Sunday Synopsis

THIS PAST WEEK:

• Got my oil changed (full 50K maintenance)…damn…that took a month of procrastination to accomplish and four hours at the Lexus dealership. They did feed me breakfast and lunch, and provided diet cokes and water. I had my iPad with me so I caught up on some reading.

• What am I reading, you ask? Misha Burnett’s Catskinner’s Book and Cannibal Hearts. My husband already read them both, and thoroughly enjoyed. I am introducing him to indies and he is more than impressed. I am just getting started with the books myself. What a wonderful imaginatively creative author. Intriguing. That’s all I am going to say about that just now. Get your copies.

• My post Valentine’s Day sale with ENT did very well moving a couple of hundred books, but in the category of literary fiction, not historical fiction. Something tells me these people may be harsher in reviews. A friend of a nursing friend posted my first two star review on Amazon. It is tacky. I am over it.

• I finally jumped off the tree limb, spread my wings, and joined Twitter. I started out clueless and would like to apologize to any of the folk I possibly annoyed the hell out of while I was adjusting to this platform. BTW, I am still adjusting, so this is a proactive apology as well. My Twitter address, I think, is https://twitter.com/sknicholls1 if you would dare to follow me.

• I neglected my blog as I did some babysitting and went out and about town. We were supposed to go to the beach today, but I may go alone later this week. My husband grew up on the beach and loves the water. We are boat people, but he is not so fond of hanging out on the beach. He says that it reminds him of lonely times in his life, so I am trying to change that, but he won’t let me. I don’t push.

• There are now three independent book stores carrying three copies each of Red Clay and Roses. They will call me if they would like more/sell out. It seemed a lot of work to get onto shelves locally. Traffic is awful here in the city this time of year in Florida. I can’t imagine those nine copies really doing a lot to make a huge impact on sales. Possibly some local interest.

WHAT’S BLOOMING NOW?

Hot Pink Camellias

Peppermint Camellias: Not the prettiest blooms as they are beginning to fade.

Blooming cat, Boozer, performs eye roll.

Loquats are beginning to fruit. They are great off the tree or in salads.

Euphorbia ,”Crown of Thorns”, blooms year round.

WHAT’S UP FOR THIS WEEK?

• More book deliveries.

• More Tweeting. My GoodKindles promo was not successful at all, so I am also looking into others. It seems that I have to find someplace that has a few hundred thousand followers to move a couple hundred books. BookBub still won’t give me a chance.

• I finally got my first chapter to my WIP ready for reading to my writers’ group. That will be Wednesday. Still not certain if the first paragraph works.

• Go to the beach before it gets too hot.

• Spray the never ending weeds.

• Get the chemicals balanced in the pool.

• All the regular household duties that I tend to neglect while I #amwriting.

• W.R.I.T.E.

Plant Something

Recently there has been a lot of media attention on people with front yard vegetable gardens in my area of the country. I think it is grand, but some home owners associations and county commissioners don’t think so.  Neighbors do not have a problem with it, they love it.  Neighbors are frequently thought of and gifted at harvest time.  One couple takes their surplus produce during harvest time and makes a big pot of soup.  They take it down to Lake Eola Park and feed the homeless (another practice some folk aren’t to happy about).  I think everyone should have a garden, whether it is in the front yard or the back.  
It doesn’t matter whether it is a garden of vegetables or flowers. It makes the world a little bit better place.  Gardening doesn’t always require a lot of space.  When my father was living in a little basement apartment during his divorce, he took seeds and planted them all around his apartment complex. (You may want to get permission from your landlord or groundskeeper.)  He had peppers, all variety of squash; zucchini  yellow crookneck, acorn and butternut, tomatoes etc..and he gleefully handed them out to his co-dwellers who were most appreciative.  There is not much that is more satisfying than digging a hole in the earth, planting a seed or a starter plant and watching it take root and send out greenery and flower and fruit to reach for the the sun.  It adds color and beauty to the landscape.  It can feed the hungry.  It restores the soul.  Plant something, anything, and watch it grow.  It is the perfect time of year.  Watch it progress from nothing to something.