No snow here. They are calling for possible flurries early next week but it will be relatively warm and could be showers as well so not expecting anything to actually stick.

And it's Saturday so those of us who are workin' folks are taking it easy. Sunny here right now but supposed to be mostly cloudy. No water, liquid or frozen, falling from the sky today, though.

Coffee is Deathwish Dark. Teas are Original Earl Grey (mix of orange and bergamot instead of just bergamot) and English Breakfast. Washed and refilled the cold drinks (iced tea and lemonade). Hot chocolate, other teas, and the marshmallows for the former all stocked up.

Welcome to the weekend, folks!!

(and for JustAnotherSapphic, more Petty, this time with a few of his musical friends)

Sad that of this great supergroup, only Dylan and Lynne remain.

Lucassen & Soeterboek's Plan Nine began decades ago with guitarist/songwriter Arjen Lucassen and singer Robert Soeterboek recording demos on an old 8-track. They finally put together a band recently, mostly of regular members of Lucassen's other projects, and started recording them properly with an album due in May. This is the second release from Plan Nine.

Maple syrup. Not sure I have ever actually put honey on them but now I am wondering.

Fast car or comfortable car?

tint - pint

Highlights gleamed in her hair.

While writing a great story can be its own reward, there's no harm in making a bit of dough off the fruits of our labours, right? So here's some markets of varying sizes that will pay you for your work. It ranges from big names like Analog and Asimov's (both major sf and fantasy markets) or The New Yorker (more general fiction) to regional ones like The Malahat Review and The Fiddlehead (both, like me, Canadian) to smaller markets. Have a look and see if there's something of interest to you.

https://authorspublish.com/56-literary-journals-that-pay-their-authors/

Good evening, folks. Posting a new Author's Publish in a bit. Hope all had a good week and have something to look forward to this weekend.

I'll put on some Cranberry Rooibos from my local tea shop. Rooibos comes from South Africa and is caffeine free so perfect for evening drinking.

With Tom Petty being a hot topic around here, how's about some classic Petty to entertain us this evening. This one has Tom with his band The Heartbreakers in a rather freaky video inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

And from his 1989 solo album Full Moon Fever, one of those songs that's probably going to live for the ages.

Life populates all the Earth.

Hill - Till

Quote by AnnaMayZing

Minniva has worked extensively with Orion's Reign. Here is Nostos, from their 2019 album, Scores of War.

I know. I think I found them because of her. 😊

The official release of "Left on Mars" by Marko Hietala and Tarja Turunen is out and it's great. I posted a fan vid of them doing it in concert but the sound is obviously much better here. Song was written by Marko and Tuomas Wainola, his guitarist and producer. Not the symphonic metal the two were known for in their Nightwish days (and Tarja still is to some degree), but solid rock nonetheless.

takes an oatmeal raising and a maple walnut from Snoopy

Good evening. Lovely here today but the rain starts tomorrow apparently. Not sure I can blames that on verbs, either.

Putting on some Canadian Blueberry herbal tea for evening caffeine-free sipping.

Renewed all my cars tonight. It's kind of pointless now since Ontario no longer charges for plate renewals. It's really just a way to get you to confirm your current address. Not that I'm complaining. With three cars on my account, it would have got expensive with what they used to charge. Next renewal is two years and by then maybe I'll have transferred one to Ape, Jr.

Cull - call

Good afternoon. Sunny here and getting warm again after a one day return to winter yesterday. Snow is almost all gone so it is almost like yesterday never happened, at least weather-wise.

Putting on some green tea and Lime Fizz herbal for evening drinking.

Violent sports cause many injuries.

Quote by verbal
We are the embodiment of laziness today.

I wish. Helped Mrs. Ape with some computer problems, did my part of the cleaning (wash hard floors, clean toilet bowls if needed, vacuum carpets), cooked breakfast and helped with lunch. I've actually been pretty ambitious for a Spring Ahead Day. Now it's tea time, I think.

One thing I don't think I saw coming a year ago was a reunion of Marko Hietala and Tarja Turunen, who performed together in Nightwish from 2001 until Tarja's parting of ways with the band in 2005. In 2023, the duo came together at a festival for one song. Now they are touring Latin America together and not only have they revisited material from their time together in Nightwish but they are debuting a new song. Apparently the studio version is coming later this week but this is fan video of them performing it in Brazil.

And in a recent interview, Marko even mused about them forming a band.

With new Nightwish due in the Fall and these two ex-members back together, Nightwish fans have plenty to enjoy and celebrate this year.

"Dust in the Wind" by American prog band Kansas has to be one of the greatest songs written in my lifetime. And Violet Orlandi brings just the right emotions and skill to bear on it in this cover just released this morning. The family videos are in tribute to her mother, I believe.

Bagel. Preferably with some cream cheese.

Plain pancakes or add some fruit?

Rain yesterday, snow today, tomorrow. A season a day seems to be rule here right now, but the general thrust is still towards spring.

We've got a medium roast Jamaican Blue Mountain in the coffee pot. Teas are Irish Breakfast and Raspberry Royale. Lookin' good on other beverages.

I was slingin' flapjacks this morning so here's some for the rest of you.

Trash talk can start fights.

Quote by verbal
What the heck is a yorkiepoo?

Yorkshire Terrier crossed with a poodle.

https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/yorkipoo

Yay! Hello Milly.

scarfs a paw print and a dog house

Raindrops keep falling on my head...

Yeah, doesn't get more Spring than this. Rain started yesterday evening and continues falling and falling.

So, I shall put on some dark roast coffee along with pots of Scottish Breakfast and Earl Grey teas. Washed the pitchers from the fridge and made fresh batches or lemonade and iced tea. Hot chocolate, marshmallows and other teas are stocked up.

And since it is my cleaning weekend ...

Pulls out mop, broom, and vacuum

Minniva is a Norwegian vocalist who does excellent covers of metal and Nightwish is one of her specialities. If one was going to start a Nightwish cover band, she'd be an excellent choice for lead singer.

And for those not into metal, here's Moroccan-Canadian singer-songwriter Faouzia with a live performance of her new single, based on and around Beethoven's Fur Elise.

swoons at the mention of Simone Simons

Crownshift is a new Finnish metal supergroup who just started up and have an album coming in May. This is their second single. I got into them through bassist Jukka Koskinen, who is the current bassist for Nightwish, but it's the vocalist Tommy Tuovinen who has caught my attention. Good harsh vocalist and screamer. Will be checking out his "day job" in the band MYGRAIN at some point.

Yes if the opportunity arose. There's definitely some things I want to do that my wife wouldn't be down for.

WYE offer a ride to a stranger you met somewhere (i.e. not a hitchhiker)?

I like both, but baked sweet potato sounds appetizing.

Tomato sauce, blush sauce, or white sauce on your pasta?

Quote by verbal
Cookies are springing forth from Sara!

That inspires some ... interesting images. 😲 I am tempted to plug that into an AI image generator but the results would probably not be usable on here.

Quote by verbal
In other news, I sold the first chapter of the book to a magazine! Yay! Now to sell the actual book…

Yay on the first and good luck on the second.

Good afternoon! It is now end of day Friday so I am able to escape the wonderful world of work for a couple days.

Got a few things brewing for the weekend and I am in a writing dry spell anyhow so not sure much will come out of it. If I get a few hours, though, I'll take another swing at my WIP (work in progress).

Putting on some green tea and Canadian Blueberry herbal since it's getting a bit late for caffeine. Oh, what the heck, there's some coffee, too. Just random beans I found in the cupboard and ground so no idea what it is.