I started this blog on August 21, 2012, with the release of my first book, Titan Encounter. Most of those posts are now in what I call the “Early Blog.” I’m gradually updating their format and bringing them into this new journal. Back then the sole purpose of the blog was to promote my books, but gradually that changed.
That’s how it started but, over the years, I’ve mused about other things that are important to me, such as my family, my farm, rural life, and occasionally about politics and country. However, I try to limit the politics in this journal. If you want to know more about my political leaning go to The Conservative Alternative.
Well, much of it anyway. Many of you know that I live on a small farm. During the winter I make up a long list of farm chores to work on during the summer. This year’s list includes repairing the greenhouse and henhouse, fixing fences around the orchard, and building a new raised bed garden for my wife.
Read MoreDuring this time of year, there is a great deal of talk about the reason for the season. I often hear people say Christmas is about family and friends, love, peace, sharing, or hope. All those things are good and should be a part of this time of year, but they are not the reason for Christmas.
Read MoreI confirmed my position on the farm pecking order one morning a couple of years ago.
For my city readers, pecking order refers to birds, often chickens. They establish their rank in the flock by pecking on another bird, lower in the social order without fear of retaliation. The pecking order rank establishes who is boss and who gets what food and when.
Read MoreDebby Lee, my friend, fellow author, and Inklings critique partner announced today that she’s starting work on her fifth anthology with Barbour Publishing!
The Mountain Christmas Brides, Courageous Brides, and Pony Express Romance Collection have all been released and are available on her Amazon Page.
Read MoreWhat is it about an eclipse that brings out the child in us?
I know it was a rare event, the last one like it occurred in 1918, but several of my friends traveled hundreds of miles and camped out in farm fields just to experience the eclipse totality.
Read MoreI put on a new chain on the saw, filled the gas and oil tanks, and went to tackle a large pile of logs and limbs in the backyard. My tendency to procrastinate had allowed the pile to grow all summer, but my son James had offered to help and this needed to be done.
Read MoreI’m reading Stephen King’s book, On Writing, and came across a passage that I shared with my wife.
“If she (King’s wife Tabitha) had suggested that the time I spent writing stories … was wasted time, I think a lot of the heart would have gone out of me. Tabby never voiced a single doubt, however.
Read MoreI decided to build a patio on a shady knoll beside my home. However, due to my writing schedule and other commitments, it took a couple of months to gather all the materials and find the time to construct it. Finally, on the evening of July 2nd, I had everything I needed.
Read MoreThere is a saying that people in the northwest don’t tan—they rust.
The coastal region of Washington is well known for ample precipitation. However, most of the rain falls in late autumn and winter. By the time the crops, garden, and orchard are really growing in the late spring and summer the rains have faded to a trickle. That means we irrigate and water.
Read MoreSpring is bee time on the farm.
We prefer driving to the delivery site in the farm truck. We can put the bee boxes on the truck bed and drive home, but because today was so inclement we took the car for the forty-minute drive. Have you ever driven with ten thousand bees in your car? Our bees were inside two boxes, but it was still an experience. Some always find a way out.
Read MoreIn most ways yesterday didn’t stand out from the normal. Dreary and wet are what you get in the northwest this time of year. But living on a farm with forest all around means that you’re going to interact with animals and they often make the day interesting.
Read MoreWe had a week of cold and snow on the farm.
The weather made for some beautiful pictures, which you can see on the Facebook page, but it got very cold. On a mild day this week, my wife came in from outside and said, “There’s no activity in the apiary.”
As I gazed at three recent pictures it occurred to me that each had something to say about where and how I live.
The first picture is of my friend Pat and me (blue shirt) standing in the middle of the dirt road that passes in front of his house. We were waiting for a friend who had never been there before and the road seemed like a good place to keep an eye out for her.
Read MoreLiving close to nature means that there are annual chores that must be performed.
On a sunny day last week, I took some time off from writing and prepared the farm for winter. I opened the one beehive we have this year and made sure the colony was healthy. The workers had sealed every crevice and joint with propolis, a good sign. I added a special insulation box to the top and slid in a bottom board. Winter is a hard time for bees, but the colony is now as ready as it can be.
Read MoreWell, at least at my house.
As I write this, the service has been down for eight days. Fortunately, the phone part of the service still works so I’ve been able to call (nag?) my provider, CenturyLink.
Read MoreThis has been my best year.
Since I released my debut novel, Titan Encounter, in 2012, my book sales have grown each year, but this year has been exceptional. With more than a third of the year remaining, my sales have already exceeded those of 2015.
Read More
