Cowboys, Coffee, and a Give Away!

Kit Morgan has a WINNER!

 

Janine, you get your choice of any of my e-books! Contact me at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com. Woohoo!

 

 

 

 

 

There have been a lot of letters and diaries from the pioneers telling how coffee got them through. A trader, Josiah Gregg, (he made a whooping eight treks to the West in the 1830’s) couldn’t get over the pioneers’ love of coffee. Gregg described the settlers love of coffee as insatiable and upon the Prairies incredible. To the pioneers, it was an indispensable beverage. Pioneers drank it at every meal.
Cavalry Lt. William H.C. Whiting wrote that coffee was indispensable to the frontiersman. “Give him coffee and tobacco, and he will endure any privation, suffer any hardship.” Julia Brier, one of the first people to cross Death Valley, said, “Our coffee was a wonderful help and had that given out, I know we should have died.”

 

Cowboys, however, were the undisputed kings of coffee drinkers in the West. They liked it strong, scalding hot, and barefooted (black). Thus the term cowboy coffee. They called weak coffee names like “dehorned bellywash” or “brown gargle.” Cooks in ranch kitchens didn’t dump the grounds from the pot after the coffee was made, and instead added fresh grounds to the pot until it was too full to hold more. The cowboy’s love of strong coffee gives us those images in movies, television, and books of a pot of coffee steaming over an open fire or sitting on a bed of hot coals. During a cattle drive of about ten to twelve men, the cook used a 3-5 gallon pot, usually made of tinned iron and blackened by smoke. A cook didn’t slide on the coffee rations on coffee because its what kept the cowboys going day after day. A cook could use up to 175 pounds of coffee beans each month.

 

And is it any wonder? A cowboy drank coffee with every meal, just like the pioneers and between meals besides. They’d work in shifts of four hours and drank it before and after those shifts. In rotten weather when it was hard to sleep, coffee saved the day. A cowboy could be in the saddle for hours on end driving cattle through a storm. You can bet they were looking forward to their coffee whenever they could get it in such weather.

So the next time you’re sipping coffee, think of the hard-working cowboy and his steaming cup. He raises his cup to you with a nod of his head, then takes a sip.  Now I wonder how many of you are going to imagine that the next time you have a cup and raise your own in return. But the real question is, what would you say to him? I’ll pick a random person from the comments to receive an e-book of mine of their choice to go with their coffee!

 

A Writer’s Inspiration and a Give Away!

Welcome to Diamond Lake! I had a different blog post planned, but also didn’t plan on staying a few extra days camping here at Diamond Lake, Oregon. My family and I have been coming here to camp every summer since the summer of 2000. The annual family camping trip consists of anywhere from 12 to 20 people depending on how many are able to show up that year. Tack on people that bring a friend and the numbers can get up there. I often end up doing a little work while here, but this year, none of my kids could come so my time was my own. As I had to re-adjust my book schedule (my editor and I decided to move some things around) I needed something for this month’s release and so wrote almost an entire novella while here. It was fun and easy and I had to stop and think about how I was able to write almost every day, still play games with the family, go for walks, bike rides and all the other camping stuff we do, and came to the conclusion that I write well when staring at wide-open spaces and nature.
Maybe I need a lake house …
Too bad it’s freezing cold here in the winter.
But different things inspire different people. At home, I live in a log cabin in the word but it’s in a canyon, so no wide open space there. I have a separate office as well as often time there are too many distractions at home to write for long blocks of time. But being able to stare at Mt. Bailey while writing does something for a soul, and as the story I was working on is one my readers have been wanting for years, I think it gave them something special. The story is about a broken young woman who went through a lot, and as an older woman, the age she is when my readers first encounter her in my books, they have to wonder how she got so cranky. This story explains things and gives clarity to a lot of things. I don’t think I would have written the same story in my cabin in the woods. But the majesty of the lake and surrounding mountains made it special.
Writers draw inspiration from all sorts of different things. I often listen to music while writing, especially if the scene is an emotional one. Other’s have their special writing place. I know one woman who literally used to write in a closet. She writes in an alcove near her stairs now. For others, it’s the kitchen table. Others have their office set up just so, while some write outside, look at their garden, and get inspiration that way. Me? I love to travel.
I once wrote the second half of a book in the car, between Dallas and New York, while helping my daughter move. I sent chapters to my editor in the evening every day and we got the book out on time. It was some of the most fun I’d ever had. My daughter drove and I dictated the chapters, read through them at the motel before going to bed, then sent them off to my editor. The book was the Easter Mail-Order Bride and I wanted to release it the day before Easter. We did it, and it’s a fun story.
Writers need inspiration to stay fresh, enjoy the writing process, (which can be grueling at times) and come up with fun, new ideas for their stories. If everything remained the same, day and and day out, a writer can become stale and it shows in their writing. This is true of most artists, be they writers, painters, illustrators, are in film or music, or whatever their art consists of. We need inspiration on different levels as we’re all different.
What are some of the things that inspire you to do the work that you do? I’ll pick a random winner from the comments to win a free e-copy of Irene and the Neighbor, when it releases on August 31st, the book I wrote here at Diamond Lake. I’ll be driving home from the lake the day this posts, so will be commenting at different times throughout the day! 

Horsing Around …

Hi! Kit Morgan here and today I want to talk about research and unexpected inspiration!

Last weekend, my sister invited me to a party she had to go to. It’s not that she didn’t want to go alone, she just wanted to tear me away from my keyboard for a while. It was a party at her place of employment. Now you might imagine me thinking, “oh, great, a party at Marijo’s work. Boring. Did I take one for the sisterly team and tag along? Of course. But was it going to be a boring party? On the contrary. You see, my sister is my resource for all things “Horsey” as she’s been in the horse industry since she was sixteen. The “work party” she was attending was held at Big Dog Horse Stables, a Certified Equine Association (CEA) facility where adults and kiddos can learn how to ride well, form life-long friendships and be part of a fantastic and friendly community. And what a pretty place it was (and by golly, the perfect setting for a  western romance!)

The original barn was built in 1915 and is the focal point of the farm. There are newer barns of course and a huge indoor arena along with a couple of outdoor arenas as well. What makes this facility unique is that you can not only learn how to ride, but take an inline-dancing class, or how about a class in self-defense or yoga? Wreath making, anyone?

The old barn is special too. The owners renovated the upstairs hayloft and put in a stage, a bar, and a dancefloor. Oh, and there’s hay up there as well.!

Kids camps are also a big thing at Big Dog. The camps are held in June and August and last about a week. Each camper shares one horse with another camper. They start their day by taking care of that horse. Feeding and watering it and of course mucking out the horse’s stall. Campers also spend time in the barn learning important topics on horsemanship and of course get to ride for an hour. The goals of the individual campers are discussed with the head instructor and then instructors work one on one with each camper to achieve them. 

But enough about the facility. Let’s get to the party! What does a party for campers and employees at a stable look like? FUN! There were kids of all ages there with their parents. They had a woman teaching everyone line dancing. There were “horse races” (the horses were made from foam floaties and socks) and a taco bar. Parents and kids alike were having a grand time. So did Big Dog Stables big dog! He wandered around and said hello to everyone! And my sister gave me a grand tour. Here are a few pictures I took around the place. Talk about inspiration! Is it any wonder I got some story ideas?

So, we have a stable, barns, kids, horses, one big fluffy dog and loads of fun. The perfect setting for a western romance, don’t you think? It could be contemporary or historical. Remember how old that barn is! So be inspired! What sort of western romance might blossom here?

By the way, I’ll be on a plane to New York today, so won’t be able to comment until this evening! I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with! 

 

 

Cowboys and Fireworks, Yee Haw!

July, that wonderful month where we get to celebrate our country’s independence. The Fourth of July is a fun time for both young and old alike. But did you know that the 4th Saturday of July is National Day of the Cowboy? Yep! That’s right. It’s the day we celebrate the contribution cowboys and cowgirls made to our country’s wonderful heritage.

  Do you know when the era of the cowboy came about? It was after The War Between the States and was birthed in the heart of Texas. Of course, folks had been herding cattle for years beforehand, but in Texas ranchers allowed their cattle to roam free. Unfortunately, over time, they grew wild and unruly.

As the country recovered from the aftermath of the war and life moved on and more and more folks moved west, the demand for beef grew. This meant all those cows had to be rounded up. Cowboys drove large herds to market across miles of prairie and other terrains. About five million head were driven to wherever the most profitable markets were which in turn, created a lot of stories of the Cowboys’ adventures and untold riches. Well, sort of. Adventures probably outweighed the riches most of the time.

But over the years a certain romanticism developed around the cowboy. Part of what made them what they are today. We celebrate the hard work it took to gain our independence in July, but also the hard work of the cowboy that helped shape our country later on.

Can you imagine being a cowboy driving thousands of cattle across the great plains? Can you imagine the dangers the cowboys had to keep an eye out for? Sudden storms, rough terrain, predators, cattle rustlers. Violence was ripe at times and the cowboy had to protect his herd however he could. Cowboys had to be tough to endure the frontier life. For them, that meant a lot of time outdoors, sleeping under the stars. Cowboys worked hard, Period. A working cowboy still does. As some of you know, my little sister is a retired racehorse jockey and now trains horses. This means she knows other trainers from all over, some of which are working cowboys and ranchers who do their horse clinics on the side. Sure they have modern conveniences, but the work is still just that. Work.

So the next time you read a western, think of all the guts and grit it took to do the job of a cowboy. This is one of the reasons we like westerns. Western romance, even better. After all, there’s nothing quite like reading about a cowboy that comes to the rescue to save the day and gets the girl.

             

 

Celebrate July Fourth and have a ball. Come the 4th Saturday in July, which this year is July 27th, think of the hard-working cowboy that helped shape this great country, smile a little smile, and say a little thank you.

Pioneer Pit Stop

Philip Foster Farm in Eagle Creek, Oregon was the last stop along the Oregon Trail for weary travelers to rest before continuing on to Oregon City. This year the farm is opening The Lucy House, which Philip Foster built for his daughter.
Lucy and her husband Josiah enjoyed a home with a parlor, kitchen, and a bedroom on the first floor. The second floor contained two additional rooms; another bedroom and what historians believe Lucy used as her sewing room. The house also has a front and back porch. 

It took three years of restoration to bring the house back to its historical roots, and the loyal volunteers of the farm are still working on it. The first-floor bedroom still has a few things planned, so next year the house will be complete.

The house, originally located across the road, has had various homeowners over the years who of course added a bathroom and laundry room. These were removed to bring back the house’s historical authenticity. I had fun visiting the Lucy house this weekend and seeing what had been done with the place. Of course, it’s fun visiting the farm anyway!

This weekend was also made special by cooking demonstrations of pioneer food — biscuits and cookies mostly — along with the blacksmith demonstrating his wares and the function of the black smith’s shop. The Oregon Trail folks were there with maps and books on the subject along with various vendors and a little music tossed in. Kids loved trying out the two-man saws in the sawmill portion of the huge barn that sits on the property. There are covered wagons and various other conveyances to see. There are gardens, a general store and of course, Philip Foster’s own home. A two-story farmhouse that never ceases to amaze me. Here are a few pictures …

 

 

Philip Foster’s house.                              Hey, the biscuits are done!

 

 

Working at the dry sink.                    Pioneer biscuits.

 

 

                      Philip Foster’s dining room and parlor.

 

Churned butter and cornbread muffins!   Volunteers working in the General Store.

 

Longtime volunteer and Philip Foster Farm participant Elaine Butler (pictured above) invited me to do a book signing at the farm’s Garden Days held the third Saturday in July. Of course I said yes! When you write about pioneers and get invited to be surrounded by them for a day signing books, well, that’s my cup of tea!

The farm also hosts a week-long summer camp for boys and girls ages 7-12, and a girl’s camp, also for ages 7-12. During these camps, children get to learn pioneer skills, stories, songs, dances and work with experienced crafters. What a great way to get to experience pioneer life! 

For more information on the Philip Foster Farm, check out their website here.

I’ll let you know how the garden party goes! Until next time …

Kit

 

 

Book Lovers Unite!

If you’ve never been to a book conference you don’t know what you’re missing! Hi, Kit Morgan here and I recently I attended Book Lover’s Con 2019 in New Orleans. It was a lot of fun with wonderful events and books galore! So I thought I’d share with you some of the highlights. There was a Faery dinner, various fun events for readers, workshops for authors, a huge book signing with over 200 authors, dance parties and more! And hey, it’s New Orleans, so naturally, folks ventured out and did a swamp tour, plantation tour, or simply explored the French Quarter. There’s nothing like staying in a historic city to get the creative mind going!

The con began with a Jazz Festival Kick-Off. In the morning you could have smoothies with Harlequin authors. There was the audio listening lounge where award-winning narrators of audiobooks read excerpts from their recent work. One could pay a visit to The Chamber of Books and pick up a couple of freebies to take home with them. There was even a “Crafter’s Corner,” a designated spot for quilters, knitters, crocheters and the like to sit, craft

and chat. 

Readers enjoyed games like Hot Hero Bingo, Romancelandia Author Feud, Around the World in 80 minutes, or attend fun classes like Bookmarks, Bracelets and Beads. Take a Bite Out of Inspirational Fiction was a fun little signing hosted by authors Susan May Warren, Liz Johnson, Julie Klassen Elizabeth Goddard and more. The Historical Book Club was another fun event I was part of where we all dressed up in period costume. There was the Small Town Reader Carnival hosted by authors such as Rae Ann Thayne, Emily March, Sheila Roberts, and Melinda Curtiss. 

All genres of romance were represented in some form or fashion, including our beloved Western Romance! We had our own corner at the Book Bash Dance party. Our table’s centerpieces were made up of BOOKS! I came home with an entire bag full. Some cozy mystery, cowboy romances, a few romantic suspense featuring cowboys of course, and a few New Orleans doo-dads. You can’t come here and not take home goodies!

     

Next years Book Lover’s Con will be held in Nashville, TN near the Grand Ol’ Opry! For more information, you can check out the Book Lover’s Con website: https://www.bookloverscon.com

Time for me to go read some of the books I brought home! I hope you enjoyed reading a little about what fun it is to be with fellow book lovers!

 

Kit

 

 

 

The Stagecoach Driver and a Giveaway!

 

Hi! Kit Morgan here and today I want to talk a little about the stagecoach driver!
Idolized by small boys, envied by grown men and held in awe by women, the stagecoach driver was king of his realm — or so says Cheryl Ann Stamp, who wrote a wonderful book on the stage coaches of Northern California.
But did you know that passengers lucky enough to occupy the seat next to him were there only at his personal invitation? Or that American stage drivers refused to be called coachmen? This was a term that described a servile British lackey, and what self-respecting stagecoach driver wanted to be associated with that?

They never accepted tips but would accept the “whip,” as it was the symbol of their profession. In fact, drivers were often referred to as “whips.” They were also sometimes referred to as “Jehu” from the Old Testament, Kings 9:20 which says: “… and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.” To their faces, however, one just referred to the driver by their actual name.

Drivers loved and understood horses and the best developed incredible skills. Careful not to over-tire their teams with un-called for speed, they also never allowed the lash of a whip to touch their animals. How’s that for skill? In fact, boys who showed interest in becoming drivers started learning the art of reinmanship as young as seven or eight. They’d use a pretend wooden rig and learned their art in progressive phases until the ages of seventeen to nineteen.

Due to the nature of their business, most drivers led roving, unsettled lives, moving from one stage line to another or going from place to place on the same line.
Another interesting note, most dressed well. They could afford to. Many had the handles of their whips inlaid with rings of silver. A driver’s favorite attire was often creased pants, cravats, waistcoats, and tailored jackets. And of course, we mustn’t forget high leather boots and long gauntlet gloves made from silk. Not exactly what we’ve seen in a lot of old westerns on television or in the movies is it? To keep this finery clean, they wore long linen overcoats — dusters — to protect their wardrobe.

I’ve not written a story with a stagecoach driver as a hero, but maybe I should. After researching this topic, I myself am definitely intrigued! I do have a stagecoach driver in my town of Clear Creek. Willie is a shy man missing his two front teeth. He lost them when his stage got robbed and he took a punch to the face. But he doesn’t wear any fancy clothes and as he has a short run between fictional towns, he’s my only driver. For a chance to win a copy of my upcoming release, The Sailor and the Suffragette, tell me what’s the first image you get when you think of a stagecoach driver! I’ll pick one random winner from the comments!

 

The Horse and Carriage Age …

Hi, Kit Morgan here and today I wanted to talk a little bit about the horse and carriage age.

When we think of horses and carriages we also think of romance. Or, some might think of a bumpy, hot ride. There was stagecoach travel in the west and then came the trains. But we equate different things to each of them. Those of us who love to read historical western romance sometimes forget why the easterners wanted to come west in the first place. Why leave the bustling city where everything you needed was there …  

Ahem, okay, now that we’ve got an idea of just how bustling a city could be, we have an idea. Instead of cars, carriages and wagons filled the streets and was parking any better? Nope. In our present day, we worry about finding parking at the airport. In the 1800s it was the train station. Yikes! Still, the romance of the carriage hovers over the old fashioned conveyance and we yearn for carriage rides when we see them in tourist areas of different cities. Or maybe someone is giving carriage or wagon rides at a local fair or event. Let’s face it, we’re drawn to them.

Like your car, your carriage said a lot about you back in the day. A lady’s carriage was not so much a means of transport but far more a way of life. The more expensive the horses and the carriage, the less they were used. No first-rate carriage horse was expected to travel more than fourteen miles a day at a maximum speed of 9 to 10 m.p.h., which was well below its maximum range and speed.  In the wealthiest establishments, a large, expensive retinue of coachmen, grooms and stable boys was maintained so that my lady could drive out in grand style for one and a half hours a day, six days a week. This daily display of idle opulence had a far more serious purpose than modern readers of historicals may think. The ladies smiled, nodded or bowed to other ladies according to their degree of intimacy; or if they happened to see a male acquaintance on the sidewalk, or if riding through a park, a footpath. 

And what about the horses that pulled all of those carriages? Well, to be a good judge of a horse was no gambler’s sport but a serious necessity that could save hundreds of dollars or even life itself. Horse dealing was at the heart of Victorian life and carried into the west. Every city and town and communities formed by settlers out west had their collection of horsey characters who congregated at dealer’s yards, auction rooms, country fairs, particular inns and other places where the talk always came straight from the horse’s mouth and everyone had some knowledge of a better bargain to be had. Most horse dealers were reputable men, but some were copers who practiced every trick of their dishonest trade to deceive the ignorant and the gullible amongst whom clergymen and old ladies were often in supply. A frisky lively horse, which might become a runaway, was given what copers called the “ginger” — a sound thrashing for a few minutes to make it appear quiet and manageable — right before it was displayed to the intended victim along with soft and soothing words.

If the horse was lame in one leg, the coper would restore nature’s balance by making it lame in the other leg, too, so that the inexpert eye would be deceived into thinking both legs were sound. This was achieved by hammering in a little stone, called a “pea” or a “plug”, between the shoe and the most sensitive part of the hoof from which a small sliver had been removed. We’ve come a long way since those days! 

So the next time you think of carriage rides, or see a fancy carriage in a movie or picture, think of everything else involved with that common mode of transportation of the past. And, of course, be glad you don’t have to try to find a spot to park your wagon or carriage when you have to go to the train station …