Summer Smells

Summer smells of juicy, sweet, fresh-cut grass;

Of tilled earth and rain water, sweat and hard work.

Summer sounds of birdsong and gentle breeze;

Of lawn mowers and children's laughter.

Summer is splendid heat and timeless joy.

READ!

There are few things better than a good book. When I became a librarian, my husband said I quit working and now I just read books all day. Ironically, I read less because my work day is full of so many other obligations. The good thing is I have long holidays and SUMMER!
 

I went to the library yesterday with my husband and realized I hadn't been to check out a book in over two years (they'd kicked my name out of the system -- seriously!?). Anyway, I've been getting books from my school library, downloading titles for my NOOK and I've not really read much outside the YA level. So, I picked up one of my favorite author's books, took it home, and DEVOURED it! Really, read it yesterday! Couldn't put it down! Laughed out loud and had a wonderful time, just me and the characters! 

It. Was. Awesome! 

Then, I read most of another book today. 

I've got stacks of books all over the house. If I keep this up, I might actually work through them before school starts in the Fall. Here's to more good stories and more books to read!

7 Word Summary of My Week

Surgery recovery is painfully slow and boring.

Ben Franklin Quote

Picture taken from Hammed Okunade on Behance.

Bacon

I might as well get this out of the way, though I am sure it will be revisited OFTEN...I love bacon. No, really. 

I LOVE bacon!

• It's the greatest meat on the planet. 
• Bacon is the reason I will NEVER be a vegetarian.
• Bacon makes every food better.
• I could eat a package all by myself without guilt.
• Some of my favorite bacon is on a plate with a full English breakfast -- the British may not be able to make coffee, but they sure can fix BACON!
• All you can eat breakfast buffets mean I get a spoon of scrambled eggs and a plate of BACON!
• It's meat candy!

 
I know this isn't "good" writing, but it doesn't have to be...it's about bacon!

Sleeping Rain

A flash of light and house-rattling thunder wakes me from early sleep. 

Still, warm air blankets me on the couch. 

I squint into the muddy dark;

realizing the ultimate quiet of the house.

Power's out.

Rain beats against the windows in sheets.

Sleep drags me under the storm.

Facing Fear

She moved the curtain out of the way pushing the wheeled tray in front of her. I can still hear the zing of the rings against the metal track in the ceiling. My heart thrummed a bit in bitter anticipation.

"I'll be your IV nurse today," she said cheerily.

I put on a brave face. "I prayed for you today."

She looked at me strangely and then responded with a "Thanks so much." The rest of my surgical team look at me expectantly. "I prayed for all of you, actually, but especially for HER. I hate IVs." There was a small tittering of laughter among the group while she worked.

Looking me in the eye, my head nurse said, "I pray for all my patients every morning, so I prayed for you today, too." At that moment the needle slid into the back of my hand and "God is good!" came from the mouth of my IV nurse.

"Yes He is, all the time!"

Everyday!?

Okay, so they say, you should write every day. If I want my students at school to be better writers, if I want to live what I say, if I want to DO more and be better at what I love, I need to write more. I feel it calling to me from somewhere in my past.

I used to write all the time. I filled spirals with poetry and short stories in high school, I took a great creative writing class in college, I wrote for and to my students when I was in the classroom, and then I stopped.

Life got in the way; job, family, whatever. But I find I miss it. I miss putting my thoughts together and finding ways to express myself. So I'm going to start again. Today. If I miss a day, I'll pick up the next. When I'm gone and don't have my computer, I'll try to "kick it old school" and take my spiral with me. We'll see what happens.

Will I be able to keep it up? I hope so. The only way I'll know is if I start. I can't succeed if I don't try. I'm already failing if I don't begin.

So, here we go...