Abundance and abandonment

This is the sexy, dramatic and romantic story of two
gardeners, mother and son. And two gardens, one in Arizona and one in Southern
California.

Let’s get the sex scene out of the way up front. I (the
mother and the Californian) have been faithfully nurturing my baby squash
plants. At the first sight of male and female flowers … wait. Back up.

Some of us highly gifted gardeners – highly gifted at
looking things up on the Internet, anyway – know how to tell a male from a
female blossom. The gals have little baby squashes beneath the flower, and the
center of the flower looks like, well, female organs. (After what I saw Lady
Gaga do on TV in the American Idol finale, I suppose I shouldn’t be shy, but
some of us retain a trace of modesty). The males have long stems and the
flowers contain organs that look like … you get the idea.

So there I was, poking the male blossoms into the female
blossoms to assure fertilization. Well, my squash got the idea. Boy, did they
get the idea. It’s barely June and I’m already going to the neighbors, bags of
zucchini in hand, begging them to adopt a squash for Jackie.

For my 21-year-old son, who’s enrolled in a masters in
education program at the University of Arizona and plans to be a high school
biology teacher, matters took a more dramatic turn. Much to my surprise, he too
has become an avid gardener, starting with a love of pesto and the discovery
that it’s fun to grow your own basil.

This year, he went all out in the small garden plot behind
his apartment. Then, just as his tomato plants were ready to produce in that
hot climate, he decided to move. I don’t know all the details, but he and some
friends are getting a new place. Yes, there’s room for a garden, but it means
leaving behind the beautiful corn and tomatoes he’d planted.

Heartbreaking.

A gardener loves his or her plants (this is the romance
part). It’s not just a matter of producing food or being out there with the
dive-bombing hummingbirds that keep my life interesting. Why else would I drag
myself out of bed in the early a.m. to weed, prune, feed and sprinkle black
pepper to keep the squirrels away? Or sneezing, anyway.

And so, across the miles, my son and I share a love of
growing things in the earth. And eating them. For those of you who share this
love, may your garden be bountiful and may you never have to abandon it.

From the Heart

I love homemade gifts. As cliche as it may sound, they truly are gifts from the heart. They can be little (like a hand-drawn card) or big (like a homemade quilt), but, no matter what, the gift giver put something of themself into the gift and had you in mind as they went through the process.

In just the past month alone, I've been the recipient of three such expressions of love/friendship.

The first came from my 16-year-old who presented my new husband and me with a "love jar." This particular gift made me teary-eyed for several reasons. First, it's a variation of the "summer fun jar" I made for both my girls each summer when they were a little bit younger. Only my daughter's gift to me, contained slips of paper with date ideas for my husband and I to do together (rather than the summer outing ideas mine once had). Second, it (along with the note) was one more shred of proof (in a long line of them) that she is happy for us. Priceless, that.

She spent days leading up to the wedding working on her jar, writing ideas on paper, glittering up the outside of the jar, and making it something special.

The second homemade item came from my youngest just two days ago. She walked into the kitchen with a necklace for me. She'd put it together using a chain she had and the dual heart charm we'd put around the favors at the wedding. She thought it would be a way for me to remember the wedding and to keep it close always. Very sweet (I'd show a picture of this, as well, if blogger wasn't being a bit difficult/I wasn't being a bit inept).

The third homemade item came from a fan-turned-friend of my mysteries. She reads my personal blogs and Facebook page and knew that I love certain types of candy. So, when I went down to her town for a speaking engagement, she presented me with a bouquet of my favorite candies alongside little placards depicting the covers of all of my books. It was great!

So tell me, what are some of the best homemade gifts you've received?

Laura

Renewed or Canceled?

For the past few weeks, announcements have been going out about which TV shows were canceled and which were renewed. Some of the things I watched and enjoyed will not be returning -- V, Off the Map, Chase, and Stargate Universe. It got me to thinking about shows I believe were canceled too soon -- ones where the powers that be didn't give the show a chance to find its following. Today it seems like it's "be a hit out of the gate or you're toast." So here's my list of shows that I think were gone too soon. Do you agree? Are there ones you enjoyed that were canceled too early that I haven't included?

1. Firefly -- My favorite show ever!

2. Moonlight -- At least Alex O'Loughlin landed on Hawaii Five-O.

3. Jericho -- So many questions left unanswered.

4. Stargate SGU -- I felt like the show was finally gelling and getting really interesting, but they pulled the plug after only two season. Boo!

5. Roswell

6. Veronica Mars -- Awesome show. Best dad/daughter relationship on TV.

7. Legend of the Seeker

8. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles -- Lena Headey kicked serious butt as Sarah Connor.

9. New Amsterdam -- Only got a few episodes, but I really liked the premise.

10. Men in Trees -- I think the writers killed this one by getting the main couple together too soon. Loved this quirky show set in Alaska. It filled the same spot that Northern Exposure had years ago.

11. Invasion -- Another one where we were left with lots of questions and no answers.

I Love a Happy Ending

This spring I’ve been tuning into five web cams at the nests of bald eagles across the continent. Yes, you read that correctly. Five. These eagle cams are at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, VA, Decorah, IA, White Rock, BC, Hornby Island, BC, and Sidney, BC. There are either a lot of bald eagles in BC or a lot of eagle-crazy web cam watchers!

I don’t spend huge amounts of time and don’t get involved in the online chats associated with some of the cams, but I usually check them in the morning and again the evening to see how the families are doing.

Sometimes I’ve even timed it to see an egg being laid or an eaglet hatching. Watching how these big birds of prey, with their deadly talons and razor-sharp beaks, delicately care for their eggs and newborns is amazing.

This spring thousands of web cam watchers were devastated when the mother eagle at the Norfolk Botanical Garden nest was hit by a jet and killed at a nearby airport. The next day the three eaglets were removed from the nest because it wouldn’t have been possible for their dad to both hunt for food and keep them safe. Those eaglets are now at a wildlife rehabilitation center, almost ready to fledge, and will be released into the wild in August.

Last week there was trouble at the nest in Sidney, BC, and I was beginning to think I didn’t have the emotional fortitude it takes to be an eagle watcher.

One of the three eaglets in this nest had become entangled in fishing line that had been inadvertently brought to the nest, either attached to nesting material or to a fish that had been caught and released by careless humans.

While wildlife experts came up with a plan to free the eaglet, web cam watchers watched for five days as it struggled to free itself. No one gave up hope, though. The parents continued to feed it, and by Thursday afternoon a small army of volunteer rescuers gathered at the base of the tree.

Several problems had to be overcome. The nest is 115 feet in the air, near the top of a dead tree that was deemed too fragile for a climber. The ground around the tree is still wet and boggy due to an unseasonably high rainfall this spring, and a crane would sink to its axles before it could get close to the tree.

The eaglet’s plight made the news, of course, and it wasn’t long before help was on the way. Two companies that install drainage tiles loaned the use of huge flexible mats that could be laid on the mucky ground to create a roadway of sorts that would support the 65-ton crane. The crane operator donated his time, too.

With the crane in place, a veterinarian and a wildlife biologist donned safety gear, loaded themselves and their supplies into the basket and up they went.

The eagle parents kept a very close watch on what was taking place, but to the surprise of many viewers, they did not attack the rescuers.

The tangled eaglet was cut free and carefully lifted out of the nest and into the basket while those on the ground—and the thousands around the world watching on computer screens—collectively held their breath as the vet examined the baby bird for signs of injury.

I’m sure you can imagine the cheers—and joyful tears—when we saw the vet return the eaglet to the nest. The foot that had been tangled in fishing line was in good condition and the circulation had not been restricted, so all that was needed was a little disinfectant to treat a small cut. Best of all, the eaglet could remain with its family instead of being taken to a neaby wildlife rehab facility.

The eagle parents, who’d been watching from a nearby tree, returned to the nest even before the rescuers in the basket returned to the ground, and before long all three eaglets were fed their next meal.

Last Thursday there was an abundance of heroes in Sidney, BC. Don’t you just love a happy ending?

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
The Christmas Secret (November 2011)
The Wedding Bargain (available June 2011 in Australia)

What's a Picture Worth?

What is a picture worth?

A second look? A hands-on exam? Drooling over? LOL

Above and to your right (I hope!) is the cover of A RANCHER’S PRIDE, my May 2011 Harlequin American Romance. Is Sam Robertson drool-worthy or what?

In my humble opinion—which may be just a teeny bit biased—he’s a hottie. A hunk. A honey. Or whatever word you’d like to describe a hero of your dreams. And he’s getting quite a bit of attention from readers. Wonder why? (smile)

A RANCHER’S PRIDE is part of the Men of the West miniseries from Harlequin American Romance. The covers have been fabulous. And if you ask me, American makes a habit of that!

All the May Americans look great, too, with a cowboy, a wedding, and babies times three.

I’ve been lucky from the start with my covers.

Here’s a shot of my very first book, THE SHERIFF’S SON. Isn’t it adorable? And it was so perfect for the story, I got teary-eyed the first time I saw it.





My second book, COURT ME, COWBOY, also had a cover that matched the story perfectly. I’ll give you a hint with this one...the package is very important. (Well, the full package, Gabe included, is special, too.)






And the cover for my previous book, FAMILY MATTERS (October 2010), catches both my hero and heroine at a perfect moment. In addition, though I hadn’t seen the cover before my website was revamped, the flowers just happened to tie in...perfectly!

Are you noticing something they all have in common? LOL I'm very happy with perfection. (smile)

When it comes to the differences--kids, couples, hot heroes--they’re all good, too, as far as I’m concerned.

How about you? When you walk into a bookstore or browse online, what's the first thing that catches your eye? What do you most like to see on a cover?

Leave a comment or question to be entered in a drawing for a copy of either THE SHERIFF’S SON or COURT ME, COWBOY. Here’s the scoop.

By Wednesday night:

1. Leave a comment or question for me here.

2. Visit my website http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/ and send me an e-mail from the comment form, letting me know which book you’d like to receive if your name is drawn.

The winner’s name will be posted here in the comments section of this blog post on Thursday.

Also, while you’re at my website, you might want to check out the blog tour I’m currently on to celebrate A RANCHER’S PRIDE. There are more tour stops and book drawings ahead.

Thanks!

All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/

Weddings

My husband and I are celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss today! Take a stroll down memory lane with me.

When I think back on my wedding day I shudder at how young we were—23. These days many couples wait much longer before marrying…maybe because society's views about living together before marriage have relaxed over the years. When I became engaged I was told by my parents to either marry immediately after I graduated from college or come home and live with them until the wedding date. I traded in my college graduation ceremony for a wedding ceremony and met my husband in Vegas. Our immediate family flew in and a couple of college friends attended and we had a great time. I wore my mother's wedding dress—tea length since I'm taller than my mother. A weekend of gambling, fine-dining and Vegas shows served as our honeymoon.


We married in the Historic Little Church of the West.



Here's what the web says about the church
"The church has been the scene of more celebrity marriages than any other wedding chapel in the world. Betty Grable, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Dudley Moore, Cindy Crawford & Richard Gere, Angelina Jolie & Billy Bob Thornton to name a few. Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret recited their vows in the movie "Viva Las Vegas", filmed at The Little Church of the West. Originally built as part of the Last Frontier Hotel located on an isolated stretch of highway that would one day become the famous Las Vegas "Strip", The Little Church of the West upholds the heritage of Las Vegas with its unique architecture. It's a freestanding replica of an old west mining town church. With an exterior of cedar and an interior of California redwood, the chapel looks much the same today as when it was first built. Attesting to its historical significance, the Little Church is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, the only such place on the "Strip" with this honor. the Little Church of the West celebrated its 65th anniversary and remains the oldest existing structure on the Las Vegas "Strip".

Our "real" honeymoon came three years later after my husband and I saved up for a trip to Hawaii. The first day on Maui we went swimming and stupid tourists that we were failed to pay attention to the beach signs that warned of strong surfs. While my husband happily snapped pictures of me wearing my new ruffled white bikini, I dove into the water. A brutal wave hit me and almost sucked me out to sea. By the time I surfaced, my swimsuit top barely covered me and I'd lost my wedding rings. We'd spent a lot of money on that trip and had no extra cash for a new wedding ring so I picked out a silver band at a kiosk in a local mall for $10. Over the years my husband has attempted to buy me a new diamond ring but this plain old silver band brings back too many fond memories of our early years of marriage and I just can't part with it.

If you could marry all over again knowing how your first wedding turned out, would keep everything the same or is there something you would change?

Marin
Rodeo Daddy April 2011
The Bull Rider's Surrender July 2011
A Rodeo man's Promise December 2011
www.marinthomas.com

Love is in the Air

It’s May, and in Central Florida love is in the air. Literally. And on the ground. Crawling on walls. Clinging to window screens. Swarming our cars. Splattering on our windshields. Dissolving our paint.

What kind of love is that? Glad you asked. It’s the love bug. Also known as the March fly, although why I do not know since they take flight twice a year—in May and September.

In late spring and early fall, adult love bugs swarm up out of the grasses and mate. The male dies, but the happy couple remains co-joined while the female flies around for a few days. Blech! Adults live less than a week, but I have to tell you, these little buggers are the bane of my existence while they’re in flight.

They don’t bite—thank goodness—but they have enough heft that if you walk into a cloud of them, you know it. My advice? Don’t swat. They leave a nasty stain. They’re attracted to heat, and hover in huge swarms over the roadways, making it a good time of year to own a car wash. Or a radiator shop. Many a car owner has faced expensive repairs after bug bodies clogged their car’s air intake.

Talk about a love gone bad.

Some say love bugs were a present from my alma mater. But the story that they escaped from a UF science experiment is only urban myth. They actually migrated up from Central America, passing through several southern states before finding Florida's moist climate to their liking.

Lucky us.

All that being said, I simply don’t like them. I don’t like bugs in general. I hate and fear spiders. And love bugs make my skin crawl. Which I can handle, I guess, as long as there aren’t any love bugs crawling on me.





Love bugs crawling on the wall outside my office made me close my window blinds.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

When I think of my mom, I think of her love of family, her cooking and her flowers. She passed away eleven years ago and it’s especially nice to remember her on this day. When my brothers and I were grown with families of our own, we always wanted to take her out to eat on her birthday and Mother’s Day. She did not see this as a good thing. “What’s wrong with my cooking?” she would ask. Somehow she took it as an insult so we gave in and let her cook.

I would go out early to help because it was supposed to be her day. She had a large vegetable garden and all the fresh veggies and new potatoes were to die for. That was her joy – cooking for her family. We never again asked to take her out. We showed up with presents and enjoyed the day with her. Now me, you take me out to eat and I’m a happy camper.

My mother also loved flowers and her yard at this time of the year was always blooming with color, especially roses. Easter lilies were another favorite of hers. They were red and white and covered a whole flowerbed, just gorgeous.

This winter was brutal here in Texas. I brought the plants in from the patio that I wanted to keep. A couple was looking bad so I left them. Of course they froze. Something green came up in one of the flower pots. I thought it was a weed. For some reason I didn’t pull it out and it kept growing and then a bud appeared on it. I was intrigued. On Friday it opened up. It’s a white Easter Lily. I have no idea how it got in that pot on my patio. I had a weird feeling, as if my mother had sent it. It’s a strange coincidence, but it makes my Mother’s Day.

How are you spending your Mother’s Day? I’m going out to dinner.

Have a wonderful day.

Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
Aug ’11 – The Texan’s Secret

And They're Off! by Megan

The first Saturday of May is a day my family anticipates. Eagerly. For those of you not already with me, it's the Running of the Roses, the first jewel in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby.
I grew up going to horse races. After moving to the St. Louis area, my parents attended their first horse race and became fans. They didn't have family here to babysit us, so we got to attend. (Back in those days, grade school kids rarely had homework.) My older siblings sometimes stayed home with us younger ones, but a lot of time, it was off to the races!
I loved rooting for the horse my parents bet on, watching all the horses run, and the rush to ticket window to make a last minute bet or collect our winnings. We always went down once during the night to watch the horses get saddled. It was thrilling to see a horse change into a racehorse.
My mom changed jobs and became friends with a woman whose boyfriend owned and trained racehorses, and going became even more fun. We didn't have insider information, but we had someone to root for. We heard stories about some of the race people, and we had an insight into the workings behind the scenes, which always makes an event more interesting.
One time when the boyfriend's horse won, my parents and sister were photographed with him and the horse in the winner's circle. I always joke that I was there but they wouldn't let me in the picture, but honestly, I don't know where I was. I cherish that picture for the memories of those years.
Today, I'll be watching the race on the TV. It's on against my beloved Cardinals baseball, so I might be doing some switching of channels, but when they load the horses into the gate, I'll be riveted. Okay, I admit, I have no idea who's running, but by race time, I'll have my favorite--based on color, body size and muscles, and how spirited it appears. Sometimes I have a sentimental favorite based on the story behind the horse (the owner's or jockey's life or the struggles with health the horse has been through or whatever), but I'll also know who I think will win.
If you want real guidance, call my mom. She knows the names of the horses running, their track records so far, the reputation of their stable and owners, etc. LOL She's been watching the horse racing channel and reading the sports page. Thursday before my booksigning, she told me who the winner should be. You can bet I'll call her right after the race.
For all those happy memories and others, I want to take this opportunity to say Happy Mother's Day to my mom. I extend that wish to all the moms reading this as well.
What particular event did your family take part in that shaped you? Share with us as we all put on our pretty Spring hats and get ready to sing "My Old Kentucky Home."

Megan Kelly
The Marriage Solution, May 2011
www.megankellybooks.com

APRIL WINNER!!

CONGRATULATIONS Juliet Burns! You’re the April winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Marin Thomas, Megan Kelly and Leigh Duncan through their Web sites.

To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Simple and painless. And FREE BOOKS.

So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!