Hoping you have a wonderful day celebrating in a way that brings you joy and contentment. May you be surrounded by love and loved ones and food you love. May you eat too much, laugh too much, hug too much, and just plain have too much fun. Take a moment to count your blessings and share a smile. Go to bed contented and at peace.
The holidays are upon us! I had barely dropped bags of Halloween candy into my shopping cart when I turned into the next aisle and was bombarded by a full-blown display of Christmas. The retail community had completely overlooked the day set aside for gratitude and giving thanks.
This revelation gave me pause, as I wondered how the celebration of Thanksgiving came about. Was it suggested by a group of civic-minded people or just one person? How was it decided to celebrate the day on the fourth Thursday in November?
So, like much of my research, down the rabbit hole I went. To my delight, I discovered once again it was a woman who led the campaign, giving us a day set to give thanks for the blessings and freedoms we enjoy today.
Suddenly finding herself a widow and single mother with children to support–including a brand-new baby–Sarah wrote a book, Northwood. Its success led to a job offer for the “editorship” of a new “ladies” magazine, turning Godey’s into one of the most important periodicals in 19th century America. Though it is now remembered primarily for its fashion plates, crafts, and household tidbits, it covered social issues as well.
Year after year, Godey’s Lady’s Book published the same plea. Each year the campaign brought new success. By 1851, 29 out of 31 states celebrated a day of Thanksgiving. However, not on the same day so she continued to insist the holiday be celebrated on the exact same day.
Despite her claims, she had not achieved the ultimate endorsement; a proclamation from the President. In 1861, with civil war looming, she focused on national unity as her strongest selling point.
Finally, under these conditions and the stress of considerable loss of life, a devastated Southern economy, and public support for the holiday, President Abraham Lincoln endorsed and proclaimed, “a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelt in the heavens.” Furthermore, he stated, Americans should “fervently implore” blessings from the Almighty to “heal the wounds of the nations, and to restore it…to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union.”
Successive presidents continued the tradition and proclaimed a yearly Thanksgiving at the end of every November. Still not satisfied, Hale’s magazine urged Congress to recognize the holiday. Unfortunately, she didn’t live to see the Congressional Proclamation of the Thanksgiving story (which finally took place in 1941), but by the 1870’s Thanksgiving was already a part of America’s culture.
The national holiday has become just what Sarah Josepha Hale envisioned: a celebration of home and hearth and the blessings for which we are grateful.
Two lucky winners will each receive an e-book edition of my upcoming release, “Ivy” Christmas Quilt Brides. Just leave a comment below telling me how you celebrate Thanksgiving in your home.
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He was the town bully.
She was his target.
Has anything changed?
Years ago, Ivy Sutton was drawn to the new orphan boy in town. Unfortunately, she soon became the focus of Grady Walsh’s mischievous deeds in school.
Ivy is back home in Harmony, Kansas for good but is she willing and able to forgive the boy who made her childhood unbearable?
Grady Walsh lost his heart to the sweet girl the day she gave him a quilt. Now, as a well-liked and respected tradesman in Harmony, can he make up for the reckless actions of his youth? Or will another steal er away before they have a chance to discover a kind of love that might heal the pain from the past?
You probably know from many of my blog posts, my books, and author takeovers I’ve done, that quilts are my favorite things…and they are, most definitely!
However, there is a very close runner-up…I love making Italian cookies! Baked and decorated mainly for the holidays, I have wonderfully fond memories of helping my mother, grandmothers, and aunts baking cookies for weddings, bridal and baby showers, and significant anniversaries.
About two weeks prior to the occasion, my mother and my aunts would gather in the evenings at Aunt Cel’s or Aunt Bonnie’s or Aunt Bea’s (that’s my mom!) home to begin the marathon. Soon the house would be filled with the sweet smells of sugar, lemon, orange, and vanilla extracts. Bowls of raisins, dates, and nuts waited to be added to the doughs. Bags of confectioner’s sugar mixed with water or milk were turned into frostings and glazes and waited to be topped with colored sprinkles.
Of course, a tasting ‘just to make sure they tasted right” was a highlight. And as luck would have it, there always seemed to be a handful of “oops” that somehow never quite made it into the trays.
Recently, I had the chance to indulge in this favorite activity when my grandson and his lovely fiancé got married in early August. Despite the downpours and the humidity, it was a lovely, intimate wedding with their immediate families and college friends.
In mid-July, I made several varieties of dough and froze them. Because I was on a deadline for “Olivia’s Odyssey” (Westward Homes and Hearts), I made one different cookie a night…I even drafted Papa Bob into helping! The morning before we left for the trip to Virginia, I made up the trays and found a cooler large enough to transport them.
It’s already the end of August. I’ve got two more books to write before the holiday baking season begins…wish me luck!!
Neapolitan Cookies Cherry Ricotta Cookies
Chocolate Mexican Wedding Bells Thumbprint Cookies (courtesy of Papa Bob)
Lemon Poppy Seed & Orange Cranberry Biscotti Russian Teacakes
Italian Cookies (Taralle) Fig Cookies Scandinavian Almond Cookies
Before the wrapping…In a traditional Italian Wedding Tray they would have used Jordan Almonds symbolizing how the newlyweds will share everything equally and remain undivided, and Jordan almonds are often given five at a time. Each almond represents a quality guests wish for the couple getting married: health, fertility, wealth, longevity and happiness. I had to substitute Hershey Kisses as my grandson doesn’t like almonds… I sure hope Hershey Kisses have the same effect!
Final Products!
I love me a parade. Always have, always will. From when I was a little girl, to the years when my daughters were small, and now more recently, attending with my granddarlings, I’m entranced with the marching bands, floats, noisy go-carts with overgrown men stuffed in the driver’s seat, the tossed candy . . . The whole thing is just full of good, old-fashioned fun.
Parades have been around for centuries. Perhaps the earliest depiction is one found from drawings in a Spanish cave, evidently celebrating a successful hunt. George Washington threw numerous parades to boost morale during the Revolutionary War. Imagine the euphoria from the impromptu parades all over the country in 1945–to celebrate the end of World War 2!
With the advent of television and time, the parades got bigger and more elaborate. Who hasn’t heard of the Mardi Gras Parade, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, the Rose Bowl Parade, 4th of July Parades, and on and on?
I’m not alone in my love for parades.
Recently, we attended the annual parade in the small town near our cabin at the lake. No need to arrive 60-90 minutes early to save a spot, but we did mark our claim with chairs about a half hour beforehand. Parking isn’t a problem at all. Shade, a bit more so. The parade is over before we can barely think of it – only 45 minutes long.
The granddarlings bring a blanket and games and wait excitedly for that first police car escort to appear, signaling the parade is going to begin. Of course, each of the kids bring sacks to keep their candy haul. The treats have been upgraded lately–popsicles, water bottles, t-shirts, swag, and of course, more candy than a kid could (or should!) eat.
Here’s a few pictures to show what I mean:
Remember those overgrown men stuffed into little go-carts? They were having a ball doing figure-eights in the street.
Who doesn’t love getting their picture taken with a couple of parade clowns?
A colorful (and patriotic!) train locomotive.
Best-laid plans sometimes go awry. This old-time trolley broke down and needed a little manpower to get it off the parade route.
He’s ready to make his move for the next round of candy-tossing. Note the loot already in his bag! 🙂
Afterward, we played bingo at the local park, had some free watermelon, came out to the cabin to roast hot dogs and s’mores, and then headed home.
It was a lovely day, one that fills my heart with happy memories.
Do you love a parade as much as I do?
Have you watched a parade recently from the comfort of your lawn chair?
Or do you prefer to watch on TV?
Let’s chat – and you can win a bag of parade candy!
Howdy, everyone! Cathy McDavid here with an exciting announcement.
Lately, there have been a few changes in the corral here at Petticoats & Pistols. To celebrate our newest members and reacquaint you with familiar faces, we’ve put together a short video featuring all of the fillies. Take a peek at some of their awesome books and learn a little bit about them. Just click on the link below, and you’ll be taken to the video.
We hope you enjoy the video and will even share this post to help us spread the word. We really appreciate all our friends here at Petticoats and Pistols and love starting our days with you.
Thank you again for playing along with us this week – all of us here at the junction appreciate each and everyone of you so very much.
And now for the announcement you’ve all been waiting for – THE WINNERS!!
Cathy McDavid’s winner of her book Blizzard Refuge along with a nativity ornament is
Julie J
Cheryl Pierson’s winner of copy of her book A Hero For Christmas and a $5 Amazon gift card is
Tia
Jeannie Watt’s winner of a $10 Amazon gift card is
Elaine Kiefer
Jo-Ann Robert’s winner of her eBook Noelle – the Christmas Quilt Brides is
Susanne Mincer
Karen Witemeyer’s winner of an eBook copy of My True Love Gave to Me along with a bookish Christmas ornament is
Tammy Fuchs
Kit Morgan’s winner of an eBook copy of Christmas in Clear Creek and a $5.00 Amazon gift card is
Sandy
Linda Broday’s winner of a $15 Amazon Gift Card is
Tonya Lucas
Mary Connealy’s winner of a $25 Amazon gift card is
Judy Sexton
Pam Crook’s winner of a $10 Amazon Gift Card is
Cori Baltazar
Shanna Hatfield’s winner of a $10 Amazon Gift Card is
Lori Cole
Winnie Griggs’ winner of a signed copy of her book Her Holiday Family along with a fun reader ornament is
Mary Garback
AND THE WINNER OF THE GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE IS
Cherie J.
Congratulations to all of the winners!
Someone will be contacting you soon with additional information on how to claim your prize
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to play Two Truths and a Lie with us this week – I hope you had as much fun with it as we did!
And, without further ado, here are the Answers:
#1. We once owned an antique wooden horse-drawn sleigh and dragged it out of storage every year.
TRUE
#2. When my children were young, they played characters in the church Christmas pageant, along with our donkey.
TRUE
#3. My husband was recruited as a last-minute substitute Santa Claus at the senior living facility where my late mother resided.
FALSE My husband has never played Santa Claus
#1.When my daughter was nine, I ice skated with her in a Christmas Around the World performance put on by our local ice rink.
FALSE I made her costume for that performance, but I am not daring enough to get out on the ice and bust my rear end every time I take a step. LOL She skated as a kid and then went back to it a couple of years ago in her mid-thirties. She is a competitive skater now, and works part time at the ice rink where she skates!
#2. I met Dale Robertson before a Christmas event at The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum when I worked there.
TRUE
#3. I have two relatives who were born on Christmas Day.
TRUE
#1 – I visited Santa’s House in North Pole Alaska.
TRUE I was seventeen and traveling with my mom and brother to the Arctic where my dad was working. There really is a North Pole, Alaska near Fairbanks. I later worked with a fellow teacher who grew up there.
#2 – I once got a horse for Christmas.
FALSE
#3 – My family owned a herd of reindeer.
TRUE It was a lot different than having cows. I still have several sets of shed reindeer antlers.
1. The last year I taught PreK, the teacher scheduled to play Mrs. Santa Claus for the annual PTO Breakfast with Santa fundraiser fell ill a few days before the event. Maybe it was my grey hair, my short stature, or my rimless glasses, but I played Mrs. Santa Claus at a children’s Christmas Party!
FALSE While most of this is true, the teacher who was originally slated to portray Mrs. Santa Claus did recover in time. I was assigned to the hot chocolate station!
#1. I once unwrapped a toilet seat as a Christmas gift.
TRUE Yes, my husband really did wrap up a toilet seat and put it under the tree for me one year early in our marriage. He even had the audacity to say it was from our infant daughter. Once the disappointment wore off, we got a good laugh, and I have never forgotten it.
#2 My husband has bought me something cowboy-related every year for Christmas since I published my first western romance in 2010.
FALSE My hubby has given me many wonderful cowboy-themed gifts over the years, but they don’t come every year.
#3. The Christmas gift that made the biggest Witemeyer family splash was when I gave my high school daughter a copy of the MLA Handbook.
TRUE My daughter actually asked for the MLA Handbook, and we just happened to have my husband’s uncle visiting that year for Christmas. He was an English professor, and he couldn’t get over how thrilled and excited Bethany was when she unwrapped that handbook. He had never seen the like, and it made his English-loving heart swoon.
#1. I had a lovely apartment in New York for four years. Christmas in the big apple is the best!
TRUE
#2. One of my family’s kooky Christmas traditions is re-wrapping and re-giving the same CD of the worst music ever, to another family member, who then must do the same the following year.
TRUE
#3. My six kids are spread around the country, which makes getting them together for Christmas hard, but this also means I get to travel sometimes for Christmas, which is fun!
FALSE While most of this is true, I have only three kids, not six!
#1. I published my first book when I was 52 years old
TRUE
#2. I studied abroad for a year out of high school.
FALSE
#3. My sister is also a published writer and we had a sister who painted pictures.
TRUE
#1. I’m one of eight children. The only author
TRUE
#2. My most recent release is book #75
TRUE
#3. I got my first book published the same year my youngest daughter went to Kindergarten
FALSE I started writing when she went to Kindergarten and had my first book release the year she graduated from high school.
#1. I once celebrated Christmas with my family in a bike shop.
TRUE It was during the height of Covid, and my son-in-law managed a bike/coffee shop that had a showroom big enough for all of us to spread out at our own tables. I ordered sandwiches the day before (alas, they were a bit soggy), and to this day, I’m bummed our Christmas dinner was a dud. But at least, we were together, and we still had fun.
#2. A couple of years ago, we made 18 pans of the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls as gifts, and none of them raised.
TRUE Again, during Covid. Since we weren’t having our usual big family get-togethers, my sisters and I got together (wearing masks) and made the cinnamon rolls. Everything promised to be perfect and delicious until the rolls started to raise. Even though we froze them as quickly as we could, I was told by a professional baker that when we froze the raising yeast, we effectively killed it, which prevented the rolls from raising after being thawed.
#3. My Christmas dinner was once delayed for several hours because the fresh turkey just wouldn’t get done.
FALSE I’ve never roasted a fresh turkey, so this wasn’t me but instead my aunt, who was absolutely mortified that everyone was waiting around and hungry!
#1. I listen to Christmas music all year long.
FALSE While I love Christmas music, I try to not start listening until after Halloween. But once November rolls around, I’m all about the holiday tunes!
#2. I love to bake with eggnog.
TRUE I am not a fan of just straight eggnog, and neither is my husband, Captain Cavedweller. But baking with it? Oh, man! There are so many delicious ways to use eggnog. I make eggnog custard, eggnog bread, eggnog Snickerdoodles (probably my favorite), eggnog Bundt cake, and CC’s favorite – eggnog doughnuts. I have recipes for most of these on my website.
#3. I once received a bag of dog food for Christmas.
TRUE Although I wish this one was false, it is true. When I was in high school, my family decided it would be great if we drew names and did a gift exchange instead of having to shop for everyone. It never failed that one of my brother’s step kids would draw my name, forget they were supposed to give a gift, and show up with something they grabbed on the way out the door. My “gifts” over the years included an opened bag of marshmallows with a few packets of Swiss Miss hot chocolate thrown in, a partially used bottle of hair mousse, but the “best” of all was a bag of dog food. The following year, I bowed out of the gift exchange.
#1. I LOVE Christmas decorations and must have hundreds of tree ornaments alone. In fact I have a walk in closet dedicated just to the storage of my Christmas stuff. Because it became impossible to use all of my decorations on the tree at one time, several years back I began doing themed trees, which allows me to rotate them in and out. Some of the themes I’ve done over the years include angels, bells, stars, snowmen, and even a fairytale theme – but my favorite was the year I did a nativity themed tree.
FALSE While it is true that I have literally hundreds of ornaments (and still growing!) I don’t try to do a themed tree – in fact it is very eclectic. My kids all have their favorites which MUST go on the tree every year and once those are up I just pick others as the mood suits me, not for how they may or may not match. I do however have a collection of booklover ornaments and one of tea lover ornaments and I use those as tabletop displays.
#2. When my children were very young I started a tradition of buying them one ornament of their very own each year so that when they grew up and moved away they would have a ‘starter set’ of ornaments of their very own. My plans, however, met with mixed success. Two of my kids took theirs when they established their own homes, two of them still have their collections boxed up and stored in their former closets here at my house with the intention (or so they say) of taking them ‘someday’.
TRUE The youngest is 37 – here’s hoping ‘someday’ comes soon!
#3. My siblings and I are all big on Christmas candy and treats and when we have our extended family gathering, which usually includes over 45 people, we all try to outdo each other. In fact there are usually more sweets than ‘regular’ food. My personal specialties are peanut butter fudge and a rice krispie based candy – and I like to experiment with at least one new item each year. As for the scrumdiddlyumptious candy my mom used to make, while my other relatives vied for her pecan pralines, I’d pass those up and go straight for her coconut pralines!
TRUE I remember as a little girl grating fresh coconut for momma to use in her coconut pralines and nothing tops Christmas candy for me like these sweet treats and the memories they engender.
And there you have it – some personal glimpses as well as some playful lies from your friends here at the junction. How many did you get right? How many really surprised you?
Stay tuned – winner post is coming soon!
(POST 2 of 2 for Thursday)
Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here, and I get to wrap up our Cowboys & Mistletoe Two Truths and a Lie posts. I hope you all have been enjoying them as much as we Fillies have. It’s always so fun to share festive silliness with special friends, which how I feel about this wonderful community that’s developed and blossomed here over the years.
Christmas books are not only fun to read but to write as well. For the writer it allows us to tap into everything we love about the season and it can bring up memories, both happy and emotional, as well as bittersweet thoughts of what used to be.
I’ve written a number of books set around the holidays, but today I want to feature His Christmas Matchmaker. I love Janell and Hank, they are such engaging, honorable characters who are perfect for each other – they just take a while to figure that out. But it’s the two children in the story, Chloe and Alex, who really touched my heart. Recently orphaned with one of them rendered deaf by the same accident that took their parents, they are truly hurting. And gruff, confirmed bachelor Uncle Hank means well but he has no idea how to help or deal with them. The fact that it’s just a month until Christmas drives this home all the more. Janell, a schoolteacher, recognizes that this newly-formed family is hurting and impulsively steps in to help.
Here’s a little more info:
A guilty secret…
Vowing to put her past behind her, schoolteacher Janell Whitman has resigned herself to spinsterhood and she’s erected walls to guard her heart from all but her students.
A solitary heart…
Hank Chandler is quite comfortable with his uncomplicated bachelor life. But when he suddenly finds himself the guardian of his orphaned niece and nephew he knows all that will have to change. Not only do the children need a mother’s love, but he’s not fit to be a single parent. So he’ll need to marry quickly, whether he wants to or not.
A Christmas bargain…
Seeing their need, Janell impulsively reaches out to help the hurting Chandler family. But when Hank proposes a businesslike marriage she draws the line at becoming his wife. She softens her refusal, however, with a counteroffer – she’ll take care of the children after school and help him find an appropriate wife in time for Christmas. After all, with a man as great as Hank, how hard can it be?
But as the holiday grows closer, it seems increasingly difficult to find a suitable candidate––not to mention even harder to deny their growing feelings for each other. It might take a miracle for these two hearts to become one, but Christmas is the season of miracles–and love.
And for my prize, I’ll be giving away a signed copy of one of my other Christmas titles, Her Holiday Family, along with a fun reader ornament.
And now, on with the fun!!
Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not.
Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.
Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.
Thanks again for stopping by to play 2 Truths And a Lie with us this week. Remember that the answers and winners will be announced on Sunday.
And if you missed any of the 11 posts this week there’s still time to go back and get all caught up. Winners won’t be drawn until Saturday
(POST 1 of 2 for Thursday)
Warmest greetings of the season!
I’m so happy to be here with you today celebrating our annual Cowboys & Mistletoe event, and also to share about my new sweet holiday romance that releases today!
Truitt Lucas is the guy who brings laughter wherever he goes and refuses to take life too seriously. Beneath his carefree exterior, though, he yearns for more adventure and excitement than he’ll find working on the family ranch alongside his cousin and grandmother. When the opportunity arises to assist a trick rider, Truitt eagerly lends a hand. However, he soon finds himself drawn to the perplexing woman who barely tolerates him.
Jolee Judson is living her dream as a trick rider on the rodeo circuit, using her lifelong passion for horses and gymnastics to wow the crowds. But when her partner unexpectedly abandons her, Jolee is just desperate enough to accept a good-natured cowboy’s offer to help. Fascinated and infuriated by Truitt and his shenanigans, Jolee struggles against her growing feelings for him. Falling for Truitt could spell disaster for her future and derail everything she’s worked for.
Can the two of them find common ground where trust is earned and love becomes a cherished gift?
A sweet holiday novel full of the magic of Christmas, Tricking Christmas brims with small-town humor, heartwarming moments, and wholesome romance.
Get your copy of Tricking Christmas today on Amazon, and in Kindle Unlimited!
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD,
JOIN IN THE FUN BELOW!
Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not.
Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.
Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.
1. I listen to Christmas music all year long.
2. I love to bake with eggnog.
3. I once received a bag of dog food for Christmas.
(POST 3 of 3 for Wednesday)
Now that our Cowboys & Mistletoe celebration is in full swing, I hope you’ve been enjoying the fun and silliness of trying to determine if we are telling you the truth – or lying right at you!!
It’s hard to beat a romantic Christmas story, isn’t it? I’ve written several, but today I’m featuring THE CATTLEMAN’S CHRISTMAS BRIDE, Book 2 of my Wells Cattle Co. trilogy.
After Allethaire Gibson was kidnapped several years earlier in the wilds of Montana Territory, she tries hard to put her life back together in civilized Minnesota. She almost succeeds—until she’s framed for a crime she didn’t commit. With her reputation in shreds, she flees back to Montana to seek her father’s help in proving her innocence.
Mick Vasco never expects to see Allethaire again, but when he finds her in the middle of a train-robbery-in-progress, he has no choice but to kidnap her—again.
Together they race against time to find crucial answers. But during the blessed season of Christmas, they find wondrous gifts of forgiveness and love instead.
Find The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride on Amazon
Only 99¢
Find the Wells Cattle Company Series on Amazon
(Note: Book 1 and Book 3 are not sweet romances.)
TO WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD . . .
Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not.
Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.
Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.
1. I once celebrated Christmas with my family in a bike shop.
2. A couple of years ago, we made 18 pans of the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls as gifts, and none of them raised.
3. My Christmas dinner was once delayed for several hours because the fresh turkey just wouldn’t get done.
