Simple Sunday

                    
                                                                Source

                                          Have A Blessed Day 

Good Fences

Our son and his family live in Missouri.  My DIL is a photographer.
She captured this fence for me . . . 

                                 
  I can imagine walking barefoot through that grass and maybe finding a horse and riding bareback through the field.    Awe beautiful day dreams!
                                          Enjoy Your Day Dreams
Linking with Good Fences and Outdoor Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday . . . 


   Add a caption ________________________
Linking with Wordless Wednesday,  Camera Critters and Eileen's Camera Critters on Saturday, Outdoor Wednesday
Be There 2 Day Wordless Wednesday and Imging WW

Guest Post--Featuring Author Lauren Carr

Guest Post: So Many Murders, So Many Plotlines

By Lauren Carr

A while back, my son brought up a discussion that he and some of his friends had. According to something one of them had read on the Internet (so it must be true), there are only seven basic story plotlines. All of the stories and books written are variations of any of these seven plots. Therefore, my son said with a cocky grin, my books are not original because all of the basic plotlines have already been written.

Stab me in the heart, why don’t you? Writers are always striving for new ideas or new twists to old ideas.

As a mystery writer, I confess that I do work off of one basic plotline: commit murder, search for clues, piece together the clues, identify the killer, catch the killer. Hopefully, my main characters can have some fun and adventure along the way.

Now, this is not to be confused with being a formula writer, which I believe is what my son was insinuating. Writers who use formulas work almost from a template, not unlike an administrative assistant will use a Word Doc template for a letter: para 1 (introduction), para 2 & 3 (message), para 4 (closing).

While the basic plotline for murder mysteries may be the same, the genre has come a long way, baby. Since Edgar Allen Poe’s The Purloin Letter, the murder mystery genre has grown and branched and sprouted new sub-genres: thriller, suspense, cozy, romance-mystery, medical-mystery, courtroom-mystery, hobby-cozy, etc. As a writer or a reader, you name what you like or what you don’t like and you can find it in this genre if you hunt hard enough.

The twists and turns that a murder investigation can go are as numerous as the setting (small town/big city), motives, weapons, and suspects.

One website I found listed eighteen common motives for murder from money to jealousy to desire for fame to survival. We aren’t even talking about the less common ones: to benefit someone else. An example is bumping off someone in order to have a loved one inherit.

In my latest Mac Faraday Mystery (Candidate for Murder), Mac Faraday and Police Chief David O’Callaghan have to check off a few of these motives when looking at the murder of a candidate for mayor. The obvious conclusion is that she was killed by her cheating husband. Maybe, maybe not.

Anyone who has seen the political news this year knows that politics is not for the faint of heart. Could her political opponent have killed her to clear the way for him to win the election? Or maybe someone in her own political party wanted her out of the race to make way for a different candidate. What did she have on who to reach and keep her position of power?

Weapons: Used to be knives, guns, and poisoning with arsenic or strychnine were the standard weapons for murder. I remember reading a mystery that was written years ago where the detective concluded that the killer was a woman because the weapon was poison. Such sexism would not fly anymore.

Do you want your victim to drop dead instantly or do you want a delayed reaction? Choose your poison wisely.

Yes, the genre has really changed since the basic plotline was created.

Old school murder mysteries used to have the mystery end with identifying the killer, who, in the face of all the evidence against him or her, breaks down and confesses. However, in recent years, readers have become so savvy about the justice side of things, that it is not enough for the detective to simply identify the killer. How many cases have made the news of known killers walking free because of a mess up by the investigating officer violating a suspect’s rights, evidence being compromised, or some other legal loophole or twist by the defense attorney?

No, now mystery writers have to be on top of how the legal system works. It is not enough to identify the killer. The detective also has to catch him in such a way that there is justice in the end. The reader has to close the book knowing that the killer is going to jail for a very long time.

Yes, maybe my son is right in that there are seven basic plotlines. Maybe at the very root of a book or story, this is the case.

When it comes to a murder mystery, the possibilities are endless if you use your imagination. In the hands of an imaginative writer, anything can sprout from those roots.

Check out Lauren's newest book . . . 

               

                     

Available now at Amazon,(best value for Prime Members)  and 

 Barnes and Noble.  

Flowers Around My Community

Spring has come and gone.  And boy is it hot around here.  I've been collecting a few photo's of the beautiful plants and flowers around my community  . . .


Have you ever noticed what beautiful flower beds are round fast food restaurants?  Early in the spring I captured this lovely pansies and lavender kind of looking plant.  Not sure exactly what it is.   I think there is some lambs ear in the upper right.  This was a beautiful bed in the spring.


We've had a lot of rain this spring.   I thought this was really interesting.  The school where I used to work apparently had some damaged from an earlier rain.  I drove by and saw the church steeple in the parking lot.

A few days later I managed to catch at the right time when it was put back.  It was another day with rain.

My grandson had surgery at Scottish Rite Hospital in January.  He has to go back for check ups.
Flower beds around the parking lot were so pretty!



Not sure what the flowers are but they are pretty.


Our neighborhood Chick Fila has beautiful vinca.  The beds are full.

This bed is at the entrance to our apartment complex.  I love the combination of colors and plants.

The subdivisions around our community always have beautiful entries.

I wish I had the budgets!

And next not such a pretty site but really interesting . . .

I've never seen red toadstools.  This is in the 'green space' behind our apartment building.  We have a really nice apartment but they keep up the entry way much better than the rest of the property.

And a couple more  at my favorite Mexican restaurant . . .

I never tire of eating at Mexican Inn . . .

The have a lovely welcoming entrance and the food is yummmeeee!

Have you seen some beautiful flowers in your community?

I love taking photo's of plants.  I can't wait till the weather cools a bit so I can get out with my camera.

Linking with a new party at Pieced Pastimes.  And  with the regular parties.  Check out my parties page!

My Father's House--Book Review

                                                          

A little about the book . . . 
"My Father's House is at once a sweet romance and a page-turning thriller." --Ann Tatlock, award-winning novelist. Growing up, life is idyllic for Lily Rose Cates due to one constant – her father’s love. But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning. There begins Lily’s struggle to find herself and the life she’s lost. . . . Marriage promises fulfillment, but her happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Her husband’s sophisticated façade hides a brooding man with even darker secrets. When all illusions shatter, Lily must make hard choices – abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about. This is one woman’s compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to who she’s meant to be . . . in her father’s house. "...had it not been for Annie Ruth, I would have ended up right there rocking on the front porch beside Mama. Annie Ruth took care of me. She and Mr. John drove up in his dusty pickup truck every morning at six o'clock. She got out and came in, bringing her life and soul into the house...We were her cherished charges, and I was like her own." --My Father's House

Story BehIND MY FATHER’S HOUSE

Tell us a bit about the story behind your latest novel. Where did you find inspiration?

I wanted to write a story about a young woman who in spite of devastating hardships, disappointments, personal loss and mistakes, ultimately finds happiness after reconnecting with family and faith. I wanted the reader to take the journey with her, go with her through some of the hardships, but I didn’t want the painful things to be the focus of her triumphant story. Lily Rose has an indomitable spirit and warm heart that is endearing to readers. Her father believed that she would be alright; the reader wants to know she will be too. With my roots firmly planted in Georgia, the setting had to play a critical part in the story. So, I modeled my fictional town after so many small Southern towns and I set in some of my love of nature and gardening. Being a Southerner, I had definite ideas about elements I needed for this story to come alive. Besides fascinating characters and a distinctive setting, there had to be a little crazy, eccentric, and some downright meanness, mixed with suspense, romance, and lots of southern charm.

What was the hardest part about writing your novel: Getting started? Keeping it going? Finding the perfect ending?

The perfect ending was easy, and I never ran out of things to write. But there was a part of the story that was hard to write – the marriage relationship. I didn’t want their disappointing marriage to overwhelm the story.

What trait do you love most about your main character?

My main character is warm-hearted with an indomitable spirit. I love that about her.

When readers get to the last page, what do you hope they take away from the story?

In spite of devastating hardships, disappointments, and mistakes, God has a good future in mind for each of us. I want my readers to feel the joy and hope expressed by Lily Rose.

What I thought . . . 
After first few chapters I really got into the story.  I was for me a little confusing at first going from present to the past.  And a little slow going reading through the backstory of college years and romance leading to the main story line.    

The main story line of the book is about Lily Rose and her attempts to turn her life around after going through and emotionally and abusive marriage.   Miss Chandler did an excellent job of bringing a hard subject to life without being graphic or overly violent.    However this is a story for a mature reader.  Although it is not graphic the topic is for adults.  

It truly is a book of facing ones circumstances and struggling through to survive and thrive. 

There is a little romance too.  And a happy ending.  

I enjoyed reading My Father's House and gladly give it my 5 star rating.  

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. 

This review is posted on Amazon, CBC, Barnes and Noble and Good Reads.
This review is also posted at My Reading Journeys  for more information about my rating system and additional labels and categories for this book visit my book blog.

My Father's House--Book Review

                                                          

A little about the book . . . 
"My Father's House is at once a sweet romance and a page-turning thriller." --Ann Tatlock, award-winning novelist. Growing up, life is idyllic for Lily Rose Cates due to one constant – her father’s love. But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning. There begins Lily’s struggle to find herself and the life she’s lost. . . . Marriage promises fulfillment, but her happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Her husband’s sophisticated façade hides a brooding man with even darker secrets. When all illusions shatter, Lily must make hard choices – abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about. This is one woman’s compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to who she’s meant to be . . . in her father’s house. "...had it not been for Annie Ruth, I would have ended up right there rocking on the front porch beside Mama. Annie Ruth took care of me. She and Mr. John drove up in his dusty pickup truck every morning at six o'clock. She got out and came in, bringing her life and soul into the house...We were her cherished charges, and I was like her own." --My Father's House

What I thought . . . 
After first few chapters I really got into the story.  I was for me a little confusing at first going from present to the past.  And a little slow going reading through the backstory of college years and romance leading to the main story line.    

The main story line of the book is about Lily Rose and her attempts to turn her life around after going through and emotionally and abusive marriage.   Miss Chandler did an excellent job of bringing a hard subject to life without being graphic or overly violent.    However this is a story for a mature reader.  Although it is not graphic the topic is for adults.  

It truly is a book of facing ones circumstances and struggling through to survive and thrive. 

There is a little romance too.  And a happy ending.  

I enjoyed reading My Father's House and gladly give it my 5 star rating.  

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. 

This review is posted on Amazon, CBC, Barnes and Noble and Good Reads.
This review is also posted at My Reading Journeys  for more information about my rating system and additional labels and categories for this book visit my book blog.

Candidate For Murder Author/Book Spotlight

​

Book Description:

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

Author's Bio:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Prizes: ​

Win a Fire Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB (Open internationally) Winner will be person to use #Vote4Gnarly most often - Ends Aug 5, 2016

Click here to enter the giveaway

Simple Sunday/Father's Day

                                     Happy Father's Day
                                                    
We miss our daddies.  But The Cowboy and I will enjoy a lunch a with our daughter and grandson.  And then . . . 

And remember our daddies . . . 

I remember sitting in my daddy's lap.  I think I was a daddy's girl.
                          
Our daughter is/was a daddy's girl.  

                      
Daddies are special . . .


                                            

Funny Critters On Saturday

Had to share this one.  I keep seeing these funny animal videos. 

                                            Enjoy

  
Linking with: Camera Critters, Eileen's Critters, Wordless Wednesday, Create with Joy.for Friendship Friday.

Good Fences

Saw a few neighbors on Sunday . . . 
                       
Sometimes they are close enough to the road to get a good phone shot  . . . 
            
                           
Linking with Good Fences, Camera Critters and Eileen's Critters Wordless Wednesday at
Imaging, Wordless Wednesday at Create with Joy and Wordless Wednesday

Owlegories Video Series Review/Giveaway

                                    
                             Giveaway Sponsored by FishFlix.com
                                  Enter to win.  Ending soon!
A children's video.  3 complete episodes.  A real crowd pleaser!

About the video (from the publisher)
You can tell a lot about an artist by what he creates. That is the theme behind Owlegories, the animated series. Owlegories teaches kids about God through the amazing things found in nature and revealed in God’s word.   

The banner verse for Owlegories is Psalm 19:1-4:  "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
I received Volume 3 from Fish Flix.  This Volume included 
3 separate stories/episodes.  

The Fire (from the publisher) episode 1. . .The Professor sends the owls to an ancient refinery to learn about pure gold and discover three ways God is like fire. Recap presented by Ben Stuart, the Executive Director of Breakaway Ministries. The KEY VERSE is Hebrews 12:28-29!

What I thought--I  enjoyed this episode.  I thought it was interesting and cool that they brought science into the story.    Not only is the message about how God is like fire there is an underlying message of forgiveness.  

The Duck (from the publisher) episode 2 . . . The class travels to the swampland to meet Professor Owlester’s old college roommate, Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson. They learn the importance of working together and discover three great gifts given to us all by God. Recap presented by Silas “Uncle Si” Robertson from Duck Dynasty. The KEY VERSE is 1 Peter 4:10

What I thought-- The Duck was my favorite episode of the three.  Mainly because Silas Robertson
was the voice of 'The Duck'.    

The Seasons--(from the publisher) episode 3--Our young explorers go on a high-tech adventure through a souped-up seasonal simulator where they learn three things followers of Christ can learn from the seasons. Recap presented by celebrity photographer and entrepreneur Jeremy Cowart. The KEY VERSE is Ecclesiastes 3:1

This video collection is an excellent source for parents.  The storyline and the message in each episode is a great tool for sharing God's message with our little ones and is appropriate for a wide variety of age levels. 

Our family enjoyed the episodes we received and give it 
a 'Thumbs Up' and a 'High 5 Stars'

My thanks to FishFlix for providing me with a complimentary copy and a giveaway copy.    

You have loads of  chances  to win!   Enter here! 

Entry-Form

This review/giveaway is linked at my linky parties.  See list on my party page.

This review/giveaway is posted at Amazon, Family Christian Stores, and CBC 
A complimentary review copy and a giveaway copy of Owlegories Vol. 3 was provided by FishFlix in exchange for my honest review. 

Work in Progress Wednesday

Think I'll finish in time?

Basting in progress.  I wrap the layers on boards to make them 'taut'. The very bottom shows the inside of the quilt to top.  You can see the long white stitches that are the basting.

I designed this quilt.  There are some patterns.  The barns and houses are paper pieced.  Makes it easier and faster to make little tine triangles. 

The big Uncle Sam is a Country Threads pattern.  It is just a regular rotary cut pattern.  Don't look too close the shoes don't meet the legs.  I'll applique something over it to 'hide' my mistake. HeHe.

The applique angel is a Jan Patek pattern I think.  Don't remember for sure.  The house above has last attached to the edge of the roof.

And a silly boy.  My plan is to hang the quilt above the mantle.  I'm about 3/4's done quilting.  I need to look for fabric for the binding so I'll be going to Hobby Lobby tomorrow to see if I can find what I want.  

The Cowboy has been put in charge of making a hanging system.

I hope you enjoyed my little work in progress! 

                              Have a Good Day.  
   I will I love sitting at my sewing machine!
Linking with Mid Week Makers , Let's Bee Social , Sew Cute Tuesday, The Art of Homemaking ,
Clebrate the U.S.A. linky party

Introduction to an Amish Author

                                                   
I can't wait to read this cookbook.  I was excited to be offered it for review.  It'll be available August 1.  You might want to check out pre-sale at the retail sites. 

Today I want to introduce you to the author.   I visited her website and had a lot of fun.  Click here (turn on your sound)

Here's the authors welcome to her site . . . 

Welcome to my writing world. It is my hope that you will not only enjoy a good story when reading one of my books, but will learn more about the Amish way of life.

As I have come to know and love my special Amish Friends, I've been filled with the realization that, while they may live and dress differently than most of us "Englishers," they experience the same joys and deal with the same struggles as we do. Writing about the Amish fills my heart with joy and peace. I hope reading about the Amish will do that for you as well.

Mitt Lieb, (With love),

The website is interesting to visit.  Not only does she share her list of books she share photos.  And there are free downloads to use for your desktop.  Here's one . . . 
                                     
Photos are available for purchase on the website.   

I was glad I was introduced to a new author.  

                                      Go over for a visit.  

This post will be linked at Good Reads, retail sites, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.

Sites for Pre-order Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBC



My link list is available on my parties page.

Tuesday Thinkin' Back

Here's a fun repost from a few years ago . . . See if you can figure out how long.  Hint . . . He's 8 now.
Did you say cake? No I said . . .

Cupcakes.
I have pulled together my ingredients . . .

Except for the secret ingredient that I am not sharing. Yet.

And I got . . . 

a major tool. Isn't she pretty. (not actually mine but this was a pretty photo. I'll have to take one of my little cobalt blue girl). 

And I had a plan. And then. It happened.

Blogger decided to act up and not let me load the best of the photo's! I bet your thinking it is the photo of the finished product. Nope I have to tell you it isn't.

I'll show you later but let me tell you why no cupcakes yet.

I got a phone call from . . . (insert photo when blogger decides to cooperate)

my sweet grandbaby that is 2 and once I deciphered his words . . .

 "eat mexican food GiGi". The cupcake plan went awry. At least until after I eat lunch.

 

Hmmm....I think I'll text him and say . . . 

'Eat Mexican food!'

              Have a Good Day 

Balcony Garden Update--My Blue Theme Balcony

                                                     
I should have cropped this shot to make it pretty but I wanted to share how I hung the cucumber see the blooms and the wind chime.

I was so excited when I found the wind chime for $10.00 at Big Lots.  Probably not a real bargain but when your wanting a theme and can't find anything in your color your just flat excited when you do.  Just sayin' this shade of Blue is all I saw last year.
    
The entire color scheme began with these lites that I found at $5.00 Below last year.  Only had $5.00 to spend so just got one set.  When I'd bought 10.  I love paper latterns!  Of course this blue matches the chair.  
Today I wanted to focus on how/what/and why I hung them the way I did.   I know it looks junky.  I'm workin' on it.  
Let's check out the tomatoes first . . . 
                      
We've used the upside down hangers.  We bought one and we were so happy I mentioned to my mother we were going to look for another one.  On my next visit she gave me one.  Which btw as I noticed it was opened and dusty.  I asked 'Did we give this to you for Christmas?'  She answered 'Yes'.  I'm buying gift cards from now on.  
If you notice in the middle photo you can see how we hung them. All the walls are concrete.  Around the windows is concrete.  You can't hang anything.  Hence my hanging system.  The Cowboy hammered in these big 'ole spike kind a nails to hang the planters.
The good thing is it worked and we have tomatoes . . . 


            
                                  Guess what's for dinner?
So since we can't hang anything on the walls or ceiling I've resorted to using a tacky clothes rack to hang the cucumber pot.  Because this is a patio I've had to figure out how to go vertical and be thrifty too!  
       

           I knew I needed something for the vine to climb on so I took some decorative wood stalks and attached hooks to them and hung from the rack.  My plant isn't cooperating all that well.  It climbs horizontally not vertically like I had hoped.  One day it was attached to the window screen so I had to move the rack away from the window.  It is now attached to the nail keg and a few of the other stalks.   I just hope I get a few cucumbers from all this mess. 

I have/had grand schemes of how I wanted this balcony to look.  
Remember the photo I shared of the curtains I hung?
                                                  
My intention was for the balcony to look something like this . . . 
                                    
I barely got the two side curtains hung and was trying to figure out how to hang the rest.  And I got a letter from the apartment manager informing me I wasn't allowed to hang 'sheets' on my balcony.  I told her it wasn't 'sheets'  it was a curtain.  She informed me we aren't allowed to hang curtains on the balcony.  I wanted to say have you ever seen Pinterest. But instead  I bit my tongue and .  .
Down came the curtains.  And strike two with the management.

Strike one....we're aren't allowed to have candles on our balcony.  
Mine weren't real.  They were battery.  I was told someone might think they were real and copy me and put out candles and set the apartment on fire.  

The joys of living in a small'ish' space owned by someone else. 
If you thinking of downsizing to an apartment ask details!  

Now that I've complained and whinned I'll leave you with silly.
insert wink . . . 
                    
                     Have a good week!
Linking with Spring Inspirations and other parties listed Here.  parties.