Ruthy's Place

Valentine's Day!

2012-02-08T19:21:00.000-05:00

Well, this is a sweet time of year for a romance writer!

Chocolate.... sweetheart candies....

Love notes.... :)

Grandchildren....

Cookies:

Coffee from the Keurig:

I love the peaceful winter months following Christmas. We all get inevitable colds. We all doze off when there's much to be done. We scowl when we have to leave a warm house after dark.

We're so silly!

This year, I hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day, even if it's as simple as sitting back, chill-laxin' and reading a good book. And I certainly wouldn't object if it was one of mine, LOL!

Ruthy

Nashville, Day One!!!!

2011-12-10T08:30:00.001-05:00

This is the first thing you see when you walk in the Loveless Cafe outside of Nashville, Music City,

home of countless stars of country music...

Signed pics of them, lauding the food, the atmosphere, the staff, and

THE BISCUITS.

OH. MY. STARS.

THE BISCUITS.

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH GOOD ON THEIR OWN, BUT ADD BUTTER?

AND HOME-MADE PEACH OR STRAWBERRY OR BLACKBERRY PRESERVES?

OH MY STARS TO THE Nth DEGREE.

Bake A Memory Day

2011-12-06T20:35:00.000-05:00

This is part of our simpler, gentler, spirit-filled Christmas agenda! With so many presents for children these days, Dave and I (okay, I might be pulling him tugging and screaming, resisting change, but he is a mere man, after all!) are working on re-vamping Christmas to "Understood Betsy" type memories.

You know the kind.

The ones that stick and make you feel good inside when you think about them twenty years later. Or thirty. Or forty.

Those kind of memories!


Little Dave, me and Emma doing "Mary's Sugar Cookies" from Betty Crocker cookbook...Don't add the cream of tartar!!!

Cream of tartar is what makes cookies crisp. I like chewy cookies best. So I leave it out. Because I can. ;)

Logan and Emma are working on the chocolate chip cookie dough. Recipe is over at Yankee Belle Cafe

We started with the most labor intensive cookie, the cut-outs... then the chocolate chip dough, tasting as we went along.... And yes, we eat raw cookie dough. And LOVE IT!!!!

Here's Elijah helping:

I thought it prudent to help him crack the egg....

This is Xavier.... Next year, Xavier! Promise!

Then the boys needed an itsy-bitsy big muscle energy break:


Logan, Dave and 'Lijah...

And then we baked cookies.... frosted cookies.... and then we made reindeer food for sprinkling on Christmas Eve... With sugar sprinkles to sparkle and attract the deer from the sky.

Our first Bake-a-Memory Day.

LOVED IT!!!

Lovin' Angelica, New York!

2011-11-14T11:34:00.000-05:00

I'm lovin' Angelica, New York! We drove down for a fun breakfast and book signing on Saturday and had a wonderful time! So nice to see old friends and make new ones!

Karen and Don Ash of the Angelica Sweet Shop and the Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe, were gracious hosts and friends as always.

Thank you so much for your time an promotion of the Men of Allegany County series!

You guys rock!

Rising from the ashes...

2011-09-11T06:08:00.001-04:00

I love this country. I love freedom. I'm a flag waver. I'm so gut-ornery appreciative of what

people have done, endured, lived to make us free.

Last year I was in New York City with my husband.

Lawyer Boy put us up in the Hilton overlooking Ground Zero.

When he booked the room, the clerk reminded him that work crews were active on site 24/7.

She advised him that there would be constant activity.

Noise.

People working. Lights. Motors. A hallowed ground being rebuilt.

(okay, those last words were mine)

And Lawyer Boy said:

"Oddly enough, my mother will actually consider that a plus."

Here are the trees going in... August, 2011. Amazing what a difference a tree makes.

One of my favorite scriptures is from Chronicles... God's simple request for prayer.

"...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

God bless America.

Play Doh Kitchen

2011-08-24T18:38:00.000-04:00

First, there's this:

Note that the above contains all essential elements of good eating.

And the tools of a good kitchen:

Scissors

Rolling pin

Knife

Fork

Unsupervised Children.

PERFECT.

Because then there's this:

Yes.

PlayDoh Soup.

Yum.

And don't forget Play Doh Salad:

Lettuce, broccoli and grapes.

I think.

And then:

We must rally the troops and share ingredients.

Trade thoughts.

Help one another.

While the big girls chill-lax on the porch and cuddle puppies

Or kittens...

Or read...

Sweet.

A Princess in need of Prayer...

2011-08-21T08:12:00.000-04:00

I will never understand how smart people don't see each and every baby as a miracle.

I mean, seriously: Look at that face???

This is Anna Elizabeth, our newest granddaughter.

Precious, right?

And healthy. But that's not a given with babies.

Four generations: Beth, Grandma holding 'Lijah, Grandpa and Dave

We are complex creatures. To get all the ducks in a row and all the i's dotted

and t's crossed that need to happen to produce a normal human is not only amazing...

It's a miracle.

And it's not polite to argue with me. I'm old. Set in my ways. I might get crotchety.

Hey, it COULD happen. You never know.

This is Teresa:

Beautiful, right?

But Teresa has a heart defect that requires a heart/lung transplant for her to live.

It's as simple and complex as that.

And here is their family link where you can find out more about Teresa and the

whole Bartlinski clan.

ourplacecalledhome.blogspot.com

She needs our prayers, and you guys are great at that.

So tuck her into your heart. Onto your prayer lists.

Spread the word, please.

The younger Bartlinski girls! How beautiful are they?

No one knows the day or the hour.

I get that.

But I'm a big believer in miracles and this family,

this little girl sure could use one.

Right about now, God willing.

Fight Like a Girl Pink Party

2011-08-08T07:47:00.001-04:00

Ten years ago God brought Lisa into my life.

With a baby girl named Taylor.

And a cute husband named Jeff.

They trusted me (silly people!) to watch Taylor.

And then McKenna.

And then Nolan.

And then Brody.

Four kids. Four delightful gifts from God.

And now Lisa has breast cancer.

I hate saying those words.

But I can't pretty them up like I do in a novel.

Dagnabbit. You can find out more of Lisa's story HERE

So Taylor (now ten years old) got an idea.

A wonderful, marvelous, God-sent uplifting idea.

Why don't we throw Mom a party?

A "Fight Like a Girl Party"

And everyone can wear pink and cover their hair in sisterhood.

Except it was a surprise party so Lisa is in blue.

Which only makes her stand out in a crowd even more than usual.

Well.

That and the bald head.

So we did just that.

Pink food.

Pink shirts.

Pink friends.

Girls came from all over. Big girls.

Small girls.

Girls having fun.

Because, well... They're girls. And girls just wanna have fun.

There were messages of love and hope and good wishes:

And a visiting puppy.

The puppy was also a girl.

Girls united in faith, hope and love.

And the greatest of these is love.

These are my girls. My friends. My comrades. My daycare moms.

These gals made Taylor's dream of having a big "Fight Like a Girl" Pink Party a reality.

Rock on, ladies.

Taylor, Lisa and McKenna Tydings.

Flower Power, Guys and Gals!

2011-07-16T06:46:00.000-04:00

I should have taken a pic of me in full poison-ivy ammo gear.

I'll do that soon. Promise.

Because:

I'm allergic now. I didn't used to be. I... well... miss those days.

Those were non-itch/welt/looking-worse-than-usual days.

But I have declared war on the ivy monster!

Now this is tricky. Because it's running rampant through my English ivy which I love.

But one must sacrifice the occasional battle for the war.

This is my rose-toned clematis.

Note the close-up factor for this pic.

Doing a close-up means you don't see the JUNGLE surrounding it and you think:

"Wow, Ruthy's great in the garden!"

(this is where clever editing becomes your new best friend)

And how about this beauty? This is pale ivory clematis with pink veins...

gorgeous for a wedding backdrop, isn't it?

What you can't see is the chicken coop behind it.

But most brides SERVE chicken at their weddings,

so who wouldn't want to be photographed

near chickens?

It's very mathematical.

And then there's this.

This is the reason I do what I do.

Not the puppy. Although I love the puppy.

(Yes, we breed Golden Retrievers. Love it!!!)

This is my friend Taylor. I would walk over hot coals for this kid.

And right now, we're doing just that.

Taylor's mom is my friend Lisa.

Lisa

has newly diagnosed breast cancer.

She is my friend. My buddy. My confidant.

She has trusted me with her children for ten years.

WHAT ON EARTH WAS SHE THINKING???

If you go to the shutterfly site we've made,

you'll see Lisa, Jeff and the gang.

So do me a favor. Please.

Add my Lisa to your prayer list. She's tough.

She's strong.

She's amazing.

But she's got cancer and could use those prayers.

That love.

That healing touch.

She's 36 years old and life did an abrupt u-turn on her.

But around here?

Well...

We fight like girls.

CAROL AWARD FINALIST!!!!

2011-07-13T06:20:00.001-04:00

Winter's End has finaled in the Carol Awards, the wonderful contest put on by American Christian Fiction Writers!

Huge thank yous to the judges, to ACFW for sponsoring the contest and to Mindy Obenhaus whose time and effort makes this well-run and highly respected contest such a pleasure to enter. And I'm so grateful to Melissa Endlich of Love Inspired books who gave this new writer a chance. God surely blessed me that day, Melissa!

I'm happy dancing here in upstate New York!

And (GULP).... I finaled with Irene Hannon and Linda Goodnight.

OH MY STARS....

'Sall I'm sayin'... OH MY STARS... I'm honored, blessed and excited to be makin' the short list with these two!

Congrats to Mary Connealy, my good bud!

I LOVE THIS BOOK! IT REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO ME, BELLE'S SUCH A STINKIN' SNARK... OH, BUT WAIT.

IT WASN'T.

THANKS, MARE!

SHEESH....

Congratulations to all the finalists. It's truly an honor to be with you.

Holt Medallion Award of Merit!

2011-06-16T20:46:00.000-04:00

Last July, Women's World Magazine called Winter's End a "Best Beach Read"...

And just this weekend, the Virginia Romance Writers Holt Medallion contest awarded Winter's End an "AWARD OF MERIT" which means it placed in the top five in the Best First Book category.

See the list HERE:

I'm thrilled and blessed to have this gentle story of life, love and loss touching hearts and souls. Huge thank yous to the judges and congrats to the winners and Award of Merit finalists in all categories. I'm honored to be among you.

Spring Snippets... Or Snips, LOL!

2011-06-06T13:36:00.000-04:00

Do you recognize this beee-you-ti-ful famous author?

Of course you do!

This is my friend Missy Tippens holding

HER BOOK AND MINE!!!

We both had books come out in April. How amazing and fun!

Missy's book "A Family for Faith" is a FIVE-AWW book.

It gets five "Aww's" because I was totally captivated by the characters and the sweet story line ...

AND THE HOT HERO DIDN'T HURT A BIT! ;)

This is a hinted rainbow. Isn't it cool? Just a tiny reminder of God's promise to us.

Love it.

Here is another light in my life: Elijah Thomas at 6 months old.

Stinkin' cute.

And then there's this:

Yup.

Ruthy's Cooking School

starring none other than

Brooke and Nolan:

This is where it all begins.

The treats for

Seekerville

all start here.

SUH-WEEEEET!

Ah, spring!

2011-06-02T18:45:00.001-04:00

This is Brooke and Allison with one of the new baby "Goldendoodles"

This one is "Little Bit".

I named her for Julie Lessman's heroine Faith

in her Daughter's of Boston series.

And this is Small-Town Hearts, available

NOW wherever Love Inspired books

are sold...

Wal-Mart, Target, Barnes and Noble, Tops,

Wegmans, Amazon, e-Harlequin...

This is a delightful read. Sweet. Endearing.

I just love it.

And if you've ever lived in a small town, you'll understand:

Everybody Dies Famous In a Small-Town

And this is reason to believe in all things good and holy right here: daffodils.

I love flowers.

Have I mentioned that???

And this is the rooster in my friend Tess's kitchen.

Isn't he gorgeous?

Tess is Tina's mother.

This is Tina:

This is Tina narrowly escaping arrest in Rockefeller Center in NYC.

We went there for BEA... BEA is a great book

expo...

Amazing, really.

And we got to see these lovely gals from Harlequin:

This is my beloved editor Melissa Endlich, me (duh) and super-wonderful editorial assistant Rachel Burkot. They do their utmost to smooth my rough edges.

And they're stinkin' cute, aren't they?

Tina and I had a great time with them.

When we weren't getting people lost.

Oops.

NEW YORK CITY, HERE WE COME!!!!!

2011-05-22T00:01:00.001-04:00

Okay, Tina Radcliffe and I are heading

to the Big Apple...

This is our sweet ride, courtesy of my brother Sean.

Oh. My. Stars.

Yes.

We ARE Thelma and Louise.

With M&M's:

Yes, I consider this BREAKFAST!!!!

And Diet Snapple:

We're calling it:

Tina and Ruth's Excellent Adventure.

I'm not sure what New York City will call it, LOL!

Pray for us.

Heck.

Pray for New York! :)

And watch for us to post on SEEKERVILLE!!!!!!!

I'm bringing sensible shoes:

NOT!!!!

Whaddya think?

Subway appropriate attire?

We'll keep you posted!

I wonder how many Starbucks there are

between HERE:

AND THERE:

Somebody pinch me.

Please!

Breakfast Meet and Greet!

2011-04-27T18:24:00.000-04:00

Come join us in Allegany County for a "meet-'n'-greet"! I'd love to shake your hand, have some coffee, and hear your stories!

Date:            5/7/2011
Place:           Black-eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe
                     22 West Main Street
                     Angelica, New York 14709

Time: 9:00 - 11:00 A.M.

Cost: $9.95 per person

Contact for tickets:

Karen@black-eyed-susan.com

Don, hard at work!

Come and join us for a lovely morning of food, beverage, books, romance and conversation! Hosted by owners/proprietors Karen and Don Ash, this will be a great way to embrace Main Street in May in the town that inspired "Jamison", NY, the fictional small town in my Men of Allegany County series!

Book One: "Reunited Hearts"... available now at the Angelica Sweet Shop and the Black-eyed Susan Cafe!

Also available at most Wal-Marts, bookstores and online at AMAZON, , Harlequin, Barnes and Noble, Christian Books.com

Reunited Hearts was given a "4 STAR" rating from Romantic Times magazine.... "A compelling read!"

And "SMALL-TOWN HEARTS" will be available from Harlequin on May 1st....

And from all other vendors (The Angelica Sweet Shop and The Black-Eyed Susan Cafe, WalMart, K-Mart, Barnes and Noble, Wegmans, Tops...) on JUNE 1st

Looking forward to meeting you, laughing with you and sharing stories!

Come VISIT ME!!!

2011-04-14T10:02:00.001-04:00

I'm over in Seekerville today!

We're chatting about Reunited Hearts, giving away fun stuff and...

Talking heroes.

How to build a hero.

Find me a woman who wouldn't love a custom-made hero?

Seriously?

I'm also in the Land Down Under at Aus Jenny's Blog!

Amazing stuff, technology!

As you can see, I brought coffee!

Love seein' you guys anywhere. Anytime!

Food. Fun. Giveaways....

But not a cow. I am NOT giving away a cow, despite what Mary Connealy likes to say.

Oh my stars!

Reunited Hearts is on shelves now!!!

2011-03-22T12:01:00.002-04:00

Okay, I'm sitting here, staring at this beautiful cover, thinking....

WOW.

I love it. I love this book. And I love that the Romantic Times Review gave it 4 STARS!!!!

In Romantic Times-speak, that means: COMPELLING READ

I love the sound of that, that "Reunited Hearts", a beautiful 'second chances' type love story,

is a compelling read.

This is Blackie, our rooster. He's famous, and he's delighted that Reunited Hearts

is available now. In fact he just crowed: "What a great book!!! I loved it! I laughed, I cried, I ran the full gamut of emotions!!!"

Blackie, thank you for the on-the-spot interview! You're a great bird, Dude!

And it wouldn't be polite to announce a release with no coffee. Because I live on coffee and I understand the need, so here goes:

Have I mentioned how much I love my Keurig??? Oh my stars, me and my Keurig: We're buds.

And because tastes vary:

Take your pick from my vast selection of brews.

Sit back. Relax. Munch cookies....

M&M/chocolate chip cookies are to die for.

But you don't have to die for them. Because I'll share. And yes, I'm that nice.

Because cookies always taste better when you share them with friends, right?

If my people...

2011-03-14T06:21:00.000-04:00

Will pray....

If my people....

Which are called by my name...

Can grasp the joy of a moment...

The strength of a friend.

The faith of a child.

If my people will pray...

I will forgive their sins....

And heal their land.

ABBOTT'S CUSTARD ABOUT TO REOPEN!!!

2011-03-01T04:30:00.000-05:00

I may not LOOK desperate, but I am...

I'm just sayin'....

Baseball ends.

Abbott's closes for the winter.

And, SURE.... Christmas keeps me going for a while.

But then....

The inevitable January.... Cold. Stormy.Windy. Did I mention cold?

Followed by February.

Ditto.

BUT!!!!!!!!

Today is March 1, 2011! Oh, Happy Days are Here Again! :)

Sure, possums on the porch signal warming trends.

Melting slushy piles of snow... The same.

Cracking ice.

Yup.

But THIS!!!!

THIS is history. Momentous. Serendipitous. Wondrous. And every other "ous" you can imagine.

The good ones, that is.

This is Abbott's Frozen Custard, my favorite ice cream stand.

Here's the original one I went to as a little girl:

WAIT!!!!

That's the 1939 photo... AHEM. I wasn't even a consideration on the planet then.

Ah. Here we go:

Abbott's original location in Charlotte, the lakeside section of Rochester, NY.

I'd ride the bus down to the lake and buy a cone with my babysitting money.

Now it's franchised. There's one near Tina and Audra in Colorado.

One in Massachusetts.

A bunch around here.

I plan to visit tonight when it's OPEN...

My first Abbott's of the season and Major League Baseball spring training games on YES Network.

Could life possibly get better than THAT???

I submit that it cannot!

Blessings surround us!

2011-02-16T06:42:00.001-05:00

While God loves a good choir, he treasures a lament.

If you go

HERE

today, you'll find Deb Giusti's great post

about how words and actions touch people.

Loved it.

And if you ignore the HORRIBLE expression on my face,

you can focus on the miracle of this baby boy.

Logan. Love him!

And here we have a lost art renewed. Learning to sew!

How adorable is she???

I love my girls. And I can't believe their parents let me help raise 'em.

WHAT ON EARTH ARE THEY THINKING???

Obviously they haven't told them about the snakes in the back yard.

And occasionally the basement.

Stupid snakes.

Porch shots, continued...

2011-02-04T00:01:00.005-05:00

Remember my friend, Bob-the-Builder???

He was tearing down our side porch. The one the possum visits regularly.

This possum:

Charming, right???

Sigh.

So here's how the porch looked during tear-down:

That's Bob. Most of him.

And two insurgent children are heading his way.

A tiny helper. Note the porch post behind her, with the rotted bottom? Rain. Wet wood.

Carpenter ants. I will not, WILL NOT post a picture of them. I hate carpenter ants.

Ahh.... MUCH NICER!!!

Note the spindles. New posts. Bob even gated the entry for us, to keep little ones IN.

Always a good thing.

That gorgeous swing? I ordered that from
Sandy's Place
Riverside Drive

(Route 19), Wellsville, NY...

We can fit FIVE

little kids on that swing.

Three grownups.

I love that swing.

And the beginnings of a garden.

The very cool planter with arms covers the original house well, circa 155 years ago.

I bought it on a research trip to Allegany County, also at Sandy's Place just north of Wellsville. Love her shop.

Rare medieval southern cowboy princess sighting.

Note the flowers.

Progress.

How can anyone NOT love that face???

Talk about panache.

Chutzpah.

Oh my stars.

Adorable.

It cannot possibly be February....

2011-02-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

Seriously?

Really?

Oh my stars.

Grandpa's doing better. He's home. He loves being home. And when God's ready for him, he'll send the angels to the house. Until then we ply him with cookies. Cookies are a wonderful thing.

Snow day today:

Snow days rock.

This is what a snow day is all about, Charlie Brown!!!

And this....

And of course, this....

Aren't they adorable? Beautiful? Wonderful???

And they all started out like:

This.

Time for hot chocolate. Or spiced cider. Warm socks.

God doesn't want you to ever waste the snow days of life.

Guaranteed.

Porch Projects Progress Report!

2011-01-16T12:16:00.000-05:00

Did you note the plural in "porch"?

As in not one, but two?

So this is the beginning, last spring. Remember the possum?

This was his domain.

He now shares it with a cat and a red chicken named "Rosie".

And yes, she's a friend of Blackie, the famous Parma rooster.

The chicken, that is. The cat is somewhat aloof.

This is Bob the Builder. He will probably kill me for putting this on here.

And if you look at the size of that 'jack' I'm probably foolhardy to think he won't.

Bob's our friend. And he's smart. And handy.

Note the VERY INTENSE stance.

I knew the porch was in good hands.

My First Published Author Award!!!

2011-01-05T05:25:00.005-05:00

Vince Mooney

If you go here:

Philosophy of Romance

You will see an incredibly nice award presented by

an incredibly nice man!

Vince, thank you for all your kind words about

"Made to Order Family"!

You humble me, Dude!

And that is my FIRST AWARD as a published author, and
huge thanks to my editor Melissa Endlich of Love Inspired
whose hard work coaxed the hero and heroine's love story
out of the original
and gave the romance center stage.
A job well done.

You've made my day, Vince!

And then if you go here:

Seekerville

You'll see this same nice man, Vince Mooney,

a philosopher, a sage and lover of the written word,

opining in Seekerville about

taglines, the little "blurbs"

that encompass a writer's mission, and holding a fun little contest to see how well 'taglines' work.

Cleaning the office

2011-01-03T00:01:00.003-05:00

This is NOT a resolution.

I don't make resolutions.

I do set goals. And then I try really hard to make them.

But resolutions???

Oh my stars, that's just disappointment waiting to happen.

One GOAL was to have my upstairs office join the three clean bedrooms.

Those of you who visit us in SEEKERVILLE

know that I'm taking this all step by step.

Cleaning.

Organizing.

Writing.

Have I mentioned I LOVE writing?

That I love working with Love Inspired?

That I can't wait to see how people react to this year's series:

The Men of Allegany County

First book due out in April, 2011: REUNITED HEARTS

Just love it.

And if you noticed that Men of Allegany County is a LIVE link, go ahead and follow it.
See where it leads. ;)

So here are the"BEFORE pics of my office:

Note the dead bees. Oops, wasps, sorry, Deb, I KNOW they're not bees.

But they buzz like bees.

Anyway, I'm not going to tell you how long those bees, er... wasps have been dead.

Let me just say they are returning to their dust-like stage as we speak.

Very Biblical.

Now here are some "AFTER" shots:

Oops. There are no "after" shots yet.
I'm only half done.
Two garbage bags. Maybe three. I've stopped counting.
Three boxes of books.
One very ugly black enamel trimmed with gold gilt (Of course I'm not making that up.
Who on this earth would invent a description LIKE THAT???)
And the matching chair.
The chair is no longer with the desk by the road.
Obviously the desk IS that ugly.
Pics to come.
But, OH, what wonderful treasures I found!!! :)
Frightening, actually.
And yet, oddly redeeming!

The following is what I planned to say WHEN THE TASK WAS DONE, with
a nice 'looky here, how nice is this???' picture, of course.

A little different. Just a tad.

Now, don't get confused. I have not been working in there.

Please.

Even I have some standards.

Nope, I'm working in the big old kitchen, under the light,

with the wood stove warming the day.

And the occasional harlequin bug tap dancing around the light.

Stupid bugs. An annoyance for sure.

Destined to go the way of the bees... I mean wasps.

And yet another reason why caulk is a WONDERFUL investment.

The end.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

Oh my stars, 2011 already!

Jeter signed with the Yankees...

My young friend Taylor Tydings made her

acting debut in GEVA's new production of

Dickens' A Christmas Carol!

Wonderful!

Little girls still love tea parties...

Blackie the Rooster is happily crowing and eating,

ruling the farmyard with panache and

the equanimity of any good bird...

I still love bacon...

And my husband...

And the squirrely children who see us as a second home.

God is good.

Drinking egg nog this weekend while I dismantle Christmas!

I always hate to put it all away, not because of the work involved...

Although that's not exactly a walk in the park.

But because it's dark up here in WNY... Christmas lights cut through the winter darkness. They brighten souls.

So this year I'm going to let my light shine in lieu of the Christmas lights in January.

Yes.

I'm going to be NICE.

At least some of the time.

Gorgeous sunrise this morning. Just stunning.

I think that's God's way of letting us northerners

know that he's got our backs, even on these

short, cold days.

And there's always this if all else fails:

Amen.

Made to Order Family Released!!!!

2010-09-08T06:18:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the North Country!

This is Main Street, Canton NY.

It needs a bakery. Luckily, Rita Slocum

longs to open a bakery.

Coincidence?

I think not! :)

This is an example of a picture not cooperating.

Bad pic. Very bad! (that's my mean mommy

voice I use for my dogs.

Not my husband.)

But if it were bigger, you'd imagine Brooks' Harriman's wood shop,

The North Country Woodcrafter.

Brooks makes beautiful things. Just lovely.

But his heart is heavy with things of old,

times gone by.

Still: he's a total hottie.

Kind.

Caring.

A loner.

With a past.

Straightforward. Commanding.

A former Army "operator", Delta Force.

Now he's a simple carpenter.

Rita makes great cakes. Cookies. Pies. Desserts.

Life threw her some curves and she caved.

But she's back on track.

She has to be. She's got three kids to raise.

One of whom is a bit of a brat.

Okay: total brat.

But redeemable!

And then this guy wanders in, just needin' a

little lovin'.

Some old mac and cheese.

A shoe to chew on.

Little girls love big red dogs.

It's a known fact. Look it up.

Two toughened souls.

A shared addiction.

Three kids.

One dog.

Two self-made businesses.

One faith.

One heart.

One family.

Made to Order Family

in stores now. Also available

at eharlequin.com

amazon.com

parablebooks.com

barnesandnoble.com

4 1/2 Star Romantic Times Review.

And if I say so myself:

A great story of redemptive love.

I Love Weddings

2010-09-02T06:32:00.001-04:00

This is my friend Renee. I love her. She puts up with me,

and we all know that's not always easy. This pic is on her son's wedding day, two years ago.

I love weddings. Just love 'em. And this post is inspired because

Lawyer Boy and Finance Boy are headed off to Vancouver for Dusty's wedding today. It should be a great time.

This is Finance Boy at John's wedding two years ago.

I'm loving that shade of pink and the varied dresses. Wonderful!

This is the wedding party just after the beautiful ceremony in the gazebo.

I have THREE boys in this wedding. Yup, three.

This is son Seth, the best man, making a speech.

Note the jacket has come off.

Isn't the bride drop-dead gorgeous? That's Sarah. She married John who practically lived at our house,

and that was okay because we LOVE him and his whole family.

This is Dave, snuggling his grandson namesake.... Two cuties, right?

A later-in-the-day shot:

Luke, John, Seth, Zach

Friends since childhood, friends forever.

Just like it should be.

Country Breakfast....

2010-09-01T00:01:00.003-04:00

This needs no words.

That will not stop me from writing some, but I digress already.

Pan-fried bacon.

Scrambled eggs.

Toast, not too dark but not wimpy, either.

Heart smart?

No, but that's why I write romance

novels. THEY'RE good for the heart.

Breakfast: Good for the tummy.

;)

Imaginary Kings and Queens Inhabit the Earth...

2010-08-31T00:01:00.004-04:00

So here we are, making crowns.

I'm not sure why.

But does it matter, really, in the whole

scheme of things?

Of course not.

Dianna and Brooke decorating their strips.

Because why wouldn't you?

"Dianna, I love that! May I copy yours?"

Because imitation is the sincerest form

of flattery, right?

Why doesn't that work with prom dresses?

Do not note the clutter behind the child.

Clutter is normal. Healthy. We embrace it.

Behold the child.

A king.

Because imaginations should be nurtured

and construction paper is fairly cheap.

Having Friends Means Being a Friend

2010-08-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

Case in point:

This is Nolan when he was two, sharing a frappuccino with Brookie, also two.

Stop what you're thinking right now.

I can hear you all the way over here.

"Why would anyone give children coffee?"

When what you should be thinking is:

"Why would anyone give up even the

smallest portion of their amazingly good

frappuccino to two little monsters?"

It's all in the spin.

Sometimes we dress up:

How stinkin' cute are they?

And isn't it nice to know that Super Heroes

cross historical boundaries?

Something about the time-space continuum.

And chocolate.

Because in the end, it all comes back to

chocolate.

And that's the truth.

Really.

Kids and Kittens

2010-08-12T06:52:00.000-04:00

I love kids and kittens.

Puppies, too.

There's something inherently wonderful about unconditional love.

I do pretend to make the kids work, even during summer.

Kind of.

But then we play with kittens again.

Because the care and tending of animals is a life-affirming lesson, right?

And babies are cute.

End of rationalization.

Julie Lessman...

2010-08-11T07:35:00.000-04:00

Is heating up the Web by posting today in SEEKERVILLE

and giving away a copy of her upcoming release:

Julie's beautiful, spiritual romances take

her Passion with a Purpose tagline

to wonderful heights.

And she's cute.

And I love her to pieces. And she's serving

great cyber food. Really. Seriously.

I never hedge on food, you know that.

Stop over. Give her the business. Bother her.

She'll thank you for it.

2010-08-10T00:01:00.001-04:00

This is Libby with her friends

Casey and Kyle.

Libby is a sweetheart. She is smart. Agile.

Easy-going.

She thrives on the fact that we don't get

her cut as often as we should.

We explain that dread-locks are IN...

And she totally gets it.

Uh, oh. So much for private time.

One on one.

Or one on two, as it was.

This is like a Seuss book: 3 on 2.

Awwww..... Kisses!!!

Ya' just gotta love kids that don't fear

a little dog slobber.

And so I feed them good things.

The kids, that is.

And that makes them very, very happy.

The end.

Winter's End

2010-08-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

She came in winter, with the snow.

It was cold.

Dark.

Numbing.

She came to a house steeped in sadness,

old and new.

Her presence was required for a reason.

Not everyone welcomed her.

Not everyone in the house was ready to accept God's will, the inevitable.

Not everyone believed...

And still it snowed...

And dawn was long in coming.

But slowly...

Things changed.

They shared new lives, just beginning.

And old lives, near the end.

They shared time.

Thoughts.

And the occasional wondering kiss...

But eventually, the time came for her to move on.

Another job.

Another responsibility.

And while both of them wished they could

make this work,

make it last.

There was no way.

None.

But just when you think all is lost...

When you're pretty sure God has closed a door

firmly...

Spring comes.

And you find he's opened a window.

And the sun beckons you home.

Winter's End...

Ruth Logan Herne, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

3/2010

Ice Cream Window

2010-08-06T00:02:00.004-04:00

We have a policy at our house:

Ice cream rules.

This official Yankee ice cream from Turkey Hill

rules two-fold.

First: It's ice cream.

Second: Duh. It's Yankee-friendly.

If only Jeter came in a box.

Sigh.

This is our "Ice Cream Window":

I manage to draw quite a crowd

when I open the ice cream

window.

Seriously.

How stinkin' cute are these guys???

To make this seem more politically correct,

I make it educational.

Sometimes we go oldest to youngest, as pictured above.

Sometimes I reverse that order.

It's all mathematical.

Very SAT friendly.

Almost college-prep in its depth and simplicity ratio.

And that's what summer's all about.

Bathing suits.

And ice cream.

Country musings

2010-08-05T10:59:00.000-04:00

I love animals.

This is Dora.

How adorable is she?

Gorgeous clematis.

Note that I am NOT showing you pics of my

weed-riddled gardens, loaded with

poison ivy.

Sigh....

Our rooster, Blackie.

Believe it or not, Blackie has become

a symbol of freedom of speech.

Well.

In his case, freedom of 'crow'.

A Golden Retriever puppy.

How can anyone not believe in God,

in miracles, be steeped in faith

by the simple wonders around us?

And then there's this:

Dave and Emma, having a swing

at the park with Grammy.

God is good.

RWA ORLANDO!!!!

2010-07-29T00:01:00.003-04:00

Sandra is from Arizona.

This is what her closet looks like.

I'm from New York...

Sense a difference there????

Oh my stars, am I THAT subdued???

Do ya' see how stinkin' colorful she is?????

Gadzooks.

Me at the Atlantic Ocean, water temp. 81 degrees.

Bath water.

Gorgeous. Beautiful. Cerulean blue-tinged aqua fading to green.

Just lovely.

Note I am NOT wearing a bikini.

The world is simply not ready for some things.

Sandra, taking a picture of me.

Silly thing. ;)

This is where we had supper.

Yup.

Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Parlor/Soda Fountain.

You walk in and the scent of warm, gently melted

chocolate bathes you.

Assails you.

Teasing, taunting.

It would have been wrong not to succumb.

So....

Do you SEE that mountain of ice cream?

With fresh Ghirardelli fudge?

And sliced bananas?

And that GIRL looking at it???? Eyeing it up?

Don't go there, kid.

You do not want to go there. Trust me on that.

I'm a nice gal, but DO NOT threaten my ice cream.

Did a great session today on blogging (don't laugh, it isn't nice)

and websites...

Twitter and Facebook.

I'm like literally techno-savvy gal right now.

Now you can laugh.

RWA ORLANDO TUESDAY...

2010-07-28T07:49:00.001-04:00

So...

Just found out today...
That "Made to Order Family" got
4 1/2 STARS from Romantic Times
Review!!!

YEEEEEEEE HAAAAWWWWWW!

Thanks, MOM!!!! ;)

And now for Florida.... Gorgeous. Lush. Delicious.

Oh my stars!!!!

The Atlantic Ocean...

Downtown Disney...

The Swan

The Dolphin

The Yacht Club and Beach Club

Cara: You would love these hotels!!

I cannot find my pics in Sandra's

computer.

Imagine me with wet feet.

And Mickey ears.

What could be better than that?

MY FIRST RWA!!!!

2010-07-26T00:02:00.008-04:00

MY FIRST RWA.

FIRST.

EVER.

Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort

Not exactly Unpubbed Island, eh???

Oh my stars. Pinch me, I must be dreaming...

AND I'M GOING THERE WITH MY FIRST SALE RIBBON, WITH THREE WONDERFUL BOOKS OUT, WITH A GREAT EDITOR AND AGENT, WITH CUTE SHOES....

AND MOST OF MY SKIRTS ZIP.

WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE?

WILL DO UPDATES FROM ORLANDO.

What a difference a year makes. Who'd a thunk all this last year?

Not me.

And in all honesty? I'm so grateful that I used the time "pre-pub" to keep writing, keep producing, keep piling up books on the old HP.

Patience. Perseverance. Persistence.

Nevah give up. (Winston Churchill)

Plenty of time for rest in the grave. (Ben Franklin)

No one can make you feel inferior without your permission. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

GIRLS UNITED!!!!

2010-07-22T08:04:00.001-04:00

How to Handle a Pesky Boy Phone Call

"Umm.... HELLO???

I'm trying to drive here and it's clearly a

NO PASSING ZONE...

HANG UP THE PHONE, CUPCAKE!"

"Oh, sorry, didn't see you!!!" Dianna waves

phone frantically, a knowing smile on her face.

"It's a... boy!"

Brooke backs off instantly. "Well, in THAT case...

I'll just wait."

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...

"Yo, Aidan, gotta go. I'm keeping my BFF waiting

and that's just not cool.

What? Ditch her?

No way, Jose, and you've just joined the totally uncool kid

club.

See ya', Dude! NOT!!! We've got a tree to climb! And just maybe a tea party after."

Now that's what I'm talking about!

You're only a little girl once.

Make the most of it.

Kittens Are Cuter...

2010-07-21T00:01:00.004-04:00

Meet Pete the Possum.

There is no real point to posting this, except to be glad I'm not that ugly.

Ever.

Even in the morning.

Even half-past morning.

Even when half-past morning meets late afternoon doldrums with bad hair and teeth.

Nope. Still not that ugly.

Do not note that the porch needs cleaning. It was spring.

Mud season around here.

Firewood stacks moved off the porch and back to garage.

Residual clutter.

The porch is cleaner now. Flowers. Rocking chairs. Swings.

And the possum is .... wherever.

Possums love cat food.

Never, ever leave your cat food out at night.

But possums also love to lick old grills.

Yuck.

I do not have a picture of that.

Pete's actually small. Young.

But he'll grow quickly with a daily diet of Meow Mix.

Dagnabbit.

This is the porch now.

Sweet. Bucolic. Pastoral.

This is after a healthy dose of soap and bleach.

Winter hangs on a long time around here!

Medieval Dress Up!

2010-07-20T07:44:00.000-04:00

So:

This looks.... fun.

Kind of.

Although dark and menacing.

Where are the princesses?

Where are the knights in shining armor?

And do you SEE that gleam in Tori's eye?

Oh my stars.

(And how did Davey Jones get in this picture? Isn't he RIP-ing at the bottom of the sea?

Inquiring minds want to know!!!)

Obviously Casey did something very naughty.

I'm sensing French Revolution "L'Guillotine" type naughty.

Yowza.

I do not even want to contemplate what Haley's doing with that doll.

Ilura Dannon, per chance? From "Willow?"

And is that my precious Taylor about to decapitate Casey?

With a yellow plastic shovel???

Improvisation at its best.

And Kyle (as the Dark Knight, mayhap?) is holding

off Davey Jones with a long spear, while Davey appears

to be wielding a short sword.

'Tis a rough world in which we dwell, readers.

Aaaarrrrrrgh!

A child's imagination is their best playmate. It never has to go home for supper or visit Grandma in Pawtucket

and it stays steadfast when you get grounded

or sent to your room.

Imagination.

God-given gift, wonderful earthly concept!

GO YANKEES!!!!

2010-07-19T08:32:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I'm a Yankees fan.

And a Jeter fan.

Lawyer Boy invited Dave and me to the Big Apple for Old Timers' Day.

I have always wanted to go to Old Timers Day.

See legends of baseball.

S-W-E-E-T!!!

Bob Sheppard, "The Voice of Yankee Stadium"

passed away last week at the age of 99.

And yet, despite his age, he will be forever young.

And wise.

A sage. A gentle man.

Derek Jeter has a clause in his contract that says

as long as he's a Yankee, he'll be announced

by Bob Sheppard. There's something intrinsically

awesome about the way Bob says:

"Now batting for the New York Yankees, playing shortstop,

number two, Derek Jetah. Number two."

Bob with a younger A-Rod... Bob often came to the dugout

to chat with players. He loved baseball. He often said, "Some people go to work. I go to a game."

Genteel. Precise. Concise. Correct.

I love the NYPD. We saw patrols, beat cops,

stadium security, and had the privilege to chat with

a security detail at the Federal Reserve on Maiden Lane.

The love of New York, its people, its sports.

Of course I asked him to keep an eye on Zach for me.

He assured me he would.

Wink, wink...

She has a great smile, doesn't she?

This is Dave.

With two (2) pretzels. TWO.

610 Calories each. I know. I read it on the sign.

610.

Do you see how skinny he is?

Life is not fair.

George Steinbrenner and Rudy Giuliani.

The tribute to George on Friday night was

amazing.

And I forgot my camera because we were late getting

into the city.

Dagnabbit.

But it was truly wonderful. Yeah, I know what you think.

How lovable could he have been?

But for all his tough-guy ways, he was a man

who liked to win and could laugh at himself.

He expected people to do their best.

Sometimes he expected that loudly.

But doing your best is never a bad concept.

George Steinbrenner.

Bob Sheppard.

We're gonna miss you guys.

Sharing the Wealth

2010-07-16T05:56:00.000-04:00

Are you noticing the donut in Nolan's hand?

He's three.

He lives to eat. I can pretty much get Nolan to do

anything I want by using food and I'm not

afraid to do so. This is big sister Kenna offering

him a bite of hers.

And if you look carefully, you'll note that Nolan is holding

the white frosted donut with rainbow sprinkles...

Not the chocolate glazed he vehemently insisted his mother buy for him.

Boys. Sheesh.

So much donut. Such a small mouth.

And yet, he strives.

"Kenna, wanna bite of mine?"

"Sure."

Note that Kenna's almost vanished donut says

she's no slouch in the 'wolf-down' donut department

either. A girl after my own heart.

But here's another girl after my heart.

Please note that Dianna is not your typical princess.

We've got the gown thing working, oh yes.

But then we've layered with a gauzy lilac shawl, hip draped,

very 8th century. (I just made that up but I figured you

won't know either, unless some of you smart

historical writers tumble by in which case I KNOW you'll

correct me.)

And then the pink cowgirl vest, just in case the night turns chill.

It's 90 degrees right now.

And the armor. A girl can't be too prepared these days.

Toss in a touch of Antebellum with the hat,

and you have Today's Girl.

Love it.

Hey, I brought homemade ice cream sandwiches, using

my famous chocolate chip cookies.

It's best to let them thaw a few minutes to avoid

brain freeze.

But that's quite impossible, so just be forewarned and enjoy.

Life-giving Waters!!!!

2010-07-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

So, admit it. He's adorable.

This is the same little guy made famous

in Seekerville a few weeks back when

I gratuitously used him to draw crowds of

people to my writing post.

Yes, I am that shameless. Because he's THAT cute. ;)

So this was his Baptism.

He's wearing the sweet outfit I made for his Uncle Matt

thirty years ago.

Go ahead, ask me: Do I sew now?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

But I WRITE now, and that's just amazingly wonderful.

Mike and Miranda are 'Lijah's Godparents.

And that's Father O'Brien directing affairs.

He's a sweetheart.

And do you SEE Elijah eyeing that gold bowl?

Like: Whassat???

Whereas Max has obvious latent pyro tendencies

because he's got his eye on the candle.

And then cake.

Of course.

Gotta' have cake, right?

Elijah Thomas: May God bless you and keep

you always.

Love,

Your Grammy

Reader Letters: A True Gift

2010-07-14T00:01:00.001-04:00

Reader Letters amaze me. Seriously. The thought that someone would sit down and take the time to write to me for ANY reason is mind-boggling. I have siblings that would consider that over-the-top attention.

"WHAT????? WRITE TO HER???? WE SAW HER JUST LAST YEAR!!!!!"

And they'd be right. :)

And yet perfect strangers do it because somehow, through my words, my thoughts, my books, the Holy Spirit reaches out and graces their cheeks with a whispered touch, or maybe a gut-punch, or maybe a teeth clench. (The HS isn't all that gentle sometimes, and I know this first-hand for very good reason...)

What a treasure that is, the feelings of elder women, gentle men, young women, lost women, sweet guys....

I am honored beyond belief and overwhelmingly touched by their letters, their words, their thoughts.

Stories come to me from nowhere. But since that is obviously not true (because everything comes from SOMEWHERE, right?)

I know when a sentence fragment, or an old man's stance, or the smile of an urchin child sets my wheels spinnin', the hints of a new Ruthy-story, I know it's God. Divine inspiration. I have no doubts.

We do nothing to earn our talents, they're a grace-given gift, but we must do everything within our power to hone our skills, whatever they may be, or else the gift is wasted, gone like chaff on the wind.

I'm so blessed to be able to do what I've long dreamed of doing and get paid for it. But more than that is knowing I make people smile, grin, laugh and cry. Feelings are another gift from God, priceless and endless.

My path was an interesting one, but it taught me a great many things that easier trails would have minimized. Character-building is never a bad thing, just a little painful at times.

Remember Wesley in "The Princess Bride": "Life IS pain, Highness. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something."

I hope today that regardless of what's on anyone's iPod, they feel good. Empowered. Blessed. Ready to share a smile, a hug, a touch. Pass it on, pay it forward, pay it back....

Share the wealth. Like the credit card commercials say: "Priceless."

Dinosaur Soup

2010-07-13T07:13:00.000-04:00

This is Chef Logan.

It's recipe day here at Ruthy's Place, and today our guest chef is none other than the esteemed Logan. Logan's wearing the latest in Ruthy's Place fashion, a shirt that proclaims: "I do my own stunts."

And he does.

First, for good dino soup, you must encounter a herd of assorted dinosaurs, preferably with a meat-eater or two in the mix.

And here they are!!

Logan appears unfazed by both number

and type, seemingly unafraid of sharp horns

and big teeth.

What a brave lad!!!

For proper dino-chowder, you need a BIG pot.

If you cannot find a big pot, an unused garden

pond will do.

Place dinosaurs IN the pot/pond.

Simmer at low temps until meat falls off the bones,

watching pot carefully. As you can see,

Logan does this quite well.

Salt and seasonings may be added as desired.

If none are available, a handful of wood chips adds

nice flavor to the broth.

Thicken with dirt for a more gravy-like consistency.

And there you have it. Enough for an army.

Photos courtesy of Logan Food Productions,

MONDAY, MONDAY....

2010-07-12T08:40:00.001-04:00

MONDAY...

I confess...

I love the start of a new week.

Just love it.

New beginnings.

Countless opportunities.

A new day, no mistakes in it yet.

Yup. It's Monday.

I'm totally psyched.

Have I mentioned my Keurig?

Oh my stars, best invention ever. Well, sliced bread is pretty nice, too.

But my Keurig coffee maker, that brews PERFECT cups

of coffee, flavored or not,

hi-test or low,

caf or decaf... My friend Sherrie gave it to us.

Dave is now addicted.

But he's safe to drive with, so that's okay.

And at least he's not struggling to put on pantyhose

and drink coffee while driving.

You think cell phones are dangerous?

Pantyhose are much worse. Really.

And just look at the choices....

I LOVE choices.

Best thing ever.

Although Boyer Mallo-Cups are still high on the list of amazement.

Not rivaling God, but pretty darn good by human standards.

I'm just sayin'....

Happy Monday. May God bless you with a wonderful start

to a new work week.

And good chocolate and coffee.

Is Good Hair All That Important????

2010-07-09T06:34:00.000-04:00

"Not always," says McKenna. "I find that my inner self

shines through when I brush off mundane concerns

like fancy, over-the-top hair styles. Don't you?"

"Bad hair? Whuzzzat?" adds Brooke.

"Frankly, I'm too cool to care. Like McKenna said: Don't

sweat the small stuff. I mean, seriously:

Look at this face? I'm stinkin' adorable."

"I think McKenna and Brooke are both pretty."

giggle....

"Can we have lunch now?"

"Who's gonna notice my hair when I'm this doggone cute?"

(This is an unfair advantage that boys of ALL AGES enjoy. Someone should do a scientific study of why this is.

Because it's wrong. Just plain wrong.)

And as we all know, a really sweet ride makes up

for all the bad hair in the world.

Obviously McKenna had car trouble

and Nathan and Nolan ran to the rescue.

Heroes in the making.

This is why I write... I help mold the heroes of tomorrow

with the urchins of today.

Weddings...

2010-07-08T07:50:00.000-04:00

In the Land of Make Believe:

Little girls dream of the big day...

They primp and prepare long before

it's absolutely necessary.

Sometimes they have second thoughts...

But who doesn't?

Enter the disgruntled bridesmaid.

Doesn't every wedding have one?

Do you think it's because her

flowers are so lame?

I suspect that might be the case.

Our groom is pondering his fate.

At length...

But the bride seems to have come to terms

with her decision. Or else she sees cake.

Or she can't wait to get to the dancing part,

music courtesy of WBEE, "Today's Country", 92.5

(If you're scoring at home, THAT was a shameless plug)

While Bridesmaid Brooke's smile seems a mite forced

(ya' think?????)

the rest of the bridal party looks quite happy.

Except the groom looks a little impatient

with all this picture taking nonsense.

He's hungry.

Bring on the cake.

Don'tcha just love a nice wedding???

Miracles...

2010-07-07T07:03:00.000-04:00

Surround us.

Here...

And here....

Clematis are easy to grow, hard to kill.

God intended this plant for gardeners like me.

I'm Celt enough to know I'm part garden fairy, part dryad.

Both parts require time I don't have.

Enter: God.

How stinkin' cute is he? Do you see the birdhouse he made me?

This is my friend Kyle. I love him. He's very cool, cute

and super smart.

Miracles....Wonderments....Sweet magic and mist...

Here:

This is Kathryn, working on a patchwork pillow... Just got her new glasses.

Adorable.

And this is Casey, cutting out her squares. Check that smile.

Wouldn't you love to bottle that???

Miracles:

MacKenzie Marie...

Welcome to the planet.

Puppies....

2010-07-06T06:21:00.000-04:00

This puppy is leaving soon.... Her mama and papa are vacationing in Canada this week.

The dog, not the kid. We get to keep her.

And these babies are all at their new homes, but my friends

Casey, Allison and Taylor got them used to kids.

And fingernail polish.

And dress-up games. ;)

And yes, these puppies are on a roof.

Accessed via chain link fence and/or a Catalpa tree.

This is what summer is all about, folks. On Flower City Park we used to have contests

to see who could walk the entire block from Maplewood to Lake Ave.

without touching ground. Tricky, but possible. :)

Shh...Do not tell their mothers. Please.

And these precious babies are just beginning their stay with us.

Born July 3rd, with a rousing cheering section in me and Lacey.

And Logan and MacKenzie.

I think Seth dozed off. :)

Seven new babies. Seven sweet puppies. And note the stylish purple

polka-dot blanket.

We go all out.

92 Degrees...

2010-07-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

This, yes, this right here is why I do not live in the South.

Things that should never stick together, do. And that's just unfair.

I turn red.

This is not how God intended me. I don't think. Lobsters are water-dwellers.

Not couch potatoes. But there are certain distinct reasons to welcome summer.

I rest my case.