Sliding toward December means launching the new tale for tweens I’m cowriting with Rosie Russell is just a few weeks away. We started collaborating on Just Between Sam and Me in February 2018, and we're over the moon to share our book with you at last. Read on to...

• Catch book buzz about Just Between Sam and Me already arriving from Midwestern Book Review
• Watch the video book trailer
• Take a photo walk of this writing journey

​
Stay tuned for our Dec. 2 launch, with links to your fave print and digital booksellers posting here on Cat’s Corner and across social media.

Early Buzz about the Book
​

Rosie Russell and I
are over the moon
about the fab feedback from Midwest Book Review (MBR).  

Our full review
will be featured in MBR’s December issue.

But you can have a preview of Diane Donovan's review now!

Book Trailer
​

Discover more about the book!

Click on the
90-second ​book trailer
to preview Just Between Sam and Me.

Kid-sized and Customized

​​Rosie and I want Just Sam and Me to engage kids
and help them understand
how they can help prevent bullying.

We didn’t want to overwhelm them
with an intense, text-heavy book, either.  

North Carolina artist Irene A. Jahns
sketched charming pen-and-ink scenes
​ to bring our small-town America setting to life.
​
Her art also gives kids a sophisticated respite
​from absorbing text on every page.
​

​Skipping Star
​

Feline over Equine
​

​Journaling to a Cat
​

Sam evolves into
Olivia’s confident and comfort 
​as she pours out her heart to him
​ in her journal.
​

​​
These 13 journal entries to Sam were super-fun to write.

The journal also allows us
to insert  age-appropriate
punchy visuals and language,

so kids

have fun

​reading!

 
​Rosie and I are beyond grateful for your company
over these past months
as we’ve worked to bring Sam and Olivia to you.
​
If you enjoy our book trailer
and learning more about our writing journey,
please
share this post with your friends. 
​Thanks!
​

​
​Y'all come back on 2 Dec 
when Just Between Sam and Me debuts.

Available in print and digital
Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble and Kobo.

Details posting here
and on all our social media sites.

See you soon! ​

​What do these
adult and children’s book titles
have in common?

The Girl Who Drank the Moon 
Serafina and the Black Cloak
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Giver of Stars
The Martian
Where the Crawdads Sing
How the Light Gets In
Little Fires Everywhere
Something in the Water
The Language of Flowers
​

​They all have a rich sense of time and place. From the Quebec village of Three Pines to Mars and North Carolina’s Biltmore Estate, the authors’ stories have you feeling as if you could jump into the pages of their book.

As a reader, I’ve always been drawn to books with strong settings. As a writer, I want to give my stories a vivid backdrop, too.
 
My last book for early readers, Sweet T and the Turtle Team, has a beachy, summertime vibe on the North Carolina shore near my home. My newest book for tweens co-written with Rosie Russell, Just Between Sam and Me, shifts to small-town America in Rosie’s home state of Missouri.

​I have memories of this part of the world – attended college outside Kansas City; spent my first years teaching nearby – until I moved south for warmer winters.
 
Join me in a 6-minute, deep dive video behind the setting of Just Between Sam and Me. I'll show you how Rosie and I bring the sights and sounds, tastes and textures, of our setting alive for young readers.

​
​Then meet my cowriter, Rosie Russell, in her Missouri home, as she reads aloud a chapter from Just Between Sam and Me.
​

 Your Turn

Thanks for visiting Spring Hope with Rosie, Sam, and me. What books with strong settings do you love to read? Please share in the comment section.

After months of lock down and more pandemic days looming, Hub and I longed for somewhere to escape. But the destination had to be affordable, Covid-safe and within a 3-hour drive from our North Carolina home.
 
Could such a place exist? YES! 
 
Join me on a photo walk of my safe-distancing expedition to an old-timey fishing cabin near the small coastal town of Shallotte, NC.

​ 1. The Hunt
​
I search online for places outside populated areas
but close enough to fun spots to explore.
(tbh...browsing vacation rentals
has been one of my greatest, safest Covid escapes.)
​ I book only with super hosts,
​who receive stellar reviews for their communication and housekeeping.
Oh yeah, and provide strong wifi, too,
so I can continue writing my stories.

We visit around holidays and other off-peak times to keep costs down. Many hosts offer discounts for weekly rentals, so we discover lovely homes we couldn’t afford otherwise. 

Traveling with travel kids?
Many homes have kid-friendly amenities,
​like bikes, board games and corn holes. A few even allow pets for a small fee.

2. Bring EVERYTHING

Thanks to Covid, our trip requires a trunkload of supplies.

Our gracious host assures us of a stringent cleaning regimen, but Hub and I carry our own wipes, linen, towels and pillows.

​The cabin is sparkling clean when we arrive, but we open windows, make the bed with our linen and wipe down surfaces just the same.

3. Room with a View
​
We're desperate for a change from looking at the same four walls 
during months of lock-down. 
We seek places off the beaten path
with amazing views.

Our cozy Shallotte cabin along Sauce Pan Creek 
belonged to the owner’s great-grandfather. 
It was his fishing cabin back in the day
before Brunswick County was “discovered”
and developed as a coastal paradise.

Located off a dead-end country lane and down a dirt road, 
we’re surrounded by trees and the salt water creek. 
​We don't see a soul during our stay.

 4. Have Food, Will Travel!
​
A fully-stocked kitchen is another must for our Covid escape.
Our cabin is fab for cooking meals and dining in.
Only a few miles from groceries and restaurants,
we still pack the cooler from home with breakfast, lunch, and dinner staples.

But we can't pass up a few take-home meals from amazing local seafood places.
We feast in picnic splendor on the deck.
Plus, we want to support small businesses and restaurant workers.

6. Keepin’ it Safe
​ 
We stay out of the action during Covid, though not too far.
A pleasant 10-minute drive down country roads deposits us by the nearest beach, 
Ocean Isle Beach (or OBI, as locals call it).

 The it's just a breath-taking jaunt over the bridge
​and across the Intercoastal Waterway to this barrier island, 

 
Signs posted all around before we hit the sand
​remind us to be cautious.

​We visit during off-peak times.
Arrive by 10 am or early evening
to avoid crowds and blazing heat.

​We have the place to ourselves. 

Gulls screeching
Sea breezes cooling
​Shore birds scampering
Shrimp boats catching
HEAVEN!

Hub and I splash in warm waves
and walk for miles on sugary, hard-packed sand.

Growing up along the Connecticut coast,
I have salt water in my blood.

The ocean is my happy place.

 7. Delight in the Unexpected
​
The best part of a Covid escape is wandering into 
delightful unexpecteds
that come from being in the moment
and discovering the wonder of every day things.

I collect shells for my fairy garden.
​
​Hub shows me a starfish before waves claim it.

Sooooo excited!
​
We discover

three

sea turtle nests!!!!!
​

One of these days,
I'll get lucky
​and time my beach excursion with seeing a sea turtle's nest boil.
I long to watch the babies flipper over the sand 
along a sea turtle highway to the ocean.

We miss this hatch by just one night.
Maybe next time.

I don’t realize how stressed I am
until this ocean escape
​brings me back to
gentler times. 

I finally relax.
Soul restored.
Feeling better
​about handling
 what's ahead
​ for our world.

#Thankful
​

​​
​With so many people
out of work
or battling Covid and its fall out,
I am
beyond grateful
for this getaway.

Thanks for
your company.

I hope
this photo walk
​ offers
*you*
a slice of calm
in this turbulent world.

Photos: Cat Michaels
Illustration: Irene A. Jahns from "Sweet T and the Turtle Team"

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time when adults and children from across the nation—and around the world—come together with the powerful message that bullying should never be a part of childhood. 

Today's post highlights five ways you can stop bullying and includes...

• A personal story about how bullying affected my family and set me on a new writing direction
• Tips for opening the conversation about bullying with your child
• Excerpts from Just Between Sam and Me – the upcoming book for tweens I’m co-writing with Rosie Russell 
• Convo with Bookworm for Kids about social bullying themes in Just Between Sam and Me

And one more cool thing! Scroll to the end to download your FREE first chapter of Just Between Sam and Me.

 I was in the pit of despair.

My sweet 8-year-old niecelette, B, had been bullied at school by two girls in her third-grade class. She cried continually and was anxious just thinking about school. My heart sank. I wanted to support her, but I didn't know what to do, feeling powerless living 500 miles away.

Fortunately, her teacher and parents stepped in immediately to stop the bullying. I still wanted to learn more about how I might help as a writer. I turned to research and asked friends to share their experiences and wisdom. And soon a book idea was born.

I share my five biggest take-aways from that research.

​
1. Be Persistent
High school teacher T advises being relentless: 
Keep asking questions to the school, to the parents. Don’t let this slip through the cracks.

​
2. Intervene Immediately
R observes from her years as a substitute teacher in elementary school: 
It takes the students, school, counselors, teachers, and parents to nip it in the bud as fast as they can. The longer it goes on, the worse it will be for all of them. I'm sure you are reassuring B. That's what she needs the most right now.

​

3.  Show Zero Tolerance
As an auntie, I didn't want my niecelette or any child to be the target of bullying. 

As an author, I dreamed of writing a story for tweens that a delivered strong message –  bullying in any form is never ok.  

Just Between Sam and Me centers on shy 11-year-old Olivia, who only wants to read her books and tend to her farm animals. But Olivia feels like a social outcast when mean girl Candace turns on her.

Olivia starts believing the cruel taunts about her are true, so she is ashamed to tell anyone about the harassment. Small, constant jabs, like those in the excerpt below, erode Olivia's confidence and self-esteem.
​

4. Look for the Upstanders 
Rosie and I sprinkle elements of mischief to lighten our content for kids and bring hope. Olivia’s bestie, Isabella, often takes on this role as she demonstrates how to be an upstander and stop bullying in its tracks, as in the following excerpt:

​5.  Talk with Your Child
Pacer.org – founder of the National Bullying Prevention Month movement – offers guidance for parents in opening a conversation if they suspect their child is being bullied.

Acknowledge your own feelings first:
Parents may feel a range of emotions, from anger to fear and sadness. These reactions are natural for parents who want their child to feel valued, protected, and loved. To be an effective advocate for your child, it's important to work through your emotions before developing an intervention plan. 

When you’re ready and have your emotions in check:
Listen without judgment and remember that children may not be ready to open up right away. They, too, are dealing with the emotional effects of bullying and may feel insecure, frightened, vulnerable, angry, or sad. 

When children begin to tell their story:
Listen and avoid judgmental comments. Learn as much as possible about the situation, such as how long the behavior has been happening, who has been involved, and what steps have been taken.

Encourage your child to talk:
Let them know they are not alone and emphasize.... 

• It is NOT their fault. They are not to blame.
• They are NOT alone. You are here to help.
• It is the adults’ responsibility make the bullying stop.
• Bullying is never okay, and they have the right to be safe.
• No one deserves to be bullied.
• They deserve to be treated with respect.
• They have the right to feel safe at school.​

Cowriter Rosie Russell and I stop by Bookworm for Kids for convo with author/blogger TJ Drecker. We talk about our research on social bullying for our book for tweens, Just Between Sam and Me.

Learn more and  join us HERE.
​

Meet Olivia and Candace.

Find out who Sam is
(he's not who you might think!)

Download your
FREE Chapter 1 of
 Just Between Sam and Me
HERE

Book arrives at your favorite bookseller
2 December 2020.

Your Turn
What’s your experience with bullying? What tips can you offer to stop it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

You'll find that in-depth discussion on Carol Baldwin’s blog 
HERE 

Plus, when you click over to Carol's blog,
you can enter a giveaway. 

One lucky winner
will receive a FREE advance copy of 
Just Between Sam and Me.
Book giveaway ends 21 September 

btw.... Miss part 1 of our co-authoring convo with Carol Baldwin?

Visit my YouTube channel to catch us in a video convo
about how Rosie and I began our writing partnership. ​
​

Covid’s got us locked down and staying close to home. But imagination can take us anywhere. Are you up for a literary Photo Walk? All the way from summer’s green-drenched country roads in North Carolina to autumn tints in rural Missouri? 
 
Start your journey in Carolina with me to fetch the perfect cover art for my newest tale for tweens, Just Between Sam and Me, launching 2 December 2020. 

Then click over to Midwestern countryside for cowriter Rosie Russell's blog at the end of this post. She's got a sweet cover reveal video just for YOU.

btw...more book cover art fun for you with links at the end
... animated book cover vid from Auden Johnson in the Big Apple
... slow build reveals using images from Sandra Bennet from Down Under.
​

Cowriter Rosie Russell and I
virtual-brainstorm cover concepts for weeks
for our new book for 8 to 12-year olds.

We want the perfect image
to engage young readers. 

We nail our back cover quickly ...

​... but
​the front image remains elusive.

Eureka!!!!!
We finally find that consummate image!

Artist Irene A. Jahns is on it.

Days pass
until it's time for me to fetch Irene's cover rendering
at her family’s farm 
30 miles from my North Carolina home.
 
 Blazing heat and stifling humidity
on this summer morning.
​
AC cranked high in the car,
I speed along the highway 
until it siphons off onto two-lane roads
snaking between towering stands of kudzu that blot the sky. 

​
​
​Argh. 
Despite my trusty GPS,
​I miss the turn. 

I circle back
and bounce down the dirt lane
 to Irene in the farmhouse ahead.

​
We agree on a Covid safe-distancing spot
​ to talk and exchange the cover. 

Best.
Art Hand-off
​Location.
​EVER!

​​We sit opposite each other on pool chairs.
A third chair between us keeps us 6 feet apart.
​Irene spreads her drawing pencils and canvas
on the empty place between us.

Two black farm cats nose around to see what’s up.
After all, our titular SAM is an orange tabby.
​
Maybe those real cats sense a kindred spirit
​ with our fictional feline [wink].

​

​​As Irene and I discuss finishing touches,
art-challenged me watches 
​as she adds her last strokes. 

​I’m fascinated by the textured canvas.
It lovingly laps up Irene's watercolors.

Dabs of color here.
​
A few drops of water there
  from a kitchen water glass
swished onto her brush.

The cover comes to life before my life!
​
How does she do that?!?!?!? 

Half hour later,
the completed canvas drying and protected in my car,
I’m speeding home.
​
​Can’t wait to send Rosie a snapshot, 
and
deliver the canvas to our graphic designer, 
who will work her magic
turning Irene's watercolors into our cover. 

​
And we

​can’t wait

to show that finished cover to

YOU! 

Ready to continue your literary blog cruise?

Meet Rosie Russell next in Missouri
and catch her cover reveal video for 
Just Between Sam and Me

It will be a cool autumn afternoon when you arrive.
Rosie’s waiting for you on the front porch. 

Rumor has it
she may serve up
her famous country-fried steak
if you want to stay supper.
(It's our main character's fave meal)
​
Hope you enjoy our cover 
and
​Midwestern hospitality 
with Rosie Russell.

Click HERE
to continue your blog cruise. 

More Book Cover Art Journeys  

 My #Gr8Blogs writerly pals from around the globe have fab book cover stories, too. Check 'em out below! 

...   animated book cover creation vid from Auden Johnson in the Big Apple HERE
...  book image series builds cover excitement from Sandra Bennet from Down Under HERE

YOUR TURN
Are you art-challenged like me? To be honest, I was terrified I’d smear Irene’s watercolors before our graphic designer, Kayte, could work her magic to convert the original canvas into a high-resolution jpg cover. 
 
Or does drawing come naturally to you? Is painting or coloring-in a relaxing outlet for you, especially during Covid-19? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

​I thought I knew about co-authoring a children’s book when I started writing Just Between Sam and Me with Rosie Russell 17 months ago.

Hah! 

I learned a ton since we began collaborating on our tale for tweens. Co-authoring can be an exciting adventure. It can also be a nightmare if you don’t find the perfect writing partner as I was lucky to do with Rosie.

​
Join Rosie and me as we kick off a four-part series about cowriting in conversation with my fellow Tar Heel author, Carol Baldwin. This week, Carol talks with us in a video segment  about how we entered into our partnership ... a task more challenging because Rosie and I live 1,500 miles apart and met in person only once. 

We also share tips o Carol's blog after the video to ensure your writing collaboration succeeds before you write a sentence. 
​

​Hey, if you post a comment and drop your email on Carol’s blog, Rosie and I will send you a link to a free download of the first chapter of our new tale for tweens, Just Between Sam and Me. How cool is that! (offer ends 9 September 2020)
​
 

Ready to join us? 

Click below to Carol’s blog
for our convo about starting a co-authoring project.  

P. S. Come back 17 September to explore more in part 2 of this conversation.

​Rosie and I discuss how we manage nitty-gritty details of our collaboration 
– from collecting royalty taxes from authors living in different states
to file-sharing and writing roles
– and navigating bumps on the co-authoring road.  

Yep.
Another giveaway for one lucky winner, too.

See you in September!

Book nerd here. Freely admitting that books are my best friend, especially in a pandemic. Now more than ever, they help me cope and escape the headlines.

To celebrate Book Lovers’ Day on 9 August in Coronaville, I channeled covid-fueled frustration into a cringe-worthy new RAP – Really Awful Poem – telling how books have been my lifeline in 2020. Have a read, maybe a giggle or two, but only if you dare. It's really awful!

Hey, please be sure to scroll to the end for more bookish fun:

* Watch the RAP from this post as I step waaaay out of my comfort zone in my first narrated YouTube video. 
* Find more love book from California to New Zealand and everywhere in between with my awesome #Gr8Blog pals as they celebrate Book Lovers' Day, too.
​

A Bibliophile's RAP (Really Awful Poem)
to Celebrate Book Lovers' Day
Covid 2020 Edition

by Cat Michaels
with deepest apologies to true poets everywhere

Covid’s got my head in a spin.
Makes me feel our world cannot win.
 
Everywhere I look –
Fright, anger and despair.
So I turn to books to escape outta there.

Nothing fancy.
Nothing deep.
Only pure escape is what I keep
​

Chick lit ...
   Beach reads ...
      Or light fantasy.
​Anything to make my heart
do a little dance-asy
 
Maybe even some happy-ending science-fiction!
Truly, anything gentle 
to take my mind off our global affliction.

Sometimes I download digital
on my tablet to read.
But mostly it's audiobooks
that fill my need

​So I turn up my buds
and
I’m spinning away.
Off to faraway places I'll play.

​   I might be on a sunny beach in Nantucket.
Or roaming English countryside, 
picking wildflowers with a bucket.
 
Doesn’t matter where.
just places Covid-free, please
for breaths of sweet germ-free air!
​

How I yearn to stand close,
with ease and no resistance.

And
​no more
virtual chats
or
bloody
social-distance!

​Out of time.
Can’t think of more to rhyme.
​
So I’ll close and just say,
​
"Wretched Corona Virus, 

​you GO AWAY!”

But lastly, the most important part.
It comes with passion 
and straight from my heart.
​
To everyone, I plea:
Let's stick together 
and make this
wretched pandemic flee.
​
* Stay well 

* Spread kindness

​* Wear the mask

​* Join the vax'd

Please don't forget!
​
Check out my YouTube channel below
to hear me narrate my Really Awful Poem.

It's my first RAP recording,
but you already know it's really awful, right [wink].

​

Even more book love for you ...
​

Carmela Dutra
How a chance encounter with a mystery novel
turns a book-hating teen into a bookworm

Julie Schooler
Three paradoxical takeaways
from Brene Brown’s self-help books​

Sandra Bennett
Characters in a book are like friends

Auden Johnson
Best horror tropes in books and movies

Rosie Russell
Fun facts, quiz and book giveaway

​

Your Turn
It's hard to stay upbeat in this marathon pandemic that's been going on too long.

​How are you staying positive during Covid? Are you reading more or less these days? What genre/kind of books draws you in?  How might books help you cope? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Rosie Russell and I have been working for weeks to come up with a knockout title for the children’s book we’re co-authoring for kids ages 8-12. Join us for an inside look at our quest as we announce our title in a one-of-a-kind video reveal.  (Think two authors attempting a video for the first time in a pandemic from 1,500 miles away.)
 
Plus, we have a bonus for you at the end of this post ...your exclusive FREE preview of our first chapter. It’s our way of saying THANKS for your company!

You’d think coming up with a title for a children’s book would be easy.  

Nope.  
 
My co-author Rosie Russell and I wanted something catchy to attract young readers in grades 4-6.  The title also had to hint at our story and characters without giving away too much.   
 
It was hard to move forward some days as the crush of pandemic fears blocked my creative mojo, but Rosie and I kept working in lockdown. As we polished our manuscript, we bounced titles back and forth in our respective writers’ rooms near Kansas City, Missouri, and Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1,500 miles/2,400 kilometers apart.
 
Our first choices were already used in other books or song titles. We kept searching. Brainstormed a list of nearly 100 possibilities. Used an online title generator. Asked our critique group and beta readers for suggestions.
 
After two months, we finally have a title that hits our sweet spots.
 
Rosie and I reveal our title in a 4-minute video.  (Yep, I'm in my glam shaggy quarantine hairstyle, so please be kind about my Covid styling -:D.)
​  

​Chapter Preview
​

As our way of saying THANKS!  .... 


Rosie and I are offering our readers an exclusive *free* preview of the first chapter of our book.  

You'll meet our characters named in the title (they might not be who you expect!) and explore their surroundings in Rosie’s corner of the world … the American Midwest.  
 
To get your complimentary Chapter 1 sneak peek, click the link below for your pdf download on ProlificWorks.  


Preview available only through 15 July 2020

*********************************************************
SPOILER ALERT!  
Stop reading this section and skip to the end if you want to be surprised
about the title and Chapter 1
*********************************************************

• What do you think of the title?  (Feel free to nom us for an Oscar for first film by clueless vid production authors <wink>).   
•  Did you suspect the identify of the titular Sam?  
  
• Was Sam who you imagined? 
  
• What do you think about what's going on just between Sam and the unidentified Me? 
  
• How was it for you exploring the book's settings in Rosie Russell's corner of the world? It's quite a change from mySweet T  settings on the North Carolina shore.
• Do you think the first chapter is enough of a hook to keep kids' turning the pages? ​

*********************************************************
 SPOILERS END HERE
*********************************************************

​Your Turn

I’m glued to the headlines these days but step away when the news gets too intense, which is every day.  My family, faith and writing keep me grounded.  And connecting with readers like YOU fuels my writing journey. Beyond grateful!

I'd love to know your reaction to the title and first chapter. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

How are you doing in Coronaville? Hub and I have been self-isolating since February when he came down with what we know was a common cold. After long months hunkering inside, our state’s stay-at-home mandate lifts. We decide it's time to explore.

Escape with me on a photo walk around beautiful Symphony Lake, home of the North Carolina Symphony's summer concerts. Some people have a higher risk tolerance for venturing into a pandemic. Not me. I share five ways to stay safe as you enjoy outdoor public spaces during Covid.
​

​1.  Know Before You Go
​

Keeping it 100 here: I am nervous heading beyond my home during a pandemic,
so I review recommended health precautions and scout nearby locations.  

Hub and I decide on the town park
​with a greenway that wraps around Symphony Lake.
​ It's just a 10-minute drive away.

​






​The park's 1.5-mi/2.4km greenway  
passes Covid-deserted office parks
and the outdoor amphitheater
​where the North Carolina Symphony
​normally performs its outdoor summer concerts. 
But not this pandemic season.

Hey,
how do you like my
Covid Chic style <wink>?

​We prepare for our trek with ... 
water bottles
masks
hats
comfy walking shoes
a dab of sunscreen
tissues

​Living in a metro area of 1.2-million stay-at-home-fatigued people,
we leave early on a weekday morning
to avoid crowds and ensure 6 feet of separation.  
If the parking lot is jumping,
​we’ll head home.  

Score!  

No crowds.  
Just a few other walkers, moms with kids in strollers and a sole fisherman. ​

​2.  Get Lost in the Moments

It is beyond wonderful 
to walk outside once more in warm sunshine
on a beautiful summer day!  

​Catch the sweet honeysuckle?

​​Or delicious scent
​of  those dainty white Silverberry (Elaeagnus) blooms?
​

The park's wildlife
miss seeing their humans.

The Mallard family waddles over to say hello.

Mama turtle waves a flipper as she climbs on her loggy perch.

Even a shy heron lets us get close.

3.  Delight in an Ordinary Day

Oops!  
​Watch your step!

​I hate goose poop,
but
​ I don’t mind it today. 
 
Reminds me of when I yelped a few naughty words
and hopped around droppings
​back in olden days BC - Before Corona.
​

4.  Chill

We talk for awhile,
but my sweet introverted Hub
needs some quiet time.
​
​I don't mind.

​I find my bliss ...

Stopping to capture moments of this glorious day with my phone.

Tuning in to sights and sounds of the natural world.
Yep, I still hear everything
despite earbuds
plugged into my John Grisham audiobook.   

Because I've missed being in nature during quarantine ..
​Everything is louder.
Everything looks more vibrant.

​
See (and hear) for yourself
in my Symphony Stroll video

5.  Repeat

Wow!  
We finish the greenway loop! in no time.
Tempted to stay longer, but we want to keep our visit short. 
​
Hop into the car and take off your gear.  
​There's hand sani in the unlikely event we touched anything evil.

Aren't you more energized? A wee bit lighter in your soul? 
Feeling like I can return to my writer's den
and polish the final manuscript
of my middle-grade tale in a heart-beat -:D.

Thanks for your company.
I'm ready to stroll again soon! 
​

Your Turn

I cannot wait 
for the day we can be in our fave outdoor places 
without fretting about Covid.  

Have you ventured out of your Coronaville boundaries?  
Where have you gone?  
What tips can you offer to make an adventure safe and fun? 
 Please share in the comment section.