I "heart" hummingbirds!

Many people might find it hard to believe there are hummingbirds nesting and raising babies in Canada in the wintertime, but there is a population of Anna's hummingbirds that overwinters on southern Vancouver Island. For years I've kept feeders in my garden and have had the pleasure of watching them year round.

Here's a photograh I took several years ago, and yes, that's snow you can see in the background!

This year the weather has been milder, but not without its challenges. For the past week, a male Anna's has spent long periods of time perched on the largest feeder in my yard. I've never seen this behavior before and at first I thought he might be injured or sick, but he seems fine and now I believe he's just being territorial! I've started calling him Tuff because he often displays white tufts of underfeathers near both wings, and because he has happily turned out to be tougher than I thought!

Here's Tuff at the feeder.

And here's Tuff in the California lilac.

For even better photographs of hummingbirds, I've started following Hummingbirds Up Close on Facebook and visiting the Hummingbirds Up Close website. If you "heart" hummingbirds, you'll love these sites! Both have beautiful photograhs as well as truly amazing videos of hummingbirds building nests, incubating their eggs and caring for their babies.

While I'm talking about hummingbirds, I feel it's important to offer a few tips to those who might consider setting up feeders in their own gardens. Please do not add red coloring to the nectar. The birds will be attracted to the red plastic on the feeder, and the chemicals in the food coloring aren't good for them. Please do clean your feeder once a week and refill it with fresh nectar. This will prevent toxic mold that's lethal to hummingbirds from growing in the feeder. Make your own hummingbird nectar by dissolving white sugar in water. In the summer I use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. In winter, when they need more energy, I mix a ratio of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water.

If nesting birds have you longing for springtime, I hope you'll consider entering my February contest because I'm giving away this adorable cupcake holder filled with yet-to-be-determined goodies!

To enter the draw, simply go to my website, subscribe to my newsletter AND send me an email telling me your favorite first sign of spring! Only newsletter subscribers are eligible, and the winner will be announced in the next issue.

I'm also thrilled to share the cover of Daddy, Unexpectedly, my next Harlequin American Romance (May 2013). I have loved all my covers but I especially love this one because the hero is very much as I imagined him as I was writing this story. Swoon!

This is the third and final book in my Ready Set Sold series about three women who own a Seattle-based real estate business. If anyone would like autographed bookplates for these three books (The Christmas Secret, The Daddy Project, and Daddy, Unexpectedly, please send me an email with your address and I'll pop them in the mail to you!

Happy reading!

Unitl next time,
Lee
Maggie's Way (Harlequin Heartwarming, May 2013)
Daddy, Unexpectedly (Harlequin American Romance, May 2013)
www.LeeMcKenzie.com

Transform Your Valentine's Day from Dull to Dreamy!!

My tulips and Valentine hearts!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Hopefully, all of you reading this are planning a wildly romantic day with lots of flowers and chocolate and cuddling.  Around here, however, in the land of We Have too Many Kids in College, Hubby and I have decided to play this low-key.  He bought me lovely pink potted tulips from Neighborhood Market for $5.88.  I sent him a SUPER fancy emoticon Happy Valentine's text!!  I would say the cost was free, but considering our hefty monthly cell bill, that text probably lands in the $5.00 zone, as well.

While Hubby and I are perfectly content with our "wild" celebration--heck, the day's young, we might still go really crazy and have our fave Hideaway Pizza for dinner--for me being a romance writer, our blase plans feel a wee bit lackluster.

In honor of "Real" romance writers such Dame Barbara Cartland and Danielle Steel, I decided it might be good form to plan ahead for when the kids are finally out of school and I become wildly rich and famous--a cool $80,000,000 should suffice . . . (Listening, Writer Angels?!?!)

With bank accounts bulging, here are my Top 5 Valentine's Day Dream Dates:

Hubby and I chillin' on Bora Bora!! (Image: ihavenotbeenthere.com)

• Bora Bora--Hubby and I wake to find ourselves in the island's finest over-water suite!  We spend our day frolicking in dreamy sun-warmed water. Tonight, our toned and tanned gorgeous selves feast upon fresh-caught lobster and long, lingering looks of love . . .

Picture me and Hubby smack in the center of this hug fest!! (Image: sandiego.com)

• Rent a Zoo--Hubby stroll hand-in-hand through the San Diego zoo.  No one else allowed!!  A snack cart stocked with hot dogs and cotton candy follows discreetly behind us and alongside each enclosure, a zookeeper stands by to hand over sweet, furry bundles ready for plenty of kisses and cuddling!!  (I thought about taking a safari, but that would involve an awful lot of dust and bugs and actually having to find the cuddly animals!!  LOL!!)

Hubby and I debating our next move . . . (Image: ahashare.com)

• Treasure Hunt--OMG--a mysterious stranger arrives at our door, gifting us with a super secret mystery map that we're charged with deciphering.  In true, National Treasure/Fool's Gold style, we bumble our way to unfathomable riches in gold and jewels and priceless antiquities.  For dinner, we picnic on lavish seafood dips and sandwiches before making out atop a mound of Spanish silver . . . 

We're drinking the chocolate waterfall!! (Image: fanpop.com)

• Bring a Movie to Life--Hubby and I are at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory!!  We're ALL OVER this chocolate river!!!!

Our castle's a tad drafty, but we're warming it with love!! (Image: thingsmeanalot.com)

• Skiing--Before our kids were so d*mned expensive, we used to ski.  Now that we have unlimited funds, we're upping this sport to a whole new level by skiing the Swiss Alps.  Tonight, we're staying at this castle, feasting on dreamy-creamy soups and filet mignon and twice-baked potatoes.  Flaming-something for dessert!! 

Whew, I'm exhausted, but in a good way!!  LOL!!

All right, fellow romantics, how are you celebrating your special day?   

Trifecta…Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day, Book Release

Happy Belated Mardi Gras! – Happy Early Valentine’s Day!

Since my monthly blog date falls in between two holidays, I thought we should have a three day party!

Laissez les bon temps rouler!  Let the good times roll!  Mardi Gras, one of my favorite holidays is definitely celebrated in my family.

Even Duffy gets into the act with his Dragon Costume!

I hosted a Mardi Gras party and had the king cake flown in from Haydel’s Bakery in New Orleans.  Look who found the baby!  That makes it official...I'll be hosting again next year :)

My Valentine’s Day is still a mystery but I was informed it will be "complete with pink champagne and a surprise dessert!"

Since I write romance, I am always interested in everyone's Valentine’s Day stories.  And this year I’d love to hear yours.

My favorite wasn't the day as much as it was the gift…a lop-eared bunny I named Arizona Tesla. She was the sweetest creature.  Sadly she is no longer with me, but she will always remain my most special Valentine.

What was your best, worst, funniest, most memorable Valentine's Day?

Continuing on the celebratory path, tonight I will be web chatting about my debut book, BETTING ON TEXAS.  

Join in the fun for a chance to win a signed copy of 

BETTING ON TEXAS!

Mo’s Book Buzz 9:00 PM EST

at

www.romrevtoday.com

Click the RRT Chat button and choose Mo’s Book Buzz.  

No passwords are needed, just your name.

BETTING ON TEXAS officially releases on March 5th, but you can pick up a copy sooner directly from Harlequin® at www.harlequin.com.

And remember...commenting on any of the American Romance blogs automatically enters you in the monthly drawing for one of our books!

Amanda Renee
Betting on Texas (March 2013)
Home to the Cowboy (August 2013)
Legacy of a Lone Star (Early 2014)
www.amandarenee.com
www.twitter.com/TheAmandaRenee
www.facebook.com/AmandaReneeFanPage

Time to Celebrate!

Ever have one of those weeks?  The kind where everything goes right?  Don't you love them?  Well, this has certainly been one of those weeks for me.

Rancher's Son hit #1 in sales of all Harlequin American Romances in Amazon's Kindle Store.  For that, I owe a huge, huge thanks to all the readers who made it happen.  Thank you, from the top, bottom and middle of my heart.  

Next, I've accepted an offer to write four more books for Harlequin American.  Squeeee! 

In the first, sparks fly when a former Minor League baseball player offers to help a young student lose the boulder-sized chip on his shoulder.  The catch?  His mom is the widow of baseball's baddest bad  boy.  She wants nothing to do with the sport...or the men who play it.  Even if one look at this one sends her heart soaring over the outfield fence.  

The next three books continue the story of the Circle P Ranch, the setting for Rancher's Son.  We're calling these books the Rancher's Homecoming series.  You'll hear lots more about them in the coming months.  


Last, but not least, I came home healthy after a week with my grandkids.  Now, that might seem hardly worth mentioning, but I get sick so often after seeing these little lights-of-my-life that I actually set aside a week to recover.  Not this time.  Hooray!

Hmmm, the way my luck is running this week, maybe I should buy a Lottery ticket.  Anyone want to suggest some numbers to play?

JANUARY WINNER!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Kaelee! You’re the December winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact C.J. Carmichael and Laura Marie Altom 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.