Ha ha, Boreas. Joke’s on us. |

I’m putting the topic of Name Meanings on hold for the weekend, but there’s still a lot going on. Over on my satellite blogs, I’m taking part in the mini weekend tag-along hops featuring snippets from my novels. Come see! If you have yet to read my unusual romances, you’ll find my trailers under the My Novels tab above. And there’s a link at the end of this blog that will take you to a download of first chapter samplings.

In the meantime…what about that weather? By me, a polar vortex early in the week and weather in the mid-30’s and rain all this weekend. It started last night and the ground is frozen. There’s nothing for that water to do but flood. I haven’t been following weather world-wide, but here in the states, the weather has been particularly insane. The other night, wind-chilled temperatures in my area dropped to -48°. That’s 48 degrees below zero. I think that equates to -40 Celsius. Crazy stuff, that. It’s far from over too.
When will the polar vortex return?

Anyway…My house may have only one north facing window for heat efficiency, but it’s still a drafty old barn. That doesn’t bother me, though. I like cold. I could sleep naked on an ice floe and be just fine. Before I met my husband I slept with the window wide open all winter long. Back then, my bedroom was cold enough to have frost on the doorknob come morning. I roast, he needs warmth. I married a lizard.

A few nights ago, I was at the kitchen sink thinking. In all the years we’ve lived here, I’ve never been physically uncomfortable washing dishing on a cold night. There I was, standing in front of this northern window, rushing through the task at hand because that cold, hard, north -48° wind was hammering the north side of my house and seriously making me painfully cold. I’m never cold! But I was that night. In fact, I would have been warmer standing inside my 0° freezer! Boreas, the cold north wind, isn’t called the Devouring One for nothing.

I have two dogs. The old chocolate lab does ok in the cold with her thick black coat (She’s actually a black lab. Chocolate is her vice) The little dog wears a hoodie. Yes, a hoodie. It makes her look like the tough, mouse-chomping, squirrel chasing, FedEx hater she is. So, the dogs were wanting to go outside and I had no choice but to let them. I dried my hands and touched the doorknob. My damp skin stuck to the doorknob on the inside of the house! I was surprised and stayed stuck until the overall warmth of my hand set me free a second later. Now that’s cold — the coldest weather ever experienced in the half-plus century of my life. Were I not the armchair activist I am, I might be wondering why.

A friend sent me this explanation for the crazy weather. Something is definitely wrong, and we need to get in line and take the facts seriously or we’re going to be up that creek without a paddle. Or worse, the creek will either be dried up or permanently frozen over. This weather explanation is a very good alternative to a punch in the nose for the next person who tells you “global warming isn’t real because it’s cold outside”. Not as satisfying, but more polite.

Thanks Mike. 🙂

Solar physicists say the Sun appears to be headed into a lengthy spell of low activity. Translated for the layman, this could mean that the Earth is headed for a mini Ice Age. It’s happened before, and not all that long ago.

Read about the Frost Fairs during the last Mini Ice Age.
http://www.webhistoryofengland.com/?p=613

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I’m all over the web this weekend. If two things are listed for one blog, that’s one on Saturday and one on Sunday(*). Scroll back to see what you’ve missed. 😀

Seductive Studs& Sirens & Weekend Writing Warriors* http://theancillarymuse.blogspot.com/

Sneak Peek Sunday*
http://calliopeswritingtablet.blogspot.com/

Set the Scene in Six* (open author promo – come leave yours!) http://exquisitequills.blogspot.com/

My Sexy Saturday & Sexy Snippets*
http://calliopesotherwritingtablet.blogspot.com/

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Another 100 Things Blogging Challenge! For 100 days, I’ll post something from my chosen topic: Words on the Verge of Extinction. There are 89 entries to come.

Here’s one for today:

Affictitious (adjective from 1656)

feigned, counterfeit

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Today we host author Adrienne deWolfe.
http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com/

All through January the RB4U authors are doing interviews. The thoughtful questions are a great way to get to know us. Commenting that day gives you a chance to win a collectable t-shirt. Come see!

Right now the COLD SNOW, HOT ROMANCE CONTEST is on! Three winners will each receive a $25 gift card for Amazon/Barnes & Noble, and split the other prizes randomly picked from prize list. Be sure to check all our pages for news about authors and their books, publishers and their books, and industry representatives. http://www.romancebooks4us.com/

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Several promotional opportunities for romance authors can be found on my Exquisite Quills group blog. Meet the founding authors and our guests.
http://exquisitequills.blogspot.com/

Exquisite Quills Yahoo Group

First Kiss Wednesday ~ share your best 300 word kiss.
Set the Scene in Six~ share your backdrop or lead-up on Sundays.
The Genesis of a Book ~ share the spark that ignited your novel
Author Interviews ~ We’re booking late spring now.

The doors are open! Author Michele Drier is there today. Come see her favorite reviews.
http://eq-recycled-reviews.blogspot.com/
A new place for your old stars to shine 😀