Just a quick post featuring some tea treats we found during our recent travels….
This cute little teapot is in a display at the Hill Air Force Museum in Utah….a little spitfire replica.
Spitfire Teapot, WW II era–Hill Air Force Museum, UT
We had a delightful brunch at a Scandinavian cafe in Portland, Oregon, which featured these DELICIOUS aeppleskivers.
Yummy aeppleskivers served in a Portland, Oregon, cafe.
And the tea was served with this unique infuser.
Then we made a stop at my husband’s favorite cookie bakery, Big Moe’s, in Price, Utah. He loves their double chocolate chip cookies.
COOKIES! Double chocolate chip from Big Moe’s bakery in Price, UT.
We had a perfect trip, visiting family and going to Easter church services with four generations of my family. A very special treasured time together. And we enjoyed treats along the way. Hope your spring travels-near or far–are filled with great treats and God’s treasured blessings!
Welcome to #TUESDAYTEA where we’re celebrating the final day of Seekerville’s Speedbo! Please enjoy a vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet cupcake…..or all three…with your tea today!
Speedbo report: I feel successful after completing Speedbo. My word count goals were very modest, but I did write almost everyday. It is amazing to see the words add up, even with just 500 per day. My inspirational romance novel is written! It needs plenty of editing to layer in all the elements needed, but it is done. Interestingly, I don’t want to type the words “THE END” until I’ve polished my WIP until it sparkles. So the pleasure of writing those two precious words will come later….hopefully soon. Writers participating in Seekerville’s challenge have had great success. Congratulations to all those who participated in Speedbo! http://www.seekerville.net/
Contests: Harlequin announced a pitch contest, Blurb2Book, for their three Love Inspired lines. A 100 word blurb and the first page of the story were required to enter. After reworking my blurb and first page many times, I did click the “send” button. Because of Speedbo, my WIP was complete enough for me to try this contest. Fun!
EASTER: With God’s redeeming grace and the sacrifice of our Lord, we celebrate Easter! May your Easter be a PERFECT blessing!
This is just a quick post today, since I’m participating in #SPEEDBO, with many of you. For those who don’t know about #Speedbo, this is a writing challenge offered in SEEKERVILLE (www.seekerville.net) where writers are encouraged to set their own writing goals for the month of March. The Seekers offer advice and encouragement to those hoping to sail off Unpublished Island. Great experience!
It is well into the new year, but I wanted to share MY ONE WORD for 2015. At the beginning of the year, Seekerville suggests you choose ONE WORD to be your thought for the year. I’ve done this three years now. Past words for me have been LIGHT and HIKING. For 2015, my word is LOVINGKINDNESS. I want to live with LOVINGKINDNESS in my heart….and yes, it has already been a challenge at times, but thinking of MY word has calmed my reactions to some situations…..so this is a good word for this year.
LOVINGKINDNESS
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Psalm 107:43 KJV
Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psalm 63:3 KJV
Since I am writing, we’ll just have a quick snack for our tea today……a local group was selling baked goods for a good cause….Pediatric Cancer, so I picked up some perfect scones for us…and double chocolate cookies for hubby. This group of young people shows LOVINGKINDNESS through their good works for others. LOVINGKINDNESS is a treasure in our lives. Please enjoy a blueberry scone with me….and please share your thoughts on LOVINGKINDNESS or your ONE WORD for 2015. Thanks for visiting! Blessings to you!
WOW! It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the end of February! A busy start to the year has delayed my posts…..a delightfully busy time, filled with blessings! We had some special time with our grandchildren. My granddaughter helped make PINK Cotton Candy Cupcakes (her favorite color), and we had a lovely afternoon tea, filled with smiles and chatting. Our families are among God’s most treasured blessings!
Afternoon Tea
In writing news, I invite all writers to join the group in SEEKERVILLE to participate in SPEEDBO. During March, writers are encouraged to establish their own goals for the month. There are no rules and no limits. You can get more information here: SEEKERVILLE
2015 SPEEDBO participant
So I’m cleaning house, freezing meals, and working on an outline for my book. Then I’ll be ready to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, in March.
I plan to make progress because of the encouraging fellowship during SPEEDBO. Hope you will join us! Do you have writing or reading plans for March?
Seekerville will be hosting My One Word author, Rachel Olsen, on Monday, January 5, 2015. The “one word” concept is intriguing because of its simplicity in focusing efforts for resolutions for the year and changing your life. Hope to see you in Seekerville on Monday, where I’ll be sharing the “one word” I’ve selected for my actions for 2015….and it may change my life. (Plus I’ll bring a cup of tea to savor…which always helps with the thought process!) http://www.Seekerville.com
Please join me for a Christmas tea as I serve Biscochitos with our tea. I’ve decorated our party with this year’s addition to our nativity collection, a gift from my husband. And we’ll chat about a few e-book Christmas novellas–which make quick gifts, if you need a few more ideas. Let’s celebrate!
And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 KJV
Nativities are a passion of mine. Some sets I display throughout the year, but others come out for the Christmas season. This year we added this special treasure made by a Jemez Pueblo artist. A deer is included among the gathered animals since deer are an important animal to the pueblo. Rather than the traditional gifts, the wise men bring corn, a blanket, and a drum.
Pueblo Nativity
Biscochitos are the state cookie of New Mexico, traditionally served at Christmas. There are many different recipes for this cookie, which also is made in a variety of shapes. This is my mother-in-law’s recipe. She always made these for our Christmas festivities. They make lovely tea cookies.
Biscochitos Recipe
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tbsp orange juice
Cinnamon-sugar mix
Cream sugar and shortening.
Add flour, anise seed, baking powder, and salt.
Combine egg and orange juice, then beat into creamed mixture to make a moist dough.
Form dough into a long roll, about 1-1/4 inch in diameter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm.
Remove from the refrigerator and slice cookies 1/4 inch thick.
Sprinkle one side with cinnamon-sugar mixture, then place on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned.
Biscochitos
If you’re looking for a last minute e-gift book, I’d recommend some of the faith-filled Christmas novellas available.
This historical romance set in 1887 in Sipsey Creek, Mississippi, is filled with sweet love.
I liked the enthusiastic school teacher, Annabelle Denson, who is determined to fulfill her dream of a white Christmas by traveling over her holiday to visit her cousin in Chicago, Illinois.
Sawmill owner, Samuel Frazier, is my kind of hero, with his gentleness, quiet manner, and sincere desire to make Annabelle happy.
Lovely surprises and touches of a country Christmas make this novella a charming story—a perfect story to feel the warmth of Christmas love!
There are twelve books in this collection of Christmas Bride novellas, each sold separately for 99 cents.
Hope for the Holidays-both the contemporary and historical collections by best-selling inspirational authors would be good ideas for e-stocking stuffers.
I’ve just finished I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, and I smiled through the whole story. Author Tina Radcliffe has a gift for creating heart-touching characters through sparkling dialogue. Matt and Patience discover true understanding of perfect love as they move towards their Happily Ever After. The romantic tension, the interesting plot, and the touches of Christmas make this a great feel-good romance.
I’m excited to read all the other stories in this contemporary collection, as well as the stories in the historical collection, because these are all FAVORITE authors. The HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS collections are just right for enjoying the sparkling spirit of Christmas!
Please join me for a #TUESDAYTEA review of Snowflake Tiara, a two-novella collection of inspirational romance by Angela Breidenbach and Valerie Comer. Since Valerie’s book features farm-fresh foods, I’m serving Christmas mini-quiches made with organic sun-dried tomatoes and locally sourced Animas River green chilies. (My recipe is below.) I’ll pour you a cup of Ginger-Cinnamon tea while we discuss SnowflakeTiara, with its two stories-The Debutante Queen by Angela and More Than a Tiara by Valerie.
Christmas mini-quiches (green chile and dried tomato)
About Snowflake Tiara
The Debutante Queen by Angela Breidenbach–1889 (Helena, MT)
Calista Blythe enters the first Miss Snowflake Pageant celebrating Montana statehood to expose the plight of street urchins. But if her hidden indentured orphan is discovered, Calista’s reputation and her budding romance with pageant organizer, Albert Shanahan, could both unravel. Will love or law prevail?
More Than a Tiara by Valerie Comer–2014 (Helena, MT)
Marisa Hiller’s interest in competing in Miss Snowflake Pageant for the city of Helen’s 150th anniversary is at zip zero zilch when she discovers the official photographer is Jase Mackie. Can Jase make amends for past mistakes and offer her, not only a tiara, but a partner in her crusade to help needy children and families?
A glittering duet of holiday romance—set 125 years apart!
Angela Breidenbach and Valerie Comer have paired together to create two different Christmas stories. Both share the setting of Helena, Montana, but Debutante Queen is historical and More Than a Tiara is contemporary. Both involve competing in pageants and providing for needy children. I enjoyed the description of life in historical Helena and the charming first Miss Snowflake Pageant details, as Calista and Albert fall in love. In the contemporary, I liked the way the relationship between Marisa and Jase was repaired and then strengthened.
The caring spirit and warm love shining from both stories, makes the sparkle of Snowflake Tiara glow! 🙂 I recommend this book to those who want to read two delightful Christmas romances.
Using premade pie crust, cut circles of pastry to place in tart pans or the bottom of muffin tins.
In each tart, put in a tablespoon of grated cheese (Swiss or other white cheese).
Sprinkle chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chopped green chiles in each tart.
Mix 1 cup of whipping cream with 4 egg yolks. Season with salt and pepper.
Slowly pour spoonfuls of this mixture into the tarts until filled.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Since Angela’s TheDebutante Queen features a gingerbread village, I’ll share you with these sweet gingerbread houses.
Gingerbread house
Thank you for joining me for #TUESDAYTEA! I wish you a sparkling Christmas season filled with God’s treasured blessings of hope, peace, and forgiveness!
And the Angel said unto them, “Fear not : For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10 KJ
For this Veterans Day TUESDAY TEA post, I’d like to salute our veterans and all our military members (and their families) with a cup of gratefulness! We are thankful for their sacrifices which have preserved our freedoms. As a country, we have the freedom to hear and accept these words:
“For everyone who asks receives;
he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:8 NIV
Veterans Day is a perfect time to review Holiday Defenders, a collection of three inspirational romance suspense stories featuring military heroes and touched with Christmas warmth.
What a Christmas treat-a trio of novellas filled with surprises and holiday romance!
The three stories in Holiday Defenders are exciting suspense-filled romances with touches of Christmas warmth.
Mission: Christmas Rescue, by Debby Giusti, has plenty of page-turning action as an intriguing mystery must be solved in order for soldier Nick Fontaine to protect his former girlfriend, teacher Liz Tate. Criminals who have abducted her brother are also after Liz and the children she is charged to keep safe. Filled with continuous excitement, the story ends with a charming Christmas tradition. A heart-touching romance by one of my favorite authors!
Special Ops Christmas, by Susan Sleeman, is set in Florida where there are harrowing attempts on scientist Claire Reed’s life. Green Beret Travis Chapman must keep her safe, even though this is difficult because of their past relationship. I was kept guessing about the attacker’s identity. Touches of holiday spirit are sprinkled throughout the story.
Homefront Holiday Hero, by Jodie Bailey, finds Kelly Walters busy with Christmas preparations for military families. Soldier Tyler Rainey is determined to find out who is behind the attacks on Kelly. There are unforeseen twists in his investigation as he finds himself attracted to Kelly.
Thank you Debby Giusti, Susan Sleeman, and Jodie Bailey, for your faith-touched stories, each a gift of exciting suspense with touches of Christmas warmth and holiday love. I read these with deepening appreciation for the holiday and year-round sacrifices of our military families. Holiday Defenders would be a perfect Christmas present to give this year!
Author Ruth Logan Herne presents a difficult subject in her book Running on Empty. She develops this romance story with compassion and offers loving hope.
Ruth Logan Herne has written a compassionate story about the very serious subject of pedophile crimes. I felt this was a realistic depiction of how a young girl would react after suffering this type of abuse, both physical and mental…..with confusion and the inability to ask for help.
Anne was abused by her running coach when she was thirteen years old. She was conflicted about the situation and was not able tell her family what happened to her. This hidden trauma caused problems in her later life.
The story develops as Anne returns to Forest Hills many years later to care for her mother. Joe, the husband she abandoned when she ran away from her past, is now the chief of police of the small town. Joe must deal with his feelings of pride and rejection. Anne must face her fears of her former coach and of the reaction of the community to her revelation of the truth. The romance between Joe and Anne involves working through past wounds towards forgiveness. Their relationship offers hope through love and forgiveness.
This story reminds us to be alert for symptoms of abuse when watching our children. Running on Empty is a heart-touching, believable story, filled with true compassion by author Ruth Logan Herne.
Welcome to TUESDAY TEA! Today I’m talking about The Unexpected Bride, a new book by Lena Goldfinch. Since the touch of cool weather is in the air, I’m serving Autumn Oolong tea for your sipping pleasure today. Enjoy a cup as you read an excerpt below of this sweet historical romance….and gaze at this beautiful “feels-like-fall” cover! Don’t miss the giveaway at the bottom of this post.
THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE
About the Book
What’s a man to do when his father orders him a bride?
Rebecca Sullivan has been “Becky” all her life, a real hoyden. Her childhood sweetheart taught her to ride bareback and shoot a rifle, but then he chose a “perfect lady” for a wife—a real Southern belle, who’s now expecting a baby. Heartbroken, Becky signs up to be a mail-order bride to a Seattle man, sight unseen. She resolves to squelch her hoydenish ways and become a “perfect lady” for her future husband.
If logging-operation owner Isaac Jessup had wanted a bride, he’d have chosen a sturdy frontier woman, not some fragile lady from back East. Ready to explain the mistake, honorable Isaac takes one look into Rebecca’s vulnerable eyes…and knows he’ll marry her, even though this delicate waif is obviously unsuited for wild Seattle.
Could an unexpected marriage be a match made in heaven?
Book One in The Brides Series Sweet Historical Western Romance / A Mail-Order Bride Novel
LENA GOLDFINCH writes romance and fantasy for adults and teens. She’s a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy, and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, even when she’s writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She lives in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. Visit Lena at www.LenaGoldfinch.blogspot.com.
PRE-ORDER PARTY
Excerpt
The lean-to was chilly and not for the first time, Isaac considered boarding it up proper and calling it a barn. He sat on the stool and began milking the goat, all the while mentally preparing for the worship service they planned to go to later that morning. The Scriptures he’d read first thing that morning were fresh in his mind, and his prayers kept returning to the problem of Rebecca. One inner voice urged him to send her back home, but another voice spoke of commitment. He’d said vows before God to love and keep her till death do them part. Those weren’t words he was willing to dismiss lightly.
“What’s her name?” Her voice was suddenly in his ear, quite close.
Isaac jumped. The goat bleated at him.
“Sorry, girl.” He patted her side and resumed milking her with slow, careful hands. He glanced over his shoulder toward the subject of his thoughts.
Rebecca stood watching him, leaning over the rail and peering in at them with curious eyes. He was surprised to see her out this early. She usually left him to his morning chores, and most times he’d get back inside the cabin and find her already up preparing breakfast.
“What’s her name?” she repeated.
“Name? The goat?” He looked at the goat dumbly. It was a goat. He’d never gotten much further than that. She gave them a daily supply of milk, but other than that she was generally a nuisance. She liked to butt down the stall door. And whenever she got loose, she’d eat what few vegetables he was able to grow in the summer. She also liked to nip at his shirts and underthings when he hung them out on the line–if he was lucky. Most times she’d tug the whole line down and drag it through the mud.
“Yes, the goat,” Rebecca said, a pleasant-sounding smile in her voice. “Don’t tell me she hasn’t got a name?”
There was something nice about hearing a woman’s voice in the morning. It reminded him a little of when he was young, and his mother had chatted with him in soft tones while they ate breakfast. As if speaking too loud would jar them too quickly out of whatever dreams they’d had the night before.
Rebecca’s soft voice put him much in mind of those times.
“All right. I won’t.” Isaac focused on his milking.
“She doesn’t have a name?” Rebecca pressed. “How can you have an animal that doesn’t have a name?”
“Never gave it much thought. She’s good for milk, but other than that she’s nothing but trouble, always munching on the laundry.”
“Well, then I think your choice is clear. Either you call her Milky or you call her Trouble.” Her teasing tone brought a reluctant smile to his lips.
“Well, then, if I have to choose, then I guess she’s Trouble.”
The real Trouble was standing behind him, her elbow propped against the top of the rail, her chin cupped in one dainty hand.
Rafflecopter Giveaway
Celebrate the upcoming release of Lena Goldfinch’s new historical romance with this sweet giveaway! One winner will receive a book locket necklace from the Lily Pickford Etsy shop, as well as a paperback copy of The Unexpected Bride. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.
//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.jsPlease have another cup of Autumn Oolong tea from The New Mexico Tea Company before you leave…..a lovely blend for a fall day. Thanks for joining me for a sip of tea!
Sherida Stewart 