This Perfectly Imperfect Life

"I like pink. Pink is my signature color." -Shelby/Steel Magnolias (movie) It's mine too. Geranium, 'Presto Pink + Eye' Fuchsia hybrid 'Electric Lights' in foreground, Bleeding Heart in background. (I didn't realize this was so blurry. Apologies!)

On our mantle.

My gardening memoir column, Adventures In Gardening, is now known as The Portable Homestead!  For today's post, "Spring Cleaning Inside & Out," on Connect*Share*Grow, click here . You can find an Archive of all of my columns to date here on Diggin' Around by clicking here .

I feel so far away from writing at this moment. And as a result, I feel... discouraged, sad, pointless. Drifting. In a daze. And I don't know what to do about it. But, it's time to start somewhere. A Writers Journal : This new addition to Diggin' Around, which has been in the works since this Winter, is to help me chronicle my journey with writing, which I hope in turn helps some of you who may be struggling as well, like me. I have written since I was a little girl, inspired by Louisa May Alcott's Jo March on a sunny Spring Sunday when I was about 11 years old. I have wanted nothing more since then but to be a published author of novels. I am a writer. It is what I know I am, and what I am supposed to do. So why, a month shy of my 38th birthday am I no farther along than I was when I was that little girl? The normal distractions come to mind: Life in general can be less conducive to creativity for some more so than others.  Working full time and going to colle

Love at first sight today with this purple-pink Victorian! Because of the bright Spring sun, this photo doesn't do this magnificent home justice! Much better from this angle! "Rose Cottage" A home that's for sale we would *love* to buy... Yes, another 'Bleeding Heart' photo, from my garden this morning! What did your Sunday look like?

For my latest Friday Favorites, where I show vs tell what they are, click here .

'Bleeding Heart' in my garden. Camellia 'April Blush' in my garden. Miss Boo waiting for Hubbs to get home. Mama kitty's way of telling me to feed her. Now. Breakfast bookclub this Thursday. Despite this being a funeral home, I love the house! These are a few of my favorite things from the last week.  What are some of yours?

As many of you know, I love Southern Lit! I have a Southern Lit Lovers group on Goodreads and I recently created a Twitter for it as well.  Today I decided to share here the monthly Happenings Newsletter I send out to members when it's time to ask for new group read nominations as a way to get the newsletter visible in a more creative way than via a Goodreads message.  Perhaps it will even encourage a few of you to join me there! I invite everyone, member or not, to click and see what we're all about.   Southern Lit Lovers Happenings, April 2013 Newsletter It's that time again! And what time is that you ask? It's time for (May 2013) group read noms! Please read my initial post in the thread before posting your noms here . Our April read & chat of Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones is going on now!  Click here to join us. If you're new to Southern Lit Lovers, please click here to drop in and say "Hello!" Are you on Twitter?  Well s

Are with the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, their families & friends around the World, the city of Boston and our Country.

Are with the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, their families & friends around the World, the city of Boston and our Country.

23 degrees Friday night. 86 degrees Tuesday. Chilly on-shore wind kept temps down in the 60s yesterday and then the clouds started rolling in after dinner. Everything got dark. The wind clattered the wind chimes together and tangled their strings. Layers of dark grey/black clouds marched towards us, then overhead and out to sea. Swirling, spinning, gathering, pulling apart and coming back. The sky was mesmerizing. The lightning was frighteningly incredible. Blinding white, pink and purple. At times it looked liked fireworks raining down. (I'd never seen that before). Half of the town lost power. (We didn't thankfully). It *poured* again and again. It would get suddenly quiet and I thought we were all done and it would start right back up again. All night and into the hours just before dawn. Exciting and terrifying (for a storm wuss like myself). With red flag (fire) warnings every other day, we needed the rain. Visit today's post on Diggin' Around by clicking here .

Visit today's post on Through My Eyes 360 by clicking here .

7:30pm. And the windows and doors are still wide open. An occasional bird chirp as the sun sets and the house grows dim... (contented sigh)