A Sneaky Inception

Only a week ago the holiday season was the last thing on my mind, and rows and rows of Halloween costumes, décor and candy in the stores by mid-September hadn’t garnered more than an eye-roll. 

But morning splashed the clouds today in sparkling chardonnay, as bats dashed under eaves to claim the humble timeshares relinquished by droves of feathered cousins engaged in harmonious daybreak revelry.  And in the air the crispness, the unaccustomed dew, brought to mind the notion of long sleeves and pumpkin pie and I knew. I knew the time was now, that change had finally come to soothe the relentless heat of summer days and endless sultry nights, transforming our yards into beckoning havens of barbeques and outdoor delights. 

As I finished my first cup of coffee, excitement began to grow. The holiday season upon us and I had so much left to do! Foregoing a second cup, I headed for the ‘rows and rows’; reminders I’d ignored, and found to my dismay—Christmas on display! 

As a consummate one-stop shopper, I avoid a multiple store shopping excursion the way I do a steaming cow pie, providing I haven’t waited too long to shop on-line.  In this case I’m in luck, with plenty of time to order for December festivities and nothing left to do but work and write and wonder how in the world could a season I so anxiously await arrive so sneakily?

Perhaps a couple of inquisitive characters in MaxwellMadalot could explain how one can get so caught up in the here and now that tomorrow is unthinkable.

Is weather a trigger for your holiday excitement? And once hooked, will tantalizing aromas waft from your kitchen?

Many thanks to Liz Shaw for the prompt!

Credits:  thewritingreaderblog.com/blog2014/10/17/prompt-1180-word-of-the-week-insipient

"Daddy hit a tree!"

In our family every vacation turns into an adventure somehow, and each of us comes away with our own assessment of the highlights…

On a typically searing summer day, just after noon, Angel’s father picked her up from summer day care and the two headed north to the beautiful Arizona White Mountains for a long weekend of camping and fishing.  I would follow after my work week ended.

A stop for fuel in the small town of Globe helped to break up the four hour drive and the two travelers agreed to have an early dinner at the bottom of the Salt River Canyon. After hiking down a rugged trail to the bottom with our two dogs and exploring the river’s edge, they dined on chips and sandwiches at a cracked and graffiti-laden concrete picnic table.

They were munching contentedly, admiring the scenery, when Angel chomped on a corn chip and the tooth which had been wiggling for days - fell out! Her father laughed and remarked on how different she looked with a space between her teeth. Angel raced up the trail to the parking lot to see her reflection in the Camper’s side mirror and giggled.

 Shadows grew quickly as they began the winding ascent of the canyon’s northern side, traveling ever deeper into the wondrous woodland of Ponderosa Pine. But it was nearly

dusk before they’d reached White River, and weary from the drive, the two looked forward to arriving at the camp site where they knew friends and fellow campers were expecting them. Suddenly Angel exclaimed “I forgot my tooth! How will the tooth fairy know where I am?” she wailed.

One hour and 40 miles later - the tooth, still wrapped in a napkin, was miraculously recovered from the concrete table at the bottom of Salt River Canyon. 

At last, beneath a star-studded sky, only ten miles from the campsite, her father eased the truck and camper to the side of the narrow rural highway; squeezing between two lumbering pines, to use the last available payphone to assure Angel’s near-frantic Mom (me!) that they were indeed just fine and Angel grabbed the phone, eager to impart the highlight of her day - “Daddy hit a tree!”

And then there are the imaginative adventures that spring from the scenery and leap on to the page as if chased by unseen demons…

  

Completely engrossed in thoughts of fleeing the city, his law practice, and the tempestuous redhead, Jacob barely noticed the scenery at all. His aging Jeep may as well have been heading north on auto-pilot as it navigated the switchbacks and hairpin curves of the Salt River Canyon. A little down time at the cabin was just what he needed and that thought alone relaxed the stiffness of his hands on the steering wheel until a body exploded through his windshield…

                                               

Except from ‘Canyon Crosses’ by diedre Knight      

What inspires you? Share with us at streampebbles.com!  Join us on Facebook or comment below:

 

Tagged in a Blog Hop!

 It must have been that old loose-lipped lizard who let slip that I could use some prodding in the blogging department. Consequently, I was recently, most graciously tagged by Denise Stanley , of whom I am a faithful follower, to take part in a Blog Hop by answering four questions. Thanks, Denise!

 

1.     What am I currently working on?

Two or three short stories for children (per month), three grown up stories; one half-finished mystery and two completed paranormal stories being polished for submission. I’m in the final stages of cover design for a middle-grade book and currently scouting for an editor for a full-length novel for young adults.

2.     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

No matter the genre, my work is typically comprised of human emotions in response to simply experiencing the unpredictable journey of life .A great deal of nature is included for good measure and because it matters to me ;-), but you won’t often see much technology; my characters rarely ever use a phone!

3.     Why do I write what I write?

It depends on how I feel. If I write a tragic poem it’s because I’m anguished. When I write for children I am in that wondrous, all too fleeting time of discovery, of soaring hopes and blooming dreams. I guess my grown up stories speak for themselves; I’m a little complicated!

4.     How does my individual writing process work?

Since story ideas pop into my head at any given time, I carry pen and paper constantly. I may jot down a sentence, scribble a paragraph or underline a single word and thus begins the process. Only trouble is I tend to always have a title in mind, right from the start, which on more than one occasion has threatened to limit the boundaries of the characters who’ve already taken ownership of the story. In such instances I have to remind myself that after all, I do have the option of changing my mind!

In order to keep the hop going, I am to tag two other writers to answer the same questions. I have chosen:

Emily Lackey

Sarah Martin Byrd

Please take the time to stop over and say hello, I’m sure you’ll enjoy them and this is a terrific opportunity to meet and greet other Bloggers and Writers!