Guess the feet (and more on brainstorming retreat)

I got home a little before midnight last night so am posting a very quick post for today (Tuesday). What a fabulous trip and time of rejuvenation and brainstorming with the Ladies of Coeur d'Alene this year. So precious. It was our tenth reunion and such fun!

Here are some glimpses from the weekend...

The group of CdA Ladies (minus sweet Sunni Jeffers who couldn't join us this year)

YUMMY fruit salad (the food we fix is always delicious!)

Guess the feet! Whose foot is whose? There are 3 of us who have size 9.5 feet or larger. Can you guess who these feet belong to? And no, we didn't plan the matching color!

Parting is such sweet sorrow... 

Wait, Sharon's smiling like crazy. She must be glad to be leaving me! Hey...

Lovely wildlife

And beautiful walks... Does it get any better?

Acting a little silly with Karen Ball and our own Robin Lee

When's the last time you got to get away? Got to be with a group of women that you love? That make you laugh? Friends that know you inside and out and yet love you anyway? 

Tammy

Retreating

I wrote a post back in 8/1/11 about the annual brainstorming retreat I have the privilege of attending every year. In it I explained how these retreats work for us. So if you're a writer and you're wondering (or if you're a reader and curious), you might want to follow that link.

As I prepare this post on Sunday, I am seated at the dining room table with Tamera Alexander, Francine Rivers, and Karen Ball, each of us with a laptop in front of us (three MacBooks, one PC, in case you're wondering) writing away. Some of our group had to depart today. We all hate it as the departures begin because we know it will be too long until we are together again.

Since I am feeling a little brain dead after hours and days of brainstorming and hours and days of laughter, not to mention nights of way too little sleep, I'm going to make this a short post, and simply share a few photos of these wonderful women I love oh-so-much.

L to R: Tricia Goyer, Brandilyn Collins, Karen Ball, Janet Ulbright, Robin Lee Hatcher, Francine Rivers, Tamera Alexander, Gayle DeSalles, Sheila Lovell, and Sharon Dunn

L to R: Karen, Sharon, Tamera, Robin, Francine, Gayle, Tricia, Brandilyn

Seated: Sheila and Janet

Four writers, just returning from a brisk walk in the beautiful Idaho mountains. My Fitbit told me we climbed the equivalent of 21 stories on our walk. Our Tamera is the force behind any exercise we get.

See you next week.

~robin

Summer Games

Marching to music around a track. Feats of bravery, strength, speed, endurance, grace. Ceremonies and awards. Flags and fireworks.

When my kids were little, we had our very own summer “olimpics.” (That word is trademarked. Their symbol, flag, etc are all trademarked, too. OTOH, since anything athletic is bound to make me limp, I figure my version is honest and unique.)

Back to the story, though....Weaving dollar-store hula hoops together into an erstwhile symbol, neighborhood children decided what the events would be this year. Longest hanging time from the monkey bars… most sommersaults… fastest time to do five chin ups….  Should we add longest upside down hanging this time? Best cartwheel? Bike riding? Rings?

Using nails to punch orange juice can lids and a hot glue gun to attach ribbon on for the awards, the kids continued to plan things. Which was better: walking farther on stilts, or staying upright on them longer? They decided to feature both since two kids could win.

With their sense of fairness, the desire to include everyone, and to create ways for the younger or weaker friends to be winners, they embodied the true olympic spirit. Once, we had a biggest bubble blower contest so someone with a broken leg could still compete!

For weeks, everyone trained.

When the Big Week arrived, out came the tub of instruments: Jingle clacks, kazoos, rhythm sticks, tamborines still didn't drown out the shout-singing of whichever tune they sang for the opening ceremony.

We celebrated with slices of melon, ice pops or punch until the last day. Then, with whichever parents wanted to attend, we held a barbeque and awarded the ribbons. Disneyland’s fireworks lit the sky, and life was beautiful.

Tonight the opening ceremonies for the world Olympics is on TV. For just a few minutes, it’s easy to pretend peace and kindness reign throughout the world. The nifty costumes, confetti, and applause don’t fool us, though. Our world is an upside down mess.

Jesus wanted to be surrounded by children. “Such is the kingdom of heaven.”  Ahhhh, yes. I don’t doubt He would have laughed at the red punch mustaches, embraced each winner, kissed away and scrapes or teardrops, and let each child know how very precious they are to Him.

That being said, He is beside each of us as we run the race, fight the fight, and keep the faith. I’d rather have that and peace in my hearts than receive a gold medal at the Olympics as the world rages.

 Hula hoops, sno cones, and victory. Y’all are invited to my brand of summer games.

Sneakers and jeans are fine. No one has to wear a leotard.

Cathy

Summer in Montana

It's finally summer in Montana and so beautiful. I thought I'd share a few shots and let you know what you're missing.

We shaved Mack so he could be cooler. He's almost a year old and what a difference.






Here he is at just a few days old - he's the one on the right. Now he's 70 lbs. and full of action.

The neighborhood has greened up despite the lack of rain most of Montana is experiencing.

This is the same area John Bozeman brought travelers through on their way west. It's not hard to see why they stayed. The pictures don't even begin to do it justice.




This picture makes me think of that song that talks about how, "the heavens declare you are God and the mountains rejoice"

And this is my outdoor writing office. I find it so inspiring to sit here and see the beauty all around me. The air is so crisp and dry and the sun so intense. I feel more than a little blessed to be sure and wanted to share it with you.

Oh, and I'm starting to write a new book and would definitely appreciate prayers. I know some of you pray regularly for me, so please keep this new project in prayer.

God Bless You!
Tracie

Bit of a hodge-podge

It's been a wild couple of weeks. I couldn't post last week--my little travel computer and the hotel's internet service simply would NOT play nicely together. *ahem* But now I'm back. (Aren't you delighted? LOL) And I gotta get caught up.


So...first of all...remember this pic? I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the "cat"-ptions--y'all were so clever! But I have to admit, the one that made me laugh the hardest was by Ann P.: 

"Are you almost finished? I want to play Angry Birds NOW!" 

So, ANN P., please send your snail mail addy to me (via Kim at KimVogelSawyer dot com) so I can get a kitty-related item in the mail to you. Thanks, everyone, for playing!


The past few days I've enjoyed the company of our little Wugmump. She started walking a couple of weeks ago (at 10 1/2 months!), so she is constant motion. But so entertaining! I probably shot a hundred pics over the three days she was here.

Speaking of shooting pictures...the ultra-talented Ken Raney of Clash Creative spent hours photographing our inn so we can put together brochures and update our website. The way he framed the shots made everything so inviting--he made ME want to stay here at The King's Inn! Here's just one sample...

Lovely, isn't it??? I'll share more at a later date. :o)


And let me end with this... A commercial from the BBC that is guaranteed to make you smile. God did such an amazing job creating this world, and these images capture His creation beautifully. Enjoy!





God bless you muchly as you journey with Him! ~Kim


P.S. -- Happy birthday today to my "baby" brother, Brad! I'm so glad I didn't give you away in the grocery store when I was three. :o)

National Carousel Day (and a giveaway!)

Today, July 25, is National Carousel Day, so hop on a horse, a giraffe, a reiondeer or sit in a chariot and enjoy a ride on a merry-go-round if you can locate one in your town. If you live here in Topeka, you can enjoy a ride on a 1908 Herschell-Spillman carousel that houses a 1909 Wurlitzer band organ or you can go to Abilene and visit the C.W. Parker Museum and ride one of his carousels. To the left is the Allan Herschell Carrousel Company in Towanda, New York (established in 1872).

If you live in Iowa, you can choose from four carousels. The one located in Story City is a 1913 Herschell-Spillman, the one in Mt. Pleasant was constructed in 1894 has the original hand-carved animals. There are two replicas, one in the city of Arnolds Park, Iowa and other in Des Moines. Below right is a Herschell-Spillman band organ.

Those of you who regularly visit Writes of Passage know that I have a genuine fondness for carousels which led to me writing The Carousel Painter several years ago. I know I’ve shared lots of pictures of carousels, but I couldn’t let today pass without once again sharing some of my favorite carousel pictures. I stand amazed at the craftsmanship of these artisans!

A wonderful trio of reindeer--aren't they spectacular?

A sweet trio of giraffes looking spotty.

And a wonderful chariot for those who prefer something more tame.

So did you enjoy riding a carousel when you were young? If so, what was your favorite animal?

And in honor of National Carousel Day, I'm giving away a copy of The Carousel Painter.


Here's a quick peek:

When Carrington Brouwer receives the enviable job of painting carousel horses for a factory in Ohio, she believes her future is secure. But after an expensive necklace disappears from the home where she’s been staying, she’s caught up in a search for the truth that puts her entire livelihood—and her developing relationship with the factory manager—at risk. Can she lead police to the real culprit before she loses everything?

If you're interested in winning, just leave a comment and your email address in the comment section below anytime before noon, Tuesday, July 31 and I’ll post the name of the winner on August 1 here on this blog. Sorry, International and Canadian friends, only U.S. mail addresses please.
 
May you find joy as you explore your creativity.

~Judy

P.S. Nancy Mehl is going to be doing Book Banter on her new Mennonite suspense book for Bethany House on Thursday from 11:00 to 1:00 CST, so hop on over and enjoy some fun with Nancy as she tells you about her writing journey and latest book--but wait until tomorrow--she won't be there today. :)

Snarky friends... Does it get any better?

Last week I was in Orlando at the International Christian Retailers Show, and I had the pleasure of meeting with interviewers and book buyers and chatting about books. But no meeting was more fun than that with our own Ms. Linda Rivers Attaway of Christian Fiction Online Magazine. A woman more commonly known as Mocha with Linda.

Linda and I had a blast chatting and whispering and trying not to make too much noise (not an easy task, I tell you) in the media room where others were also gathered. And Linda's sweet (and not-just-a-little-bit snarky) gift didn't help either. It was all so nice…except for the Duck Tape! Which has a story behind it.

Long story short, this past fall I hosted the first Book Banter on Bethany House's FB Page, and FB eventually "banned" me that day for over commenting. Can you imagine? Banning me from talking?! Well, a while later that day I came back to find that the lovely Miss Attaway had posted the picture...

The nerve. I mean, really! It's hard to get any respect these days.  <VBG> Click to read the original post. Now, back to Linda's almost-but-not-quite-fully-lovely gift... 

Wasn't this sweet of her!

And the candle! Remember the Creamy Praline Pecan Pie I posted about a while back? This candle smells so much like that pie. Yum! 

And the Longhorns were delicious. They were plane flight fodder, and so much better than Southwest's peanuts.

Don't you love the "fork" votive holder? Perfect for pie and too cute! Bless you, Linda, for your kind snarkiness. Not sure which trait I like better, woman. : )

Don't you love it when a friend goes the extra mile to make you feel special? What's something you've been given that's made you feel special? Or what fun (and maybe snarky) thing have you done for someone else to let them know they're loved?

Blessings on your Tuesday,

Tammy

Homes for My Characters

Most of my historical novels have been set during what is known as the Victorian era. According to Wikipedia, this was "the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The Victorian Era style of clothing and style, however, ended in 1912." And although it's named for Britain's queen, the era was experienced in America too.

I have lots of research books on Victorian etiquette, clothing, carriages, inventions, homes, etc. It's the (American) Victorian homes I've been looking at a lot lately.

I always either find a house plan or sketch one of my own for the places my characters live. As an aside: The hardest sketch I ever did was for the medieval romance that I wrote way back when. I didn't need just the castle. I had to draw the keep and know where the drawbridge was and how the village was laid out.

Recently, I purchased a book with a CD of Victorian homes. (Oh, be still my happy heart!) So I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorites.

This house is going to make an appearance in my next series. It just screams "Victorian home in the Rocky Mountains," don't you think?

The above is perfect for the ranchers who appear with some regularity in my books.

Let's not forget the middle class city dwellers. Usually long and narrow, these apartments had lots of stairs to climb, day in and day out. No one needed a pedometer to make sure they took enough steps.

Lots of old Boise homes look like this one. Love the round turrets.

Shopkeepers often had living quarters above their stores. This is a nice brick home and business. I'm betting this building will soon reside in one of my towns.

The home in the middle is where my current heroine lived with her mother at the start of the novel. Cozy.

If money was no object, I would buy a big, old Victorian home and restore it to look as it did 120 years ago while having all the modern conveniences artfully disguised. (I may love the past, but I'm awfully fond of my creature comforts.)

~robin

Warm Wishes for the Bride

Tracie wrote about wedding gowns yesterday.

I thought I’d wrap up today by discussing bridal shawls. (Pun intended, in honor of PJ)

Before the Industrial Revolution, making cloth occupied much of a woman’s time. Only the wealthiest women had wedding gowns. New shoes for the wedding day were a great treat. Practicality reigned supreme…. But brides sometimes received a very prized gift: A shawl.

What could be more practical than a shawl? It could serve as a scarf while attending church, cover a woman from head to hips in bad weather, be unfolded and serve as a blanket, swaddle a baby, become a bedspread, tablecloth, picnic blanket…

In some cultures, like India, the groom gave the bride a shawl. Kashmir made the finest shawls—woven from the soft undercoat of the belly of their goats—fur called pashmina.  (Hmmm. Does that sound oh-so-modern? I have a few wonderful pashmina shawls. Do you?) Kashmir somehow got changed to cashmere.

An early and oft-seen type of shawl in portraits is white and airy. The artisan spun the very finest wool or goat hair, then knit into lace pieces that were veils, then worn for church. These were so fine, they could pass through a wedding ring! Such pieces, though, were still frivolous enough to be only for a wealthy bride.

Or maybe not. Women are determined, and once they get a notion in their minds, they find a way to make things happen. In Orenburg, Russia, the goats have exceptionally fine hair. Knit tightly, the shawls were exceptionally warm, yet thin. It wasn’t long before someone got the idea of pairing the goathair with silk. In the 1700s, Orenburg shawls became a huge industry. Many of these were so fine, they also passed through a wedding ring.

Napolean gave Eugenie a Kashmir shawl as a wedding gift. Europeans—and Americans took notice.

Paisley, Scotland and Norwich, England both made wondrous shawls. Often, shawls in England and America were called paisleys. Interestingly enough, the paisley teardrop pattern is only 250 years old. Before then, East Indian motifs depicted single plants with large flowers and thin wavy stems, small leaves and roots. Some of the pre-Revolutionary War shawls and quilts in America reflect that style. These shawls were exposed to heavier wear, so thicker weaves flourished.

Jenny Lind, the "Sweedish Nightengale" is shown here with her shawl on her lap.


Likewise, Marguerite-Charlotte David wanted to include her prized shawl in her portrait--but it would spoil the appearance of her gown, so it's on her arm. (Honestly, thought, could you take your eyes off that headpiece?!)

Madame Riviere owned both a ultra-fine lace shawl and a heavier cashmere shawl.Posing with both of them on (along with the jewelry) marked her as being a woman of style and wealth.

Harriet Beecher Stowe chose to wear her shawl when her picture was taken.
Young or old, rich or poor, women clung to their shawls.


China began exporting silk shawls with fringes by 1800, and embroidered ones appeared in Europe and America by 1820. These were called China shawls, China crepe shawls, and mantones de Manila because they were shipped from China to Manila to Spain. By 1865, Western culture veered away from these shawls, but they became part of folk dress in many other cultures.

Going from one extreme to the other, as the shawl fell out of style as an article of warmth in the late Victorian period, it turned into a decorative accessory. Lace that is almost all holes was created by Shetland knitting—and again, the wedding ring concept struck a romantic chord. Queen Victoria became an enthusiast, and soon knitting patterns for these shawls appeared in women’s periodicals.

 For all the wear and use shawls saw, they proved to be durable. During the Victorian era, a bride wore gloves with the fourth finger slit so the ring could be put on. Rarely did gloves last. Gowns turned into Sunday-best dresses, then everyday dresses or cut down for children. Shoes wore out. Yes, a wedding shawl often remained as the only garment from that long-ago day. Viewed as a treasure, they often were specifically willed to a favorite granddaughter or dear friend.

Warm wishes to you all,

 Cathy