Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851
My new work-in-progress takes place in 1851. It is another story of emigrants traveling from the East to the Pacific Northwest on the Oregon Trail. My earlier series started in 1847 (Lead Me Home and Forever Mine), and as I do the research for my new book, I am surprised by how much changed along […]
On Being a Local Grandma
One of the biggest reasons my husband and I chose to move to Seattle was to be closer to family—especially to our granddaughter. I wanted to watch her grow up, and we had difficulties traveling as frequently as I wanted to see her. Just after we moved, we learned that a second granddaughter was on […]
Memories in a Car Wash
Yesterday I got my car washed. Mind you, many people in Seattle never get their cars washed. After all, it will rain. If not today, then tomorrow. Or later in the week. Soon. Is a car wash worth the money? But my car had been on a long road trip, and bugs had splattered the […]
A Fortune Cookie Revisited
Every once in a while, I save the fortune I received in a fortune cookie because it means something to me in the moment. Sometimes, when I later reread the fortune, I remember why it struck me as important. Other times, I have no idea why I kept it. Recently, I came across a fortune […]
Viking Alaska Cruise
My husband and I just returned from a Viking cruise on the Viking Orion through the Alaska Inside Passage. We started the cruise in Seward, Alaska, and ended in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was a beautiful trip, with breathtaking scenery every time I looked around. Much of the land looked the same as what I […]
Yellow Roses At Woodland Park
I’ve mentioned the park walks that our retirement community sponsors every Saturday morning. These walks let me explore Seattle’s city and county parks and get to know my new environment. Earlier this month, we went to the Woodland Park Rose Garden. Even though August is past the prime rose season, it was absolutely gorgeous. Roses. […]
How I Chose My Novels’ Titles
Many readers have picked up on the theme behind the titles of my historical novel series, which all come from the lyrics to “Amazing Grace.” But it wasn’t a straight-forward path to titling them. Originally, I intended to find the titles for the books (which originally was only one book) from the lyrics to “The […]
A LIFE OF JOY is Published!
I have finally published A Life of Joy, the seventh and last book in my series about the Oregon Trail and the settlement of the American West! I hope those of you who have been reading my series enjoy this story. It’s taken a bit over two years to write and edit, but in the […]
No More Recipes
My husband and I now live in a retirement community. Our apartment has a full kitchen, complete with garbage disposal, electric range, oven, microwave, and dishwasher. The kitchen was one of the selling points for the unit—it’s got everything the kitchen in my last house had, except an instant hot water tank (which I really […]
My Grandfather’s Clock Chimes Again (I Hope)
I have written several times about my grandfather’s clock. I have had it in my home since 2015, after my father died. I’ve lived in three places in the last ten years, and I’ve brought the clock with me to each new home. Unfortunately, the clock didn’t fare well during our move from Kansas City […]