Update #4 - June 2026

 I finally finished chapter 5 (The Druids' Island), which takes Gwion to Ynys Mon to watch a bardic initiation. The main reason this chapter took so long is because it is a sort of jigsaw puzzle using material from four of the Storyteller books. Linking the pieces together, editing them, and filling in between them took considerable work. The next chapter, when Gwion turns fourteen and becomes one of King Arthur's bards, should actually be easier because I have no pieces to fit together; it will just be straightforward writing! 

After a couple of delicious days of thunderstorms and rain, we are back with highs in the 90s again. Now we have to endure July. My tomatoes are flourishing, with lots of little green tomatoes now. Once they start getting ripe (usually by Lammas) I should have all I need for the rest of the summer. I have seen the first couple of morning glory blossoms, the scarlet runner beans are blooming, and I was visited yesterday morning by three juvenile blue jays and their mother, all squawking loudly! It's summer.

Update #3 - June 2026

 The last few days, rather than proceeding with chapter 5, I've gone back to chapters 1 through 4 to do some editing. I'll get back to chapter 5 soon; it's almost done but needs editing. Then forward to chapter 6, which will have some new material. This should be interesting. It will be Gwion's coming of age at 14 and becoming one of Arthur's bards.

Weather has been going up and down between warm and too hot. Still no rain, although it sprinkled for about 5 minutes today. Some of the tomatoes are setting, but most are still just blooming. However, most of them are growing like crazy.

Update #2 - June 2026

 Still working on chapter 5 bit by bit. I hope to get it finished, more or less, this week. This book will take as long as it takes.

The weather is jumping back and forth from cool to warm to hot and back again. I have to water things daily. The tomatoes are flourishing, with some setting tomatoes; the cherry type called Sakura has about a dozen already. The marigolds and basil are also doing well. I still need to move most of the geraniums out of the garage; maybe Tuesday morning as I have a vet appointment for Mulberry tomorrow. It's definitely summer weather, but still very dry. No lawn mowing anyway.

Update #1 - June 2026

 Once more, only a little slow progress on chapter 5, once more folding in bits from Neirin's Dark Path in The Ash Spear. Slow progress is better than none at all. The latter part of the chapter will include a story Taliesin told Gwernin in The Well of Wisdom.

Hot weather the last couple of days - 90s. I don't care for July weather in early June, but next week should be a bit cooler. The tomato plants are blooming, and most of the beans have sprouted. Tomorrow should be cooler, and I can pot up the basil plants and the last of the marigolds, then start the geranium migration to the cold frame.

A little wildlife excitement earlier in the week - on two early mornings, Ruay caught two small half-grown rabbits. They didn't seem to be hurt, so I relocated them to other yards. May they be well!