Friday, March 26, 2021

Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? Tricia McGill

 

Find all my books here on my BWL author page

Not this girl’s that is for sure. I have never understood the weird fascination some members of the human race possess for shiny objects brought up from beneath the earth’s crust. Personally, the only so called precious substance I have or have ever possessed is my wedding band made of gold, and a small pendant with an opal drop purchased for me by my husband in Broome where all the best pearls come from. I think pearls are ugly to be truthful—and feel sorry for the poor old oysters forced to grow them.

As for diamonds, the ugly truth of diamond mining is the horrendous tally of folk who died over the years while working in the mines. Two of my most treasured pieces of jewellery are a dainty marquisette watch and a ring given to me by my mother and a sister on my 21st birthday a long time ago. The watch gave up working years ago as it is one of those wind up versions, but is still tucked away amongst my other pieces of memorabilia. Marquisette is practically useless these days but these pieces are more precious to me than all your diamonds or gold.



Right, don’t get me started on gold! I watched a program on gold being processed here in Australia. A small brick of it could not be picked up by a woman and was valued at some amazingly high amount. Similar to the diamond mining, so many gold crazed men—and women—died in their quest for this shiny substance. It is just a piece of shiny rock when all is said and done.

On our voyage from England to Australia years ago, we took an unforgettable side trip to Egypt, visiting Giza and the Cairo museum containing all of the artefacts from Tutankhamen’s tomb. So much gold, it is mind-boggling. The boy’s burial chamber contained his gold throne along with his mummy and his funerary mask, plus three golden coffins (said to contain 110 kilograms of pure gold). In the Valley of Kings, it is fact that 62 tombs had already been ransacked by the time they were discovered by archaeologists. It is difficult to imagine the amount of gold that must have been taken—and just where did it end up? Ancient Egyptians called gold ‘The flesh of the gods’ and thought it possessed special powers, so presumably that was why they hoarded it in such great quantities. A British Egyptologist has

found new evidence that Tutankhamen’s death mask was in fact made for his stepmother Queen Nefertiti. Using ground-penetrating radar to scan around Tutankhamun’s tomb archaeologist Mamdouh Eldamaty has reported that her tomb may be in a space behind his burial chamber.
Back to that Australian gold mania. Edward Hargraves first found payable goldfields near Bathurst NSW in 1851. News spread like wildfire not only around Australia but around the world and by 1852, 370,000 gold seekers arrived here.  So began a series of gold rushes, which transformed the colonies here as it did elsewhere in the world. Most people have heard of The Welcome Stranger, considered by authorities on the subject to be the largest gold nugget ever found. John Deason and Richard Oates found it at a place called Moliagul here in my home state of Victoria in 1869. The nugget weighed in at 2,520 troy ounces (over 78 Kgs) and had to be broken up so that it could be weighed. Then it was worth about 10,000 pounds and in today’s market would be worth about 4 million dollars. I wonder where all those pieces ended up.

I wear rings and earrings of course I do, but none of them are worth more than a few hundred dollars, if that, but mean a lot to me as they were given to me by special people in my life and are treasured. Fact is I would be scared to walk around with expensive objects on my person. My husband bought me a really nice ring with a topaz stone in Singapore and sad to say I lost it while on holiday at Broken Hill years ago—so it seems I am not to be trusted with expensive stuff anyway, and so avoid it.

Find excerpts from my books here on my web page


 

 

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Lovely Lobelias by A.M.Westerling

 

(Haha yes, I once again have succumbed to my love of alliteration for the title of this blog post!)  



Lobelia is one of our favorite summer annuals for its delicate flowers and tendency to spill over the edge of the containers, particularly hanging pots. The other thing we love about it is its vibrant blue color, especially the Crystal Palace variety. Blue flowers are rare in garden flowers, making up less than 10% of the plant world. As an aside, other blue flowers include blue hydrangea, blue sea holly, blue daisy and Siberian larkspur. However, Lobelia also comes in shades from white through pinks and purples. Sometimes the flowers will have a white dot in the middle. 






 

They are a group of flowering plants that are native to North America. There are more than 400 species that include upright and mounding lobelias, annuals, half-hardy annuals, perennials, and even shrubs and aquatic plants. Considered an annual herb, Lobelia likes full sun but will tolerate part shade. It prefers rich, moist soil.

 

My experience has been that the plants last longer in cool, wet weather. We live in a dry climate so during hot spells, I make sure to water the containers frequently. They don’t always last the entire summer, but we enjoy them while they do. I fertilize every couple of weeks with a 20 20 20 mix. They don’t need deadheading as they are self cleaning. Although I’ve never tried this, apparently you can cut them back by as much as one-half to two-thirds which will spur new growth. If you like bushier plats, you can also pinch them back. 

When filling mixed pots, I always go by the rule of a thriller, a filler and a spiller. I find Lobelia works nicely as both a filler and a spiller. These plants also work as hummingbird havens, in borders, as ground covers, along creeks or ponds and containers, especially hanging baskets. As you can see by the pictures, we really do enjoy the vibrant blues!





I was interested to discover that Lobelia has some health properties and has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. It’s also called Indian tobacco because Native Americans once smoked the plant to treat asthma and muscular disorders. It’s also known as pukeweed as it was once prescribed by doctors to induce vomiting although high doses can be fatal. Lobeline, its main ingredient may protect against depression, improve memory and concentration and help treat drug addiction. It can treat symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness and wheezing because the lobeline may relax the airways, clear mucus from the lungs and stimulate breathing. Lobelia may also help with ADHD. However, human research is limited. For more info on the health benefits, check out this website: Lobelia: Benefits, Dosage, and Side Effects (healthline.com) For research, I used the following websites: 

Lobelia – How to Plant, Grow and Care for Lobelia Plants | Garden Design

Growing Lobelia: Tips For Care Of Lobelia (gardeningknowhow.com)

*****


You can find my books on the BWL Publishing website HERE.  Perhaps some of the miners in Barkerville were treated with Lobelia! Find Barkerville Beginnings HERE.



Wednesday, March 24, 2021

March Featured Author - Janet Lane Walters

Janet Lane-Walters has been writing and having her books published since the days of the typewriter. She has more than 40 novels and dozens of novellas plus four non-fiction books published. Janet lives in the scenic Hudson River valley.  She is the mother of four and the grandmother of five with two children expected to arrive soon from China. Janet writes in a number of genres - Romance from sweet to sensual and from contemporary to fantasy and paranormal. She has published cozy mysteries and medical suspense. She also has a number of YA fantasies published.

For more information about Janet's books including blurbs, reviews and purchase links, please visit her blog: http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

BWL PUBLISHING FREE NOVEL DOWNLOAD

Janet Lane Walters is the author of this month's free download.  Visit our website at https://bookswelove.net and click the book cover of Murder and Mint Tea to download your free copy of this first book in Janet's Mrs. Miller Mysteries series. 

 Katherine is a retired nurse and a retired church organist. The small Hudson River village where she lives in her Victorian “Painted Lady” makes her the neighborhood matriarch. Along with her Maine Coon Cat Robespierre, she guards friends and families.

When amoral Rachel moves into the first floor apartment of Katherine’s house, trouble erupts. The murder weapon is one she recognizes and makes her fear for her friends and family. Finding the killer becomes her goal.

Editorial Review
Murder and Mint Tea is a gem in its genre, combining the voice of a classic American whodunit with that of a traditional British detective novel. Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple in a beautifully crafted tale that makes the reader want to reach into the pages and dispense justice to the villainess themselves. ~ Writer Gail Roughton

 

Here are just a few of Janet's many series published by BWL Publishing Inc.

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/ 

     
     

 

 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Interview With A Cover Model by Victoria Chatham

Click this link to purchase Victoria's books


At the beginning of a writer’s career, three things are made abundantly clear. First, of course, you need a great story. Next, an engaging opening line or lines with an intriguing hook. But perhaps, most of all, a great cover to attract a reader in the first place. The story comes alive in the author’s imagination. The opening hook may be honed to perfection with the help of critique partners and beta readers. And the cover? For historical authors look no further than Period Images.

As they promise on their website: ‘From custom-made attires, to hair, make-up, and set design, each shoot is fully staffed with designers, professional stylists, models and actors, to depict scenes and capture the essence of the era.’ 

The image for my book Hester Dymock comes from them and is beautifully enhanced by Books WeLove’s artistic director, Michelle Lee. What more could an author ask for? Well, a few things actually and one of Period Images models agreed to satisfy my curiosity. Please welcome Mike Foster to my blog this month. 

Michael Wayne Foster

VC. When and why did you start modeling?

MF. I started my actual modeling career in 2014 but had done fitness shoots previously.

VC. How did you become a cover model for romance novels specifically and were you ever a fan of Fabio?

MF. Fabio! I was a fan of his commercials for sure! I became a romance model because I have a sense of humor and don’t take myself too seriously. I take my work very seriously, just not myself. That served me well when I saw an ad for a modeling shoot that asked for a picture. It was for tall guys with long hair. I knew that most (if not all) of the models were going to send in the ‘duck lips’ and pouty face look, so I did the opposite. I sent a recent photo of a commercial I did for Virgin America Airlines where I was dressed up like a pro-wrestler and I was ‘hulking out.’ It kind of made me chuckle, and thankfully it made VJ and the group at PI chuckle as well. They said I had a sense of humor and asked me to come to a day shoot. That got my foot in the door and here we are talking about it seven years later.

VC. How much time do you have to spend in the gym to keep your trim look?

MF. I always do morning cardio for about an hour and then alternate between weights and yoga/Pilates for an hour later in the day.

VC. How much grooming/make-up is required for a shoot and do you use body oil with an open-shirt or shirtless photo?

MC. Because of my long hair, it tends to take a good hour to get the hair and make-up completed before a shoot.  Yes, they apply coconut oil on the exposed body parts, and I try not to break too much of a sweat and ruin my make-up when I am lifting light weights to pump up right before I go on.

VC. When you are getting ready for a shoot, do you do your own hair and make-up, or do you have stylists and make-up professionals?


MF. I have a team of amazing hair and make-up artists work on me before I shoot, courtesy of PI.



VC. What does your working day look like and what would define a perfect working day for you?

MF. Every day on set is a perfect working day for me.  I can’t think of a time I had a bad day at work.  But the perfect day?  Being in top shape for the shoot and then going to a Korean BBQ after the shoot with no care’s given.



VC. Were you ever asked to wear a costume or outfit that you refused to put on?

MF. Never.  Now, there may have been a few that didn’t fit, but that’s another story.

VC. Have you ever really disliked a book cover on which you appear, or are you not involved once the shoot is over?

MF. Once the shoot is over, I am not involved at all.  Hell, sometimes I don’t even realize new covers are released unless an author tags me.  It kind of bums me out because I know there are so many covers out there that I do not know about and I would love to help promote them but can’t because I’m unaware.

VC. When you are not working, what are your favourite sports or hobbies?

MF. Skiing is my favorite thing to do.  I am terrified of heights, so I decided to try skiing and overcome that fear.  I not only overcame, but I got hooked on the sport.  Plus, it’s like getting a workout inside of a Bob Ross painting.  It’s always so beautiful in the happy little mountains.  I am a foodie and love cooking and trying new recipes (especially on the grill).  Traveling is also something I enjoy, and I started a YOUTUBE channel based on exploring our American culture and I call it America’s Pit Stops.  I go by the moniker the AmericanSIZEDTravelGuide.

VC. Is being a model a full-time career for you? If not, what other career interests do you have?



MF. I am a full-time actor that also models.  Acting is the reason I am in LA and modeling is a “happy little accident.”  See what I did there?  (If not, see above.)

Next, I asked Mike some fun questions.

 VC. What have you always wanted? Did you ever get it?

MF. I wanted to be a teacher like my dad as well as actor as long as I can remember.  I wanted to do action and WWII movies.  I taught high school English for nine years and I have achieved so much in my acting career that I can’t help but to be proud of accomplishing what I had always dreamed about as a kid.  With the upcoming WWII movie, Wolf Hound, coming out soon; mission accomplished.

VC. What is the best or most memorable compliment you ever received?

MF. My freshman year of college I just started lifting weights.  I was a fat kid my whole life, so I always got the OPPOSITE of compliments.  I was hanging out with a girl watching TV and as I sat on the floor and had my arms behind me, she felt my triceps and said, “Wow, you have really nice arms!”  Needless to say, I didn’t miss a workout ever again.  I’m not a victim or going to cry about being bullied or teased because of my weight.  It made me the man I am today (sympathetic to the bullied) but I sure liked hearing a compliment much more than “Fat Foster.”

VC. What holidays do you most like to celebrate?

MF. HALLOWEEN.  Everything else is a distant second place.  It might stem back to my childhood because my birthday is November 2nd, so Halloween was always a good time of the year for me.  Plus, I love scaring the bloody hell out of people.

VC. Are you a glass half full or half empty kind of person? Or is the glass just malformed?

MF. I don’t deal in glass or stemware.  I deal in lemons.  When I have a basket full of lemons; I make lemonade.

VC. Which of the four seasons do you like/dislike the most and why?

MF. I LOVE the fall.  It probably is because my favorite “holiday” is smack dab in the middle of the fall.  The leaves changing colors, the cool temperatures and apple fritters and cider all are part of why I love the fall so much!

VC. If you were marooned on a desert island and could only have four things, what would they be?

MF. I feel like I am on Naked and Afraid with three bonus items.  Probably a knife, a pot to boil water, a gun and a cannabis plant. (for medicine, clothing, oil/fuel, food, rope and many other uses.)

VC. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

MF. Being with my family and close friends, a bonfire and light beer.

VC. What is your greatest extravagance?

MF. I’m not a big spender of stuff.  My motto on my IMDB page is “I’ve never seen a hearse with a luggage rack.”  I drive a Chevy, wear my old clothes and shop at the Grocery Outlet.   I would do all of this even if I was a billionaire.  I suppose I spend the most money on 80’s themed T-shirts.

VC. Which do you prefer and why – the city or the country?

MF. COUNTRY ALL THE WAY!! (but I like the cuisine in cities).

VC. You are offered a free vacation, one a beach destination, the other a sight-seeing tour, which would you choose and why?

MF. A week in the Italian Alps or the Chilean Andes skiing would work just fine as sightseeing.  I have always loved the beaches of Alabama and Florida’s panhandle.

And now for some straight(ish)speed questions. Yes/No answers, qualify with a few words if you wish.

Annoyed a photographer by goofing around?  Gee…I’m not sure.  I’d like to hope not.  I always do what’s asked of me, so I think that’s a NO.



Called in sick to work when you weren’t sick? YEP (yeah students, Mr. Foster played hookie to go to a concert.)

Won a contest? Yes.

Locked yourself out of your house? Frequently.

Gone paragliding? No.

Taken an enormous risk? Yes.

Prefer cats or dogs? Dogs.

Surprised a friend or family member with a gift when it wasn’t their birthday or Christmas? Yes.

Been to Peru? No.

Worn odd socks? Frequently.

So now we all know a little more about Mike, I'd like to thank him again for taking part in my Q & A and also Period Images for the photographs. And here is my latest cover which I love, featuring Period Images model, Rachel. Thanks to Books We Love's artistic director Michelle Lee for once again working her magic.

Monday, March 22, 2021

When is an alien abduction not a sci-fi novel?


 

The Doug Fletcher mystery series has bounced between U.S. national parks and monuments. A variety of readers and resource people from around the country suggest locales and plots to me. I got a call from Mike (my veterinary consultant) who said, "You HAVE to set a book in Effigy Mounds National Park. It's the perfect location for nefarious activities."

After a bit of research, I learned that the animal-shaped Native burial mounds in the park are extremely rare, and nearly impossible to visualize from the ground. The park service didn't grasp the number and arrangement of the animal shapes prior to an aerial survey. More than one writer has suggested that the original mound builders, working long before the invention of the airplane, had assistance from aliens in spaceships. Add to that the large number of modern UFO reports in the area and an abundance of regional alien conspiracy advocates. 

After weeks of research, my characters started screaming at me to stop digging and start writing. (Their voices will be the topic of a future blog.) I wrote an outline for the Burnt Evidence, then the characters got involved and I lost control. Doug and Jill Fletcher were living a quiet life as law enforcement rangers at Padre Island National Seashore when their superintendent got a call requesting their assistance in Iowa. A 911 call had been cut short by a scream. A melted cellphone, and metal remnants of clothing were later found in a burned circle inside Effigy Mounds National Park, suggesting an alien abduction.

Then, I thought, uh oh, you've started a science fiction novel. Add sightings of glowing lights over the Mississippi River and college students investigating the abduction site, and the plot sounded like Robert Heinlein.

I wrestled control of the plot back from the characters and put them on track to solve the mystery of the abduction. Working through the plot, they deal with Doug's ex-wife who's an anthropology professor, an Air Force UFO expert, and a scientist from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. They enlist assistance from a Navajo colleague to help sort the Native lore from the science fiction. Jill's spiritual side emerges as she tries to rationalize the apparent alien abduction, UFO sightings, and ghostly apparitions, with her scientific background and religious beliefs.

It was a fun book to write, and I tapped the knowledge of numerous people including an anthropologist, a veterinarian, a police/horse resource and muse, a retired director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a tuba player (don't ask), and a retired scientist. Combined, they steered me toward the unexpected events and revelations that add the twists and turns to the plot. My BWL publishing colleagues edited and improved the manuscript. Michelle Lee designed the intriguing cover.

It's different from my previous stories, but it is a mystery, not science fiction. The characters are stretched, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. All that leads to an unexpected ending as they race through a moonlit park, trying to pull the last pieces of the puzzle together.


Dean Hovey is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Doug Fletcher mysteries, the Pine County mysteries, and the Whistling Pines cozy series.

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Luke Trowbridge, a Waterman fights for his life in the Oyster Wars by Diane Scott Lewis

 

In my upcoming novel, Ghost Point, Luke Trowbridge ducks Maryland's ruthless Oyster Police, and strives to keep his marriage together in 1956. He grew up tonging for oysters on the Potomac River. The town of Colonial Beach, Virginia, once a grand resort for the wealthy 80 miles south of Washington D. C., is now a struggling community of watermen who brave the elements to feed their families.


The tradition since colonial times is tonging for oysters during the cold winter season, with long rakes that gently pluck up the oysters without ruining the beds. But illegal dredging brings in far more oysters, the baskets scraping the beds. The habitats destroyed.


Luke is desperate to support his family. But his wife, Yelena, has grown angry and restless with his dangerous activities, his refusal to quit. The Hungarian-born Victor is investigating another vicious event on the river when he attracts her interest. He's suave, sophisticated, everything Luke is not. Will she give up their secrets and be enticed to dishonor her marriage?


Luke must stand up to his bullying father, and the Maryland Oyster police who shoot to kill. He fears losing his wife and little boy. Will he make changes in attitude and occupation, or endanger his own life?


For more adventure, another couple who take their future in their own hands, delve into On a Stormy Primeval Shore. Set in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1784, a fight to form a colony. One of the award-winning Canadian Historical Brides series. A Night Owl Romance Top Pick: "a fabulous tale of life and hardship in historical Canada."



To purchase my novels and other BWL books: BWL


Find out more about me and my writing on my website: Dianescottlewis

Diane Scott Lewis lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and one naughty puppy.

Friday, March 19, 2021

Planning a 4 Season Vegetable Garden by J.Q. Rose

 

Arranging a Dream: a Memoir by J.Q. Rose

In 1975, Ted and Janet with their one-year-old baby girl move all their earthly belongings to Michigan to make their dream of owning a greenhouse operation come true. Through tears and laughter they cultivate their loving marriage, juggle parenting and dig deep to root a thriving floral and greenhouse business.

Click here to discover more books by JQ Rose at the BWL Publishing JQRose Author's Page

☘☘☘☘☘
Hello and welcome to the BWL Authors Insiders Blog!

Planning a 4 Season Vegetable Garden 

by J.Q. Rose

Broccoli and cabbage like cool temperatures.

My husband's love of gardening is the reason we set our dreams on growing plants in a greenhouse. That dream grew from a simple plan to build a hobby greenhouse against the back of our garage. When the neighbors wanted to buy some of his plants for their yard, he began growing not only plants for our flower beds and vegetable garden but also extra plants to sell. His hobby blossomed into a dream to own and operate a greenhouse operation. In 1965, we stepped into our dream, searching for and purchasing a greenhouse operation and a flower shop in Michigan.
Arranging a Dream: A Memoir is about the first year we were in the flower and greenhouse business. We had never owned a business. I knew nothing about floral design. Ted had never grown plants in large greenhouses. So why did the owners sell us the place? The answer may be in the book!!!

My farm boy husband, Ted, is still in love with gardening. We are retired from the greenhouse business, but Ted is living his life-long desire to garden 12 months out of the year. He has a garden up north in the spring, summer and fall and a garden in Florida during the winter. 

This time of year Ted begins planning his large garden up north. Are you planning your garden whether just in your head, on paper or on the computer with a garden planning program? He is devouring the gorgeous photos in the seed catalogs and making lists of plants to try in the spring garden. I imagine a lot of you can identify with that planning and dreaming process.

Here are a 7 tips from Gardener Ted for planning a garden this spring. 

1. Determine the size and location, preferably with 6-8 hours of sun a day with water nearby for watering the plants. Buying too many seeds or plants for the space you have available is easy to do, but knowing the space you have to work in helps you face the reality of the actual square feet you have to use.
Gardener Ted watering his spring garden

2. Decide which way to plant the rows in your garden.

3. Remember to save room for a path or paths through the garden so you can easily water, fertilize, weed, etc.

4. Select areas for planting for the seasons. It is best to plant those veggies you will harvest in spring in a group. For example, plant lettuce, peas, green onions, radishes together for spring harvesting. In another section plant beans, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, squash, and tomatoes for summer harvest, and broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce or cool weather crops for fall gathering.
Vertical gardening

5. To efficiently use the garden area, it is possible to "double-crop" the section. When the spring plants are depleted, re-plant the section with another group of plants for late summer or fall harvest time. See how grouping the seasonal plants together allows this extra perk?

6. Another advantage of planting with the season of harvest in mind helps you clear out a section to re-plant or to clean up for the winter. So instead of planting the cole crops like cabbage and broccoli which like the cold weather on the opposite ends of the garden, plant them together with the fall harvest crops like pumpkins and winter squash.

7. You may live in an area where it is possible to keep root crops such as parsnips and turnips in the ground longer for a winter crop. Be sure to keep these vegetables planted in the same section so you can clean up and prepare the rest of the garden for winter.

Fresh tomatoes

Think first about the harvest times for your vegetables and group them accordingly in your garden. With some pre-planning, you can eat fresh all year. Enjoy those delicious veggies!
☘☘☘☘☘
Click the link below to connect online with JQ.

J.Q. Rose blog http://www.jqrose.com/


Spring Cleaning by Helen Henderson


Windmaster Legacy
by Helen Henderson
Click the cover for purchase information

The weather is warming. The birds are returning from their winter migrations and the first ladybug of the season has been spotted. It is time for another traditional herald of the season, spring cleaning. Today spring cleaning is a time to open the windows and give the house a thorough sprucing up. But it once was a real necessity and continued to be so until well into the 20th century. After months of cold weather during which the house was closed up and heated with wood or coal and lighted with kerosene or whale oil, furnishings were laden with soot and reeking of stale air.  

Homemade cleaning products included such diverse ingredients as salt and vinegar. Before the advent of indoor plumbing, water was hauled into the house and had to be heated before it could be used. That might mean numerous trips to the creek, the hand pump in the yard, or if you were lucky enough, the fire hydrant just outside the house.  

Before the day of vacuum cleaners, all the cleaning was done by hand with a carpet brush. In good weather the rugs were cleaned more thoroughly by hanging them on the washing line to let the sun and wind get at them. And while on the line they were beaten with woven cane, rattan, or twisted wire carpet beaters sold specially for the purpose. It not only exercised the body, but calmed the mind as you took out all your aggression. If you didn't have a real carpet beater, an old broom stick or a tennis racket did the job.

Image by AnnaliseArt from Pixabay

Even in the 1950s, every home needed at least one big clean a year; and spring is often considered the best time. It was a major task with the removal of all contents and a thorough clean of all kitchen units and cupboards inside and out. The washing of all painted and commonly-touched surfaces such as doors, window frames, and baseboards. Curtains were taken off the rods, then washed or cleaned, then after the whole room was cleaned including washing of walls, windows, and woodwork , the same curtains were rehung or swapped out for the lighter spring ones. Just this one item took a lot of effort and energy. And don't forget any blinds or shades. 

Then there was the lugging of the wooden trunks of seasonal clothes out of the attic or the back of closets. Once the summer clothes were washed and aired out, the winter clothes were cleaned, mended and moth-proofed before going into storage. Repeat the same steps with the blankets, quilts, and bed coverings. 

Image by Jazella from Pixabay
We didn't have an modern automatic clothes washer but an old wringer washer with a large metal washtub set beside it. Clothes were put in the washer, and the agitator swirled them for however long we wanted. Then we fed the clothes through the wringer and into the clean water of the washtub. Dunking took out the suds and dirty water, then the clean items were fed back through the wringer before being carted up the stars and outside to be hung on the line. But at least I had indoor plumbing and the washer was slightly newer than the one pictured. Both the wringer and the agitator were electrified.

 Another part of spring cleaning I dreaded was not the beating of the rugs, but the washing of all dishes and bric-a-brack in cupboards and cabinets. 

Spring cleaning still exists, although in a modified form. A modern list might include decluttering the home, cleaning out unneeded clothes, and tackling the junk drawer stuffed with odds and ends. While Covid-19 might have us cleaning our phones and keyboards more often, screens both big and small can be overlooked and need to be added to the cleaning list.

I hope you enjoyed this somewhat nostalgic look at spring. I’m off to hang a rug on the porch rail and beat it. Then I have to tackle the backing up and spring cleaning of my computer files.

To purchase the Windmaster Novels: BWL

 ~Until next month, stay safe and read. Helen


Find out more about me and my novels at Journey to Worlds of Imagination.
Follow me online at Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter or Website

Helen Henderson lives in western Tennessee with her husband. While she doesn’t have any pets in residence at the moment, she often visits a husky who have adopted her as one the pack. 

Thursday, March 18, 2021

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  












     


Wednesday, March 17, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Parade - Janet Lane Walters 3BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #St. Patrick #Parade

 

St. Patrick’s Day On Hold

 



 

Though today is St. Patrick’s Day there will be no parade in NY City or in the town not far from my house. Though I’ve never gone to the one in the city, I understand it’s quite the affair. The one in the town near where I live is also a fun time. I usually don’t go because it’s too cold but I love watching the pictures in the paper and ones friends have taken. I have a trace of Irish in me but not on the green side. Doesn’t stop me from feeling a bit of festivity on that day. Just heard from my daughter that the parade in Savannah has also been cancelled.

 

I think of the stories I’ve been told about the country and of how my great-great came to this country and lived in a town called Fall River, Mass. I also had a chance to visit Ireland and spent a few hours in the town where she was born. A rugged hilly area and a small town tucked among the hills in northern Ireland. The greens of the countryside were stunning and the people friendly though at times I had trouble understanding them. Mr friend had a harder time with the language. I still have pictures from that long ago visit.

 

One of those pictures brings back memories of the collie and how the shephers showed us how the god herded sheep. What a fascinating thing to watch. No voice commands, only hand and body signals were given.

 

I also remember the rapid tour we took with my friend’s mother seeing so many sights and so much green. The Giant’s Causeway was a magnificent sight and the bus ride on the steep road quite a thrill. So this year, I’ll celebrate by looking at some of those pictures my friend and I took without the parade.

My Places

https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

 


Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Sanity under quarantine, by J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends
Book 2 of the award-winning YA series

Hammer it.

Screw it.

Glue it.

Three phrases that got me through a two-week quarantine with my partner, Ian.

Oh, and wine. 

Yes, number four phrase would be: Glass/bottle/box of wine.

I'm so very fortunate to live on a few acres in rural Ontario. If not, quarantine would be a biahtch, as Jayden, one of the main characters in The Twisted Climb series, would say. At home, there are multiple trails to wander through, wood piles to chop and arrange, animal tracks to investigate and birds to feed. Also renovations to design and build. And wine to drink.

Deer, fox, rabbit and barn cat tracks.

Red-breasted nuthatch jumped in the foreground,
deer tracks in the background.

Evening grosbeaks arrived in February, much earlier than usual. 

Wild turkeys enjoying birdfeed that the cheeky blue jays scatter.


They come for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ian and I enjoying an outdoor break.

Being quarantined can have its advantages. For my partner Ian, it's feeding the birds and working from home. For me, it's having Ian at home so we can work on our renovations. Yah, I'm a "git 'er done" kinda gal so when he's not on the computer or calling his guys, we're getting things done in our basement. The plan is to set up a private, two-bedroom, one bath, living room and kitchen apartment. The bedrooms, bathroom and living room are complete. We've been working on building the foyer and coat closet for the last couple of months. On weekends, our habit is to enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the work day and admire our handiwork. I have to admit - it's one of the treats keeping us sane. Is that a bad thing?

Kitchen window frame buttressed and bolstered. Also glued and screwed.

Half wall separating the foyer from the living room.
Bolted, hammered, glued and screwed.

Live-edge black walnut top,
ready for sanding and epoxy coating. No screws!

There is one thing, though, that truly keeps our sanity in check: unruly and filter-filled facetime conversations with the grand girls.
 




Being in a quarantine environment can be tough, but we make the most of it. Thank God for grand-girls, renovations, country air and Ian. Oh, and wine.

Check out my award-winning books if you're looking for an action-packed, adventure-filled series. You'll find out why Jayden is 'Queen of the Bully Biatches.'

https://bookswelove.net/kavanagh-j-c/

Stay safe! 



J.C. Kavanagh, author of

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2)
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll
Novels for teens, young adults and adults young at heart
Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh
www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh
Twitter @JCKavanagh1 (Author J.C. Kavanagh)




Popular Posts

Books We Love Insider Blog

Blog Archive