Christina Dodd's Stone Circle Rocks.
If you’re part of my newsletter friends or regularly visit my website or follow me on social media, you know that my husband built me … er, us a stone circle. Every year, we get up before dawn on the summer solstice, go out and watch the sun rise between the two key stones.
Inevitably, when readers find out about the stone circle, they ask questions, the main one being — after the solstice, what does one do with this massive monument for the remaining 364 days of the year?
In the winter months, we look at it from inside the house. We live in Northwest Washington state, we can see Canada from our front door, and it gets cold here. On the other hand, this year our family came up for New Year’s Eve, we built a roaring fire in the fire pit, and we wrapped up, looked at the stars, watched the fireworks in the valley, drank wine, made s’mores, hugged at midnight and wished each other a happy new year, and went to bed. Yes, you’re right, as a family, we’re pretty boring.
Was it cold? Oh, baby. We had just had a solid week of below freezing and ice crusted the stones.
In the summer months, our family is out there a lot. To pull weeds… No, seriously, we spend evenings around the fire, chatting, throwing woody lavender branches into the flames (we grow a lot of lavender), drinking wine and making s’mores.
Every other year my husband and I host my plot group (plot group explained) and my fellow authors and I invariably wander out to — you guessed it — the stone circle to build a fire, drink wine and make s’mores. (Don’t mess with the classics!) The photo shows Emily March and Susan Sizemore fencing with marshmallow roasting tongs while Nicole Burnham laughs. Plotting books is hard work; we enjoy our leisure time!
The other question I’m asked is — do you write in the stone circle?
Yes. I do. In the spring, as soon as it gets sunny and warm-ish (50+ degrees) I drag a chair out, sit down with my Alphasmart (old technology but it’s great for writing!), and work. No phones. No internet. The only distractions are the occasional dog showing up for a pet or bird landing close and warbling a song.
It’s times like these when I know I’m blessed. My wish for you is that you cherish your blessed moments, too, when you do those things you love — read, write, share time with your family and friends, or watch the clouds float overhead. Remember this lovely quote from Bertrand Russell, “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Sometimes we all need to remember that.
You can find out more about the building of the stone circle here. http://www.christinadodd.com/photo/st...
Take a video tour of my office and listen while I answer reader questions. http://www.christinadodd.com/meet-chr...
You can find my printable book list here. http://www.christinadodd.com/printabl...
Here is my “Books by Series and in Order.” http://www.christinadodd.com/books-by...
Join my mailing list. http://www.christinadodd.com/newslett...
You can find out about more about Alphasmarts in my Brief and Random Writing Tips.
http://www.christinadodd.com/christin...
Inevitably, when readers find out about the stone circle, they ask questions, the main one being — after the solstice, what does one do with this massive monument for the remaining 364 days of the year?
In the winter months, we look at it from inside the house. We live in Northwest Washington state, we can see Canada from our front door, and it gets cold here. On the other hand, this year our family came up for New Year’s Eve, we built a roaring fire in the fire pit, and we wrapped up, looked at the stars, watched the fireworks in the valley, drank wine, made s’mores, hugged at midnight and wished each other a happy new year, and went to bed. Yes, you’re right, as a family, we’re pretty boring.
Was it cold? Oh, baby. We had just had a solid week of below freezing and ice crusted the stones.
In the summer months, our family is out there a lot. To pull weeds… No, seriously, we spend evenings around the fire, chatting, throwing woody lavender branches into the flames (we grow a lot of lavender), drinking wine and making s’mores.
Every other year my husband and I host my plot group (plot group explained) and my fellow authors and I invariably wander out to — you guessed it — the stone circle to build a fire, drink wine and make s’mores. (Don’t mess with the classics!) The photo shows Emily March and Susan Sizemore fencing with marshmallow roasting tongs while Nicole Burnham laughs. Plotting books is hard work; we enjoy our leisure time!
The other question I’m asked is — do you write in the stone circle?
Yes. I do. In the spring, as soon as it gets sunny and warm-ish (50+ degrees) I drag a chair out, sit down with my Alphasmart (old technology but it’s great for writing!), and work. No phones. No internet. The only distractions are the occasional dog showing up for a pet or bird landing close and warbling a song.
It’s times like these when I know I’m blessed. My wish for you is that you cherish your blessed moments, too, when you do those things you love — read, write, share time with your family and friends, or watch the clouds float overhead. Remember this lovely quote from Bertrand Russell, “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Sometimes we all need to remember that.
You can find out more about the building of the stone circle here. http://www.christinadodd.com/photo/st...
Take a video tour of my office and listen while I answer reader questions. http://www.christinadodd.com/meet-chr...
You can find my printable book list here. http://www.christinadodd.com/printabl...
Here is my “Books by Series and in Order.” http://www.christinadodd.com/books-by...
Join my mailing list. http://www.christinadodd.com/newslett...
You can find out about more about Alphasmarts in my Brief and Random Writing Tips.
http://www.christinadodd.com/christin...
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That is a lovely tradition! Envious except of the freezing weather!!!♡
On another note. This solstice is a special one as it also brings a full moon. Think of the magic! http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essenti...