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Flowers and birds and whining about the heat
Last week I finished sharing the Michigan pics, just in time to start my annual whining about the heat. We’ve had a much cooler than normal spring, so the abomination you’re about to behold is several weeks late in coming. I’d rather it didn’t show up at all. To avoid spontaneous combustion, I plan to spend the weekend sitting under an AC vent with a book. Does anyone in a cooler climate need a house sitter? Please???? Don’t worry–I won’t spend the entire post whining about the heat (just most of it). But before I resume whining: Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! Grab a…
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A walk in the garden on a spring morning
Spring is in full swing here in Tucson, and my backyard garden is flourishing. And (you might want to sit down for this), the weather is lovely. IIRC this time last year it was over 100F, but we’ve been in the 80s all week. It’s supposed to be only 81 today and isn’t supposed to break 90 till Monday. Wheee!!! (I know–me bragging about Tucson weather after March is unprecedented.) I’m going to keep bragging too, this time about my garden. But before I become too insufferable: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. (Edit on Saturday: I’m also linking up with a…
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Plants in space! (and plants in my yard)
Plants in space! I’ve been waiting all week to write that headline. In case you’re new here, I work for the University of Arizona. Last week we had our annual faculty cookout (my first one, since I started my job during pandemic, and it’s hard to have a cookout over Zoom) at one of the university research facilities here in town. When we weren’t stuffing our overeducated faces with amazing Mexican food, we were offered tours of some of the research facilities. Long-Suffering Husband and I took a tour of a laboratory where scientists are studying how to grow plants to support a human mission to Mars or the moon.…
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Snow in Tucson and the monthly book round-up
The big news this week: it snowed in Tucson! A whole half an inch! Yeah, I know, all you East Coasters and Midwesterners and Canadians are rolling your eyes like Linda Blair rolling her head, but we don’t get much cold white stuff down here in Satan’s Anus. Let me have my moment, will ya? But before we get to my moment: Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and the What’s On Your Bookshelf Challenge, hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb. Grab a mug of cocoa, curl up under a cozy blanket, and let’s enjoy winter in Tucson! OK, back to the snow. By the time I got…
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Gambel’s quail family returns to my backyard
After last week’s excitement, this week has been quiet. After scrambling to meet a couple of submission deadlines, I’ve been slacking recovering this week and focusing more attention on a work-related writing project (a colleague and I are editing a book). I also co-hosted the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop this month. My post is called, No, I Don’t Want to Live in a Fictional World. I think it’s funny, but I’m one of those dorks who laughs at her own jokes, so… Another bit of news: I’m starting a newsletter to support my nascent author business. To subscribe, drop your email in the subscription box at the top…
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Long-Suffering Husband catches a backyard serial killer, and I meet some deadlines
It’s been a busy week here at Camp WTF. Long-Suffering Husband caught a serial killer* in the act, and I met a couple of writing deadlines. But before we get to those thrilling tales: Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! Grab a treat, pull up a seat, and let’s chat. * Note: a nonstandard definition of, “serial killer,” is used in this post.
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Paying the price for my procrastination
Good morning and happy Friday! June is shaping up to be a hectic month, and it’s all my fault. I have a couple of major deadlines this month, which I’ve known about for many months. But did I get the pieces written ahead of schedule? Nope. Did I even start them at a reasonable time? Also nope. So now here I am, doing the authorial equivalent of writing the term paper the night before it’s due. Why, oh why, do I do this to myself? Because of my sloth–and because it’s been too hot to go outside and take pictures of interesting stuff–this post will be shorter and duller than…
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Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Books and Reading, Flower of the Day, Garden, Weekend Coffee Share, What's On Your Bookshelf
The weekly update: bobcat sighting, books, garden pix, and a small batch of memes
Good morning and happy Saturday! This week’s update will be a little short, because we’ve had a distinct lack of excitement here at Camp WTF. After today, I’ll be on vacation for a week, so I’ve spent this week working, working, working to get stuff done. And that’s after spending all weekend cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, because my son has a houseguest this week. This adulthood thing is a thrill a minute, I tell ya. Before we get to all those thrills: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer; Cee’s Flower of the Day photo challenge, hosted by Cee’s Photo Challenges, and the What’s…
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Ebb Tide rose (#FOTD)
For Cee’s Flower of the Day photo challenge, I present to you: Ebb Tide. This floribunda rose is supposed to be purple (see this catalog picture for reference). Mine isn’t, but it’s still gorgeous and currently so covered in blooms, I worry it will collapse under the weight of them. To my subscribers, I hope you’ll forgive the more frequent posts. It’s such a beautiful time in the garden, and I can’t resist sharing a little of that beauty with the world. Happy Tuesday! What’s beautiful in your world?
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Unknown pink rose (#FOTD)
I bought this rose last summer as a rooted cutting from a guy selling them on a street corner here in Tucson. He said he and his wife brought the mother plant from Ohio decades ago. It struggled last year, probably because I planted it in the summer, but now it’s thriving and just bloomed for the first time. Shared as part of Cee’s Flower of the Day photo challenge. What’s blooming in your garden on this lovely Mother’s Day?
Janet Alcorn
Suspense | Horror | Romance
