winter weather | Author Jennifer N. Adams

Or is it ‘Cabin Fever, Winter Blues’?

Either way, it’s another fine winter day, stuck indoors. I’m actually being a bit sardonic, but who wouldn’t be unless you could be outside enjoying the weather. Though there aren’t any slopes here for me to grab my snowboard and head out to. Nor is the ground covered in snow, for mini me to go sledding. Instead, the ground is covered in ice that has been melted and frozen, again, and again, over the past few days. Today, our forecast called for a snow and rain mix, which didn’t began falling until late morning. It just made everything that much more slippery. I decided to stay home with my daughter, since I have to drive North where the roads would be much slicker.

Though I have driven in wintry conditions, it is very different here in Arkansas, especially when you’re surrounded by drivers who cannot drive on ice and/or snow. Some cannot even drive when it’s raining, so I find it best to stay clear by staying home. My daughter finds serenity in watching the snow fall. We have a large picture window in the living room with a wide window sill for her to lean on and to also give her plenty of space to play with her toys.

On days like this, I find myself in the office, on the computer, trying to finish up homework, or work on the next research paper for a class or two, or do a bit of writing. I think if I redecorated this office, it would have more of a calm, soothing atmosphere where I can be more creative. I think it’s the only room that still has the fake wood paneling from the 1960’s, covering it’s walls. Plus, the photos that cover the wall space above grandpa’s desk are decades old and could be upgraded.

I think I may have found my next summer project…to redecorate and rearrange the office.

I mostly find my creative energy in a mixture of places, such as, bookstores, coffee shops, libraries, front porch. Sometimes, the recliner in the living room, next to our picture window is a perfect spot for writing, especially on days like today. Anywhere my mind can roam freely.

Lately, I’ve been spending most of that free time between classes, in my college library. Just yesterday, I had my headphones on, music going, and I was able to finally finish editing chapter one of my young adult novel. This is the same novel I had tried querying agents last summer for, but without success. It’s a tough job, being an author. Tough market, actually. Some of them were very close in saying yes, adding tidbits of helpful info that would make the next round of querying a bit more successful.

So, I began working on it….again.

There was originally a prologue, but I had cut it out entirely. Now, I added it back into the novel, but instead of it being a prologue, I made it the beginning of chapter one’s story line. I then moved some of chapter three into chapter one, so the next on my to-do-list is to edit chapter three.

I’m coming up on 60K words total…on the manuscript that is. I’m going to make that a goal that I must achieve. Once that’s done, I am finished…I hope, cross my fingers and knock on wood. I’m looking forward to seeing it finalized once more and also hope that I can send it off to the publisher very soon. I think I’ll try querying agents again, if not, I know a few small publishers that wouldn’t mind publishing it for me.

How does everyone react where you live, when the weatherman/woman says the forecast is calling for snow? Here in central Arkansas it’s like an Apocalypse is coming. Everyone rushes out to the store to clear the shelves of bread and milk.

This was taken today at Walmart here in Bryant, Arkansas. This is suppose to be the bread aisle, but as you can see, the bread has been wiped out.

A few days ago, our very own weatherman said it was supposed to snow today – it didn’t. Though that didn’t stop everyone from clearing the shelves at the local grocery store. I just happened to go to the store myself, but it was for a few items my grandmother needed for a recipe. I also ran out of grape jelly and my daughter was almost out of her cereal. I usually don’t pay much attention to the forecast, unless it calls for several inches of snow and/ or that it’s going to snow for a few days straight. So when I got to the store this morning I found it crowded on the grocery side of the store and most of the shelves were either empty or looking a little bare.

Last year, around Christmas, we actually received a lot of snow, as well as ice. The trees became top heavy and limbs began snapping, falling on power-lines and across roadways. Many were without power for days, some without power for weeks. My family and I were actually stuck in our house as our giant Magnolia tree in our front yard split. One giant limb fell across the driveway, then another fell across the yard and on part of the wheelchair ramp (was built for my grandfather years ago), blocking us in completely. There was also a limb that fell against the house, pulling one of the wires out of the wall, knocking our electric out. We had trouble getting the power company to come out here to look at it, as they wanted us to have an electrician check it first.

I called an electrician and was put on a long waiting list. Some electrician’s were without electricity themselves, so those they did have electricity, found themselves busy busy. After a few days someone showed up and said we were good to go. Now the wait for the power company to come turn the power back on. That in turn took a few more days. All the while the house was almost as cold inside, as it was outside. We all bundled up under a huge pile of blankets in the living room, sealing off the rest of the house. After about eight days we finally got our power turned on. It was like this across most of the state.

The weatherman did call for several inches of snow and some ice. I had stocked up on food, but what I didn’t expect was the power to go out. Everything here is electric. Now we are better prepared; I have a little camping stove, bottled water, lanterns, and batteries.