After 2 long seasons of being closed because of COVID, Pine Mountain Observatory is reopening to public tours this summer. There is a change, however. Instead of being open every weekend, the observatory will be open two weekends a month.
That’s okay. There’s not much to see when there’s a lot of moon anyway. It was nice to see old friends and check out the new solar telescope.
It’ll be nice to spend a few nights under the stars, showing off the glory of the heavens to anyone who stops by my telescope. I knew I had missed giving star tours but hadn’t realized how much I missed the peace that the mountain always steeps into my soul.
It was nice to stand on top of the world again and breathe in all its beauty. Nothing brings a heart peace more than the bounty of nature.
Four months down in 2022. We had more snow in April than we did all winter.
Despite the schizophrenic weather, the garden is coming to life. I experimented with winter sowing and many of the seeds are sprouting. Some are not, but I’m trying to be patient. Patience is not my strong suit, however.
Our cat, Sarge, really wanted a playmate. So, Luna joined our family a week ago. I did not name her, despite the name being a good fit for me. She’s an older cat, but so is Sarge. She’s still hissing at him, though.
We started going into the office one day a week. This is a new job for me, so it was like the first day. I prefer working at home, but it was nice to meet some of my coworkers in person.
Pine Mountain Observatory will be opening for two weeks a month this summer. I plan on volunteering at least once. I need a stargazing fix. The orientation is in mid-May. It will be nice to see people I’ve volunteered with for years again.
The Afterworlds, Backworlds Book 9, is now 62,000 words. I’m happy with the progress and should be moving into the editing phase by end of August. Maybe sooner.
I’m also helping to organize an anthology. There are still open slots if you’d like a publishing credit. The theme is spring and fantasy. If you’re interested in some exposure with other published authors, let me know. You can email me at mpax at mpaxauthor dot com
My brain is percolating future stories. But first, I’m going to finish all the series I’ve started. Afterworlds is the last book in the Backworlds series (for now). Then in order, I will complete Rifters, Space Squad 51, and Hetty Locklear.
I have other plans for ramping up my author life and business, so be sure to stay tuned!
