The End

I recently published my first edited book,  Labor of Love: A Literary Mama Staff Anthology ,  with  Small Harbor Publishing . It's an anthology of writing from  Literary Mama  staff over the past 20 years. It's a beautiful collection and I am proud of the writers and proud to share the book.  It seems a fitting moment, as I pondered sharing about the book here on the blog, to reflect on my life as a blogger, and acknowledge that it is time to officially end this blog.   I started blogging in about 2007, when my baby was learning to toddle, when I was learning how to be a mother and stepmother, when I was just starting to see my way as a writer. I needed it back then. I craved it. I had a variety of blog iterations--family, art, creativity, writing things I delved into. There's a freedom in blogging, a casualness, an easy familiarity that's lacking (for me anyway) in other kinds of writing. I loved blogging and the words came pouring out.  Over the years since then, some
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New beginnings


Change rarely comes with ease.  We humans like to get all snuggled down into the comforts of our lives and stay put.  But today things are getting shaken up a bit.

It's back to school day where I live, and a time for new beginnings and renewed commitments.  I've got one kid starting high school, the other starting 1st grade.  The change to HS comes with excitement and anticipation, and a hope for new worldly freedoms.  While the change to first grade comes with lots of resistance and feet dragging, and a desire to stay put in the old comforts of home.

Rob too is at the start of something new.  After months of planning work, his Creative Constructions team is beginning construction on two new Ithaca homes.  Not to mention a creative undertaking of his own, that is in process at the moment, but truly delights him.

The school year for me as a stay-at-home mom and independent writer comes with mixed feelings; relief that we made it through the summer, delight that I will have some time to myself again, and sadness knowing that the school year will pass as quickly as summer did and my kids will be another year older and more grown up. 

While they all have their new assignments laid out for them this year, I have new and bright work that I assigned to myself, on the horizon.  I have started a collaborative blog with some local Ithaca writers and illustrators.  It's called The Artist's Words, and in essence it is a year long commitment to rediscovering my inner Artist.  The four of us will be blogging about doing the work of The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.  I am nervous about what I might shed in this process and what I might find under the rocks I overturn on the path.  But I am also deeply hopeful and excited to begin anew.

The old comforts of life are well worth it.  And at the same time the coming year will bring many unexpected things.  In it all I hope for cooler weather, thoughtful interactions with family and friends, new creative heights, stimulating educational possibilities, a bit of fun, and whole lot of peace.

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