By VERNA BROCK
It looks like we managed to dodge a bullet Sunday evening, while so many of our neighbors to the north will be digging out for days. As much as I dislike frigid weather, I am very grateful to have power and safe roads to traverse. We are in the middle of winter, after all. So we must grin and bear our sub-freezing nights.
Out of curiosity Ed did a search to discover if our memories of winters past are accurate. And they absolutely are. Used to be, North Florida would experience temperatures in the teens and 20s every year. For a while now, we have been spoiled by years of winters that never dropped below freezing, let alone gave us a hard freeze. Now we struggle once again to protect tender plants from the cold damage they aren’t equipped to handle.
I’m taking advantage of this year’s cold snap to catch up on my reading. My tastes are pretty eclectic, but one of my favorite authors is David Baldacci. A skilled wordsmith, his greatest talent is character development. I am an impatient fan, always waiting for the next book to be published. I’m afraid authors can’t write as fast as I read, so I spend far too much time waiting and far too little time reading!
Baldacci’s latest, “Nash Falls,” has been devoured, while the second in the series, “Hope Rises,” has been duly ordered and paid for (to arive in April…aghhh!).
As always, his stories are inhabited by complex and interesting personalities. The plots are full of mystery and danger that keep readers’ attention riveted to the end. If there was ever a time when distractions are welcomed, it is now.
What could be better than finding a comfortable chair in a cozy corner, a cup of hot tea or coffee and a delicious book? Whatever your reading taste, staying in with a captivating story is a wonderful way to spend time. I honestly don’t require an excuse to while away hours reading, but chilly days certainly reinforce my inclination to do so!
Since I almost always have three or four books in rotation, I never have difficulty taking advantage of free time. In fact, I’m pretty adept at making time to entertain myself, cold weather or not, and a good book is the perfect instrument for just that!