Winter Winds

You know what they are—those winds that cut to the bone, right through your clothes. Cold feet, cold hands. Time to head for milder climes. It was 28º last night, which may not seem like much to you Easterners, but those of us who live in NoCal (Northern California), forget what winter feels like and are astonished every year when it comes.

Tomatoes are truly dead now, but I still have fresh raspberries from the garden every morning, so it's not too bad here!

I'll be incommunicado until next Monday, so will post again next week.

Ciao!

Mary Lynn

Post-Thanksgiving Blues

Well, it was a quiet Thanksgiving. Our children were elsewhere and we two just made a couple of yummy recipes out of the November Gourmet (the Turkey Roulade and the Brussels Sprouts with Wild Mushrooms and Fried Shallots). It was yummy! Still is.

Now, my sweetie has me out fertilizing the roses (we have about 100) before the rain which is promised tomorrow. It better happen, is all I have to say! But I think about the thousands of lovely blooms we will have in May, and I am cheered.

Hope your holiday was wonderful.

—ML

Rain and Publicity

I can't get enough of Joan Stewart—She's a genius!

Anyway, she's helped me so much with my marketing. She's been at it a lot longer than me, and it sure shows...

Tomorrow is the Big Launch! My press release goes out all over the country. Scarey! But I'm ready. I just hope the world is ready for me!

My book sales go okay, but I really need them to climb, to pay off my book expenses. If you've ever published a book, you know what I'm talkin' about. Whoee. But it's fun.

Rainy and gray in Northern California. I hate it, but it's great writing weather.

Later.

ML

Here Comes the Sun!

Today finds me, little freelance writing beaver that I am, writing about alternative energy systems for one magazine, and tiny hamlets in Sonoma County California for another.

It's a good thing it's not difficult for me to switch gears, even on a burnout Saturday, but I can't complain. I get paid for the articles, the sun is shining, (appropriate don't you think?) and soon I plan to be out in it, pulling weeds to my heart's content. To add to the thrill, my house is finally clean and my desk is nearly organized.

I find when my weeds are pulled, my book is published, and my house is clean, I'm happy little freelancer.

How about you?

—ML

More Tomatoes, Plus a Rumination on Blogs

We still have tomatoes, even outside. I hear it's getting more difficult to find them for sale, according to our local paper, the Press Democrat, which I write for from time to time (usually quarterly, and lately in the weekend Simply Real Estate section, where lately my writings have been about local history—a little column called, "Hamlets."

But on to blogs. How do people find time to read them?

That is the question of the week.

Also, my erstwhile newsletter should be appearing on my website later this week, so keep the faith!

ML