Beach!

 
Just ask me how much I love my waterproof camera! And, just ask me how much fun it is to be paddling about Coles Bay on a hot, summer's day...

Stand on Guard for Thee

 
Dinny watching over his buddies while they enjoy a snooze... Ringo taking full advantage of being able to stretch out without fear of being eaten by a cougar...

On the way to dinner in town...

  we spotted one, two, three deer trotting along Quadra Street! The third one was just behind these two fellows. Just after we passed, the three adventurers headed across the street, halting traffic in both directions. All crossed safely and we proceeded directly to Cafe Brio on Fort Street. Oh my, what a glorious meal that was! Should you ever have a chance - GO!

Happy Trails!

 
After spending way too many days in a row labouring on the bathroom reno (which is nearly done - stay tuned for before and after photos!), we headed over to Beaver Lake for a trail ride. What a glorious day! From left to right: Ringo, learning to be a trail pony, me riding Dinny, and Jane on her Appy, Diego. Bonny and Brio hung out back at the ranch with Dad, the dogs, and the new ducks... The hefty Muscovy drakes were procured following a tragic incident with a raccoon and four of our five Indian Runner ducks. The only survivor of the duck massacre was Welly Wellduck who now hunkers down between his two beefy companions, happy for their companionship and protection. Photos to come...

Welcome, Dark Creek Dinny!

 
My sister's horse arrived here from Calgary a few days ago. Dinny (formerly known as Danny, but that's way too confusing given we already have a Dani in the household...) will be here for the summer so my niece, Cyd can enjoy some mellow riding and a couple of horse shows when she comes to visit. On the subject of horse names (and re-names), Bonny was also called Danny when we bought her. What are the chances? Whatever his name, the handsome, quiet Hafflinger is happy as pie here on the farm - and we are happy as pie to have him here. We took a ride down the Lochside Trail and he was perfectly behaved. Such a pleasure to ride a horse who does not have a bicycle phobia!

Aussie Under Glass

 
Riven under the table on the deck, hoping against hope that a scone crumb might fall his way...

Bathroom renovations continue

 

Here's how my feet have spent the better part of the last several days... Meanwhile, the rest of me has been tiling the upper part of the new shower stall, installing the new ceiling panel, fixing the ceiling fan, installing the new light fixture... Is it any wonder my calves ache?

Honey bees!

  Last week we took delivery of 16,000 or so honey bees... Here's Jane playing 'spot the queen' with her new... swarm? Herd? Cluster? Bunch 'o bees...

Dark Creek Diego

 
About a month ago (or so) Dark Creek Diego joined our herd... Diego is a 10 year-old Appaloosa who is strangely sane... As in, he isn't freaked out by bicycles (unlike Bonny!), doesn't feel compelled to explore the world mouth-first (unlike Brio), and is actually quiet and thoughtful under saddle (though, Ringo is getting there...) What a pleasure to have an actual pleasure horse around the place!

This photo was taken the day we went to pick him up from just outside Nanaimo. Note, too, the new (to us) stock trailer. Plenty big enough to haul three horses, four ponies, or some combination of goats and ponies... pony and cart... goat and cart... mare and foal... A very versatile oldie but goodie... due to have a new paint job soon. We are thinking perhaps dark blue to match the truck...

Proposed cover design

 
Here's the proposed cover design for the new Orca Sports title, Razor's Edge. What do you think?

How strange... when I see the cover on my computer, it's deep blue... but it looks very orange on the screen when I upload to my blog... Any computer-savvy people out there who might know what's going on? I like the deep blue version better...

Nosmo at work

 
Alas, the spot we decided would be perfect for our new stand of giant timber bamboo was a tangle of blackberry canes. Bring in the goats! The crew (including Nosmo) was happy to oblige. The brambles have now been cleared and the giant bamboo planted. Not that the bamboo is particularly huge - yet. It looks rather weedy, actually. But, given our experience with the golden bamboo grove and our modest stand of black bamboo, we know that a little time will take care of everything. Before long, we will be building a new house with our massive, fast-growing timbers!

You're Invited!

Come one, come all to Orca's spring book launch. Monday, April 20th at 7pm. Bolen Books in Victoria, BC (at the Hillside Shopping Centre). Be there or be square...

Easter harvest continues...

  First duck eggs (found another in the orchard!) and now Kashmir underfluff. I'm sure there is a more technical term for the super-fine undercoat the Kashmir goats are shedding. We've found the dog shedding blade-comb-thingy to be extremely effective in teasing out the loose undercoat. This year the harvest is much better than last. Next on the list of equipment to acquire is a spinning wheel... not long after that, socks!

Happy Easter!

 
Look what we found in the orchard this morning! The ducks were busy last night... And, yes, Colin was right. There is such a colour as duck egg blue. When will I learn not to argue with the artist about colours? We are considering our quiche options for dinner tonight...

Coming soon to an orchard near you...

 
Beekeepers! To look after the new bees, of course! Said bees are scheduled to arrive in about six weeks. Which means we need to get cracking on hive assembly, etc... Bring on the honey!

Runner Ducks!

 
Because what our farm really needs is ducks... five of them, to be precise. Meet Henrik, Daniel, Welly, Baby, and Beauty. Ringo (in the background) was fascinated by the new arrivals.

(I know the title says Runner Ducks, but they are actually Indian Runner Ducks crossed with mallards... which gives the males a more interesting colour and all of them less upright postures.

Living it Up in California

 
Arrived back from a whirlwind 11 days travelling to Rancho Murieta with Karen Brain and her horse, VDL Odette. Karen was competing at the Golden State Dressage Festival, continuing to develop and train her horse with an eye to qualifying for the World Equestrian Games para-dressage competition next year. What a great trip - the weather was excellent (except for that wind/sand storm!) and it was way cool to see all those high level dressage horses tootling about. At various points I was tasked with taking Miss Odie out to graze. The grass was lush, the sun warm, the horse happy... Life, as they say, is good!

Welcome to the World, Little Book

Venom is out! It's always pretty exciting when the box of author copies arrives in the mail. Venom might not be my first book, but it is a book of firsts.
1. First one I've done for the Orca Sports series (not the last - we're well into editing Razor's Edge, set in the world of harness racing and inspired by one of the oddest crimes out there, horse tail theft...)
2. First high interest, low vocabulary book I've done for a teen audience.
3. First kiss... well, not my first kiss (duh) but first time characters have kissed in a book (most of my other books are written for younger kids)
4. First time I've attempted a first person narrative written from the perspective of a teenage boy... (though, that wasn't as difficult as another book I'm working on which is written in the first person from the p.o.v. of a horse...)

Which just goes to show, it doesn't matter how many books I write, every one stretches
me in some new direction.

Interviewed by a Fictional Character

I have to say this was rather fun, being interviewed by a character in a book. Darby is a rather precocious character - she has her own blog and seems to have pretty good control of her author, kc dyer. Check out her blog to see how Darby handles several interviews. I particularly like the disguises the authors wear to try to hide their true identities! While you are over at Darby's virtual place, be sure to enter your name in the comments so you have a chance at winning a free book. Good luck!

Crisis in the Blogosphere

Well, crisis in my blogosphere, anyway. I blame Facebook, Twitter, and Librarything for the complete lack of action here at Work in Progress. And, I confess, the blog is suffering from a bit of an identity crisis. I think the plan initially was to chronicle the day-to-day life of a writer, but I discovered that the life of a writer is actually pretty boring. Essentially, every day is the same.

1. Thing of something to write about.
2. Chain myself to computer until something is written.
3. Check the mail and fret over bills to cheques ratio
4. Get depressed about #3.
5. Go back to computer. Write some more.
6. Print out what has been typed.
7. Scribble all over typing.
8. Re-type.
9. Repeat ad nauseum until the mail arrives again the next day.
10. Get depressed all over again.
11. Take occasional breaks to show up at bookstore signings where immediate family members outnumber legitimate fans. Pretend this doesn't bother you.
12. For fun, muck out the horse paddocks.

Sigh. Is it any wonder I have been having some trouble mustering the urge to blog?