September surprises

I feel like I sat down to write this month and never came up for air but that's not entirely true! I also took a little trip along the Michigan shoreline, watched the youngest kid play football, did some hiking, washed some windows, tidied the garden (a little), and read a bunch of books. September's page of my calendar only had 4 empty days because in my infinite wisdom, I scheduled a slew of healthcare appointments and started a new season of volunteering at church on top of the football games, prepping for UntitledTown, and tutoring at the literacy center.

Things I accomplished thus far:

1. Bought a fabulous cocktail dress for bonus son's wedding AND found a reasonably comfortable pair of silver shoes to go with it

2. Reached 55,000 words in my new book project (a mystery set in Yellowstone National Park)

3. Cleaned out the fridge and pantry

4. Fine-tuned 2 workshops for UntitledTown (Story Stars for kids, Character Issues for adults)

September provided me with exciting surprises when I powered down my laptop and left my desk. One morning I swung by the Little Chute Public Library. Last month I discovered Old Habits Die Hard on their "NEW MYSTERIES" shelf. Imagine my pleasure to find my book was not there because someone checked it out AND they'd procured a copy of Dropped Like a Bad Habit! Asking public libraries to carry my books helps more readers discover them, so huge thanks to whoever took the trouble to get my work on this shelf!

You bet I gasped with joy when I saw this!

It's wild out here where I live, and we've always had scads of turkeys, but they typically keep their distance. This month this flock decided to do us a solid, however, and make the rounds performing pest control. Three mamas and thirteen little ones roam our yard from dawn to dusk, pecking and picking all the bugs in the grass before flying up to roost in the trees for the night.

Bonus: they do this service FREE OF CHARGE!

Since it's fall, the deer are on the move. This one stood and watched me come way too close to it while I was hiking the other day.

I won our game of chicken, BTW

There are mushrooms a-plenty this season with all the rain we've had. These fellas looked as charming and twee as any I've seen, but I only take pictures, never bites, of wild mushrooms.

I half-expected fairies or at least a frog to appear when I crouched down for a closer look.

Your turn, reader! Spill it! Tell me about your accomplishments, discoveries, or surprises this month!