My Blog Week: May 9 to May 15

All the Latest from Torsade!

Cartoon of the Week: American Gothic

Well, dear Readers, this, in my outside-of-writing life, was Planting Out week, an event known to gardeners, where all our seedlings we’ve been hauling into the garage—or greenhouse, if you’re lucky enough to have one—and hauling back out for a day’s sun and acclimatization, in anticipation of the frost free date (May 15, here), are put into their beds, beginning with the siting, the preparation of weeding and clearing, adding topsoil; then the watering in, spraying with deer repellent…

I had about fifteen flats and assorted pots to go out, and I’ve worked hours every day at it. Finishing at around seven pm, I haven’t felt strongly energetic for fresh writing. So I’ve taken Planting Out week as a sort of vacation, and am (see above) rerunning a cartoon from the past, and leaving off the weekly essay. The extra-intense labor is done, so I’ll get back this week to a normal working schedule.

To learn more about my garden, if you’re curious, follow this link to another of my blogs:

Memories of a Midwestern Family

On Monday, a new Totem, with the Citadel and the zhatabe approached, raising new mysteries. Tuesday, a new short story… I made a project a few months back of rereading Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles, that I enjoyed so much growing up. I got inspired to read some other of the canonical fantasies, The King of Elfland’s Daughter, by Lord Dunsany, The Worm Ouroboros, by Eric R. Eddison. “Be a Helper” is a take (humorous, but turning serious) on that foundational landscape and cast of characters of the fantasy genre. Wednesday, The Sword Decides!, a confounding surprise for Queen Giovanna. Thursday, a new Eight poem, and for Friday and Saturday, reissues from Rattus.

Images on my posts often have a link to related information (click first image), sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical, sometimes in answer to a direct reference. Since people can be leery about links, I include them here: what they are, what sites they point to.

My Blog Week: May 9 to May 15

The Totem-Maker: The Citadel (part one)

May 10

Be a Helper (part one)

May 11

Marjorie Bowen: The Sword Decides! (part twenty)

May 12

Eight: argument (poetry series)

May 13

From Rattus: Why Not Let (poem)

May 14

From Rattus: Movie of the Week (a TV culture poem)

May 15