Pony Up, Ladies.

I'll start with my word count-- just get that right out of the way. Day 6: I have 3,874 words. I'm not worried, though. I've calculated that I could have zero words today and still finish on the 30th, if only I keep my daily average to 2,000 from here on out.

It's been slow going the last week, for sure. Many fun things to distract me in Maine, but somehow they had a way of circling around to remind me of what I want to do. Like the time when we were hiking Great Head, and we came across the ruins of a tea house that one of the robber baron's daughters built. Watching and listening to Josh and Treat explore it was like my novel idea come to life. Cool.

Then, my brother offered to read my writing out loud to me while I was cooking dinner. THAT was kind of a revelation. Hearing my words in someone else's voice was good. I understand now that I provide a lot of the voice in my own reading. What can I do to ensure it's in the writing, too? His comments were also interesting. He brought the perspective of an avid reader, and while complimentary, he had some editorial suggestions, as well.

Lastly, we climbed Sargent Mountain this year. It's a long, hard hike up and down is challenging, too. I love that mountain, though. It's the one I can see from the bedroom window of the house we've stayed in the last three summers. It's also the second highest on the island, and the highest one that is only accessible by foot. A few hundred feet below the summit, there is a pond, and you can swim there, if you want. Again, only those who have climbed the 900 feet to that point have the privilege to take that dip.

The route we chose goes around Jordan Pond and then starts up along a brook through the forest. It's steep and slippery on the rocks and roots that make up the trail. Oh, my legs and knees complained as we started climbing. It had been five years since I'd last done this hike, and I was feeling it. There is a point, though, in every climb, or ride, or paddle, or run, where, if you've kept at it, you realize that it's not so hard to keep going. Just one step after another, and before you know it, you're at the pond, and then you're striding across high granite ledges, where the hot sun and the warm rocks are a perfect balance to that cool ocean breeze, and the view would be worth twice the climb.

I'm hoping that the JuNo project will be like that, too. It sure has been slow and achy to begin with, but I want to stick with it.

How about you guys? Word count?