My baby is sleeping in my lap. Every now and then she stirs and tucks herself in closer against me. Her face has been still and peaceful, but now she is getting hungry; her lips move, back arches, face scrunches up and she begins to make little noises even before opening her eyes. I adjust positions, offer her the food she wants, and she relaxes. If I put her down – if I even go to stand up – she will probably wake up. But so long as I am willing to sit here with the curve of her little body nestled against mine she will sleep for hours, perfectly secure, perfectly content.

2019: no gentler than expected

This year, I stopped…

writing letters.
reading books.
writing stories.
going dancing.

I stopped.

But here are some things I did do:

I took the intensive one-week training known simply as Leader Week.
I took a summer leadership course.
I passed the Wilderness First Responder training.
I juggled a long-distance writing internship and a full semester’s class load.

And, friends, despite all they’d have you believe of knights and dragons, I set out on an adventure with Crusader, sword-and-flame side by side.

I’m still here. Still not sleeping. Still not giving up.

mint shenanigans

 

 

 

 

 

 

The left-hand picture was taken one week ago, on July 8th. The right-hand picture was taken today, July 16th.

He’s been named Kaladin due to stubbornness, sheer nerve, and insubordinate attitude.

See those shoots at the base of the stalk? Yup, he’s been putting tendrils off the main stem for a few weeks, but those are the first new sprouts coming up on their own.

puplets and plant bois

Down at the base of the top big stalk – the first new aloe vera puplets since the Great Divide are here! It’s been a bit of a long trek for the plant bois. First it rained three days straight after I divided up the big family pot and before I could plant them again, so that they were left high and dry out of dirt rather longer then I’d intended. Continue reading “puplets and plant bois”