After weeks of hot, sticky temperatures, sometimes reaching 100 degrees, and plenty of thunderstorms, the past week saw temperatures ranging from 68-82 degrees, mostly in the mid-70s. There was plenty of showers but no thunderstorms. The forecast for the upcoming week appears to show temperatures creeping back up into the upper 80s and a return of thunderstorms.
All week, we’ve seen a flurry of activity from the deer, with as many as six adults and three fawns at the same time. The fawns also seem to be venturing out on their own, as on several occasions, they were unaccompanied. It’s great to see them enjoying themselves!
The Detroit Tigers continued their losing ways this week, winning only two of six games. With their record now at 67-51, their hold on first place in the American League’s Central Division has dwindled to five games over second-place Cleveland. Hopefully, they’ll be able to snap out of whatever’s causing their doldrums and get back to their winning ways like when they led their division by fourteen games. Go Tigers!
“A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.” ― Dylan Thomas. Compliments of https://www.nicolemgulotta.com/blog/25-inspirational-quotes.
So who was born on this date in history? Let’s find out who in the writing world was born on August 10th, the thirty-second Sunday of 2025 and the second one in August. (Compliments of https://www.onthisday.com/birthdays/).
Philipp Nicolai, German Lutheran pastor, poet, composer and hymnodist; Leopold Zunz, German Jewish scholar (Science of Judaism); Abai Qunanbaiuli, Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher; John Scott Lidgett, English theologist; Lawrence Binyon, English poet (For the Fallen); Alfred Döblin, German Modernist writer known for “Berlin Alexanderplatz”; Panait Istrati, Romanian writer (“Adrian Zografu” cycle); Voranc Prezikov [Lovro Kuhar], Slovenian author (Samorastniki); Mikhail Zoshchenko, Russian author and satirist; Piet Bakker, Dutch journalist and novelist (Ciske the Rat); Curt Siodmak, German-American novelist and screenwriter (Donovan’s Brain; I Walked With A Zombie); Era Bell Thompson, American magazine editor (Ebony); A. N. Sherwin-White, English ancient historian; Angus Campbell, American psychologist (Elections & Political Order); Jorge Amado de Faria, Brazilian writer (O Pais do Carnaval); Alastair Mackie, Scottish poet and teacher; Barry Unsworth, English novelist (Pascali’s Island); Mark Doty, American poet and prose writer known for “My Alexandria”; Suzanne Collins, American author (The Hunger Games Trilogy); Cate Shortland, Australian film director and screenwriter (Somersault; Lore; Black Widow); and Ted Geoghegan, American filmmaker of horror and author.
Any names familiar to you? There weren’t any for me this week. Whether you recognize anyone on the list or not, if today’s your special day I hope you have a great one!
My Work In Progress
I’ve finished editing chapters in the manuscript of Harding’s Challenge: The Great Rebellion based on reader feedback. Now the real work begins as I adapt the readers comments into the original manuscript. There were another four new chapter reviews this week, bringing the total to 276. As always, plenty of feedback to improve the story.
Here’s another snippet:
General Grant relocated his headquarters to City Point, Virginia. He put out word he wanted an update from Finn. A week later, Finn received his written orders when he caught up with a Union patrol. He spotted Mosby and his men in time to warn the lieutenant in charge of the small encampment, saving them from capture.
Several days later, Finn rode into City Point and located General Grant’s headquarters at the home of Dr. Richard Eppes. He dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to a private. “Where can I find General Grant’s tent.”
The private pointed. “Over there, sir, on the east lawn.”
“Much obliged.” He limped in the direction the private showed him.
Two armed guards stopped Finn from entering the general’s tent.
Finn held out a sheet of paper. “I’m Captain Harding here to see General Grant at his request.”
The guards glanced at each other and stood aside.
Finn entered the tent. Spotting the general, he waited to be noticed.
“Ah, Harding. Glad you found my new headquarters. We needed to move as things aren’t going so well.” The general gestured toward a camp chair. Have a seat.”
“Yes, sir.” Finn limped to the chair and sat.
“Still having some trouble with that leg?”
“Yes, sir. It aches sometimes but it’s not stopping the performance of my duties.
The general nodded. “I see you’ve had some success in disrupting Mosby’s operations.”
“Yes, sir. However, he’s as slippery as an eel. Mosby never meets with his men at the farm. There is a tavern where he sometimes goes, although I have yet to see him there. The barkeep lets me know when Mosby and some of his men have been there, but they seem to melt into the countryside before I can locate them.”
“Understood.” Grant sighed. “Keep doing your best; that’s all I can ask. If the situation doesn’t improve, we might have to surrender to the Confederates and that’s something I cannot stomach the thought of.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
Finn stood, saluted, and left the tent, and headed back toward his temporary home at the Colton property.
***
Latimer stretched out his legs as he accepted a glass of bourbon from Jefferson Davis. “Thank you. This is just what I needed after the ride from Middleburg.”
Davis nodded. “Barnabas, I’m sure you can find any excuse for a drink—as do I.”
Both men chuckled.
Davis drained his glass and pointed to the bottle. “Care for another?”
“Perhaps later. What did you want to talk to me about?”
“As always straight to the matter.” Davis set his glass on the table. “I want to pull you away from Mosby’s Raiders. From all reports, we have the Yankees on the run. General Lee could benefit from you and your machines even more than Mosby. Your work with him produced excellent results as he’s disrupted numerous Yankee operations.”
“Yes. I liked his plan to harass the Yankees from the rear, he destroyed a fair share of supply trains. Spotting dispatch riders led to the capture of several Union officers. We certainly have tied a can to their tales.
“Exactly.” Davis nodded. “Now, I want you to provide the same support for General Lee.”
Latimer frowned. “It will likely be more difficult, but I shall do your bidding. When I supported Mosby, we were always within a day’s ride of the Oakham Farm, so the logistics would be stretched. If I can keep Amos and Lester with me, we should be able to help General Lee.”
Davis waved a hand in the air. “Of course.”
“When do you want me to join the general?”
“Finish up anything you have planned to help Mosby and then join Lee. According to his last communique, he should be at the Beasley House in Petersburg.”
Latimer nodded as he held out his glass. “I’ll have that second drink now. All this talk has made me thirsty.”
More next time.
This brings us to an end for another week. I hope you found something of interest. If you have any suggestions for a topic you’d like to read about, please let me know. Until the next time, thank you for reading and hope you drop in again.
© Copyright 2025 Randall Krzak. All rights reserved
