Curtiss Ann Matlock's Blog, page 34

No Hurry

A soft, cool morning. I over slept! Man, that felt good. Then I got up and scurried around and got out on the porch still before daylight. Not too hard to do with sunrise now almost at 6:30. Everything is still, but the gnats, so I turned on the fan against them. Not so cool that I can’t enjoy the fan blowing on my bare feet.

But getting up late gives me a rushed feeling. It is even like the ‘twit-twit’ bird and all the crickets seem to be going in a hurry. Reminds me that the world is how my...

On the Writing Habit

The first clearly fall morning, temp dipped to a soft and delicious 69*. The pole light still on, and the pasture dimmer than before. I hear a hoot owl! Morning makes the sound pleasant. Some bird trilling loudly from the backyard, and then the ever-present ‘twit-twit’ birds flitting from through the pecan limbs high above. There are pesky gnats and mosquitoes, too. I guess the heat and heavy rains had been too much for them, and now they are back in force. I turned the fan to blow across me,...

I Always Have Gotten Through

Shadow light of morning. Twilight, my favorite light. The pole lamp has gone out. Can see the pasture and all the way to the line of trees across it. There’s a hint of a mist on it. Cooler, but the 70* is a warm and humid one–still barefootin’–and not a leaf stirring high or low this morning. An abundance of birds enjoying flying through the trees in the clear air. Some just twitting, chirping, and one who actually sang before moving on. Every now and then I hear a pecan fall on the metal roo...

Monday, and anything can be

Pitch dark when I stepped out on the porch this morning. Warm and sultry–still ‘barefootin’ weather– but with a hint of cooling fall. Breezes come far up in the tall pecan trees. They come like a wave, like groups of angels flying along, gently brushing and stirring the leaves at the tops of the trees. I get bits of breeze on my bare toes, like left overs treats. The crickets are singing their chorus, the courtyard ponds bubbling theirs, a bird giving a hesitant twitter, and oh, there’s that...

Commitment

My precious writing books. How will we enjoy looking at books with e-books?

It’s Sunday, and I’m committed to reading today. I offer this thought:

“Commitment to our unique way of life, then is our task today and every day. It is not to be undertaken for our self-improvement, nor for salvation of the world or society, but simply because we can do no other if we are to be true to the individual hypothesis of our lives.” ~Helen M. Luke

Have a blessed day, everyone!

Filed under: On the Porch Tagged:...

Through a Child’s Eyes

I slept in. Feels great! Day well started by the time I got to the porch–a wet, grey morning, with a bit of a breeze now and again far up at the tops of the pecan trees. I can hear a noisy hen telling the news from the hen house, and thunder booming in the distance. There’s a single, very loud and busy bee in the liriope flowers. I think liriope flowers are lovely, the same way I love ligustrum flowers. I know this is not a popular idea. Oh, here comes the rain again. It sounds like it starts...

Taking it Easy Today.

The sky grows blue, slowly, like blooming. There’s an large, billowy pink cloud behind the pecan tree leaves. The light all around holds a hint of pink, too. And the crickets and cicadas are going strong on this hot and sultry morning, where summer seems weary but full yet.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but by Friday, I’m tired. I’m taking it easy today. Go with the flow. I remember Big Mama, when she retired, said she took each Monday off. I have things that need doing today, want to d...

Scene Planning: Part I

Reblogged from Chronicles of the Scribe:

Whether you're a writer who works strictly from an outline or you're a "pantser," each scene of your story needs thinking over both before and after you write it.

The before stuff:

1) From whose viewpoint will the scene be written?

Maybe the scene needs to be from the villain's perspective instead of the hero's. Maybe it will be most effective from a side character.

Read more… 1,110 more words

I'm at the very beginning of starting a new book. I noted thing...

Swarming Thoughts

Having trouble with ants swarming on the cat bowls on the porch. I spray, and they are deterred until it rains, then back they come. This morning my thoughts are like those dang ants, all over me before 6 am. Gotta do this, what about that? what if there’s a glitch here? Get a cup of tea and come to the porch chair, imagine I’ve sprayed and no nagging thoughts allowed.

It is still as if someone stopped the very air. It is the same 74 but a cooler 74. Ever notice that? The lavender scent is wa...

First Day of School for Everyone

The air is heavy, thick and warm. I turned on the fan. Crickets in rhythm, and then this little squeak that got louder…louder and stronger. A single cicada in the pecan tree, I think. Oh, now several. I’d thought they were done for the year. Then there is this strange croaking from the back yard. Bullfrog?

Busy day ahead–first day of the first grade for Little Dude! First day for myself being on my own. I have plenty to keep me busy. I must be determined to schedule time to write.

I begin her...