I have fallen off writing in this blog for a number of reasons but essentially it boils down to prioritizing my time and energy.
I have set goals for myself for 2023…they do not include writing here but one of them is writing! So let's start there.
In 2023 I am determined to finish books I have drafted already. I have written two books in the past several years. One is about organizing your home and life. The other is a fictional post-apocalyptic novel where the death of a beloved rooster sets forth a chain of events.
Writing the first draft of both of these books was fairly straightforward. I got the bones down and set the structure. Each has a clear sequence it needs to follow. The organizing book even had an editorial review from a professional editor. This was a new experience for me and one I've learned a lot from. Because of this editorial review, the organizing book is what I am working on right now.
Last year, I really struggled with staying focused on the edits and did not make a lot of progress. This year I rent an office at the local library where I write. So far, I've found this to be immensely helpful.
Another goal that I'm tackling this year is turning a big grassy part of my yard into a pollinator rain garden. I managed to secure a small but wonderful grant called from Lawns to Legumes through the state of Minnesota. I have already ordered the plants. Here's a list:
2 packs of 25 shrubs each of black chokeberry and nannyberry from a local county Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD); both types are native shrubs
2 perennial packs of 32 plants each, one for songbirds and one is rain garden specific; these are from another local county SWCD; all are native plants
2 mugo pines and 2 tall juniper; these are not natives and not part of the grant but I got these specifically for landscaping the south side of my house and providing some sun coverage right against the house
I will order a load of dirt and pick up a trailer of mulch and spend this spring reshaping and prepping the yard for plants.
The landscaping shrubs and natives shrubs will be planted out at the end of May. The perennials will be ready at the end of June. The grant work needs to be done and reported out in mid-July so the time frame is tight for all of this but I'm confident I can do it.
I also recently added another challenge to my goals for the year. I am going to do a brown pelican study. Inspired by a visit to my parents' home in Texas, my husband and I were completely enamored by the birds in Port Isabel. I'd like to use a variety of mixed media to capture these beautiful creatures' essence. I especially love their expressive eyes.
So that's my year! Writing, gardening a
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nd arting. Life is good!