Showing posts with label blogging break. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging break. Show all posts

Thursday, December 30, 2010

smoky mountain memories...

I couldn't resist posting a picture of a snowy fort as this is where my writing mind and heart have been over the holidays. I've also been missing you readers here, wondering what you've been up to this past month! Hoping there were some good books beneath your tree! If so, I'd love to hear about them:) One of my Kentucky aunts and uncles sent me a HUGE Mark Twain biography full of fascinating pictures. Bye bye, Daniel Boone...

Here are me and my men tucked away at a Smoky Mountain retreat part of December. We even had snow! For the last 30 years my father's family has celebrated Christmas in Tennessee and we were able to go this year and enjoy all the merriment:) The best gift of all was the big guy at left on the sofa. That's my brother, Chris, who flew in from Spain and surprised me by showing up on our doorstep. My mother said it's the first time she's ever seen me speechless:)

This was our wonderful holiday dinner ~ country ham, deep fried turkeys, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, strawberry pretzel salad, Red Velvet Cake and much more! Needless to say, I'll need some stays to fit into that 18th-century gown I'm dying to tell you about...

A dear reading friend in Kentucky sent me this angel ornament and it was the first one I hung on our tree. Bless you, Patti! I so appreciate the cards folks sent my way and those of you who kept in touch via email and snail mail, etc. Also, many, many thanks for those of you who took time to post book reviews during your busy holiday! A month is a long break but it was wonderful simply spending time with my family and resting in the Lord's goodness.

I'd love to hear about your holiday and ways the Lord blessed your socks off as my dear friend Julie Lessman often says:) Be as long-winded as you like. A month is a long time for friends to be apart!

Friday, April 30, 2010

waving goodbye to April

I've decided all work and no blogging makes me a very dull girl. I really miss you all! And I'd be remiss if I didn't post something regarding Kentucky's premier event this weekend - the Kentucky Derby. The photos here sum up what I love about this May event - the big house, all that yummy southern food, fancy hats, fresh flowers, mint juleps in ice cold silver cups, sunny weather (actually rain is forecast), and horses. My mom holds a derby party every year which is far more humble than the affair shown here. I've judged who has the most fetching hat on more than one occasion. It's always a fun, festive event. By the way, those thoroughbred horses live better than I do in those air-conditioned barns and exercise/swimming pools:) Their stables are a sight to behold!

I'm taking a brief break from writing. I so appreciate any prayers or kind thoughts on my behalf. I've entered the stage where writing is work. Since I never equated it with anything other than bliss, this comes as a surprise. God delights in causing us to exercise our faith, I know. This is one such exercise. I can't wait to tell you about upcoming books once the ink is dry. If the project doesn't fly, maybe I can share about that, too. It's all in His hands. What a relief that is!

What I'd like to be reading right now if I had the time:
Ransome's Honor by Kaye Dacus
She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell
Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

I'd love to know what you've been doing, reading, or writing since we last connected here. Any reading treasures in hand or on order? Any travel plans for summer?