Surfacing briefly

[pameladean]

I'm coming up from the book because I have to name about five people, which means deciding where they are from and what the naming conventions there are.  That sentence seems to imply that I am doing nothing except writing, which is not true.  However, the book is taking up a great deal of mental space right now, making me absent-minded and somewhat reclusive.  In addition, Eric is here.  First he was right here, visiting in the house, which was very pleasant; now he's house-sitting for friends not very far away, which is also very pleasant.  We are a little thwarted in our usual activities, since it is far too hot to be hiking around all day long, but we've managed a half-day hike, fleeing for air conditioning when the heat got bad, and are planning to do that again.

I updated my website a while ago, since I had previously failed to note thereon the publication of the short story "Cousins," in Sharyn November's Firebirds Rising.  This is the first piece of fiction that I have completed, let alone published, since, appallingly, 1998, so it deserves a mention.  There ae a lot of really fine stories in the book; you would have a grand experience reading it even if you hated my story, which a reviewer or two already has.

The weather is hideous.  The tomatoes are happy, and indeed bent on world conquest.  I've had to add auxiliary stakes and tie them to the original tomato cages with leftover rose ties, or the side yard would be one pulsating mass of tomatoes.  Even they are feeling the effects of the crazy mix of heat, dryness, humidity, and occasional downpours, though:  the green tomatoes have those dark seams that mean "uneven watering."  Well, yeah.  This is the real world, silly garden writers.

The lawn has gone to plaintain and ragweed; oddly and sadly, not to dandelions.  The phlox is blooming bravely, though.

A lot of my friendslist is having horrible depressive episodes or scary family health problems.  "pets helplessly in several directions*

P.

Comments

I'd send you some of our dandelions

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

But they seem to have vanished. I can't imagine it's due to neglect, but I'm otherwise at a loss to explain it.

Re: I'd send you some of our dandelions

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It seems to be a horrible summer for dandelions, after a bumper crop in the spring. We're confused here, too.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Huzzah finishing short stories! And publishing them! ((throws virtual confetti, which I am fond of as it does not need to be cleaned up afterwards))

A lot of my friendslist is having horrible depressive episodes or scary family health problems

I think it's the heat wave. Or magnetic resonances. Or alien brainwaves. Or something. It is pouring.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

ooh! nice icon!

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

((blush)) Aww, thanks.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

is this from the cover of firebirds rising?

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is....I absolutely loved it, so I ah er kinda took the title off and made it. ((nervously hopes not to have given offense to anyone))

[sdn.livejournal.com]

as long as i can use it too.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

But of course!

[laurel]

My three tomato plants (heirloom seedlings I purchased at a farmer's market) are thriving or at least getting huge. I haven't spied all that many flowers, though today I did spot our first teeny tomato. I planted 'em late.

I'm very glad I decided to splurge on a self-watering planter for them given the way the weather has gone this year (though you're right, unless one does have reliable self-watering or automatic watering systems in place-- there will always be "uneven watering").

Our lawn is mostly, um, brown and dead. I've decided there's no real sense in having much of a front lawn (what's the point?) and hope to just put in flower beds next year. This year . . . well, it ain't pretty.

I'm very pleased by the volunteer sunflower at the front of our side yard; I believe Kevin posted a picture or two in his LJ. Some of my gerberas seem to be loving the heat.

I keep watering the shade garden and so far the ferns and hostas seem to have all survived. They're surrounded by weeds and grass (hey, that's where all the green grass went), but they've survived.

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about the depression plague that's been hitting your friends. Speaking from experience, it's tough. I haven't been feeling completely 100% lately, and I'm thinking the heat's got something to do with, plus I have a PRN medication that I haven't taken for a while, and probably should have been more regular about taking them.

Rather nice to hear that "book preoccupation" makes you absent minded. I may be having "screenplay preoccupation".

Names

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this would work for you, but: Have someone give you names. Then figure out why they don't fit, and you'll know what kinds of names would fit.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

I updated my website a while ago, since I had previously failed to note thereon the publication of the short story "Cousins," in Sharyn November's Firebirds Rising. This is the first piece of fiction that I have completed, let alone published, since, appallingly, 1998, so it deserves a mention.

to say the least. it's terrific.

There ae a lot of really fine stories in the book; you would have a grand experience reading it even if you hated my story, which a reviewer or two already has.

yes, and there are other reviewers who loved it. glass: half-full, please.

your editor

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Pamela, I just ordered Tam Lin through Amazon.

I can't wait for it to arrive!

Jackie

[karenhealey.livejournal.com]

Pamela, I just read (and sort of vaguely reviewed) Tam Lin and am *delighted* that it's back in print. *grabs two copies*