Artist's Rendering

My daughter in law drew this from a very small photo that we had of my great great grandfather.

I'd give anything if my grandmother could have seen this, since he died long before she was born.

It is large enough to fit a 16 x 20 frame, and will go over my sofa, when I get it framed. 

Kindle Giveaway

http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/159253

Click on the above link, and enter to win a Kindle and other prizes sponsored by Bethany House Publishing, and Patti Lacy, author of RECLAIMING LILY.

RECLAIMING LILY by Patti Lacy

RECLAIMING LILY
by Patti Lacy
Bethany House publishers
373 pages


'Joy' was adopted in China, by the Powells, Andrew and Gloria, who had expected to adopt a baby, but instead took an 8 year old girl when they were at the orphanage and told no baby was available there.  At 17, she is confused, rebellious, and her adoptive parents aren't sure how to handle her anymore.

The Powells are contacted by Joy's birth sister, telling them that she needs to meet with them about a genetic health problem that Joy may carry.  Dr. Kia Chang has looked for her sister since the day she watched as Lily, renamed Joy, was led into a van at the orphanage where she had been left, because the family were not supposed to have more children.

Kia goes to Texas to meet the Powells, and their meeting is interrupted by a policeman who tells them that Joy has been arrested for shoplifting.   Kia  goes with the Powells to meet Joy (Lily) and they bond quickly.
Now Kia has to explain to her sister about the health problem.  Will  she rebel again, or will she get to meet her real father and 2 more sisters who are still in China?  Will Gloria Powell accept the help Kia offers?  Will Kia learn that there is really a True God who saves?

Patti Lacy has written a very complex book, though it doesn't seem that way, when you are reading it.  I would give it  5 stars for the writing and the story, as once you sit down to read it, you don't want to stop, until the last page.

I received this book from Litfuse to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own,  I'm not required to give a favorable review.

Sassafras Tea and

Well no, I haven't been drinking Sassafras Tea yet this year, and probably won't, but I do enjoy watching the leaves change on the Sassafras tree out in the corner of the yard.

And across the street, the Sumac bushes and the Golden Rod are turning colors, too.

Yesterday, while heading to church, I noticed 2 different 'clumps' of the 

Sumac within 10 ft of each other, one was really red

the other was more orange.

I don't know if it is two different types of Sumac, or if it

is just a variation in the soil.

Soon more things will start to change color here, and I'll take my camera along, and post more photos.

Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand

Bethany House Publishers
367 pages

Roland March, a Houston city detective, is on the hunt for the murderer of a young woman, whose body position and way of death makes him think it is a copy cat killing to a crime which he had solved about 10 years earlier.  And now, a Sheriff's deputy from the county is trying to make a name for himself claiming that this murder, and several others, are the work of s serial killer.  March doesn't think so, but since he isn't the most popular man in the office, his superiors are telling him to consider this mans ideas and investigate...


This is my first 'Roland March' book to read, and while I'm usually a big murder mystery fan, this one didn't do it for me.  It started out great, but about halfway through, I started looking for an ending, which didn't come for another 150 pages.



I recieved a copy of this book from Bethany House, to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  I'm not required to give a favorable review, and all opinions expressed here are my own.

What's it like to be a Christian?

A woman was asked by a coworker, 'What is it like to be a Christian?'

The coworker replied, 'It is like being a pumpkin.'  God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.  Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed.  Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.'

This was passed on to me by another pumpkin.  Now it's your turn to pass it to other pumpkins.

I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch.

And post it on my blog for all the world to see.

The Witching Hour

In this little story, all names are changed to protect the guilty.

Long long ago, in a place far far away, there was a young (or not so young) couple 

struggling to make ends meet and keep a roof over their heads.

They had two beautiful children, both of whom adored their daddy, and would do anything he told them.  

With all the struggling, sometimes words were spoken, better left unsaid.

After one of those days when the wife had all she could take,

trying to fix meals, get the laundry under control, and

whatever else was on the agenda, someone asked for

something that wasn't easy to do. She doesn't remember

the exact thing, all she remembers is that she said 

 "No", 

and

Handsome daddy whispered something to the beautiful children, 

and shortly something not so beautiful came out of their mouths.

The beautiful mommy looked at her offspring with shock and

dismay, and decided to teach all 3 a lesson they wouldn't soon forget.

She looked at the 3 people she loved most in the world, and said,

"From now on, when you address me, you will call me Old Witch, that is my new name, 

I won't answer to anything else, until further notice".

For the next two weeks she stuck to her ultimatum  and

from that day forward, no one has called her a witch to her face.

Now, behind her back, that is probably another story,

but we won't discuss that one right now.

A Birthday Surprise for Someone Special

No, it isn't my birthday, won't be for a couple of months, and I'm not hurrying it along.  But, I have a wonderful aunt, who is having a birthday very soon, October 4th, in fact.  She never wants anything for her birthday, but she is always generous with us, when ours comes along.  This year, she turns 86, and when I talked to her today, she said she would love to have a Dogwood Quilt pattern, that she can't find hers, and that is a quilt she would love to have.
I told her I had a dogwood quilt, and that I'd draw off the pattern, and send it to her.  After messing with it for awhile, I decided no, I'm not sending a pattern, I'm packing that quilt up and shipping it to her as a birthday gift. It's the color she wants and everything, and the quilt means nothing to me at all, it is just a quilt.  And I don't care for the colors or the design, so it will clear out a space in my cabinet for a new quilt, someday.  So, I called the post office, they are delivering me a box tomorrow, so that I can pack it up, and get it to her, by her birthday.  Happy 86th Birthday to the Sweetest aunt anyone could ever have....

A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Published by Revell books

Jaime Fitzpatrick was at the doctor for a prescription refill, when she met Mattie and Sol Riehl, and their son, Danny.  The doctor she saw, wasn't her regular doctor, and she was a little aggravated when he asked her to stop on her way out of town and return Danny Riehl's toy he had accidentally left at the office, giving her explicit directions to their home.
A snow storm was about to hit, and Jaime and her husband were due to meet her father and go on a Christmas cruise with him.  She hurries up to to the Riehl home, surprised at it's beautiful simplicity.  As she gets out of her car, with her husband in tow, the car starts going down the hill, and backs into the pond.  Stuck at the Riehl home on Christmas  when the blizzard hits, she and her husband, C. J, had to accept the hospitality of the Amish family, and find they have more in common than she would have thought.

194 pages, so it is a quick read, and as usual, Suzanne Woods Fisher has come up with a fantastic story. Another Author that has yet to disappoint me with anything she has written. A 5 Star book.

I received this book from Litfuse to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  I'm not required to give a positive review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A great morning at the Funeral Home ;- )

By now, you probably think I've lost my marbles, but no, I haven't.  I actually had a great morning at the funeral home, this morning.    My great grandfather's grave marker was getting a little worse for wear after about 80 years in the elements, and it wasn't going to improve with age.  Sue, a first cousin of my dad, called awhile back and mentioned she was thinking about putting a new stone in it's place.  I said hey, let me hit some of the relatives up for a donation, and you and I will split the rest, after we get what donations they send.  Sue, being a very shy lady, said go for it, maybe we'll get a little help.  So, big mouth here, started writing all the email cousins, and calling those that I had phone #s for, asking for donations.  The first donation was $50..then we got $100, hmmm, so I call the monument place, and get a price for a small stone...the next donations came, another $100, then $300, another $100, and then $40 and so on.  Before all of it got here, I called the funeral home where I know the owner, and he gave us a much better price, and told us he would work with us.
So, we made an appointment  for this morning to look at stones and prices.  Sue and I met there, picked out what we liked, and they called the place that does the carving, to have them do a drawing so we could see how it looks on that stone.  We got to have things changed, so we chose a small cross at both sides of the last name, with leaves and a flower beside it.  We also chose a Mahogany colored stone.  When we got the bill, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had enough to cover the cost, without having to break out our checkbooks.
Anything left will go toward the cemetery upkeep fund that sees that the fence is in good repair, and that the grounds are mowed and cleaned.

Sue and I are like Mutt and Jeff, she is tall and very thin, and quiet spoken. I'm short, rotund, and with a mouth that many would love to staple shut.  We are the perfect pair, and I love her dearly.

Where were you when the lights went out?

This morning, I didn't make it to Sunday School, as the truck was loaded with a recliner that I'd purchased yesterday and we were having rain showers and thunder and lightning..  So I called Julie and asked for a ride to church.  We got through the singing and giving the Quartet  a big round of applause for winning the Music Banner at Youth Rally for Best overall, last night..  The Quartet range in age from 11 down to barely 3, and if I had a video of them, I guarantee it would be a U Tube hit. I think the 3 year old won it for them with his actions, he does everything that the others do, making sure he keeps an eye on them, in case he's forgotten something.   He can't reach the microphone even as low as it will go, so it is pointed down, and he grabs the stand and tiptoes to get his voice heard.
Anyway, about that time, they sent the little ones off to nursery class, and the Minister started his sermon, and that's when the lights went out. We do have a large cross made from lighted glass blocks on the front of the sanctuary, so there was light coming in, but the nursery went pitch black.  Surprisingly none of them screamed or had a fit, and a flashlight was sent to the room.  The minister said that he could preach in the dark, and proceeded, so the lights came back on, and stayed on the rest of the time.  I guess the devil decided if he wasn't upsetting someone, he'd go play elsewhere.

Video for Shelia Walsh's new children series

 http://youtu.be/sfwhWae_h04

I reviewed  Gabby, God's Little Angel a few days ago, and I want to say that is has a very special message.  All children should get to see this book.

What next, I wonder

I have cut back on my book reviewing, though to look at the last few posts, you might not think so.
And there is one more sitting in the 'hold' that is scheduled to be posted soon.  I have 3 or 4 books that will be shipped soon.  But, I have become a lot more selective in the books I request.

But yesterday, out of the blue, another opportunity to review for someone else came in my email.  Seems they'd read a couple of my reviews on Christian books dot com and were contacting me to see if I'd review a book for them.  It is by  “New York Times” bestselling author Terri Blackstock and the name of the book is 'Shadow of 
Serenity'.


Here is a website where you can see what it is about.  http://www.terriblackstock.com/christian-retailing-review-of-shadow-in-serenity/



This is the 2nd time I've been contacted by publishers or authors and asked to review one of their books.  

Dry as Rain by Gina Holmes

Gina Holmes has written a very compelling novel about a marriage on the rocks, and a man who made mistakes but wants to rectify them.

Eric and Kyra Yoshida have been married 20 years, but for the last couple of year, Kyra has pushed him away, and he doesn't really understand what has happened.  They separate, and and it looks as if they are heading for divorce, but Kyra has an accident, and loses the memory of the separation, and what has caused it.  So, Eric moves back home, though dreading the day that her memory starts to return.

A good read, I enjoyed it, I will say it is a very 'real' book, you don't feel it is made up, but taken from someone's life story.

I received this book to read and review from Tyndale publishing.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own, I'm not required to give a positive review.

Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

Waterbrook Press publishers

Sylvia Fisher asked her boyfriend, Elam Smoker, for more time, when he asked her to marry him.  At 22, she wasn't sure she was ready to get married, and start a family right away.  A few weeks later, she is told that Becky, her younger sister, is getting married, and the man is Elam Smoker. She wanted to leave then, but, she wasn't allowed.  About 2 years later, Becky and Elam have twins, and Sylvia finds herself taking care of the family and the farm, while everyone but Elam is down with the flu.  She realizes she is still attracted to him, and knows she has to get away.
She finds a position on the dairy farm of Michael and Dora Blank, working to improve their milk production.  Little does she know that their son, Aaron, wants to buy an Amish store in a town a few miles away,  move his father and mother with him, and sell the farm.  When he arrives at the farm, he is shocked to find a young Amish woman working there, and that production is improving.  He tried several things to get her to go home, not knowing the situation with her family.

Will the Blanks sell the farm, and move in with Aaron? Where will Sylvia go?  The attraction that Sylvia and Aaron feel, will it blossom into love, or will they go their separate ways?

Cindy Woodsmall is a very talented writer, I will read everything she has written.  This book is a page turner, keeping you wondering what will happen on the next page.

I received this book from Waterbrook Press, to read and review.  No other compensation was given, all opinions expressed here are my own, I'm not required to give a favorable review.

BLUE SKIES TOMORROW bu Sarah Sundin

Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group

Helen Carlisle is a war widow, her husband is considered a home town hero, for his part in the war.
She can't tell anyone her real feelings, so she does volunteer work for the war effort  helping her in laws in the shop they own.When Helen's home burns, her father in law insists she move in with them, that is when she discovers that her late husband's problems were deep rooted in him during childhood.  She doesn't want her son to become another in a line of abusers, too, so  she starts trying to get away, but her in laws threaten to take her child.

.
She has known Lt. Raymond Novak since childhood, he is the son of her minister, and soon they find they share an attraction, but Helen is afraid of another relationship, and he's been burned before, in romance.  When his position of training B-17 pilots is given to a returning pilot, he is transferred to a different position, and soon, he signs up to fly B-17s in the war effort, where his plane is shot down.

This is a very good book, the last of the series of the Novak boys.  It is hard to think that there won't be another to document their lives after the war.  Sarah Sundin is one of my favorite authors, and again, she has hit a home run, making you feel that you actually know these people.

I received a copy of this book to read and review from Litfuse, no other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own, I'm not required to give a favorable review.

Granddaughter's Grandparents Day program

Here she is after they did the program.

In the program, she spoke up and did her part to where you could hear her

about 60 ft back.  This picture was taken that far back in the building.

I love my little camera.

And then, today, she and her brother came over and we played 

Hansel and Gretel

She had to show me that she would fit into Flash's 

'new' bed, and no, he doesn't sleep in it, he avoids it

like the plague.

And of course, brother had to show that anything she could do,

he could do at least as well..

Being tall, he had a little problem and I had to work to get a good photo.

Gabby, God's Little Angel by Sheila Walsh

Gabby, God's Little Angel  
Sent to show Gods Love
 by Sheila Walsh
with Illustrations by Marina Fedotova
Published by Tommy Nelson

Gabby is sent on her very first assignment to protect Sophie, a little girl who is always in need of protection, as she is very rambunctious, and doesn't always look before she steps.

Sheila Walsh writes some of the very best children's stories that I've ever seen, and the illustrations in this book are FANTASTIC.  It is well worth the cost, as children will want to read, or be read, this book many many times.  

I received a copy of this book from BookSneeze to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own.

Attacked by Pink

Hello Mom, is that a camera?

Take my picture please....

I'l love you for ever and ever, if you'll just

take my picture, post it on your blog, and tell them

I'm your favorite Kat and my name is

PINK

Hmmm, this shoe makes a nice pillow, may just take a nap.

Uhooo, rolled off, let me try again.

That's better, now to close my eyes.

Attack cat, Gotchaa Mom, now you can't get away.

You are mine, all mine.

And now for Long and Short Versions...

This kitten has the longest tail I've ever seen, it seems to 

be as long as his body.

And here is Shorty, who lost about 4 inches of his tail

somehow in an accident about 6 or so weeks ago.

It's healed fine, and he doesn't let it bother him at all.

Buzzed

This morning, while checking the bird feeders, I noticed that the Hummingbirds were pretty active, so I stood under the tree and watched for awhile.  They were paying no attention to me, chasing each other through the trees and around everything.  Suddenly, they almost tangled in my hair.

I decided to come in and get the camera, and see if I could get a shot or two of them.  

Not the greatest, but at least you can see they were out and about.

Then I took a photo of 4 O'Clocks, 

these area about the only flowers I have this year.

The white one, I don't know where the seed came from, it just showed up in my planter.

I had planted some striped ones, but none of them ever germinated.