Hibernation

Apparantly winter makes me feel the need to hibernate. Since the big snow fell weeks ago I haven't gone anywhere. Haven't really done much of anything. I've barely even turned on my computer.

There's something peaceful about being surrounded by snow. Having nowhere to go. Cooking on the woodstove. Adding wood to the fire. Making paths in the snow.

It's quiet save for when the kids get cabin fever. But it's okay, they can go out and go sledding. Or shovel. Or make forts.

I will have to get some writing done soon. I can't let the snow totally take over my life and lull me into a state of total whiteout bliss. Today I am making a start. I am starting to come out of hibernation.

A Reminder

We had to travel to our local shopping mecca yesterday--okay, there are three major stores there, it's a mecca for these parts--because our generator went wacko. It started running super fast and the power surged through the house brightening things beyond capacity. There was some popping, some sparks, perhaps a little panic, but everything was okay. Living with alternative energy adds a new element to life.

Anyhow, we toodled along on our skinny, two lane highway for about thirty miles. Then someone flashed their lights at us. We slowed. We drove on. We wondered why this person had flashed their lights at us. Then we came to a group of cars. I looked at the truck and the woman waving her hands. Across from her was a small car on it's side. A bit further ahead was a Suburban in a ditch. An old man was wiping blood from his face. There was no police, no ambulance.

We stopped. I stayed in the car with my little one. We talked about what was happening and he didn't seem to notice much, except that his preschool teacher was one of the other people there that had stopped to help.

It took a long time for the authorities to arrive. I was worried that the old man was going to fall over. I was worried about his wife sitting in the Suburban looking so very in shock. I was wondering what was happening with the people in the little smashed car.

My husband helped take care of the people in the Suburban. He reassured them as they waited for the ambulance. He lifted the tiny woman from her car when it came time to put her on the board. He helped carry the man and woman across the ditch and into ambulance. He wanted to help the people in the small car. Unfortunatley, my husband saw his first two dead people yesterday.

It's a reminder to do the things that are important now, remind the ones you love how you feel about them, life life to the fullest.

My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

Since it's Thanksgiving I'm going to post my favorite Thanksgiving recipe. I need to think of a cool name for it, but for now it's called Berry Yam Bake.

Combine: 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup oats 

Cut in: 1/3 cup butter until mixture is coarse crumbs.

Toss 1 cup of the crumbs with 2 or 3 cubed sweet potatoes and 2 cups fresh cranberries. Put in a greased casserole dish and top with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. You need a good topping to sweet potato ratio. 

Not Feeling It

I haven't felt like posting lately. Maybe it's because I was gearing up for promotion of my book and now I get an extra year. Maybe it's because I was trying to do nano and found that it wasn't my style. Or maybe it's because I have been waiting on a requested rewrite. I don't know.
I did write a new story yesterday. It's about a mouse and a seed. Sounds original, eh?

A Toast to Winter

Today is the first day of winter. At least it's the first day of my winter. It's been snowing and blowing since last night. Here we go...

Sliding down the driveway in the car, wheee! Walking miles when the snow gets too thick to drive through, yay! Freezing my butt off...today I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt, a sweatshirt, a long, thick sweater, and Uggs(pants too of course); and that's in the house.

So here's a toast to winter. Fill up your eggnog and raise a glass. Hey, I see you over there! No spiking, we've got at least five months to go.

Winter, you are beautiful, fun, and we love you, but why do you have to be so hard?

Author Visit!

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to get to meet a fabulous author, Susan Fletcher. She's written numerous novels including The Dragon Chronicles trilogy. Our library system asked Susan to tour schools in our region to coincide with our "One Book" program which featured her book Dragon's Milk. I was delighted to be the librarian that got to show her around and introduce her to the school. Yay!

Susan's book, Dragon's Milk, is the story of Kaeldra, a misfit of sorts, who finds she has special powers. She can speak with dragons. And she must, for if Kaeldra cannot bring dragon's milk back to her sister, Lyf will surely die. Trouble begets more trouble and Kaeldra finds herself in a battle to save the draclings.

Dragon's Milk is exciting, on the edge of your seat reading. It's great to see a smart, strong herione taking on all sorts of dangers and doing things she doesn't dream possible. With the action and circumstances, it's a good read for boys too. I can't wait to read the other two books in the series.



Susan got to meet one big fan, for sure. And yes, that fan belongs to me. My daughter was so excited when she came back to the library after school and got to meet Susan. She waggled her little fingers and said "hi" in a little tiny voice. So cute.

I, of course, was outed as a children's book author by the school librarian. I just can't seem to keep that under wraps around here. Susan was super nice and we talked about blogging(if you're blogging you're not writing, people!) and scbwi and conferences; and I was sad to see her go. It's not too often that there's another children's book writer around.

P.S. She said she wrote her picture book, Dadblamed Union Army Cow, in three weeks! Three weeks! I feel like such a slacker.

Bedtime Monster is Online

In the Raven Tree Press catalog