A new year and a long grey road

After 3 days of rather nerve wracking driving, I arrived safe and weary in Arizona. My route differed this time as I headed along the 401 to Guelph to drop off my grandson at university. My car started acting strange, not accelerating properly. We assumed it was ice in the gas line as we left Ottawa area in -28 degree temperatures. However, it did not improve and I discovered that the cruise control was malfunctioning so then assumed the problem was related to that. I made it to Lima, north of Dayton Ohio that evening and because the weather warnings were straight across the route I usually take, I decided to err on the side of safety and followed the I75 south to Tennessee adding at least 3 hours to my drive time. It was a wise decision. The weather did deteriorate but fortunatley into rain squalls (nasty ones) not snow and ice. My car started to really give me concern as it was still not accelerating properly and was drinking gas like a delicious cocktail. Of course being Sunday no service stations were open. I limped into Jackson, Tennessee and had a very restless night as I saw dollars flying away at a mechanic's.

A local mechanic discovered it was the catalytic converter. I was in and out in two hours all repaired. The service was extraordinary and the price was reasonable.. By now, the weather and car repair set me back by 6-7 hours but because it was still early in the day when I got to Albuquerque, I decided to carry on as I knew the roads well and they were clear and dry (many a time I have driven that leg in very nasty weather). I arrived in after 12 hours of driving. Ask me if I was pooped!

Now a week later, I have settled in and am falling into a routine of rising early, writing for several hours, walking for an hour or so on the range then after a good hot shower and lunch snuggle into the settee on the patio with a good book. I vowed that my winter would produce some decent writing and get my novel ready to publish. If all goes well, I hope to have a rough draft of my second done.

Old friends have wrapped their arms around me and welcomed me back into the fold. This morning, I slung my camera around my neck and heading up the mountain for a brisk walk watching the play of light on dried flowers and seeds looking for that perfect shot.

Guess what I found!

            In my last blog, I mentioned that I spoke to the Ottawa Independent Writers. As a result of that evening, I was requested to do a podcast and since I’m not the least bit humble here’s the link http://www.brookebroadbent.com/resources/Molly_O.mp3

You should know that I enjoy speaking to groups and presenting seminars on writing memoirs and flash fiction. That being said, if you are interested in either please jot me a note at fourteencups@hotmail.com I am considering doing a couple at our farm in August.

            Now to my wanderings – as you might have already guessed, I get very excited when I find that special wildflower and doubly so if I manage to capture a decent photo of the same. Well I didn’t have to wander far this week before my adrenaline peaked. Always searching for hidden blooms, I have developed a keen eye (a walking buddy often exclaims how did you see that!?) and yesterday, as I was power-walking along our road, my eye caught a spot of red. I sent a wish to my gods hoping beyond hoping that I had found a pink orchid. YES! There it was, in early bloom, one of Canada’s rarest that you may know as a Pink Ladies Slipper.

          

  I mustn’t discount the yellow orchids that are plentiful this year or the water iris tucked in the damp woods. This dry spring without high winds has produced exceptional subject matter. Grey skies this morning, but my camera will still hang around my neck – just in case – on my morning walk.

Life's Little Rewards

There are times in your life that bring you rewards beyond expectations. Yesterday was that kind of day. Of course all my ‘followers’ know that I love warm weather and try my best to escape winter. When the temperatures soar, my energy levels rise and I feel capable of anything. So I did my morning walk and added a half mile, attacked the rose garden then wandered off to a garden centre and purchased roses, roses, roses. In case you haven’t guessed, I really like ‘em! Of course they don’t warrant photos yet but keep posted.

Some time ago, the Ottawa Independent Writes asked me to share my thoughts on writing short stories. I spoke to a very attentive audience and was rewarded by several people coming up to me after and thanking me for an informative evening. And my greatest reward? My granddaughter, who had come with me to hear me speak, gave me the biggest reward of all. When driving home, I asked her if she learned anything and it was then she held up my handout on 11 points to editing and said – “I’m tacking this up over my desk as soon as I get home.” Wow, there can be no better reward. Now that’s something to crow about.

Blossoms and Thieves

Sometimes one hears a call and answers. A choir member put out an all-call for help getting her house renovated to meet a deadline for a TV show. I offered my help because I was curious and thought that it might be a good socializing experience – besides, I’m good with a paint brush and roller. Four afternoons later the house is due for its final inspection today. When I left yesterday, she was expecting an all-nighter to finish putting everything back together. Good luck Sue.

            Contrary to all news report saying that apple trees in this area were hard hit by frost and apples will be scarce, the blossoms have been outstanding. In our front yard, we have an ornamental flowering crab that truly outdid itself and although the colours have faded continues to take ones breath away. Unlike previous years we haven’t had high winds and storms so the petals have not blown away after a few days. In fact, our tree has been glorious for over a week.

            I have a marauder in my bird feeder. No, it is not a squirrel or chipmunk. I have enough trouble with them in my garden now this! Note the broken screen - yep, chickens are really too heavy for bird feeders.

In the woods

            Sometimes when one goes wandering it is all about seeing loved ones. I spent four days with relatives and friends to return home happy I had booted the highways. I didn’t even take my camera. However, once back the wonderful maple forest at the head of our road beckoned for my return. Within that week away a profusion of fauna had burst through the soil, some in full array and some promising more to come. When I last visited the wood I spied a single little hepatica so my goal was to see if there was more. There was an abundance of them! However, in that short time they had bloomed and turned to producing seed so I was disappointed. Just as I was leaving to head home a flash of white caught my eye. And there it was, delicate posing saucily against a birch log. I’m not enamoured with the photo result but thrilled to have found my target.

             I know not everyone gets as excited at finding nature’s treasures but you will have to bear with me. There were crowds of trillium, dog-toothed violets, yellow violets, purple violets and bell flowers. I spied wild ginger and peered beneath to see if any were in bloom and there they were (see pic) but the real treasure of the day stood glorious and breathtaking beside the laneway – two apple trees in full bloom survived untouched by the frost. When I got home I realized I had been gone over two hours, it felt like a fleeting moment.  Its been raining since then so my next foray will likely find new wild flowers, blossoms and leaves.

            Today, I’m wandering off to join a group of volunteers who are renovating a choir member’s house.

May Day

            Driving by a small maple woods at the end of our road last Friday, I spy a flash of white – a multitude of blossoms spread across the forest floor. The next morning, eager for the promised sunlight, I bundle up, grab my camera and head for the woods.

            A carpet of trilliums, small, brave and very confused at being wakened a month early hang their miniature heads timidly braving the cold air. Maybe it is global warming that forced them out of their cozy beds and into foreign light. I shake my head and hope nature does not pull one of her cruel tricks and kill them with a sharp drop in temperature. Of course she does – the very next day.

            I had never ventured into this wood in all the years living here as it is private property but now the new owners have become friends so I headed happily along the leaf strewn pathway. It was a morning of discovery. I found hepatica, wild ginger, nightshade, dog-toothed violets, moss and fungi. The skies remained grey and the damp air penetrating, but I was lost in discovery. My camera stayed around my neck, oh I did take the odd picture but the light was wrong and the subjects bent their heads to the ground, shivering in the steady wind. There were some interesting textures of leaf and bark, but again the lighting was all wrong but I’ll share one. My venture left me delighted with the prospect of another visit next week perhaps. But now the road beckons and I’m heading off to visit friends and relatives in southern Ontario. I may wander off road and see what my lens can capture in a kinder climate.

A Gift for You

Since you follow my blog, you know I write. I have published several books.

            Fourteen Cups (2006) is a collection of short stories each about a cuppa coffee long and of course there are 14 stories – sorry they are sold out.

            Wandering Backward (2010) a glimpse backward to small town Ontario in 1944/45 is written in creative memoir style. What is that you ask? It simply means I wrote it as if it happened but it is indeed creative memory featuring fictitious characters with the exception of myself and my immediate family. Yes, some of the stories actually happened, others didn’t – I leave it to the reader to decide which is which. I wrote it to capture the little things that might be forgotten. Wandering Backwards is available through http://www.gsph.com/.

            Snow Business (2011) is a children’s book written in rhythm and rhyme for children ages 2-7. A moose and a goose have a very different view on what to do with snow. Snow Business is available on http://www.amazon.com/

            I’d love to sell books but that is not why I’m writing this blog today. I started my writing career by selling short stories to various magazines, newspapers and anthologies like Chicken Soup for the Soul (Chicken soup for the Soul Grandmothers and Chicken Soup for the Soul O Canada)(available almost everywhere). The reason I’m writing today is to tell you that I want to share a short story with you for FREE.

            Because you take an interest in my scribblings through my blog, I thought you deserved to receive a gift. As soon as you become a follower on my blog, I will send a story to your email address absolutely FREE. Enjoy my gift to you and maybe there will be more to come.