AWOL for the Last Couple of Weeks...

This is my "excuse for being AWOL for the last two weeks. I have been living in "interesting times", as the Chinese say.

First, the plumbing backed up, roots in the drains with accompanying exorbitant bill.

Next, lightening struck near the house, throwing all the breakers, overloaded the computer's adapter, discharging the computer's battery, frying the phone line and the computer's modem. I tried flipping the breakers. Nothing happened. Hence, called the electricians, who came and flipped them making them work and also leaving exorbitant bill. Why the circuits worked for them and not me... go figure.

Ordered new adaptor for computer. Wrong one came in. Called the manufacturer..."Why don't you try the old one again since it's been sitting for a week." Hey, it worked! But, no dial tone... modem fried. Modems in laptops can't be replaced because they are part of the mother board. (**&^#! Got new external modem, with its accompanying exorbitant bill. Worked in the shop. Got home and hitched 'er up. ERROR! Black screen of death. Called computer shop back. "We're sorry, but he's gone home for the weekend." (^%$#!

Took the computer and external modem back to the shop yesterday morning. Everything worked fine. I tell you that inanimate objects are out to get us!

Then after all that, a tree limb, weighing several tons, falls on my office/studio/carport, and I have that to repair and pay for.

The last 15 days have definitely been "interesting". If I disappear again, it's because I can't pay the phone bill. On top of that, I have over a thousand e-mails staring at me. As I told one of my friends, "This has been one of those time when I've thought of the verse in the Bible where it says, "In all things give thanks, for this is the will of Christ Jesus concerning you." Well, as I stood there looking at the destruction, I said, "God, I just want you to know that it's taking all the faith I've got to give thanks, so please show me something to be thankful about." I am so thankful that He has a sense of humor because lightening hasn't struck me....yet. LOL

"Interesting" sucks!

Non Illegitimati Carborundum!

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

My Secret Garden, April and May 2009

By the end of April, my German Bearded Iris had faded (but only for the time being, since I have rebloomers). Now, my Amaryllis have come in and are still blooming. My Daylilies have just begun. They'll reach their peak about the first of June and continue until Fall. But, that'll be for next month's blog.

As far as blogging about about my garden in April... once had to suffice, both then and now. I am too busy working. Spring is work time. All flowering shrubs such as forsythia or azaleas must be cut back within six weeks of their blooms ending so that the blooms for next year aren't obliterated by the prunning. Same for wisteria. This doesn't even cover the grass which just topped my knees.

There are also the flower beds to be cleaned. When you live on dirt which could truthfully be spelled c-o-n-c-r-e-t-e, one must weed while the gound is soaked by the Spring storms or it doesn't do a bit of good. Roots left in the ground multiply. And, for heaven's sake, don't forget preventing errosion! Holes must be filled, and liriope planted on hillsides. The liriope comes out of the beds which are being cleaned, and... it's a never ending circle.

Then there is the vegetable garden. This year we moved it under the bedroom window because of the deer. We had very fat dear last year when the garden was away from the house. We got three tomatoes, and the deer got the rest, as well as the squash, the peppers, the eggplants, and the mellons. I hate Bambi! The Supreme Poodle Pasha Zackery has his work cut out for him this year. Keep the deer away or no lasagna, dog! Don't tell me that you weren't warned.

And MaxieCat, don't even think about letting up on Chip and Dale! The first time that I see one of my plants disappear down a hole, you are getting the terrible lecture, cat!

And people wonder why my children don't respect me!

Hoping your Spring is wonderful too,

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

5/19/2009 Garden Update:

The Peonies have finished blooming and the Confederate Jasmine is in full fragrance. Gee it smells good around here. :-)

Frances

After the Storms

After the training storms of the past weeks, the last few days have been positively breathtaking. The rain washed most of the tree pollen away, so everything is no longer coated with yellow. Granted, my yard is getting a little weedy, but since I can’t see it most of the time, I can ignore it. It works for me.

I do most of my writing sitting in my desk (aka the bed) with books scattered all around me, computer on lap, and the Supreme Poodle Pasha Zackery snuggled either beside me, across my shoulders, or around my feet, depending upon the temperature of the moment. Since the temperature has been especially pleasant, I’ve had the windows open wide and have been enjoying the spring scents and breezes. I’ve also been enjoying the colors. The Indica Azalea, Formosa, outside my window is in its full fuchsia glory. My room will remain hot pink for yet a few more days. The azalea is so desperately in need of pruning that it tops the eaves, and all I can see are fuchsia blossoms, chartreuse leaves, and cerulean sky. Well, not quite. Today, I see visiting mockingbirds, cardinals, bumble bees, and Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies. No interior decorator ever made more beautiful drapes. And for sure, no manmade drapes ever smelled so good. I dread pruning that azalea. There go the drapes.

Beyond the fuchsia azalea, are: blue, woodland hyacinths; lavender, woodland phlox; lemon yellow, pseudacoras iris; purple, William Setchell Iris (very old German Bearded); mauve, Persian Berry Iris (German Bearded); yellow, Well Endowed Iris (German Bearded); and yellow and white, Champaign Elegance Iris (German Bearded). All of these have such wonderful fragrances that my art students used to beg me to bottle them. I just might have to do that someday. :-)

As some of you know, and the rest of you have deduced, I used to teach art. I love wonderful art and while I was skulking, lusting after, looking for pictures of Iris I found prints of watercolor paintings by Clif Hadfield at the Cooley’s Gardens website. These are gorgeous watercolors, and I thought that you would enjoy seeing the rest of them. They aren’t expensive if your looking for something like them. Just click on Clif’s name to see more of his paintings. Click on Cooley’s above to look at their Iris collections.

Another incredible website is Schreiners Iris Gardens. Isn’t spring inspiring.

Be inspired.

Write inspired.

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

How Big Daddy Atlas Protected His Baby Girls

(Note: For your convenience, and apologies to Starry Night, in the picture above, I have exaggerated the main stellar objects mentioned in this post.)

All right! I lied. Mea culpa! In my The Pleiades Have Risen Post, I said that in my very next astronomy post I would tell you how Big Daddy Atlas protected the virtue of his precious, baby girls, the Pleiades, from the (presumably unwanted) attentions of Orion, the hunter. I simply had forgotten about the conjunction of Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon. I hope that you enjoyed the show.

As frequently happens after winter storm fronts pass, tonight, or rather, this morning the viewing was incredible, in spite of the full Moon. Most of the leaves are gone after the storm, and the moonlight and incredibly clear air made everything appear as if they were painted in blue and silver. I wouldn’t have seen all of this beauty except that MaxieCat chose 3 AM to demand to be let into the house. The Supreme Poodle Pasha Zackery exploded from under the covers barking his fool head off. As far as he is concerned, what his harem kitty wants, his harem kitty gets... except of course, for my lap, which she takes anyway. So out into the cold night we went to protect MaxieCat from who only knows what. If it weren’t for these wee beasties, I wonder how many stars I would ever see. There overhead, already receding into the West, was Orion. I immediately came back in from the cold to tell you all about it. :-)

Early on clear December evenings, you can see Orion rising in the East. For the rest of the winter, it dominates the sky with more bright stars, close together, than can be seen anywhere else, at any other time of the year. Orion is, by far, my favorite constellation. He’s also the randy guy Big Daddy Atlas was so worried about protecting his daughters from.

The Pleiades are now high in the sky. From the Pleiades, look straight down toward the eastern horizon. On the way, you’ll see a bright reddish star. That’s Aldebaran. It’s the angry eye of the constellation, Taurus. Taurus was the pet bull of Atlas, who held up the sky. The bull was very fierce, very big, and Big Daddy Atlas set him to guard his baby girls from the lusty Orion.

Orion is the next bright grouping of stars below Aldebaran, and is easily recognizable by the three bright stars in a row. Those three stars are Orion’s belt, recently of MEN IN BLACK fame. Orion is always trying to get to the Pleiades, however is blocked by the great bull, Taurus. For all of eternity, Orion backs Taurus across the sky; yet, guarded by their daddy’s pet bull, the Pleiades’ virtue remains everlastingly, ad nauseam, intact. The poor dears!

You have to wonder about a man who is so reluctant to have grandchildren that he would resort to such extremes. You have to wonder about a man that would even want seven wives, or more likely, just a fun night on the town. You also have to wonder about seven women who would put up with two such men. I think that those ancient Greeks could have benefited from a little therapy.

My next Astronomy Post will be about the Christmas Star.

Happy viewing,

Frances Drake

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

Tis the Season...

For Tornadoes! Hurricane season ends with the last of November in the Deep South of the US...Hopefully! However, with the end of hurricane season comes the beginning of tornado season. With extreme differences in temperatures on each side of incoming cold fronts, the weather here can get pretty drastic. Fifty-five years ago, my home town was destroyed by a tornado on December 5, 1953. This is exactly what it looked like the next morning when I saw it.

Even though I was only seven years old, I still remember the green/orange sky of that evening... green from the tornedo, and orange from the fires. I have an older brother today, only because of a last minute decision by his group of rowdy friends to see a Roy Rogers movie (more manly, I guess) rather than that yucky "Botony Bay" showing at the other movie theater. The terror for me was that I didn't know if I still had a brother after the "little storm" downtown. My home town has never completely recovered. What had been a remarkably attractive and vibrant downtown was turned into a pile of rubble. Today, although once again attractive, as you can see, it still struggles to regain its former life spirit. I am very proud of those who have worked so hard to achieve the progress that has been made.

Last night, our annular tornadoes once again began their passes over us. Thank goodness, for as far as I know, there were no injuries. I will admit to being a little tense, though. After all, I am stormophobic. This morning when the great Pasha Zackery and I went outside, I found that all of my work creating proper drainage over the Summer had paid off. Although we had torrential rains, the drains held, I still have a garden, and I didn't lose any more of my hill. Yeah!

Pasha Zackery was so excited (he likes chilly weather) that he jerked his leash out of my hand and flew off to the woods to do the business that little black Poodles do early each morning. I had just finished cleaning the last drain when he ran back past me, leash flying in the wind behind him. He has been known to gleefully... and quite rapidly, travel for great distances with no regard to demands for his return. When I shouted "Zack, wait!" and he actually turned around and came back, you can only imagine my amazement. Is it possible? Could it be... that he is actually growing up into... heaven forbid... a responsible adult Poodle? I haven't throttled him yet, so perhaps there is still hope.

Nah. Not possible. Forget it. He just snarled at MaxieCat when she tried to crawl into my lap. She simply doesn't understand. She, a civilized lady cat, is willing to share my lap with the computer, and she's willing that he have my shoulders, so what is his problem? Oh, well! They'll work out their territories over the next few hours. I have a manuscript to work on.

Happy reading and writing, and give thanks for your blessings,

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

Bracing for the Storm

We just got through with Fay and here comes Gustav.

I hate storms. Fay wasn't really so bad. At least we didn't have any violent rain or winds with her. Just steady soaking rain, which was good. I don't trust Gustav, though... too Teutonic sounding to me. I hope he doesn't plan a blitzkrieg like Katrina.

July was a drought, and August a flood. I didn't have to cut the grass once in July, and most of my flowers turned to dried brown husks. Since the first of August we have had rain after rain, some of it pretty violent. I lost several trees in the first storm and struggle to prevent erosion all the time. On the good side, the Phlox and Jessamine are blooming again, and perfuming my evening games of tag between the Supreme Pasha Zachery and his harem-girl Maxie Cat. On the bad side, the grass is up to my knees, and I can't see either of them when they go after each other.

This morning was a rush to continue working on the new drain, and lay in supplies before Gustav. At the local Farmer's Market, I ran into an old friend at the Master Gardeners' tent. We began discussing "thug" plants and erosion control. She is using the same technique as I. If you have any problems with erosion, try planting the area with Lirope or Mondo Grass. They are garden "thugs", and their roots will hold almost anything against Hell itself.

There is an area in my yard that wants to wash into the Gulf of Mexico and take half my hill with it. I put in the new drain at the head of the ravine; but, it can easily clog, and when that happens - bye bye hill and 200+ year old drive! This is where the Lirope and Mondo Grass come in. Therefore, when the storm arrives in the wee hours tomorrow night, or soon thereafter; I will probably be out keeping the drain open. Remember me after Gustav makes landfall. Are we having fun yet?

Wishing I were writing,

Frances
Writing Science Fiction Romance,
When when life isn't happening.

Blog Challenged: Part IV

And the Power Company said, "Let there be light." And late last night, we got light. Hurrah! The power lines are still down; but now, they are lying on top of the downed trees instead of underneath them. When the poles are straightened, everything should be normal, uh, sorta normal. One never knows, and there are no certainties in life. As for me and my house, today we shall do laundry. And the whole town cries together, "Hurrah!" When the linemen left last night, I heard one of them say as he drove out of sight, "Well, 84,000 down, 16,000 to go." Thank you, Linemen. One part of the yard cleaned up, five more to go.

Enough of this storm business. I am building a blog. Yesterday (before they cut off the power to work on the line), I was inspecting the blog work of the last few days. Then, I began to hear voices in my head. The art teacher was saying, "That composition is all wrong." So I changed Lucius Malfoy's supercilious mug from below Writers Write to a place above my supercilious mug. Looks better! I know he thinks so.

The second voice that I heard was that of the efficiency expert. "What are you doing with that Author List? You want LINKS dummy!" So, I threw away the list, and went back in and added "Author Links." While I was so carried away by efficiency, I also added "Very Useful; Very Important" links and "Very Fun" links. I am sure that more will be added in the future. At that point, what little power I had suddenly went out. I knew that Santa Claus in the form of power co. linemen had arrived. I was about to get full power. By the time power was restored, all I wanted to do was sleep.

Contemplating further changes before my Grand Opening,
Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance
Real Love in a Real Future

Blog Challenged: Part III

To start off, it is a stunningly beautiful day, as so often happens behind storms. Friends told me that they saw the funnel of the tornado that took out my two old trees. It just missed the house. I am so lucky. We're still on partial power; but there are many that don't have any. Clean up starts tomorrow. But enough of that.

Well, I've done it! I added a list of some of my favorite authors and changed the template. Links are next. I first had a parchment background for the template. Now I have changed over to this pale blue. For the time being, I like it. However, it, like everything else in life, is subject to change. I also conquered the dreaded picture behind the title. I am so proud! Don't you think that the nebula is singularly appropriate for a writer of Science Fiction Romance. I must thank NASA and the Hubble people for the use of their picture. I think that I'll change the picture every so often, and with it change the page colors. Gee, it is great to be able to change one's mind. I wouldn't want to bore anyone.

Changing one's mind is like changing clothes, and a great luxury at that.
Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance
Real Love in a Real Future

Stormaphobia

Sheesh, yesterday was something. The storm that came through blew the power to he!! and gone. We only got partial power back late last night. I still only have just enough juice to power this dinosaur computer. The rest of the house, including the fridge is O-U-T. Luckily, there is some oatmeal in the kitchen cabinet and the stove is gas. Wow! I can eat this morning. "In all things give thanks." At least I won't be getting any fatter today. Gee, I hope they get the rest of the power fixed today. The last I heard, there were at least 100,000 people in the area without. Our whole town was, so there is a whole choir of us belly aching.

I had been writing on my manuscript early yesterday, and had not been paying attention to anything except my character's trials and tribulations in the distant future, when, I thought, "Gee, ya know, it's getting a little dark out there." Duh! So I hauled my butt out of the bed (my office) and ran around closing windows; but, before I finished, the rain and wind hit. I had not gotten to the bathroom window, and before I could run there, the room was soaked (pull out that old handy dandy mop), and if the wind had not blown the door closed, so would have been the hallway with its oak floors.

I found out later that the winds were over 100 mph. It was raining so hard that I could not see the fifty feet across my driveway. Total white out. It only lasted about twenty minutes, but it was worse than anything that Katrina threw at us. When you live in the middle of a wood full of very tall trees, the worst thing that you can hear is the groaning screams of trees being killed. I lost two of my old giants. Thank God that their tops missed the house when they came down. Several years ago, one tried to eat the house. I am still making repairs from that. I guess that I don't have to tell you that I am Stormaphobic.

Looking on the brightside, the two trees that came down were old and damaged from prior tornadoes and ice storms. They needed to go. With them down, the magnolias that I had planted near them now have more sunlight and should grow great guns. As Linnea Sinclair says, "When life hands you lemons, find the person who got the vodka."

It looks like Monday is going to be a busy clean-up day, and the day after, and the day after...

Who's got the Vodka?
Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance
Real Love in a Real Future