91热爆

Usually I can write my way through "Writer's Block" even if I only pound out a measly page or two. I've learned not to walk away and quit because then I lose the thread and it takes weeks, even months, to get back into writing. I don't know if that's the same with everyone who writes? But that's me. Just the other day I was telling Erlend that this is literally my work! I am working - and being very disciplined so I can get this book finished. I have coffee breaks and I go for my daily walk and I work with my calf and sheep but the majority of my time I'm typing away! I have to admit, sometimes it's really really fun and other times it's drudgery. Like now, when I have writer's block haha!

This weekend I am going to give myself some time off because I've been working at this book like an Iditarod wheel-dog for months. (http://www.iditarod.com/)

Today's the sheep sales so we will still be doing something productive hehe! We hope to buy about fifty sheep. I hope to get some photos if the camera will work!

Even during the drudgery days I'm honestly having the time of my life writing this story! It's a folklore fantasy set way way way back in time in Orkney and I'm weaving as much of the local myths into the story as I can. I've come under criticism along the lines of, "That will only sell in Orkney!" but you know what? I'm not writing this book to become rich and famous. I'm a hopeful Story Teller. (Take it or leave it, that's fine by me.) Yes, story tellers are compensated to a certain degree with money or food or what not. That's to be expected seeing as how it takes time to tell a story - or in this case, write a book! If I somehow by the grace of God (and maybe an act of Congress?) get this wacky book of mine published, I don't care if it doesn't go much further then the shores of Orkney. I'm writing because I want to tell a story.

I think the most difficult part about this book is the research - I'm an incomer so these myths and place names are not familiar to me. I have to admit, I'm nervous because I do not want to slaughter the Orkney dialect and I do not want to make a mess of the local folk lore. Being Native American I understand how much you must respect them. It's not cool to trample on anyone's culture or heritage!

The only reason I'm setting my book in Orkney and utilizing Orcadian mythology is because I live here now. This mystical beautiful place is my home. It is only fitting that this story, which has patiently waited inside of my mind while I was busy at University (and therefore couldn't focus on writing a book!), should find itself brought to light in Orkney! All that I can hope for is that I can tell it in such a way that Orkney does not reach out and slap me!! "Bad American! No biscuit!"

Steer Training News: My calf Jiggy is bonding with me in leaps and bounds! I just returned from a training session and you won't believe this: Jiggy let me halter him while he was lying down!! It gets even better: I squatted next to him and he was totally relaxed and loving all of the scratches I was doling out. He allowed me to scratch his throat! Imagine the trust required to allow me to rub my hand up and down his throat! I was also able to cup his chin and lift his head. He wasn't thrilled about that but he didn't make any move to get up and run away. Finally, I gripped his hind legs several times and he did nothing. So I gripped and lifted his hind leg. Nothing. I gripped, lifted and held his hind leg up in the air about six inches and...? Nothing! He didn't care one bit!

He's still nervous when I walk up to him when he's on his feet but I must say we are making lots of bonding progress! Whenever I brush him or scratch him he licks my boots and legs - a great sign!!

My friend Frances was just giving me instruction on how to walk up to Jiggy so that I do not come across as agressive and it worked very well - he didn't run away as much. I'm still learning him that he is not allowed to touch me with his head for any reason. As soon as his head so much as brushes against me he gets a shove and a scolding! (Cattle shove offenders away with their heads. They are very picky about personal space.) This is vital because cattle use their heads for communicating everything and I can't have him rubbing me or butting me when he's bigger.

My first attempt at teaching Jiggy to walk forward with the halter and the lead rope was a total disaster! No amount of poking, bumping and poking his backside with my driving stick got him budging so much as an inch. He just stood there and stared at me like, "I'm not going anywhere, lady!" I'm going to have to rethink this and re-read the training books so I can figure out how to get him moving - he's growing bigger by the day!!!

Here's to oxen! Hip, hip HOORAY!