The State of the Ficcery: June 2021

Word Count: 32,885

Reading/Listening: I have started on audiobook Book 3 of The River of London series. I am starting The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie in audiobook, narrated by Hugh Fraser. Physical bookwise, I am also making my way through The Best of It: new and selected poems by Kay Ryan, poetry, and Guilty Creatures, an anthology of animal mysteries from the British Library Crime Classics. I had a couple more borrows on online library system so I started Antidote to Venom by Freeman Wills Crofts.

Writing: The big goal was getting the Unconventional Courtship fic done. July is Watson's Woes month, so that's what ahead. I also want to make some progress on my Gen Bingo prompts.

Personal: I've been posting more personally during the month, so not much to say. I am trying to keep the boys busy (worksheets, library visits, lots and lots of books--seriously we max out our 60 borrow limit almost every week--crafts, visits to the pool, this week 3 hours of gymnastics camp in the afternoon, puzzles, Midsomer Murders, and game time). The boys' father has been gone for about 2 weeks and will be gone 3 more. The rock tumbler goes 24/7. We are in day 5 of Stage 2 (of 4). It reached 106 F (41 C) yesterday. I am so, so glad I pitched a royal fit and got the boys' father to fix the A/C in my car before he left.

Poet's Corner: When Fishing Fails by Kay Ryan

When Fishing Fails by Kay Ryan

"Your husband is very lucky," observed Smithers,
"to have ornithology to fall back upon when fishing fails."
— Cyril Hare, Death Is No Sportsman

When fishing fails, when no bait avails,
and nothing speaks in liquid hints
of where the fishes went for weeks,
and dimpled ponds and silver creeks
go flat and tarnish, it's nice if
you can finish up your sandwich,
pack your thermos, and ford
this small hiatus towards
a second mild and absorbing purpose.

Persiflage by Kay Ryan

Garden serpents
small as shoelaces
are found in
side lots and
grassy places.
Green coat
striped with yellow
makes the garden viper
a dapper fellow.
Birds mock
and children chase
our minor adder
thinner than a pencil.
Born sans puff or rattle
he counts on persiflage
in battle. Before
his flippant tongue
children stiffen,
dogs fall like beef cattle