It's a rainy, rumble-y morning. Quite delightful and restful. I'd love to just curl up in a chair and read this morning, but alas, I must get this posted, do some other things, and then clean the house. Perhaps the rain will stick around all day.
Guess what I did yesterday? No, don't bother guessing. I'll just tell you. I published the Bike Trip book! After about 2 years of working on it, it's finally finished! I thought I just had corrections to make, but Grandpa remembered a bike trip that wasn't in the book at all! And it was the longest solo trip he had taken–1500 miles! But it's done. And it's available on Amazon here.
If you haven't worked on a project for that long, you don't know what a delight it is to have it finished! :D
This week was also the first writing classes of the school year. I have five students this year in three classes. And they vary in ages from 9-15.
I haven't written this week besides editing more Christmas stories. I just can't seem to get back to it. I thought this would be a better month for writing than July was, but so far it hasn't been. Perhaps if I were to actually try to write I might get somewhere. :P I've been letting myself get distracted with other things. Hopefully that will change. Maybe I need to get an accountability partner. :)
Anyway . . . I hope your week has gone well. Enjoy this next part of this story. It was so much fun to write with three different accents. :)
A Good Summer
Part 2
Upon their arrival at the ranch, the twins jumped quickly from the truck and began asking questions eagerly, hardly waiting for answers.
“Where do we sleep?”
“Is it many cows you have?”
“Can we feed the chickens?”
“Do you have a dog?”
“And gather the eggs?”
“Where are the horses?”
“Don’t you have any neighbors?”
At last Uncle Dan dropped the bags on the porch, put his hands over his ears and called out, “Nan, I reckon its a good thing Mary sent along one quiet child. We’re going to need her!”
Mrs. Cutlass laughed, putting an arm around Angelina’s thin shoulders, “Come along, Dear. If those two decide they want answers, they can come too; I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping.” She led the way inside.
Up the narrow stairs were two rooms opening into the short hallway. Mrs. Cutlass opened the door on the right saying, “This will be the girls’ room. I know it isn’t very large for two girls, but—” she got no farther, for Kathleen, who had hurried after her aunt, burst forth.
“Oh, it’s lovely! And the walls are the shade of a pink sunset just!”
Two beds were nestled under the eves on one side of the room while an old fashioned dresser stood opposite. A window with plain muslin curtains looped back with a bit of faded pink ribbon looked out over a field empty of cattle but full of tall grasses.
Mrs. Cutlass turned and opened the door on the other side of the small hall saying, “This room will be yours, Pat,”
The room was nearly identical to the room the girls were staying in only the walls were a pale yellow. Patrick set his baggage down with a thump and raced to the window.
“I can see the barn!” he exclaimed. “Uncle Dan, can’t I help with chores?”
“Sure can,” his uncle chuckled, having set the girls’ luggage in their room.
The rest of that first day flew by, for the children at least. The twins were eager to explore every place around the house and barn while Angelina, too timid to be left behind, followed quietly after them. The house didn’t take too long and soon they were outside.
“It’s hot for sure out here,” Patrick remarked.
“It is just,” his twin agreed while Angelina only nodded. “But not like the city.”
Scampering around the barn, Patrick pointed, “Hey look, a pump!”
“Does it work?” Kathleen asked.
“It must for there is mud underneath it.”
“Why is there mud?” Angelina asked. “Was someone using it?”
Patrick scratched his head. “And who would be a-using it? Uncle Dan has been in the house, and he told me they don’t have anyone else around.”
“Tis a mystery now, I’m thinking,” Kathleen breathed, her green eyes sparkling with adventure.
“Maybe the pump drips,” shyly offered Angelina.
But the twins shook their heads. “It hasn’t dripped since we’ve come, so tis not likely seein’ how the sun would dry it up if it took too long,” Kathleen stated.
“Let’s go explore the barn.” Patrick had turned from the pump and was heading for the open barn door.
The girls hurried to catch up with him, Kathleen chattering about maybe finding a clue in the barn. Angelina didn’t say a word,
It was dim in the barn after the brightness of the late afternoon sun outside and it took some time for the children’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then, just as they were about to begin exploring, the sound of a bell was heard and Aunt Nancy’s voice called, “Supper!”
At once the twins turned and dashed for the house, all thoughts of exploring vanishing in the thought of food. As Angelina turned to follow them, she thought she caught a glimpse of something moving in the hay loft. Quickly she glanced up, but on seeing nothing, she hurried after the twins. As she left the barn she had a feeling that someone or something was watching her.
Pushing back his chair, Uncle Dan stood up, “Who would like to help me do the evening chores?”
“I would!” Patrick shouted, springing up so quickly he knocked his chair over with a crash.
“Isn’t there something I can help with too?” Kathleen asked.
“You can stay and wash the dishes,” Patrick began.
But Kathleen looked at her uncle with such pleading eyes that he grinned. “I could teach you to milk a cow,” he stated after glancing at Mrs. Cutlass.
“Oh, tis a fine milker I’ll make, sure,” Kathleen was all smiles.
“And what would you like to do, Angelina?” Mrs. Cutlass turned to look at the quiet girl who had scarcely said a word all through the meal though she ate everything that was set before her.
In a voice quite soft and almost timid, she replied, “Mama said I wash dishes well.”
“Very well,” Aunt Nancy declared standing up, “Dan, you take those two chatterboxes out to the barn and let this child and me clean up the kitchen.”
The sun was beginning to set when Mrs. Cutlass called outside, “Come along you young’uns, Uncle Dan and I have to get our sleep so it’s off to bed with you now. You’ll have the rest of the summer to spend outdoors. And nothing will run away during the night. Now tell your Uncle good night and scamper up to bed. I’ll be along shortly to hear your prayers and tuck you in. Up stairs with you now.”
“Where do we sleep?”
“Is it many cows you have?”
“Can we feed the chickens?”
“Do you have a dog?”
“And gather the eggs?”
“Where are the horses?”
“Don’t you have any neighbors?”
At last Uncle Dan dropped the bags on the porch, put his hands over his ears and called out, “Nan, I reckon its a good thing Mary sent along one quiet child. We’re going to need her!”
Mrs. Cutlass laughed, putting an arm around Angelina’s thin shoulders, “Come along, Dear. If those two decide they want answers, they can come too; I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping.” She led the way inside.
Up the narrow stairs were two rooms opening into the short hallway. Mrs. Cutlass opened the door on the right saying, “This will be the girls’ room. I know it isn’t very large for two girls, but—” she got no farther, for Kathleen, who had hurried after her aunt, burst forth.
“Oh, it’s lovely! And the walls are the shade of a pink sunset just!”
Two beds were nestled under the eves on one side of the room while an old fashioned dresser stood opposite. A window with plain muslin curtains looped back with a bit of faded pink ribbon looked out over a field empty of cattle but full of tall grasses.
Mrs. Cutlass turned and opened the door on the other side of the small hall saying, “This room will be yours, Pat,”
The room was nearly identical to the room the girls were staying in only the walls were a pale yellow. Patrick set his baggage down with a thump and raced to the window.
“I can see the barn!” he exclaimed. “Uncle Dan, can’t I help with chores?”
“Sure can,” his uncle chuckled, having set the girls’ luggage in their room.
The rest of that first day flew by, for the children at least. The twins were eager to explore every place around the house and barn while Angelina, too timid to be left behind, followed quietly after them. The house didn’t take too long and soon they were outside.
“It’s hot for sure out here,” Patrick remarked.
“It is just,” his twin agreed while Angelina only nodded. “But not like the city.”
Scampering around the barn, Patrick pointed, “Hey look, a pump!”
“Does it work?” Kathleen asked.
“It must for there is mud underneath it.”
“Why is there mud?” Angelina asked. “Was someone using it?”
Patrick scratched his head. “And who would be a-using it? Uncle Dan has been in the house, and he told me they don’t have anyone else around.”
“Tis a mystery now, I’m thinking,” Kathleen breathed, her green eyes sparkling with adventure.
“Maybe the pump drips,” shyly offered Angelina.
But the twins shook their heads. “It hasn’t dripped since we’ve come, so tis not likely seein’ how the sun would dry it up if it took too long,” Kathleen stated.
“Let’s go explore the barn.” Patrick had turned from the pump and was heading for the open barn door.
The girls hurried to catch up with him, Kathleen chattering about maybe finding a clue in the barn. Angelina didn’t say a word,
It was dim in the barn after the brightness of the late afternoon sun outside and it took some time for the children’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then, just as they were about to begin exploring, the sound of a bell was heard and Aunt Nancy’s voice called, “Supper!”
At once the twins turned and dashed for the house, all thoughts of exploring vanishing in the thought of food. As Angelina turned to follow them, she thought she caught a glimpse of something moving in the hay loft. Quickly she glanced up, but on seeing nothing, she hurried after the twins. As she left the barn she had a feeling that someone or something was watching her.
Pushing back his chair, Uncle Dan stood up, “Who would like to help me do the evening chores?”
“I would!” Patrick shouted, springing up so quickly he knocked his chair over with a crash.
“Isn’t there something I can help with too?” Kathleen asked.
“You can stay and wash the dishes,” Patrick began.
But Kathleen looked at her uncle with such pleading eyes that he grinned. “I could teach you to milk a cow,” he stated after glancing at Mrs. Cutlass.
“Oh, tis a fine milker I’ll make, sure,” Kathleen was all smiles.
“And what would you like to do, Angelina?” Mrs. Cutlass turned to look at the quiet girl who had scarcely said a word all through the meal though she ate everything that was set before her.
In a voice quite soft and almost timid, she replied, “Mama said I wash dishes well.”
“Very well,” Aunt Nancy declared standing up, “Dan, you take those two chatterboxes out to the barn and let this child and me clean up the kitchen.”
The sun was beginning to set when Mrs. Cutlass called outside, “Come along you young’uns, Uncle Dan and I have to get our sleep so it’s off to bed with you now. You’ll have the rest of the summer to spend outdoors. And nothing will run away during the night. Now tell your Uncle good night and scamper up to bed. I’ll be along shortly to hear your prayers and tuck you in. Up stairs with you now.”
Would you like to find a mystery when you were visiting?
Have you ever milked a cow?
Will you be back next week?
2 comments:
Sounds like delightful for reading. I know how you feel--most often, our rainy days come when I've got errands to do. =( But that makes the rainy days I do get to stay home that much more delightful.
Congratulations on finishing the book. I can understand that too, though I've done it with other projects, not publishing. Such a relief, isn't it? Makes me feel all sunshiny inside. =)
Is it fun to teach a writing class?
You need an accountability partner? I might need one of those... ;)
Fun next part of the story. Why is the ground under the pump wet? I guess I'll just have to come back next time to see. =) It might be fun to find a mystery where we visit...as long as it's not dangerous. I like my danger confined to books. =D Nope, never milked a cow, but it's on my wish list. Have you? Do goats count?
In Joy,
Liberty Bluebelle
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
Hi Liberty!
Yes, I enjoy teaching writing. At least if my students try to do their assignments. :)
I agree, a non dangerous mystery would be fun, but the dangerous ones need to stay in the pages of books. ;) And I can't recall milking a cow. I don't even think I've milked a goat. But if you have, count it. :)
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