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Flowers and birds and whining about the heat
Last week I finished sharing the Michigan pics, just in time to start my annual whining about the heat. We’ve had a much cooler than normal spring, so the abomination you’re about to behold is several weeks late in coming. I’d rather it didn’t show up at all. To avoid spontaneous combustion, I plan to spend the weekend sitting under an AC vent with a book. Does anyone in a cooler climate need a house sitter? Please???? Don’t worry–I won’t spend the entire post whining about the heat (just most of it). But before I resume whining: Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! Grab a…
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Podcast appearance, Michigan trip, and books
This post is a hodgepodge–my podcast appearance, the last of the pictures from my trip to Michigan, and what I’ve been reading lately. But before we get to all that: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and What’s On Your Bookshelf, hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb. Grab a treat, have a seat, and let’s get to it. I’m on the Big Blend Radio podcast! Last month I appeared on the Big Blend Radio podcast, along with other authors whose stories appeared in the Trouble in Tucson anthology. More details in this post. Last batch of pix from the Michigan trip In my last two…
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Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area, Michigan
Happy Friday! It’s time for part 3 of the Michigan trip report (see part 1 and part 2), a visit to Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area on Saginaw Bay. I’m going to milk my trip for all I can on here, because it’s the only interesting thing I’ve done in ages. So get ready for: birds! But first: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. Grab a treat, have a seat, and let’s look at some water birds! The lay of the land Nayanquing Point is marshland on the edge of Saginaw Bay. We found this place by accident–we saw a road sign for…
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What if I stopped writing?
If I stopped writing, would I still be a writer? A former writer? A not-writing-right-now-but-plan-to-write-in-the-future writer? A too-busy-with-other-stuff writer? A burned-out writer? These aren’t just rhetorical questions. My current state of non-writing As of the time I’m drafting this post (late May) I haven’t written much this year other than blog posts, and I haven’t written anything other than (very occasional) blog posts in the last month. This is my longest dry spell since I started writing fiction back in 2014, and I’m afraid I’m allowing it to become more than a dry spell. I’m afraid I’m allowing it to become my new normal. I appreciate this month’s optional question…
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Michigan Trip Part 2: 2 Cold, 2 Windy
Happy Saturday! This week I’m sharing a few pics from Day 2 of our drive around Michigan’s Thumb: Port Huron (featured last week) to Sebewaing. I have a lot fewer pictures than I normally would, because the weather along Lake Huron was way too cold and windy for this desert rat. Before we get going: The post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. Have a seat, grab a treat, and pretend you care about my vacation pictures so you don’t bruise my fragile little fee fees. Pics from our Thumb Drive “Thumb Drive.” Heh, heh. See what I did there? Yeah, I know, don’t…
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May Mayhem: Michigan and More
“Where’ve you been?” “We’ve missed you.” “Are you even still alive?” OK, no one has actually said any of that to me, but let me pretend someone noticed I haven’t been blogging in a couple of weeks. I have an excellent array of excuses, though, otherwise known as my May calendar. But before we get into an illustrated account of why I didn’t blog in May: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and What’s Been on Your Calendar, hosted by Sue, Debbie, Donna, and Jo. So have a seat, grab a treat, and let’s get to it. The Day Job If you read my April…
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A walk in the garden on a spring morning
Spring is in full swing here in Tucson, and my backyard garden is flourishing. And (you might want to sit down for this), the weather is lovely. IIRC this time last year it was over 100F, but we’ve been in the 80s all week. It’s supposed to be only 81 today and isn’t supposed to break 90 till Monday. Wheee!!! (I know–me bragging about Tucson weather after March is unprecedented.) I’m going to keep bragging too, this time about my garden. But before I become too insufferable: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. (Edit on Saturday: I’m also linking up with a…
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On inspiration and perspiration
I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o’clock every morning. Attributed to William Faulkner People who aren’t writers (a/k/a normal people) like to talk about inspiration. Where do you get your ideas? What inspired that story? A few will ask about writing routines, and I figure they’re aspiring writers looking for some magic formula for finishing the Great American Novel. I’ve been writing fiction for only about 9 years, but already I’ve figured out there’s no magic formula, no combination of creativity exercises + daily routines that will magically put words in a document and turn them into a good story. What does put…
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Busy April: Last in Line Concert and Tucson Travel
I’m still trying to figure out where March went, and now April is almost gone. I think the months pass so quickly for me because I’m a) old and b) busy. This post will be a quick slice-of-life view of the past month here at Camp WTF. It’s also part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and What’s Been on Your Calendar, hosted by Sue, Debbie, Donna, and Jo. The Day Job I don’t talk a lot about my day job on here, because I’m trying to keep my writing life separate from my professional life (hence the pseudonym). But it’s been a big month for me on…
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Plants in space! (and plants in my yard)
Plants in space! I’ve been waiting all week to write that headline. In case you’re new here, I work for the University of Arizona. Last week we had our annual faculty cookout (my first one, since I started my job during pandemic, and it’s hard to have a cookout over Zoom) at one of the university research facilities here in town. When we weren’t stuffing our overeducated faces with amazing Mexican food, we were offered tours of some of the research facilities. Long-Suffering Husband and I took a tour of a laboratory where scientists are studying how to grow plants to support a human mission to Mars or the moon.…
Suspense | Horror | Romance
