Tuesday, January 20, 2026

The Day the Coffeemaker Died

 This morning, I woke up convinced that the apocalypse had arrived—except instead of zombies or asteroids, it was a brutal 5-degree freeze that turned my bedroom into a meat locker. As a certified coffee addict, my first bleary-eyed move was to stumble toward the kitchen for my sacred morning brew. But oh no, the coffee maker—my loyal companion of five faithful years—decided this was the perfect day to stage its dramatic exit. It gurgled once, like a dying walrus, then went silent. Betrayal! No hot java to thaw my soul? Unacceptable.


So there I was, bundled up like a deranged Michelin Man in every layer I owned, trudging out to Walmart in subzero hell. The wind slapped me like an angry ex, my nose turned into an icicle, and I swear my eyelashes froze mid-blink. By the time I snatched a new coffee maker off the shelf (victory!), I was a human popsicle dreaming of tropical beaches. Moral of the story: Never trust appliances in winter—they're clearly in cahoots with Mother Nature to make us suffer. But hey, the new one's brewing perfection now, and I'm finally defrosting. Coffee: 1, Cold: 0.


Have a wonderful day!

Friday, January 16, 2026

Weekend Roundup - C

This Week's Assignment: Starts with C, Favorite, Carousel.

Starts with C: How about a CAR CAUGHT out in the COLD.


Favorite: How about a CROW. Did you know they pay close attention to people and remember faces. They also know if you treat them well or not and pass along this information to other CROWS. I try to be nice to them now that I know this. Although there was a time I often told Gus to bark at them when they hogged the feeders. Not anymore. I'm too much of an Edgar Allen Poe fan. :)


Carousel: This isn't exactly a CAROUSEL, but it's the closest I could find. Not many around in icy weather.


And last, but not least - shameless plugs: Book COVERS.



Linking to: Weekend Roundup

Friday, January 9, 2026

Weekend Roundup - B

 Today's assignment: Starts with B, Favorite, and Ball.

Starts with B: BIRD and BLUEBIRD starts with B. This one is having a BATH.


Favorite: If I don't have a horse to post, then BIRDS work well for my favorite. How about another BLUEBIRD?


Ball: Wanna play BALL? 



Linking to Weekend Roundup

Friday, January 2, 2026

The Dirt Foot Gang

My latest book is a tween novella titled The Dirt Foot Gang and the first in a series to come. 

In the summer of 1950s Williamsport, Pennsylvania, thirteen-year-old Logan Trent and his barefoot buddies—fast-talking Pudge, quiet Cotton, and brainy Will—call themselves the Dirt Foot Gang. No shoes, no rules, just endless adventure.

 

What starts as a daring train-hop for Logan’s birthday thrill, turns into the ride of their lives. When Cotton tumbles into the raging river and Logan dives after him, the gang splits: two boys lost in the wild with only a clever stray dog named Angus and Grandpa’s survival tricks to guide them home ... while the others dodge railway bulls in a bustling yard, learning secret hobo codes from a rambling legend.

 

From tornado chases and fear of bears to mulligan stew feasts and unbreakable oaths, the Dirt Foot Gang discovers real adventure isn’t about the rails—it’s about loyalty, courage, and the friends who stick closer than mud on bare toes.

 

A heart-pounding, laugh-out-loud tale of friendship and freedom for every kid who's ever dreamed of running wild. All for one—and one wild ride for all!



Sunday, December 28, 2025

Weekend Roundup - Z

 This week's assignment? Has a Z, favorite, and Your Choice.


Has a Z: ZANTAC has a Z. This is a list of dog friendly over the counter medications. I keep it handy, just in case.




Favorite: I probably used this pic the last time I posted a Z. ZEBRA starts with Z and they are a favorite at the ZOO. This one, however, isn't real.


Your Choice: PIZZA is always a good choice. This is the first time I tried a pie with pineapple. Probably wouldn't order it again, but it wasn't bad.


Linking to Weekend Roundup

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Weekend Roundup - Y

 This week's assignment: Starts with Y, Favorite, and Yellow.


Starts with Y: YARN starts with Y. This is the beginning of a baby blanket for great-granddaughter.


Favorite: Flowers are always a favorite, but this YELLOW one is one of my favorites.


Yellow: How about A YELLOW butterfly on YELLOW wildflowers? Oh, and a honey bee hiding in the corner.

Linking to Weekend Roundup

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Thankful Thursday

 As the year winds down and the house begins to feel a little more like Christmas, I find myself pausing to feel thankful.

Today, I’m thankful for small but satisfying accomplishments—Christmas presents bought, the tree glowing in the corner, and cards sent on their way. Those little checkmarks on the to-do list bring a sense of calm I didn’t know I needed.

I’m deeply thankful that most of my family will be here for the holidays. Time together is something I never want to take for granted, especially as the years seem to move faster and faster.

This year also brought something I’m especially grateful for: finishing two books. One is already published, and the other will be very soon. There were moments of doubt, long days, and revisions that tested my patience—but seeing those projects come to life has been incredibly rewarding.

As I look back on 2025, I’m allowing myself to reflect on both the good and the hard parts. Every year carries its share of lessons, and I want to carry those forward with intention. It’s time to think about what worked, what didn’t, and how I can grow from it all.

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m setting a goal that excites and challenges me: to publish two more books by the end of the year. Writing continues to be a gift, a discipline, and a joy—and I’m thankful I get to pursue it.

For now, I’ll sit with gratitude—for family, for finished projects, for hope, and for the promise of a new year just around the corner.


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Linking to Thankful Thursday

 

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Whispering Pines

 It's here. This is my third full length novel.

This story has lived quietly with me for a long time, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you. Thank you for reading, for supporting my work, and for stepping into these pages with me. I hope you like it. It's available on Amazon. Thank you very much for your interest. Please feel free to share.
In the shadow of a savage tornado that claims their parents in a fiery crash, sisters Willa and Skye Stanley cling to survival—and each other—amid the wreckage of their young lives. But as grief gives way to suspicion, a web of small-town murders unravels around them. Whispers of sabotage and buried secrets point fingers at Willa, Skye, and their foster brother Finn.
After college, Willa inherits a family home in Illinois—a crumbling castle laced with ancestral spirits—Willa seeks solace in her writing and a tentative romance with enigmatic contractor Ethan Gray. Yet the killings follow. Finn's shadowed origins collide with a vengeful phantom—a red-haired specter whispering warnings of "he's coming"—as familial wraiths rise to shield the living from a monster born of betrayal.

In this pulse-pounding blend of cozy mystery and supernatural suspense, Whispering Pines weaves a tapestry of love, loss, and lethal legacies. When the cellar door creaks open on a blood-soaked reckoning, one family's unbreakable bond must bury the killer forever.



Saturday, December 13, 2025

Weekend Roundup - X

 This week's assignment: Has an X, Favorite, and looks like X.


HAS AN X: TEXXAS Jam 1980. Don't think we could see these bands for $16.50 these days.



FAVORITE: With an S - eXquisite view. Wish I could be there on this snowy, wintry day.



LOOKS LIKE X: I'm reaching here, but this Monarch butterfly is clinging to the center of an X. Sort of. :)



Linking to:  Weekend Roundup

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Weekend Roundup - W

This week's assignment: Starts with W, Favorite, and Winter.

Starts with WBlack and WHITE WARBLER


Favorite: Beautiful WHITE horse named WHISKY. I sure miss seeing him out the WINDOW every day. But he is happy in his new home.


Winter:The first real snow of the WINTER came this past weekend. Brr!

Linking to Weekend Roundup


 

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Weekend Roundup - V

 This week's assignment: Starts with V, Favorite, and Verdant.


Starts with V: Vulture starts with V. 



Favorite: These are my favorite VIOLIN players. 


Verdant: Spring provides lots of verdant scenes.



Linking to Weekend Roundup

Friday, November 21, 2025

Weekend Roundup - U

This week's assignment: Starts with U, Favorite, and Up.


Starts with U: Wish I could be UNDER this UMBRELLA at Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.


Favorite: Hub's friend, UNCLE Ray, send a jar of muscadine grape jelly made from grapes in his vineyard. Yum!


UP:
This is a shot of downtown Dallas from high UP in the Reunion Tower. The tallest building you see is the Bank of America Plaza building is lit up green at night. When we lived there, I spent a lot of time high UP in that building.

Linking to Weekend Roundup 

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Third Novel

So, just now, I closed out the word document containing my third novel tentatively titled, Whispering Pines. Now all that's left is rereading and editing. 


 Woo Hoo!!

Saturday, November 15, 2025

Weekend Roundup - T

 This week's assignment: Starts with T, Favorite, and Tall.

Starts with T: TRAIN starts with T.


FavoriteTOAST as in French TOAST starts with T and it is my favorite breakfast food.

             


Tall: TREES are TALL.


Linking to Weekend Roundup

Friday, November 14, 2025

Skywatch

 Happy Friday! Night clouds.



And the Northern Lights as seen from the front door.


Linking to Skywatch


Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Tuesday Treasures - Snow

 I'm not a fan of winter. Spring is my favorite season because it brings warm weather. I like the colors of fall, but it has always signals the approach of a long, cold winter. But ... there's something about seeing the first snowflakes. It's exciting to see. Thankfully, our first snowfall only lasted an hour.


Linking to 
Tuesday Treasures

Friday, November 7, 2025

Weekend Roundup - S

This week's assignment: Starts with S, Favorite, and Shadow.


Starts with S. SUNFLOWER starts with S. I plant them every year for the birds. Even hummingbirds like them. 




Favorite: I took this picture through a crack in the logs. These sheep live at Lincoln Log Cabin State Park.



Shadow: This is Hubs as he leads Bonnie through the gate. They're ready to go for a ride.



Linking to Weekend Roundup





Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Happy Anniversary

Nine years ago, the stars finally aligned on an unseasonably warm day in Sundance, Wyoming. A gentle breeze carried the scent of wildflowers and sun bathed the morning in a golden glow. Our hearts danced in harmony as we exchanged our vows, promising to share a lifetime of love and adventure. It was a day when everything felt perfect, and as we sealed our commitment with a kiss, it was as if the universe itself celebrated.