourning Dove and the little Sparrow. I imagine they're debating who gets to get wet first. 

 

I tried to fix my knitting mistake from Friday Night Knitting. I pulled out the needles, carefully picked up the stitches, and started from where I'd screwed up. I have to confess, it's not going well. I put it in timeout and will deal with it another day.

--Barbara 

 

It Has A Name

That purple sage/salvia stuff that's growing up on my retaining wall but I haven't been sure what it is. Now I know what it is. It's May Night Salvia. And it is a sage. So I was right about it even if I didn't know its proper name. Somebody posted it on Instagram and I saw it and recognized it. A few of the Stella d'Oro lily plants burst into bloom today. The flowers don't look particularly happy because it's about 90 degrees with 60% humidity which doesn't seem too high but, trust me, it's hot and muggy. Tomorrow's supposed to be worse so I'm planning on staying indoors all day tomorrow.

 

Today I went over to Zambaldi because DS and DIL1 were selling Korean Beef BBQ Rice Bowls for supper. Yes, please! Oh, it was so good and so much. I'm stuffed. Too stuffed to even eat a little ice cream. But it was too delicious to leave any so I ate every morsel and grain of rice. I had a root beer too. Worth every penny.

 

I spent most of the day writing on Christmas at Seaview. I'm up to 16,847 words and 58 pages. The words aren't pouring out quite as much as they were but they're still coming easily. I broke it apart into chapters/days to see where I needed to write more. One of my chapters/days had only two pages so I added some words there and will look at it again tomorrow to see what else I can add. This little notebook is where I keep track of the characters in my novels. I write down the names and nationality of each one. It's really handy. For this story I'm going back to previous Seaview stories to add characters from them and make sure I'm spelling their names right.

 

This male House Finch had a lovely time digging into the orange half. I haven't seen an Oriole in days but then I'm pretty much chained to the laptop most of the day pounding out words. I'll keep the grape jelly and orange half filled, just in case.

 

Today's drawing prompt was Bugs. I dug out an old watercolor of bugs that I like and drew some of them with markers and a fineliner. I like the painted bugs better but these aren't bad.

 

That's really all I have to say about today. I'm thrilled that Aunt B commented on yesterday's blog. I've really been missing her. It's great to have her back.

--Barbara