Summer, Sunshine and June

And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days. . . 
     --From: The Vision of Sir Launfal by James Russell Lowell

Like a swindler playing shell games, May’s unstable weather finally allowed summer to emerge from beneath its ever changing days and nights of warm to chilly and rainy to clear. The sun climbed higher, chasing the cold from the winds. For those who wait all year to enjoy summers in Pennsylvania, June’s arrival heralds a kaleidoscope of exquisite scents, sounds and scenes.

There is nothing more uplifting than the first smell of clover-scented grass, the delicate fragrance of wild roses, or the aroma of rain-soaked earth mingled with new green foliage. Old, gray weathered barns, tucked among the distant hills, have overflowing mows of sun-kissed, sweet-smelling hay.

If you listen closely, you can hear the rustling of the pines, the singing of a meadowlark or catbird, and the humming of busy bees. In the evening, when summer breezes drift though open windows, they carry the lowing of cattle in distant fields, or the cicadas and crickets conversing on the lawns and in the bushes. Tree frogs and bullfrogs chatter and croak, and far off, a loon or coyote calls in a lonesome voice.

Along the roadways, blackberry bushes bow down with frilly white blossoms that will bear black, sweet, ripe fruit in July. High above, billowy white clouds skip across a sky of robin’s egg blue. In the tall grass, wild strawberries elbow for room with buttercups, daisies, and blue chicory. Mornings bring hummingbirds to perform midair pirouettes among the flowers, and when the sun has gone to rest, bats soar over the treetops and fireflies twinkle as they play a game of light tag.

June is a month when nature’s at its best and the scents, sounds, and sights of summer make us glad we are alive. Oh, “what is so rare as a day in June?”

It's May. . .the lusty month of May

"It's May, it's May, the lusty month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
It's here, it's here, that shocking time of  year,
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear."
                Lusty Month of May - from Camelot

Amid the fine, lime-colored leaves on the trees and bushes, lusty May dances in to the tune of sparrows in the thickets and meadow larks singing in the maple trees. The days lengthen as the sun climbs higher, casting more light and warmth and leaving April showers behind. Buds swell. The earth softens. The smell of mud and moisture permeates the air.

Robins huddle on cold lawns and await a thawed earth and green grass. Blackbirds and grackles gather in noisy groups, their voices raw and scratchy like rusty door hinges in need of oil. High above, geese in odd-legged V-patterns honk as they wing their way northward while cardinals in a flash of red begin to joyously announce that spring is officially here to stay. 

May is the month of weeds, but May is the month of daffodils marching along a thawed pond and colorful tulips turning a dreary yard into a joyful one. May is purple wind flowers scattered in flowerbeds nodding in the spring breeze and fiddle heads poking up from the sleepy earth to become delicate woodland ferns. May is the sweet smell of lilies of the valley, and it’s the delightful glimpse of may apples unfurling their heads into tiny green umbrellas. 

This is the time when those with a bit of farming gene in their blood start thinking about spring gardens as they sit in their recliners in the evening and pour over stacks of seed catalogs. They are anxious and ready, and they know there is magic in the month of May. Soon it will be planting time and the excitement of growing vegetables and flowers is as exhilarating today as it was for their ancestors centuries and centuries ago. Seeds are united with soil, sun, air and water to create the miracle of life.

Yes, there’s something in the air. . .it’s May. It’s May. The lusty and magical month of May! 

 

FACING OUR WRITING FEARS CONFIDENTLY

Writers like all people have fears and doubts. Maybe it's because of the creative process that's involved with writing, but maybe it’s because writers tend to be a little more passionate, a little more emotional, and a little more sensitive than others.

Most of our anxieties and worries begin with the “What if. . .?” What if I can’t write the next chapter? What if I can’t finish this novel? What if I get writer’s block? What if I’m not able to edit the manuscript correctly? What if I’m not creative? What if my critique partner or group hates it? What if the readers don’t like it? What if I can’t get it published?

Amid all these distracting worries, depression takes hold, often preventing us from doing our best—and our biggest fear actually becomes self-fulfilling and we do nothing.

How do we break the cycle?

ANALYZE -- First, ask yourself: Are my fears rational? How many of my past fears have come true? What was my biggest fear this time last week, last month, last year? What is the worst thing that can happen? The answers will help you put your fears in perspective. 

PRIORITIZE -- If you decide your fears are grounded, the worst thing you can do is worry. Worry is negative believing and leads to paralysis. Instead, devise a plan. Make it active and positive. Decide what steps need to be taken and the order in which you need to take them. Remember, the one sure cure for writer’s block is sitting yourself down in front of the computer and starting to type. Write anything. Just start. Put some sentences or thoughts swirling around in your head on paper. Or start typing: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" over and over again. I guarantee you’ll start writing something different and better after a few short rounds of that boring maneuver. 

VISUALIZE -- To turn your plan into reality spend a few minutes each day visualizing success. See yourself completing that project or manuscript. Imagine everyone’s pleased reaction. Imagine your pleased reaction. And think about the pride you’ll feel and rewards you’ll reap.

Remember, fear will never go away as long as we continue to grow. The only way to get rid of fear and to feel better about ourselves is to go out and do whatever we fear. After all, pushing through our fear is less frightening that living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.  

            Life is like a winding road--full of bumps, uphill climbs, and many curves.

Perfection in Our Work

Aristotle said, "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”

As the world spins and as I grow older, the more I’m convinced the American worker has lost pride and the ability to strive for excellence. Okay, I admit, at times I’m a perfectionist, a little over the top in being highly organized. And yes, I do have a checkbook that balances right to the penny. But the office where I write is a little messy, so that drops me from an A+ personality to an A- one, I guess.

The other evening my husband and I went to what I formerly considered a nice restaurant--and out of kindness, I will not reveal its name. The only way to describe the experience was less than stellar. It was not overcrowded. There were plenty of hired help to wait on tables, and it was early in the evening, prior to the rush hour.

So what was the problem? The glass of wine I ordered came in a dirty glass. The soup I ordered never came with the meal. In fact, it never came at all. My husband’s ordered a more expensive, more extensive seafood platter and was served the early bird special with less items on the plate. I forgot my black long-sleeved over shirt on the seat when I left, and low and behold, when my husband went back sometime later to check. . .it was still there. No one obviously checks the seat when they bus the tables which means if the seat is dirty, it will stay that way for the next customer. 

What happened in this restaurant is happening all over in America. Everyone is just trying to get it done, not caring whether it’s done right, done with pride, or with a care for excellence. Someone said not to sweat the small stuff. But isn’t it the accumulation of little things that make the total experience? Isn’t it the sum of all the little things we do every day with an eye for excellence and with a pleasurable attitude that leads to perfection in our work. . .and in our service to others? 

I believe writers have the same obligation to their audience as any other worker in any other occupation. But that’s a topic for next time.