High winds, rain, and...

No power! Yes, it is that time of year where we can not rely on electricity. Tonight's reason for the power outage is because we had cold, high winds come over the mountains. The leaves that clung to the alder trees were no match for the speed of the wind and sailed through the air to cover the forest floor...and our trucks, the decks, our big St. Bernard mutt. The rain came next in great downpours that created little streams down the side of the mountain. The water turned our very steep, long, driveway into a muddy mess. The top 100 ft of driveway is so steep that gravel doesn't "stick" to the dirt and during the winter it is impossible to get up unless you have a 4 wheel drive. When it snows, even that doesn't get you up and we rely on the quad, which we have snow chains for, to get us up and down the hill. Our creek is rising fast. Any day it will flood the banks, spread, and turn into a raging river with white caps and log jams.

I just love this weather!

Normal people would shake there head and tell us we are crazy. Yes, we probably are, but it is mother nature at her best and fascinates the heck out of us. Once we got the power back on tonight and watched the news we heard that snow levels are dropping. Not quite low enough for us, but it won't be too much longer. Good thing I'm going to get the studded snow tires on Saturday.

How is the weather in your area?

I'm guest blogging...come on over and say hi!

I'm guest blogging today over at Red Rose For Authors I've been asked some great questions. Come on over and say hello.

Biker Babe in Black is also the featured book on Thursday at Red Rose For Authors Come get your Chromes and Wheels Gang fix!

Tuesday Catchup

I received a google alert last night. Biker Babe in Black is now available on Amazon for the Kindle. Actually, when I looked, it was up, but the buy button wasn't there for those in the United States. Keep an eye out for it though, should be available on Amazon any day. This will also be a good sign that it will hit all the other third party stores soon. I'm excited! That's more fans for The Chromes and Wheels Gang. ;-)

Ok, yesterday I promised to share why I have two birthdays. My birthday (day I was born) is October 14th. What most of you don't know is that I was adopted as a baby and my family always celebrated the day I officially became Debra. On November 19th, as story goes, my family took me to the court house and I got a little antsy sitting on my mom's lap. The judge told her to go ahead and put me down. I toddled up the aisle, climbed up the steps, and sat in the judge's lap happy as a clam. He smacked the gavel down and announced. "This child is now part of your family, and if you don't take her home, I will." So there you have it. Two birthdays, double gifts, lots of attention...pretty lucky, huh?

We turned our clocks back an hour on Sunday night. I really enjoy the extra darkness. It always feels like our family has more time to just chill at home together. That is difficult to get when your kids are teenagers. lol Some ways that we fill up the longer nights is by playing cards. All the boys love a good game of Poker. We can thank their Dad for that talent, because he taught them when they were very young (5-6 yo). I can't play at all. I can fake it, but I know not to play with real money. Of course, the Nintendo Wii gets the whole family involved. We're all competitive, so it can get pretty wild around here. We also don't let the cold weather keep us inside. All the motorcycles have headlights on them, and there is nothing like a rowdy game of "Ditch ya" in the dark.

What kind of activities do you enjoy in the winter? Anything knew you want to learn?

Let's welcome in November!

It's the beginning of November! The month that has a lot of things happening. People are gearing up for the holidays, buckling down for the winter, and on their last leg to get the end of the year obligations done. For writers, you might see November as the beginning of NaNoWriMo National Novel Writing Month

What do I think when November rolls around?

I have another birthday! No joke! I'm one of the select people in the world who get to have two birthday celebrations. I can see all of you scratching your heads, and wondering how the heck that happened. You've heard me gush about how much I like birthdays, and maybe, you figure that I am just claiming another random day to celebrate. Nope! It's really a genuine birthday. The date is November 19th. My kids wish they had two birthdays, but they don't. I wasn't born at midnight, so claiming October 14th AND November 19th as a birthday is out of the question.

Anyone want to guess why I'd have 2 birthdays? =) If no one guesses right, I'll post the reason tomorrow during my Tuesday Catchup post. If someone guesses right by leaving a comment today, I'll let you know!

Hoot Owls

Anyone else plagued by owls right now? Granted, we live deep in the woods, but we have so much property, you'd think that they'd find somewhere farther away from the house to hunt...like down by the creek!

We don't know how many there are, and I'm wondering if the momma is teaching her young owls how to hunt and that accounts for all the racket. Here is one young owl I got a picture of this summer. It was sitting on a low branch and still had fuzz on part of its body.

Tuesday Catchup

This last week ended nicely. Goals I set for myself were met, and now on to other things. I love starting a new story. There is something so exciting about finding love for two characters that you've dreamed up. You can have them be anyone you want, give them conflicts so horrid that it seems impossible to overcome. It's powerful and one of the few things in life that you can mold exactly into the shape you want. And, when it is all done, you've given others hope, a smile, and maybe a chuckle or two.

What is everyone doing for Halloween? Are you a trickster or a treater? Do you do costumes? This holiday has changed so much even since my kids were little enough to go knocking door to door trick or treating. I've been in town on Halloween night and you just don't see the little ones out in costumes much anymore. Even though we have no visitors, and my kids are too old to go out, I buy candy. In our family everyone likes the mini candy bars. The suckers and hard candy get ignored until they are the only thing left. Me...well, I nab the caramel squares before I pour the whole mix in a bowl. What is your favorite treat?

Last week, I went crazy making roasted pumpkin seeds. Personally, I don't like store bought pumpkin seeds, but the one's I do myself are sooooo addicting. We have a debate every year about how they should be eaten. Do you eat only the seed or do you toss them in your mouth and eat the whole thing? Here's how I make them.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Save all your pumpkin seeds when you carve your jack-o-lanterns. Wash them really well, and spread them out on a towel. Pat dry.

Put seeds in a bowl and stir in one tablespoon of olive oil. (oil depends on how many seeds. I usually have seeds from 4 pumpkins, so it doesn't take much oil.)

Spread out on cookie sheet in one layer.

Bake on 300 degrees for ten minutes. Stir. Continue cooking and stirring in 5 minute increments until golden brown.

Some people salt them after they are cooked. You can also add dry ranch dressing or taco seasoning and flavor them up. Personally, I like mine plain.

Turned in another one

I turned in a romantic suspense to my editor. Now the waiting game starts to find out if it is something they will like.

I really love this story. It is my first time writing about a woman who has suffered abuse from a very evil ex-husband and is on the run. Most of my heroine's are strong women, and although the heroine in this book has emotional scars and low self esteem from the life she has had to live, she is one of my strongest heroines I've wrote about. She just doesn't know that! With the help of a very alpha hero, she starts finding the woman she used to be and loving herself.

The title of the book is called "Resurrecting Charlie's Girl."

Everybody cross your fingers! I'll let you know if it gets accepted or rejected the moment I know. =)