Gust Post by Author Janet Finsilver feat Murder in the Wine Country-Great Escapes Tour

Goat Yoga

by

Janet Finsilver

Goat yoga? Seriously? I was raised on a cattle and horse ranch in Wyoming. Goat yoga was not something that was ever discussed, or even known about. I wondered if it was a California thing. The subject came up after I spent part of a morning helping Scott Thompson, manager of the Redwood Cove Community Center, with a herd of renegade Nigerian dwarf baby goats.

My name is Kelly Jackson, and I’m the manager of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast. I was very fortunate to be chosen as the main character in Janet Finsilver’s mystery series. The goats are in her latest book, Murder in the Wine Country.

I arrived at the center to attend a meeting. When I entered the living room of the main house, I found it filled with the cute creatures bounding, leaping, and jumping in the air. A black and white goat stood on a table nibbling on the flowers in a vase while another one pulled a blanket off of a rocking chair. Meanwhile, Scott darted back and forth yelling, “Shoo…out…go.” The goats ignored him. Bleating filled the room.

We had some laughter filled moments before the goats’ owner arrived with his border collies and rounded them up. He apologetically explained he had put them in the backyard temporarily until he could move them because he couldn’t get his rig close enough to the livestock pens. He hadn’t known the back door was open.

After he left, Scott explained they were going to try out goat yoga classes at the community center. It would fit in with their goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle for the residents of the area. He assured me goat yoga was all the rage.

As I drove back to the inn, I knew I had a little spare time in the afternoon and decided to research goat yoga. I discovered it wasn’t only a California thing, it was the latest craze in many areas across the United States. Goat yoga is when a teacher leads a yoga class and the goats are allowed to roam loose to be able to interact with the people.

As Scott and I discovered, it was easy to find yourself laughing at their antics. I found comments from people who said they couldn’t remember the last time they’d laughed so hard. Many people left the classes feeling relaxed and happy in a way they didn’t experience from a traditional yoga class.

Most articles I read credited Lainey Morse with starting the fad on her small farm called No Regrets in western Oregon. In one piece I read, Morse said it wasn’t uncommon for the goats to snuggle with the participants, and there would be the occasional upward goat on a downward dog position. I saw photos of goats standing on people’s backs. Morse commented in an article the little goats’ hooves provide a bit of massage as they moved to keep their balance. An added benefit!

I don’t intend to join a goat yoga class any time soon. However, I’m guessing I’ll have fun watching the classes once they begin. You can follow this herd of adorable creatures in Murder in the Wine Country. I hope you’ll come and see more of their amusing behavior

About the book 

Kelly Jackson, manager of the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast, is excited to participate in an event to raise awareness for the plight of struggling veterans in their Northern California coastal community. Local wineries are sponsoring tastings, and to prepare for a culinary competition, professional chefs will forage for wild edible greens. Kelly plans to come along, despite a warning to beware of poachers, who have been stealing the highly valued succulent Dudleya farinosa. The senior sleuths who call themselves the Silver Sentinels join forces with environmental activists known as the Succulent Saviors to thwart the poaching operation. When a consultant for the sale of a local winery is murdered, the poachers are suspected—but so is a wine merchant, Kelly’s friend Phil. As Kelly and the Silver Sentinels attempt to root out the real killer, what she digs up might just put her permanently underground . . .

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Character Interview-Rick Atwood Proprietor Seaside Cove B&B-Secrets Of The Treasure King by Terry Ambrose-Great Escapes Tour/Giveaway

Good Morning Mr. Atwood. I am so happy to get the chance to chat with you a bit. You have a lovely inn.

Thank you, Sherry. Keeping an old house like this looking good is always a challenge.

You inherited this lovely place. Did you not? Can you tell us a little about how all that happened? Was it an inn previously?

I had absolutely no experience when I inherited the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast from my grandfather. He’d run it as a B&B for years. Everybody knew him as Captain Jack, even me. And actually, I’d only met him a couple of times when I was a child. It came as a shock that he left it to me—until I learned he’d mortgaged it to the hilt for a massive remodel years ago. That in itself is another interesting story, but I’ll just say it involved a woman and an old man’s vanity. Let’s leave it there, okay?

No problem. So you weren’t the owner of a B&B in your previous career? Was it difficult to change gears so to speak?

I was a newspaper reporter in New York before this. I worked the crime beat during my last few years. Learning to run a B&B was a huge change, but one that’s worked out well for me and my daughter Alex. I was used to long hours and working independently. So, in that respect owning a B&B is much the same. The type of work is different, except for when I get drafted by the Chief of Police to assist on a murder investigation. To give you an idea how small our police department is, the evidence room doubles as a closet. They changed the lock and slapped a paper sign on the door. Voila. Instant evidence room.

I love your quaint little town. Was it a challenge settling in? Was moving from New York a hard change?

My plan was never to stay in Seaside Cove. When I quit my job and moved here with Alex, I was sure we’d sell the B&B and leave town within a couple of years. I was tempted to move that timeline up considerably when I discovered I was the town’s most eligible bachelor and was first prize in a marriage competition. There were twenty-two mothers in town who wanted me as a son-in-law. That was almost enough to make me pack my bags right then and there.

Wow. A marriage competition? That’s…unusual.

Very. Thank goodness that’s mostly over. There are still a few holdouts—the ones who just can’t give up on the idea of snagging me for their daughters. But my heart belongs to the woman who is our cook. Her name is Marquetta and she’s…well, not to be cliché about it, but I think she’s the love of my life. She’s also the one who taught me everything I know about running a B&B.

It looks like she’s done a great job. Isn’t that your daughter helping in the kitchen?

Yes, Alex is a great helper. Because she’s only eleven and is infatuated with Marquetta she catches on quickly. In fact, Alex has better knife skills than I do. She can dice an onion while I’m still trying to figure out which end to cut first.

I bet it’s hard to keep 11 year olds busy!

In Alex’s case it can be especially hard because I have to ground her for sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong—like in a murder investigation. You see, Alex is precocious and has curiosity in spades. She also has no fear and no impulse control. I blame myself for her fascination with solving murders. When we lived in New York, I’d let her sit on my knee at night as I wrote my articles for work. I didn’t realize what a mistake that was until the first murder occurred in Seaside Cove. When the police didn’t catch the killer within about ten minutes, Alex decided to start her own investigation. The bottom line is she runs her little shadow investigations in an effort to find murderers before the police. What’s worse is that she’s shown us up a few times.

I’ve also heard the rumors going around town about a sunken pirate ship. That is amazing. I just watched the 80’s movie Goonie’s. I bet Alex and her friends are itchin’ to find that pirate ship.

That’s the thing about rumors—they’re usually only about half right. Actually, the San Mañuel is a 400-year-old Spanish galleon that sank off our coastline when it was returning from the Far East. It’s cargo is probably worth millions, so that’s where the pirates come in. The treasure hunters who are racing to find the San Mañuel are really not much more than modern-day pirates. They want that cargo for themselves.

I am sure it is so easy to relax here at your lovely B&B and the town seems so peaceful. Is it always this quiet?

Always is a big word. We get a lot of tourists in the warmer months. Fortunately, business at the B&B has been good for more than a year now.

It looks like maybe things aren’t quite so quiet isn’t that the Chief of Police coming our way?

Yes. I heard this morning that the body of one of the treasure hunters was found floating in our marina. He’d been shot in the chest with a speargun. The chief is probably here to draft me into helping with the investigation. Which most likely means I should save some time and just ground Alex now. Why wait until after she gets into trouble? Right?

Well thank you for chatting. I’ll let you guys get busy. 

About the book 

 The Seaside Cove rumor mill is buzzing about the captain of The Treasure King. He claims to know the location of the San Manuel, a four-hundred-year-old sunken Spanish galleon with a cargo worth millions. And now, he’s dead, the victim of a speargun attack.

When the police ask B&B owner Rick Atwood to consult in the investigation, he has mixed feelings. Consulting for the police is not the problem. He’s done it before. The problem is his eleven-year-old daughter, Alex.

Alex is fearless, precocious, and fueled by a strong sense of girl power. She’s also convinced the cops will never find the killer without her help, so she launches her own investigation—and quickly becomes a candidate for Seaside Cove’s youngest felon.

Now, unless Rick can solve the case with the clues Alex found illegally, his daughter might face charges of breaking-and-entering, the treasure of the San Manuel will be lost to pirates, and a killer could get away with murder.

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Simple Sunday

Have A Blessed Day

Character Guest Post feat. Snowed Under by Mary Feliz-Great Escapes Tour

                                                           Beware the ‘minor’ character

I’m Elaine Cumberfield, a so-called minor character who appears in most of Mary Feliz’s six Maggie McDonald Mysteries. But I’d advise you never to underestimate me or any other “minor” character. We may be mere window dressing. More likely, we’re the pivots on which the plot will turn.

           

Mary has described me as looking like the model for the Good Witch of the North and my Westie mailbox as “clever and cute—just shy of cutesy.” In her imagination, I look much like English actress Phyllida Law, but I prefer to think I’m my own woman. I wear gentle colors like lavender, periwinkle blue, and heather gray to set off my soft white cloud of hair. I bake custom cookies decorated in cheeky ways to tease my friends. For example, when my friend hurt his foot and was laid up for a while, I broke the foot off all the gingerbread cookies I baked for him.

You could underestimate me, but I don’t recommend it. Almost every mystery employs a character like me. If we’re on the side of right and justice, the bad guys underestimate us, and it trips them up–every time. If we’re on the dark side, the protagonists almost always overlook us only to face dire peril. My investigative techniques could have molded strategy for the likes of Miss Marple or Columbo. I’m a time-honored trope, especially in cozy mysteries.

Before I met Maggie McDonald, I taught, ending my career as a successful and well-liked middle school principal, so I’m no pushover. From that experience, I know it’s the “minor characters” you have to watch out for. What’s going on with the kids on the fringes that no one notices? A principal who ignores them won’t be around long.

The same goes for characters in the fictional realm. In English Country House mysteries, readers must be wary of the servants, who are often invisible amid the dramatic angst of the upper crust. Conan Doyle uses Sherlock Holmes’s Baker Street Irregulars to get information from people who wouldn’t trust him. In Christie’s And Then There Were None, you can’t even trust the corpses to behave.

So which characters should you suspect in Mary Feliz’s new book, Snowed In? All of them. I’m not in this book, so even knowing I’m on Team Maggie won’t help you. Don’t overlook anyone. As far as you know, nothing is as it appears.

What kinds of characters are likely to fool you in mysteries? Do you like being able to solve the mystery or do you prefer to remain guessing until the great reveal?

Photo #1: In Mary Feliz’s imagination, I resemble Phyllida Law. I prefer to think I’m my own woman.

Photo #2: I bake cheekily decorated cookies for my friends, but I’m not above bringing them to the neighbors in the hope of grilling them about the latest murder. 

About the book 

When professional organizer Maggie McDonald finds a body in a snowdrift outside her friend’s ski cabin, she must plow through the clues to find a cold-blooded killer . . .

Lake Tahoe in February is beautiful, but Maggie can’t see a thing as she drives through a blinding blizzard with her friend Tess Olmos and their dogs, golden retriever Belle and German shepherd Mozart.Maggie has offered her professional decluttering skills to help Tess tidy up her late husband’s cabin in preparation to sell. She also plans to get in some skiing when her husband Max and their boys join them later in the week.

What she doesn’t plan on is finding a boot in a snowdrift attached to a corpse. The frozen stiff turns out to be Tess’s neighbor, Dev Bailey, who disappeared two months ago. His widow Leslie expresses grief, but Maggie can’t help but wonder if it’s a snow job. As more suspects start to pile up, things go downhill fast, and Maggie must keep her cool to solve the murder before the killer takes a powder . . .

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 Kensington

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Nearly Departed by Lesley A. Dieh-Character Guest Post-Great Escapes Tour

 Character Interview

Nearly Departed

by

Lesley A. Diehl

Crusty McNabb is the owner of the only private detecting agency in Sabal Bay and has taken on a new apprentice, Eve Apple Egret. The local newspaper is publishing a special feature each week in which owners of small businesses are being interviewed. Today Mr. McNabb talks about his PI agency.

Reporter: Mr. McNabb, how long have you been in the detective business and what got you started?

McNabb (a tall, man with a craggy face, bushy sideburns and graying, thinning hair): I worked a few years as a cop in Miami but found I didn’t like the bureaucracy. To be honest, I couldn’t adjust to life in a big city. I was raised in this area, but thought I’d find an urban area more exciting. Well, it was, but to be honest, I didn’t like taking orders and being told how to work my cases at all satisfying. Like my recent hire, Eve says, I’m a stubborn old coot and always have been pigheaded. I came back here to open my own agency. That was over thirty years ago.

Reporter: What kind of cases do you take?

McNabb: I’ll take on whatever pays the bills. I’m not picky. Most of my cases are insurance fraud, although I have done missing persons and also have been hired by the local police when they need extra help to track down evidence. Recently, we’ve been involved in a sexual harassment case and attempted murder.

Reporter: So, you and your newest hire, Ms. Appel worked on these cases together?

McNabb (fidgeting in his chair as if he was uncomfortable with the question): Uh, well, not exactly. On the suggestion of Ms. Appel, I took on a young woman to go undercover on the sexual harassment case.

Reporter: So, you hired yet another woman?

McNabb (a note of defensiveness in his voice): It was only temporary, and as I look back on it, I think it was a mistake.

Reporter: Why was that? Didn’t the woman do her job.

McNabb: She did it too well and put herself in danger. I told Eve it wasn’t a good idea to take her on, but…

The door to the office opens and a tall, slender woman with spiky blond hair and wearing a pair of four-inch stiletto heels enters.

McNabb: Eve!

Eve: Oh sorry. I didn’t know you were in here with anyone.

The woman strides across the room and greets the reporter.

Eve: I know you. You’re the gal our local paper recently hired. How’s the job going?

Reporter: Great. I’m interviewing Mr. McNabb here for our feature on small businesses.

Eve grabs a chair from the side of the room and pulls it up next to the reporter. She sits, crosses her legs and smiles.

Eve: Great. Maybe I can be of help. What were you talking about?

Reporter: Mr. McNabb was talking about one of his cases, the one on which you sent a young woman in under cover. He says he thinks it was a mistake to take her on. What do you say about that?

Eve (waving a hand in dismissal): Without going into details, let’s just say, we had some worrisome moments.

McNabb (clearing his throat): The truth is I needed a woman to do the job. Eve was too old, so I hired a younger gal, college student age. In either case it’s difficult to work with women who insist upon doing things their own way.

Eve: No one got hurt, did they? We solved the case. The undercover person had to be a woman. What were you going to do? Dress up like a coed?

McNabb: Of course not, but if your ex-husband hadn’t interfered, that young woman wouldn’t have been kidnapped. Something unexpected happens anytime you and your friends get involved.

Eve: It’s not my fault my ex is such a bubble head.

McNabb: Maybe if you had supervised the woman more closely….

McNabb (reaches into his desk drawer and searches around for something)

Eve (leans over the desk): I tossed out all your stinky cigars long ago. This is a no smoking office. You know that.

McNabb (growls something unintelligible, then leans back in his chair, crosses his arms over his chest and scowls): I tell ya, having a woman PI is more trouble than it’s worth. I’m not my own boss anymore.

Reporter (getting up and nervously putting away her tape recorder and note pad) Well, I think I have everything I need for the article. Thanks so much for your time.

McNabb (following the reporter to the door): Did I tell you she’s a disaster with a gun? Can’t hit a thing.

Eve (confronting McNabb at the door): I’m working on that. I went to the shooting range today and practiced.

McNabb: Did you open your eyes this time?

Eve: Most of the time.

The reporter drives off, McNabb and Appel continuing to argue in the doorway of the agency. The article appears on page 10 of the paper under the heading “Local Detective Agency Promotes the Role of Women in PI Work.” McNabb sets the paper on fire in disgust while Eve shows the article to her friends and family who laugh at the thought of Crusty McNabb willingly endorsing females in crime work.

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Crafting Room Fun A New Project A Junk Journal For A Swap

Hello.  It's a bit rainy here today so I am getting to spend some much needed time in my crafting space. 

I am creating a Junk Journal for a SWAP with Creative Christian Crafters group.  It is a group on Facebook. 

The challenge was to create anything from 3 12x12 pieces of paper.  And you must use all the paper.  

And so 

Junk Journal 

Came to mind  

Here's the beginning

I am using more than 3 pieces of paper.   Here is a collage of a few of the papers.  I included a page from a calendar and a page from a quilting magazine.

This page will be the center spread.  I'll include Bible verses in the embellishments I add. 

It was a challenge cutting the 12x12 paper to 8 1/2 x 11' for a Junk Journal size because of the words printed on the paper.  I wanted to use them which is why I chose this paper pad. 

The floral calendar pages adds some more color.  With it I can include Yellow, Purple and maybe some Green to brighten up the Gray color pallet.

I'll add pockets and tuck spots for Journaling Cards.  And other embellishments. 

This paper wasn't from the pad of paper but the colors matched and I wanted to use the 'Where my heart is' I'll include Matthew 6:21 on the page some how.  I haven't decided yet how. 

Any suggestions?  

Thanks for stopping in.  

Back to cutting and gluing!

Have A Good Day

It's a beautiful rainy day here today.  A slow kind of rain perfect 
for the plants. 

And perfect for

Have A Good Day

I am also playing in my craft room.  When I can't dig in the dirt out comes the scissors and glue!

Happy Times!

Menu Monday May 10th

Welcome to Menu Monday.  The day I share what I've been cooking and my plans for the week. 

Last week was a busy week.  I can't even remember why except I/we spent most of the day outside.  I was planting and the Cowboy just enjoyed the beautiful weather.  

I made a few new dishes and got some good reviews from the
Cowboy . . . 

This was a new one for me.  Mongolian Beef made with ground beef.  I can't even tell in the pic it's ground.  It was a good recipe. I had to make my own Hoisin Sauce but it was still really good!

A simple meal of leftover Ribs.  They were so good that the 
Cowboy didn't even add sauce.  I boiled 2 eggs and made Deviled eggs.  I haven't made Deviled eggs in forever!

I made Chicken Curry.  The Celery is from my garden.  The 

Cowboy loves Curry Rice except it really isn't.  I've looked at a lot of recipes.  He really just wants a little Curry mixed into his Rice.  That is how his family ate it.  No raisins, no other stuff. 

It was an O.K. meal.  I would rather have had Mexican Chicken 

and Rice.  My favorite eatery opened for take out.  I am cravin'

Chicken and Rice.  Oh and the chips there are just soooo good!

We've both been thinkin' Tuna Casserole but we had a box of 
Tuna Helper that we got from a food pantry so I used it.  It was good but not as good as my casserole.  LOL.

The Cowboy said the box had too many Peas.  LOL.  I opened a can of Leseir Peas.  He is always like that not much interest in 
Peas.

Another dinner from the pantry.  All I had to do was pop it in the oven.  A frozen Chicken Alfredo from Sam's Club.  Fresh Green Beans I cooked with Bacon. 

I had bought Low Sodium Bacon so I splurged and did a 
Warm Bacon Dressing.  Hmmm.

Smoked Sausage with Fried Potato's and Little Peppers cooked in the grill pan with the Sausage.  Dawng it I overcooked the Potato's!   The Cowboy likes them with Menudo Spice cooked in them.  

I had bought a Purple Cabbage to add into some of the Salad's but I remembered The Cowboy doesn't like Cabbage in his Salad.  I just fried it up with Bacon and Onions.  It was o.k. with the 
Sausage and added some pretty color. 

The long slices of Sausage was a package we bought at a discount grocer.  We didn't like it.  It was Jalepeno and was super hot. 
I am going to try to add it to another dish and hopefully tone it down a bit. 

And then it was Friday

And we were outside all evening 

 And

It got to late to cook.  Oh it has been sooooo sooooo long since

we've had Pizza.  Pizza Hut thin Pizza.  Yum mmmeeeeee!

I found this gorgeous Swiss Chard.  I have it all prepped for 

our meal on Saturday night . . . 

The stems and Parsley ready to chop.  Taking Friday off set me up for the huge mess and long night of cooking on Saturday. I ended up with Swiss Chard that needed cooking.  Some thawed Pollock and a few Poblano Peppers.  More photo's later of the feast.  It was so so good. I finally roasted the Peppers long enough to peel.  I love me some Poblano!

And now for a few plans for the week. 

Our Kroger has Chuck Roast on sale so I am about to go out and get one for dinner.  We haven't had Roast in a while.  It is one of our favorites.

We'll be having either Chicken Parmesan or plain 'ole Spaghetti on Tuesday.  I have leftover sauce from last night.  The Cowboy didn't feel like dinner.  Oh well sauce is better the next day. 

Oh but maybe I should do Taco's on Tuesday!  Taco Tueseday and all!

We'll be having Shrimp Creole with some leftover Spanish Rice a Roni and the leftover Jalepeno Smoked Sausage from a few nights ago. 

And we'll have another meal from that Pollock.  I have a few more filets in the freezer.  It was really tasty. 

Well that's my plans for the week. 

What are your Dinner plans?

Simple Sunday-Happy Mothers Day

Have A Blessed Day

And

A Wonderful Week 

Happy Homemaker In Texas

Outside my window
Sunshine and pretty weather.
The garden is growing!

The weather
is gorgeous. We had some hot days last week but it is spring again.  Upper 70's!

On the breakfast plate

I made a new recipe yesterday. It was so good even though I messed it up. I forgot the milk!  The recipe was
Breakfast Enchilada's.  You cook sausage and onions then grate cheese.  Put the mix in a flour tortilla and roll up. Mix some eggs, milk and some spices and pour over.  Bake 20 min at 300 then put more cheese on top and bake while longer.  It was so yummy! I had fagita size tortillas and I made 4 in a pyrex dish. I ate 1 and put 3 in the freezer.
I saw the recipe on FB it was a video.  There are alot on 
Pinterest.  Next time I will add the right amount of milk and mix in Green Chili's

On the menu dinner plate
I was busy outside all week and tried to make simple meals.
On Monday we went to lunch to our favorite Fish place.  We had leftovers for dinner
2 nights we had leftover ribs from the freezer.
We had some Smoked Sausage we bought at a discount grocer across town.  It was o.k. but it was a bit spicy.
I'll serve it next either in Gumbo or with Shrimp Creole.
I made a Tuna Helper 1 night.  I don't buy boxed meals but we got a box at the food pantry.  I was in a pinch at it was perfect for a fast simple meal.
On Friday we ordered Pizza.  It has been so long.  It was so yummy.

The Cowboy has been doing really well with his diet and feeling really good.  We spirled alot this week and stretched the restrictions.

Dinner plans for the week
Fish we have a freezer full and need to get to cooking it.
Shrimp Creole or Gombo
Spaghetti it's been awhile
Mixed Beans-Green/Yellow Peas, Black Eye Peas, Navy Beans
w/ Corn Bread
Roast w/ Potato's and Carrots
Pork lots in the freezer some cooked and some not...Hmm
Maybe I'll cook a Frito Pie or Tamale's and Chili

Reading now


On my TBR pile
  
Seein' a theme here?


My 'To Do List'
I am making a Junk Journal for a SWAP
I still need to straighten and organize my cookbooks the shelf is such a mess. 
Would you believe I still have a few Christmas things sitting on my cookbook shelf?  Should I put them away?
Check off my To Do List for 'To Love A Cowboy Tour'

My 'Ta Da Moment'
I planned a book tour for June to celebrate my very own Cowboy 
because it is our anniversary month.  And I got 3 of my 4 invited authors signed up!  Crossing my fingers for #4!


In the garden
Some really pretty purple flowers came up amongst the 
Cilantro.  The Bee's love it.  Dragon Flies seem to favor it too.
We just might have Green Beans by the end of the week.  There are blooms on the first planting. 
The Corn is about 4' tall!  
Sadly a bug got to my Celery (1 plant) and Kale...so starting over.
Peas are growing up the trellis and Tomato has blooms!

Something fun to share
We welcomed a new member to the family this week!

A gorgeous perfect little filly.  My son is beyond happy and excited!  She is the 2nd in his line.  Well actually 3rd he bred the mama Speck (barn name) his Senior year in high school.  It's been a long road but he is getting his breeding program established. 

More fun to share
My second book promo. tour.  I am deep in making plans and making tour banners for 'To Love A Cowboy'

In the craft room 
I am creating a Junk Journal from 3 pieces of 12x12 paper. 
It is a challenge for a group.  We were to 'create' anything from 3 pieces of paper using it all.  I thought well making a journal is a great way to use up some paper I've had for awhile.  I just started yesterday but here are a few pics. of the beginning stages . . . 

From the camera

Scripture/Devo

I wanted to share this today and the group.  This is one of the plans I am doing this month. This group does digital journaling.  I just follow them and write in my journal.  The leader is Robin Sampson's and this is her  beautiful work.  The group is Bible Journal Love Circle.

Linking with Sandra at Family Corner

Have A Great Week

Character Guest Post-Fireworks, Firecrackers and Foal Play by D.E. Haggerty

Fireworks, A Firecracker & Foul Play

By D.E. Haggerty

Character Guest Post

Why I gave up finance to bake cupcakes

People claim I’m obsessed with cupcakes. I’m part-owner of the cupcake bakery, Callie’s Cakes, where I’m also the baker extraordinaire. Of course, I love cupcakes. But obsessed? I wouldn’t go that far. Obsessed makes my love of cupcakes sound like an addiction. Just because I eat them every day doesn’t make me addicted, does it?

One thing I do believe about cupcakes is their ability to make anything better. Feeling blue? Eat a cupcake. Boyfriend dumped you? Eat a cupcake. Failed an exam? Eat a cupcake. Aced an exam? Eat a cupcake. Getting married? Make a cupcake wedding cake.

My obsession love of cupcakes began when I was in junior high. All the other girls were developing into women. Not me. I was stuck at five-foot-nothing and as straight as a chocolate sheet cake. I was not a happy camper. Then, this nerdy girl named Callie handed me an Oreo cupcake and I fell in love. Cupcakes became my life. And the nerdy girl? She became my best friend and co-owner of a cupcake bakery.

Now that I’m older, I’ve also discovered cupcakes are mighty handy when you’re investigating a crime. It’s remarkable how quickly a person will open up and answer your questions when you hand them a cupcake. Cupcakes are also handy for comforting a victim. Asking a victim questions before they’ve been comforted is never a good idea. Trust me.

And that’s why I gave up my work as an accountant and became a cupcake baker. 

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