Weymouth in October, 2021

 

Synchronicity In The Creative Process

 I’ve written about it before, many times in various places, how the creative process opens up to synchronicity if one pays attention and lets it happen.

Last night while editing a novel chapter I was reading the words Blackhawks and Pave Lows when a Blackhawk flew by overhead. What a charge of energy that moment gave to the editing process, and fueled me working on late into the night. 

I’m editing a novel that has been sitting complete for several years. It’s a novel I love, but for whatever reason I moved on to other work and yesterday I dove back in to this novel’s world. We’ll see where this editing journey takes us.

This view from the writer’s kitchen helps:

Much Needed Writing Time In Process

 

It’s been a very long time since I was here at Weymouth Center For the Arts and Humanities as a writer in residence, and I’m absolutely relishing this week of time to dig in with my writing projects. It’s beautiful and quiet and I have no chores to do. No interruptions. Pure creative time.

I almost always come here with a project to finish, a self-imposed deadline, and a burning fever to “get it done.” This trip I made the decision to come with nothing on a list, no plan of action, but just me, my work, and the time to dip in and out of the various projects in a whimsical way. 

Today I submitted two short pieces, redesigned my submission journal pages for a better ease of use, and who knows what I’ll do next as I move into the afternoon. 

I’m not sure if this is my own aging process kicking in, lending its wisdom to the writing process, or if the pandemic has pushed me to view things differently. Surely some combination of the two. But it feels nice to be here letting the time and space guide me to what feels like the next right thing.

Whether or not you can go on a retreat like this, find some time and a place to be where you can retreat from the daily routine, even if just half an hour, and let yourself open up to creative thinking or other creative pursuits. It’s a gift we can give ourselves if we choose to do so. And it’s easy to forget in our busy lives how valuable this is for our minds, bodies, and spirits.

Go on, schedule a half hour, or an afternoon. If you can take a weekend or a full week, do it. This is the kind of thing that doesn’t just happen. You have to put it into your life. 

Do it. 

What’s Coming Up In The Garden, 81: whorled milkweed

 Today I added in more pink/swamp milkweed, butterfly weed, and a new variety, whorled milkweed. I have an entire strip alongside the front walkway now that will be filled with milkweed come spring. I can’t wait to see it!

The whorled milkweed is a pale pale pinkish white and it will be lovely along with the deep pink and bright orange of the other varieties. But the main thing is that it will help the butterfly larva and keep the beauties coming to November Hill. 

MORE ON WHORLED MILKWEED

November Hill farm journal, 140

 We are moving on into autumn here and have (mostly) switched the herd to being out during the day and in at night, though Keil Bay has been asking to do his own version of this and we are letting him create his own custom turn-out this fall season.

He’s doing well, just had his acupuncture and Legend injection with his interim vet and a vet intern. These two are also young women vets who seem to really love their work and they enjoyed meeting him and hearing a few Keil Bay stories. He was a gentleman and was very appreciative of the acupuncture. 

In other news, we have a new hoof trimmer, which is a long story but in a nutshell the previous trimmer exploded at Keil during his trim in September and resigned 5 days later. We need someone who is strong enough to do this hard work, can do it in a time frame so that senior horses and even younger ones are not kept standing for long periods of time, and most of all, we need someone who is cheerful, feels good, enjoys the equines here, and would never explode in a tirade of curse words at any equine, ever. I’d say that is asking for perfection, but honestly, in all the years we’ve lived with equines, I’ve never had any professional behave that way, period, so it was time for someone new.

We had a wonderful trim day with the new trimmer this week and are all very happy to be moved on. It seems none of them were getting trimmed properly, mostly just not enough toe being taken off and a lot of unneeded focus on cutting the sole. Everyone looks great and I’m very happy with how it went.

We’re still working on getting the mountain house up and running. It’s going to take another month or so I think but we’ve made a good start. We’ve met the immediate neighbors and gotten to know them a bit, and are very fortunate that they’re super nice people and eager to be helpful to us in any way they can. We never expected that but how wonderful to find it! Apparently there’s a trail through the new land that is spectacular in the springtime, so we’re aiming for a big walk together when we get through the winter and see the spring bloom up there. 

For now the fall color is in full swing and I’m going to be up there soon to enjoy it. 

I’m happy that I put a moratorium on myself with regards to adding anything else to my calendar this season. I have a couple of therapy workshops and my ongoing writing workshop, and I’m enjoying these things all the more now that I’m not swamped with stuff going on. This isn’t rocket science, as they say, but sometimes I really do behave as if I’m Hermione in Harry Potter, able to be in two places at once, taking care of multiple to do lists. It’s been so nice to slow down and just do things in a more laid-back manner.

I’m going to be writer-in-residence soon, which means a week away to focus on writing, and that too will be delicious and savored this year especially. 

It’s a gorgeous day, with dogwoods changing color, a few other trees coming close to that, and a lovely blue sky. Horses in their pasture, or barnyard, as is the case with Keil Bay, dogs sleeping in the living room, and nothing on my schedule. 

Happy autumn, everyone!