New Year's Eve 2007

It has been a restful and quiet holiday season in our home. B&O are now truly spoiled! 24Hours a day every day for 10 days...They have come to expect Mama and Daddy to be home with them and available for their every whim ALL the time! Smudge, the Cat, too, is quite accustomed to our presence non-stop. There will definitely be a withdrawal period for all of us after tomorrow...

With two straight days of rain, Ray and I have taken advantage of indoors' time and created our individual blogs and a start on my website, ratstale.com, for my launch as professional writer. It has been fun creating the spaces and thinking about the possibilities. The subject of my current writing project, Henry David Thoreau, would be amazed at the technology of this age and, I think, intrigued by it. He loved mechanical devices and tinkering with innovation in design and productivity. Example, his contributions to the pencil factory his father John began. And, much more...

Vacation behind me, I will be returning to the manuscript with re-newed energy. The objective is to finish the novel by the end of January... set it aside... pull it out and edit... rest... edit some more and more and more. Then, it's off to prospective publishers once more and the one agent who has shown interest. The goal is a published book, another project (perhaps sequel?), and appearances to promote the sale of this book that has taken 18 years to be realized. (I haven't actually been working on it that long! Just a year and a half, actually. But, the drawings which inspired this story were drawn by my brother Clinton Arrowood that long ago... I can't believe it has been "that long ago...")

While I write, new ideas are spinning in my mind. More stories about B & O, my Springers, and a new thing for me, historical mystery fiction with my friend Henry as a central character. Could be fun, I think! More poetry to sharpen the creativity, more personalized stories to make some money (How novel is that?!), and more writing exercises to expand the repertoire are all on the list... my New Year's Resolutions list, that is. More time with good friends, long distance via the internet, and close-by via visits in our home, sharing good meals and conversation...

Happy New Year!

Ellen

Bernie and Ollie Walk the Avenue

Here are my two Springers... good girls! We are walking the Avenue on Easter morning in 2007. This is Bernie's first Easter on Monument Avenue and Ollie's third. Soon, the street will be filled with vendors and a parade of people in bonnets and bows, their best Sunday suits, and wide eyes of wonder at the sights and sounds of this annual festival celebrating spring. There will be Morris Dancers cavorting, as well as jazz bands and country singers and rock & roll musicians performing. Dogs donned in creative head gear will be competing for best Easter hat. Their masters often vie for top chapeau, as well, wearing every manner of adornment, but especially floral in theme! In all, it is a delight to watch, and B & O step lively to the beat of the street, sweeping their curly ears from side-to-liver-and-white-spaniel-side as they look, occasionally WOOF, and take in the scene along their Monument Avenue, which on this day, transforms from its stately appearance. The familiar becomes exotic with rich smells of ethnic foods and the presence of strangers. This is going to be a very good day!

At the end of it all, two spaniels will curl up together and snooze, dotting the air with gentle snores and occasional whimpers in the memory of Easter Parade adventures, new dog friends, and the taste of special treats on a special day...

Thus, the germ of a writing idea began to percolate: The Adventures of B & O, Monument Avenue Girls!

Journal

Today I opened my blog.