Brief History of Christmas Trees by Rosemary Morris

 

To learn more about Rosemary please click on the cover.

Brief History of Christmas Trees

 Whatever their size Christmas trees topped with a star or an angel and bright with baubles, lights, tins and other decorations make my heart glow.

 Prior to bringing a tree indoors, pagans and Christians decorated their homes with holly, ivy and other greenery. During the winter the solstice reminded pagans that spring was near. The Romans brought fir trees into their temple when they celebrated Saturnalia. Christians believed greenery at home and in church represented life everlasting in heaven with God.

 It is said that on a night before Christmas day, the sixteenth century preacher, Martin Luther, walked through a forest. When he looked up through the branches, he saw stars shining brightly and wanted to share the experience with his family, so he brought a tree into his house and decorated it with candles.

  Germany has the credit for the  tradition of bringing Christmas trees indoors and decorating them with delicious gingerbread, gold-painted apples, and little ornaments made by glassmakers.

 However, the claim that Queen Victoria, and Albert, the Prince Consort, a German, were the first to install a Christmas tree in England is false. In the 1760’s Victoria’s ancestress, George III’s German wife, Charlotte, decorated a Christmas tree with her family. A tree was also set up in the Queen’s Lodge in Windsor where she held a party for children of noble families. Soon some rich families also installed decorated trees in their houses; and in 1848, the widespread tradition was created after The Illustrated London News published a drawing of the Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle.

 In 2004, Pope John Paul declared the Christmas tree is a 'symbol of Christ. He said that “this ancient tradition exalts the value of life and reminds Christians of the 'tree of life', which is found in the Bible's first book, Genesis”.

 Whether the trees are real or artificial many 21^st century people still take pride in a beautifully decorated one which fills their hearts with joy.

 

http://bookswelove.net/authors/morris-rosemary

 

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It's a Very Merry Cajun Christmas---Love Potions, Bachelor Auctions, Hollywood Productions, and Gypsy Magic! By Connie Vines

How Do Cajuns Celebrate Christmas? 

Cajun Christmas traditions that mark the holidays always involve lots of laughter in the company of friends and family. Many holidays dinners include having seafood dishes like seafood gumbo and oyster dressing. Look for Cajun sausage and fried turkey--or signature Lousiana Turducken!

"What is a Turducken?" you ask (wondering if it's some type of Swamp Creature that crawled out of the Bayou).

Turducken is a true showstopping main course for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. The term "turducken" is a combination of the words "turkey," "duck," and "chicken".  Turducken combines the flavors of moist roast poultry and savory stuffing into one glorious dish. It is not difficult to make, but it is a little time-consuming,

When sliced, each piece of turducken contains portions of all three birds with stuffing in between the layers.

Cajuns love to cook, love their family, and... they love to party and celebrate life!

After you've consumed your holiday dinner and are sitting by the fireplace and relaxing, You might like to enjoy a new ebook to read.

Here's a little sample of Cajun life, "Gumbo Ya Ya" style:

"Marrying Off Murphy" Excerpt:

"You forgot about the rehearsal?" Tallulah said in an exasperated voice. "Murph, I reminded you. Twice."

"It'll be okay," Sylvie promised.

Tallulah glanced after her stepbrother. "I hope so," she said under her breath.

"Let's go over the program again," Sylvie coached Murphy behind the temporary rigged curtain inside the crowded restaurant.

"I smile, walk down the runway, take off my jacket, turn around, and then walk back to the podium."

"Smile," she instructed.

He complied, and Sylvie rolled her eyes. How could someone fail smiling? Murphy, try again."

Instead, he ignored her instructions and fiddled with his tie.

Pushing his fingers away, "Stop it. Listen to me," she snapped. "Pull yourself together!"

The frenzied sounds of bidding for the first bachelor filled the room. "Hear that? It's the emcee's job to pump up the bids. Just strut your stuff."

"Strut my stuff?" he yelped.

Sylvie seized him By the hand to keep him from bolting. "It's an auction, a bachelor bidding war, remember? The proceeds go to charity."

Tallulah parted the curtain and shoved Murphy onto the stage.

Fragrances and scents have the power to transport to a time and place long forgotten.     

"Love Potion No. 9"

"Don't shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I'm doing," Persia Richmond said, holding a pipette to fill a crystal half-ounce atomizer with perfume. The top notes of peach blossoms and bergamot, and mid-notes of gardenia, honey, and tuberose tantalized. While the tuberose, being the most carnal of the floral notes, and the high-ticket natural essence for her fragrance compound, merged with peony and orange blossom to temper the intoxication properties. The base notes lingered, while a hint of something unnamed and mysterious beguiled and skimmed across the narrow processing room, saturating her senses.

The fragrance was News Orleans; culture at its most upscale moment and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest.

Success!

This was a signature fragrance.

Her signature fragrance.

This was her--

"I've done warned you and warned you about messing with love potions!" Simone leaned over Persia's shoulder to hiss the words into her ear. Her statement yanked Persia out of her state of bliss and sent her heart thundering.

"You worry too much, Simone." Settling down her atomizer, she rearranged her test tubes. "This is a perfume. Nothing more, nothing less."

"That be no French perfume you be selling."

"I've extracted essences from bayou plants before, and you didn't object."

"You be using flowers then. Not that root!"

Persia frowned. She'd extracted the essence using the enfleurage procedure--a time-honored perfuming method. "Simone the scent is pure--"

"That root be pre alright. It be pure trouble from a voodoo love-plant!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Simone. There's no such thing as a voodoo love-plant."

"A Slice of Scandal"

"Hey, now, 'dis key lime pie's like de one I serve at my restaurant. Simple to make and good to eat! Key limes perk up de mouth and makes you Hoppy."

Producer/Director Julia Kincaid focused on her monitor and adjusted the mic of her headset. "Camera One, tighten that headshot," She watched as the camera feathered over the chef to capture the best angle. The camera should have loved franklin. His height was average, his black hair, short and curly and his skin took on a polished bronze color under the harsh camera lights, but the camera didn't like  Franklin. There was something about his eyes: the dark agate, forbidding, and expressionless, and the grayish ring that clung to the end of the pupil that was difficult to erase.

"Okay. Now hold it, while Chef Franklinpullins the second pie from the refrigerator. Follow him back to the island. Good."

When the chef stood on his mark, Julia said, "Cue the music. Okay. Two, scan the audience. Back to Franklin. Focus on the pie..Camera One, close-up on the chef...Hold it."

The studio audience uttered a collective sigh when he lifted his fork to take a bite of the pie.

Julia watched as Franklin Grabbed his throat. "What's going on?" she shouted.

From her left, she heard J.D. groan. "He's spitting out the pie. Hell, there goes the show's ratings!"

Julia hopped down from the camera and took off at a full run.

Gone was the applause. People jumped to their feet. They screamed.

"J.D. call the paramedics...someone grab the AED kit off the wall!"

1-800-FORTUNE

The moon was full; huge in the sky, a brilliant iridescent orb that stared down at the earth. Enza allowed the energy to feather over her as she removed the silk cloth protecting her Tarot cards.

There are event-eight cards in the Tarot deck. Four suits of fourteen cards each. Swords, Cups, and Pentacles, and twenty-two cards called the major arcane--the big mysteries.

Enza's mother told her she would learn to associate the picture cards with people.

The Tarot was very clear in meaning.

Not for spells and chants ar you damned but for the abuse of your gifts.

Enza glanced out the window and into the moonlight washing across the cobblestone street outside of the French Quarter.  The Roma, though, they traced their roots back to ancient Romania, never consider themself twenty-first-century gypsies. Her mother came from a stricter branch of the gypsies, rooted in the Bohemia hillsides of what is now called the Czech Republic. Her family displayed no read palms upon the shop doors or upon their carts. Nor did they dabble in the black arts. They followed the old ways...

🦃Happy Holidays and 🎅Merry Christmas, 🎄,

Connie

BWL Author Page

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Some Pre-Release reviews for Chance's Way and A shout out to When Words Collide by Nancy M Bell

 

To learn more about The Alberta Adventures series and The Cornwall Adventures that proceeded it please click on the cover above.  

First, When Words Collide, that wonderful and very affordable writers festival has wrapped up for another year. This is the second year we've gathered online and all things considered it seems we are getting better at managing Zoom calls. The wonderful thing about WWC is that all the presenters and hosts and organizers volunteer their time and expertise which makes this amazing event accessible to everyone. Hopefully next year we can all meet in person again in Calgary. I sat on several panels and did a presentation on Character Development which was well attended. Thanks to everyone who tuned it and participated.

Now, for a bit of shameless self promotion. As you may or may not know reviews are so important to an author. Chance's Way releases on September 1, 2021 and I have been lucky enough to get a couple of pre-release reviews. So, just to whet your whistle, so to speak....

From KC Finn of Readers Favorite

Author Nancy M. Bell has crafted a great YA drama that will introduce readers to country life in Canada, with sweet romance and highly relatable protagonists. Chance’s journey was intelligently penned and well-balanced to give a heartfelt but not overdone approach to his big life turnaround. The issues surrounding his ne’er-do-well father were so interesting to explore, and you could really feel Chance’s family conflict coming through. I also enjoyed the presentation of Laurel immensely, and her dialogue and charm made me want to read the rest of the books in the Alberta Adventures series to see her personal journey too. Overall, I would recommend Chance’s Way to fans of the existing series and new readers seeking emotional tales of young people just setting out to carve a future for themselves despite their setbacks and adversities.   

Till next month, stay well, stay happy   

Chance's Way Releases in September 2021 by Nancy M Bell

 

To find more of Nancy's books click on the cover. 

I'm excited to announce that Chance's Way is releasing in September of 2021. This book three of the Alberta Adventures series. This series turned out to be a series about rescues. In book one, Wild Horse Rescue, Laurel and friends rescue some wild horses, in book two, Dead Dogs Talk, Laurel and friends work to rescue some dogs from a dog fighting ring. Book three turned out to be something a bit different. Fans of the series will be familiar with bad boy Chance Cullen. He turned a bit of a corner in Dead Dogs Talk, in book three Chance's Way he is struggling to come to terms with his past choices and see if he can find a better way to go forward. He is still hopelessly in love with Laurel Rowan but knows she won't have anything to do with him unless he can turn his life around. And not to mention that she has a long distance relationship going with Coll Hazel, who lives in Cornwall UK. 

Chance's Way is the story of Chance's search for his truth, learning about who he is and who he wants to become. He is supported by Laurel's dad, Colt Rowan, who has had his own issues with his parents, so he can sympathize with Chance's problems with his n'er do well father and hysterical mother.

This last book in the series wasn't meant to be about Chance's coming of age, but that's how it evolved. 

There's a good mix of rodeo and ranch life mixed into the story and those who live that life will relate to the events that unfold. Concussion and injury are part and parcel of the rodeo way of life. The dangers of concussion and repeated trauma are only starting to be addressed. The tragic loss of Ty Pozzobon in 2017 was a huge wake up call to the rodeo community with regards to the issue of brain related injuries in much the same way as Lane Frost's death at Cheyenne in 1989 brought about the use of flak jackets for bull riders. I touch briefly on these issues in Chance's Way. 

I hope you enjoy Chance's journey. Below are some scenes from life on the Canadian prairies where the Alberta Adventures take place.

Till next month, stay well, stay happy.

Cool Water by Nancy M Bell

 

Chance's Way releases in September 2021. To find out more about Nancy's work please click on the cover. 

Water. It's something most people take for granted. Not me. I grew up in a house with a shallow well, every August it would go dry for a short period. There is nothing more heart stopping than turning on the tap and nothing comes out. The number of things we use water for without realizing it is mind blowing. Everything from washing dishes, to showers, to flushing the toilet...the list is endless.

Maybe I'm weird, but every time I  turn on the tap and water comes out give up a silent thanks to the earth who shares her life blood with me. In the shower I offer up a silent prayer of thanks for the luxury of having clean water pour over me, washing more than bodily dirt away. What would happen if the rivers ceased to flow? The lakes dry up into windblown plains? 

The sound of running taps or the pump kicking in and out will still wake me up from a sound sleep. Such are the lessons we learn in childhood. I currently live on a farm that depends on well water and I husband it carefully. I think of well water as 'living water' it is straight from the depths of the earth, cold enough to freeze my hands after a few minutes. It isn't treated or 'civilized' or 'purified' it is just what is meant to be....water. Life giving, life sustaining water.  

This summer is one of the driest and hottest we've had in many years here in southern Alberta. It's only June 28th and the grass is dry and brittle under my bare feet, the pavement hot enough to produce burns on unwary feet of humans and animals. The wide but shallow slough in the pasture is dark brown mud right now, the water gone from the surface but still lurking below waiting for a good rain to bring it back into the light.  

So, the next time you turn on a tap and water gushes forth, give a prayer of thanks and appreciate the bounty provided by nature. Fresh water is not a commodity to be traded or made money off of, regardless of what some think.  Fresh water is a give from the gods and goddesses, or God if you prefer. Not to be taken for granted and not to be taken lightly. Just for second imagine life without water...

Until next month, stay safe.  

Women's Fashions in the First Half of the 14th Century ~ Part Two by Rosemary Morris

 

To see more of Rosemary's work please click on the cover.

 

Women’s Fashion in the First Half of the 14^th Century

Part Two

 

In my novels Yvonne, Lady of Cassio, Volume One of The Lovages of Cassio, and in Grace, Lady of Cassio, Volume Two, which begins in 1331, (to be published in August 2021) I describe the characters’ clothes to help readers visualise the protagonists. As I write, I imagine the contrasts between wealthy ladies’ sumptuous apparel, well-to-do women, and poor people’s clothes.

Stockings

Stockings were supported by garters, strips of wool or linen, often embroidered, above or below the knees. Women who could afford them wore stockings made from either wool or linen. Poor women wore coarse woollen ones which, I imagine, were itchy.

Footwear

Shoes with points at the big toe were cut well and shaped to fit either foot around the ankle. They were fastened with laces on the inner or outer edge. Other shoes were designed like slippers, cut away over the instep and fastened with a strap and buckle around the ankle.

Wealthy women’s footwear was often embellished either with embroidery or charming patterns of squares, dots or flowers punched into the leather.

Short boots for walking, and possibly riding, ended below the calf, and were usually laced on the inner side or, occasionally on the outer.

Hair and Headwear

Women plaited their hair and coiled it around their ears. Their hair was always completely covered in various ways.

A veil and wimple.

A veil held in place by a fillet.

A barbette, a strip of linen passed under the chin and on either side of the face over a hairnet secured by hairpins.

A fret, hairnet, often brightly coloured.

Many pins were required to secure each of these headdresses.

Hoods were always worn by country women, and by other women when travelling and for warmth.

Accessories

Gloves were worn by women of every class. Wealthy ladies wore linen gloves to protect their hands from sunburn.

Aprons did not have bibs and tied around the waist. They were worn by ladies to protect expensive clothes and by working class women. Sometimes a band of embroidery decorated them below the waist.

Jewellery. Made of gold or silver set with precious stones, rings, brooches, buckles etc.

Girdles either plain or ornamented with gold or silver, sometimes set with gemstones, or worn around the hips and buckled or tied in front.

 

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk    

 

http://bookswelove.net/authors/morris-rosemary

  

Is it Spring yet in Alberta, Canada? by Nancy M Bell

 

To find out more about Nancy's books please click on the cover above.

This is the brand new cover for the last book in The Alberta Adventures series. I really love it, it's Chance right down to the cocky grin. Who doesn't love a bull rider (as long he's not dating your daughter LOL)

So....Springtime in Alberta. It can never quite make up it's mind. One day it will be +16 Celcius and the next it is snowing to beat the band. Hard on my delphiniums who are eternal optimists and always start to push up green shoots as soon as the earth warms even a bit. 

So far this year, we've had some nice warm weather, and then a cold front dips down from the north and BAM- wind, and snow, and sleet, and rain

The pansies tolerate the cold so well I always put them out first. The geraniums, not so much. They come inside to hide until the weather turns again. The flowering plum in the front is working hard to put on a show, but we had some chilly weather and I'm afraid some of the buds got nipped. Hence the old adage to 'nip something in the bud' meaning to stop something before it manifests. 

I'm hoping to have a full garden, but it will depend on what weather we get in June. In the past, it has offered up a hard frost, hail and even snow, so we'll see.

The Saskatoon bushes are blooming, so hopefully I will get some berries before the birds do this year. The Rhubarb is begging to be thinned out already, it doesn't seem to mind the snow either. 

Ian Tyson got it right when he wrote the song Springtime in Alberta. 

On another note, Chance's Way is coming along. Look for it to release in September 2021.

Wishing you all happy gardening and praying for a Covid free summer.

www.nancymbell.ca

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Covid Tired by Nancy M Bell

To learn more about Nancy and her books click on the flyer above.

I'm Covid tired, are you? I really, really want to go somewhere, do something, but nope, can't. Infection numbers are rising like crazy in Alberta. So....I have turned my frustrations to good use. Chance's Way, which I blogged about last month, is coming along. The above flyer is a mock up, the final cover will have Chance in place of Laurel, but this gives you an idea of the concept.

It's kinda cool to see all the covers in the Laurel series together. Particularly, the two Arabella covers. For those unfamiliar with the series, Laurel's Gramma Bella, while she's not in the Cornwall Adventures until the last book, has set a number of things in motion before the first book in the series. Arabella's Secret  series explores how some things came to be and how Gramma Bella ended up in southern Alberta married to a rancher instead of staying close to home in Cornwall.

I'm still working on Chance's story as he grapples with his demons and struggles with the financial difficulties of keeping the family ranch going. His pride won't let him ask for help, but the boy is floundering. Colt Rowan watches with concern, but doesn't want to stick his nose in where it might not be wanted. Laurel and Chance seem to be mending the rifts in their relationship, at least as far as friendship is concerned. Her heart is still with Coll in Cornwall, but that's a long way away. 

Stay tuned for more updates next month!

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SPRING! by Nancy M Bell

 

To find out more about Nancy's work please click on the cover.

Spring! It's almost here. Spring is always welcome after the long nights and drawing inward of winter. Now is the time to stretch our wings and welcome the returning warmth and light of the sun as it makes its way northward again. I can see it's progress by the changing shadows thrown by the trees across the lawn slowly emerging from beneath the sheltering drifts of snow.

Spring is a time of new beginnings and renewal, but as I have grown older and hopefully wiser, I have found it is also a time of letting go of the old and welcoming in the new. So, Spring in its own way, is also an ending, a wrapping up things that are no longer beneficial and removing them from my life.

Having deposited the unwanted baggage, both physical and emotional, where it belongs. It is now time to dance in the dappled sunlight, laugh at the gophers and smile at their cute little sentinels who whistle sharply at  me should I dare invade what they consider 'their' territory. Time to seek out the first nubs of rhubarb, ruby red in the dark wet soil seeking the sun, the first prairie crocus, the greening of the withered grasses.

Birds are reappearing, I wait each Spring for the return of the hawks who will hover just over my head and somehow it seems we have a conversation without words. And the wind that holds their wings, ever present in Alberta, sweeps back the clouds in a wide Chinook Arch that embraces the western skies.

Welcome Spring, the Equinox, Alban Eiler, Easter.

April Earth

 

I saw the Earth breathe today

A pale pearl vapour rising from the plowed field

She exhaled as the east wind billowed

Her flowing breath across the raw mud

 

Shimmering in the April afternoon sun

Her breath shed diamonds as it hung

Above the snowy prairie

 

The Earth’s cold wintry breath

Mating with the warm spring sun

Birthing the moist mist dancing

In the strength of the moving air

 

The Raven’s shadow flashes across the snow

As he flies over head borne on April’s breath  

     

Can you tell a book by its cover?...by Sheila Claydon

Click here for my BWL page

Once, long ago, I wrote under the pen name Anne Beverley, and Golden Girl was my first published book. Then I wrote more books, still as Anne Beverley, until my family eventually persuaded me to stop hiding behind a pseudonym and write under my real name. That earlier book was still out there though, and to say the cover looks dated is an understatement!

Original cover

Then, many books later, the publishing house that owned it closed and the publishing rights returned to me. I sold it on to another publisher on the proviso that it would now be published under my real name. But in the field of publishing things are not always straightforward, so in the end I had to agree to Sheila Claydon writing as Anne Beverley, as well as a new cover. One that was certainly an improvement on the first.

Second edition cover

Then, a few years later, the same thing happened all over again. Another publisher, this time Books We Love, another cover and, finally, Golden Girl published under my own name. By then this book had been out there for a long time, so now it is a vintage romance with characters behaving a little differently than we expect them to in the twenty-first century. The heroine is still feisty though. It just takes her a little longer to get there!

Third edition cover

Now, thankfully, all my books bar one are with BWL Publishing, and I am very happy indeed about that.

In my next blog I will introduce another of those early books together with the covers they have had over the years. In the meantime, if you would like to have a taster of Golden Girl, then go to the Book Snippets page on my Website and let it take you back to what it was like to be a secretary in a large company in London and Paris in 1964. Manual typewriters, desk phones connected to a central switchboard, no screens, hardback dictionaries, shorthand dictation, blotting paper...I could go on. It was a different world except for one thing...people still liked to read romances. And if you would like to let me know which of these is your favourite cover, I'd love to know.