It's March. That means spring is on its way, right? RIGHT???? I say as I open up the draft on the wood stove to try and get the house warmed up on this spectacularly cold morning. The weather guy says it's supposed to start warming up tomorrow, and I keep checking that forecast to reassure myself that warmer days are on the way.
This week I pulled out all my seed starting supplies. Seeds, planters, grow lights, dirt, a nice card table set up under a sunny window...I even have a gardening notebook started. All in the hopes that this year isn't as wet and awful as last year was. Immeasurable amounts of hope and faith, and patience go into a garden each year. An exercise in practical faith if ever there was one. It's no wonder Jesus told so many gardening and growing parables! So in hope I planted some pepper seeds, since they need the longest head start. Watering them and watching and having faith that they'll grow, and that it'll eventually get warm enough out there to plant them. It helps to feel like spring is that much closer, I suppose.
Meanwhile, since Unmask the Night's release, I've decided to take a short hiatus from Red Wolf and get a head start on another major project that's in the works. It's another series, and I'm SOOOO excited about it, but that's about all I can give away right now. The final Red Wolf book IS started, never fear. I haven't shelved it. It's outlined, started, and planned with love, merely waiting for me to catch my breath and come back to it.
Like this winter that's dragging on, my creative spirit has been feeling frozen and wind-blasted, starved for light and warmth and growth. After the struggles of this past year, I find I'm in need of refreshment. So, like planting seeds while it's still winter, I'm sowing some creative ideas as well, watering them, and holding onto faith that one day soon they'll be beautiful, and will help nourish my spirit, and maybe someone else's as well. I've been doing some amazing reading, and taking delight in some new ideas, and it's beginning to open my eyes once again to the wonder and grace that's in the world. And now that I can start to see the wonder again, it won't be long at all before I'm ready to pick up the final installment of Red Wolf and discover where Red and Aaro's journey takes them at last.
