No Plant–get a cat |
Look what grew instead of flowers this year. An Oliver plant.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Janice Hanna (also published as Janice Thompson) has published more than seventy novels and non-fiction books. She has also published more than fifty magazine articles and several musical comedies for the stage. Janice makes her home in the Houston area near her children and grandchildren.
This delightful tale of romance which emerges out of tragic circumstances is set in a wonderful town called Groom in the panhandle of the great state of Texas. It is a story of tragedy, love, and God’s divine hand of providence that enters a situation just at the right time and changes everything. Young Anne finds herself on a train heading to Dallas with her two younger sisters after the loss of their father. When fate intervenes, the trail derails and their future is forever altered. And then there is Jake, the last available young man in Groom who finds himself to be the recipient of many jokes about his situation, especially from his brothers. Jake’s mother, Maggie, embodies everything wonderful that Anne remembers about her own
How absolutely wonderful, in this day and age when problems seem to loom on every side and people have lost faith and hope, to read a story that is all about faith and hope. It is refreshing to read a story set in an era when one’s words meant something, when prayer was the first course of action, when faith ruled our very existence, when people looked out for one another even during hard times. Perhaps after reading this book, your faith will be renewed, as well. – Cherri Taylor
And now for the give-away information!
Leave a comment with your email please by July 16 midnight CST. One winner will get to choose a book from
www.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Today it is going to reach 100 degrees. It’s the 10th day this month that it has been above 90.
This is my husband, Ed. He works outside. He does hardscape–pretty much by himself. He likes to work alone.
Hardworking Hero |
He picks up lots of bricks and makes them into pretty things by cutting them. He’s even worn off his fingerprints. Good thing I can identify him.
LOOK NO FINGERPRINTS |
This is a circle pattern in front of a horse arena. The sand hasn’t been put in yet. He said I had to tell you that it isn’t done yet.
The horses are going to live here. Pretty nice isn’t it?
And while he’s been working here laying over 5,000 square feet of pavers, he’s also been building these walls. There are two of them–very tall walls. He’s been working 14-16 hour days. And he’s not done yet.
Retaining Walls |
He is my hero. He does all this while I sit in my cold house and let my fingers race over the keyboard.
I think he’s earned the title of Hardworking Husband.
Want more a2z? check out Patty Wysong’s Blog.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
HOME GROWN CARROTS |
How do you grow carrots?
I read the back of the seed envelope and it didn’t sound too hard.
Use loose soil, put out the seeds and cover with dirt. Leave them alone for 70 days.
Not that easy for me. The seeds are so small it was impossible to plant one or two seeds at a time and I kept pulling them out to early Still, I gave it a try and they taste so much sweeter out of the garden! I will replant them again this fall.
I also learned a few other things about planting them. Thinning them out is the trick along with planting them next to radishes.
Want to learn more? EHow has an article How to Grow Carrots.
There carrots look more like the ones you get in the store, long and slender, not short and bulky like mine.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
We haven’t had time to GET-AWAY in a long time. Ed is working 14 hour days. When he is home it’s because it is raining.
But…this was a holiday weekend and it was sunny! With not a lot of time or money to be had we took a day trip to the southern end of Illinois.
We stopped here. It’s my first ever covered bridge.
I was able to make a panoramic photo for the first time too using photoshop elements 9.
It’s rained a lot here in Illinois and the creek that goes under the 1854 Mary’s River Covered Bridge in Chester, IL was rushing like a large river cascading over a cliff.
The bridge was originally a planked toll road between Breman and Chester (home of Popeye) and now it’s historical place for a picnic. Except we didn’t bring one!
Get-aways don’t have to cost a lot and you don’t have to go far. Exploring our state is fun and do-able in a day.
For more a2z check out Patty Wysong’s blog for links.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Yes, it’s an empty plate. I had fudge. Great fudge made by the best fudge maker ever.
But before I took a photo I ate it.
All of it.
So my choices were an empty plate or a photo of my extended stomach. You should be happy. The plate won.
Fudge is one of those memory joggers in my life. My Aunt Valerie made fudge when I was little and it was a mysterious thing. I wanted to know how she did it. Still do.
I’d try but it only turned out like my aunt’s 50% of the time. Was it because:
the humidity was too high,
I didn’t own a candy thermometer,
or I thought water from the tap was cold enough to test for the magic threads which let you know when it was time to take the fudge off the stove?
Or was it because I was impatient? Those that know me well are now nodding their heads yes at this one. I can persevere, but it’s because I have to considering how many times I jump ahead trying to finish something, only to have to start over.
I kept trying through the years, my brother and I would twirl the taffy like fudge onto a spoon to eat it. Sometimes we needed the ice pick to break off a section. We were troupers never giving up on eating it no matter how it turned out.
Then something wonderful happened. I met Janice through our church. She makes fudge. Great fudge and my most favorite kind of all: white chocolate fudge!
So not only is ‘F’ for Fudge it’s also for Friend, she is now my Fudge Friend. She get’s this title because when I told her my sad tale of having eaten my fudge without taking a photo, she drove over to my house with this:
Meet my friend, Janice.
Fudge Friend
It’s a2z week! See what others have to say at Patty Wysong’s blog.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
I know, the letter ‘E’ is supposed to be for elephant.And it would apply very well to my family. We don’t like to forget anything and most of the time we do more of a ‘forgive but not forget’ action.
So I’m changing to ‘E’ is for Eraser.
Most of the time I’m happy to pull out a cute smiley face and erase a tiny hurt caused by someone.
Everyone has moments when things are said, meaning to be funny or not knowing they have touched a live wire in your body.
If you work with others, are a mom, or a wife sometimes you have to pull out a package of these things to erase the everyday, ‘wish that hadn’t happened’ moments.
And then there are those wounds that need the extra heavy duty industrial strength remover. Often it has to be used more than once because the marks still remains. It maybe close to invisible but it’s still there.
When I get to that point and I can’t get that ‘thing’ erased and I want to drag out the ‘elephant’ and remember I know it’s time for me to hit my knees. That’s when I thank God that He has erased my mistakes so cleanly they can’t be seen at all. Then I ask to help me erase the hurts from my mind caused by others.
For more a2z go to Patty Wysong’s blog.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Dr Pepper and how it changed my life.
This is my husband, Ed’s story. I’m envious because I can’t track anything in my life this way.
At 15, Ed wanted to buy a car and fix it to drive when he was 16. But he had no money, he made a little bit working at the turkey farm part time. One day a high school senior stopped by and mention he worked at Dr Pepper and was quitting. He was pretty sure Ed could get the job if he went in with him the next day.
Ed went and was hired.
And from that seemingly small decision to take the job at Dr Pepper he can connect all but two of his oldest friends to the soda company and eventually me.
Working at Dr Pepper forced him to make new friends–ones that lived in Belleville instead of of O’fallon. The friends he made there encouraged him to make even more friends beyond the city limits of his home town.
Terry was the first friend, who introduced him to Mike who became Ed’s best friend. They introduced him to Jerry, which led to Ed going to college and joining a fraternity.
Then Jerry introduced Ed to Debbi-who later became became his wife.
Debbi was my cousin. She later died as did my husband, both from different kinds of cancer.
Ed and I started dating, then we married and combined our families. All because Ed worked at Dr Pepper and married Debbi my life changed!
Because we married, Ed went back to church where he has made a lot more new friends.
Isn’t it fun how one decision driven by necessity can be used by God?
Through that one moment of saying yes to the factory job all things in Ed’s life–wife, family church friends and 17 cases of Dr Pepper in the garage can be linked.
By the way my favorite drink just happens to be Diet Dr Pepper and no I didn’t leave the period off the Dr because there isn’t one!
Find more a2z posts at Patty Wysong.
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Create is the best word, besides wife and mom, in my vocabulary.
I love creating. I have an entire room –three rooms where I can create.
I have my hobby room where I quilt, make clothes, cards and sometimes scrapbook.
Sewing room |
And my office, where I put letters together, to form words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters and then books!
Writing office |
And then there is the kitchen. Not all creations coming from here are good!
Kitchen |
For more a2z visit Patty Wysong!
posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer