Forging On

All school year long I wait impatiently for extended writing time--a stretch of days when I can put my head down and focus with few interruptions.  And now that time is here--theoretically at least.  While I wait to hear more about the fate of the Greek novel, I've been trying--with uneven success--to get my head back into my next novel--the one set in a New Jersey river town.

Lambertville, NJ

But summer--and serious writing--comes with its own pitfalls.  I may hypnotize myself into believing I'm on the top deck of a ferry pulling into Santorini, or wandering the charming streets of a small New Jersey river town, but my body knows otherwise.

So to fend off the Vitamin D deficiency and a bad case of the blahs, Andre, the dogs, and I went for a walk in Valley Forge...

...a green world where locals and tourists alike walk trails, ride bikes, and commune with ghosts.

Captain Von Steuben looks out across the fields

On other visits, we've opted for a deeper experience of Valley Forge, poking our heads into the cabins where various military heroes slept, or wandering the Revolutionary War museum, taking in the exhibits.

This time, though, we just skimmed the surface...

...guzzling fresh air and sunshine against the work week to come.