Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. I can’t believe it’s May 1st! Last summer, when we came up with this crazy idea to sell everything and tour the country, we mapped out tentative plans for nearly an entire year. I wondered then if spring would feel like spring in different parts of the country, and I didn’t just mean the weather. In the springtime, I’ve always felt a sense of personal renewal as the flowers bloomed and the leaves turned green. I felt like I was coming out of hibernation right alongside the natural world, blinking at the sun, stretching my brain, and waking up. Next to fall, spring has always been my most productive time, and I definitely feel that renewed sense of energy and creativity while on the road. Hopefully, that will continue to hold true.

2. “There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachel Carson

3. A few highlights from Texas… It’s, well, big, and we’ve only seen a fraction of it this go around. We’ve spent most of our time in and around Austin, mostly because we love the city. There’s so much to do here including enjoying fantastic food, music, and of course the BATS. I love the bats. They shoot out at dusk looking for tasty snacks, and they eat between 10 and 20 thousand pounds of insects every night. Thank you, bats! Flexibility remains key as we encounter things like Texas storms. When large hail, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes were predicted, we drove about 120 miles west to keep well out of the way. The drive turned out to be beautiful. We’ve made a note to spend time in Texas wine country on our next visit. There were miles and miles of vineyards and tasting rooms, and after that, ranch land as far as we could see. The words that came to mind as we made our way through the countryside were vast and rugged. We’ll definitely be back.

4. I’m buying new cowboy boots tomorrow, because when in Texas!

5. A final reminder that I’m teaching another Zoom webinar for the ARIA Writing Academy titled ‘Editing: Soup to Nuts’ on Thursday, May 11th at 7 pm EST. A well edited manuscript can mean the difference between a book that’s ready for the world and a document that sits in a drawer collecting dust. If you’re ready to tackle your edits, check out this class. Here’s a link to the full course description and registration: ARIA Writing Academy.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Our itinerary, subject to change:

May 1-5: Austin, TX

May 5-8: San Angelo, TX

May 8-15: Carlsbad, NM

May 15-22: Albuquerque, NM

May 22-29: Santa Fe, NM

May 29 - June 2: Alamosa, CO

June 2-10: Colorado Springs, CO

June 10-18: Granby, CO

June 18 - July 5: Central City, CO

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

July 15-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA