This Life...
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Sunday Snippet: The A Little Like Baking Edition
It’s fall and that is when I really get in the mood to bake. I love to bake. I love knowing that if I mix together butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and other sundry ingredients, I will get a basic cookie dough. If I add chocolate chips or nuts or oatmeal or raisins, I’ll have a special tasty treat. Baking is relaxation for me in a way that nothing else is—not even reading or swimming or walking or biking. I think that is because there is a creative element involved in making a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or an apple pie or a pan of sinful dark chocolate brownies…
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Sunday Snippet: The Autumn Bittersweet of It All Edition
We have giveaway winners this morning! Kathy Anderson and Ginni Selby, you will both receive an ARC ebook of The Rancher’s Christmas Wife. Thanks for coming by! I love hearing from all of you! This week, Husband and I have been working on putting our lovely gardens to bed for the winter. Yesterday, Grandboy came over to help out. There’s nothing better than working in the gardens with a willing and strong 14-year-old. “What’s next, Nanny?” The three of us worked for a couple of hours, and although there’s more to do, we ran out of room in the bin that goes to the curb on Tuesday, so we’ll collect…
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Sunday Snippet: The It’s Been a Tough Week Edition
I know that y’all are accustomed to happy, cheerful Nan here on the blog, and let me just say upfront, I’m okay. But it’s been a really hard week and I am blaming wicked cancer and getting old. My bestie’s husband passed last Saturday after an incredibly aggressive cancer took over his body. It was so fast, we barely had a moment to breathe after his diagnosis before he was home on hospice and then gone. His memorial gathering was on Thursday and what a glorious tribute it was to a good, good man–a husband, father, grandpa, musician, and very recently, a great-grandpa. So many folks came to pay their…
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Sunday Snippet: The Places I Love Most Edition
This might be a lazy way to blog but I’ve been thinking a lot about places that I love. Pal Carol and I are going to be going to France next fall (2027) and thinking about travel has made me consider all the places that I’ve been to and loved. This isn’t a travel memories kind of post, though. Rather, I’ve been thinking about places that have always been special to me. Places I return to for restoration and renewal. So here are three places that always make me happy and not surprisingly, they are all right here in the Midwest. Whitehall, Michigan: Wow… I’ve been going to Whitehall since…
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Sunday Snippet: The I Got Nothin’, So Fast Facts Instead Edition
Liz and I often talk about how hard it can be to write a weekly column. It isn’t that we don’t enjoy the writing, we certainly do because, you know, writing. It’s just that sometimes topics can be elusive. We are both fascinating women, but even as interesting as we are, we don’t always have something brilliant to say. With that in mind, today, I’m giving you five fast facts about me–things you might not already know (although that will surprise me, I’ve been around for quite a while) and then I’m going to ask you to give me five fast facts about yourself in the comments? Sound fun? Good……
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Sunday Snippet: The Nan and Min’s Big Day Edition
Yup, yesterday was a big day. I participated in the Indy Author Event for the first time. It was quite a day of meeting new authors and new readers, and catching up with long-time friends who are authors and readers. As a participating author, I had two tickets to give away, so way back last fall, I’d gifted them to a couple of readers at a book club. I was delighted when Marcia and Sue appeared at my table to say hello, grab a quick hug, and buy books. I had my booth babe, Min, with me and she kept me organized and on track, restocking book stacks, taking…
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Sunday Snippet: Those Lazy, Hazy, Not-so-Crazy Days Edition
We’ve been up here at the lake for a few days and I’ve been unnaturally lazy. Not inspired, not motivated, not anything really. I’ve been swimming and working as I always do up here, because as I’ve said repeatedly, I just pack up my act and take it on the road when we come up to the lake. (Thank heaven for laptops!). But no stirring of ambition that’s making me want to jump up and down. And maybe that’s okay. Do we always have to be fired up? At my age, constantly being “on” feels exhausting, and I have to psych myself up for “on” times. (I have one coming…
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Sunday Snippet: The I’m Older and I’m Okay Edition
Yes, I’m going to talk about aging today, so if you’re sick and tired of hearing about people (read me!) getting older, I’d suggest you go do something else. Watch YouTube or Netflix, scroll on your phone, or read a book on your Kindle. Seems like I keep hearing that people I know or who are part of my worldview have died–Bonnie Tyler, Sam Neill, Catherine O’Hara, Robert Duvall, Peabo Bryson, David Clayton-Thomas, Neil Sedaka, Sophie Kinsella, Rob Reiner, Eric Dane (Dr. McDreamy)… and closer to home and less recently, my mom, my sister, Kate, my best friend, Dee, and other cousins, friends, and contemporaries. Kate would’ve turned 75 in June,…
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Sunday Snippet: The In Between Edition
Good Sunday morning, mes amis. It’s a gorgeous day here at the lake. Grandboy is sleeping in my guest room, Husband is out on the deck basking in the morning sun with a cup of coffee, and I’m here in my lake “office.” (Read bedroom with a card table and wooden chair.) We had a lovely evening with Grandboy while his parents went out to celebrate their 24th (!!) anniversary. He regaled us with tales of Scout camp shenanigans and told us about the badges he earned. The kid is interested in everything and just a fun storyteller. We love every moment with him. He’s already claimed his spot on…
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Sunday Snippet: The Reasons to Be Glad this Fourth Edition
This one will be short because honestly, if I don’t keep it short and sweet this weekend, I could easily get off on a rant that would serve no one but me. However, I will say that it’s been hard to feel celebratory this Fourth of July. Some things helped, though … PBS’s annual “A Capitol Fourth.” Watch it even if it is July 5. It will make you feel good about the United States again and give you hope. Click and watch. You’ll be glad you did. Brandi Carlile’s version of “America the Beautiful” sung in front of the Statue of Liberty will touch your patriotic soul and again,…