Friday Business

Cold weather is moving in. I have a busy, busy week with a lot of writing things on the schedule but also with outside work to do. We live in the country with about an acre and a half of ground. Along with my one son, I spent a lot of hours spread over two days digging out stumps from trees the weather had knocked down. Then we hauled some branches to the township recycle center and burned some other. Tired muscles but a real feeling of accomplishment.

In the writing field, I spent some time getting to know a few fellow Musa authors by way of a wonderful promotion coordinator. You'll meet a few of those authors over the next two months. I'm very excited about the value of the content of their guest posts.

I also had a very entertaining Skype conversation with my daughter studying in Morocco. Living and working in that country has made her really appreciate America and her family's work ethic. She's finding that the mindset she grew up with isn't the norm for a lot of the world. The college-aged people she teaches as part of her studies, believe that Americans are all just naturally rich. They don't understand the connection between long hours of work and what we have. For her, there really is no place like home. Her roots are middle class American. The Tolkien quote this week is for her.

“Deep roots are not reached by the frost.” 

And wisdom from The Old Farmer's Almanac:

"The chief enemy of creativity is 'good' sense." Pablo Picasso

Squirrels gathering nuts in a flurry,

Will cause snow to gather in a hurry.   Not too soon we hope.

Babies born a day after the full moon enjoy prosperity and longevity. How was the moon when you were born?

And tomorrow is National Cappuccino Day. Sounds good.

Thanks this week to my friend, Ava Quinn, who taught me how to do something on my blog I didn't know how to do. She's one of those amazing people who has young children, works a day job, takes on volunteer responsibilities and still writes and keeps up her blog.

Have you had outside work to prepare for the coming season? Feeling the burdens and pride of that good old American work ethic or wondering where it's gone? Seeing the squirrels busy outside your abode? Know Ava? Having a cappuccino tomorrow?