Update #4 - March 2025

 Even less writing progress this week - still stuck in chapter 24. Complications have included my desktop computer dying (I'm on my laptop now), working on Oak Leaves, and hosting our Spring Equinox ritual Saturday (only hours after the desktop died, which didn't improve my concentration). I can put off buying a new desktop computer until I've finished this issue of Oak Leaves, which should be my last -- after 9.5 years of editing it, I'm handing it off to a new editor, who I hope won't need much help from me! I need to concentrate on my writing if I'm going to have The Well of Wisdom published by Samhain!

In other news, we are progressing into early spring. My little plum tree is blooming beautifully, and some bees have found it. Most of the crocuses I planted last fall didn't survive, however -- the squirrels may have found some of them, but I planted rather late, and the cold dry weather over the winter won't have helped. But the hardy grape hyacinths and violets have started to bloom now.

Update #3 - March 2025

 Not much progress this week, partly due to working on Oak Leaves, partly because I'm not sure about the Mac Criomthann story I want to include in this chapter. The idea--Mac Criomthann's search for his father's birth name--fits into Gwernin's quest to learn how his mother acquired the ring she left him, which Gwydion has told him was Mac Criomthann's originally, but it's slow going having to make sure this story doesn't contradict things in The Druid's Son, or at least doesn't contradict them badly. After all, details can change in 500 years of oral tradition!

The weather so far this spring has been mild and dry, with next week expected to be warmer. This is a bit of a worry, since it's still March, and having trees leafing out early might lead to broken branches and power outages if we get heavy snow in April, as we often do. In the meantime, it's been so dry and windy I am going to have to start watering things in my yard. Lots of birds lately though--my birdbath is probably one of the few water sources in my local area.

Update #2 - March 2025

 Some progress this week, although not very fast. I finished chapter 23, and am 1,000 words into chapter 24, which is between 1/4 and 1/3 of a chapter. (The longest one so far in this book is 4,385 words, and the shortest 2,295 words.) I spent Monday's and Tuesday's writing time thinking about what needs to be in this and the next chapter, combing through the previous two Storyteller books to see which Mac Criomthann stories Gwernin has heard so far, and thinking about which ones I can fit into the rest of the book. This current chapter will take him to visit Caróg the Oak Priest again, and hear the tale of Mac Criomthann's search for his father Lovernos' birth name - a quest not unlike Gwernin's.

Mild dry weather the last few days - highs close to 70 F, and mild or no frost - but that's about to change again, with possible snow Tuesday. That's spring in Colorado.

Update #1 - March 2025

 More progress than last week, although in fits and starts. Chapter 23 ("Midsummer") is mostly done, bar some tweaking, and we will finally hear about Neirin's experiences in Oweynagat. In the next chapter Gwernin et al will start south again, still moving along the route he followed in The Fallen Stones, but in the opposite direction.

Mild weather here, with even a little rain one night, and my first clump of yellow crocuses is blooming in my yard. The elm trees are blooming as well. It's beginning to be, cautiously, early spring.

Update #4 - February 2025

 Running late again with this weekly post, and unfortunately not because I was writing. There have been a lot of mundane complications in the last week, as well as a good bit of snow last weekend which had to be shoveled. I'm hoping the next week will go better. I did finalize Chapter 22, insert it into the master document, and make a modest start on Chapter 23. (I write the chapters one at a time, then combine them with the full book document.) This chapter, "Midsummer", finds Gwernin et al finally at Beltany Stone Circle, where Fráechán will be running the midnight ritual, the local druid not having shown up for whatever reason. After that we will finally hear about Neirin's experience in Oweynagat, which is the long episode I removed from the end of Chapter 22. 

We're still having mild weather -- a second false preview of spring -- but should get more snow again in the middle of next week. I'm hoping it will melt before the following weekend. In the meantime, Ruay is enjoying his outside time.

Update #3 - February 2025

 I more or less finished Chapter 22 a couple of days ago, but more tinkering was required, partly because it was running far too long. Eventually I took the last episode out and parked it temporarily in Chapter 23, which I need to start writing now. This will take Gwernin et al all the way north to Beltany Stone Circle, and may involve Fráechán running the Midsummer ritual there--possibly a hazardous thing for him to do. Oh, and Gwernin has told Fráechán that he wants to visit the Well of Wisdom, but not why--that will be in Chapter 30!

The weather has been very wintry here for the last week--single digit F lows a couple of nights, small amounts of snow, and last night 4-5 inches of the white stuff. However, it should be warmer for the next week. Ruay and I will both be glad of it!

Update #2 - February 2025

 Slow progress on chapter 22. Gwernin et al are on their way north. Taliesin has told them what he experienced in Oweynagat, and Ianto has performed for the king of Connacht and won a silver bracelet. We still haven't heard Neirin's and Mael's experiences, which should take care of the rest of the chapter.

Zero degrees F here this morning at sunrise. It might get slightly above freezing later today, but the rest of the week should be a little less cold. I'll take some hot water out to the birdbath in an hour or so.

 

Update #1 - February 2025

 A slow start to chapter 22. This one will take Gwernin et al from Cruachan/Oweynagat to Beltany stone circle in the north in time for midsummer. I had to review Gwernin's journey in the opposite direction in The Fallen Stones, also the geography. What I've got written so far will need some tinkering; some of the things that were important in The Fallen Stones aren't important in this story. We pass through the area where Fráechán made his last Druid Fence, and he should tell us a little more about that; also Taliesin has promised to tell us about his night in Oweynagat (which I'll be working on today). All in all, it's a long ride, with probably not much excitement, but we'll see.

Denver has had some nicer weather this week - no snow, and highs in the 50s and 60s. After tomorrow, things will be colder again.