Bugs are mean.

They just are. I do nothing to provoke them, yet they find reason to bite me. One in particular had to bite me twice, waking me from a well needed rest. I took pleasure in smooshing him.

this is not an ant. i don't have a picture of ants.

The days have been lovely and full of sunshine and a few showers, enough so that I don't have to water the gardens -- yay! I've picked up the pen again, well, actually keys, and am almost ready to launch a blog for all my tidbits of stories that are more working vacations from my larger pieces. It will be a private blog -- so if you would like to read my unedited musings, leave your email address in a comment below {will not be published} and I'll send you an invite as soon as I get things running.

Also, if you thought Mr Turtle was cute I'd like you all to meet Pip. The quarter-sized painted turtle baby.

My little brother has taken him in and Pip now happily resides in an aquarium -- when he's not crawling around the living room.

I've never come across as small a turtle as he before, in all my younger days as an explorer. He's a fun little companion. When typing up a story on my laptop, he likes to watch the letters appear and warms himself to sleep on my speakers.

He also likes to climb curtains. And people. No obstacle is too big for this determined little critter. He hunts gnats like a crocodile. He's hilarious.

Have any of you come across an interesting critter or two this summer? Or been bitten by bugs, for that matter?

-Gwyn

Word.

I am told that's the new 'It' word, replacing 'cool'. So instead of saying, "That sunset is cool!" just look at it and go, "Woooord!"

I digress.

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Summer is officially here! And I have become smitten with paper and ink.
 There  is nothing I  love better in the evenings after a good ride but to come in and read a good book. And 'good books' are no longer just Fantasy/Adventure in my book. I'm enjoying mysteries, histories, some non-fiction {gasp!}, and even some poetry {double gasp!}. You may have already noticed, but I have added my 'bookshelf' to my sidebar so you can see exactly what I'm reading and what I've read.
 And of all the bargains in the world, I stumbled on the best today at a little up-cycle/antique store in town: The complete Sherlock Holmes Adventures, 1929 edition, and Hair and Scalp Treatments, circa 1940. Both for $3. Awesome.
 Wondering about the Hair book? It has an amazing cover.

This infatuation has also extended to -- music! My brother bought a lovely mandolin a few weeks ago and yesterday and today {while he's off at work} I've been strumming until my fingers bleed. Well, not bleed exactly. But my thumb got a blister from it!

me and the rocky road to dublin*

My quartet group has also been dive-bombed with gigs, which is fantastic. Mostly is the easy stuff like background music for anniversary parties, church functions, and such. No weddings yet, and that's okay with me :)
 Hopefully all these performances will add up to a camera by the end of the summer! I'm excited.

Gardening moves apace. I am in the process of at last hammering together my boxes! They should be finished tonight and then it's fresh herbs and fruits all season long!

Jumping to another topic...
 I have been inspired lately by some fellow writer/bloggers who have pages devoted to snip-its and 'book covers' of each story they are writing, have written, or even have thought of. I'm thinking I must do this. Especially make a book front. I love that kind of thing.
 I so want to share my writings some how without being copied and this just might be an outlet. I'll let you know.

I apologize for such sporadic postings that cover no particular thing except life, but there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to think out a deep meaningful post. I'm finding I have less time now then when I had school. Hm.
 I'm up earlier, too, and then I'm out the door to feed my animals and then it's to the garden to weed, back inside to eat and read, back out to weed some more, plant some more flora, ride; watch the sun go down to the sound of Miss McLeod's Reel*. And that's how it's going to be from now until school begins again.
I love summer.

-Gwyn

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Sunshine and summertime

Remember me? The girl who used to post at least twice a week?

 Yes, well, needless to say I have been up to my eyeballs with lists of things to do. Have I accomplished any? Yes, in fact.

 my feet in the new turned soil

First of all, we got the garden planted last Saturday. I do hope everything has time to grow in our Northern climate, but our late planting was inevitable because of heavy rains that caused much flooding and strife in lower areas of the country side.
 I was very eager to plant this year, and to plant lots and lots so that hopefully we'll have a surplus this year that I can sell. However, with our late start and baby grasshoppers already starting to emerge, hopeful is all I can be for now.

 Here's some early lettuce that cropped up. Besides lettuce, Mum and I also planted sweet corn, green and wax beans, five rows of tomatoes, three or four rows of peppers, several kinds of squashes, carrots, cucumbers, and little brother finely got his wish and planted a big row of pumpkins and watermelons in the low lawn. I have yet to build 'teepees' for the peas, and, alas, my kitchen garden boxes that I've been talking about since last fall have yet to materialize. But that's next on my list.

I don't know why exactly, but suddenly I really love to garden. There's just something about digging in the dirt and harvesting the fruits {or vegetables} of your labors in the autumn. There's also something incredibly rewarding about working with horses, too. But you knew that, right?

My Roanie has become fat and sleek on the rich pasture grass -- and a three week leave of duty did not help. I couldn't ride her for three weeks because she developed bad sores from a rubber cinch my Da used when he rode her once. I forgot she had such sensitive skin. Plus with her new, thinner summer coat, it was probably at its weakest. Shyanne also caught something that had her coughing and gave her a runny nose. We're still not sure what it was -- maybe an allergy of sorts? But all that's in the past now, and I had a wonderful and eventful ride last night.

can i just say i love how this one turned out? thank you.

First, I taught Little Brother {from now on LB} the importance of positive enforcement. With his piggy pony you do have to have a firm hand, but people would not believe the difference a little encouragement and praise can do to for a horse's attitude. On the topic, look for a new Horse Logic coming soon! Now that I've said it, I'll have to find time to finish it.

Roanie was an {almost} angel last night. Her break seems to have refreshed her outlook on working somewhat and she was excellent at obeying the more acute commands { side-stepping, backing, pivoting...}, and her lope{or canter} was divine. I never felt like I was fighting her to stay in control. A first. However, when we decided to go up to our neighbor's big pasture, all the scaries came out to get us. In her mind at least.
 There are several big hills in that pasture, most of them dotted with rocks and badger holes so you have to go carefully if you're going to go any faster that a trot up them. Well, we got separated from Da and his horse and LB and his pony.... I've never galloped up that steep hill, nor have I ever been on a galloping horse going up hill when it jumped a large rock. I think I'll try to avoid it from now on.

Also in the news: My sister's friend is terrified of snakes. A pity. Because I happen to love chasing people with snakes. It all started with a campfire and then on the way back LB pointed out a two foot garter snake laying in the grass. I of course did the natural thing and scooped it up. I turned to show my sister and her friend, but her friend was no where to be seen. I couldn't believe it. In the maybe five seconds it took me to grab the snake he was already half way to his pickup {some meters away}. It has to be a land speed record.
 Oh, the above it not the horrifying snake. It is not even a snake. It is an estimated{by me} to be a two month old painted turtle. With all this rain we've had our creek its once again flowing well, and our pond is close to overflowing again, like it did back in March. So we've also been getting a variety of aquatic creatures: mallard and wood ducks, a heron, millions of noisy frogs and toads, and of course, turtles. I love turtles. They make me happy. Can't get enough of this little guy? Click here.

My fro chickens now really have their fros coming in. And it's hilarious. Especially since they seem to be the fighters, even though they're the smallest in the coop. I was cleaning the coop today with LB, and one chicken refused to leave so I had to pick it up. I was then bombarded repeatedly by one of these crazy kamikaze birds, the little rat. Its brethren seem to have the same disposition toward humanity as well, attacking our shoes a boots if we get to near. You can see the malice in their eyes.

I got my hair cut early this morning at my favorite hair shoppe. Privacy denies a before/after photo, but I shall do my best to describe it. I've begun a sort of exploit by refusing to have my hair cut the same way twice. For as long as I have good ideas, anyway. I see life as too short to be going around with the same hair style all the time. Last year I radically hewed off ten inches and enjoyed a light summery, jaw length cut. This year I'm going long. My hair has already grown to past my shoulders since last time, so I just had the stylist leave it as long as posable and add lotsalotsa layers so its not... blah anymore. And I love it.

I'm also involved in my church's VBS this week as assistant teacher to 13 wild little Pre - Ks. I've got to tell you, 8  to 11:30am is the longest period of the day. Whew, they keep you busy.

Well, as I see it, I've had a good day, about to get better with a viewing of one of my favorite movies, Sherlock Holmes, perhaps a quick drawing or painting, and a new read from the library.

Ní bené, friends!

-Gwyn

It's in the rain

The sky is crying. It's tears trace my finger tips at the touch of a new leaf.
 I feel wonderfully nostalgic, yet content at the same time.
Enya's music seems more poignant when listened to outside in the rain, add in the the Fae-like atmosphere. It's times like this when my world, Ithreal, and all my characters -- Cilla, Tovah, Skyrian, Gana... -- seem so close. Just out of reach.
 Sometimes that feeling is painful, sometimes it's exhilarating.

The wind begins to pick up and chill my hands so I turn back for the house. Along the way I glance at the rising waters in the creek and quietly send up a small prayer for those facing flooding and worse.

 There is no Hammie to run beside me, Hooey to trot ahead, or Molly to greet me at the door, they're safe and warm on their rugs in Da's studio. The little chickens had probably finished eating now and are snuggling down together under the light. Everything has a cozy feel to it. Cozy gets me thinking: time for a cup of tea and a good 1920's mystery.

Today my sister flies back, so I have a feeling everyone will kind of take the day off. Spend time doing the small things that often get pushed aside, like writing letters, drawing and painting, wandering through the pages of Scripture in search of good verses for handmade cards. That sort of thing.

Life's been a bit of a curveball of late, so I'm making today a day of rest and thought.

I hear leaves drinking rain; 

I hear rich leaves on top 

Giving the poor beneath 

Drop after drop; 

'Tis a sweet noise to hear 

These green leaves drinking near.

And when the Sun comes out, 

After this Rain shall stop, 

A wondrous Light will fill 

Each dark, round drop; 

I hope the Sun shines bright; 

'Twill be a lovely sight.

The Rain by William Henry Davies

Have a listen...

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Until the sun shines,

-Gwyn

'The days are just packed' - Calvin & Hobbes

I don't know about where you live, but spring around here has been marvelous! And with my eldest sister here, we've been doing a million things a day it seems. On sunny days: picnics at the park, riding horses, 'playing' with the little chickens, campfires.... And the days when it rains? Turns out Hulu.com has I Love Lucy episodes :)

 Today and yesterday was/will be hectic, though. Today is the day of the wedding I'm playing in, and whoooeee! Suffice it to say I got most of my music on Wednesday, annndd the rest I got last night at the rehearsal. Gulp. It'll be interesting!
 But on to a more interesting topic! {and one I have pictures of}

Campfire!

The other night we firebugs of the family {me and Little Brother} chopped firewood and gathered green roasting branches. I also snapped a few photos of the new sights of spring.

 I think this is a boxelder tree.... Kind of crumby bark, but awesome looking seeds!

Mum and everyone else came out and brought with them the best part of any campfire.....

The fixings of yumness. Have I ever mentioned I have a sweet tooth? It's the size of my head. Any other kind of food I don't care for, but chocolat? ... I've eaten one of those truffle boxes that you can get at Walmart for like $3.... by myself. I can't help it!! It's a problem I blame on my German half.

I like toasted 'mallows too. This one I caught on fire. I wanted a shot of it still flaming, but I guess Mum draws the line on my extreme lengths to get a photo when it could involve her hair catching fire.

 In case you're wondering, I've been known to lean out car windows, climb trees, and hang upside-down if I think I can get a good photo. It's kinda fun, actually.

Darn it! I'm making myself hungry!

 Does anyone else lovelove the sticky goodness of s'mores? Little Brother had marshmallow goo up to his eyebrows :)

I like messing around with the charcoal. This above is my name in Elvish. I think. I learned it back when I was a huuuge fan of LotR {when it came out in the early '00s}, so it's been awhile.

Oh, I cannot leave out this little guy I found two nights ago...

I was walking the dogs before putting them in for the night when I heard rustling in the grass. At first I freaked out - just a little. You know, I froze like a hunted hare. But I have a reason for that!  I have a reason! The night before I had a dream I was walking down the same road and came across six skunks and a bear and her two cubs. While I knew it wasn't going to be a bear {we don't have those around here} skunks seem to thrive on our place.

 Eventually I tracked down the noise to this little bugger. Isn't he sweet? I had to bring him to the house for everyone to see. They weren't too thrilled, except for LB, who got the camera out.

Toads and frogs and snakes I just love. Snakes could be a little more friendly, but they are so cool to watch, and if you do find I nice one, they're really fun to play with as well. Do you like reptiles?

Alas, for I must dash!

-Gwyn