There was something interesting I was going to write about today, thought of it last night, but I didn't write it down so you get this instead:

Here's our pumpkin patch with a few squash mixed in. Everything has ripened up early this year. I'll be able to line the stairs with pumpkins for a Thanksgiving decoration but they might not make it until the end of the month. By then, they'll look like zombie pumpkins!

Had a very productive weekend that was, somehow, relaxing at the same time. I read, wrote, painted, went to the cafe twice, even watched a movie. But by the end of Sunday, I realized I hadn't done anything active or physical at all. Every time I started up the lane with the dogs, it started raining. Didn't move a single rock or dig a single hole either. Now that we're heading into October -- already! -- I'll have to start thinking about cleaning up the gardens, finishing rock walls for new gardens -- more! -- and planting bulbs. All relaxing in a completely different way.

I kind of feel like this pumpkin (orange, plump, productive) just without the bird shit.

I like surprises. Even the kind when someone is standing behind me and I don't know they're there when I turned around and it scares the beejeezus out of me.
But the best kind of surprises, besides a fabulous 40th birthday party, is finding a new pair of boots sitting by the door when I get home from work. (My husband is so knee-jerk generous, his idea of retail therapy is to buy something for his wife.)
Not just any boots, mind you. Bog boots, this country girl's preferred footwear year around.
And not just any Bog boots but...

RED BOOTS!
This is my signature footwear. Officially. As of this moment. From now on, I'm wearing nothing but red shoes. Watch my feet when I'm on TV doing interviews during my book tour. I'll be wearing red boots (but not Bogs; those I'll save for the Better Homes and Gardens profile).
There is no freakin' way I'm not going to get published now. The secret is great footwear, I know it.

Not an a-ha moment but an aaaaaaah moment.
It's my day off.
It's raining.
I have the house to myself for a little while.
Only 15 chapters left to edit.
Pitter patter.

 

The perk that makes up for not making a lot of money at this job that I love is the personal printing I get to do. Business cards, inspirational posters, invitations.
And most importantly, book covers that I tape to the wall above my computer to act as visual aids and motivation. If you see it, it will happen.

(I can't come up with anything to write that is worthy of this photo.)

Sarah,
normally I would email this to you but since you don't have email at the moment, I can share this with my small world of readers...and all struggling creators of whatever whenever. Oh, and my home-schooling sister who has her kids create the most fabulous artwork.
From the "Shelf Awareness" e-newsletter I receive twice a week (and if you love books, you need to subscribe):

"Peter H. Reynolds kicks off the third annual Dot Day with Mayor Thomas Menino at the Boston Children's Museum. Fittingly, the celebration began with a teacher, Terry Shay of Waterloo, Iowa, and his students on September 15, 2009. It was Vashti's teacher in The Dot who set the budding artist on her path with the suggestion, "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."
Reynolds believes, like his heroine Marisol in Sky Color, that each of us has a powerful innate impulse to create. He admits that sometimes while sipping a cup of tea he's so inspired that rather than get water, he's used his tea as his watercolor base. That contributes to the sepia tones in what he calls his "creatrilogy": The Dot, Ish and Sky Color (all published by Candlewick)."


Amazing!
How will you celebrate Dot Day?

The most amazing thing happened since realizing the true point of my book. It released all of my creative energy. Released as in, liberated. Released as in, from a trap or a dark hole or those unreachable recesses of my lumpy, twisted brain.
As in...
...I'm painting.
And I'm not painting crap.
No, really, I'm not. I'm painting abstract and flowers as I gain confidence and technique. I don't have much technique, actually, but I've gleaned enough from Norene's workshops to create some decent paintings. Finally, I understand under-AND over-painting, although I haven't yet tried the over-painting, which is why I work on three or four canvasses at once; that allows me to try different things, slowly, while working on the big canvas, very slowly (so afraid to screw up!), which will be a sunflower.
What's most amazing, and this I attribute to the release of true, pure creative energy, is that I seem to know what I'm doing and nothing is frustrating me. If I could figure out what this is, and bottle it, I'd be a millionaire. All I know is that I love it and will tap into it as often as I can to keep it flowing.
The paint space isn't in my office, either; it's in the new garage. When the urge to paint came over me a few weekends ago, after finishing my latest reading and editing of my manuscript, I just felt the need for space. Outside was too windy so I set up one of the long tables we use for yard sales and parties, and voila! Large, bright studio with a radio for good music to paint by.
This also means I can do it whenever I want, even for half an hour. I'm one of those LUCKY people who have their own personal chefs. Mum and Dwayne make supper while I paint in the garage. If I ever create a company, the word "lucky" is going to have to be in the title (fortunate being too long, blessed sounding too religious).  
I'm photographing each stage of each canvas but not ready to share those yet. Well, maybe just this one, because it's little.