Sunday, August 03, 2014

August on the hill

We've had a wild week here. Husband was in the mountains taking landscape photographs and the gravel road beneath the Honda Element collapsed. He rolled 40 feet off the edge and was amazingly saved by the tree saplings which slowed the vehicle and a tree that stopped it, although upside down.

The seat belt held him safely, several windows were broken out, and he was able to climb out and get back to the road where a kind passerby took him to the nearest town for help.

The Element had close to 250k miles and it has been an amazing car. It's gone now and we're looking for the next vehicle. 

The morning after all of the above happened, I woke up to my entire herd on high alert in the front pastures. I went out to check on them and didn't see or hear anything. About 15 minutes later a neighbor's entire herd (four horses, a pony, and two goats) came galloping up our driveway. For about twenty minutes it was total chaos here. My five and those seven were all running and snorting and squealing and the neighbors who own them were not answering their phone. 

Fortunately another neighbor and her husband helped and the herd got home with no mishap.

Today, my brilliant teens are discussing quantum mechanics and calculus and piano and college. Husband, thankfully safe and sound, just brought home a new round bale of hay, photos of newborn piglets. It is mercifully cool outside, overcast and still cloudy, and the needed rain has come to an end. 

Summer's nearing its end. I'm getting ready to plant the fall garden and have four elderberry bushes to plant along the front fence.

And oh! I have forgotten to mention that we've joined in a county-wide solar purchase group and are waiting for our solar assessment for the house and barn. I'm really excited about the possibility of getting the barn entirely off the grid. 




Thursday, July 31, 2014

Monday, July 28, 2014

FREE BOOKS!! donkeys and the writing life, how could you go wrong?

Through Wed. July 30th, two of my books are free on Amazon:

Little Shoppe of Colors, 1, Search For Fox Hunting Red, is an adorable picture book for children of all ages who love donkeys and the adventures they take. Of course you all know who inspired it! Get this now and be ready for books 2 and 3 when they come out. My illustrator is amazing and it's entirely due to her skill that these stories come alive. 



Don't Miss The Magic is my book of essays on the writing process, and it gives tips for not only writers, but creative artists of all kinds. Some readers have said it is a book for people in general. 


As always, if you do download these and enjoy them, reviews are most appreciated. 

And if you want to get on my newsletter list, look to the sidebar on the right and click to sign up. I send out regular (monthly or less) updates with news about my books and my writing here on November Hill. I would love to have you join me!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Home!! and a good day's harvest

I was at Weymouth as writer-in-residence for the past 10 days but am home now, very happy with the editing I got done, and equally happy to be back with my November Hill herd, which includes horses, pony, donkeys, Corgis, cats, husband, and daughter. 

The garden is going mad - this is today's harvest:



What is everyone else up to? I'm ready for cooler weather and an end to summer bugs!