Monday Mug 26

This week flew by much like all the weeks in my life lately. So many things have happened since I last checked in with you. There were beautiful things and events that have been very difficult, so sit down with your mug because I have some things to talk about.

The Farm

Things on the farm have been in high gear as it is Spring which seems like a busy time long with Summer. But we had to put improvement projects off because of the constant rains. We did sort cattle, and in the process, I was almost taken out by heifer.

I was safely on the outside fence with a hole in it, but we really didn’t think anyone would try to jump through because the hole was barely big enough for a cat to fit through. Well, we had a pretty wild heifer, and she didn’t like being moved from one pasture to another, so she jumped through the fence right at me. Now I tried to get the cow to go back in the holding pen at first but then realized being trampled by a cow wasn’t worth it that day.  

We also have a calf we call Houdini that keeps escaping in new ways almost daily. I was outside talking on the phone at dusk and saw a calf down in a field it shouldn’t be in. I thought it was our neighbor’s calf. After asking my brother about I realized it was, in fact, our little escape artist. My brother and I walked down to the field and searched for him in the growth around the creek. We looked for about an hour seeing places where he had gone trying to track him from location to location. To no avail, we didn’t find him. 

As we came back up the hill, our homes sit high on top, surround by our cattle. There was Houdini in the field eating grass like everyone else. He is such a trickster. Both of us rolled our eyes and slowly trekked back up the hill. 

The Plants

Yes, I want my plants to have their own section. I have picked up gardening over the last few years. I worked in a garden center for a while, and my mother has always loved plants. It took me quite a few years, though, to get into it myself. 

I have some hanging baskets I planted before mother’s day. I planted marigolds which I’m not too fond of the smell of, but I love the bright yellow and orange. The other baskets have geraniums in them, and I have found geraniums do well in these baskets. 

I still have a lot I need to plant, but I haven’t chosen the flowers I’d like to see this year. If you have suggestions, leave them below. My indoor herbs are doing well. I have lavender, sweet mint, and cilantro. I haven’t done herbs inside previously, but this has been a cool spring, so I thought I would give it a try. 

The Writing

There are so many things to share. I have been attending a writing meeting at least once a week since January it has helped me a lot this year. It is structured and helps ease my mind when listening. 

I have been sharing my very rough free writing with people. This has been something I never thought I would do. I have insecurities like any writer. I recently came across an article about doubt in The Writer magazine. I am also reading Jeff Goins’s book You Are A Writer. 

  The article shared these ideas about why a lot of writers have self-doubt. It was refreshing to see that even professional writers have doubts and deal with different fears that all of those in the field deal with. One of the doubts that stood out was negative feedback can make a writer lose interest in writing. The comparison game was also an aspect talked about in the article. I have been guilty of this in the past until my writer friend started telling me how she would go over a poem or story multiple times to see what jumped out and how it worked. Seeing how a story worked is more productive than envy. 

I have learned Jeff Goins’s book so far is being a writer is all about practice. It is not the first time I have heard this advice. It is the way that people demystify the world of art. Whether this is dance, music, writing, or art, to name a few disciplines, the general conciseness is that many people are thinking that you have to be talented to be a writer. In real life, though, most people have found it is a lot of just practicing and repeatedly writing to improve your skills. I have enjoyed the book so far because he is very straightforward and tells you how it is. I appreciate the honesty. 

Until the next mug, just write. 

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