We went from winter storm warnings last week to a warming trend this week. It was 70 degrees here in Show Low yesterday, and the weatherman says it’s going to be 90 in the Phoenix area today. They say several records will be broken in the Valley of the Sun in the next few days. You won’t hear me complaining about that. Of course, if I had to go down to that part of the state, I might complain. Heck, I could even break into a snivel.
One sign that we might be warming up is that the other night we had two skunks in the backyard. I understand that skunks do not hibernate during the winter, but they go into a state called torpor to conserve energy. They often gather in dens from November to March, waking on warmer nights to look for food. I had just gone out with Alli around midnight for her last potty trip before bedtime and spotted the skunks not far from our back deck. I was glad Alli did not see them because she considers any animal on our property as trespassers and chases them away. Fortunately, as soon as I put the yard lights on, the skunks ran off. Even so, as soon as Alli was done taking care of her business, I hustled her back inside. The last thing I want to do anytime, let alone in the middle of the night, is deal with a skunk-sprayed dog.
It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is a book from my personal library, The Last Madam. The book tells the incredible story of French Quarter legend Norma Wallace, who arrived in New Orleans in 1916 at age fifteen. She quickly rose from streetwalker to madam, and by 1920 had opened what became a legendary house of prostitution. For over 40 years, her clientele included politicians, gangsters, and movie stars, making her a powerful woman who had the city’s politicians in her pocket. Scandalous until the very end, Wallace’s steady stream of lovers included a 25-year-old neighbor whom she married when she was 64.
To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books and audiobooks to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed.
Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
Thought For The Day – You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he be willing to climb a little himself. – Andrew Carnegie
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Years ago, I had a cat that seemed to find a skunk every spring. For three or four years! I’d half fill a five gallon bucket with a mix of vinegar and water, get my fireplace gloves, and dunk the cat. He hated it. Orange cat, naturally. The only upside was that his fur was amazingly soft for a couple of weeks after his dunking!
Nick, here’s a little trick for your skunk set up on eBay or Amazon pick up two or three solar powered Motion, detector lights, and set them up about 5 feet up on A post or a tree away from the house also, save one for your back porch the body heat of a skunk will trip those lights not only announcing their presents Which they don’t want you to know, but a warning to you that’s usually enough that they’ll find another spot. Here in Florida my place I have possums, my lights I 3 feet off the ground show possums and cats don’t like it at night they avoid that area As for your weather, forecaster are now called Teratologist. Instead of meteorologist