hiatus

I've decided to go on hiatus here at camera-obscura to focus on writing and riding and spending whatever extra time I have enjoying the transition from summer to fall.

Take care, and check back in later in the season!


QUICK UPDATE on Sept. 13th:

Good week, although hectic. Keil Bay and I had a fantastic lesson yesterday. He is moving like a dream and starting to get so responsive to my half-halts, which makes transitions from walk to trot to canter and back down again so much better. We are doing turns on the forehands and haunches now and FINALLY I'm making some progress getting my legs independent from one another with the leg aids. And working on hands and rein aids as the rest of my body is stable.

Writing group - read pgs. 85-100 today and everyone said HUGE leap forward after the editing. Lots of banter about the characters and the story and where it's going - excitement all around. I am thrilled.

It's supposed to rain a LOT here tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that it does, as we desperately need it.

Onward with the skeet shooting items on my to do list.

exhausted

For some reason I'm ending the week in a state of exhaustion - there has been a lot going on and while most of it is good stuff, I'm drained.

My revision is going well, but it is not a quick process, and every change seems to involve deeper digging to get the exact right tone and voice. It's pushing me to "earn" every line, and I love it. For some odd reason when one ms is going well, ideas for other ones seem to increase exponentially. I have been making notes for other books in progress almost every day.

I've been busy with clients. This is a time when lots of referrals seem to come through. And former clients return for booster shots. It's an honor that also demands balance to do well.

I'm doing Adequan injections this month for the seniors (equine) and that involves, of course, needles. Another energy drain. But wonderful for the equines.

The pony is jumping 2'9 - big wow - not so much that he can do it, but that he's doing it so beautifully. This means he will likely do beginner novice events in the late spring. Lots of work to do toward that end.

The summer is feeling endless and a bit unbearable to me right now. We need rain badly. It feels like a good thunderstorm and an inch or more of rain would clear the air, quench the dry earth's thirst, and boost my spirits.

look who we met today

His name is Rafer Johnson and he is coming to live with us in the new year, after he weans from his mom, Contessa.

It is just not possible to describe how cute and sweet he is. He's very good at conveying that himself!

breakthrough!

For those following the writing journey here, the above is a direct quote from my writing group today. I've been working very hard on revising my second novel and have specifically struggled with making the two voices distinct. Getting down to the bones worked - today's version won their hearty approval. Yay!

Then I came home and found an email from a new writer friend who recently swapped first 50 pages with me. Her take: "I think your writing is lyrical, haunting and multi-dimensional. Reminds me of Anna Quindlen."

Yay again!

It was a real treat to read her pages as well. The writing life is good right now!

In a few weeks I'll be heading to a 5-day writing sojourn where I'll have the first 100 or so pages in great shape and a goal of carrying that on through the book. And I'm reading again next week in group so will have that much more feedback to tuck in my duffel and take with me.

In the spirit of sharing the wealth, I invite you to comment on your own breakthroughs here. Let's make a big pile of them and celebrate. :)

autumn aubade

Yesterday morning summer suddenly turned to fall. The blue of the sky was different, the angle of sun had shifted, and autumn's breeze blew through here like a song.

Today we hit 99 and tomorrow 101, then one more 99 degree day on Friday before the highs drop into the eighties for the weekend. This is how it starts. Hours of autumn and then days. And then somehow it is here.

In the meantime the butterflies are keeping me enchanted.