Tuesday July 31st, 2012

The exercise:

Write two haiku about: two.

Yeah, I'm not sure how that's going to work out for everybody, but seeing as today marks two years since Kat and I were married, I don't much care. We've got two and we're all just going to have to deal with it!

We took the day off, which was nice. Had lunch up in Naramata, at one of the winery bistros we visited on our brief, local honeymoon after the wedding (in other words, not the Jamaica honeymoon, which came several months later). Took this before heading home:

Kat's friend arrived just in time for dinner this evening - looking forward to putting her to work tomorrow as we harvest for this week's restaurant order!

Mine:

Nice to meet you. Blink.

Without a doubt, I do. Blink.

Two years later. Blink.

*     *     *

After years as ones,

we became two. Not long now

until we are three.

Monday July 30th, 2012

The exercise:

Let us write around the theme of: underwater.

Thanks, Metric. I was feeling pretty stuck for a prompt there.

Another busy harvest day for our local customers, with us once again managing to find enough produce for everybody. I'm really quite pleased with how the box program is going so far, and I'm glad that last winter Kat was able to convince me to try it out.

A friend of Kat's is coming tomorrow to stay with us for the rest of the week and I'm very much looking forward to having her around, both for her company and for her help in the garden.

Mine:

He leans against the railing at the side of the boat, staring down into still waters while his fishing rod sits forgotten to his right. His mind flicks from one thought to the next, like a panicking fish flopping about on the deck.

There is a desire for calm, but he has no real hope of landing that particular state. Every few minutes he catches a glimpse of it in the corner of his eye, but it disappears before he can so much as turn his head.

Raising his gaze to the horizon, he confirms once again that there is no other craft in sight. He is utterly, completely alone on the water.

Lowering his head, he wonders if his ex-wife is equally alone underwater as she sinks inexorably to the ocean bed.

Sunday July 29th, 2012

The exercise:

Write a little something about: the ridge.

Slept in big time to start the day, which was definitely needed. Not much happened after that until we realized we'd forgotten about the ten pounds of blueberries we bought at the market yesterday - that's when the washing and freezing began.

After dinner I cleared out most of the monster weeds that had been closing in our blackberry bushes, as those are starting to ripen. We'll see how many are out there tomorrow, but hopefully at least some of our box program customers will get a pint this week.

Mine:

Legs burning, the straps of his backpack threatening to tear through his shoulders, Lucas tried to keep his focus on the path beneath his feet as he trudged upward. Looking ahead was too disheartening. All that he'd find there would be more hill and the easy, relaxed stride of Matthias, his younger brother.

When had the balance of strength and endurance shifted between them? Lucas couldn't be sure. It seemed like only yesterday he had been the leader of their hikes, forever at the side of the trail waiting for a sighting of Matthias' bright red, sweating face.

Getting old was not something Lucas liked to think about, and he wasn't about to start now. He returned his focus to moving onward and upward. And not keeling over from a heart attack.

Without warning the ground leveled out and he brought his gaze upward. They had finally, mercifully reached the ridge and the view was breathtaking.

"Not bad, huh?" Matthias asked with a wide smile.

"Spectacular." Lucas wanted to say more but he couldn't find the oxygen for it. Maybe something about all that torture being worth it. Instead he reached for his nearly empty water bottle and began to think fondly of the return journey they were about to commence.

"I know, right?" Matthias laughed, sounding as though he could recite Moby-Dick without pausing for breath. "Just wait until you see the view from the next ridge!"

Saturday July 28th, 2012

The exercise:

Write a four line poem about: fame.

Pretty decent market today, even with selling a lot of produce to the restaurant yesterday. We brought the last of our apricots and sold most of them, with the leftovers destined for our harvest boxes on Monday. And it was the best market so far for my greeting cards, which definitely put me in a good mood.

This evening I watched a couple of TED talks with Kat, and this one in particular seemed like something you guys would want to see.

Mine:

I want to walk these streets

Without drawing second looks;

I don't want people to know me,

I just want them to know my books.

Friday July 27th, 2012

The exercise:

Write four lines of prose about: the jeweler.

Busy morning, as we ended up harvesting for the market, the restaurant, and the local bakery.

Right, I don't think I've mentioned the bakery before now. Not sure how I managed that. Anyway, a young couple opened a new bakery in town last month and it's really fantastic. All their breads are made with sourdough starters and take three days to make - and are totally worth the wait. And of course they also make pastries and assorted goodies.

We met them through a mutual friend, and the fact that they were expecting their first child added to the connection (she just gave birth last week to a baby boy). We've been supplying them with some herbs, fruit, and veggies for their creations - today I brought by zucchini, onions, cherry tomatoes, and garlic, most of which will be going into their Focaccia bread.

I think we're very lucky to have such a great business open up in a small town like this, as it really would seem more at home in Vancouver.

Mine:

With Eastern European blood in his veins, an open shirt displaying his grey chest hairs, heavy gold rings clasping three of the fingers on his left hand, and a thick chain around his neck, Anthony definitely looked the part of a legit jeweler. There was some discussion about the addition of a gold cap on a tooth or two, but in the end it was considered unnecessary.

We were convinced of his authenticity just by looking at him. We could only hope the mobsters would be similarly duped.

Thursday July 26th, 2012

The exercise:

Write about something that has been: uncovered.

Finished weeding the beets this morning, then got started on the squash plants (which are even worse off than the beets were, but at least there are fewer of them). Things are starting to look a little more reasonable out there.

Harvesting for the market tomorrow, potentially along with an order for the restaurant. Things have been a little chaotic over there recently, with the head chef on medical leave and his replacement leaving to go back to school in a couple of weeks. Hopefully things settle down soon, both for their sake and ours.

Mine:

That which they kept hidden

Is now lit by the sun;

We all gather around,

Each one of us is stunned.

How could we be deceived,

So taken by their lies?

No, let truth be spoken:

We covered our own eyes.

Wednesday July 25th, 2012

The exercise:

Write something to do with: beat/beats/beating.

Do it for fun. Do it for practice. Do it in honor of all those beets I weeded around today.

Haven't shared a picture in a while, so here's one I took tonight at sunset of the tail end of a storm that passed by on the other side of the lake on its journey northward:

Technically that was taken from our deck. There may have been a ladder involved. I may have been trying to get on the roof.

I may have been disappointed the ladder wasn't quite tall enough to do that safely.

Mine:

The beatings will continue until morale improves

On his first day at work, Chris had thought the sign on his supervisor's office door was just a bit of black humor. He considered it a good sign, that his new coworkers didn't take themselves too seriously.

He got to work on his first assignment with all the enthusiasm and energy a new employee was expected to have, asking questions as necessary. His supervisor checked in at regular intervals to see how things were progressing and to make sure Chris was in good spirits.

There was no evidence to be found that the sign was anything but a joke until Chris' third day. That was when Kevin across the hall disappeared for a few scream-filled hours and returned with an unexplained limp.

After that, Chris made sure to have a smile on his face whenever his supervisor dropped by.