Of Writing and Gardening

Evangeline's Miracle and Gardenias from my garden.

 As you can see I haven’t written on my blog in awhile. There are of course numerous reasons for this, but being honest, the biggest reason is because of the weather. What does the weather have to do with blogging? I love to garden. When I say that, I mean planting, tending, enjoying flowers. My dad says he can’t believe I “waste” all that time, energy and money on something you can’t even eat!

Hibiscus: from French amies.

Star of Texas Hibiscus from down the road.

What I did this last Memorial Day weekend was just that, I “wasted” a lot of time on plants I won’t ever eat. But I truly love flowers and plants. My husband and I started what we call my “Memorial” garden. I’m so excited I can hardly stand myself. It is a memorial garden in that all the plants in it have people and stories attached to them. Some came from my sister’s garden or my dad and mum’s, some from a neighbor who had a small nursery in his back yard and had to close it due to health issues, some from friends in my garden club, and some from friends who live in faraway places that I’ve visited. Some people collect shells and rocks from around the world. I collect plants. Not that I have a huge collection, but what I have is special to me. I think of the person or place each one came from when I work among them.

Too many to name here!

I spent all of April paying attention to my other love, writing, as in blogging and working on my WIP (work in progress). I had time, energy and good (not too hot) weather in May to be outside sowing my plant stories so I took advantage (while still giving time to my WIP of course) of that opportunity.

I think a Ginger Lily.

To be Memorial Garden 5-2012

Gloriousa from Mr. A. King

Baby Hydrangea!

This idea of memorial plants led me to think of the novels I’ve written and how each one of them has a memorial in them, be it place, scene, words or characters. Writers are often asked how much of a story is “biographical” and I think that each story has a little bit of its writer in it, even if it’s only “voice.” Interesting to me also was that each one of my stories has issues I have to “weed” out and tend, that I have to nurture and feed. Like gardening there is “grunt” work and the pleasure afterwards, if one is lucky, to see the blossoms that are the fruit of the labor. For me, gardening and writing go hand in hand.  Even as I feed and nurture them, they nurture and feed me.

Love Of My Life

Participating in the “First Loves” blog got me to thinking about what came after the first? Now it’s true what I wrote about my first love, but this does not mean I haven’t gone on to find someone even more important. Because I did, have done, and even though it took me awhile to figure out what “true love” really means, I did eventually get there!

My “Love of my Life” has come to me on slow but steady wings. I did not always pay him the due he was owed, but then neither did he with me. We took things too seriously. We had issues to work on like anyone else. A long time ago I saw a movie that I think was called “Baggage.” All through this movie a woman is carrying a suitcase that gets progressively heavier as her life plays out. I don’t remember how it ends (I was 8 or 10 maybe at the time?) but I remember the message. Everyone has baggage that they carry with them and bring to any relationship they have.

It’s what we do with that baggage that defines us. You watch any movie, read any book, listen to any broadcast and you find baggage behind that emission.  Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction there is always back story and it influences the conclusion of that emission.

My husband and I’s back stories/baggage/history got us in a lot of trouble to begin with. But we stuck out our “marriage” together. I think in reality that we each saw something in the other that we wanted more than we wanted our individual baggage. I don’t know what the future holds for us but what I do know is that we honestly made mistakes and worked through them to find ourselves better people, and so have a future to look forward to. We had A LOT of help doing this. By no means did we do it in a bubble.

What I have come away with is the truth of my love for this man. I am cradled in his love for me and feel blessed for it. But what truly astonishes me and makes me smile is that I have learned how to love with no expectations and a lot less ego. I love unconditionally, not in the Hollywood sense but in the real, down-to-earth, life-is-real sense. He is the love of my life and I am both grateful and excited that I found this out while I/we still have time to enjoy it, and boy do we!

Women Heros of World War II

Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue by Kathryn J. Atwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars






View all my reviews

Firsts…

 Blogging about firsts sure takes one on a ride. Wow, talk about walking in the past through the halls of the future.  I remember so many things, and not necessarily all of my “firsts”. 

I do, however, remember my first true love. I met him when I was twelve, was “dating” him when I was fourteen and broke up with him when I was nineteen. I wore him like a second skin most of my life. I, because of this experience, completely understand Romeo and Juliet and the passion they shared. I totally understand teenage angst and how it feels like the beginning or end of the world. He was a part of what shaped me. Those years formed who we became. He took me for a ride I’ll never forget. I hope he won’t either! There is a French song, “Une Lettre” by Jean Jacques Goldman which is about a man writing a letter to his first love and in it he asks; did we live the same story? I asked myself this many times and found my answer to be that even if we didn’t, whatever story we lived was amazing, frightening, painful and full of life. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

 

The first song that I remember loving, listening to until I knew all the words, and then still trying to understand them, was “Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen. The album which carried this song was played in my home from the time I can remember, and the woman in chains among the flames on the back of the album only increased my interest in it. My mother’s name is Sue. I equated the mystery of this song to the beauty and mystery of my mother. The song talked about Suzanne as if from a distance and how magic she made one feel. It seemed to fit my mother. I still LOVE this song. I still think of my mother as a mystery.

The first “movie”/piece de theatre that I fell in love with, that marked me, that I went right out and bought the soundtrack to was “Hair!” I saw it on stage when but a youngster, and then saw the movie in 1979 when it came out.  I’d seen “Woodstock”, but Hair took me to places I’d never known were possible. I really fell for the story, the music, and the characters. I couldn’t get enough of it.

The first story/book that made an impression on me was a short story in Ray Bradbury’s “R is for Rocket” or “S is for Space.” The image of a young boy standing at the fence looking through it to see the rockets blasting off and dreaming of being an astronaut haunted me for a very long time. I read everything Ray Bradbury wrote for years. He has a way of telling a story that I would bleed to be able to, not copy him, but write as well and distinctly as he does in my own way. His words, his narrative has punch and it got me in the gut all the time. Still does.

What were your firsts?

Happy Happy Mother's Day!

My beautiful mother last century.

 

Her voice recognized every time she calls.

Amazing how she knows exactly what needs to be said.

Perseverance during our adolescent years to help us make it through alive.

Presence of mind to be sharp and tough when necessary.

Youth (ours) tests her for at least twenty years and she still endures.

Mother, Mama, Mom, in any other language is still the one who nurtured you, if you are lucky.

My beautiful mother this century.

Omniscient when we are young, kind when we are older, a friend when we become adults.

Taking our faults and helping us learn from them, making us people she is proud of.

Helpful but not overbearing most of the time.

Everlasting: her unconditional love, help, tough words, and encouragement.

Respect is what she requires and she deserves it, most of the time.

Surprises us with what we learn from her as she grows older and tries on new experiences.

Devoted to us. Devoted to our well being. Devoted to our offspring. A “grand” mother.

Accepting us with our faults, glorifying our victories, kissing our wounds, pushing us back out the door.

Young at heart, adolescent in love, woman in acceptance, beautiful crone wild with wisdom.

My sister, our mother, and me.

Happy Mother’s Day!

A to Z Blogging Challenge Reflection

“Reflection” to me is a great way to think of my recent blogging experience on the A to Z. I’m still visiting blogs I missed during the actual challenge and still gaining more insight and finding surprises. So for me the experience continues.

I found a few blogs that made impressions on me.  Some gave me ideas because I loved their way of blogging. I found one that used only photographs. Another used songs and another, one that really touched me, who found 26 things to write about her recently deceased father. Her idea to do that was so extraordinary to me, so personal and it felt like it was important for her to do. Another did her alphabet on the countries of our world, fascinating and informative. And I loved all the “grammar”/”writing” blogs and their much needed information!

I traveled quite a bit while blogging and found it a challenge to get internet every day, even in this day and age! Sometimes I had to write my subject and post it the next day. I still managed to make all 26 posts.

I gained not only new friends and followers, but a fishing line into the pool of my abilities. I always hooked something and had the elation a fisherwoman has when reeling in a big one and actually getting it to shore. Some days I caught bigger fish than others, but always I succeeded. This fed my writer’s need. Putting words to screen, finding images that spoke to what I wrote or helped explain it further. It also created a pattern that I have since been able to continue. That pattern?

Writing every day, consistently, happily; making inroads on my work in progress. Blogging every day gave my mind, and morale, a boost. I discovered secrets hidden where I least expected to find them which gave my characters more depth to their lives. My characters mean even more to me now and I’m starting to understand why they do the things they do.  As a writer I live for the moment “my” characters take their lives into their own hands; when they tell me what they are doing, want to do, etc. instead of me having to think it all up on my own. I prefer having “partnerships” with my characters instead of being the dictator. Somehow knowing I can hear their voices makes their lives and stories feel all the more real to me.

So there is my reflection upon the A to Z experience. I will do this challenge again. Meanwhile, I gotta go. My people are calling, telling me they need me NOW. Of course there’s a crisis! Wish me well and come back anytime! You know where to find me…

Down Dog Day

Today is a down dog day. Not that I’m not writing, because here I am. But I’m uninspired. I’m slumping. I’m not in love right now with my work in progress and berating myself for not pushing hard enough to stay on task.

I know everyone has a down day but I’ve had a down week. I have written. I have lived with the story, but I don’t feel inspired by it and miss the elation of a good day’s work.

I’m glad today is Friday and this week is over. OMG listen to me whine. Okay, what do I have to moan over? Nothing really. My husband loves me, my children are off and doing well in their lives and still keep in touch with me so I can’t complain there. My family is doing great. My life is going nicely. I finished the A to Z Blogging challenge and “met” lots of new people. I’ve sold four books without trying. My second printing is about to come out. 

So what is wrong with me? I don’t know. But now that I’ve whined about it I need to get over my wimpy-ness so I’ll jump hands first into my WIP and see how big a splash I can make. Maybe I just needed to complain a bit and now that I have the love will flow. Won’t know if I don’t try. So I'm off! Keep your fingers crossed for me. My chin is up, hands poised; I'm holding my breath...

Photo from:

 denimdevotion.wordpress.com