Mandyland: Twiddling my Thumbs

Every now and then, I get to the point where my real life is so crazy busy, I'm not able to add blog posts. Not that I don't have anything to say! I do. Lots. And if someone would please create an app to take what I'm thinking out of my head, plop it in my blog and maybe add a picture or two, I'd really appreciate it.

In the meantime...

What's been keeping me so busy?

Well, there was Supper Club. (Remember Supper Club?) It's been happening every month and we're getting really good about posting our recipes on our blog, so if you want to check out some yummy dishes, go on over there. It's actually pretty cool that we're in our second year and still going strong. I'm hosting this month with a Moroccan buffet. It should be interesting.

I've also been working in my garden. In vain. Why? Well, funny you should ask. Apparently my chickens see my little bok choy and lettuce as one giant salad bar. Not that I mean for them to wander. I'm not crazy. But they seem to keep escaping. So I swallowed the bitter pill of defeat, waved a distress call that was answered by a professional, and had a real, legit fence built.

From which they still escaped.

When the pro called to see how it was working out, I confessed my girls are smarter than your average hen. He's boggled. as am I. But I'm still giddily happy with how easy it is to get in and out of the coop area.

In related news, I've given up on a winter crop of bok choy. Maybe next year.

Especially since we're thisclose to actual garden planting time. Tomatoes are growing into seedlings all across the county. (No. Not at my house. You remember the Death Boxes.) But soon, very soon, I'll be able to plant tomatoes and peppers and basil and green beans and corn and sunflowers and and and...

Deep breaths, Mandy.

Okay.

Until I can get my fix, the kids and I have become almost weekly regulars at Farmers Market.

When I have been writing, I've been working on two short stories for future collaborations while sipping tea out of my new mug.

Isn't it beautiful?

And lovely product placement.

Slightly off topic - but really, is there a topic? - see those lemons in the background? I tried my hand at preserving lemons for my Moroccan dish. My hands may never be the same. Lemon juice and salt?

I sent off my work in progress to initial beta readers who all told me the same thing: more conflict. I'm not sure how I'm going to work it in, but I'm letting it all simmer on the back burner and hope I can, at some point, release the monsters.

And, of course, I've been writing for Momtastic and Write on Edge.

That, plus the random things like painting...