Raintrees and mysteries are swirling through my mind this morning. Would you believe I’m on my third cup of Folgers already and the sun hasn’t even gotten up? The sky however, is growing lighter in the east.
These beautiful December days are like a blessing, a time of reprieve, perhaps, before winter arrives in earnest. Will it be a long, cold, snowy winter? The only nature sign I’ve seen is the acorns. An abundance, a veritable plethora of acorns lie on the ground. It is impossible to walk under the trees without crunching. So, the squirrels and bluejays have a huge food supply. Does that mean they will need the acorns to make it through an especially long, cold winter?
Speaking of trees, my brother has a pretty raintree. Now that the leaves are gone, the beauty of their branches is plain against a blue Oklahoma sky. The name of that tree is poetic. What a beautiful name for a tree. And, there’s a reason for the name too. Equally fascinating.
Raintree in winter
I wonder if I could use a raintree in the Darcy and Flora work in progress, Grave Heritage? At this stage in the book, Darcy has left Levi, Oklahoma to go to Tyler, Georgia, a small town north of Atlanta. She has a purpose and the information she finds there is astounding. It completely changes how she looks at one certain person.
Speaking of books, Deb Forbes has a fascinating blogspot, Mystery Reading Nook. She wrote an excellent audio book review of the first Darcy and Flora book, The Cemetery Club. Please check it out. The blogspot is attractive and contains a lot of information.
This is a perfect day for the Victorian Christmas at the Thompson House in Tahlequah. If you are in the vicinity, drop in. Hostesses in Victorian dresses will show you around. They have homemade treats for sale as well as quilts, jewelry, well, you name it. Lots of crafts! And, of course, Darcy and Flora and Ned are there. Look for them! I believe they will be on tables and other flat surfaces throughout that fascinating old house!
When you are really involved in a book, whether reading it or writing it, do you find that the characters accompany you even when the book is closed? As I go through the day, I think of how Darcy and Flora are going to solve the current mystery or wonder if I’ve caused the reader see what I want her to see. Direct and meaningful verbs are most helpful in painting a word picture. I could write a whole blog on verbs and their importance!
And, with those meandering thoughts, I wish you a good day, a day filled with many blessings, peace and joy as we look forward to the birthday of the Lord.
That is the first time I have heard of a Raintree tree! It looks quite a bit like one of our Poplar trees here.
They are pretty. There are different looking trees that all go by the name of raintree. I like the shape of the branches.
Thank you so much for the kind words. I do find myself invested in the characters. I can relate to Darcy and Flora too
I’m really glad to hear that, Deb. As I write, that is my goal, to make the reader feel as if she’s there with Darcy and Flora, and as if they are friends.
I’m so excited to get to know such a famous friend. I started the netbook and I love it. For some reason this won’t let me edit my comment Ned McNeil lol
Thank you for writing, Karen. Although I’m far from famous, it was a sweet comment. I’m glad you are enjoying Moonlight. It was great seeing you again at Fran’s.