Passing Unseen

An element of the fiction I write is my continual efforts to reveal to the reader the ways my characters (and us) connect both intentionally, unintentionally, accidentally, unbeknownst, synchronistically. I know from my own life that we often are affected and influenced by things people do that we don’t even know about. I find this fascinating, and novels, as well as short stories, are the perfect venue to reveal this web of connection amongst characters to the readers, who can see the entire picture.

Kyle Kimberlin, a poet friend, shared this quote (which describes what I mean perfectly) on his blog Metaphor (highly recommend a visit there!):

We keep passing unseen through little moments of other people’s lives.

– Robert M. Pirsig

The annual Halloween graveyard cake

Every year my daughter and I make a graveyard cake for Halloween. This year we did a layer cake instead of a sheet cake and it was fun decorating a different “shape.” It’s a homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting underneath all the candy. I usually take the junky stuff off (namely, Peeps) and just eat the cake!

Here it is, and happy Halloween!

A family get-away to Roan Mountain

Husband, daughter, my mom, and I went on a quick weekend get-away to a lovely cabin on Roan Mountain. Our farmsitter came and stayed the weekend with the menagerie. A few minutes after she walked in the door she was on the sofa with cats and Corgis snuggling in.

The fall color was beautiful and we had one rainy day with clouds rolling in and out over the mountain tops like surf, then a morning of snowflakes and then sunshine.

It was fun to take a little trip together and just as fun to get back home again.

I have some projects to finish this week and will get to them starting on Wednesday!

This and that

The week suddenly gained momentum - my mom arrived for a visit and to celebrate her 84th birthday with us. Busy schedules but good times!

The back area is ready for fencing and hollies.

Even with help I still need 48-hour days.

Loose dog on the lane today, coyote at the back line yesterday.

100 bales of hay in the barn, with 40 more coming in November.

Everyone but me has gone to bed, including cats and Corgis.

It’s kind of nice being up alone.

My little barn is shaping up nicely!

It’s clean as a whistle!

Needs those hay nets filled, and the woman looks a little tired, but that red-haired pony girl is on her painted pony ready to go.

Even in the little barn, though, we have the same problem: even when the cat is not away, the mice still play.