A year ago I planned to post about my non-writingendeavors. Today, in an incredibly
timely fashion, I’m going to make good on my promise.
I volunteer on my children’s school PTO as the outdoor
chair. Nature inspires me. Sometimes the outdoors inspire me too much, and I go
a little too crazy.
Last year I put in a butterfly garden at the school. Because
I am wild, I made butterfly metamorphosis stones out of old tiles. This year I
added plant signs to highlight the larval food plants and nectar plants. I
studied butterflies until I could find butterfly eggs, point out caterpillars,
and identify species. (Note to self: must
turn this knowledge into a book!)
I have been planting pear trees at the school with *some*
success. Last year we lost a tree, but also harvested 4 delicious pears. I see
17 baby pears this year. Yum, yum!! (Note
to self: the sweetness of fruit you grow yourself should be in a book!)
Last summer I made and installed tree identification signs
on our nature trail. It took a few seasons to identify species- leaves were analyzed,
bark was rubbed, and berries were smelled. Good memories of thumbing
(carefully) through my dad’s leaf collection when I was little were revived. (Note to self: try to publish that tree book
again or maybe use this new knowledge to start a new one.)
Our school has a boring black blacktop. Last spring we
painted a map of the US, which was a test in teamwork and fighting the wind. This
spring I’m adding a clock, compass, hopscotch, and games. (Note to self: a little bit of paint can brighten up a day. Put in a
book?)
I have the joy (and often pain) of being a Girl Scout Troop
Leader. I enjoy leading the scavenger hunts and getting dirty looking for bugs.
But I also have to go along with tea parties and planning glow dances. Here I
am glowing! (Note to self: things look and
feel different in the dark. Where am I on shadow book?)
A new, ahem, age milestone is bringing clarity to my trait
of hobby-obsession.
I updated my shell collection after a trip to Sanibel
Island. (Note to self: you know enough
about shell collecting to write a book on this.)
I have also been researching my genealogy and updating the
family tree. Some new insights on my heritage have caused me to start calling
myself a “European Island Wanderer.” A trip to Iceland and seeing Moana
reinforced this sea-loving feeling. I am also half inland farmer, but let’s not focus on that. I
got the Ancestry DNA spit test for Mother’s Day! Can’t wait for those results. (Note to self: this quest for self through
understanding ancestors is a theme to explore in a book.)
On the writing side, I spent pretty much the whole year
working on a non-fiction book which I am really excited about. (Though I am
usually excited about books). The year both writing and non-writing has
solidified for me how much I enjoy research. It ignites the anal retentive part
of me!
So, there may be more non-fiction work in my future.
