End of Month Musings

I didn't mean to disappear from the blogosphere this month. It's just been an exceptionally busy season in our lives, and a tiring one. I often have things I want to share -- especially about what I'm reading -- flit through my mind. Sometimes part of the thoughts even make it to draft status! Hopefully in the coming weeks, I will get back to a regular posting rhythm. I do miss writing here.

I miss writing period. In April, I was hoping to return to work on my mid-grade fairy-tale. Didn't happen. I also had an essay in the works (I was looking at a submission deadline mid-month) and a short story (submission deadline today) and I wasn't able to do either one, though both projects got started via research and a bit of writing. Instead I've been teaching, grading, editing, ghost-writing articles, penning an occasional review. So yes...I guess I am still writing...just not getting to the writing I hoped to get to.

I had also hoped to spend more time with poetry during Poetry Month. The sweet girl and I enjoyed our regular visits to 30 Poets/30 Days over at Gotta Book (finishing today) and read some other poetry as well. I wrote a handful of poems early in the month. At least I think I did...it's all starting to blur! Another thing I'd hoped to do: get back to blogging my way through A Wrinkle in Time. So loving the lovely 50th anniversary edition I received for my birthday.

A few brief family reading notes as we turn the corner on May.

We finished The Book of Three during evening family reading this month. So much fun to begin the Prydain series out loud. We loved introducing the characters -- I love doing the voices! I think we will likely move onto The Black Cauldron sometime in May.

At the moment, we've side-tracked into Betsy-Tacy. The sweet girl begged so hard to go on to the high school books, I caved. She loves the first four so much. I've had my doubts about going onto the older Betsy books this early, and now that we're 2/3 of the way through, I'm realizing I probably should have trusted my instincts. I love the h.s. Betsy books, and have since I was about 11, but Betsy certainly is dealing with older girl issues. In Heaven to Betsy, her insecurities often cause her to doubt herself and to present a "mask" to the world (hiding her true feelings). It's part of why I love Betsy (so real, so authentic) but my youngish nine year old isn't quite "getting" why Betsy has changed so much from the last book.

During our morning reading time this month, we read Pollyanna -- a delightful surprise. Despite its classic status, I'd never read the book, and I found it sweet and thoughtful -- holding its own within the "girl's book" genre of its era. Reading it also gave me an idea for yet another writing project I don't have time for!