Review: Dandelions on the Wind by Mona Hodgson

Well-written. Good story. Believable characters. Dandelions on the Wind by Mona Hodgson had all these things, and I yearned for more. I don't mean it didn't have a satisfying ending. It did. I enjoyed Ms. Hodgson's writing and Maren and Wooly's story grabbed me from page one and I wanted to read more.

Back cover:

Tattered relationships and broken hearts, like a quilt, can be pieced together by God’s love.

When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm, she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household. 

But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren. Despite the failing eyesight that caused her suitor to reject her, she can see that Wooly desperately needs to reconnect with the family he abandoned when his grief sent him running toward the army—and into the Civil War. She also senses there could be something more between the widower and herself, if either can move beyond their past hurts.    

Comforted and counseled by the wisdom of the women in her beloved quilting circle, Maren begins to discover the cost such decisions demand of her heart. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan? Is it too late for love to be stitched into the fabric of her life?

Rating: 4 roses

Blessings,
Ginger

Review: Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman

Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman is packed full of good writing, like-able characters, and an easy to follow plot, but for some reason I couldn't get involved in the story. If there were a point system with the stars, I'd give it 3.9, simply because I didn't fall in love with Sarah and Daniel's tale.

Back cover:

In 1882, Sarah Whittier dreams of opening an art studio run by immigrant women. She plans to use the house left to her by family friend Josiah Cady as collateral for her studio. But will all be lost when the inheritance is challenged by an angry man claiming to be Josiah's son and legal heir? Rumor of gold nuggets hidden in the house, place Sarah's life in danger. Her future uncertain and her safety threatened, Sarah has nowhere to turn. That is, unless she can soften a vengeful man's heart-and they both learn that love is finer than any gold.

Rating: 3 Roses (hey, if others can change the stars to something else, so can I. LOL)

Blessings,
Ginger

Struggles from the Past

Strange title, I know, but it got you here right?  :)

I've been tracing my genealogy for several years, though not all at once. I get frustrated when I come to a long lost ancestor and there's NO information that the person ever existed, except that he or she was someone's father or mother.

Last night, however, I made an awesome discovery.

My husband's family name is Solomon, but they knew that at some time in the not-so-distant past it had been changed  from Tillman. No one knew when or why. So I've been working off and on for a few weeks trying to piece together people to find more information. Turns out Mr. Tillman married Miss Solomon, but, for reasons unknown to me, all of their children retained the surname Solomon. When I went further back, Tillman had been changed from Tilghman and they immigrated from England in 1638. And I found a copy of a document proving it. :) I wish it were always so simple.

So far between my husband and myself, we come from Ireland, England, and the Netherlands. Mostly we're Irish and English, go figure. I'm pretty sure I have Italian in me, but I'm stuck on the Mozingo side of my mother's family. I'll go back to it sooner or later and look some more.

The picture to the right is of my grandfather, Charles Guy. He was born in 1875 and died in 1961 (before I was born). He was one of twenty-something children. I'm still trying to figure out which ones might be duplicates. My ancestors had the nasty habit of naming their children the same first name, especially if one of them died in infancy or childhood. I traced the Guys back to England, though I had thought it might be a German name. I found they had also changed the spelling of the name. It was originally spelled Guye.

Okay, I'm sure that's more than you wanted to know about my ancestors. LOL

Is genealogy something you're interested in? If so, what have you found interesting in your past? If not, do you have an interesting story passed down from your parents or grandparents that you'd be willing to share? I LOVE to read about interesting people.

Blessings,
Ginger

Spring Has Sprung

I don't know about you, but I love spring. Cute chicks - new ones arriving soon, I hope - trees, and flowers blooming, the promise of fresh from the garden produce, no more cold weather (at least that's true if you're in the south).

As of this moment, it's 80 degrees outside. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 83, but then a cold front comes through and the temps drop to the low to mid 60s. I am not looking forward to that!

Anyway, last evening I went out and took some pictures of spring at my house. Enjoy.  :)

lilac bush

close up of lilac - they smell so good

I think these are apple blossoms

cherry blossoms?

cherry tree

If spring is not your favorite time of year, what is and why?

Blessings,

Ginger

Guest Post: True Confession by June Foster

Today I'm welcoming my new friend, June Foster. I met her for the first time when she moved to AL a few months ago. She's such a sweet lady, and has a new book out called Deliver Us. There's more information about it at the end of her post.


June Foster is a retired school teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She writes and travels in her RV with her husband Joe. June has contracts for four novels with Desert Breeze Publishing. The Bellewood Series, Give Us This Day – February 1, 2012, As We Forgive – September 1, 2012, and
Deliver Us – April 1, 2013, and Hometown Fourth of July – July 1, 2012. June loves to write stories about characters who overcome the issues in their lives by the power of God. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find the freedom to live godly lives.

True Confessions

by June Foster

I don't know about anyone else, but I generally feel insecure about writing fiction. For one thing, a little over three years ago, I had never heard of plotting a novel, writing compelling dialogue, keeping a scene in one character's POV, or critique partners. I didn't pen my first fictional word until three years ago, and I am going to be a great grandmother. That gives you an idea of my age.

So many questions challenge me. Am I progressing in learning the craft? Is my WIP(work in progress) as lousy as it sounds to me? My critique partners are giving me fits, but I know they're right about the many errors they find in my writing. How can I write a book that would appeal to a publisher? And more importantly, would a reader ever benefit from the words I've penned. You get the idea.

Now, it's true confession time. In the midst of my insecurities, I think of the awesome authors out there with those solid careers in the inspirational market. I could never write like them or even compete. I might as well give up. Honestly, these are some of the thoughts that overwhelmed me the other day. Now you see why this post is entitled true confession.

But thankfully, whenever I'm weighed down, I can take my concerns to the Lord. As I called out to Jesus, a verse came to mind—one I hadn't expected to hear. I was so sure the Lord would remind me of Matthew 6: 25-34 not to worry. But instead I received a clear picture of Jesus after the resurrection telling Peter to feed His sheep. Let me give you the context from John 21.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (John) When Peter saw him he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that is you? You must follow me."

That simple question ministered to me. "What is that to you?" Other people's careers and writing abilities have nothing to do with me. I'm only to be concerned with what the Lord instructs me to do. God will use me as He sees fit. I don't need to compare myself to others, but I should keep my heart centered on the Lord who called me to write in the first place. What a freeing thought.

More about Deliver Us.

Synopsis:

The young fraternity man who coaxed Jillian Coleman upstairs that night is only a blur in her memory. Now she lives with the unrelenting guilt that she aborted her baby. God might forgive her, but she can't forgive herself. As Bellewood's premier gynecologist, she hopes to open the Jeremiah House to offer teen girls an abortion alternative. Though the handsome and successful Dr. Jett Camp wants to marry Jillian, he believes her plan is a waste of her skills.

Riley Mathis spent ten years in jail for dealing drugs. Now as a Christian, he's trying to put his life back together. Working as a janitor at night, he attends college by day. When he meets Dr. Coleman, he recognizes her from the sapphire necklace she wore the night he stole something precious from her. When she confesses the choice she made to abort her baby, Riley can't tell her he's the father of her child.

Trailer  (Ginger here: I tried to get this to load the video, but it wouldn't. You'll be blessed by watching, just click and enjoy.)

Buy Sites

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Desert Breeze

Thank you, June, for joining us today. I enjoyed your post and I hope my readers do too.

Blessings, 

Ginger

Review: Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin by Pamela S. Meyers

Another wonderful book by Pamela S. Meyers.

Many times in my life I have felt like Meg--trusting God seemed impossible. Would He really give me the desires of my heart? Could I really trust Him? Even when everyone else disappointed me, the answer to both questions was, and is, yes. When I'm following Him, His desires become my desires and He's always faithful and trustworthy.

Ms. Meyers book, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, challenged me, but also left me with warm, fuzzy feelings about God's best. I enjoyed this novel on many levels.

Back cover:

A young woman wants to work in a man’s world.

It’s 1933, the height of the Big-Band era, and beautiful Lake Geneva is already well established as a summertime playground for Chicago’s elite. Local girl Meg Alden works at the town newspaper, but she aspires to be a reporter—a job given only to men. When a position opens up, Meg spies an opportunity to break into the business. That is, until Jack Wallace, the son of a big-city newspaper magnate, is hired instead. Jack is drawn to Meg and suggests they combine forces to uncover a local scandal. But how can Meg work with the man who stole her job. . .and makes her pulse race?

Rating: 4 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

Review: A Home for Lydia by Vannetta Chapman

I like Amish romances. They're sweet, but real. Vannetta Chapman has penned another excellent novel set in Amish country. A Home for Lydia, her second book in The Pebble Creek Amish Series, is easily read as a stand-alone.

I find that Ms. Chapman allowed her characters to be real. While sweet and godly, they also have problems with temper and selfishness, as all humans do at times. I like real characters and will gladly read about their issues rather than about people who are perfect, with whom I cannot relate.

If you enjoy Amish romance, you will open A Home for Lydia and forget there's a world outside Pebble Creek.

Back cover:

A Home for Lydia, the second book in a new romantic series from popular author Vannetta Chapman, centers again on the Plain community of Pebble Creek and the kind, caring people there. As they face challenges to their community from the English world, they come together to reach out to their non-Amish neighbors while still preserving their cherished Plain ways.

Aaron Troyer simply wants to farm like his father and grandfather before him. But instead he finds himself overseeing the family's small group of guest cabins nestled along the banks of Pebble Creek. That also means he must work with the cabins' housekeeper, Lydia Fisher.

Lydia is the most outspoken Amish woman Aaron has ever met, and she has strong opinions about how the guest cabins are to be run. She also desperately needs this job. Though sparks fly between boss and employee at first, when the cabins are robbed, nothing is more important to Aaron than making sure Lydia is safe.

Together they work to make the vacation property profitable, but can they find out the identity of the culprit before more damage is done? And is Lydia's dream of a home of her own more than just a wish and a prayer?

Rating: 5 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

4/3 Farm Update

Good afternoon, my lovely followers. Here is the local forecast: (thanks to whnt.com)

I am so looking forward to Saturday through Tuesday's warmer, sunnier weather.

What's happened lately:

• Yesterday was the last day of my "official" time doing the Shred diet. Some weeks were hard, but I stuck it out. The benefits: 14 lb weight loss in six weeks, a loss of three inches at my waist and two inches at my hips, more energy, and better sleep patterns. I am taking the next week "off" but plan to stick to the 4-meal schedule, and continue eating healthy. If I can lose and still not be overly strict, I will not follow their guidelines for meals like I have been doing. If I maintain or gain, back to the book. :)
• I incubated 42 more eggs for chicks. None hatched. I was sorely disappointed and decided to forego trying again and just ordered a bunch of White Rock hens from McMurray Hatchery. I don't know if my roosters are duds or something is wrong with the incubator. They should arrive at the end of this month, almost six weeks after I usually like to start my chicks. :(
• Richard set out his cabbage and broccoli plants. It rained later that evening, which gives them a good chance at survival.
• We have a group of chickens who have decided they like our 1/2-acre backyard over the 4-acre pasture. I'm trying all sorts of ways to keep them out, but so far nothing is working. *sigh* I may have to relegate the dogs back to the pasture to keep the chickens from using our "doggie door."

This weekend my son and daughter will be going to our homeschool co-op's banquet. I'll post pictures soon.

How has your first few weeks of Spring been?

Blessings,

Ginger