Whatnot Wednesday & CFFC Winter

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

November 17, 2025

Cartoon Velma waking me
Hey, Yummy Human, wake up. I want my vitamin. Wake up. Vitamin… Wake up. Waaaaake uuuuup.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Whatnot Wednesday.  I hope your week has been good so far.  On Monday, Dan Antion posted that this is his one-year anniversary as moderator of “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  Kudos, Dan. 

The topic for this week was “Winter, Summer or both.” I’m limiting my post to “Winter” because it got me thinking of the combined version I created this year for my epic fantasy, “Dead of Winter Omnibus, All the Journeys.”

CFFC — Winter

First here’s a real-world winter scene from my first winter in southern New Mexico.  Six years later that big saguaro cactus is a few inches taller than the top of the window frame.  The roof isn’t all that much higher up…  I’m not sure what will happen when it gets that tall.

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An important element in Dead of Winter is a huge, mysterious, blue-eyed white wolf.  Here are some wolf images I used as inspiration.

White wolf mountains Andrea Bohl Pixabay
Photo by Andrea Bohl, Pixabay
Comfreak Pixabay
Photo by Comfreak at Pixabay

Equally important to the story was a particular raven.  I used this one not just for inspiration, but in some promotional images as well.

raven flying snow Pixabay
Raven flying over snow, Pixabay

Yes, even though I’ve never lived farther north than Washington, DC, I think of snow when I think of winter.  Although the same is true of bare trees.  I imagined the young heroine, Emlyn, in a scene where she hid in the woods, trying to escape the fanatical brotherhood who called her “an abomination.”

Bare Trees look up Sky night winter S Hermann n F Richter Pixabay
Photo view looking up into bare winter trees, by S. Hermann and F. Richter at Pixabay

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Burrr… now I think some hot soup is in order.  Thanks for visiting.  Friendly comments are encouraged.  Hugs!

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Of course, since this epic was the inspiration for this post, the obligatory shameless self-promotion must be included. 

Dead of Winter Omnibus: All the Journeys

The 14 Journeys (novellas) of Dead of Winter in one volume.  Unfortunately, not available in paperback.

Universal Purchase link (e-book only):  relinks.me/B0FP9XL46J

Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0FPB2L9WV

Copyright © 2025 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

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37 thoughts on “Whatnot Wednesday & CFFC Winter”

  1. Wow, the saguaro looks nice. I wonder how tall it’s going to get. I love snow and still have some left from the last big snowfall. Hopefully it will stick around until Christmas so I can say I had a white Christmas.

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    1. Hi, Edward. That bad boy is the only plant I’ve ever had that actually seems to like me. The main root is as big as my wrist. A guy from the next town planted the bed as you see it for the previous owner. He came by wanting to buy it, and was stunned. He had planted a bunch of them (from the same litter or whatever I should call it) at several places around town, and said they had not done well. I ended up trading a few mature cacti in exchange for him redoing the strip, and he added several new ones. Anyhow, here it is from 2021, post-redo.

      Now the saguaro is taller than that window frame and 6 to 8 inches away from the roof overhang. Those two little “balls” in the photo are full-fledged “arms” now. Most of the new ones are doing well and double in size (at least). Unfortunately my remaining barrel cactus is not doing well. It looks like it’s consuming itself from the inside.
      I hope you get your white Christmas — with just the right amount of snow. Hugs.

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  2. And whatnot… it’s already Friday. So, my computer died, and now I have a new one.

    I was only offline 3 days (although the week before, while my laptop was dying, was not productive). 400 emails are piled, I’m only catching up a bit.

    The pic with snow on cacti is hilarious. Thank you, I needed that!

    Hugs!

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  5. Teagan, I love your garden of cacti, and I know that saguaro will be just fine dealing with its “personal growth” issues if you’re caring for it. I saw in the comments you have had a couple of run-ins tending to them. We have several, but one in particular seems to enjoy “sticking it to me” on occasion. No matter what, if I’m ever trying to maintain or help it out, it rewards me with a scratch. Maybe a sign of affection? In any case, seeing this garden with a little touch o’snow on it was a beautiful sight.

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    1. Haha, maybe so, Bruce. I can’t seem to tend them without getting a “love bite” from at least one of them. I actually do worry about how tall that saguaro is getting though… Particularly since there aren’t any reliable repair/help-of-any-kind contractors here.
      Anyhow, many thanks for visiting. Hugs.

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  11. Gorgeous images, Teagan. I haven’t lived very far up North either, but I also think of snow when I think of Christmas, and now, of you story as well. I recommend it to anybody who hasn’t read it yet. Thanks, Teagan, for such a beautiful and seasonal post. Big hugs and love to Daphne and Velma. ♥

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  13. There’s a family in the neighborhood that have a white German shepherd. Not a wolf, by any means, but when I see them walking him I always think of Emlyn’s journey.

    I hope you have a good ride, up and over the hump.

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    1. Thanks for remembering the book, Dan. You must have done a triple-take at that dog. I’ve never heard of a white German shepherd. It must be striking.
      I got better sleep last night, so I’m hoping to accomplish the usual (non-blog) challenges today. Stay safe and warm. Hugs.

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    1. It’s good to see you, Gwen. Thanks, I like cacti too. They aren’t immune to my un-green thumb, but some of them are doing well. Tending them has hazards. The last time I tried to pull out some of that awful creeper-weed, when the weed broke loose, my hand ran into one of them, stabbing spines into the back of my hand and fingernails. There’s still a bit buried deep in my fingernail. Gloves are no obstacle. LOL. Hugs.

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