Catching Up to Spring

Leaves have appeared on the mesquite tree across the wash. They are bright, almost neon, next to the trees still catching up to spring. Desert evergreen creosotes buds have presented—from small orbs, fuzzy balls, to miniature yellow flowers, the first of many budding cycles throughout the year. The palo verde trees sprouted tiny little leaves. Then there was the juvenile rattler encountered by Superspouse down by the mailbox Wednesday night. The desert fairy duster butterfly bush has one bloom. The pyracantha’s waxy leaves are coming in.

On the inside, I find I am still catching up to spring. Don’t get me wrong. I look forward to it every year, even with the pollen. I search for outward signs of spring everywhere here. Today I captured the “berries” in the China berry tree, also known as a Texas shade tree, with my phone camera. Somehow, I forgot their beautiful purple buds from last time. The vitex bushes, the ones that bloom very cool lavender flowers, now have baby leaves. The desert is catching up with spring. Even though ours are bred for this climate, I’m praying the irises will bloom this year. It will be 95 degrees today.

Getting Personal

Like gaggles and herds of authors, I am a private person, though I am open to select close family and friends who are chosen family, framily. We’re told to let people get to know us, that readers want to know us better. I’m not convinced. I believe you want to learn more about the characters, when the next book will finally be out, and less about me. But, just maybe you do. . . .

Knackered—that is my personal chapter title for this spring. Mom and her declining health always ride tracks in my mind, heart, and spirit. My friend Sarah calls it walking grief. The losses of two strong, beloved men, and one’s sister, who were very important to me, from both sides of my family, have evoked singular, distinctive grief.

Gratitude and love radiate from my center to my beautiful, extraordinary, colorful family and friends, including those I met for the first time at the celebrations of life in Missouri and Texas. Additionally, I extend special thank yous to Nurse Carmen and Mom’s assisted-living nursing team at The Timbers, plus the St. Croix Hospice nursing, music therapy, and specialty care teams. You matter, always.

Did you know grief with ADHD is extra? Me neither.

Keep On Truckin’

If you are living with grief, with or without ADHD, please “keep on truckin’,” as we said way back when. Pause, don’t stop. Rest, reset, regroup, reach out to framily and professionals, re-gather the goodness, the colors, the flowers of life, and keep on truckin’. Let’s catch up to spring together.

P.S. Yes, I am still writing Winter Soulstice. Love and gratitude to my accountability buddies to whom I text random word counts.

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Meta-Normal

You—readers, listeners, reviewers (on Amazon, Good Reads, etc.), gifters and donors, book sellers, librarians, and those of you who request Andersen Light: A Meta-Normal Novel be carried at your library and/or bookstore—make a meta-normal difference Andersen Light’s success. Thank you for posting and sharing on your social media. Thank you for sending me photos of lighthouses for inspiration. Every act of today’s version of word-of-mouth, which may seem small to you, makes a huge difference. You make a meta-normal difference in this world, and I am grateful for you sharing and shining the light. I appreciate you.

Welcome

Welcome to Andersen Lighthouse and Mystic Creek (fictional Oregon town) on behalf of myself and the entire cast of characters. Thank you, new and current meta-normal readers and listeners, for reading, listening, writing reviews, and sharing Andersen Light: A Meta-Normal Novel with your friends and family.

Check out my posts about the characters and more on my social media. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky

Let’s Connect! You’ll get exclusive content, plus hints and reveals about Book 2.

Learn more: See Lighthouse History, Preservation, and the other note pages at the end of https://tanyaddawson/com/books.