Yesterday the temperature soared to 68 degrees, and the wind howled, gusting to 50 mph. I was determined to spend time outdoors. The yard is a mess after having a dying Colorado Blue Spruce removed. To safely remove the 40-foot-tall tree, the crew used a large cutting tool and a heavy stump grinder that shredded the lawn. I found a bush with winter storm damage that needed pruning, a cache of clattering garbage swirling in a back corner, and proof of life.

Buried beneath the mounds of melting snow, daring to peak through the soggy mucky mulch lurked the first signs of spring. My annual countdown helps me bridge the gap from the dead of winter to the promise embodied in the change of seasons. Eight days and counting. Hope lifts my spirits, and I excitedly completed my seed order, contemplated purchasing plants for a garden extension, checked last frost dates, and used germination days to plan my indoor plantings. The area I use for my tiny seedlings is ready, and so am I.

Nurturing story ideas is like coaxing seeds to grow for your imagined summer vegetable and flower beds. The soil temperature, daily sunlight, and correct moisture levels all contribute to your success or failure. I also spent a half-hour with my WIP, tending to those seedling ideas and watching them develop.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 397 (countable) words.

Did you write yesterday?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer