Weekly Musings

There is a used bookstore in town that displays a daily countdown to spring. Yesterday we drove by and the sign said "16 Days Until Spring!"

Oh beautiful spring!

Spring is, without doubt, my favorite season of the year. I love the smell of fresh grass and flowers popping out of clean earth and of new rain falling. I love the sight of a new baby animal tottering across the barnyard and the flush of color that creeps across the land. I love the sound of water melting, dripping and trickling, and the boom and crack of the first thunderstorms of the year.

The world comes to life again, and so do I.

This week has, as usual, been a busy one. Monday was of course the release of March's issue of "Ink and Fairydust." Tuesday we celebrated the birthday of my friend, Doctor Bowman, with many friends and much cheesecake. The rest of the time has been filled with ordinary parts of life that somehow work together to make a marvelous whole. What are they?

Teaching the Children. Right now the structure of my life is based around working with the kids. Leading the older ones to love history, and the middle one to love writing, and the six year old to discover mathematics and good handwriting, the sounds of the alphabet and the fact that panda bears come from China and Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492 while sailing the ocean blue.

Art. I'm never happy to be too long away from some form of artwork. This week I spent several hours working on some digital coloring projects for our gaming group. I love working with colors and shadows, and the drawings I'm working off of are simply beautiful! (Thank you, Alicia!)

Reading. Last week I discovered the library and carried a gigantic pile of books home with me. I've discovered that I really do like Shannon Hale, and that Orson Scott Card is a good writer, but has some differant views on biblical accuracy than I do. I've also been reading my own copy of a biography of Queen Elizabeth II. I have so much respect for that woman. She really has been what a Queen should be, and I think that is largely due to the fact that she is one of the only English Monarchs to grow up in anything like a normal loving and supportive family.

Revising. So there's this novel I've been working on for three and a half years now. It's a tricky thing, but with characters and now a premise that I and several others whom I trust think are worth pursuing. If I can get it into good shape this month, I may start looking for an agent this very summer. God willing. And speaking of God...

Growing in God. I visited a new church this week, and plan to go back again on Sunday. Plus God's been taking me through a school about patience and humility... *sigh*...