Tales from the Raven

I like to cut my own hair, and have gotten so I can usually pull it off without the need for a brown paper bag standing by.  My favorite is the layered cut, ’cause it takes my heavy mane and makes it manageable and, as an added plus, is very forgiving of mistakes. Just for comparisons sake, this [...]

I spotted this bunch of perfumed sunshine while hiking along a trail near our house. They were nodding in time to a rockin’ frog song.  I came home curious who the singers were, and think I found a match in the Cope’s Gray Tree Frog, but if I’m right–and that’s a big if–he’s early.  Not supposed to sing until [...]

February has so far been my worst month ever at getting blog posts up, and for the lamest reasons.  I’ve had lots to post about–it’s just all focused on my novel rewrites.  And, since repeating how grateful I am that the rewrites are going well and reporting that I’m still hard at work on 13 Demon Days gets boring, I’ve just ended up [...]

I’m typing on the floor of my bathroom because it’s really too early to be up, and I don’t want to wake the house.  On the other hand, I have chocolate-covered almonds beside me. I should be fine. Wednesday we had a lovely, sunny day, and I broke my strictly observed office hours to go [...]

Coming back from our Super Christmas vacation (inside joke which will be shared with my blog readers in the next post), I put up my new calendar(s) for 2011 and realized how much I’m looking forward to this next year.  And not just because 2010 had some really rough spots.  I’m also totally stoked for [...]

Warning:  This post contains spoilers.  If, after reading below, you suspect that you or your child will be receiving one of the gifts shown, please perform an emergency mind wipe.  If you don’t know how to conduct a mind wipe, consult the men in black. Yarn cats are notoriously camera-shy, so out of the almost [...]

Nobody does snow and ice like the south.  All those northern and midwestern and even western states spend months every year practicing–shoveling snow, de-icing cars, driving calmly through blizzards–but they just don’t get it.  The way to do snow properly is to stop in your tracks and stare. Cancel school. Build a snowman. And give thanks every day while the [...]

I am thankful for a husband who still thinks I’m the wife for him, even while he makes me soup and edits my chapters. I am thankful for kids who believe me when I say the house must be cleaned (without my help) or no more Wii for the whole break.  I am thankful when [...]

This is the kind of post that should come with a warning.  If you are my neighbor, have been my neighbor, or will someday be my neighbor, this post is not directed at you.  We’re cool, okay?  No hard feelings? Good. See, the trouble is, I have a new neighbor, and they stole my land.  [...]

Every year in the weeks after Halloween, I fight a battle.  The fight to keep Christmas stuffed firmly in its box until after Thanksgiving. And, okay, we may have slipped and let some Christmas music out last weekend…but after all, we were working on Christmas presents! Here’s a little Thanksgiving display from the mantle that [...]