May 2023
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Hi, All!
Ahhh! May. That time of year for planting. The rule of thumb this far north is to never plant flowers until after Mother’s Day—somehow, the magic week for the last frost. However, my green thumb can never resist. Every single year, on the first few warm days of spring, I make a mad dash to buy flowers, hanging planters and seeds for my garden. Then, the cold reappears. The snow falls. And I’m left bringing plants in and out of my house for the next month. Does anyone else perform this springtime ritual?
What’s On My Desk
Piles of information on tobacco cultivation, curing, marketing, and processing. Before your curiosity strikes, be assured I’m not planting tobacco in my backyard, though after hours of research, I have a mind to try. But for now, the information is for my upcoming historical fiction novel.
…be assured I’m not planting tobacco in my backyard…
Last month you got a sneak peek into the character lives of Simone and Charlotte. This month, meet James and Rosalie.
James Worthington is the only son of a wealthy Virginia Plantation owner.
He will someday inherit Huntington Manor and the slaves who work the land. When James travels with his father to Syracuse for a business meeting with the prominent George Farnsworth, he meets his daughter Rosalie and immediately falls in love with her. Rosalie Farnsworth was raised in New York, a free state in the 1800s, and has a mind of her own. She and James have much in common but come from two very different walks of life. James sees slavery as part of life. Rosalie detests it. Can they build a life together, or will their differences break them?
What I’m Reading Now
I love book recommendations— here are a couple I’m reading now.
The Davenports
by Krystal Marquis
One of Us Is Lying
by Karen M. McManus
Books On My Nightstand
I’m Glad My Mom Died
by Jennette McCurdy
It Ends with Us
by Colleen Hoover
From the Dog’s POV
The long winter days of curling up and snoozing have ended, and now that the warmer weather is here, I’ve got my work cut out for me. My human is still tapping away at her computer, but she’s moved outside midday to gather her thoughts and some sunshine.
My human does this curious thing every spring. She hauls plants in and out of the house every day. When outside, I see chipmunks scurrying about seeking a tasty seed, so I’m all about protecting these plants with my life. My human is bound to see what an excellent guard dog I am and surely reward me with a tasty treat of my own—a fish skin—my favorite!
…gems like me are considerate…
It’s another reason why I’m the best dog in the world.
I confess. I fall asleep on the job a lot—but it’s only because the sun is warm and relaxing. Besides, my human can’t fully concentrate with me on full alert all the time. She will definitely see my willingness to nap as doing her a favor because gems like me are considerate. It’s another reason why I’m the best dog in the world.
Fun Facts
Fun Fact #1: “Mother's Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Jarvis would later denounce the holiday's commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar.” Google.
Fun Fact #2: My mom is a mother of 10 (started in 1953). A grandmother of 17 (started in 1973). And great-grandmother of 33 (started in 2000).
To all the mamas out there— including fur baby mamas— Happy Mother’s Day!
As Always,
Your support of my writing and novels has always brought me joy, and being invited to book clubs, school events, presentations, and Zooms is a pleasure.
Julie