Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Eagle Eye


Ok, first of all you guys are so sweet to leave such lovely comments about both Misty Belle and my daughter...thank you!!!




The past few days I've been working like crazy!  Not on decorating my house like most of you...oh how I wish, but on stories that are due very soon.




The crazy thing about freelance writing is that it's often feast or famine, and when you do get assignments they are often on a tight turnaround schedule, sometimes just a few weeks.

I don't really mind the tight deadlines because it gets me motivated, and if I have too long I will sometimes put things off.  So when I'm in the zone for writing, I really do prefer to just keep at it until everything is done and sent off to the editor I'm working with at the moment.




What it does mean though is that everything else gets put on the back burner.  I don't reply to emails, except work related ones, I can't do my usual blog reading, and worst of all I can't vacuum the tumbling tumbleweeds of dog hair floating across the floors in my house!

Ok, that last part about not having time to vacuum is a bit of a stretch, I mean I could vacuum if I wanted to...but I like to use the ole' I'm "on deadline" excuse!  Eventually even I won't fall for this ruse though and I'll have to get this place shipshape and ready for Christmas, but not until I'm done with at least 2 of the 3 stories I need to write.




I may not have time to vacuum, but I did steal away from my computer for a few minutes to snap some photos of Mr. Eagle who was visiting our big dead tree today.  We haven't seen much of the eagles since one of the big branches they liked to perch on broke off in the wind.  Today, this one decided to land on the osprey nest.  It's funny, the eagles never go inside the nest, and up until the branch broke recently, they wouldn't even stand on the nest...they aren't too fond of osprey, either the birds themselves, or apparently even their empty nests!  But I was happy to see him fishing and standing on the nest today.  He had his eagle eye on me the whole time and I'm pretty sure he was saying "hey shouldn't you be working young lady?!"  What a nice eagle to call me young right?!

The other person keeping their eye on me is my daughter, yes that sweet looking one in the pictures in my last post.  She has decided that we need to go to a Scottish Walk up near DC this weekend, since we've recently discovered some very strong Scottish heritage on my side of the family, so she sends me emails every so often reminding me to write, write, write!  I told her I would have to wait and see if my stories were done before committing to come and spend the weekend with her, but she's not taking any chances and is keeping me on task so that we can go to the parade.  She assures me that it will all be worth it, this non-stop writing marathon I'm on, because there will be a 50 foot Loch Ness Monster float in the parade.  Now who wouldn't try to get their work done in order to see that?! *rolls eyes*

23 comments:

  1. You must not miss Nessy...so write!

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  2. I'm just catching up on my blog reading. Love your Christmasy header, and the eagle photos are breathtaking.

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  3. What gorgeous pictures!!! You are so lucky to have eagles land in your yard. I've only seen then once or twice and they were gone before you knew it. It is always such a shock and pure delight to see them. Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to share them with us.
    Cindy

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  4. I don't have any deadlines or anything, but I need one! I feel like I am going in circles with this decorating for Christmas thing. We have things on the weekends, so I don't know when to buy the tree, nor when the husband will put it up. I'm not crazy about decorating the house until the tree is up annnnnnd...I haven't put away the fall stuff! Woe is me! I keep telling myself it will get done but in making the rounds of Blogland, every one seems miles ahead of me!

    Well...I don't have to write anything so I will wish you luck and let you get at it. I love the pictures of the eagle. Wow, we get excited when we see a hawk! Gorgeous pictures!

    Enjoy your week, Kat!

    XO,
    Jane

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  5. Yes, daughters can
    be extremely motivating!
    Pen to the grindstone,
    Kat!!!
    xx Suzanne
    PS: WHAT a bird!

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  6. Quit blogging and stay at the task on hand. Daughters can be fun and also a pain in the you know what. Try to go and have fun.

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  7. Wow, the photos of the eagle are amazing! We recently discovered we are Scottish on my side, too!

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  8. You did this photos????!!!!!! You are BIG !!!!!
    Have a nice month!!!Kisses -Ag

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  9. These photos are gorgeous! The last one in particular is really beautiful, you can see the feathers on his head! Good luck to you on your deadlines, your daughter is right to keep you on track. How could you stand to miss a 50 ft Nessie?? Kat

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  10. While you two are at the Scottish Walk, be sure to wave and cheer loudly for the Greyhounds!! Greyhounds Rock will be marching, with as many dogs as we can muster, to bring more awareness to the cause. I, however, will be a guest at a Rose Society banquet on Saturday, so I will miss the fun. Take some pictures for me.

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  11. Hi Kat, what beautiful photos of that eagle! I know what you mean about freelancing; I'm an independent special education consultant for school districts and even though I can pretty much make my own schedule, there are deadlines to meet due to state laws that can make some periods of time very very busy. I'm working on making sure I schedule things so that I can make the yoga class and gym every week. But what I love most is having a day when I don't have one thing scheduled - then my creative side can come out and play. By the way, try to make that parade in DC - it sounds like you will come home with a wonderful memory. Ciao, bella!

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  12. How beautiful!!.. love these photos. And your header, Kat - gorgeous.

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  13. Now there's an incentive to write and get it done--do NOT miss the Christmas walk in Old Town! It is a blast and very merry and guaranteed to put you in the spirit, even if you aren't one of the merrymakers along the route sitting on their front steps with a mug o' mead to warm yer cockles.

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  14. Kat, those eagle pictures are just awesome!! What a beauty that eagle is!! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. It's Bald Eagle season up here, as the huge birds arrive to feast on the last of the salmon who returned to spawn. The Turkey Vultures will be next and then the cycle will be finished for another year.
    Gorgeous shots!

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  16. The pictures are worth any delays in anything! UNBELIEVABLE!!!

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  17. Three words: Fifty. Foot. Nessie.
    Keep writing :0)
    Love,
    Your favourite daughter.

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  18. I saw this yesterday and meant to leave a message. Wow! We have Osprey close by, but I have never seen an eagle. What a treat.

    Good luck with your writing and congrats. Sounds great!

    -Rene

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  19. what an opportunity for you to capture him on film (or her!)

    so nice to have found your blog.
    xo+blessings,
    Anne Marie

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  20. Love the pictures! He is just beautiful!! Now get to work my dear, I would LOVE to see a float of the Loch Ness Monster and I know you do too!!! :)

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  21. Kat,
    1. Your daughter is beautiful.
    2. Misty is darling.
    3. Your header looks terrific!
    Have a wonderful day!

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  22. One-third done - fantastic! That's one-third closer to going to the Scottish parade. You really need to go because now you've got my curiosity up as to what on earth it is about - so - write, write, write young woman!

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  23. An eagle always trumps work! A 50 foot Nessie probably is right up there too! xo ~Lili

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