Holly trees are in bloom.  The air is tinged with the wonderful scent of holly flowers.   





The flowers don't last long at all, maybe a day or two.  They're constantly raining down from the tree as they fall off.  But there are many buds, and they don't all bloom at once, so that stretches the blooming period out a bit.  The pollinating insects are all over it, creating a nice background buzz.

Something else has started to bloom, too:





Looks like I was right about that mystery weed.   

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackberry

Looking forward to picking some fruit at some point.

I agree. I have very tender feelings for my characters. After writing multiple books in one series, I have trouble remembering that my favorite continuing character in those books is not a real person. And that the town I invented does not exist, either.

I try to create attractive people, although their physical attributes are not the main attraction. Their hearts are, and if the story goes the right way, there's a bloom to their union (or one might say their communion) that radiates back at me. I tend to fall in love with how the characters in my stories are loving to each other, if that makes sense.

As it happens, I just e-mailed my beta reader saying I hoped no one checked my browsing history to learn I was looking for a plant-based poison that would kill quickly, and what symptoms to look for.

I've been in love with the hero in every one of my romances. Which makes me book-to-book fickle, but I can't imagine being able to write that kind of story without the emotional investment.

Reservation Dogs - Surprisingly good. 99% Tomatometer - 91% Avg. Audience Score

Following the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma who steal, rob and save in order to get to the exotic, mysterious and faraway land of California. To succeed, they will have to save enough money, outmaneuver the methheads at the junkyard on the edge of town and survive a turf war against a much tougher rival gang. This first-of-its-kind creative team tells a story that resonates with them and their lived experiences -- and invites audiences into a surprisingly familiar and funny world.