My Favorite Things

Shanna’s Favorite Things

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It’s my turn to share some of my favorite things. I could tell you about my favorite flowers (roses!), my favorite candy (dark chocolate and Peanut M&Ms), my favorite season (any but winter), or my favorite book (can’t pick just one!), but instead, I thought I’d share some favorite things that make my life easier, prettier, or better.

Our nephew moved in with us in September which meant I had two guys spilling stuff all over my tablecloths at mealtime. I tried placemats, but that still meant messes to wash away. I resorted to a plastic tablecloth.

I know. I know!

I was skeptical when I ordered this one, because plastic tablecloths aren’t generally nice. The ones I could find locally were thin, with the tacky pieces of backing that look terrible, and not of good (or even acceptable) quality.

I started searching online and found this tablecloth that had a bunch of good reviews. When it arrived, I was pleasantly and happily surprised. It is super thick, very nice quality. The floral pattern looks exactly like it does in the photo, and the scalloped edging is so pretty. It comes in several sizes and colors. I would not hesitate at all to recommend this to anyone, especially if you are tired to scrubbing BBQ stains out of your tablecloths. Wipe this with a damp cloth and you are good to go!

 

When we remodeled the kitchen, I bought one of these little silicone trays to keep my soap bottle in by the sink. Then I bought another one, and another one, and …

You get the idea.

In addition to using it by the sink to hold the soap bottles, I use them to hold bottles of stuff that might make a potential mess in a cabinet or pantry, like olive oil bottles, syrup bottles, etc. If they do get dirty, they are easy to wash by hand, or stick them in the dishwasher.

Speaking of silicone, this mat has been so, so handy next to my sink. We live in the country and have really hard water that leaves behind hard water residue everywhere. I have one of these mats right next to the sink on the dishwasher side where water tends to get dripped from hands and dishes. It’s easy to keep clean by wiping it down, and it keeps the hard water from building up on my counter. A big win!

 

One day last month, I was searching for a box to hold a special gift for a friend. Not just any old box would do. Which is when I found this one that looks like a book. The wooden box is covered in a soft, rich velvety material. I liked it so much, I ended up keeping it and getting a different box for my friend. For now, the box holds a bunch of little promotional booklets from the early 1900s that Captain Cavedweller gave me.

I don’t always have time to exercise, even though I know I should. I was looking for something I could do while multi-tasking, and came upon the DeskCycle. Oh, my goodness. I love this thing! It’s easy to use, has different settings, and it fits beneath my desk. While I still don’t pedal as many miles as I should in a day, it really is fun to use.

So there’s my list of random favorite things for the month of May.

How about you?
What item is making your life easier, prettier, or better this month?

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Favorite Things~~~Coffee on the Porch~~~Leave a comment for a chance at a prize!

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This is a laid-back post. In fact, if you have a cup of coffee this time of day, go get it and we’ll talk about my morning Hobby? Habit? Obsession? Treat?

My morning habit of drinking a cup of coffee on my back porch.

Is this picture fun and summery? Or the opening scene in a horror movie. Add screeching music and yikes.
Is this picture fun and summery? Or the opening scene in a horror movie. Add screeching music and yikes.

I’m trying to decide how much detail to go into about my porch.

First, just know that, My Cowboys knee jerk reaction to almost anything is NO.

He says NO first, then maybe later he changes his mind. It’s annoying, at the same time, we’ve been married for…46 years? I think? I’ve found I can’t change him (or myself honestly) so I can at least KNOW HIM.

We spent a long weekend in St. Louis just now.

EXAMPLE

So, I said, “Let’s get some new porch furniture.”

My Cowboy says, “No.”

Usually, I just roll with it. Wait him out. A month later he says yes to most things. Sometimes he thinks it’s his own idea.

EXAMPLE

Mary: “You want to spend the night in Omaha after Christmas?”

My Cowboy: “No.”

Later that day, My Cowboy: “Have you gotten hotel reservations yet?”

See? Standard, 46 years. Mary is a patient woman and often gets what she wants, I’ll admit I don’t want much.

Back to Coffee on the Porch.

I have to admire his stubbornness. And I pride myself on not nagging. I also pride myself on being very kind, and I’ll slap anybody who says I’m not.

So, this time I nag. I REALLY want new porch furniture. Our current porch furniture was two swings. One we bought about 15 years ago. One we got when MCs Mom died, about 14 years ago. They weren’t nice when they were new and now they’re just plain BORING. Plain wood. Scratchy…splintery even.

If I could have done it myself I’d have just bought the furniture. One of those instances when it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?

But there is the HASSLE FACTOR. I’m going to need help carrying this furniture onto the porch. He’s bound to notice while he’s toting a chair up the sidewalk.

I conspired with my children, who are good little co-conspirators, they also know their father.

Mary: “You give me porch furniture for my birthday, I’ll slip you cash…no money trail.”

They were game. Still the HASSEL FACTOR. They offered to come and carry it up but they are busy, it’s kinda hard to plan just when the delivery truck will show up.

He was going to notice, maybe. He walks through the back porch multiple times a day.

Anyway, after about a YEAR, he finally caves. I was more forceful than usual, which is to say I kept ASKING. (okay, nagging, shut up)

So, now he wants to be involved.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

sigh

We shopped. Porch furniture is EXPENSIVE. (although mine wasn’t overly) but it was good to shop. I developed something of a callus on my cheapskate gene. I mean MY GOSH! I found porch furniture with like NINE PIECES for six thousand dollars. Good grief. I have a small porch.

anyway

Every morning, weather permitting, I sit on my back porch with a cup of coffee. I listen to birds chirp. I try to leave my phone inside. If there is a breeze I listen to my windchimes…a gift when my mom died and I think of her with genuine love while I sip my coffee. It’s been a while and the worst of that sadness is past.

I enjoy the flowers. The bouquet (above) sitting on the table is from my daughters when I was sick this spring. The hanging baskets is my usual Mother’s Day gift. Seven hanging baskets of begonias. Every year. For the porch. They have been blooming like mad this year. I like to think it’s because they enjoy my company, but maybe it’s because I’m out there and notice if they need water???

It’s a week for talking about favorite things.

Do you have a favorite spot for drinking coffee? Do you have special morning habits when you don’t have to run in the morning? Do you have tips for handling stubborn cowboys?

Leave a comment to get your name in a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card.

And brace yourselves cause a new book is coming in October. The exciting conclusion to the Wyoming Sunrise series.

Marshaling Her Heart.

Click to Pre-order…coming October 17

 

 

My Favorite Things

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I thought it might be fun today to share a few of my favorite things – summer style!

This time of year is always filled with sweet memories from my growing up years on my family’s Eastern Oregon farm. I spent a lot of time with my dad as his official “sidekick,” but I also spent time with my mom, who was determined to “domesticate” me. It took a while but I think she finally succeeded!

At any rate, there are certain things that, to me, say “summertime” and are among my favorites for the summer season.

I adore roses anytime of the year, but I have several rose bushes and love, love sniffing their fragrant blooms. I think they smell the sweetest in June. My favorite color is pink, so pink roses have always been my absolute favorites.

Idaho Spud Bars (which have appeared in a few of my stories) are one of my favorite sweet indulgences. When I was a kid, the local grocery store would often have them on sale in the summer  – four for a $1! Mom would stock up on them and keep them in the fridge. On a hot summer day, there was nothing quite look a chilled Idaho Spud bar. The pillowy, soft cocoa marshmallow center is surrounded by chocolate and rolled in coconut. It is so yummy! If you’ve never had the joy of experiencing one, I hope you get to someday! They are made by a company that has been in business for more than a hundred years.

Music is something I enjoy year round. In the summer, though, I have certain tunes I like to listen to and The Beach Boys are among them. My brother had several of their records and my sister liked to play them. My oldest niece thought the words to Little Deuce Coupe were “Little Goose Goop” so I think we played that song often just to hear her sing her version of the lyrics.

 

I love summer sunrises, but the sunsets are often far more showy in our little corner of the world. Watching those colors glide across the evening sky makes such a spectacular way to end the day.

 

Parades, particularly a 4th of July Parade, are another of my favorite things. The little town near our farm always had a big parade and rodeo for the 4th of July. It was a highlight of the summer to attend both. There is just something so patriotic about watching a parade go by (or participating in one!).

Those rodeos I went to as a child are what ignited my love of rodeos and writing about rodeo cowboys!

 

One year when I was about ten, my sister-in-law brought homemade banana ice cream to our 4th of July gathering. It has been my absolute favorite ice cream since then. When I introduced Captain Cavedweller to it, it became his favorite too. We generally make a batch of it to celebrate Independence Day.  If you’d like to give it a whirl, here is the recipe:

Banana Ice Cream

5 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
4cups whipping cream
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. banana flavoring
4 cups milk
4 ripe bananas, mashed
* Warning! Consuming raw eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness.   If you do decide to make this and use the raw eggs, please choose eggs that are fresh with no cracks in the shell.
Start by beating the eggs until they are foamy and light. I let mine go about six minutes. Add in sugar and continue mixing. Slow the speed on the mixer and add in the cream followed by the salt, vanilla and banana flavoring. Continue mixing and add in the milk, blending in the bananas last. Pour into your ice cream freezer and freeze according to machine directions. We are usually unable to restrain ourselves long enough to put this in the freezer and let it get firm, but if you can, you can do that. There are never any leftovers, but if you have some, store in a covered container in the freezer for up to a week.

What about you?

What is one of your favorite things about summer?

 

Yup, I’m a Crazy Dog Lady!

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Today I get to share one of my favorite things with you…fostering dogs.

Before my oldest left for college I responded to a post to foster a little black puppy. (I love black dogs and have since learned they are less likely to be adopted.) That pup had a foster, but the guy pictured here, Rowdy, didn’t. Thus began my journey fostering dogs with Cody’s Friends Rescue.

Our first foster Rowdy

We foster puppies, often as young as two months. At that age, they love being held. They’ve been snuggling with mom and their siblings and desperately miss that connection. I get the joy of puppy cuddles and kisses. It doesn’t get better than that. We usually take two or occasionally three puppies, because it’s easier when then they have a playmate their size.

Brothers Axel and Brody

The question I’m asked most is how do I let them go? We have adopted some. And while we love every foster, some are different. Like Kingston, a puppy with mange we fostered. My husband was a cat person, but Kingston latched onto him. While he was sweet, we joked how he wasn’t bright because after weeks, he didn’t recognize his name. Then one night someone came to the door. The other dogs barked. Kingston remained blissfully asleep. Thus, we discovered Kingston was deaf. Combine his special need with his and Kevin’s best bud status, and he was our first “foster fail.” But I digress. Big surprise there!

Kingston when we he first arrived.
Kingston and our foster Bear

It’s never easy letting go, but I cope with my husband’s help. I pick pups up and see to their vet care. He talks with potential adopters and takes fosters to their new homes. He loves seeing how far they’ve come and their joy with their new family. I’m usually crying at home, remembering that every dog we let go makes room for another who needs help. And the need is huge, especially Texas who euthanizes more dogs than anywhere in the country. At times, I think I’m on the Titanic bailing with a teaspoon. Then I remember, while I can’t save every dog, I save the ones I can.

Foster Bella helping me write.

The rescue I foster with, Cody’s Friends Rescue, takes any breed. They also take dogs needing medical care. The most recent, Memphis, was found in a ditch by a friend of a Cody’s foster. Both his rear legs were broken, with the right in three places, which required surgery. I was blessed to be his medical foster, getting him from his “regular” foster the night before, taking him to his surgery appointments, and then getting him back home.(To learn more about Memphis’ heartwarming journey, click here.)

Some fosters have come and gone so fast my head spun, some of whom I thought we’d have forever. Others, despite being fabulous dogs, have waited longer for their humans. Like our current boy, Dalton. Despite being loving and playful, with a huge heart, no one has shown interest. So until then we love him.

Our current foster Dalton

If you’ve ever considered fostering, contact a local rescue. You may discover as I have that you get more than you give. I realize not everyone can rescue, but everyone can help. Rescues need people to transport dogs from shelters to fosters, or from fosters to vet appointments. They also need help at adoption events. If you don’t have time for that, share posts you see on social media. I remember a story about a dog in the Weatherford, Texas shelter. A woman saw a Facebook post, fell in love, and drove from Colorado to adopt this dog. Please, please share those posts. You never know when your share will save a dog’s life.

Giveaway:  To be entered in today’s random giveaway for a signed copy of A Cure for the Vet containing my book The Rancher and the Vet which has a spirited foster dog, leave a comment about a favorite animal or just one of your favorite things!

 

My Favorite Things ~ Linda Broday

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Hi everyone and welcome to our first Favorite Things post! 

I had such a hard decision on what to write about. The first thing you need to know about me is that I’m a collector. I collect all kinds of things – teapots, coffee cups, coins, books, western memorabilia to name just a few.

But today I’m going to talk my rock collection. My fascination with rocks started when I was a little girl. My dad would get so irritated to get home from a trip and find the car loaded down with rocks. He’d grumble for a week and the next road trip he’d lay down the law. No rocks! But it would be same thing. He finally gave up.

I love anything that comes from the earth. It’s like God’s gift to me and I have no choice but show my appreciation by picking them up.

No, it’s not hoarding!! It’s not. It’s just collecting.

Rocks are my beautiful treasures and they fill my heart with joy. I have them all over my apartment in every room. I keep select ones next to my computer.

This is called a Calligraphy stone. It’s a collection of fossils and shells compressed by the earth’s natural movements. It’s supposed to help creativity.

 

I’ve combined a lot of smaller rocks to save space. In the first box is raw emerald, raw citrine and raw amethyst. Blue agate is so pretty and next to it is two pieces of ocean jasper. Then, there’s amethyst crystal and to the left of it is a sugar rock that really sparkles under the light.

The second box contains desert jasper, malachite, tiger eye, an amethyst palm stone, and an amethyst chevron.

In the third box are two fossilized rocks. The gray is a cephalopod and the brown one is an ammonite.

 

I really prize this large piece of Labradorite that my sister gave me for my birthday. It’s gorgeous under the light with it’s changeable color.

 

These are just a few of my favorite things. I probably have two hundred. They make me happy and fill me with contentment and that’s what it’s all about – finding things that bring joy to your life. I’m unable to walk across any piece of ground without scouring it for rocks that grab my eye.

Leave a comment about something you collect and I’ll enter you in a drawing for one of two $10 Amazon gift cards!

My Favorite Things ~ Karen Kay

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Let me say a big Howdy to you all!

Like Linda said in her blog yesterday, I thought for a long time about what I might blog concerning this.  My favorite things.  Hmmm….  Finally I decided to blog about some of the heroes of the stories I write and to tell you a personal experience that caused me to realize how important these romance stories can be.  Probably you are aware that for writers, these characters we create become real people to us, and, in addition, they can help us in so many different ways.

Let me start first with the hero, Eagle Heart, from SHE STEALS MY BREATH.  The title for the book comes from being inspired by many poems from John Trudell — of AIM and Rock & Roll fame.  But the hero of this story came to me recently at a time when things were not so easy for me.

This hero entered into my dreams, calming some fears in my life at that moment in time.  His care and concern for the heroine in the story was really somewhat based on the care that he showed me in my dreams.  It was this hero who encouraged me to research and write about the Medicine Man of old.  Now, this might seem strange that a hero talks to the author.  But, if you have a chance to talk to many writers, they will probably tell you the characters in these books take on a life of their own and often they do talk to a writer.  Also, sometimes they resist my attempts to write a scene they feel is out of character for them.  I’ve learned over the years to pay attention to this.

In the book, SHE CAPTURES MY HEART, the hero of this story, Gray Falcon, showed me what exactly a medicine man was all about when his concept of right and wrong was challenged.  Instead of caving, however, he made light of the problem, and he brought humor (as did the heroine) into the story.  Strangely, the humor came at a time when it seemed there wasn’t too much to laugh about.  These two (the hero and heroine) often gave me the giggles when I was writing the book.

In the book, BLUE THUNDER AND THE FLOWER, the hero’s struggle in a world foreign to him brought about some understanding of what those men faced so long ago and how they coped with what was thrown at them and how they went on to make a good life for themselves despite many trials and tribulations.

In the book, IRON WOLF’S BRIDE, this hero stunned me with his determination to keep his marriage alive, regardless of the lies and “road-blocks” set in his path.  This hero refused to believe the worst of the heroine and also gave me many insights into the Indian character of old because he realized there was foul play afoot and went about discovering it.  And, his determination and “smarts” to figure it all out impressed me.  He never gave up.  I thought it was a good lesson to learn.

In GRAY HAWK’S LADY, I was treated to a hero, who, despite his anger at what heroine had done to him, did not sink to treating her in a bad way.  In fact, he went on to treat her with respect, even protected her from others’ gossip.  It was also this book I was writing when I met my husband, and Gray Hawk was quite willing to re-enact our first kiss, which is written in the pages of that book.  Because of his care for this heroine who had, at first, treated him in a bad way, both she and I fell in love with his character.

These are some of the stories where the hero of the story has taken over and has somehow changed my perspective about something.  And, I love how, when the characters change, I do, too.

And now, for a story about romance and romance books in general and why they are one of my most favorite things:

Long ago, when I had very small children (they were both babies, really), there was a time when my husband (my ex) was often out of town.  He was doing internships and so finance was scarce.  My own parents were no longer alive to help out and my brother and sister lived very distant from me and my husband’s parents lived far away, also.  So, it was up to me to somehow take care of the babies and all this entails, including “bringing home the bacon,” so to speak.  It was at this time when I discovered the real treasure of romance books.  They calmed me down, helped me to get a good night’s sleep and helped to keep me going.  Also, I made some very good friends along the way, too, romance books being one of them.  Life got better, of course.  But, I’ve never forgotten that time, nor the simple pleasure the books provided.  Interestingly, one of my daughters tells me one of her finest memories from that time period is  going to sleep while I was reading a book.  From this, I’ve realized that sometimes all one needs is a good story to get a person through a tough time in life.

Well, that’s all for today.  Am hoping you enjoyed the blog on this terrifically fine Tuesday and, if you did, please leave a comment about your own favorite things.  Oh, I almost forgot.  When you leave a comment, you’ll automatically be entered into the drawing for the e-book SHE CAPTURES MY HEART.  See the Giveaway Guidelines to the right for the rules.