Good Things Await ...

Waiting. I don't think I'll ever be very good at it. For me, it is one of the hardest parts of the writing profession. Not just waiting for any response ... waiting for a positive response! So, once again, I'm turning to the outdoors for a little lesson in enjoying and appreciating the wait. Granted, my garden provides a much more colorful and gratifying perspective on waiting than my e-mail in-box. Daily, there are beautiful berries needing to be monitored for ripeness; blossoms foreshadowing the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers to come; and new blooms opening on the hydrangeas. It's easy to see that good things await ... and I'm certain that will be the case for the writing as well.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait ...

Waiting. I don't think I'll ever be very good at it. For me, it is one of the hardest parts of the writing profession. Not just waiting for any response ... waiting for a positive response! So, once again, I'm turning to the outdoors for a little lesson in enjoying and appreciating the wait. Granted, my garden provides a much more colorful and gratifying perspective on waiting than my e-mail in-box and mailbox. Daily, there are beautiful berries needing to be monitored for ripeness; tomatoes, corn, peppers, and cukes sprouting from blossoms; and new blooms opening on the hydrangeas. It's easy to see that good things await ... and I'm certain that will be the case for the writing as well.

Al's ...

(click on picture to view larger)

Winter, spring, summer, fall ... there is a place I gravitate to no matter the season ... Al's Garden Center.

For Christmas, this phenomenal garden center is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with freshly-cut Christmas trees, a stunning variety of poinsettias, gorgeous holiday decor, and winter treats ... like their exclusive Ice apples ... Fuji applies that have been left on the tree until just after the first frost. To bite into one is pure heaven ... crisp and sweet.

Do you have a favorite place that you love to visit, no matter the season?

Summer Into Fall

I adore autumn. There is something about the crisp, coolness of the air, the vivid leaf colors, the comforting smells of cinnamon and spice, and the anticipation of the upcoming holidays that has always won autumn the title of 'favorite season' for me.

One of my favorite signals that fall is approaching are our Crape Myrtles. They are gorgeous year-round, whether it be their leaves or their bark, but ... from late summer into fall, they are stunning show-stoppers.

As the rest of the garden is withering into a state of brownness, these beautiful plants are in their prime, with an eye-catching show of berry-like buds that transform into colorful, popcorn-like blooms.

In my opinion, they are a perfectly cheerful way to close out the summer months and add an additional pop of unexpected color in the fall. And, really ... who couldn't use that?!

~ Happy Autumn ~

Good Things Await

Waiting. For me, it is one of the hardest parts of the writing profession. Not just waiting for any response ... waiting for a positive response! So, I'm turning to the outdoors for a little lesson in enjoying and appreciating the wait. Granted, my garden provides a much more colorful and interesting perspective on waiting than my e-mail in-box and mailbox. Daily, there are beautiful berries needing to be monitored for ripeness and new blooms opening on the hydrangeas. Soon, the backyard will be bursting with color. It's easy to see that good things await ... and I'm certain that will be the case for the writing as well.

Rain, Rain Go Away ...

In the midst of the coldest May on record in 10 years; and the wettest May on record in 5 years ... nature comes through for us, with beautiful signs of spring. I love looking out the window and seeing these bursts of color amongst the wet and gray:




























Don't get me wrong ... I appreciate the beauty that is the end-product of all the rain. But, sometimes, enough is enough.

The weather pros are predicting the possibility of a dry holiday weekend. That would be a welcome change indeed!

Wishing you a wonderful, safe, and relaxing Memorial Day weekend.

Sweet 'Yuletide'

We were visiting one of my favorite places ... spring, summer, fall, winter, I can spend oodles of time at Al's Garden Center no matter the season.

Their store was a veritable winter wonderland. We were admiring the intricate railroad town. My son couldn't take his eyes off the train as it chugged by again and again.

My eyes, however, were multi-tasking ... watching the train, taking in the beautifully-decorated surroundings, and people-watching, when the most gorgeous shock of color caught my eyes.

I had to investigate. Certainly, this beautiful plant was only flowering during this frigid time of year because it was currently housed in the greenhouse.

I abandoned husband and kids at the train table and made my way over to the colorful blooms. It was a Camellia 'Yuletide' ... a plant that celebrates Christmas by blooming in December with big, bright red flowers and vivid yellow stamens that pop from a sea of shiny evergreen leaves.

Talk about a cure for the winter 'brown-ness' that has overtaken most gardens by now!

Sadly, I do not have the space. But, if YOU do ... run, go get one! Put one of these stunners in a big pot on your front porch and - voila! - your entryway is effortlessly decorated for Christmas! (The blooms last through February!).

Enjoy your week!

Inspiration

I'm thinking of moving my office to the kitchen ... specifically the area currently occupied by the sink.

This is my view when standing at the kitchen sink. Not only is it beautiful and serene, it also has something new to see each time I peer out the window ... a butterfly, a hummingbird, a new bloom ... or one of those 8-legged creatures that I actually prefer not to see.

Settings like this tend to fill me with inspiration and creativity when I'm working.

Not that staring out a window is going to get me very far, but - as you may have experienced - writing tends to involve a lot of, shall we say, thinking time ... your fingers may not be tapping across the keyboard, but your mind is working, creating, plotting, solving, striving.

What fills you with inspiration? Do you have a favorite location where your writing flows more naturally and ideas come more easily?

Wishing you an inspiration-filled day of writing!