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Bounty from the Boat
My husband loved his little aluminum boat. I couldn’t stand the thing. He thought the three times we used it each year were worth the countless hours of motor-repair and the licensing struggles. For me, it was a headache.
A few years ago we had ice. It hung from the branches and froze the pipes. And it went on for many days. A couple years later we saw the long-term consequences. Trees started splitting and falling over. Let me just say, we are in no need of extra firewood.
In front of our house stands the most majestic oak tree. The thing is huge! I walked by the trunk one day and noticed a split going straight down. This is the tree that shades our home. It’s where our kids reluctantly took turns with the swing. I love this tree.
My husband did the only thing he could do to try and save it…and our cars. He cut away many of the heavy branches and moved anything that was important, aka his boat, to the safe side. The split seemed to close up, and we thought all was well.
Then one night, around ten, we heard pops and snaps followed by a crash. We rushed out of the house to find a giant limb, one we thought was fine, had broken free of the tree and landed on the boat.
Now, I could tell you that I was a good wife that night. I could say that I patted my husband on the back and told him we’d get another boat. But I’m not here to mislead you about who I am. I laughed. Not a little hidden giggle; I really busted up.
It’s not that I didn’t feel bad. I really did. It’s just that we were in one of those seasons of life where everything seemed to go wrong. You know what I’m talking about. If it could break, it did. Everywhere we turned there was more bad news. At the moment the tree hit the boat, I think my frustration broke too. Here we were, standing in the dark, shining a flashlight beam onto a smashed boat. A boat that was moved to a “safe” location, and still, this happened. It was utterly ridiculous.
That boat still makes me laugh. I didn’t let the disaster go to waste. With a few holes knocked into the bottom, a layer of rock, and a bunch of soil, the boat became a garden. For the first time in years, we are able to grow carrots without the moles eating them before we could harvest.
Now, I love the boat. My husband, he’s not a huge fan, but he loves me, so he helped with the project.When I look out my window and see the boat brimming with produce, I’m reminded how great things can be born out of trials.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ~ 1Peter 5:10
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My View on the Farm
I’ve decided to write a series of blog posts about our life on the farm. Today I’m writing about the view.
I sat down at the table in our yard, a place I do much of my writing during the warm months, but today there were distractions.
The stench of smoke floated over the wide hedge of trees that separates our property from town. This morning an automotive business near us went up in flames and black smoke. I can still hear the hum of fire engines hours later, and our driveway will likely be blocked off for the rest of the day.
My rooster, Howard, jumped onto the bench beside me. Yes, he has a chicken yard. He and the hens and the ducks also have many acres they can forage, but they think I’m the source of all treats, so when they see me, they come running. Mildred and Lucille, two of the hens, didn’t appreciate being ignored, so they pecked at my newly painted toenails.
And where is my trusty herding dog when I need help? She’s wandering with the chickens, as if poultry running around in the front yard is a totally normal and expected thing.
I can write with distraction. I started my first manuscript when I was homeschooling four young children. Back then I toted my laptop to every practice or event, making the most of the time spent waiting. I learned to write fast, and I developed the ability to set myself goals and reach them.
Even with this training, I sometimes get distracted, often by the view. After nearly nineteen years here, I’m still struck by the beauty of this place. Farmland stretches out in front of our yard. To the west, layers of blue mountains touch the sky.
For some people, this place would be horrifying. It’s rich with pollen. There’s an ever-growing list of needed repairs. Our 1898 farmhouse is chilly in the winter. The other day, the ducks actually sneaked into my kitchen! The dust…It’s endless. And sometimes, maybe often, farm animals break through their fences. Oh, and there’s the cougar.
But for me, this place is perfection. It’s where we’ve raised our kids and done life.
I love the view.
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100 Bowls
Before I was a writer…I was a potter.
I picked up the clay habit on a whim by taking a ceramics class just for fun. Soon it was a craft I spent every extra minute honing.
No one sits down at a potter’s wheel one day and starts producing perfectly weighted and even bowls. It takes practice. Lots of practice.
After a couple years, I became decent. We ate many of our meals from dishes I’d created, but I wasn’t satisfied, so I issued myself a challenge. I would focus on the art of throwing bowls, but my next 100 would be for practice only.
I sat at the kick wheel in my garage day after day, pulling clay into delicate curves. When I was satisfied with the creation, I’d look it over, smile, then press my hands into its soft sides, reducing the bowl to a unformed lump again. And this continued until I reached bowl number 100. Along the way there were a few I was tempted to keep, but my dedication was to improving my craft.
I tell you this because learning to write has been very similar. Countless stories remain hidden in my laptop where they will stay. Their purpose was like that of the 100 bowls, to learn, to improve, and to find my own individual voice.
Though you couldn’t bribe me to let you read these stories, I appreciate them for what they taught me. Each unpublished manuscript represents a piece of the learning process.
If you want to write, or paint, or achieve any creative goal, I challenge you to pursue your art. Don’t get bogged down in self-criticism. Treat every attempt as a step toward success.
Mastery does not come easy. When speaking of artistic disciplines, mastery may never occur. The beauty is in the journey, the smashed clay, and the hidden manuscripts. While they will never be seen, they are the necessary miles that must be covered.
“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”
—Ernest HemingwayDon’t forget to sign up for the $15 Amazon gift card giveaway. Details can be found here.
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Let’s Celebrate the New Look with a Giveaway!
Welcome to my newly-designed website!
I’ve been working with a great team for the past weeks. Due to my complete incompetence in the area of technology, I depended on the genius of Mandy Roberson and Carol Poortvliet. Both Mandy and Carol remained patient with my lack of understanding. They took me through the process with simple and clear instructions. I’m pleased to report that not a single tear was shed on my part during this process. That, right there, is a miracle!
A big thank you also goes to Katey Tryon for providing the new headshots. Katey stepped in at the last minute and did a fabulous job.
Something this big deserves a celebration! And what’s a party without a prize? I’ll be giving away a $15 Amazon gift card on July 15. Drawing will take place at 5pm, PST.
How to enter:
To enter the drawing for the Amazon gift card, you must be a member of my email list and comment on this post. Subscribing to the email list gives me access to your email address, which is how I will be contacting the winner. Joining is easy. The form is located on the top right side of this page. I promise not to inundate your inbox with pointless emails, and I will never share or sell this list.
That’s it. Just subscribe and comment.
Please follow me on Twitter or Facebook! I’ll be announcing future contests there as well as on this blog.
Come back soon to stay up on publishing news, the writing life, and chaos from the Nelson farm.
Now it’s your turn:
What do you think of the new design?
or
Any plans for that gift card?
or
Have you read any great books this summer?
The winner is Theresa!
