I didn't want you to miss this

 

Hey it’s Chris,

 

Who had ice storm in Oklahoma while a hurricane made landfall in Louisiana for October?

 

What a week for happenings!

 

Snow. Ice. Hurricane. Wildfire. Full Moon. Time Change and Halloween, all in one fell swoop.

 

What a crazy time.

 

Or what a great time to get something good to read and stay inside for a bit.

 

Make a big pot of chili, put on some cool tunes and kick back with a good story that will take your mind off of it all.

 

That’s not an ostrich solution, it’s a hunker down and hold tight solution.

 

It’s easy where I am today.

 

Skies are gray and misty, the kind of drizzle that soaks everything but raindrops never fall.

 

I think it chased me down from the mountains.

 

Speaking of which, it was cold and fun and beautiful, and except for minor bouts with traffic, peaceful.

 

I thought heading into the hinterlands of Southern MO would run up against an anti-mask mandate, but 99% of the people we saw masked up.

 

In the theme park, on the streets, and going into restaurants, 99% of the people were following the rules.

 

And there were thousands of them.

 

I watched a cowboy carve wooden statues, watched an old man make sorghum syrup. Saw crafters making and building and creating. Artists. Storytellers.

 

A lot of old school survival tricks that were common place on pioneer homesteads.

 

Plus, I heard Sweet Child of Mine being played on a mandolin and banjo, which somehow made something great even better!

 

We were on a hunt for a Halloween costume, so took a trek north of Branson on Friday night to Springfield MO.

 

After successfully bagging a zombie baseball player outfit, our appetites were inflamed.

 

We found a brewery, cause if you gotta eat, man cannot live by bread alone.

 

The beer was excellent, but I have to tell you about the chicken.

 

It came with a side of honey with cracked black pepper mixed in.

 

Sweet, with a hint of peppery goodness, and it was amazing.

 

Try it on your next chicken dish.  It went great with kettle chips and I’m thinking about trying it on ham.

 

Can you tell I’m getting ready for the turkey day feast?!?

 

As fast as October has flown by, it will be here before you know it.

 

For your reading pleasure today, grab a BRAVO ACTUAL, a new sci fi collection that includes a new short story and several novels.

 

Something good to curl up with while the weather acts up outside.

 

Stay warm.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

Even more great reading treats HERE and HERE.