New Beginnings

Stormy winds tear through this little patch of forest, whipping through branches and ripping the last of autumn's leaves from the trees and sending them scurrying over the roof of the cottage. Inside, a small fire burns in the hearth and candles are set out against the dark fury outside.

I retreat into this small heart-room, this place of refuge, as the winds are moaning around the eaves outside. Here I am safe. Here, there are no lies to bind me, no trust broken, no confidences betrayed. Beside this small fire, cozy in a hand-crocheted blanket in my favorite chair, I build new dreams and set new goals. With the storm raging without, destroying the old and stripping things bare, I sit within and spin new beginnings, new rainbows to chase.

In the morning there will be damage to assess and repair, things to replace. It is always so with a powerful, passionate storm. It is always so with a storm of hurt and betrayal. But this time I have been sheltered and I will rise again.

Happy New Year!

NaNoWriMo Update?

Here I thought that as I frantically raced through putting thoughts on paper (well, in the computer) to get my November Novel finished in time I would post updates here. Ummmm. I'm not even to my halfway point in terms of word count, which means that I am waaaaay behind, and my focus is on so many other things! A major one is that the housecleaning bug has lit a fire under me and I am tackling a few projects that I've been avoiding for longer than I've had a blog or two where I could practice avoidance by posting. Another one is that I am baking like crazy to help my parents have plenty of stock on hand when their shop Ivy Hill has their first marketplace experience in a couple of weeks. Very exciting, but crazy at the same time. Now, on top of those, I'm starting to worry about getting Christmas presents finished (the ones I'm making) and planning to host our family Thanksgiving here. Only five of us, but there is still an awful lot to do!

I'm dashing back off now to go hang up the laundry and start on a million more projects!

Writing More

Two posts in two days! I'm getting ambitious!

I've decided to take the plunge this year to participate in NaNoWriMo and will be using this blog to share pieces of my novel-in-progress. Sounds exciting, no?

I'm rather intimidated by the thought of producing a 50,000 word novel from scratch in 30 days, but looking at it as an adventure. I've always daydreamed and created stories for myself, so why shouldn't I try writing them down? With November days being mostly dedicated to assisting over at Ivy Hill Manor producing lovely breads, tea cakes, and cookies for the Holiday Home Tour Marketplace I've added a certain time constraint to my writing adventures, but will work determinedly nonetheless. Even if I don't make the 50,000+ word count, I will have tried and that will make it worth it. Not that I am planning on being left out of the winner's circle.

So those are the plans. Wish me luck!

Update

It has been a very long time since I last wrote here at the Chronicles. In June I was let go from my workplace and it has taken me a long time to heal enough to even think about reporting here. I guess the best way to express it is that the negativity level was pretty high, and I didn't want to share much of that!

Today autumn is in the air - our first real cool snap, with a crystal clear sky and a light breezy coming up that has me reaching for a long-sleeved shirt. The windows are closed, so what little birdsong is still happening is muffled, though I can see the blue jays and mockingbirds flitting around from tree to fence to rooftop.

It looks like pretty soon the cottage will be getting busy again! After some healing and deep thinking about this little oasis I will be setting up an Etsy shop and finally putting some time in on my website (it has taken me almost a year!). Most exciting of all is that my parents, over at Ivy Hill Manor, are opening a business selling seasonal baked goods at some local events! So starting after Halloween I will be spending time with them, helping to prepare a plethora of delightful goodies for a Holiday Home Tour in their area.

That's the latest here. I hope all is going well for you in your part of the woods!

Early Spring Among the Oaks

Over the weekend I went out among the wild oaks for a bit of a pick-me-up. There is a perfect picnic place I have discovered nearby and so I packed up a picnic and took off. Being in the Wild Wood is a wonderful healer for my spirit when I'm feeling a bit down. I gathered some acorns, played on a swing, and best of all, I lay back on the grass watching the sun dance on the leaves of the trees all around me. I even took the time to melt into the earth and feel it spinning on its axis. (All you need is some time - just lay on your back on the ground and close your eyes. Relax. That spinning sensation is the rotation of the earth!)

The trees were enjoying their early spring afternoon sunlight, and it showed. A gentle breeze would rustle through their leaves and the sunlight dancing on the surface shimmered like silver and gold raining down on the earth. It was truly beautiful to have made the time to visit with them and listen to their delighted whispers.

Rainy Day

Do you ever stop to listen to the rain? Here in the Wild Wood we've had plenty of chances recently! Everyone has their own response to a rainy day. The green, rooted things enjoy having their leaves and branches washed down as long as the wind stays gentle and doesn't come howling in. Most of the other creatures try to stay in their little homes and stay dry.

Sometimes we will get together to share a cup of tea at the cottage and spend the time sitting before the fire chatting about little things like gardening and what to plant when spring arrives or the best way to iron our linens. There are always breaks in the conversation to listen to the drops on the Cottage roof, though.

Today the fire is burning low in the grate and Dante, Jesse, and I are listening to the rain as it drips off of the eaves into the herb beds below the windows and rejoicing in the moments of quiet that the rain brings today.

New Growth in the Wild Wood

The birds are returning to the woods. I am serenaded by a variety of songs as I walk the paths deeper into the woods. I am watching the leaf buds on the trees pushing the last of the old leaves to the ground as they are swelling and ready for true spring to arrive.

The trees are whispering as the winds toss their branches, and it seems that they are telling me of the new directions, new dreams, fresh breezes making their way to the wild wood. This seems to be a time of waiting and anxious preparations, impatient for the coming seasons but unready or unwilling to change yet.

Welcome to the Chronicles

I have set up this new blog as a place to record the comings and goings in the world around Wild Oak Cottage. So many friends drop in or live nearby that to keep up with them all is a blog of it's own!