M2.24-BP6

“Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mid-Month Progress / Catch Up

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Hi there! I’m happy to report that so far March is going well. The weather is all over the place cloudy one day, rainy the next, then sunny again but it’s ok, I don’t mind. I’m actually happy it isn’t scorching hot yet, so for now I’m enjoying the variety and just going with the flow. Also, it’s been fun to see the plant life start to wake up. I planted some California poppy and chili seeds a few weeks back and now they are starting to sprout. So lovely. I’m hoping my husband and I can make it out to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park later this month to enjoy the desert blooms.

Lately, I’ve also been thinking a lot about how the seasons affect people’s outlook in life, their moods. I’d like to learn more about that. I have been wondering how I can harness the emotional energy that comes with the changing months, changing seasons and use that as a way to propel me in a positive direction by enjoying the present moment. Probably sounds silly and I’m sure I’m not verbalizing it the best but the point is I’m having fun thinking about these things.

I’d love to learn more about you. How is the weather in your part of the world? What is your favorite or least favorite part about March? Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

•Along the Writing Journey•

It’s only week 2 of the month but somehow it feels like it’s been March for a long time, lol. Not sure why it feels that way. As I have likely said before, I am fortunate enough to have a dedicated room in my home to my endeavors. In the past I have used this space to explore the many things I have been interested in over the years such as jewelry making, paper crafting, sewing, painting, knitting and crocheting.

Having so many varied interests comes with many gadgets and materials and so this March I have been trying to really have my space reflect the person I am now – a writer. This attempt to purge my life of physical things I no longer use or engage with has been very challenging. Thankfully I was able to muster enough courage to give away all of my sewing things to my sister. As I looked through all my sewing items I kept thinking they were all so cute and wanted desperately to keep stashing them away but after giving them to her I am filled with joy knowing they will have new life when she uses them.

Spring cleaning aside, I have also been writing short stories again this month. It has been such a pleasure to be able to write one a week, (2 so far) and I really hope to keep this up. I still have my novel churning in the background but being able to say I have completed two short stories has done wonders for my wellbeing. Not that I was having a crisis or anything but I guess what I mean there is just so much joy in feeling like you’ve made some real progress, completed something.

Is there a project or goal you are working toward, perhaps a new year resolution? How has that been for you?

•Adventures in Reading•

-🍀Finished Books🍀-

•There There – Tommy Orange•

(Lit Fiction, Native American Fiction)

Really enjoyed this book. It was great to read a book the shows a Native American perspective/experience. The story had a large cast of characters and each chapter toggled between their different perspectives. At the beginning each character seems to stand alone, the relationships between them are not apparent but as the book continues we see where the connections are and it is a really cool thing to see come together. It all ends at a big Pow Wow which is the main event driving the story. Definitely recommend this book if you like reading diverse voices and learning about marginalized experiences.

•Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros•

(Romantasy)

There was so much hype around this book last year, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. I purchased the special holiday edition set of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame last year, because of course I wanted a matching set but didn’t get to reading it until recently. I gotta say I was surprised, I really enjoyed the book.

Coming from finishing the Shepherd King series recently, another romantasy series (a duology), I thought maybe this book would have a lot of similarities with it but the two stories are very different. I found the Shepherd King to be a much more moody series while Fourth Wing felt seriously action packed. The book ended on a big twisty cliff hanger so I am intrigued to find out what happens next in Iron Flame.

-🍀Currently Reading🍀-

•A Rover Story – Jasmine Warga•

Backcover Summary:

(via HarperCollins.com)

Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name.

Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop humanlike feelings. Maybe there’s a problem with his programming….

Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration.

As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage, and resilience to succeed… and survive? 

•Daddy’s Girls – Danielle Steel•

Jacket Cover Summary:

(via DanielleSteel.com)

In Danielle Steel’s riveting novel, three women raised by their father on a sprawling California ranch now confront difficult truths about their past.

Decades ago, after the death of his wife, Texas ranch hand JT Tucker took his three small daughters to California to start a new life. With almost no money, a will of iron, and hard work, he eventually built the biggest ranch in California. But when he dies suddenly at the age of sixty-four, the ranch is inherited by his three daughters—each of them finding it impossible to believe that this larger-than-life figure is gone from their lives.

JT’s relationship with each daughter was entirely different. Caroline, the youngest and most reserved, was overlooked by her father for her entire life and fled to become a wife, mother, and writer in Marin County. Gemma, his declared favorite, sought out Hollywood glamour and success and became a major television star. Kate, the eldest, stayed at home with her father to do his bidding as a ranch hand, without thanks or praise, forsaking marriage and a family of her own for the love of him.

Now, upon JT’s death, the paper trail he leaves behind begins to reveal much more than the three sisters ever guessed about who he really was. It will turn their world upside down, and each of them must grapple with a new reality, strengthening their relationships with one another, and discovering who they are now as grown women, in spite of him.

Set against the magnificent backdrop of the West and the drama of a family in turmoil, Daddy’s Girls is the story of three remarkable women and their unique bond to each other—the daughters of a complex, many-faceted, domineering father who left his mark on each of them.

What’s Coming Up?

As I mentioned at the start of this post I have been spending more time writing shorter pieces – short stories and poems . I look forward to sharing them soon with all of you on this platform.

TTFN

(Ta Ta For Now)

Alrighty then, well that is all for now, really happy you stopped by! Until next time!!

xoxo, 

Angelica Sophia