Tag: weather

Spring Rain

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

April was too cold and now May is too wet.  Water stands in the fields and the farmers I’m sure are getting impatient.  For me, I’m aching with each weather system which travels through.  My fingers are swollen and sore.  My legs hurt and it’s hard to walk. 

Now that I’ve whined, it’s also May!  This means grilled food, spending time outside, and warmer (not today but most days) weather.  Yes the sky is gray and the rain beats down like a powerful waterfall but the grass is green and eventually it will ease up and we’ll have flowers and leaves on trees and plants in the garden. 

Each night I’ve either been writing or reading.  I’m wandering through different books and enjoying them.  At the same time I’ve got stories bouncing around in my head and I want to get them out.  Just last night I worked on a scene.  I saw this scene in my head, knew the characters, knew the feel of the scene and the tone I wanted to hit.  A little dark with a the light pushing in from the actions of one of the characters.  Normally I let stuff like this simmer to see if more develops.  This scene has hovered for over a week but never went anywhere else.  I didn’t see secondary characters and I didn’t see a story just this one scene.  But it didn’t go away.  I thought – okay so I’ll write it and it will go in my slush pile and get out of my head.  So last night I wrote the scene.  I liked it.  It came across how I wanted mostly.  So I thought all right I can move on.  I wrote in a different story and then went to bed. 

I’m trying to sleep and this scene is back in my head.  I liked what I wrote.  I thought it hit all the right notes.  But apparently my head didn’t think so.  I started editing it in my head.  I need to add this and I want to add that and I need to describe this better.  I don’t know if there is a story to go with this scene but apparently I need to get this scene RIGHT according to whatever muse is smacking my brain around.  I know I have a messed up brain but come on.  I have stories to tell.  I’ll fix the scene today so I can hopefully move on to other projects.  If all the scenes for this story are as determined to get written, it’s going to be an interesting journey.

April Snowstorms?!

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Oh Wisconsin I love your variability when it comes to weather.  It’s April and we are supposed to be having April showers so we can have May flowers.  Instead we are having April snow and who knows what May will bring.

In the last week, there are places in Wisconsin that got over 3′ of snow – yes that is feet.  Two storms of wet heavy, sloppy snow perfect for any January day but we got them in April. 

Where I am we didn’t get that much – maybe 6-7″ total.  However, driving was still difficult and people were complaining – a lot.

Weather is weather and all we can do is – weather it.  (Pun sort of intended).  The nice thing about an April winter storm – we’re all used to driving in the weather.  On my way home last night I expected heavy traffic and slip offs and slides and more problems.  Instead I got nearly empty roads and no one in the ditch.  There was a three car accident in an intersection but everyone was being cautious and courteous while the fire fighters and police were handling it. 

This morning, snow on the ground but by afternoon we are supposed to be in the mid-40s, so we are likely to lose the snow and have mud and maybe a bit of green. 

Spring?

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Spring is back – sort of.  Yes we’ve had snow and warm weather.  It’s a confusing time of year weatherwise. 

This time of year always makes me want to be in the fields.  While I’m driving back and forth to work, I’m always looking at the fields but in the summer, I feel like there is so much potential.  There’s one spot on my route where the fields will flood if we have a lot of snow and rain.  I always watch to see how many birds and other critters are there.  I also watch to see how flooded it is.  As the year goes by, I keep an eye on it because I know the farmer won’t get too much production out of that land. 

Obviously when we are having record lows for the start of April, no farmer in their right mind is in the field planting.  But I keep an eye on the fields to see what work they are doing. 

I see the gray ground, know it will turn black when the farmer’s plow.  The rich soil will be revealed and the crops will be thrust into it to grow.  The cows, pigs, and other farm animals will use the corn, hay, oats, beans, and other crops to survive.  Some of the crops will be sold for other purposes. 

I remember walking the fields, picking rocks.  When it was cold we wore jeans, shoes, and jackets but as it warmed up, we switched to shorts, barefoot, and bikini tops.  We got burned from both the sun and the wind.   I remember pain making it hard to sleep because some part of my body rubbed on sheets and it hurt because of the burn.  Eventually my skin adjusted to the harsher sun. 

It doesn’t matter how old I get, I feel the pull of spring.  I feel the need to have my hands in dirt, to feel the cool soil beneath my bare feet, to touch the potential of the new planting season.  Will this year the crops flourish or will it be a struggle?

Let it Snow?

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

It’s piling up!  The trees are covered with white, the ground is buried beneath a blanket of white.  It is definitely WINTER.

Driving from Iowa to Wisconsin in the snow wasn’t horrible but we were on the leading edge of the storm so more whispy than heavy snow.  Looking out at the weather it is pretty but I know it won’t be once we have to go out in it.

Today will be spent watching some television and crocheting.  I have several gifts for my daughters to finish and I’m hoping to get the ones for the Atlanta girls done today so they can get in the mail.  The heater I have in the living room will go on and I’ll snuggle in to get the gifts done.

After I finish the holiday gifts, I’ll be working to finish the two big projects I have going which aren’t overly portable but I have to finish the project for the publication and get that sent in for pictures.  Once all of those are done, I’m going back to writing.

It promises to be a quiet and calm day today.  Tomorrow will be interesting and challenging with getting to and from work and in and out of my building.  Hopefully the snow stops sooner so roads and parking lots can be cleared.

First Snow

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

It’s December.  We got our first snow yesterday with about 3-6″ falling.  It was beautiful – white against the dark green of the pines and a variety of colors of the houses.

This was my feeling before I had to go out in it.  It’s late for the first snow.  Normally we get a little in November but not this year.  I like the white, the snow covered pines and trees.  The contrast of the colors between the snow and the buildings, trees, and so on.

We got enough snow to actually have the snow plow hit our road last night.  Usually if we have under 6″ we don’t get plowed out.  This makes driving on our road a challenge.

Something to note – I don’t have to deal with removal of the snow.  My husband does all of that.  The reason being is I have this tendency to stop breathing when I shovel or do much in the cold air.

This lack of dealing with snow removal means I can take a more positive point of view towards the snow.  I don’t have to spend time making sure the driveway and sidewalks are clear.

From a looking outside, the snow was pretty.  However, I had to switch coats to my winter weight coat.  I also had to decide which scarf to add to my jacket (which is always a choice because I have so many pretty ones).  I had to drive on roads which could have been slippery.

Since it’s the first snow, people were driving more cautiously than they needed to.  It’s always interesting with the first snow.  People seem to forget until they fishtail the first time or they drive so slowly it’s ridiculous.

I maintain the snow is pretty but I empathize with those who have to work on the removal and who work out in the weather.  Winter has begun.  I’m going to attempt to keep a positive attitude and recognize the beauty the weather brings us even during this cold season.

No Shortage of Tasks

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

The last two weeks have been rough for me with pain.  The weather is causing my arthritis to grumble (or scream).  Yet I don’t have time to wallow (well maybe a little).

May 2 I started a new novel.  I couldn’t get the words on the page fast enough.  By May 11, I’d finished the novel.  I love it when the inspiration hits hard and fast like this.  At the same time, I went back to add in a few more scenes for Wayfarer 11.  It’s on my need to be edited list.

I have a wedding shower to go to next Saturday and am working on the gift for that.  I have it about a third of the way done.  I’ll be spending some time this weekend watching movies and crocheting.  In addition to the shower gift, I finished off a gift for a friend.  I made her a bunch of dish towels, hand towels, and dish cloths.  Those went in the mail to her this week.

The day is gray and grumpy looking this morning but I have been at my computer since before 8 am working on different tasks.  I’ve paid bills, updated my spreadsheets, did a tiny bit of marketing, submitted three articles to paying publications.  I posted an preview for one of my books on Goodreads.  I need to figure out which scenes from each of my books and post them.

As is normal, my list is never ending for tasks I need to get done.  Shortly, I’ll be going to run errands.  Fortunately I only have a couple today.  I also need to clip coupons, check the apps for rebates, and write up the grocery list.  All so Ken will be able to do the grocery shopping tomorrow.

Last night I watched Age of Adeline which was quite good.  I also watched The Gambler which was depressing and annoying.  I got several inches done on the shower gift.  I’m hoping to finish this project this weekend.  I have several others I want to get done in a short period of time.  This means I’m letting my writing rest for a few days.

Having said that, I’ve gone back and added a prologue (possibly a new first chapter) to one story I’ve been working on.  I thought I had lost about 5000 words in the third Defenders novel.  I was cleaning my flashdrive and looked at a file I hadn’t looked at before.  It had the several scenes I thought I’d lost.  I was quite excited about this.  It saves me a lot of work in redoing.  Having found those scenes, I was able to write about another 1500 words in the story.

I’m hoping to finish both of these projects this summer.  With luck, I’ll have four books to publish over the next six months.  I also have several crochet patterns I’m going to work on publishing as well.  There is definitely no shortage of things for me to do.

Cocoon

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Snow and rain are supposed to be creeping into our area.  The weather system is wreaking havoc on my joints and arthritis making my day pain filled.  I’m curling up under warm blankets and going to see whether my fingers will work.

It’s like a weight – a large and heavy weight on my body – when the weather does this.  Every joint feels like it is being pushed on, compressed really tight and at the same time pulled apart, like the pressure in the joint is so much the joints are going to explode.

I’ve taken my drugs.  The only other thing I can do is keep warm and rest.  Sleep is the refuge which masks the pain.  When the levels get this bad, all I want to do is sleep.  Sometimes if I sleep for a little longer, I can get up and manage for the day but other times – like today – sleep is only an escape.

It is going to be a day to put on movies or tv show and curl up under warm, warm, blankets.  While everyone is watching the skies for rain or snow to assault and make driving difficult.  I’m going into a cocoon to try to keep warm and ease some of the pain.

Welcome Spring!!

by eileentroemel, posted in Life
Spring has sprung and look we’re covered in snow again.  I’m laughing because this is Wisconsin and I know there are people who are cursing the weather today.  I say – it’s March and it’s Wisconsin, what do you expect.  It seems ironic that the spring equinox was last week and now we have about four inches of snow and it is still snowing.  If you ask me, I’ll tell you I’m not a big fan of the cold and snow but it is a fact of life here in Wisconsin.  Complaining about it won’t make it go away and won’t make it warmer.  It does bring the mood down and makes it harder to get through the season.  The thing is, it’s beautiful.  Yeah I know it’s March and people are tired of winter but if you look at the evergreens frosted with the white it’s picturesque.  If you don’t have to drive in it, (which really doesn’t happen) the puffy snowflakes are gorgeous, the ice on the trees looks like crystal.  It is a beautiful season even if it is cold and difficult.  Sometimes we get the best things when we deal with the difficulties in life. 
 
I’ve been laid up with gout.  I’m in pain and frustrated because I have a lot of work at both my day job and for writing.  I’m not able to sit at my desk easily when gout flares up.  My legs are painful, swollen, red and just plain miserable.  I need to let go of my expectations when my gout is being annoying, which I try to do.  This past couple of weeks I got through three manuscripts for editing.  I got the paper edits entered on the computer, read through the manuscript one more time, ran a spell check and essentially got it prepped for production.  It isn’t how or what I planned to do over the past couple of weeks but I made progress. 
 
Today it is snowing.  Tomorrow could have temps in the 60s.  It’s spring the time of new beginnings and fresh starts.  Everything is new, fresh, and bright (and muddy).  It’s a time to look around at all the possibilities and pick the ones which appeal the most and work on them. 
 
To the grumblers, I say just stop it.  It will be better sooner than you know.  To those who see the beauty in all the weirdness of our weather – I say go make snow angels or have a snow ball fight.  Make the most of the (hopefully) last hurrah of winter and enjoy it while it lasts.  It is Wisconsin after all and if you wait ten minutes the weather will change. 

What a Week

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Pain on Thursday kept me home.  The weather turned cooler which is probably why my pain level went up.  This meant I stayed at work later on Friday to make up some of the hours.

It’s been a good week for writing.  I finished the second Wayfarer manuscript and did edits on two other stories.  This weekend I have five manuscripts on my couch waiting for me to edit them.  I’m hoping to finish the edits on the second Defenders book.  I’m also hoping to publish the first Defenders book in the next few days.

Last night I was grumbling at Vicki because I felt like I was behind schedule on the editing.  I have the five manuscripts which totals nearly a thousand pages.  I wasn’t even done with one.  I had to stop yesterday because I had a headache.  I felt this put me behind.  Vicki reminded me that I was grumbling about a self-imposed deadline and I needed to be more realistic.

She was right.  I worked on one of the longer manuscripts yesterday.  I have about 75 pages left, I think.  I’ll finish it today.  This will be the last edit on the manuscript before I start developing the production pieces I need for it.

I’ll probably pick up the next longest manuscript which will be more intense as it is a first edit.  There aren’t even chapters in this one so it will be a lot of work to go through the first edit.  One thing I decided was that I should go through and search out key words I tend to overuse when I write the rough draft.

Unfortunately, I woke with a headache several times in the night and this morning I still have one.  Yesterday I spent a lot of time working on business end of writing – updating spreadsheets for income and expenses.  I also submitted some paperwork to start blogging for Pagan Square.  I’ll have to start thinking about what I want my next post on there to be.

Today Ken will watch football.  I will probably work.  I uncovered my crochet basket yesterday and saw a project that has just been sitting there waiting on me.  It isn’t screaming at me but it is tempting.  Perhaps if the editing is too hard on my head today, I’ll watch movies and crochet.

Pain is still a problem but it is daily so I’ll just cope because what else can I do.  A warm blanket and a good manuscript to edit should keep me from being in too much pain.

Perfect Weather

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Yesterday and today – no air conditioning on.  This is highly unusual for me as I can’t handle the heat and humidity.  It has been pleasant to have the fresh air and cooler temperatures.  The weather is almost idyllic

I finally finished the Harry Potter Deathly Hallows in the car.  Now I have to figure out what I want to listen to next in the car. I have a 25 minute drive to and from work and I enjoy listening to a book while I drive.  It relaxes me and helps me let go of my day (or preps me for the day) while I drive.

I’m working on the second Fablehaven book and enjoying reading for fun.  It is a joy to just listen to music and read a book.  I lose time. I’ll pick up the book and start reading and suddenly it is hours later and I’ve been in a completely different place.

Smashwords.com has a huge sale going on and my books are all 25% off.  It is a great time to make the purchase!