1. The internet, and all the things it gives me access to.
2. The people I have met online and the friendships that have formed.
3. Battery operated laptops -- for writing on the go.
4. Pens and paper -- because it works anytime, anywhere.
5. A local recycling center, where I can glean goods.
6. Beer boxes and sawdust... Yes, that is what I said.
7. A big backyard, with plenty of room for gardening.
The boys and I have taken on the job of landscaping our yard. We have many ideas, but our resources are limited. The boys would love to see tall, tall trees, for climbing, tree houses and hammocks. Reality though, is that even if we bought trees big enough to climb they would still take several years to get established.
Establishing a trees is not easy. At least it has not been for me. Over the years we have bought a number of trees, planted them according to the instructions and cared for them carefully. One wouldn't know it by looking at our home. The trees we have are few in number. Just this last winter, we lost two more.
I'm not sure what we are doing wrong, or if we are doing anything wrong. It could just be where we live. Our house gets hit with the force of the wind coming across the lake. It is relatively unprotected, compared to other homes in the area. The businesses in town get the same treatment we do... And I've noticed that the town replanted about half their trees last spring.
So this year, we are trying something different. Something I have experimented with a bit before, but not really pursued.
We are transplanting runners from several neighbors.
Yesterday, we dug up little aspens and a few 'wild' maples. The maples are what ever the settlers brought with them from Europe (or grew naturally on the East coast), when they came west. These not only were planted here, but established themselves to such a point they are now considered native. I love the way they look, and they have the hardiness to survive here. The Japanese maple in my front yard struggles to grow, no matter how much care I give it.
If the maples I transplanted take off like I think they will, that will bring my wild maple count up to five. Last year three of them came up in my flower bed, and I transplanted them to the back yard. They are doing so well, I am extremely encouraged.
I have never transplanted aspens before, but the amount of root we were able to dig up with the little trees tells me they should do well. Three years ago, I brought home a birch runner, with barely a hint of root. It is now over 6 foot tall, and has only leafed out so far this year. I am looking forward to seeing what this years growth does for it!
Running. Escaping. Strangers, bound by circumstance, held by love. She rescued him, when he had no one. He led her across country, to a new home -- a new way of life.
Trusting. Meek. Wren stood by him.
Cunning, brutal, ever one step ahead, Phillip adored her.
Only she could change him and restore his honor.
*---*---*---*---*---*---*
Word Count: 55
After reading the introduction to the series, Building a Short Story, by Alex Crabtree, I've decided to take a story that had been running around my head for months now and see what I can do with it. My hope is to grow the above story into a novel.
1. Boys who are willing to work hard to make our home a better place.
2. A vision for the future.
3. Trees and shrubs, that have been transplanted to our yard.
4. Friends and neighbors, who don't mind me digging up runners to transplant in my yard.
5. Rain and snow, falling from the sky, encouraging everything to grow
6. Freedom, to make life what I want it to be.
7. Our men and women in uniform who give of their lives, serving this country.
This last weekend marked one year from the day I almost gave up on my dreams.
All of my dreams. The big and the little. My husband and I got into a
fight... after the most wonderful month of marriage I felt we had ever
had. He didn't see it that way. He didn't see it that way at all. He
said that he had bit his tongue for the last month, instead of sharing
his ideas.
This cut to the core, because, after 13 years of marriage, that was the
only one in which I hadn't felt criticized and inadequate. When the
fight had ended, or we had both walked away -- how ever it happened -- I
remember posting on facebook an apology to all who knew me, for being a
complete failure. This elicited quite a bit of response, but I wasn't
there to see it. As soon as I posted, I logged out and started a new
account on facebook, with the pen name I had had such high hope for a
few months before.
I did this to help the ONE person I felt I could be of any use to.
That's how low I was. I felt there was only one person in the world who
could benefit from the fact that I was alive, and that was only because
I could do something to help his Google listing.
Just as I was getting ready to log out of that account, he sent me a
friend request. He had seen my other post, and was there to find out
the meaning of it. We talked for the next couple of hours, and he gave
some of the best advice I have ever been given. It was simple, but to
me profound. Basically, he told me to be myself and to quit trying to
please other people. He reminded me that no one is perfect.
Later that evening, another friend, contacted me. He had an insight to
my family and my husband I couldn't see. He asked me to trust him, then
proceeded to tell me that my husband loved me very much. That he
thought the world of me, and that there was no reason the two of us
should fight, since we were clearly devoted to one another.
I told him, as much as I wanted to believe that, it didn't seem
possible. Then he asked the question that set the road for change. He
asked, "How does it seem to you when you share an idea with him?"
Immediately, I knew the answer. "I feel like I am standing on a narrow
cliff edge, inching my way along. Every idea I put out there is like
taking a step forward, feeling my way along. I can't see what is coming
or if I am going the right way... but when I lean out to look, he is
like the wind, waiting to suck me off the cliff and hurl me to the
ground.
He was stunned by my word picture, and again asked me to trust him. He
said, "I see things very differently. First, you are not on a cliff
edge. You are in a meadow. There is nothing around you but tall grass
and a few butterflies. Second, there is no wind to hurt you -- a gentle
breeze, yes, but not a wind. Third, if you fall, it won't be far."
Then, he asked something of me. "Here is what I want you to do. Every
time you feel pushed by what he has to say, I want you to remember you
are not on a cliff, but in a meadow. Then, I want you to dance.
Dance, dance, dance and dance!"
It took several months to remember who I was and to live in that
reality. The entire time was spent reminding myself that I couldn't
fall far and to dance. Dance, dance, dance and dance! And dance I did,
until it became natural. Until I could smile when I felt pushed.
Until I no longer felt pushed. Until I was happy. And then the
strangest thing happened. My husband and I started talking to each
other -- things beyond, 'When do you think you will be home?' and
'Where are yo going and how many kids are you taking?'
We started talking about things that really mattered to us. At first it
was scary, and there were a few fights. Old habits die hard, but soon,
we were talking in depth, sharing thoughts and ideas and enjoying each
others company. Today, one year later, I am so in love with my man and
so grateful he is part of my life.
1. The internet, and all the things it gives me access to.
