I made a comment on facebook the other day about how much fieldwork I have in classes this semester, and a week ago tomorrow I took a long ramble in the woods armed with camera and neck-knife, collecting specimens... and it was homework! One of my friends commented, laughing "don't throw me into that br'er patch! Not the Br'er patch!"
Really, that about sums up my semester so far. I've got a very full plate of classes I'm enjoying, but what little of my attention is left when I get home (slightly sunburned and scratched up) is taken with kids, my much-neglected and longsuffering First Reader (who is dealing with his own overflowing plate since he's taken on a new job) and housework.
And on top of that... I haven't the brain to write. Not necessarily the blog, although that is part of it. No, I can't even start on the fiction. I fell asleep reading a paper on plea bargaining this morning, and woke up 90 minutes later muttering 'brainnnzzz....' because it didn't touch the fatigue. The creative muse is curled up in a corner of my brain whimpering. I worry about my ability to write fiction. Ever. Again.
So I'm left wondering what I should do with the blog. I'm afraid nattering on about my kids, school, or even art is boring. I'm not sure that Tanager's Fledglings will ever be finished.
On the other hand, the one gently cupped around a precious promise of the future, where you can glimpse the glow through my fingers... is the news I got this week, that I am green-lit for graduation in December. 4 1/2 years of my life, and it's coming to a close. This is going to be a long year of transitions, as I graduate, we move either before that, or right around it, and I start job hunting in early November.
So much going on. I promise I'll post here, but I can't promise daily. Weekly. Weekly I can do.
Out in the field, probably my favorite place to be.
Artwork from this week - Passing Through the Fly Gate. Created with Apophysis 7X and Photoshop
Pickin' Persimmons. Tiny dragon art inspired by looking at a 'simmon tree. Colored pencil and India ink