What is it about the Moon? by Nancy M Bell

To see my newest release Night at the Legislature click on the image above.

What is it about the moon that fascinates us so? I could spend hours just watching her swim across the sable ocean of the sky slipping through the constellations on her nightly journey. Songs have been written and poems composed, indeed even novels (although a lot of them are concerned with the affect the full moon has on certain shape shifters). There is something about moonlight that evokes magic in the heart and the imagination. Familiar sights take on new nuances when viewed through the lens of moonlight. 

The very fact that the daily tides in the oceans of the world are ruled by the influence of the moon is pretty darn amazing.  That an object floating in the vastness of space captured in the earth's magnetic pull moves literally tons of salt water is pretty magical to me. I know, I know, there is scientific information that explains this, but why get so bogged down in all that science speak when one can fill one's heart and soul with the sheer magnificence of the reality playing out before you as you sit on the shingle of the beach and watch the water creep up the shore little trickle by little trickle. Slowly filling the spaces between the pebbles while the magic fills your heart. Water is a living spirit, the earth's life blood. I often think how wonderful it would be to included in the unspoken communication between the waters and the moon's power to move it.

When I was a kid I would sit under the maple tree by the dock of our cottage where the warm night was a velvet ebony blanket around me and watch the moon rise turning the still water of the lake to shimmering ice with her light. In the complete darkness and silence that was filled with sound it seemed that anything was possible and that the stars were singing to to the moon as she journeyed. Later as I grew older, I sat on my horse in the Rouge valley and smiled as the moonlight woke ripples of ice on the Rouge River at the shallow Durnford crossing. So many small, but important moments in my life have been lit by moonlight.

The moon has always been female to me, regardless of the Man in the Moon stories, and the sun has always seemed male to me. The warrior as opposed to the healer. Both strong in their own way.   

I'm not sure I'll ever really figure out just what it is about the moon and it's light that inspires me and holds me in awe at the same time.   

Until next month, be well, be happy.   

 

Spring...It's Spring! by Nancy M Bell

 

To find out more about my books click on the image above.   

It's finally Spring here in Central Alberta. I know that on the west coast the trees are in blossom and the tulips and daffs are glowing. It seems Spring comes to different parts of Canada at different times for sure. In Southern Ontario the lilacs and tulips would be blooming by Mother's Day and the peonies wouldn't be far behind. Here, my peonies don't bloom until late June or early July. 

It's raining today on the dry dusty prairies. Which is cause for joy. It has been dry for so long, even the snow melt was whisked away by the strong winds. The top six inches of soil needs to be moist so the crops can germinate and flourish. In comparison to the growth of wheat, barley and canola my little garden worries are pretty tiny. Besides, I can water my garden, without irrigation pivots and a water source it's pretty hard to water hectares of grain crop. So today, I'm doing the happy dance for the rain and for Spring.

The Mayday tree in the yard has come fully leafed over the last week and the tiny flower spikes are waving in the breeze, soon to break out into white spiky florets that will attract the honey bees and the birds. Hollyhocks are  the first to brave the uncertainty of a Central Alberta Spring and they are raising their broad leaves to the sun and rain, fighting off the strong winds. Rhubarb is growing in the northeast corner of the yard which gets the most early sun in the year. It will actually be ready to harvest a bit soon. It will be so nice when the fruit trees here blossom and the lilacs by the house scent the air.

Birds are everywhere, fighting over seeds and nesting materials. And, I saw my very first Sandhill Cranes this Spring. They were migrating and I came across a flock of them twice. I had to do a double take as I assumed they were geese at first, but nope. Cranes! They sound different as well when they fly, but the ones I saw were earthbound scavenging in a grain field. I am so used to the sound of Canada Geese which is what I encountered at our old house. But here, the Grey Geese and swans go through and their voices are all different to my ears. 

So wherever you are and whatever stage your Spring is at.... Enjoy the transition from winter into Spring and the lengthening days. We are climbing the slope of Light up to the Solstice which is when we begin the slow slide back toward the longest night in December. Cherish your journey, because it is yours alone.

Until next month stay well, stay happy.

      

Rainforest Writers Retreat ~ A Little bit of Heaven

 

This is my latest novel. The first offering in BWL Publishing Inc's Paranormal Canadiana Collection.

I spent a few days in early March at the Rainforest Writers Retreat at Lake Quinault in the Washington Rainforest. It is a wonderful magical place and to spend 4 days surrounded by other writers and just soaking in the creative juices was amazing. It's a pilgrimage I try to make every year, but lately it hasn't happened as often as I would like. 

I fly to Portland OR and meet my dear friend. Then we road trip up to Lake Quinault where we meet up with the other writers who are taking in Session 3 of the retreat. Patrick Swenson (Fairweather Press) hosts the retreat which runs for 4 weeks in late February and into  mid March. It is such fun, chasing tree squids and enjoying the raucous Cabin Party on Saturday night. I usually managed to get in about 20,000 words, but this year I didn't have a ms on the go as my latest novel (see above) released on March 1. So instead, this year I took in more of the social aspects and didn't spend most of the time in my room glued to my computer. And this year I also managed to write some poetry. 

I got to be a bar fly on Saturday night- enjoying laughs and some new cocktails : Sidecars, green tea shots (which incidentally had NO green tea in it at all.)

I let the pictures speak for themselves.