January's gone!

Here it is the last day of January. We have had to have the drive plowed six times this month. Whoever makes predictions said we were going to have a mild winter. Not so far.

We've had eighteen turkeys (seen above from my back window) coming to feed on sunflower seeds. Last week they were going into full display mode with tails fanned and plumage fluffed at my kitchen window which is quite low to the ground. They saw their reflections and thought there were intruders come to eat their seeds. They cackled and pecked the window and even bumped it hard enough I thought the glass would break. I've had to shout at them to get them to quit.

My organization month has been discouraging. I've sorted a few files but haven't finished all I wanted. But, I have accomplished a few things. I'm in the process of painting my bedroom floor. Couldn't stand the carpet any longer and didn't want tile. Any carpet with seven cats is a bad combination. You say get rid of the cats. Yes, I know... too many cats.

My second big accomplishment has been teaching myself HTML and CSS. I've redesigned my web this blog, and the Cadillac Garden Club site. So far just basic plain design right now, and I've more pages to re-do. The Art and Science of CSS just arrived in the mail with more about navigation, photo galleries, background images, etc. I want to do something a little more graphic on each site.

I have seeds started under lights for my summer garden. I love growing perennials from seed. Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes not, but it is cheaper than buying full-grown plants. I have Papaver (Iceland poppy), Dianthus, Thymus (mother of thyme), Helenium, and parsley started. In the fall I started a large planter of herbs and couldn't understand why they never came up until I found one of the cats laying in the pot sunning himself under the lamps.

New Book now on sale

Fantasy with romance elements, now available Wings ePress
This is a sequel to the Magic Aegis world and a prequel to Acceptance although written out of order.

Tyna is Kissre's sister. Where Acceptance gave Kissre's story, Change is Tyna's. After her mother's death Tyna, who has always been warned not to expose her special mental gifts, finds the temptation to take her trader's caravan into Cygna irresistible. Once there she finds she won't be permitted to leave.

Excerpt:

The flaming brand heavy in her hand, Tyna took two steps and thrust the short length of wood into the carefully built structure. Dry kindling quickly ignited. Like a replay of the life it consumed, the fire remained hesitant at first. Small nascent flames crawled in pale transparent lines along pine branches to crackle suddenly with the energy of young life. Air caught and twined the glowing currents in endless possibilities and eddies that eventually whipped into a crescendo of radiance, engulfing the pyre. She imagined she saw her mother writhing within, as she had before the fever claimed her. The image was so strong she nearly called out.

“Your mama is now at rest.” The cleric patted her arm and left.

At rest? Mama never rested. She caught herself up, hearing Naomi’s curt reply to calling her 'Mama'. “I am Naomi, owner of a caravan and mother of two girls, but still myself. You will call me Naomi.” Her words backed her strong Kernite belief that the Holy One was everyone’s parent; his followers were all brothers and sisters, meant to work together but maintain independence. Tyna murmured an answer to her memory. “I am sorry, Naomi, but you will always be my Mama.”