Search found 684 matches

by Margarita
Sun Nov 30, 2025 9:41 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday November 30th
Replies: 2
Views: 20

Re: Sunday November 30th

Morning. Six degrees with a whopping high of 20 predicted.
by Margarita
Sat Nov 29, 2025 8:40 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday November 29th
Replies: 2
Views: 29

Re: Saturday November 29th

Morning. -7 degrees according to the official weather report and 3 degrees according to our weather station, which I think is getting wonky. I ordered a new one for us and one for my son and daughter-in-law. The air might be stirring, but not too much right now.

I don't think I'll bring out the ...
by Margarita
Fri Nov 28, 2025 10:33 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday November 28th
Replies: 2
Views: 25

Re: Friday November 28th

Morning. 43 degrees, cloudy, about 15 mph wind, snow changing to rain later this evening.

I ventured out to the early Black Fridy sales twice in the early 2000s, both times to buy a snowboard for my son at less than half price. I am not an enthusiastic shopper, but I was impelled into a store at 5 ...
by Margarita
Thu Nov 27, 2025 4:01 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday, Thanksgiving 2025
Replies: 2
Views: 26

Re: Thursday, Thanksgiving 2025

Afternoon. Getting cold tonight and colder tomorrow. Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday. Ours went well yesterday. No one can cook like my daughter-in-law.
by Margarita
Wed Nov 26, 2025 1:20 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Wednesday November 26th
Replies: 2
Views: 27

Re: Wednesday November 26th

Afternoon. 33 degrees with a gentle wind. I don't know how I screwed up a coconut pecan pie that I've made two dozen times, but I did. It is soooo ugly that I'm torn between leaving it at home and baking another or taking this one for laughs.
by Margarita
Tue Nov 25, 2025 10:21 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday November 25th
Replies: 2
Views: 29

Re: Tuesday November 25th

Morning, y'all. 21 degrees here, no wind to speak of, sunny. Supposed to cloud up and precipitate tonight, but probably will be just enough to make it hard to get down the road to the ranch tomorrow for Thanksgiving.

Oh, Tom, I am no where near the polishing stage. This is definitely first draft ...
by Margarita
Mon Nov 24, 2025 11:40 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday November 24th
Replies: 2
Views: 37

Re: Monday November 24th

Well, it's still morning. I slept later today than I have in years, maybe decades. I've been hitting the writing hard, 45,000+ words since the first of November and that much staring at the computer is about to do me in. I should finish this draft in the next two days, then I am shutting it down ...
by Margarita
Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:06 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday November 23rd
Replies: 3
Views: 43

Re: Sunday November 23rd

Morning. 39 degrees, 10 mph wind if the weather site is to be believed. Weather Underground, my go to site for a quarter of a century, has been messed up for weeks now. I discovered the site back when I was a legal assistant and trying to determine the weather on a day an accident occurred. Right ...
by Margarita
Sat Nov 22, 2025 8:16 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday November 22nd
Replies: 2
Views: 42

Re: Saturday November 22nd

Morning. 33 degrees and pretty still. Around here, people wander around looking for rocks because they like rocks. I know an inordinate number of rock hounds, including my husband. He says the best hunting now is in the backyards of old rock hounds.
by Margarita
Fri Nov 21, 2025 9:14 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday November 21st
Replies: 2
Views: 58

Re: Friday November 21st

Morning. 34 degrees and still. Sunshine on my shoulders- or would be if I stepped outside.

I always liked Tucumcari, partially because it is such a good name. We stayed there a time or two. Lots of feedlots in the area back then. The waitress at the cafe told us when the mist from the river ...
by Margarita
Thu Nov 20, 2025 9:00 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday November 20th
Replies: 2
Views: 59

Re: Thursday November 20th

It's a foggy morning at 33 degrees and no wind. Finally looks a little more like November.

Flagstaff. We used to drive through there on our way from California to Arkansas and back. It was always, always either snowing or raining in Flagstaff. Over the course of those years, the Destructive Powers ...
by Margarita
Wed Nov 19, 2025 9:45 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Wednesday November 19
Replies: 3
Views: 112

Re: Wednesday November 19

Morning, gentlemen. 39 degrees and a fairly enthusiastic breeze this morning, though I'm not sure I'd call it wind quite yet. No rain. No snow. No nothing. On one hand, it's easy to get around. On the other, it is getting pretty late in the year without snow. It'll probably dump on us Wednesday next ...
by Margarita
Tue Nov 18, 2025 10:13 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday November 18th
Replies: 2
Views: 110

Re: Tuesday November 18th

Morning. 44 degrees, 20 mph wind, and still some babble about rain, though I think that is just wistful thinking.
by Margarita
Mon Nov 17, 2025 10:56 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday November 17th
Replies: 2
Views: 99

Re: Monday November 17th

Morning. 46 degrees, 20 mph with with higher gusts, and not a single sign of those "possible showers."

Almost got my words in for the day. Another hour and I can get up and do something else.
by Margarita
Sun Nov 16, 2025 9:15 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday November 16th
Replies: 2
Views: 95

Re: Sunday November 16th

Morning. 37 degrees, still, and no sign of the predicted rain.

Our son is a city fire fighter. The fire fighters once did a video of dropping a turkey into a deep fryer located in a three-sided shed. It was a good thing the fire department was standing by.
by Margarita
Sat Nov 15, 2025 9:55 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday November 15th
Replies: 2
Views: 127

Re: Saturday November 15th

Morning, 54 degrees, 25 mph wind. Seriously, what month is this?

Given the emphasis on consumerism this time of year, perhaps Chrisgiving would be more appropriate than Thankmas. Except for gifts for grandchildren, we ignore the Santa aspects of the season. Everyone is going to be off the Wednesday ...
by Margarita
Fri Nov 14, 2025 11:03 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday November 14th
Replies: 2
Views: 131

Re: Friday November 14th

Morning. 55 degrees with the wind howling along at town street speeds (30 mph except for the occasional driver who always has to blast along doing 40-45).

I assume Thermop lost power yesterday, too. Ours went off and came back on two or three times. The Dave Johnson Power Plant over in Glenrock ...
by Margarita
Thu Nov 13, 2025 8:50 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday November 13th
Replies: 2
Views: 124

Re: Thursday November 13th

Morning. 46 degrees with some wind moving small stuff around. Meteorologists can't decide if snow is coming this weekend or not.

My daughter let her four-year-old daughter put up the tree the first of the month. I may balance the universe by ignoring Xmas all together this year. I did order candles ...
by Margarita
Wed Nov 12, 2025 8:32 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Wednesday November 12th
Replies: 3
Views: 143

Re: Wednesday November 12th

Morning. 43 degrees and relatively still, at least in my yard.

The ring of tinnitus sounds throughout my family. I'm listening to it in my left ear at this moment, but it generally goes away after a while. My so is plagued it all the time, as was my mother.

I'm about ready for some snow. It is ...
by Margarita
Tue Nov 11, 2025 9:23 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday November 11th
Replies: 2
Views: 234

Re: Tuesday November 11th

Good show but as close to a WW11 London bombing raid as I can imagine.
:lol: That may be the best description of a loud concert that I've ever read.

'Tis a nice sunny morning at around 45 degrees and enough wind to render it a bit chillier.
by Margarita
Mon Nov 10, 2025 11:43 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: coulda been worse, but it's bad enough...
Replies: 3
Views: 331

Re: coulda been worse, but it's bad enough...

Thank you for asking.Things could've been much worse, but they are bad enough.

Daughter is struggling with severe hip and back pain following the accident. She is a no-nonsense former cop, but is also having issues with driving after dark and similar anxiety-related issues that arise following a ...
by Margarita
Mon Nov 10, 2025 8:47 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday November 10th
Replies: 2
Views: 231

Re: Monday November 10th

Morning. 45 degrees with a wind chill knocking it down to 36 degrees.

Still no white stuff. I'm about ready for one of those days when it's snowy outside and we can turn off the phones, light a fire in the woodstove, and pretend we're a hundred miles from anyone.
by Margarita
Sun Nov 09, 2025 8:29 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday November 9th
Replies: 2
Views: 260

Re: Sunday November 9th

Morning. 20 degrees and sunny.

Talked to my daughter yesterday. Her back and hips are hurting pretty bad, everything else is sore. Her pregnancies are hard enough due to scoliosis, and getting hit didn't help any. Granddaughter and au pair seem to be sore but fine
by Margarita
Sat Nov 08, 2025 9:57 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday November 8th
Replies: 2
Views: 272

Re: Saturday November 8th

Morning. 34 degrees, gentle breeze. Much as hate to use the S Word, we could use some.

Yep, happened up in Olympia. Daughter was sitting still at a stop sign and got broad-sided by someone coming off 101 freeway. Not too worried about her being found at fault. Apparently, cop just had the car towed ...
by Margarita
Fri Nov 07, 2025 11:12 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: coulda been worse, but it's bad enough...
Replies: 3
Views: 331

coulda been worse, but it's bad enough...

My daughter called. Some stupid little tiny lady who couldn’t see over the steering wheel came off 101 at full freeway speed and broadsided Rosie’s Suburu on the driver’s side as she was sitting at a stop sign. Knocked her and her pregnant tummy sideways into the console. She says ther side hurts ...
by Margarita
Fri Nov 07, 2025 8:31 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday November 7th
Replies: 2
Views: 314

Re: Friday November 7th

Morning, y'all. 37 degrees, sunny, and a stiff wind blowing from the southwest, as usual. My favorite weather site, Weather Underground, has gone wonky on me the last couple of days. Despite listing the high for the day as 54, it shows the current temperature being 66. un-uh. Not even close.

Your ...
by Margarita
Thu Nov 06, 2025 9:42 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday November 6th
Replies: 2
Views: 408

Re: Thursday November 6th

Morning. 50 degrees, overcast, showers possible, breezy. It's beginning to look a lot like November, except for the trees that are still clinging to gold leaves.

Making decent progress on Book III. I've written 12,745 words since the first of the month, ith a goal of 50,000 words by the end of the ...
by Margarita
Wed Nov 05, 2025 10:35 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Wednesday November 5th
Replies: 1
Views: 411

Re: Wednesday November 5th

Morning. 42 degrees and sunny.

Off to get my teeth cleaned this morning. The hygienist used an ultrasound device that does a great cleaning job, but the sound of the thing is enough to peel the skin off my eardrums. I'm not looking forward to it.
by Margarita
Tue Nov 04, 2025 1:32 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday November 4th
Replies: 1
Views: 396

Re: Tuesday November 4th

Could happen-hope it doesn't.

Sunny, windy, and 65 degrees in central Wyoming. On the 4th day of the write 50,000 words in a month, I'm a fifth of the way to goal. Suspect there is a wall looming in my literary future, but I'm enjoying the momentum while it lasts.
by Margarita
Mon Nov 03, 2025 9:06 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday November 3rd
Replies: 2
Views: 440

Re: Monday November 3rd

Morning. 30 degrees, sunny, and so far still, though that will change later.

No doubt a substantial part of the reason the suicide rate is so high in Wyoming is winter and wind. Wind literally drives some people nuts, but I love it. My daughter moved to Washington to get away from wind; says she ...
by Margarita
Sun Nov 02, 2025 6:02 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday November 2nd
Replies: 2
Views: 416

Re: Sunday November 2nd

And rolling in at the end of the day is me. 57 degrees, beautiful fall day. Spent several hours writing this morning, then drove my grandson out to the ranch. Since my services weren't required with butchering chores (did I ever time my arrival right), I took the long route home through Bessemer ...
by Margarita
Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:54 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday November 1st
Replies: 3
Views: 479

Re: Saturday November 1st

Morning. 50 degrees with rain predicted.

Last night was perfect weather for Halloween trick or treaters- a condition almost unheard of for Natrona County. Our rural area was silent as usual, but I drove my grandson over to meet friends in east Casper where it looked like a door-to-door carnival ...
by Margarita
Fri Oct 31, 2025 9:54 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday, Halloween
Replies: 1
Views: 371

Re: Friday, Halloween

Morning. 28 degrees, partly cloudy. It's going to be a bit chilly tonight for the trick or treaters, but given we usually get more snow on Halloween than Thanksgiving, just having a clear evening is a good thing. Half the time when my kids were growing up, we went out into blowing snow and freezing ...
by Margarita
Thu Oct 30, 2025 8:56 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday October 30th
Replies: 1
Views: 302

Re: Thursday October 30th

Good morning, world. 27 degrees and not supposed to get much over 50 today.

Today is as good a day as any to prune some deadwood out of our smaller trees, too. Roy is going to show me how to use the power saw on the thicker branches. I've always preferred my acoustic tools, but I've reached the age ...
by Margarita
Wed Oct 29, 2025 9:29 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Wednesday October 29th
Replies: 1
Views: 294

Re: Wednesday October 29th

Morning. 23 degrees and sunny. At this moment, not even the rosebush leaves are trembling, but 20-30 mph winds are predicted later today.

What kind of trees do you have? Our silver poplars actually turned gold this year, which doesn't happen very often. Usually a freeze catches them while they're ...
by Margarita
Tue Oct 28, 2025 9:03 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday October 28th
Replies: 2
Views: 317

Re: Tuesday October 28th

Morning. Snowed last night. Currently 23 degrees with just enough air movement to stir the roses. Other parts of the country would call it wind, but not us.

This first snow came late enough in October that the silver poplars have turned gold. Usually the cold catches them with green leaves and ...
by Margarita
Mon Oct 27, 2025 10:05 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday October 27th
Replies: 3
Views: 384

Re: Monday October 27th

Morning. 47 degrees. Saw rain last night, but if it snowed, it melted PDQ.

Have to share this before the algorithms change and I'm back out in left field:

Book I's current Amazon status:

Best Sellers Rank: #463 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
#1 in Historical Fiction (Kindle Store ...
by Margarita
Sun Oct 26, 2025 10:52 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday October 26th
Replies: 1
Views: 303

Re: Sunday October 26th

Morning. 58 degrees and a nice stiff wind that's going to get stiffer as the day goes along.

I wonder if those roses were the Rosa foetida variety called Persian Yellow that we have here. A common variety of the same speicies is called Austrian Copper. Both are beautiful, hardy roses that are a ...
by Margarita
Sat Oct 25, 2025 10:17 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday October 25th
Replies: 1
Views: 299

Re: Saturday October 25th

Morning. 57 degrees, breezy, and sunny.

Have you run a magnet over your digestive system to see if it sticks anywhere?

You're welcome. I'm always happy to talk about roses, though I'm far from an expert. Most of the rose advice I find in books and online doesn't take into account the elevation ...
by Margarita
Fri Oct 24, 2025 8:52 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday October 24th
Replies: 1
Views: 318

Re: Friday October 24th

Morning. 28 degrees and clear as a bell.

The roses aren't dormant yet, so they still need some water. One still had blooms day before yesterday, though they're probably the last of the year. As long as roses are green, I water them once every week or so. Don't want to give them too much, but don't ...
by Margarita
Thu Oct 23, 2025 8:41 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday October 23rd
Replies: 1
Views: 293

Re: Thursday October 23rd

Good morning from Natrona County where it is currently 33 degrees. Today's big plans include deep-watering the roses and working on page proofs for Book II. The heady excitement of life in The Big City never ends. :dance:
by Margarita
Wed Oct 22, 2025 8:59 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Wednesday October 22nd
Replies: 1
Views: 308

Re: Wednesday October 22nd

Morning. 31 degrees and sunny.

Yeah, I've run into the "where's the food?" problem, too. When I'm traveling to specific destinations as opposed to wandering around looking at stuff, I make reservations in specific towns, usually at airbnbs. One less thing to worry about. I've paid as little as $50 ...
by Margarita
Tue Oct 21, 2025 9:26 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday October 21st
Replies: 1
Views: 313

Re: Tuesday October 21st

Morning. Currently 37 degrees in Ogallala. Today's drive is just under 300 miles and five hours. I'm angling up through Scottsbluff and Torrington and avoiding as much as possible the roads that start with I. This is the first time I haven't driven back in a couple of days. Once when I was ...
by Margarita
Mon Oct 20, 2025 7:48 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday October 20th
Replies: 1
Views: 302

Re: Monday October 20th

Evening. I spent a couple of hours at the Rolling Hills Zoo west of Salina and am in Ogallala tonight. I-70 through Kansas beats I-80 through anyway, but I was only on it from Salina to Colby. I head off at a north to northwest angle at Colby. Pretty country. They're harvesting corn, the winter ...
by Margarita
Sun Oct 19, 2025 8:35 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Sunday October 19th
Replies: 1
Views: 328

Re: Sunday October 19th

If you plant them earlier, they'll just get caught in a late spring freeze. The only defense is ripening them inside, fried green tomatoes, and green tomato chutney.

Just sayin'

Morning. 59 degrees in Wake Village, sunny, and humid as tropical hell after yesterday's gully washer storms. Next stop ...
by Margarita
Sat Oct 18, 2025 9:55 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Saturday October 18th
Replies: 2
Views: 350

Re: Saturday October 18th

Morning. Last day in the Red River Valley. I'm ready to go home: emotionally, physically, politically, philosophically. How in the hell I emerged from this environment with half a brain and any empathy for others, I do not know.

End of rant.
by Margarita
Fri Oct 17, 2025 5:19 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Friday October 17th
Replies: 1
Views: 447

Re: Friday October 17th

Evening. Took the scenic route home from Hot Springs Village today. Got some running around to do tomorrow, including a No KIngs rally, then I'll head home.
by Margarita
Thu Oct 16, 2025 1:28 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Thursday October 16th
Replies: 1
Views: 551

Re: Thursday October 16th

Afternoon from North Little Rock. Sunny and pleasant. The Google directions to the library were so complex that I gave myself lots of time to get lost. It was, of course, a piece of cake to locate and now I have several hours to sit and read. Ahhhh...

A friend and I stayed in a hotel in Central ...
by Margarita
Tue Oct 14, 2025 9:43 am
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Tuesday October 14th
Replies: 1
Views: 522

Re: Tuesday October 14th

Morning. 35 degrees back home and 75 degrees in Wake Village this morning. Leaving for Hot Springs Village this afternoon. All these villages. Hot Springs presentation tomorrow and North Little Rock the day after. Bring my aunt back home, then I'm heading home. Not sure which route I'll take. Any ...
by Margarita
Mon Oct 13, 2025 2:53 pm
Forum: The Hog Pen
Topic: Monday October 13th
Replies: 2
Views: 617

Re: Monday October 13th

Afternoon. Long swing out to Washington and Columbus to see my favorite places and check on the farm. Yep, looks like it got logged this winter. Seems like a lot of waste didn't get piled up up into slash piles as agreed upon, but I doubt there is anything I can do about it. Meh, it's Arkansas ...