Summer Sparkles

 Summer has always been my favorite season. As a child--and later as a teacher--June's arrival brought weeks of delicious freedom. I loved it!
But down here in Georgia, summer also brings some serious heat. As I've grown--ahem--older--I've liked that aspect of the season less and less. In fact this year I found myself dreading summer, and that made me kinda sad. Summer and I have been besties for a long time, and I don't want to forget about her good points.
So, I've been paying a little extra attention to the gifts and the lessons this summer has given me. I thought I'd share a few of them here--just in case I'm not the only one whose relationship with summer has hit a rough patch.

Summer makes me lazy, but our chickens? Not so much! They've been laying faithfully. We have enough eggs to share even though our hens are older and lay only every other day. But the eggs they do lay are bigger--so that's a good lesson for this older hen! Good to know I can pace myself and still be a faithful producer.








We've had plenty of rain which has resulted in our first ever

bumper blueberry crop! I begged for blueberry ideas on Facebook, and I was immediately provided with an avalanche of delicious recipes!

Peaches are in abundant supply, too! I wasn't sure I'd get any this year because our closest peach supplier retired. But a local friend told me her son's commute took him right past a peach-packing place. He picked up some seconds for me to can and freeze!
And so blueberries and peaches reminded me what an incredible blessing kind and helpful friends can be--both the ones I've come to know through Facebook and the ones I know in "real life."









Oh, and here's a cute one--while picking blueberries with my kids, we saw that a little bird had

built her nest right in the middle of the best-producing bush. It was a bird version of a bed and breakfast! This bold mama bird wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted--and she offered me a good lesson in gumption and practicality!

Of course the abundant rain also meant a bumper crop of weeds! This batch of green beans came from the weediest garden we've ever had! But hey--that just means you don't have to be perfect to be productive, right? And who doesn't need a reminder of that from time to time?










Once I started looking, I saw summer sparkles everywhere!

                           




 In the cheerfulness of this busy worker, pausing to smile for my camera as she wrapped up my purchase.

In the kind gentleness of my oldest son, steadying his eighty-four year old grandmother at his sister's piano recital.

                                       





                                           And in the brave enthusiasm of my
                                          three-year-old niece as she took her
                                          her first steps into the exciting                                                                world of ballet.

Yes, this searing hot summer has turned out to be pretty wonderful after all. And it's zipping by--cooler days will be here before we know it! In the meantime, let's crank up those air conditioners, slice some watermelon and collect our sparkling summer blessings like lightning bugs in a mason jar!

So tell me, sweet friends--what's making your summer shine?

Available now!

Let's Talk About Animals!

I was pondering what I wanted to talk about today--what element of writing or faith or
life in general that would be fun to share. And then I looked out my office window and saw
cows coming up to get a drink from their trough, and I had it!

Animals! Let’s talk about animals!

I love animals--my husband would quickly tell you--maybe a leetle too much! I’ve featured at
least one animal in each of my books so far. And I'm not a bit sorry, either--I think animals add a
fun sparkle to stories.

In my first book, A FAMILY FOR THE FARMER, I introduced Glory the world's bossiest
goose.

She even made the cover--no surprise--because she totally stole the show (and eventually the
wedding ring!) I loved writing about Glory--partly because I based her on our beloved “Goosey”
who patrols our barnyard to this very day.

Additional characters in that book pulled from our personal barn family included Beulah the milk cow

Beulah in the shade

and an assortment of Oberhasli 

dairy goats

Our youngest son loves goats!

In A BABY FOR THE MINISTER, another goat--an escape artist called Rufus--butted his way
into the heroine’s heart. While I don’t actually have a goat named Rufus, he is a combination of
numerous billy goats we have owned over the years.

   


      Goats are such gems--their unique personalities make them perfect for adding a dash of humor to any situation! (Whether you want it or not!)

Then in HOMETOWN HOPE (releasing tomorrow--woo hoo!) I added a puppy into the mix!
This is my daughter’s beloved Pembroke Welsh Corgi “Nugget.”

The puppy in my story was actually a mixed breed shelter rescue, but his mischievous personality? That was one hundred percent Nugget!

And this week I’m wrapping up my final edits for my fourth Love Inspired, A RANCHER TO
TRUST, coming out in January 2020. The four-legged star of that story? Lucy Ball--Beulah’s very
curious calf. Check out this attitude:

                       See why I couldn't resist putting her in a book? Isn’t she adorable?

So tell me--what animal has its paws (or claws or hooves) on your heart? Extra points if you
share a picture in the comments!

Laurel Blount lives on a small farm in middle Georgia with her husband, their four children, and an assortment of very spoiled animals.

She divides her time between farm chores, homeschooling, and writing. She's busy, but at least she's never bored! Laurel writes inspirational contemporary romance, and Hometown Hope is her third title for Harlequin’s Love Inspired. Whenever she's not working, you can find her with a cup of tea at her elbow, a cat in her lap, and a good book in her hand. Stay in touch by signing up for Laurel's monthly newsletter here !

What Good We Know

"What do you know good?"
This is a old-time folksy greeting down here in Georgia. When you're settling down for a chat, the other person often poses this question.  It's the best sort of invitation. It means--tell me the good you have in your life right now. Share some happy news you've heard. Lift my spirits. Make me smile.
I love this, don't you?  And I think we need more of this--lots more of it--in our world today. We need an extra dash of goodness everywhere--in our conversations, on our television and computer screens.
And most definitely in our books!
We writers are often told "Write what you know." I took that to heart--which is why my books brim over with small towns, farms, goats, chickens and milk cows! Those are some of the many good things that make up my world, and I dearly love sharing them with others.

So what do I know good today? Let's see...

I know sometimes it's kind of fun to play with your food!

I know age brings its own unique beauty.

I know the rainy days we experience bless us with their own special sort of loveliness.

I know the smell of freshly baked bread brings a family running to the kitchen.

I know that curiosity can be the doorway to some really fun adventures.

I know that beauty is found in humble places--if you take the time to look for it.

Now it's your turn! What do you know good, sweet friends? Share the glimmers of joy you see sparkling around you today, and let's make each other's lives just a little brighter! 

   Don't miss my newest Love Inspired romance set in Pine Valley, Georgia! Hometown Hope releases in June 2019!