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 […]
But It’s a Dry Heat
My husband and I traveled to Spokane again last weekend to visit family. It was only 64 degrees for the high temperature in Seattle the day before we left, but we knew it would be hot in Spokane. And sure enough, on Saturday, July 12, the high temperature in Spokane reached 91 degrees. To me, […]
A Bittersweet Fourth of July
Last Friday was our first Independence Day in Seattle. The staff at our retirement community fixed an opulent mid-day barbeque for the residents—roasted pig that went on the fire well before dawn, chicken legs and ribs in tangy sweet sauce, veggie burgers for those who didn’t want the real thing, macaroni and cheese, salads. And, […]
Historical Novel Society Conference 2025 (Virtual)
Last weekend, I was able to attend the virtual version of the Historical Novel Society of North America’s conference. The live version was in Las Vegas, but I wasn’t able to travel there, nor did the prospect of Las Vegas in the summer really appeal to me. This was the third virtual HNS conference I […]