A monthly update of what’s happening in my life

Reading–I discovered the Book Retreat series by Ellery Adams, who happens to be a North Carolina writer. These books are set in an English manor house that was dismantled and relocated to the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains. Storyton Hall houses a secret library of “lost,” rare, and controversial books and other items kept from the world by Guardians in the Steward family. Jane Steward, mother, manager of the Storyton Hall Resort, is the current Guardian. She is also the solver of murder mysteries. So far, I’ve read three of the books (though no in order). I give them 4.9 stars.

Watching–I’m pretty much in a rut when it comes to TV watching. I have been watching The Muskateers on PBS/SCETV for a while. While the palace of Louis the whatever is as luxurious as one expects, the streets of Paris are not the streets for the tourists. The casting of the Muskateers is interesting. The character of Porthos, I think, is biracial. I’ve been reading another series of Regency novels with biracial, Anglo-African, and Caribean characters, and I’m discovering that there were far more of those people in Europe than I thought. I admit I love “period pieces.”

Listening–I haven’t gotten into audio books, though I’ve tried. The problem is, my mind drifts while listening. The narratives become “background noise.” But I do listen to music, even when it is in the background. Music calms me. I haven’t discovered too many new artists over the last few weeks; however, I am listening to Loreena McKennitt. I love the way she takes poems such as Alfred Noyes’s “The Highwayman” and Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shallott” and sets them to music.

Planning–Nothing new. I have to get serious about the itinery for the trip to Gatlinburg for Grady’s piece of mind.

Dreaming–no white Christmas’s for me! I’m dreaming up a plot for my next novel, now that the first one is “finished.” I’m planning the revisions to Letters from a Traveling Soldier and researching ways to publish it. I’m dreaming of seeing that book in print.

Creating–I’m creating a new plot for my second novel, knitting and crocheting, and learning to make jewelry. I need to catch up on creating some essential oil blends from my kits as well.

Learning–I’m learning to be more present in my everyday life. I’m learning more about editing photographs in Lightroom, especially. I’m learning about writing.

Loving–I’m loving the sound of the bird choirs in the mornings as I drink my morning tea. I’m loving the cinnamon “burn” in my Hot Cinnamon Tea blend. I’m loving Liz Lamareuc’s Here: Five Things Fall 2023 session. It’s making me more observant. I love the poems and songs she lists with each day’s prompt. (And I’m loving that I’m keeping up with the class this time around!)