I'm back. I had given up on this blogging project--trying to write, blog, and adjust to a brand new life. Blogging For Dummies is well written, but I was tired of multi-tasking. I have been gardening and am back to writing. I am ready to tackle blogging again!
My garden is blossoming. I have roses and lavender and all kinds of herbs to breathe in as I walk down my little brick path behind a white picket fence. I usually pick a leaf off each plant: lemon balm, basil, Greek oregano, pineapple sage, tarragon, and spearmint, and crush it between my fingers to inhale the fragrance. Soon I hope to have Monarch butterflies because I am planting a Monarch waystation, which provides host plants like Milkweed along with nectar plants like Lantana and Verbena-- in a sunny location. Monarchs spend the spring and summer preparing for their flight in the fall to winter in Mexico. I will post some pictures when I see the first one.
I am still sporadically writing--some days intensely, others not at all. When I write, I get totally immersed in my feelings. Then I go back again and again to edit. I have entered one memoir writing contest. I wrote about the links between my grandmother, my mother, and me and the effects of our powerful relationships on the choices we made in similar and different circumstances. I focused on the circumstances we each lived in, the choices we made, the expectations we had, and finally the reality of our lives as we aged. Entering this contest was a great exercise for me. I had to synthesize all the different elements in my work-in-progress book in under 3000 words. My essay is a microcosm of my book, its essence. I felt revitalized after finishing the essay. Even if I don't win or am not even a finalist, the effort I put forth has been rewarding.
I would love to hear about your writing, your successes (and any failures), and your experience entering contests. Plus, I am always up for a book discussion or a gardening story.
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Hi Beth,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Doreen and I found you on the She Writes blog group list..I just finished a creative non-fiction on the murder of my younger brother and am now working on two more books..as for contests..I enter and never seem to win..but I keep trying. I am entering the Writer's Digest essay contest. I am planting a garden this year for the first time in 11 years..it is still frosty outside here so I have started everything inside..wish me luck! Keep writing!!
Hi Beth,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you are back to blogging. It is a lot to learn and keep up with but the friendships are invaluable. Thank you for your comments on my blog..boy you know what the pain is all about. My husband lost his 17 year old bipolar son to suicide the same day my brother was murdered. What a connection to have right!
I have planted a garden this year for the first time in like 25 years. I may stop back and ask some advice! Like you I either get entirely engrossed in my writing and hours go by and at other times the words evade me.
Please stop back often and I will do the same.
There is a link on my blog if you scroll all the way down called halfpastkissintime; she host a Friday Fragments event every Friday where you just rattle off a post of things that happened during your week that were not significant enough to have a whole post about. It is a lot of fun and has really generated a lot of followers for me. If you get the chance check it out.
Hi Doreen, it is so nice that someone is actually reading my blog!! Sometimes I get confused and make mistakes communicating in the correct places. Usually that means it is past my bedtime. I will try the Friday Fragments. As soon as I have more mental energy I will try and upload some pictures of my garden.....maybe tomorrow.
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