Would you like a little spring in January?

We were joking about it--balmy days in January, not as much rain as usual, no bitter cold days to remind us of the Blue Northers to come (I've talked about Blue Northers before, but don't remember when...) We usually hover in the upper forties now, dropping to low thirties at night--at least in memory. My office was cold at night last year (old windows.) It's better now, with mostly new windows, but still ten degrees cooler than the rest of the house.

Now, a small magnolia next door is in full bloom.
( Mad Plants! simply mad! )

Update:
Now the smaller lantana in the window box is putting out leaves. Lantana doesn't start growing until it hits the 80s!

I just cut the big one back to stalks, so at least one of them won't look silly when it finally re-leafs...

Another writing mentor is born

I know several fine writers who are also editors and mentors--Ardath Mayhar, Laura Anne Gilman, Josepha Sherman--and now another joins the group.

The excellent and wonderful dancinghorse, otherwise known as Judith Tarr (and others, but I'll never tell) has put on the editor hat and linked her talents and experience to offering manuscript critiques.

One thing that has always impressed me about her writing is how she blends vivid world building with a tendril of sensuality. (And that's just her fantasy stories.) The result is wondrous, and always makes me impatient for her next book. AND--she's doing horsemanship weekends, too! Everything from Horse basics so you don't write something that makes it obvious you know *nothing* about horses, to Lipizzan weekends for serious riders who would like to try dressage on a classically trained Lipizzan. (Be honest--you've always dreamed of riding a white horse who could float without leaving the ground...)

So--pass on the word to good folks you know want and need this info!

http://capriole.smoe.org/