What Do You Say?

Do you ever have times when you have a thousand-and-one (well maybe a dozen or so) things to say, but can’t seem to get anything out?

That’s kind of the way I feel. I can think of all sorts of things I want to share, say and ask, but when I get the opportunity my brain goes blank. So today’s post will be a jumble of things … you know a little of this, a little of that and making no sense whatsoever.

First, let me ask you something. See the photo above? Can anyone tell me what the pods are called and what (if anything) they are good for? The pods are growing on an old running rose bush. You would think that with all the books I have that I’d have one on roses, but I don’t.

With all the crazy weather we’ve been having I’m surprised to see new growth and leaves on the roses already. I have to stop and remind myself that it’s the time of year for things to start budding here in North Georgia.

An example of this is these cute little yellow flowers that are already blooming and the buttercups that are beginning to poke their heads through the leaves. Buttercups always amaze me that they can even bloom with snow on them. Hopefully they won’t have to do that this year.

I’m sorry I haven’t been around blogdom a lot lately. We’re busy outside cutting trees during the day and at night I’m trying to play catch-up on things I need to do inside. Some of the trees we’ve cut were crowding out the garden area, some were dead and dangerous, and some were just cut for firewood. We still have a few more that need to be cut that are crowding out flowers. The cleaning up of the branches is the worst part to me. A few of the trees are full of small branches and those have to be piled up to be burned later.

As we cut the trees I find myself imaging all sorts of things that could be made out of the wood. I’ve got several large slices of an oak put aside that I want to make clocks out of. There’s another section of a tree I think would make a beautiful table. Have you ever tried your hand at woodwork? What items have you or would you make?

I have several intriguing books to share with you later this week. In addition, author Julie Hyzy will be visiting on Friday and will be offering a giveaway of her new release, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS.

A brief word about a report on the news this weekend. What are your thoughts on the measles outbreak at Disney World? Doesn’t it sound like something you’d read in a Michael Crichton novel? It’s a scary issue, but at the same time the mystery lover in me can’t help but think of all sorts of intriguing stories that could be developed from the situation. What do you think?

Well, I think I’ve run on far too long. I’ll close now by sharing a photo I took this weekend of a beautiful winter sky. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you’re having a good day. What’s your week like? Is the winter a busy time for you? Does it seem like January is speeding by too quickly?


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Somerset Blitz, Plus Giveaway

I’m always delighted to pass along information about authors, books, and upcoming events, especially when a giveaway is involved.

If you’re familiar with ROSES and TUMBLEWEEDS, then you’re in for a treat as author Leila Meacham’s prequel – SOMERSET - once again brings back Gone with the Wind--but this time with a dash of The Help.

One hundred fifty years of ROSES' Tolivers, Warwicks, and DuMonts! We begin in the antebellum South on Plantation Alley in South Carolina, where Silas Toliver, deprived of his inheritance, joins up with his best friend Jeremy Warwick to plan a wagon train expedition to the "black waxy" promise of a new territory called Texas. 

Slavery, westward expansion, abolition, the Civil War, love, marriage, friendship, tragedy and triumph-all the ingredients (and much more) that made so many love ROSES so much-are here in abundance.

To celebrate this fantastic novel, Grand Central Publishing is hosting a pre-launch day blitz through February 3rd! In addition, one winner will win a prize pack featuring a flower bouquet from 1-800-Flowers and a copy of SOMERSET. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Leila Meacham writes of East Texas with authority. She has lived in Texas all of her life with the exceptions short sojourns out of state with her Air Force husband and her birth in Minden, Louisiana, because her father could not get her mother across the border of the Sabine River into Texas for her to be born. She says that as far as she knows, it's the only regret he ever had of his daughter.

Leila graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor's Degree of Arts. She married a pilot in the US Air Force during the war years of Viet Nam and served in numerous capacities of volunteer work as a military wife before resuming her teaching career in San Antonio. She taught high school English until her retirement from that profession, developing the gifted and talented program still used in the tenth grade curriculum of Converse Judson. She was twice elected by her peers as Teacher of the Year.

She came to her love of writing late, she says, even though she dabbled briefly into the process when she wrote a romance novel in the mid-eighties that she never expected to be published. It was followed by two others because she was under contract, but the experience and genre left her with a desire never to pick up a pen again.

"That changed when I ran out of things to do after retirement," she says, "and one day I sat down and wrote ROSES."

For more on Leila and her writing, connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.
SOMERSET is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Use the widget below to enter for your chance to win the fun prize pack featuring a flower bouquet and a copy of SOMERSET.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for stopping by today. Have you read ROSES and/or TUMBLEWEED? Aren’t the covers striking and catch your attention?