Books, Fall, News

Back for a Bit

63 Comments

For now, my part is finished for the proof copy of my soon-to-be-published book, Darcy Dansereau and the Missing Children. I’ve written the blurb, a brief bio, and a dedication to a childhood friend. Until I have the actual proof copy in hand, there’s not much to do on Darcy. So back to blogging, and I’ll also resume work on book six, Iris Starmoss, Elf Detective.  As the saying goes, no rest for the wicked. However, when I get the proof copy, I will need to take another break.

Luckily, I have a kitty assistant to help me write. She is a stern judge who hates the passive voice.

Along with getting the proof copy ready, I have been working on fall chores as the leaves come down, down, down. At least once a week, I use the leaf blower to clean the driveway. This will be an ongoing chore until all the leaves have fallen.

Yesterday, I helped Clif take down the roof and sides of the gazebo. Now only the skeleton remains, along with happy memories of summer nights spent on the patio.

I have emptied and scrubbed most of my outdoor pots. The coleuses are the last of the potted plants, and I’ll get to them soon. Then, I’ll bring in the outdoor ornaments. We have too much snow to leave them out year-round. Following the advice of my blogging friend Jason, who died a few years ago, I don’t cut back the plants in the fall. Instead, I wait until spring. I have done this for several years, and the plants do just fine.

In between fall chores, I have found time to take a couple of autumn pictures.

A leaf on our front porch,

and color in the woods behind our house.

We are nearly halfway through October, and I wish I could implore this beautiful month to slow down, to not go by so fast. But October moves in her own time and, of course, won’t listen to me.

So I’ll take time each day to enjoy the blaze of red, orange, and yellow; the golden glow of the slanted sun; and the crisp but not cold air.

Oh, October!

 

63 thoughts on “Back for a Bit”

  2. You’re way ahead of me on fall garden cleanup and fall co!or, good for you, but you all get cold sooner than Maryland does. Still miss Jason’s blog. Your wrkting assistant has quite a large presence!!

    Been wanting to get a leaf blower. Is yours cordless? Lightweight? If you’re pleased with it, what brand?

    1. Yup, the leaves are coming down. We have a Black and Decker. Very lightweight, but the 20 volt batteries don’t last long. It takes three to do our driveway. No big deal changing the batteries, but they do need to be charged and ready. There are Black and Deckers with bigger batteries, but they would be heavier.

  3. My absolute favorite time of year… and I’m hobbling about missing it.
    I too leave my cutting back until early spring. Birds love the seeds and dead blooms and it gives a little extra frost protection.
    Had to order oil today and almost fainted. Can’t say I’m looking forward to a cold winter this year.
    😳

    1. The temperature is just right in the fall. I know oil is terribly expensive. We have heat pumps, which are less expensive to use, but they sure aren’t free.

      1. We have a heat pump in the man cave but it freezes up in really cold temps. And our house just isn’t set up for them. We’d need 6 or more…

  6. Lovely to see the changing colours in your garden Laurie, it’s such a beautiful time of year 🍁 The leaves are falling here too and we’re busy heaving them into the composter 🍃🧡🍂 xxx

  10. Too fast too fast … the season has passed all too quickly. You have certainly been busy with all the editing and preparations for the snowy season.

  11. Your feline assistant sounds like the toughest critic in the publishing business. Dismantling the gazebo is always the bittersweet official marker that summer has packed its bags.

  12. I like to wait until every last leaf has fallen and then gather them up. Not something for the house proud but I’m not a fan of redoing things… And a bit lazy too ☺️

    1. We have to keep up. Otherwise it’s too much for the leaf blower and the electric mower. But back in the day, when I raked the whole yard. I employed your tactic: wait until all the leaves have fallen.

  14. Yep, the leaves can be a pain to rake or blow, but I love this time of year. I have a battery leaf blower, but it only works on hard surfaces. Yours doesn’t work on grass, as well, does it? I keep wishing for a more powerful cordless blower so I won’t have to drag electric cords around.

    1. I love fall, too, despite the work. No, our leaf blower doesn’t work on grass. For that we use our electric mower, but we have to keep up. Otherwise, the leaves are too thick to blow or mow. Our leaf blower has a battery, and I love it.

      1. I have a Worx blower, and it works great on pavement. I also have a Worx mower, which can share batteries. with other Worx tools. It’s a good little mower, and no gas. 😉

  17. You obviously work quickly and efficiently! Well done, Laurie, I admire the fact that you already have the next novel in the pipeline!

    1. I think perhaps my main feature as a writer is my perseverance. As a rule, five days a week, in the morning, I am at my desk working on my books. It’s amazing how much a writer can accomplish by sticking to this schedule.

  18. Great progress. But a writer’s work is never done, so I’m impressed that you are already on with book 6, encouraged by your fabulously furry feline friend!

  19. Lovely photos and a most evocative description: “So I’ll take time each day to enjoy the blaze of red, orange, and yellow; the golden glow of the slanted sun; and the crisp but not cold air.”

  20. We’re still waiting for autumn. It’s so strange to see it advancing in our northern (and western) states, while around here it still looks and feels like August. But! There’s a front forecast for this weekend that will drop temps all the way down to the 60s/70s! Huzzah! Maybe the landscapers finally will put out some autumn annuals.

    I love your writing assistant. An aversion to the passive voice always helps!

  21. What a beautiful update! Glad to hear you’ve reached the next step on your book and have a little time to join us here in between Autumn chores! Your photos are gorgeous! Autumn is my favorite, though it is fleeting, and our recent rains have allowed the trees the strength to offer us some gorgeous colors! Have a wonderful week, Laurie!

  24. My cats ‘help’ me write too and regularly dance across the keyboard but what they type is always rubbish! I love Autumn colours too and, like you, will be bringing all my outside furniture and other stuff in over the next few weeks. I think Summer is all the sweeter for not being year round – Moving from cosy nights in front to the fire to lazing in the evening sun and back again keeps it all fresh.

    1. Yes, they are such a big help. That’s why I have the plexiglass cover. One day Fern deleted a whole paragraph. I’m all for omitting needless words, but she was rather indiscriminate in what she got rid of. Yes, so true that summer is all the sweeter for not being year round. The same is true for autumn and spring, which are even more fleeting than summer.

  26. I also love the autumn colours, Laurie. Sadly, we don’t see them here, as it is all pines and eucalyptus.

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  30. I have just enjoyed a catch up of your blog which I always find most interesting. Autumnal greetings from across the pond in West London.

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