We helped out at the local Arbor Day event with our 4-H club (WE LOVE 4-H!) and learned all about planting trees in this incredibly difficult land. Our little section of Montana sits on a massive ribbon of granite, so our soil is made of decomposed granite and is tough to dig in. But thanks to our local Forest Service and Arbor Day reps, we learned all the tricks!
Do you notice anything different about this view? If you read my previous post, you might notice those leafless trees are missing. Don’t worry, they’re still on the property, just down the fence. We transplanted them to make room for five baby Colorado Spruces. One day they will be big enough to help block the wind that sweeps up our hill, but for now, we’ll just admire their cuteness. Notice the snow in the photo? Yeah, we’ve had a few little snowstorms these last two weeks. Still haven’t put away the gloves and snow boots. Welcome to Montana, I guess.
From the writing end, I sent PREDATOR out for another round of betas. What is a beta, you might ask? It’s short for “beta reader,” or a courageous yet judgy reader willing to review an early draft of your story and tell you everything you did wrong. Many an author has fallen into the pit of despair after receiving feedback from a beta, yet it’s a crucial step in the writing process. I prefer to swap beta reads with other authors, so while PREDATOR is being torn apart, I get to wreak my own judgmental havoc on my cohorts’ work. Not much writing this week, but I’ve had the privilege of reading some great stories.