MY BLOG SUCKS

                                                  

                                 At least it seems that way to me......    

      
       Everyone else’s blog seems so dang witty. I feel totally intimidated. I shouldn’t even have a blog let alone try posting to one. I go brain-dead when I think about it. But my dear editor, Amanda Barnett, whom I love and respect, said I gotta do it.

       I’ve been at this house for 5 months now, so I can no longer claim moving insanity for my ineptitude in blogging or life in general. And I’m an author for goodness sake, but it takes me months and months (sometimes years) to write a book and then there are re-writes and hey the story isn’t about me so it is much more interesting and exciting.

       We moved into this house on Halloween. An auspicious sign as it is my favorite holiday and there was also a full moon. FYI-when I say we, I mean me, a goose, two ducks, three goats, two donkeys, and three cats. Was I crazy to move in the winter in Colorado? Yes. The jury is already back on that one. It was a much smaller house, barely a patch of land (the old place had 73 acres this a little over 2) and NO BARN. But it all worked out because I have amazing friends and family.

   I call this place Compass Rose. That’s the pretty element on a map that points N,W,S,E. My hope was it would mean we had finally found our way and we wouldn’t be moving any more. (please please no more moves, at least for a little while. Moving is soooo tramatic).

More on the history of the compass rose next time. 

My first place was Ravenglass although the ravens never showed up. The second place was Dragon Song because it was out on the prairie in the middle of nowhere and when the wind doth blow, a moaning sound howled off the roof and down the chimney.

      I felt defeated having to leave Dragon Song. I moved out there with true pioneer spirit and make it on my own grit and determination. I was master of my domain, going to get solar and wind power and get off the grid. Gonna be self-sufficient when the big one hit. Well one scrawny woman with a lawn mower met defeat in the face of nature and reality. Solar and wind power were very expensive and I realized I wouldn’t live long enough to get my money back on that type of investment. The driveway was a quarter mile long which didn’t seem such a big distance in the fall, then the snow came. I’m good at being snowbound, however, as long as there is enough feed for the animals and bourbon, chips, and chocolate for me.

     Everyone worried about me being “out there” on my own. I never really thought about it much. I loved the peace and quiet and solitude and the view was exceptional. I could see the front range of the Rocky Mountains from Wyoming to Pike’s Peak. The weather was dastardly however. Wind, dust, 8 foot snow drifts, 100 degree heat with no tree in sight. I planted 40 trees—they should be tall enough to sit under in another 15 or 20 years. And then there was the rain, flood, and hail season. The barn always flooded in the summer and the hail ripped everything to shreds that dared to come up and defy the other brutal elements.

     So we’re on a farmlette now. City living with a “really big” yard. The barn is up, praise be and I’m trying to grow accustomed to neighbors, neighbors’ dogs, kids, radios, leaf-blowers, cars, and kindness. Yes these are the nicest bunch of folks one could have as neighbors. I know I could count on any number of them in an emergency. And the Walmart and hospital are much closer. Life is a trade-off on so many levels.

      Bye for now from the eccentric author woman with the goats and donkeys. Wish I could afford a classic 1930’s car to tool around in. With the proper hat, the image would be complete.