Home & Family

A Pretty Fall After All!

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A few weeks ago, I was concerned we would have a lackluster fall because it’s been so dry. Some wind took down leaves too early, but overall, it’s pretty out there!

In Kansas, we don’t have the beautiful expanses of fall color you see in places like New England. I miss the falls in the Finger Lakes region of New York why my daughter went to college. The colors are stunning.

Even so, we do have some fine specimens that include trees and shrubs around here. I have a maple in my yard, but I can’t remember the specific kind. I wish it turned a brilliant red, but, alas, it turns orange. Still a pretty sight!

I’ve been out with my camera this week, so here’s a sampling of lovely fall colors!

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Hope you are having a good autumn wherever you are!

Darlene

Wildflowers spread their cheer

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I love flowers. I like them in my yard. I like them as gifts. I like wandering through botanic gardens and arboretums when I travel. And I like photographing them. So today, I have a photo collection of wildflowers to share.

Wildflowers make me happy. It’s so fun to stumble across them. So often I struggle to grow flowers at home. To give them the right amount of sun and water and the right soil. To keep the rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and insects from devouring them. But these little guys, they just pop up and thrive!

These are all images of wildflowers that I spotted along the walks and trails during a recent visit to Colorado. Except the little blue one—that one I grew from a seed! I’m hoping there are a lot more the next time I visit!

Hope you’re having a fabulous summer surrounded by the things you like best!

Darlene

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Happy New Year to All!

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Wow! That was a fast year! For me, it was full of ups and downs, but mostly ups. My daughter got married, and my son got engaged! We had showers and a bachelorette get-away and a fabulous wedding and reception. Lots of special memories were made.

I published a holiday novella with The Wild Rose Press and finished a full-length romance novel that’s now in the editing phase. Just completed the rough draft of a short story for an anthology, and getting back to a women’s fiction novel I started a few years ago. It promises to be a busy year ahead!

Of course not everything was rosy in 2021. I lost a brother-in-law to cancer. And we didn’t end the pandemic. We didn’t get to travel freely. To kick off the new year, I’m supposed to go on my first ever cruise this month. Sadly, that might not happen. While it’s frustrating, I’m trying to do my part to follow guidelines and science and get through this.

Come on, 2022! Let’s make it a good year!

Wishing you all a peaceful, prosperous and happy new year with books to read and time with all your favorite peeps in all your favorite places! Cheers!

Darlene

That time I didn’t win Mom of the Year

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Sometime you just have to laugh.

Ever have one of those brain cramp/senior moments? You know what I’m talking about, right? Now think about those in terms of Mom moments. Here’s one for youIMG_9869—It was kind of a silly sad incident, but it’s also provided a lot of laughter over the years.

One morning in all the rush to get everyone to work or school on time, I breezed into the kitchen to help manage the chaos. Every day we packed a lunch for my son, who happened to be the World’s Pickiest Eater. This kid ate peanut butter and jelly, or honey, every day of his life for YEARS. Even when we went out to eat, which was often, we’d pack a sandwich and take a little bag with us.

Anyway, on this particular morning, I saw the day’s sandwich sitting on the counter, so I grabbed a plastic bag, shoved the sandwich inside and completed the lunch bag with a juice box and whatever else went in that day. Done. Move along. Chop, chop.

Well, later that day…my son opens the bag at lunchtime only to discover his “sandwich” is actually two slices of bread. No peanut butter. No jelly or honey. You can imagine his surprise! Yum!

In my defense, it looked like a sandwich! This little incident, while trivial, has become an example of my (not too many) failures in the Mom department. He survived. And I can handle being laughed at a little. We’re not perfect. Things happen. And it’s little shared memories like this that bond us and keep us real. 🙂

Is there a little incident that kept you from winning Mom Of The Year? Happy MD

Enjoy the day!

Darlene

Petals, posies and blooms, oh my!

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Happy May Day! It’s been a gorgeous (but slightly cool) spring. The flowering trees have been stunning, and the perennials are bursting with color. And all I can say is Yay, Spring! It’s such a relief when the cold is behind us and we can get outside again. My husband and I took our first walk of the season the other day. It’s fun to get out see people and peek at everyone else’s yards. There’s something about the warmer temps and sunny skies that just makes me feel better! Hope you are enjoying the blossoming of spring. Here are a few snapshots that capture the color and mood!

Might be a great day for a book and a glass of iced tea on the patio!

Darlene

A Little Shot; A Very Big Deal!

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A year ago today the Covid-19 crisis cut short my spring break trip to see my sister in Dallas. I’m so happy to report that I marked the anniversary of that date by getting my first Covid vaccine!

While inklings of disaster were just beginning this time last year, I stuck to my plan and drove from Kansas City to DSC_1045Dallas. Spent a beautiful day at the Dallas Arboretum, where there was plenty of room to spread out and avoid others. But the next day, we attempted to do some shopping, and everything felt weird. So, after only two days, I packed my bags, turned around, and drove nine hours back home.

By then, the Big 12 basketball tournament and the NCAA tournament—the big dance—had been cancelled. For a KU grad and Jayhawk basketball fan, this was huge. News reports were bad, and things were not looking good.

It was a terrible year. The pandemic messed up milestone birthday celebrations for me, my mom, and my daughter. No book signings or author events. Restaurants shutting down. People out of work. Vacations cancelled. Holidays without family. People dying without loved ones at their side. One of my brothers died in 2020. No family was present, and we were unable to have a memorial service.

It’s heartbreaking that so many people were lost. I’m so grateful for the scientists and medical professionals who worked tirelessly to save lives and bring us an effective vaccine.

It’s such a relief to see light at the end of the tunnel. I was a little apprehensive to get the shot today. I’ve been known to pass out during a blood draw. Turned out it was just a little prick. No big deal. But, actually, it’s a very big IMG_9475deal. It’s a shot of hope. I feel as if I’m getting my life back. Five more weeks—and I’m counting down the days.

All of a sudden my blank calendar is filling up! So far, yesterday and today I’ve made several long overdue appointments— hair cut and color (Yikes! It’s been a full year!), teeth cleaning, and a mammogram. Most exciting of all, I booked flights for an author/reader event in Connecticut in July. That just happens to coincide with a bridal shower for my daughter. Her engagement was the one bright spot in this tedious, awful year. We now have so much to look forward to. Let the fun begin!

Happy spring to all. Hopeful that you, too, are seeing light in the days ahead.

Darlene

Catching the Color of Fall

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For years, my husband and I have gone to the Pikes Peak region of Colorado for summer vacations. It’s a great place to escape hot, humid summers filled with mosquitoes and hazy days.

This year, with a little more time on our hands, we decided to make a trip out to see the aspens turn. I’m not a cold weather person, so this was only marginally appealing to me. But the forecast looked pretty good, so off we went. I’m so glad we did!

Yes, we had cool nights and had to run the heater in our little cabin, but the days were warm and sunny. We had beautiful, crisp blue skies and hardly saw even a wisp of a cloud in five days! The pop of orange and gold against a bright blue sky was stunning!

That said, I hope the region gets the rain it needs and can shut down the  wildfires that have taken a toll this year. Our area was a little dry and dusty, but the colors were spectacular, and we were able to walk, hike and dine outside every day. Enjoy a peek at the change of seasons in “Colorful Colorado!”

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Hope you are having a lovely fall and can take time to enjoy it. I know it’s unfortunately allergy season for some. Maybe you can curl up inside with a book and still enjoy a view!

Stay safe, friends! And happy reading to all!

Darlene

Coronavirus and the Next Meal

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Greetings, friends! Hope you all are safe and well during this crazy, difficult time.

Here at my house in the days of Covid-19, it’s all about the next meal. I feel like I no sooner finish the cleanup from one and I’m to thinking about the next! What is it? When is it? What’s needed? How long to cook? How much prep? Is it thawed? Do we have all the ingredients? Is there anything in the fridge about to go bad? Didn’t we just make that?

And the biggest question: are we capable of doing this? I am not a cook. Before social distancing and the coronavirus occurred, my husband and I ate out almost every night. Exceptions were made for nasty weather or scheduling conflicts, but we are regulars at a lot of local eateries. And eating out accounted for a good chunk of our social life as well. I miss it so much!

What a difference a month can make. My 37-year-old crock pot and slightly newer dishwasher are getting a workout like never before. Both my kitchen freezer/fridge and the spare in the garage are at max capacity. That never happens unless we’re having a party! Sadly, that is not the case.

I’ve become a fan of meals that can cover two days, at least a dinner and next day’s lunch. Crock-pot turkey breasts are great. Easy tacos and soups. Lots of fresh veggies!

We’ve tried carryout a few times because we really want our favorite restaurants to make it through this difficult time. Unfortunately, it’s been kind of hit-and-miss and not all foods are ideal for take-out. For now, thanks to grocery stores and delivery peeps, we’re managing to feed ourselves. Though the repertoire is limited, we’re making it work!

How’s the cooking/eating going at your house?

Darlene

Let’s talk cookies (the sugar kind)!

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Hey, friends, who’s looking for something fun to do on a shut-in Friday afternoon? Tomorrow I’m taking a little break from writing to host a group chat about making cookies! Specifically – making sugar cookies. If you’ve known me long or follow me on social media, you’ve probably seen a number of cookie posts. At 2 p.m. (central time) tomorrow, join me on my author page, and we can share tips and tricks on making and frosting these sweet treats! #socialdistancing
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I’m not a baking professional by any means, but I’ve been doing this a few years and people often ask me questions about my recipe, the process and my frosting techniques. Thought it might be a fun thing to do while we’re all hanging out at home! 🙂

Hope to “see” you there!

Darlene

A little spring cheer!

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Well, March Madness didn’t happen, and neither did a spring break trip. For me, this time of year is normally heavy in the sports department. Often, we’re in California watching tennis at Indian Wells. At the same time, we’re frantically searching for a place  to watch the basketball games, KU Jayhawks in particular. We’re checking our brackets, enthusiastically circling our wins and sadly crossing through the teams that didn’t make it. Not this year. We’re doing our part to social distance, stay home, and get through the coronavirus crisis.

But, before everything went crazy, I did have the opportunity to make a quick dash to Dallas and enjoy a little splash of spring. The flowers are already blooming there! I can always count on a nice day and flowers to bring some cheer. Here’s a peek at some of the sights at the Dallas Arboretum. Enjoy!

Wishing you all a safe and healthy spring.

Darlene

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