Bad News (stick it IRS) Good News (agented -please!) #23

Hard to believe it's been well over a week since my last installment. Getting ready for the writers' conference in Scottsdale and filing taxes ate up the time.

On that - first the good news. The conference had its highs and lows. The highs outweighed the lows. I have two requests from agents for my latest manuscript. I really want an agent. And one of them is my dream agent. I'll polish the first three chapters yet again and rewrite my synopsis before emailing it off...and then wait...and wait some more. Usually takes weeks to hear back.

Now the bad news - we owe taxes. This isn't a big surprise. We'd set aside some money because Minnesota taxes social security but we hadn't held out. Frank started taking his social security months before we moved. But wow! I mean wow! I hadn't expected it to hit us quite this hard with the deductions we had. According to Frank's calcs, the Feds gave us back $850. Minnesota wanted over $1700! Now let's heap on the bad news a bit more. We got our refund back within days and guess what? We only got $350. I'm crying here - well, not really but gasping a bit. Waiting for their letter so I can yell and scream. Not that it will do much good. IRS really isn't very flexible.

Blackberries - before

Blackberries now

Argh! Tuck that away and look out to the garden. I was gone four days (that's a story for next time) and in those four days, so much greened up and sprouted. Before I left, we were getting asparagus. We didn't plant it so this was a big surprise. It takes about three years from planting to harvest for asparagus. We didn't know they were there, which makes it very lucky that they weren't damaged when we cleaned up that part of the garden. They harvest daily so we have both purple and green asparagus about every other night for dinner. What a treat.

Green house success

Lance's lovely rows

There are all kinds of little green leaves popping up in the green house. To name a few: broccoli, cabbage, many kinds of tomatoes, dozens of herbs, artichoke, brussel sprouts, various beans, and lots of kinds of peppers. And there are more. Lance has planted several out in the fields too, (things like carrots and onions) but so far only radishes are popping up. We live on the windy side of Paulden - no, did not know that until AFTER we moved in - so seeding is a challenge. Those little bitty things blow around with the slightest gust of wind.

I'm excited that twelve of the twenty suckers I dug off of other trees are definitely alive. It will be years before they bear fruit, but I'll totally enjoy watching them grow - and keeping them alive. Many years ahead of worrying about frost and pests.

Fruit tree 3 months ago

A special thanks to the people who approached me at the conference in Scottsdale this weekend to tell me they enjoy this blog. I was surprised - what a great compliment! And to Kelly - gopher wars continue and thanks for your help.

Pear tree now!

PS - those of you who do follow my blog - would love it if you would click on "Join This Site". It's fun for me to see  how many are visiting on a regular basis.