After a Novel

After you finish reading a book, do you ever have the sense of feeling eager to know what is next? 

After reading a novel, I feel like I just came out of a dark movie theater into daylight. Open to new ideas. From the narrative, images created in my imagination play as my brain voice with closed captions without the sound on. 

This summer’s reading list for me, will a variety of genres, a biography, and one re-read title, as opposed to all mysteries. 

Any recommendations for a biography is appreciated. Thank you

Summer Reading List in progress

Re-read: 1984, G. Orwell

Biography: Emerson: Days of Encounter, J. J. McAleer, Little, Brown & Company, 1984

Mystery Thrillers:

First Lie Wins, A. Elston
Heartwood, A. Gaige

The Old Bookmark

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I had to start over editing.

All the work put into editing this post disappeared. The page is not in browser history. Blogspot typing page is full of glitches. Add italics or underline is a major hassle. The cursor returns to the top of the page instead of where in the text you are typing. Huge glitch. 

Add Normal for the paragraphs is also a major hassle. Add photos places them on the top of the page instead of where you place the cursor. You have to cut and paste photos when typing and then adding pictures. 

The Benefit of Fake Flowers

Flowers are the best interior fake it tool for signaling one’s spirits to be in a good mood. I have all sorts of fabric flowers and greenery around all year. As soon as winter is over on the calendar, up goes the big forsythia and pussywillow stems. They are wedged into my vintage storm window and old cabinet door divider.

One of the most beautiful signs of Spring is a wild mass of real forsythia shrubs in full flower. On Route 7 in New Haven, Vermont and as you go south into Middlebury Vermont, there are rows of stunning forsythia. 

There was another location, but I think it was chopped down years ago. I see that happen on home renovation shows, forsythia and sometimes old lilac trees are removed as if they are useless. Sad it is. 

This is a good time of year in northern climates to plant forsythia in the ground. If you have the room, especially a corner where it can grow wild (no shape pruning), then check out your local garden nurseries for forsythia. 

Faux flowers

Happy April 2026 🤣

 

7 April 2026
No Words

As it happens, I fell back to sleep this morning only to wake up to snow all over the place. The birds are busy plowing through the white stuff to get at the last if this season’s birdseed. Bear have been sighted locally, next door actually. Therefore, I have slowed putting seed out. The last bag was emptied a few days ago.

Chili sounds good today. I’d like to have nachos for dinner.*  Problem is that I don’t want to go outdoors to buy the cheese. I am not interested in snow as I’m content to be done with it. 

So, I’m sitting here working on a new budget, figuring things out, creating a better menu and shopping routine. Paperwork stuff. 

In my working years I did a lot of paperwork as a retail assistant manager, customer service senior correspondent, customer representative, receptionist and such. Lots of paper, people and office dynamics. 

In it all, none were a career of choice. Single parenthood has it’s requirements. Being a frerlance artist, for me, was not an option. 

Lately though, as I watch social media videos, I think more on what life as an elderly lady do I want. This is my Hm? era, time to ponder the possibilities left in my end zone years. 

Career? As an artist and writer?

Why not.

What is your why not? Do you have one?

If not, then why not?

😎🤣

* Switching to mashed potatoes, ham and a green salad

The Story About Birds in the Trees

You hear a bird.

You look in the song’s direction.

The bird is spotted.

Camera ready, you position to take a picture of the bird.

There is no bird in the frame because it flew away, moved to another branch or behind a branch.

A downy woodpecker was spotted in a tree. I end up photographing a starling behind a branch. No woodpecker in sight. Sigh. 

Starling 

Dependable Things & a Discovery

Today’s weather forecast has possible snow flurries predicted. I have seen snowflakes falling on this day. In the distant clouds, many have signs of falling snow. Seeing Nature being busy creates in me a sense of well being. Well being that there are elements on Earth that are dependable. 

Pot hole season is such an element of Spring.*

Parking next to a puddle or patch of ice outside my driver’s side door is another.

Sticking to my to rule not to buy sandals in the Spring because I do not need them is a dependable fail for me. (New to me sandals arrived today. ❤️ them)

Finding at the grocery store another packaged food item had shrunk is an increasingly dependable discovery. Three minis make up for one normal size ice cream sandwich.

New to me mini size
ice cream sandwiches

* I prefer to capitalize Spring because I don't consider the seasons as common nouns.

Timberland Earthkeepers