Buck on the Island

This afternoon we were barbecuing near the lake, and what did we see? A huge, young buck on the island! He traipsed across the bridge and helped himself to some peach tree limbs . . .

Paws on the Keyboard

Talented writer/photographer Kimberley Freeman stopped by Thursday for a book she's writing about authors and their canine and feline muses! There were photos, wine and women (well, the two of us) and I cooked up some fish I caught! We did the shots on the island where I write and it was perfect. What a lovely woman, and a fun day. Can't wait to see the book! In the meantime, here's a sneak peek . . . Is this a happy dog or what?

Autumn Shivering In On The Wings of Canadian Geese

The Canadian geese arrived today on their annual trek south, and autumn came shivering in on their black-tipped wings. Technically, autumn has been here for weeks, but the summer sun has been reluctant to release her grip on Central Texas, which is fine by me.

Though I am a child of October, autumn, for me, is a yawning, cavernous time of subterranean sighs, the small creakings and dyings of summer, the lingering shadows of old sorrows burrowing in for a long winter.

Watching the geese skim across the darkening water, I work at finding the beauty of the season, the dusty golds and burnt oranges, but in my heart I know that winter lurks beyond the leaves and will be here soon, pressing its low, gray sky into the earth.

Over the past few years, I have learned to come to terms with autumn, but I am not sure winter will ever be welcome to me. And so I will pull blankets from storage and stockpile hot chocolate and settle in, knowing that spring will come.

Mean Kitty in the News . . .

So, Atticus and I got invited to be in A Cat on My Keyboard: Photos and Essays from America's Favorite Writers by Kimberly Freeman! I warned her that Atticus is not a typical muse--he's really kind of a thug. She seems undaunted . . .