Chilly here in the Hill Country, foggy this morning--hoping for a rain shower but not counting on it. Thanks for your notes and queries: yes, I'm fine, and I do apologize for going AWOL from Lifescapes without an explanation. But I've been reading, writing, focussing, knitting and in general just indulging myself. Back home last week (in time for the Inaugural, a huge celebration here at our house), but satellite access problems kept me off the blog--or rather, gave me another excuse. And, of course, there was the housecleaning that had to be done (Bill was on his own here for a month), and the laundry, and all that stuff that makes for more or less comfortable living.
Updates. Let's see--where are we? Holly Blues is mostly finished: one more run-through, and the wrap-up chapter to write. Extraordinary Year (the 2008 journal/book) is still under construction; I'm adding quotes, reading lists, plant lists, and other extras. Galleys of Together, Alone (the memoir, due out in September 2009) will be here later this week. And I need to gather the map material for The Tale of Applebeck Orchard for Peggy Turchette. Peggy Moody and I have been working on my new website, which will launch later this spring. And I've been catching up on tour details for the April swing through VA, PA, OH, KY, and IN. Bill is going with me this year, which will make for a much more pleasant trip.
I've been reading. Less fiction these days (although I recently read John Hart's Down River and enjoyed it). Mostly, books on energy depletion, global warming, the economy--educating myself and feeling serious about it. It's not a time to bury our heads in the sand. Right now, reading Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.
And gardening. Came home to fresh broccoli, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and carrots. Potatoes didn't make it, but the garlic and onions are doing well. Tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, and broccoli will go under the lights this week, and I'll direct seed snow peas, spinach, and beets next week, and pre-sprout the seed potatoes I bought last fall and stored in the fridge. Spring gardens go in early here.
Thanks for being faithful readers. I'll try to behave myself.
Reading note. So here we are at a crossroads. In a strange way, I'm hopeful. Franklin D. Roosevelt sums up how I think about tomorrow. When asked a tough question once, he said, "That's an iffy question." I think if we we don't remember what happened in the past and if we don't remember there was a way out, it'll be an iffy question as to which way we go. . . Hope dies last. Without hope, you can't make it. And so long as we have that hope, we'll be okay.--Studs Terkel, shortly before his death in October (age 96)
