Prairie weather plays a starring role in my novel Astraphobia, coming in June to BWL’s Paranormal Canadiana Collection (https://bookswelove.net/authors/paranormal-canadiana-collection/).   In Astraphobia, lightning in its many forms stalks three generations of the McKenzie family as they move from Scotland to Ottawa and ultimately to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Canada averages about two million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes a year.  Half a million of them are in Saskatchewan, and most of those are in the short, hot summer.  Spectacular thunderstorms put on a light show as they rage across the landscape, tossing around grain bins, flattening crops and sometimes setting things on fire.   It doesn’t take much to be the tallest thing on the prairie during a thunderstorm, although it might be some comfort to know that 90 per cent of the people who are struck by lightning survive.     

Saskatchewan is a drama queen when it comes to weather.    A week ago we were the coldest place on Planet Earth.  Colder than Siberia.  Or Antarctica.  So cold that taking a deep breath could freeze your lungs.

           

Today it’s plus five and we’re walking around with our coats open and our faces to the sun.   But the respite will be brief.  The temperature will plummet, melting rivulets will freeze into sheet ice scraped clean by cutting winds and we’ll be back to taking tiny penguin steps to get around.   Winter is the dominant season here, hanging around like an unwanted guest until April or even May.  Surviving it is a badge of honour.

Valentines, Chocolates, and Good Luck Charms By Connie Vines #ebookweek25, #Smashwords Connie Vines

 

I'm straddling two celebrations in my current blog post. 

Forgive me; I could not choose between them: hearts, candies, flowers,  charms, gold coins, or good luck.

So, in my usual enthusiastic abandonment, I'm running with it!

I must admit that Valentine's Day has become a highly commercialized holiday. However, in this busy world, it is a pause in the chaos of life. 

It reminds us to take time for our loved ones and cherished friends. 

Is it a love letter to Mushy? A box of Chocolates, too costly? Then, "spend" your time with your favorite person. After all, time is the most cherished gift. 

A walk in the park and sharing a thermos of coffee. Listening to the gentle call of morning doves...or simply spending an afternoon baking heart-shaped cookies together in the kitchen.  💓💕💘💝

🍀🐑💰

I must confess the thought of Leprechauns running around and pinching me was very disconcerting when I was a child.

Especially when I learned that the fairies could be mean and goblins ran amuck, too.  The only way to avoid harm was to wear green. Apparently, this kept a human 'invisible.'  This was a deal-breaker for me, LOL. I had three younger brothers and a younger sister--nothing made me invisible!

However, I enjoyed a meal of corned beef and cabbage during childhood and often a traditional shepherd's pie as an adult.

Unfortunately, I must confess my ignorance, which was only revealed when researching Saint Patrick's Day in my article today.

The word for today: Shillelagh.

I can spell it; I can pronounce it. 

I did not know it was a walking stick. 

Everyone has a favorite holiday. What is yours?

Feel free to share your favorite holiday memory.

Happy Reading, everyone!

Remember, SMASHWORDS has a HUGE SALE (50% off)  on all BWL Ebooks -- March 2 - March 8, 2025!!

Here's my link:

 https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/vinesbwl 

XOXO

Connie

Anthology (RomCom, Love Potion, Who-Done-It,  and Paranormal)

(RomCom Fantasy)

And, of course, Sexy, Hard-working Cowboys!

Little health miracles of everyday foods and spices - by Vijaya Schartz

There is a phantom ship that glows like a beacon in black space,

appears and vanishes, and never registers on scanners.

The space pirates fear it. Their victims pray for it... but its help comes at a price...

Find my books on the BWL site HERE

For the longest time, particular foods and spices have been known to have healing or preventive properties.

My mother always told me to eat my carrots for rosy skin.

Blueberries are good for your eyes.

A spoonful of peanut butter a day will keep children (and adults) free of warts.

Chicken noodle soup will help cure a cold.

Garlic, a natural antibiotic, is good for the heart and will kill worms in the digestive system.

Honey is a natural antibiotic.

Blue cheese (the stinky kind) is also a natural antibiotic.

Chamomile tea will calm your stomach and help you sleep.

Warm milk before bed will help you sleep.

These old-wives remedies have proven in time to be not only effective but medically sound.

The modest myrtle plant

Even our universal aspirin, salicylic acid, now synthesized and produced chemically in pharmaceutical labs, comes from nature. Myrtle is a humble flower European people steeped and consumed as a tea to ward off headaches. In antiquity, the same substance (salicin) was extracted from willow leaves and bark.

But spices in particular are still regarded as potent remedies in many parts of the world. Here are a few interesting ones:

A pinch of Cayenne Pepper in your morning coffee is good for your heart and blood.

Curry is a gentle laxative, especially with vegetables.

A concoction of turmeric, fresh ginger, cinnamon and milk will ease arthritic pain.

Moroccan spice (blend of paprika, cumin, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and cayenne) taken daily will prevent herpes flare ups.

Cinnamon lowers blood sugar.

Sage can help brain function, even in Alzheimer’s patients.

Turmeric is all the rage, hailed as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic remedy (but beware of contraindications like gallbladder disease, blood clotting disorder, liver disease, diabetes, blood thinners, antiplatelet medications).

Wishing you all a healthy and energetic life.

And don’t forget that reading feel-good science fiction for entertainment is also healthy, so check out my novels on these retail sites: 

amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo 

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

https://www.vijayaschartz.com

amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo - FB

Faux pas at the Jazz Concert by Kevin and Bruce McKern

McKern, Brothers - BWL Publishing Inc.

Back in the mid '90S, my brother Bruce (you know, that bass player guy) was finishing up his conducting degree at Southern Oregon State College (now Southern Oregon University).  Their Jazz Band needed a drummer, so the director asked Bruce if I'd be willing to play.  I wasn't playing out that much at the time, and I'd never before had an opportunity to play drums in a Big Band, so I said yes.  Fast forward to the end of term concert.  It was the usual drawn-out, multi-group extravaganza with some random comedy thrown in.  For instance, during one of the smaller group's sets, the big band's pianist was doing his Louis Armstrong singing impression from the wings loud enough to draw focus from the stage (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing).  And then, it happened.   During one of the Big Band pieces, the guitarist (who happened to be one of the more popular professors in the Music Dept.  An everyman sort of fellow; the kind of guy that kept a stash of bologna and pretzels in his office, and didn't mind it when he was nicknamed "Norm" because of his resemblance to a popular sitcom character) turned towards the rest of the rhythm section and said "Oops".  We were initially puzzled, because we didn't notice any obvious musical error.  Then, an overwhelming stench hit us like a brick wall!  We managed to finish the concert while chuckling/gagging uncontrollably.  One of the lasting images of the incident is of the pianist, sitting high atop six plastic chairs, with his shirt pulled up over his nose.  At the after-show beer bust, we all came to the same conclusion:  "Norm" sh*t the jazz concert.

Facing Fears by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

https://books2read.com/The-Art-of-Growing-Older

https://bwlpublishing.ca/donaldson-yarmey-joan/

Facing Fears

I have a fear of flying, a fear of heights, and a fear of falling from heights. My motto: I believe in terra firma. The more firma the less terra.

Because of those fears, it took years before I would fly and more years before I trusted the plane I was on not to crash. Even now I still worry each time I get on a plane. Recently, I was on vacation in Mazatlan with my son and daughter-in-law. Their timeshare is right on the beach so I would watch people parasailing out over the ocean and landing safely back on land. It is something I’ve watched before and thought I would like to try-someday. Well, that day arrived while I was there. I gathered up my courage and with my son at my side, went to talk with the men on the beach. I paid the money and was given a life jacket to put on. Then I was hooked up to the sail and a rope from the boat knotted to the equipment. I was told to sit and the boat started pulling me over the sand and soon I was rising up in the air.

My stomach clenched, I held on to the straps for dear life, and I started to hyperventilate. But I looked at the view and it was amazing: the ocean, the city, the mountains in the distance. However, each time the wind whipped at the sail and I went sideways I would gasp and may even have done some swearing. I had been told that once I was up in the air I could relax and let go of the straps. No %$&# way. I was taken in a loop over the water and eventually the boat slowed and I began to descend. I had a walkie talkie and was told to pull on the ropes of the sail to guide me towards the beach (I’d been given instructions how to do it) and I made a safe, stand-up landing. And I felt exhilarated. I had done it, faced my fears and had a new experience.

Fear is fear and many new writers face the fear of sitting down and writing the story they want to. Many don’t tell anyone about their writing aspirations. Part way through their manuscript they doubt their abilities as a writer and think about scraping the whole process. If they finish the manuscript, they worry that no one will like and are afraid to put their ‘baby’ out in the world where it risks rejection. If they do find someone to read it and get back some negative feedback, they are tempted to quit writing altogether. If they get far enough in the process where they think about trying to find an agent or publisher, all the worries surface again. Each of these is a big step in a writer’s life and fear and doubt rule them all. Even once a book is published the writer wonders how it will be received by the readers.

If I didn’t face my fears of flying and heights, I would never go beyond the oceans that surround Canada. As a writer, if I hadn’t overcome my fears of rejection I wouldn’t have over twenty books traditionally published.

Even if my first writing hadn’t been accepted, I would still consider myself a winner for I had been brave enough to try something new and different. Just like flying, and walking across bridges that span canyons and gorges, and parasailing, I have done something that scared me and won. So I advise every new writer to follow your dream and don't let fear stop you. Face it and overcome it and enjoy being a writer.

And never let age stop you from doing anything. I plan on skydiving when I am 90 years old. Gives me a few years to psych myself up.