Spring Has Finally Sprung! by Tracey J Lyons

It has been a record breaking rainy and cold spring here in the part of upstate New York that I live in and no amount of social media cheer seemed to help me!  I would see all the pictures my friends from the southern part of the country were posting and try not to be green with envy. Where they had daffodils and lilacs, I had puddles where the flowers should be.

There were days when I thought we were going to be in this weather pattern of dark, dreary, dampness forever. And then one day the clouds lifted and don't you know the thermometer actually went above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

I swear on that first sunny day walking outside was like stepping out of a dark cave.

This past weekend my husband and I worked double time to get caught up on our yard work. We built a brand new raised bed vegetable garden. We planted potatoes, tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, green beans, peas, and cucumbers, then we ran out of space! Out in the front of the house, under my guidance, my husband planted over one hundred summer flower bulbs.

Our youngest son gave me a beautiful rose bush for mother's day to add to our front yard flower garden.

If I learned one thing this long, wet spring, it's that the weather patterns like our lives, can be ever changing. You have to be patient, something that's really hard for me and remember that in order to appreciate the warm, sunny days, you have endure some rain along the way.

I hope your spring is filled with an abundance of sunshine!

I'd love to hear about your spring gardens!

Tracey

Follow me!
https://www.facebook.com/TraceyJLyonsAuthor/
https://www.instagram.com/traceylyonsauthor/
www.traceyjlyons.com
twitter @traceyjlyons
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tracey-j-lyons

A Love For Lizzie

Print June 18, 2019
Digital July 1, 2019

Spring has arrived in The Texas Hill Country

Jolene Navarro, checking in from the Texas Hill Country. Driving up 10 to Kerrville this weekend I saw the first signs of spring. Texas wildflowers are blooming. Our famous Bluebonnets kick off the new season.
Of course, this means I have a mission for my walks. Lots and lots of pictures of flowers. Since it's my turn to visit the blog I'm sharing one of my favorite seasonal changes with you.

Pull up a rocking chair and join me as I sit on the porch enjoying the cool breeze. We can take in the beautiful landscape and flowers.

I love the beauty that God created and creates daily all around us. Watching the sunset never gets old. It used to be my dad's favorite time of day.
I have so many memories of sitting after a busy day and listening to the creek below my parent's house.  We'd sit on the porch, not saying much and watching the sun slip down behind the hills.

And we need to rest up because soon Fiesta will hit San Antonio and it is a two-week party. River parades, pageants, incredibly decorated hats, stunning dresses art festivals, music, food, more parades and did I mention food?

So if you're looking for spring, come join me. If you want to read more about the Texas Hill Country you can pick up any of my books.  Right now you can get a digital copy of Lone Star Bride, my historical romance, for 1.99

https://www.amazon.com/Lone-Star-Bride-Inspired-Historical

Or you can visit Clear Water, Texas in the heart of the Texas Hill Country

  

What are the first signs of spring do you look for around your home?

If you leave me a comment, I'll put your name in a drawing for a free ebook of your choice.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Linda Goodnight here. It’s that time of year again. Spring has come to Oklahoma, and I have a yearning to be out in the garden playing in the dirt. Below is a photo I took near our pond, an old "home place" where flowers grow untended. Can anyone tell me what that white bush is?

I normally grow little tiny tomato gardens but this year Mr. G. plowed up a huge garden spot. I hope I can follow through with this grand idea of growing and preserving my own corn, okra,  tomatoes and so on. One thing I know about gardening. It takes work. Even on days when the sun is too hot or my body is too tired, a garden won’t wait. Weeds take over. The plants dry out. The fruit over-ripens and dies. I have to persevere.

Writing a book is a lot like growing a garden. It takes perseverance-from plowing the fertile ground of the imagination to the seed of an idea that, with careful tending, can take root on the page. Once the story seed blooms, I must dig out the pesky weeds of too much back story, overused adverbs and stilted dialogue. Yes, writing a book takes lots of work, but like the garden harvest, the end result is worth all the sweat and effort.(Remind me I said this in August when it’s 100 degrees!)

Are you planting a garden this spring? Have you ever? And please somebody, identify that white bush!

Linda Goodnight’s latest writing “fruit” is The Rain Sparrow, available now anywhere books are sold. 

The Library Journal says: Tender, haunting, and soul-satisfying, this story of hope, redemption, and justice skillfully blends romances in two separate time periods.

www.lindagoodnight.com

Anticipation by Merrillee Whren

Our lives are made up of anticipation. We look forward to lots of things. When I was in college, I had a professor who said we shouldn't make a surprise visit to our parents, but we should let them know we were coming so they could have the pleasure of the anticipation of our visit. I have always remembered that. Half the fun of an event is the expectation involved.

Where I live in the desert, I anticipate the blooming of the cacti. Here's a photo that symbolizes anticipation.

The little pods on the top of the saguaro are going to be beautiful white flowers. Here is what they look like.

This is a prickly pear cactus with buds and one bloom. There's a lot of anticipation in those tiny buds.

Here's what a prickly pear looks like with lots of blooms.

Just for fun I'll share some more cacti and their blooms that I've taken in previous years. The cacti are only starting to bloom now. I'm looking forward to the beautiful flowers.

When we read romances, we anticipate the happy ending. We expect that the hero and heroine to find happiness with each other.

I'm anticipating the release of my second Village of Hope book in August, and I'm looking forward to sharing the cover when it's available.What kinds of things are you anticipating?

 Second Chance Reunion, Village of Hope Book #1

Real Strength Comes Through Enduring Hardships

Janet Lee Barton here--Can you believe the winter we've all had? From coast to coast, border to border, I think this is one of the worst winters I've seen in a while. Between freezing temps, snow and ice, horrible traffic jams and electrical outages, one can begin to wonder if Spring will ever get here.

I planted pansies in the fall, but before they had a chance to really get going, in blew the winds of winter! Then it warmed up and they perked up. Then it got really cold again...blanketing them with snow or ice or both, over and over again. I watched as they peaked out from it all and then hid again--numerous times. But with the above normal temperatures we've had in the last few days, they have begun to perk up,  even opening a few new blossoms.

These delicate flowers are so much stronger than they appear. Kind of like some of our heroines from our hero's point of view.  But give them some hardships and watch them blossom! 

That's what I try to show in the stories in my LIH Boardinghouse Betrothal series. Women who've become stronger for what they've gone through in their pasts. Look for Elizabeth's story, A Home For Her Heart, in September and Rebecca's story, no title yet, next spring.  I'm working on it now and loving every minute of it.

I hope wherever you are, Spring comes quickly!

The Cycle of Life. Christine Johnson

This time of year always reminds me of the ever-changing cycle of life. Spring's reawakening and brilliant colors usher in a burst of energy for those of us living in the north. The days get longer. The sun wakes me at five in the morning and stays up until almost ten o'clock at night. I feel energized.

Autumn brings a less exciting promise. The sun will sleep longer. The leaves turn color and fall to the ground as the earth prepares for the long winter's rest. My energy wanes, and I look forward to an extra hour of sleep when we move from daylight saving time to standard time.

It's at this time of year many years ago that my grandfather died from cancer - my first brush with death. Recently, friends have lost family members - sons, husbands, wives. How easy it would be to see only the falling leaves and the stark earth, yet God has given us a promise through His Son. I see that promise in the vibrant colors of autumn leaves. They remind me that spring will arrive in due time with rebirth and renewal. So too will life begin again in an entirely new and vibrant way, far beyond anything we can imagine. Through all seasons, He is there, showing us hope.

Give someone a hug today and shine a little light in their lives.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)



Christine Johnson
Groom by Design - coming July 2014
http://christineelizabethjohnson.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChristineJohnsonAuthor
Twitter: @ChristineJWrite

Dream Vacations

Happy Spring, ladies! Karen Kirst here to talk about favorite vacation destinations. The sunnier, warmer days make me want to plan a trip. How about you? But where? The beach? Mountains? Maybe a quaint little town with a cozy bed and breakfast?

My favorite place to visit is the Czech Republic. That’s partially because my husband grew up there and his family still lives there. (We like to tease him that he’s now a redneck Czech.) But family aside, it’s a beautiful country with centuries-old castles, jaw-dropping cathedrals, stone-paved roads and the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted-so thick and rich it’s almost like pudding. I love the unique pottery, the Bohemian crystal and china. The bakeries and aisles of all types of salami and fresh-baked bread. Their stucco houses are often painted pastel colors, pale yellows and greens and pinks that brighten the long, snowy winters. I haven’t been for three years and am longing to go back!
What about you? What places do you like to visit? Or dream of visiting one day?

Groundhog Day History and the Writer Take Two

Kim Watters on Groundhog Day-Take Two.

Isn't Punxsutawney Phil cute?

Because of our wonderful Valentine's story, my blog was postponed for a month. Being the type of writer who hates to delete things, I'm revising it and reposting. Gee, the story of a writer's life.

Well, it's been a month now, has Spring sprung yet? I don't believe Phil saw his shadow so what's with the weather? We had snow in North Phoenix over the weekend!

For those of you who don't know, the following is a bit of history of how the day began.

(Adapted from "Groundhog Day: 1886 to 1992" by Bill Anderson) Credit given to The Official Punxsutawney Groundhog Club

European Roots

Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. Myths such as this tie our present to the distant past when nature did, indeed, influence our lives. It is the day that the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow.

If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole.

If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.

The groundhog tradition stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and the days of early Christians in Europe, and for centuries the custom was to have the clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. Even then, it marked a milestone in the winter and the weather that day was important.

As a writer I can relate to poor Phil.

We hibernate as we write our manuscripts, venturing out only when we have to to eat or do laundry or other tasks that keep the household running. We slave away in our dark, little caves, churning out page after page of wonderful prose destined to meet with editorial and reader approval.

And then comes the revision letter.

If it's an easy one, (no shadow), we can emerge from our caves and enjoy life a bit more as the winter season has passed.

If it's a complicated one, (shadow), we scurry back into our caves for a few more weeks of a writing frenzy until we can emerge again and enjoy the spring.

As for this writer, I just emerged from my cave for a bit, waiting for my editor's reply.

The Power of Blogs

We live in a marvelous time. I'm amazed at the way we can communicate with each other these days. Anyone from the average person to someone who is famous throughout the world can have a blog. The Craftie Ladies have a blog, and we can talk about so many things. In the past few months, I've been introduced to a blog site called Caring Bridge. Their slogan is "Connecting family and friends when health matters most."

My first encounter with Caring Bridge came when a dear friend, with whom I had played tennis many times, went into the hospital for a routine heart procedure. The doctor had done this procedure hundreds of times, but this time something went wrong, and my friend had a stroke. She went into a coma. At this time one of her sons started to blog and give us updates on the Caring Bridge site. His daily updates were an inspiration to those who loved my friend. Many people prayed for her recovery, but the Lord saw fit to take her home. Now I know she is rejoicing and singing in heaven, because she loved to sing. Her witness for the Lord touched many, and even after she left us to be with the Lord, her testimony lived on. Her son shared the messages from the funeral services on Caring Bridge for those who were unable to attend the inspiring and uplifting service.

My most recent encounter with Caring Bridge came when my mother-in-law's good friend, who had gone north with his wife for the summer, fell while working in the yard. He had multiple internal injuries that resulted in pancreatitis and diabetes. He nearly lost his life. His wife began posting updates on Caring Bridge to which I subscribed so I could update my mother-in-law since she doesn't use a computer. Over the months this man's health improve little by little with some setbacks but ultimately better health. His health improved enough that he and his wife were able to travel back to Florida for a short visit. They arrived here this past Tuesday. I loved her statement in her last blog. "Spring waited for us."

Normally, by this time of year, the azalea blooms have come and gone as well as the Indian Hawthorne blooms. But this year because of an usually long and much colder winter than normal, the azaleas are in full bloom now. The photo below shows what the cold did to my oleander plants. If you look closely, you might see some green leaves right at the base of the plant (not the pesky dollar weed to the left) where it is coming back from the roots. Even in nature, God gives us a picture of the rebirth we have can in Jesus.



But the photo below shows the glorious array of azaleas in the part of my yard that looks out on the local golf course. Spring has finally come. God probably knew that my mother-in-law's friend would need to see this late spring.



Praise God for His wonderful creation!

Do you find blogs informative? How do you use them?

I think Spring is here--Lenora Worth

Hello. I think spring is finally here. I have a big back yard full of trees and all sorts of blooming greenery, but this winter just about took care of all of my flowers and shrubs. Our saga palms are now bald and without fronds. We had to cut them back to scratch and hope they'd sprout wings again. My jasmine bush died on the vine. The Confederate jasmine survived and seems to be thriving. It has the most wonderful smelling yellow blossoms. My gardenias took a direct hit but we managed to cut away the dead leaves and find green underneath. Most of my hibiscus and parlor ferns died underneath the protective plastic we thought was saving them. I had ferns that had been growing for years and now they are gone.

But ... I'm blessed. Our yard didn't flood; our house is still intact. We didn't suffer an earthquake or a flood. We just had a harsh winter. I often wonder if God made sure we'd have spring after winter so we could rejoice in the rebirth of our world and see the hope of that rebirth in our own lives. One of the blessings of Easter is that after death comes triumph, after sorrow comes joy. This is our hope. When bad things happen in the world, we have the hope of Christ to guide us through the darkest of winters. I pray for all those hurting out there, that you may see the hope of a fresh new spring just around the corner. Hope springs eternal.

This hope is why we write our stories. We are blessed to write what we call the three-cord plot--with a faith element and with all the joy and conflict of falling in love. We have external conflicts, internal emotions and a strong faith element in our stories. And for that reason, each time we start a new book, it's like spring blossoming all over again. Happy Spring. Look for a flower bud today. If you look closely you'll find one I'm sure.

May the Countdown Begin!

May Day(anyone remember those fun days of childhood), Mother's Day, Graduations, Birds, and Rain.

I always associate Spring with Mother's day because that was my request every year as the kids were growing up and asking what I wanted for "my" day. It was always flowers to plant in our containers and maybe even a new flower to plant in the gardens. Spring is the most uplifting time of year. And here in Colorado, it's just around the corner.

Plus, in Colorado, we don't dare plant anything fragile like flowers until after mother's day because we so often get our final major snow of the year that weekend, which also happens to be graduation weekend for most colleges in the area. And since I work at the university and live on the fringe of the university, this is a major day in our year! This year, we don't seem to be catching a break for our springtime weekends to get our yards cleaned up. It's rained every weekend for the last four weeks in a row, with snow several weekdays. It seems like every Wednesday, the sun has broken through the clouds and been gloriously warm – making it oh-so-tempting to leave for lunch and not return. And then by Friday, here comes the moisture again. This weekend is holding true to that pattern.

Three weeks ago we prepared for spring by cleaning out our canoe. You see, our house sits about 6 inches lower than our neighbors, and heavy downpours the water flows right over the rain gutters and into our basement. So in 2002, as my husband, daughter, our neighbor, his son, and I were out in the 3 hour downpour, trying to keep the water from creating a waterfall right into our house, I realized, the canoe that sits between our houses ¾ of the year without use, could finally do us some good. We flipped it over, and voila, we save our basement. And three weeks ago, even with a slow and steady rain, we filled the canoe twice, siphoned it out to the front lawn and let it do a little more good there before it flows down river. (One of these years we really should fix the landscape the "right" way, but this is so much more fun and fitting to our lives.)

I opened the door to let the dogs out this morning to a chorus of singing birds, and I have to admit, it was wonderful to hear their chipper little voices, even if there is rain on the way in just a few hours. It brought a smile to my face. I'm not much of a morning person and I do NOT wake up cheering the sunrise, even though we do have some pretty awesome sunrises in Colorado, too. I wake up dragging myself out of the warm, snuggly bed, tripping over the cat and dogs, racing them up the stairs to go outside. So anything that can make me smile at 5 am is nothing short of a miracle.

I can't wait for one more week, I want to play in the dirt and get my flowers in the ground! I want to see color in my gardens when I walk up to my house! I am definitely anxious for next weekend, when I can join the birds in their morning songs. And even with the rain, I still love spring!

One Refreshing Day by Missy Tippens

Missy here. Since we’re talking about spring and renewal this month, I had the idea of sharing the beautiful photo at the left (from a redbud tree at our church) and telling how, after years of drought, we’ve had a fairly wet spring, etc., etc.

But then yesterday we had the most wonderful day—a renewing, refreshing day for me. And I wanted to share it with all of you.

My son plays on the middle school tennis team. They had their last match last week, but for fun, the coach arranged to have an 8th grade student and teacher doubles tournament . Each 8th grader was matched with a teacher and played doubles against another teacher/student team.
First off, it was an absolutely perfect spring day. Sunny and about 65 degrees. But what was so refreshing to me was how supportive the teachers were to show up after school hours to take part in the event. They cheered for the kids, teased with them, and had good competitive fun.

You know, I’ve been really impressed with the middle school teachers. They show up for a good many events above and beyond the call of duty. And they do it out of caring for the kids—at an age where the kids aren’t always so easy to love! That’s what was so refreshing to me yesterday. We so often hear the negative stories about school and teachers. So I’m happy to share a bit of the positive.

And as an addendum, today a bunch of those same teachers were out helping with a county-wide track meet!

I hope you’ll share a story of renewal or of something that has refreshed you recently.
Missy

Spring is in the Air

April is here and with it the spring sunshine has finally made an appearance. We actually had warm weather up into the high sixties.

Our family took our first bike ride of the season through Cook Park where paved bike paths wind along the Tualatin River, through a Butterfly Garden, past the many sports fields (where several little league games were in progress) and a picnic area complete with a huge play structure and sandpit.

And then, like most everyone else in town, or so it seemed with how crowded it was, we headed to downtown Portland with our two dogs in tow for a long walk along the river front park, a paved path with lots of green lawn running the length of the banks of Willamette river and then on to the Saturday Market where we wandered through the various vendors hawking their wares and the eclectic assortment of food choices. Snow cones and Thai food were are choices for the day.

It was a good weekend and a wonderful way to revive ourselves after a long cold winter. Though, the weather man predicts another cold snap coming our way soon, but for this moment, I felt a renewal in my spirit that can only carry over to my writing.

Happy Spring everyone!

New Beginnings

Springtime is associated with with new beginnings. What paints a better picture than trees as they display their new leaves or flowers as their color and beauty spread across the landscape? Here's a photo I took from the deck of my friends' cabin in the north Georgia mountains last spring when I was doing research for my April book, HOMECOMING BLESSINGS. If only I had stopped and taken a photo of the Dogwood trees that were in full bloom when I passed through Atlanta on my way to the mountains.



The leaves were just starting to pop out on the trees on the hillsides above the lake when I took this picture. The signs of new beginnings were everywhere. The theme of HOMECOMING BLESSINGS is new beginnings for the hero, heroine and even her father. What better time is there to tackle something new than in the spring when we see so many signs of renewal?

Two scriptures come to mind as I think about new beginnings—one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 40:30-31.

³⁰ "Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

The other scripture comes from Romans 12:2.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—
his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Life is reassuring when we know that God is there to guide us and renew our spirits and our minds and give us the strength to make that new beginning. Whatever it is.