Porcupine Damage

Spring has been a slow melt which is good because many parts of Saskatchewan are flooding even with the cold weather. I've been out taking pictures every day and am working on a neat 'flood' post for you but I wanted to show you photos of the porcupine since it looks like we've seen the last of him for this year.

Several times we found him in the trees, like this photo from April 7th:

But unlike the first day when he scooted down the tree and left, in the succeeding days he only froze when I stopped to take his picture. A good photo op, but no munching action.

On Apr 9th he moved to what would be his highest point before leaving us:

One time I looked out my kitchen window at the right moment to see him slip and hang by his front paws for a second before pulling himself back up. As you can see, he's such a cuddly looking animal...

Apparently the little critter was really out on this limb and at one point he crawled out so far Nelson saw the branch curve down until the porcupine scuttled back.

However, he left plenty of evidence of his visits behind in the manner of branches stripped of bark.

This isn't good because it leaves the tree susceptible to insects which bring disease. And that's if the tree manages to stay alive without its protective barrier against the harsh and drying prairie wind.

Here's the batch of wolf willows at the end of the driveway where we first saw the porcupine.

So, he may be a cute critter, but he's not cuddly and he certainly isn't nice!

If you want to relax for a minute, here's a video I took of some snow geese flying over my head on Apr 7th before the clouds hid the sun and the porcupine was in another tree close to the garage. Turn the volume up if you want to hear the geese. A special day - no wind!

Happy Dancin'

Last Friday the phone rang while I was writing. It's still too cold to work out in my office so I'm in the living room for a few more weeks. Nelson sat behind me playing a video game, but since he has an aversion for talking on the phone I reached for it. My pulse increased when I spotted the area code because it wasn't a Cdn one. Nor was it an 800, 888 or that one will all zeros.

When the caller said she was Ane Mulligan from the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), I knew it was good news about a contest. I'd spent March entering 5 different writing contests and writers volunteer as coordinators and judges for many different contests. Of the 5 contests I entered, the earliest I expected a response was around Apr 18th from Duel on the Delta.

But Ane called on Apr 8th. I was so excited. And confused. She said I'd semi-finaled. I missed the 'semi' part because writing contests don't have 'semi-finalists'... you go from a contestant to the finals. Even in big contests like the Genesis where there are 60 or so entries in a category like mine - Historical Romance.

When Ane said 'semi-finalist', I heard 'finalist'. She went into details about what I needed to do when my manuscript was returned in a couple days and the deadline for the final round. I read her words... but I was still confused because she hadn't actually said the name of the contest yet.

So I finally blurted out, this is for the Fool for Love, right? It was the first contest that came to mind because it was the last I'd entered.

Ane said no, I semi-finaled in the Genesis.

The Genesis? How can I describe my feeling when she said that one word... a thousand horses galloping through me veins... a landslide of boulders tumbling down a mountain... freefalling before pulling the cord to open your parachute...

She explained that the Genesis had changed. My entry had scored high enough to be in the top 20% of my category and would now go on to a new semi-final round. I know I sounded like a dope. And if I didn't know Ane, I'd believe she thought I was a dope. Thank goodness we've met and she knows better. I hope.

The word is... I'm officially a semi-finalist in the Genesis and my entry is against 14 others in this next round as there were 73 in the Historical Romance category. The announcement for the finalists will come in mid-May.

To keep myself grounded, I'm telling myself it's no big deal - just another step in a contest. But I've received enough personal congratulary emails from writing friends - some from my favourite authors - to realize this is a big deal. It's the Genesis. And it may be the only call I get from the Genesis people. (Not that I don't believe in my writing, but judges are readers and not every reader likes what I write or how I write it.)

So please allow me to gloat over this 'call'. Breathe Anita ... just breathe...

Book: When All My Dreams Come True

When all My Dreams Come True (Colorado Runaway Series Book 1) by Janelle Mowery, Harvest House Publishers, Feb 2011

This book packs a wallop between its pages. The story is set among the mountains of 1872 Colorado Territory. Lots of space with plenty of rocks and trees to offer rustlers something to hide behind.

The story starts in the middle of an action scene and there’s plenty more between the pages on account of all the bank robbers and rustlers. Suspense and suspicion are maintained so you don’t really know who the bad guys are or how they’re involved until the end.

I like that the heroine, Bobbie McIntyre, wore trousers in her day-to-day work as a wrangler. And that she could shoot better than most men. It didn’t take long for me to see the kind of woman Bobbie was and although so many things changed over the course of the book, she stayed true to her character.

Jace Kincaid is a very likable hero – even when he faltered and I wanted to swat him on the side of his head. But his actions fit his character profile and I knew why he did what he did even if I didn’t agree with his reasoning. His action certainly upped the tension between the characters and increased the suspense.

The roller coaster romance takes us on a ride where our emotions heat up and cool down only to ride higher, faster, and longer as we reach the crest, then plummet in despair wondering if Bobbie and Jace will ever get together on the same track.

And through the story, the Gospel is unraveled to Bobbie who doesn’t realize she’s searching for a heavenly as well as physical home.

This book will appeal to anyone who likes stories about tomboys, Salvation, and the Wild West.

If you'd like to join in the discussion about this book, please join us at Inkwell Inspirations.

Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak

Book Review: Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak by Davey & Marie Jank, Monarch Books, 2011


Well now, that title doesn't sound like my normal reading fare... it's because it isn't. But it is a treasure!

Davey Jank is a very humorous guy and writes in an entertaining style that enthralled even my 12 yr old son. Lots of creepy crawlies, rodents and aligators. 

Steadfast in his faith, Davey sets out to learn the language and customs of an Amazon tribe who requested missionaries to teach them about 'God's talk'. Davey faces witchcraft in action, tribal traditions and dangerous situations while struggling to learn the Wilo language.

Yes, yes, but what about Marie? When does he meet her? That was my burning question since Davey enters the jungle as a single man. I scrutinized every name looking for the beautiful lady on the cover. And I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed Davey's stories of faith and perseverance against the dark powers of this world, I thought he failed miserably as a romance writer. Heh.

Although it isn't a guide, Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak would interest anyone who ever wondered what a missionary's life is about. It entails some of the harsh decisions missionaries face while preparing people to receive God's Word as well as the joys of salvation. And even if you've never had the urge to travel this foreign path, this book will bless you with hope in the knowledge that the Gospel is being spread.

I'm blogging at Inkwell Inspirations today about this book and my thoughts on missionaries. You're welcome to come over and join in the discussion. The question of the day can be answered here or there, wherever you feel most comfortable...

Have you considered being a missionary? Why or why not? I'd really like to know.

Give Me a Break

It's April 3rd today, right? At least I thought it was when I awoke at 4 am and started writing. But then hubby got up at 5, looked out the window and said, "You should get a picture of this."

Of what? A deer? A porcupine? A skunk? No! It's more snow! So here's the pic I took of his truck...

The next pic shows him going to work at 06:30, The sun should've been up at this time. But nope, too much snow blocking it. Nelson weaved a bit heading down the driveway as he surfed through the drifts, but he's been gone 3 hrs and I haven't heard from him so I guess he's okay. Nothing like driving on soft, slushy roads, eh.

So what is this? Payback for the April Fool's Joke we played over at the Inkwell on Friday? But it was so much fun!

Whatever it is, it's kept us from church today. That's about 6" of the heavy wet stuff on top of a couple inches of thawed out mud. The temp was 0c (freezing point) at 6:30 and is now 3 degrees warmer. Ugh. What a mess! And no way my 2WD van can get through.

On one of my writer loops I read that someone was mowing their lawn yesterday.

Wanna come find mine?