Blessings and Concerns

In Front of My House Five Minutes Ago

As I write this at 2 in the afternoon on the last day of September, the temperature on my northwest Saskatchewan farm is 23 (with a forecast high of 26).  The flowers are still blooming. There are ripe tomatoes in the south garden. And for lunch, my husband and I ate fresh corn on the cob straight from the north garden. Despite these benefits, I worry about global warming. And drought. Our trees need water. Lake levels are low. Is this the new normal?

Because we had good snow cover last winter, local crops and gardens did well. I had bumper crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, beans, raspberries, potatoes, and grapes. The farmer who rented our cropland had above-average yields. This is cause for celebration. But the change in weather patterns is cause for concern.

I continue, however, to work on revisions to my novel, sandwiching sessions at my desk between periods of harvesting. It’s encouraging to watch the daily increase in word count. At my present rate, I should be ready to proofread by the end of December.

In the meantime, I look forward to two book-related events.

On Saturday, October 25 I will take part in “Saplings: A Debut Author Panel” along with fellow writers Victoria Koops and Theressa Slind. Jeanette Lynes will host this event, which is part of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild annual convention in Saskatoon.

And on Saturday, November 15 I will read from Grounds for Murder at Word on the Street Saskatoon, a free public festival that celebrates the written word. Details in my next blog! I was thrilled by the invitation to participate and hope to see some of you there.

Happy Thanksgiving!