A little dreaming

we're more than halfway through the year

Jul 24, 2026

Hi, readers of the intangibles! I’m writer and educator Allison Kirkland, and this publication explores creativity, discipline and difference. Thanks for being here.

Our heirloom tomato plant in late June/early July.

Hi readers and writers,

I’ve just returned from a road trip to Kentucky to visit my in-laws. We drove from central North Carolina, past Asheville, through the Blue Ridge Mountains into Tennessee and finally reached Eastern Kentucky. It had been a few years since we made that drive, and I enjoyed it more this year, though I am not sure what was different about it.

On the way we listened to Paul Simon’s Graceland and Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks — two of our roadtrip mainstays. I felt held by the lush, sloping mountains and we passed old houses and farm stands and small lakes and rivers. We even stopped at a few scenic overlooks and dreamed up some future road trips that we’d like to take.

North Carolina has been experiencing a drought this summer, which is a new experience for me because last time North Carolina was experiencing a drought I was living in New York City. We have been advised to restrict our water usage — shorter showers; no watering the garden between the hours of 8 am and 6pm. We’ve still managed to grow some delicious heirloom tomatoes, and our newly-planted native pollinator garden is thriving despite the heat. But the air feels dry, and the lawns around us look parched. There is an anxiety in the air as we wait for rain, not knowing when it will come.

When it does rain I find myself stopping everything I’m doing to watch it fall outside, to listen to it against the roof. I feel like I am appreciating it in a new way.

Kentucky and the surrounding states have been getting a lot more rain, and it was evident from the lushness that we saw outside the car windows on our drive. It was a welcome sight. It was a little less humid in Kentucky too. There were a few short rain showers during our visit. My in-laws have a small backyard deck, and a few times I snuck outside during the rain showers to sit and let the light rain cool me down or to just listen to it patter against the leaves. It was so refreshing.

This week, back in North Carolina, the rain is falling again and the sky is overcast in a comforting way. If you’re reading this I hope you’re having a summer adventure and stopping to smell the rain.

Let’s dream:

We have moved into the second half of the year, and for me that’s always a time to reflect on the first half of the year and do some dreaming and intention setting for the remainder of the year. Instead of my usual writing prompt, I’m providing some reflection questions that I hope invite you to dream a little, to take some time to celebrate what you’ve accomplished this year and to begin envisioning the rest of your year when it comes to your creative practice.

Set aside some time, if you’d like, to give some thought to these questions. Maybe even bring a friend along for accountability — you can compare answers and learn from each other. Grab your favorite pen. Make it fun with a snack or your most decadent coffee treat. You deserve a moment to invest in your creative practice. Because we need your words.

These questions aren’t just for writers — they are for anyone with a creative practice. Send them along to an artist friend!

What has been your biggest writing/creative challenge this past year?
1. Why?
2. Has this creative challenge added anything to your creative life even as it has subtracted? Yes or no?
What’s your proudest accomplishment so far in 2026 when it comes to your writing or creative life?
What has surprised you about your creative/writing practice in 2026?
What’s your biggest creative priority/intention for the remainder of the year? Is it a particular project? State of mind? Relationship to your own productivity or work?
1. When you look back to January, has this intention changed over the past 6 months?
In your dream world, what kind(s) of support do you need to give more focus to that intention? Maybe this means setting new boundaries? Maybe it’s professional development. A coach? Nourishing yourself better? Moving your body. Asking for help? Rest? What’s the first thing that comes to mind? What are the top 3?
What does your ideal writing/creative life look like 3 years from now? Get specific here: what does this life feel like? Who else is in it? What does your day look like? Week? Month? Who is a part of your community?
1. What’s one small step that you’d like to take in the remainder of 2026 to move toward that dream vision of your creative life?

Want to share?

I’d love to hear about what you learned as you completed the reflection questions above. There’s no right answer!

Until next time,

Allison

the intangibles

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