In 1999, my mother and I flew from Oregon to Long Island, a journey that would become a cherished memory for me. My younger brother had been researching our genealogy and found that a lighthouse had been named after our 8th great-grandfather, Barnabas Horton. Mom had told us stories about this grandfather, tales that were passed down for generations. Family …
MOM AND APPLE PIE
My little apple trees popped with blossoms last week, bringing with them a flutter of memories! My mom grew up during the depression and married my dad during WWII, and though as a Navy pilot he provided well, I remember meals for our family of six as well-balanced yet thrifty. Occasionally, dinner was beanie-weenie, sloppy joe’s, or a pancake supper. …
SANCTUARY FOR A LADY by Naomi Rawlings
I first met author Naomi Rawlings through a writer’s email loop, HisWriters – an invitation only subgroup of the amazing American Christian Fiction Writers eloop. I was a lurker, soaking up the knowledge of this wonderful group when Naomi joined, bubbling with news of her French Revolution story. It had finaled in a contest! Not long after we were both …
BEAUTY FOR ASHES: A historical romance by, DOROTHY LOVE
A good novel pulls you into it and won’t let you go and that is what Dorothy Love accomplishes in BEAUTY FOR ASHES, her second book in the Hickory Ridge Romance Series. Ms. Love’s southern charm wraps you in beautifully woven details and rich descriptions that punctuate the page. I was quickly immersed in a time – 1870’s , and a …
WHERE WILDFLOWERS BLOOM by Ann Shorey
Ann Shorey is an author who has been on my must read list for far too long, and now that I’ve read WHERE WILDFLOWERS BLOOM, the first in the Sisters At Heart series, I will be rushing to catch up! Faith Lindberg longs to leave post Civil War sorrows behind and take her grandfather to Oregon to start a new …
What’s In Your Emergency Kit?
After last week’s snowstorm and major power outage, I reviewed my emergency procedures. I pretty much had everything I needed. It was finding everything. I realized that what I thought was a plan wasn’t useful unless I knew how to implement it. After the power was restored, I cleared one drawer in the armoire and designated it my emergency supply …
BARCELONA CALLING by JANE KIRKPATRICK
Jane Kirkpatrick’s historical novels have long been favorites of mine. Her heroines are based on real women who were not only strong, but ahead of their time. It’s not surprising that in many ways Ms. Kirkpatrick’s life exemplifies the stories she tells. If you have not read HOMESTEAD, her autobiography of struggling to settle the desolate Starvation Point with her …
SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY
My hubby and I had the unexpected treat to spend two full days in Washington D.C. and I could not resist the opportunity to go back to Mount Vernon, the home of George and Martha Washington! I lived in Northern Virginia several years ago and my favorite place to visit was, hands down, Mount Vernon. It is a historical writer’s …
Grandmother Horton’s Ginger Cookies
Growing up, I always knew Christmas would soon be here when the ginger cookies baked by Grandmother Horton arrived by mail, carefully wrapped in a green Frederick and Nelson’s shirt box! She baked them for us each year and when she could not, my mother continued the tradition. I have tried to do the same, baking them each December for …
A DAISY FOR MOM
I’ve had the idea to write about the sturdy Gerbera Daisy my brother gave me a few years ago for a long time, so imagine my excitement when I read author Jane Kirkpatrick’s account of the hibiscus plant her brother gave her a few years ago! I love following her Story Sparks because she always writes something that speaks to my heart. The …