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If We Make it Home – Cover Reveal!
My new business cards arrived today with my book cover printed on one side. I think that means it’s time to let the world see the cover.
But first…A book blurb.
In college, they were as close as sisters, but in adult life, they’ve drifted so far they’ve become strangers. When the University of Northwest Oregon decides to close the house they called home for four years, Jenna, Ireland, and Vicky travel back and are reunited only to find their other roommate has passed away.
With regrets high, and the weight of their crumbling lives as motivation, the women embark on a survival week. When tragedy strikes, leaving them lost without a guide, they must face the wounds that tore them apart and work together if they have any hope of making it home.
If We Make it Home release September 26, 2017 from Kregel Publications
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Dresses, Mud, and Chickens
“I’d never do that!”
There’s a statement that should come with a warning label. It often backfires.
Last December, a friend came to visit and suggested we watch the documentary, Chicken People. Now, I like my chickens. I think they’re entertaining and they provide fresh eggs. The people on the program LOVE their chickens. Of course, they have a purpose mine don’t. Their chickens are show chickens.
We laughed as the people washed and styled their chickens, preparing them for competition. Then I said it. “I’d never do that.”
Fast forward about a week. I went out to the coop and found Harriet, once black and white, now a horrid shade of brown. The other hens must have had a beef with her. They’d rolled her around in the mud. Her feathers were matted together with skin exposed between the clumps. And it was cold outside.
I finished feeding and watering, then went back inside my warm house. But the guilt was too much. Within half an hour, I was back at the coop collecting poor Harriet and bringing her in for a bath.
Last December I was also participating in Dressember. I wore a dress each day of the month to raise awareness and money to fight human trafficking. By the way, you can still donate to my fundraising page through January.
I cut a head hole and two arm holes out of a black plastic garbage bag and wore it like a raincoat over my dress.
Here’s something I didn’t expect: Chicken like a nice warm bath. Harriet sat perfectly still while I rinsed, shampooed, and rinsed her again.
Just as I was getting to the end of this ridiculous task, my daughters busted into the house. They burst out laughing, and the cell phones began snapping pictures.
FYI: I scrubbed the sink after this. 🙂
I could have kept this story to myself, but with photo proof out there, what’s the point. I thought I’d go ahead and tell it my way.
It was an act of MERCY! And I don’t plan to wash any more chicken, though I will if I need to.
By the way, Harriet loves me now.
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A Cupcake Gone Wrong
See this precious face?
He’s so sweet, he earned the name Cupcake. But this little cupcake was a real flop on day one.
My oldest daughter brought her 4H steer home last Sunday. My husband had spent time earlier in the day making sure the steer area was ready. But sometimes there’s just no preparing for a calf who doesn’t want to love his new home.
Cupcake was released from the stock trailer directly into the pen. He took a look around, trotted into the feeding area, and slammed his almost seven hundred pounds into the wood railing at one end. From where we all stood, there was nothing we could do in time to keep him from escaping. Cupcake broke loose.
If you follow me on Facebook, you know that loose steers are not uncommon on the Nelson farm, but this was exceptional. Cupcake didn’t go down our property. He didn’t take off for neighboring fields or the wood that flank the river. Nope. Cupcake headed for town. He plunged through the creek and into a field of horses. These horses were not happy to see him, but we thought we could get Cupcake loaded into the trailer from here and brought back home.
Cupcake tore through the horse’s fence and across the road into another field. Trust me when I say this is not the way to bond with your neighbors. We were fortunate to have my daughter’s friend along for the fun. He’s a big, strong guy who doesn’t mind getting dirty. At least he didn’t complain, and I baked him cookies!
So, after a VERY long time in the rain and the dark, with my last bit of pride tossed to the wind (I find singing to the steers is helpful) and my dog, Harper, well exercised for the day, the time came for drastic action. That steer managed to get my husband and my daughter’s friend on the ground. At one point, he took out a neighbor too. But he was trailered and brought back to his new home where he’s decided to be content.
And all is calm on the Nelson farm…Until we bring in another steer this weekend.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my very infrequent newsletter or my blog for a chance to win the prize below. We’ll be drawing a name on November 19 at noon PST.
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Celebrating My Birthday and Election Day!
I have always loved election day. Those years when the election falls on my birthday have been my favorites. That was, until this year. My voting excitement dimmed as the country tore it’s citizens apart and fights broke out where free speech should have been embraced. In fact, I’ve been dreading my election birthday this year. But today I took my ballot to the drop box in front of the courthouse. I was one of many, a constant flow of Americans with ballots in hand, and a bit of my faith was restored.
I didn’t care who they voted for, only that they had the freedom to cast their ballots.
Who wins the presidential election is less important than how we treat each other.
It matters that we love without that being dependent on our agreement. We can choose if we will allow the election to separate us from others, or if we’ll learn to serve our communities with our neighbors no matter what their political affiliations.
So, let’s celebrate! I’ll be giving away the mug and chocolates, in the picture above, to one of my subscribers. Check out the link at the right side of this page. The winner will be drawn randomly at noon on November 19th.
All subscribers who share this blog will be entered twice into the drawing! Leave a comment or send me a message to make sure I catch your share.
The winner is Heidi G.
