And.....as I sit here in our old farmhouse, with bay windows that overlook the ranch--with fall in the air and rain dripping from the eaves--I smile and think on the wonderful things in my life.
Fall is a time of reflection, and it's truly a time of "birth" for us: Calves are being born and to see them (hundreds of them) flitting with their tails high, in pairs or bunches, while "moms" graze in contented grace ALWAYS affects me.
And of course, with the trees in color and the gorgeous mountains now being topped with snow, our valley is like living inside a postcard.
For other things, too, I reflect on how grateful I am....
For faith, eternally. It has become the cornerstone of my life...and helps me to look out at the world with hope...
For health, of course. And that--for a writer--is quite significant. When I'm feeling down or "lack-lustre," it is very hard to settle into that old chair and focus on a blank page. It's hard to contemplate upcoming deadlines, or even get creative.
For family, absolutely. Although my husband rarely reads anything I write, I am always grateful for those ("relatively few, albeit") nights he says, "Let's not worry about dinner....I know you're busy." Or, "Let me cook!" For a farmer/rancher, who comes in famished, that is saying A LOT, and I'm thankful. I know a lot of ranching hubbies would not understand the heady reality of not being able to move until that important idea has been written down--or that final revision is complete.
His confidence in me has become tremendously powerful in my life.
My kids, too, have figured out that my absence is sometimes necessary. Even though none are at home, but have homes and families themselves, they know there are days when "Nonna" is out of touch or out of reach. Even the older grandkids (we have eight now, ranging from 15 to 20 months) know Nonna has to work, often behind closed doors. All help protect that writing time -- even though I cherish my days as babysitter or playmate.
HOWEVER, this weekend, I will be traveling two hours to see our oldest grandson in his final JV football game...
Can't miss that!
Today, along with everything else in my life, I am also deeply grateful for this NEW release from Prairie Rose: COMING, November 10th:
A Cowboy under the Mistletoe, a new CHRISTMAS ANTHOLOGY
Check it out: pre-orders can be made already at amazon.com for kindle and ebooks. Print copies will be available soon.
Truly... for Prairie Rose and all of the
writers who work for this dynamic enterprise, there is such a wonderful sense
of gratitude. As writers, we know the power of the spoken or shared
victory, the encouragement and value of having opportunities to write and be
published.
We know how demanding the publishing world is and how difficult it is to
get our stories published or "out there" for the public. SO....Cheryl
and Livia, Kathleen, et al .... your continued support means so much. I
want to THANK YOU for the devotion you have provided and for the faith YOU have
put into your writers!
So, as the morning sun is bursting
through my windows, I smile and sigh and think -- okay, it's time to get back
to work... and I wish all a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!
Check it out: pre-orders can be made already at amazon.com for kindle and ebooks. Print copies will be available soon.
Truly... for Prairie Rose and all of the writers who work for this dynamic enterprise, there is such a wonderful sense of gratitude. As writers, we know the power of the spoken or shared victory, the encouragement and value of having opportunities to write and be published.
We know how demanding the publishing world is and how difficult it is to get our stories published or "out there" for the public. SO....Cheryl and Livia, Kathleen, et al .... your continued support means so much. I want to THANK YOU for the devotion you have provided and for the faith YOU have put into your writers!
Gail
L. Jenner is grateful for being able to work with Prairie Rose Publishing, and her
collection of stories published by PRP has grown since "joining the
gang" in Dec. 2013 with the re-release of her WILLA Award-winning Across the Sweet Grass Hills.
"Prettiest Little Horse Thief" and "July's Bride" are two of her other favorites.....and then there are the boxed sets and anthologies! For more about Gail, check out: www.gailjenner.com or http://www.amazon.com/Gail-Fiorini-Jenner/e/B005GHR47O
AND...be sure and check out the upcoming anthology, A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe! Available for pre-order NOW!
"Prettiest Little Horse Thief" and "July's Bride" are two of her other favorites.....and then there are the boxed sets and anthologies! For more about Gail, check out: www.gailjenner.com or http://www.amazon.com/Gail-Fiorini-Jenner/e/B005GHR47O
Enjoyed reading your blog, Gail. Loved the pictures too! Congratulations on your new publication! Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThank you! And thanks for stopping by....
DeleteWhat a lovely post. Very meaningful with the sound of gratitude.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading Across the Sweet Grass Hills. Very good story. And I wish you all good luck for lots of sales from the Cowboy Under the Mistletoe! Boxed set.
The older I get the more I am grateful for so much....hope the stories do well. Fun fiction to write, esp. since I do so much nonfiction!
DeleteSome wonderful thoughts here Gail. Thanks for sharing and good luck with the book
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea.....thanks. And so enjoyed our time together at WWW. BTW, the necklace has been a big hit! I keep telling people that I had a good assistant in choosing the stone. :-)
DeleteGail, that was beautiful. I cherish the times I've been to your place. Truly God's country. Thanks for including pictures of the cows and calves. They'll have to sustain me until I can come your way again. Your new release sounds like the perfect break from life's demands. Wish I could get it for my mother. Hugs and love.
ReplyDeleteHi Vella! You know you are welcome to come down anytime, although with winter approaching, you and Karen may not want to venture this way. Hope to see you at the writers' meeting this week. Miss you.....and know how much you are missing your Mom. Love you! Thanks for stopping by :-)
DeleteThanksgiving is my favorite Holiday. Although others are special, there is something about the quiet and deep feelings this one generates.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and all the other authors a wonderful remainder of the year. It is such a gift to me supported. Doris
I feel the same way -- maybe, too, because it is generally less commercial and it's the time of year that seems to "fit" with it! Thanks for stopping by....have a great holiday, too.
DeleteGail,
ReplyDeleteI love this time of year, also, for many reasons, not the least of which is the cooler/cold temperatures.
And being thankful... Even during the most troublesome times, there is always something to be thankful for, it just may be harder to 'see'.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. *hugs*
Hi Kaye, yes, and this has been a stressful year for our country, unfortunately. Glad it will be resolved soon, although there will no doubt still be tension. We will have to ALL be thankful that we even have elections and a democracy, and be grateful for other things -- I love the cooler temps, too, and hope we have a snowy winter. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
DeleteCongrats on the new release, Gail. Always love hearing about your ranch life!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I feel quite blessed and would not change a day of my life for something "fancier" -- for sure..... Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteGail, what a wonderful post, and I always enjoy your pictures! Thank you so much for your very kind words about PRP--Livia and I started PRP with the idea of "paying it forward" for so many authors who had great stories but were being turned away from "The Big 6" publishers (at the time--now "The Big 5").
ReplyDeleteWhen you have it in your heart to do something for the good of others, for fun, for personal fulfillment--I think that's what keeps us successful and keeps our PRP imprints vibrant--and we can't do a thing without our authors and our readers. So I know from PRP, we are just so grateful to have our authors and our readers who keep our company alive and well and thriving.
An excellent post--so much to be grateful for in our world, and this is a great reminder!
Thanks for stopping by, Cheryl, and I mean every word of my post. You have provided a wonderful opportunity and we (your authors) know how hard you work behind the scenes. Much to be grateful for!
DeleteWhat a great post to read on the day before the election when we all face the task reuniting starting on Nov 9. Wonderful feeling to remember the things which are important.
ReplyDeleteYes, true.....I had Thanksgiving in mind, but giving thanks for what we DO have in this country should be uppermost on all of our minds. Thanks for stopping by, Sean! Hope the upcoming holiday is a blessed one for you and yours :-)
DeleteThis was such a beautifully written post with such heartfelt joy, Gail. I so enjoyed reading about your gratitude for living on your family ranch. I live vicariously through you.
ReplyDeleteAll the very best to you and yours.
Thank you, Sarah. I do feel blessed and the older I get the more I appreciate the simpler things in life!! Wish you and yours a great Thanksgiving celebration. Thanks for stopping by.
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