Archive | August 2017

Rain-Free for a Few More Days

Aug31

We are usually praying for rain, but yesterday, it started to sprinkle and we were all out cleaning up yards, and there was a sense of panic–oh no, not more rain. We were still under 16 flood warnings yesterday, and we were getting stuff together to donate to the shelters.

One of my neighbors had a pine tree snap in two, but luckily it missed his house. I worried about some of the others, mine included, as I watched a neighbor behind me and across the street whose pine tree was swaying in the wind. They’re around eighty feet or taller and they used to be surrounded by forests, so the trees grew up together, supported each other, and now they’re on their own. The pine tree in the cloudy sunset picture, distant center is the tree that was swaying so much. I didn’t want to look and see what my trees were doing. You can see the twig flying horizontally to the ground also.

Wet house finches trying to catch a bite to eat under the roof of the feeder. You can see the slashes of rain around them. Wet momma cardinal feeding male juvenile on the patio while it was pouring.

When I closed my eyes last night, I saw rain. It’s amazing what the power of an image will have on you. When we weren’t having lightning storms, or were under a tornado watch or warning, I would work at my computer and see the rain. Constant, unending rain. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like a water faucet had been turned on and got stuck. Even last year in the spring when we had all the flooding of roads and homes due to a different kind of storm system, it wasn’t this bad. It would stop intermittently. This just wouldn’t, except for the 20 minutes that one day I got out to take pictures of the pond.

We have more rain predicted for Tuesday, but that’s down from yesterday when they were predicting Monday and Tuesday. We’re down to 9 flood warnings, so the water is receding. My son-in-law is going to try to make it into work today. He tried yesterday and had to turn around and work from home again.

Otherwise, the chance for rain is slim, and we even have sunny days coming. And the heat will be here today and tomorrow, but then it’s going to be around 80s, which helps because the cleanup crews have to work in all of this. The bad news, besides all this other bad news, is that the mosquitoes will be swarming in a couple of weeks. We’ve had Nile virus out here before, so fingers crossed we’re okay.

Deadlines are beckoning. Hope you have a great day!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Blue Skies After Hurricane Harvey

Aug30

The devastation and the cleanup will be a nightmare for so many areas of Houston and the surrounding cities. We’re still under 13 flood warnings, but the water is receding from creeks and rivers and roadways.

We are expected to have another bout of rain on Monday and Tuesday, but hopefully with some dry days in between, the water levels will have a chance to go down.

Gloomy skies were returning and we have dark clouds this morning, even though we only have a chance of 20%. After all the rain, they’re not welcome.

Now the cleanup begins. It’s back to the 90s tomorrow and the next few days–I’m afraid mosquitoes will be out in force too.

Hope the areas where the storm has moved off to remain safe.

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Rain and More Rain…from the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey

Aug29

Usually, I look for more rain in the forecast. Now I look to see when it is going away.

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Another Day.

Which is so true. The land is drowned in water like this, then it will clear up and we’ll be wishing we had some rain. Not south of us though. I feel for those that have lost their cars and homes to flood waters and storm damage. And for those who have died in this storm.

When the rain goes away, the nightmare is only really beginning.

The birds and squirrels are looking for shelter under my patio cover, which has also helped to keep the accumulating rain away from the house, as well as the gutters. Even in my neighborhood, some are having trouble with flooding, asking about French drains, when this isn’t really the time to be asking!

I didn’t see alligators in the pond, just a couple of turtles, who love this weather. Their pond is now even bigger.

We’ve had 27 1/2 inches of rain, and it’s raining this morning. I walked to the ponds yesterday to see if they were still contained. They are, though some trees are now in the water. They appear to have been built deep enough and large enough, that they’re rising, but still contained. Another pond a little farther away is too shallow and spilling into the road. There are several others that I didn’t check out. We had 0% chance of rain for like half hour, and twenty minutes later, the winds were gusting and the rain was starting up again, so I headed home.

They’re asking for boats and trucks that can navigate high waters. The grocery stores are running out of a lot of things–some made it to the stores, but they’re closing early. We’re still getting sheriff’s warnings to stay at home because people are getting caught up in the flood waters, stalling out their cars, and becoming more of the problem.

If you have to get out, take a stroll in the rain! Just watch for alligators and snakes.

Prayers for all those who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey. We have 100% chance of rain today, 90% tomorrow, and 50% the next day, so it will continue to drop from there.

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Hurricane Harvey: A Historical Event

Aug28

We’re fine, high enough that our rainwater is running off and not getting into the homes. 25 inches of rain so far.

We have 4 more days of rain, then the chance drops off to 40% for a couple of days. And then 80% again. I didn’t think I’d ever be glad NOT to have rain. It’s windy today, and the rain is light and that’s finally allowing for some of the water to seep in, but areas are still being evacuated before more flooding can occur with the new rainfall.

This is one of the sheriff’s alerts:

“Riley Fuzzel Rd under SH 99 is closed to through traffic due to Spring Creek over flow. Vehicles can still get onto SH 99 main lanes but not on Riley Fuzzel Rd east or west bound under SH 99. Please avoid that area and monitor local news & emergency service channels for updates.”

Tons of road closures all over. But people are feeling housebound and just have to get out. I took a walk this morning while it was not raining for once, and took pictures of the ponds. They’re elevated, but so deep, except for some trees in standing water, they’re not reaching the roadways.

Schools are closed through Sept 5 now.

Off to write. Our electricity went out for a blip, so I’m hoping that was the only time we’d lose it.

More later…

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Hurricane Harvey Storm Stalled

Aug27

A 4:15 am alert woke made me get out of bed to check and make sure we weren’t under a tornado warning. We’re under a tornado watch until 1 pm, and 83 flood alerts. The lightning storm was last night and seemed to last forever. I finally stopped editing and took a few videos of it. Through the window though, which can be dangerous enough.

hurricane Harvey weather map Sunday 5

It’s pouring out now. So far we’re good. Yesterday morning, we’d had 9 inches of rain. I’ll update once it’s light enough to check. I took a flashlight out when I took the puppies out again and it’s at 15 inches of rain now. Still pouring out.

If you’re in the affected area, stay safe.

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Storms Moving In

Aug26

Hurricane Harvey was upgraded to a Category 4 Hurricane.

Friday night sky, Hurricane Harvey 900

This was the night sky before I went to bed. The forecast shows squalls starting at 1 am and running through Sunday and beyond.

I wanted to post this before that happens in case we lose our electricity.

Have a safe one!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Preparing for Hurricane Harvey

Aug25

My SIL is at home doing his work from home. My daughter is at my place with baby, doing her work from her phone. So far we have a light rain is all.

The grocery store and walmart were packed, water gone, flashlights, bigger batteries, all gone. Traffic jams and accidents for those evacuating.

When I went to the grocery store, I saw a rainbow cutting across the the clouds.

So far, we’ve just had a bit of rain, but we have storm warnings all over the place. We took the baby for a stroller power walk before it started to pour.

Just put my recycle bin out to catch rainwater in case I need it. Filled the bathtub with water, and all the containers I could..just in case. Candles, matches, lighter, flashlights, lantern. Froze water bottles and have put ice cubes into the freezer.

Off to do some more stuff.

Stay safe!!

S

 

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Beautiful, Beautiful Butterfly

Aug24

OMG, I have Monarch butterflies!!!!!!

They say they can only feed off milkweed, so I put in a whole bunch this year. Last year aphids killed mine off. But this year when the aphids attacked them, I left them alone and other predatory bugs ate the aphids. So now I noticed some spider mites, I think, are killing off some of the milkweed. Ugh.

And for the last two days, I’ve seen these butterflies, and attempted to get some pictures of them. So I thought it was the fritillary that I usually have. And when I looked it up to verify that’s what it was, it wasn’t. I COULDN’T believe it was a monarch! And it was. Woohoo! They are on the decline, so I hope maybe in my little backyard, I can help out a few. They’re beautiful.

The first two with the fence behind it are in my yard. The second two, I took pictures of in Minnesota at a cute garden place.

This is the gulf fritillary that I thought it was. Silly me.

I also had a yellow swallowtail and a black swallowtail.

They’re all so beautiful, but I’m super ecstatic about seeing the monarchs!

Okay, excitement over. Back to the book!

Have a beautiful butterfly day.

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Sunset by Phone

Aug23

Wouldn’t you know I’d be at a store when I saw the most beautiful sunset. I had to stop and take a picture of it in the parking lot. My daughter I’m sure thinks I’m crazy as I snapped pictures of the sunset on the drive home through dirty car windows, but it was just too beautiful. She’ll be glad I didn’t include the ones I captured with her nose in them.

In the one shot, I caught the sun setting and a hint of the moon. 🙂 <3

So I received requests for promo blogs and excerpts for Dreaming of the White Wolf, and sent half of them. Still need to write two more, and then on top of that, I received first edits on All’s Fair in Love in War (formerly: The Bounty Hunter Gets Her Wolf, Silver Town Wolves).

I’d caught up on Billionaire Wolf Christmas, so you know where this leaves me, right????

Okay, off to get to work, first on Billionaire. Going to try to get my 2,000 in so I don’t get behind and maybe the last two promo blogs.

Have a great one, and enjoy the sunset!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Super Dogs Ready to Save the World

Aug22

Halloween dogs 900 castle 041

I took the picture of both the castle steps and the dogs, but not on the castle steps. 🙂

Super Dog, Wonder Dog, a Navigator, and a Pirate, they’re gathered at the castle for the big mission.  Drums are beating. Horns are blaring. It’s nearly time. And they’re ready.

I have to tell you my daughter and I had quite a time getting them all to stay put. 🙂 <3 And Sir Rilo, top dog, though he’s a beta, is up on top, which made it perfect. Wonder Dog, the real alpha of all of them, was keeping my two in line. They were only a year old at the time. Max and Tanner had to sit together. And here, they’re wondering about the mission.

And that’s the story. I hope their mission goes well.

I hope your day does too!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”

Connect with Terry Spear:

Website: http://www.terryspear.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears