Life in the city is sometimes so crowded, especially electronically, that I lose my ability to think–to think deeply.

I write this as sun filters through the blinds of my vintage trailer in the heart of New Iceland, and crows and songbirds celebrate the start of this next arc of the sun. It was cool last night, perfect for sleep. This morning’s coffee is hot, and an appreciated boost. My muscles, still not recovered from Wednesday’s leaf gathering (27 bags), ache from moving bricks yesterday afternoon. But it is a good ache. At this campsite I’ve fallen into my summer routine. Thinking through my fingertips at the dawn of the day, then campsite improvements, then a walk. It is all quite solitary, and, except for early in the day, unplugged.

Once upon a time in the days before social media, I would sit down at my keyboard and marvel in my ability to sink into story. The world fell away into a sort of dreamscape–when it was going very well–and I lived my characters, their fears, blunders, melancholy and joy. We can never go back, not that times gone by are ever as rosy as we remember, but we can evaluate and adjust our habits and their influence on self.

I’m lucky to have this space in nature, a chance to unplug, a return to thinking deeply, to that dreamscape of story.

Time to write.

I awoke to glorious swaths of colour glowing through the tree canopy. This is why I love it here so much–one of the reasons. It matters not that George didn’t make it by with that wire yesterday, which meant after a hard day of leaf gathering (27 bags) I had to clean up with a bowl of kettle warmed water, then wash my hair with icy blasts from the tap. I’ve convinced myself it was a beauty treatment. My hair is definitely oh-so-soft this morn! Glad for electricity. Not completely roughing it. I am definitely more of a “glamper,” lol!

Back to my work-in-progress for a few hours of creative work, then off to the city to celebrate a couple of birthdays. I am thankful it is an easy drive. There will be regular draws back to the city, but my plan is to stay planted here as much as possible. Hopefully with a working hot water heater.

This morning, my brain and the universe gave me a nudge. I awoke at 3:45, and after all my usual relaxation tricks failed to send me back to Nod, I moved to the sofa to avoid waking my honey.

About to drop off around 4:30, the phone rang. Skip-the-Dishes. They didn’t have the potato chip flavour I asked for but would something or other do for a substitution? Potato chips? Who? Sorry, wrong number. Click. Blink-blink.

Checked my Skip account. No, no mysterious middle of the night order I didn’t recall making. No ghost in the machine.

Relax. Relax. Finally…the edge of sleep.

BARK! Was that a bark? What dog barks just once in the middle of the night? Surely a dog outside for a middle of the night/early morning pee would bark only at something or someone that wasn’t supposed to be there.

Checked my doorbell camera. All quiet.

Relax . Relax. There is was…the edge of sleep.

Mumble-mumble. Was that a woman’s voice? Someone talking? Listen, listen. Nothing more. Checked the time. Honey’s alarm was about to go off. Phew! The night’s sleep wrestle was done.

Okay, Brain, you wanna play? Over the summer I’ve been lazing until 6 or 7 am. Time to get back to 5 am writing starts. Not 3:45, you hear me Brain? 5. Let’s write.

Happily ensconced at my camp site, I went for a walk this morning despite the chill temperature. Along a path there were berries not yet harvested by swarms of grackles, and rose hips. Rose hip sightings always bring to mind my Yellowknife author friend Jamie Bastedo. When our young family lived in that sub-arctic community two decades ago, he would gather those interested and guide nature hikes. While calling out “Hello bears!” to frighten any away, he shared anecdotes and showed us Labrador tea, cloud berries, rose hips, and more. I still can’t tell a cloud berry from any other, but rose hips are distinctive enough to stick in my increasingly unreliable memory.

Busy day ahead! After a little more work on my WIP, I will climb a ladder and get back to scraping and recaulking. Yesterday went well, though much of the silicone ended up on my work clothes. My handy woman work is just as messy as my first drafts.