Sunday's Lesson

It has been a very weird and sad weekend here.


My elderly neighbor, who is the sweetest human being on this planet, came and told us to watch our dog. Apparently, someone killed and skinned a big, beautiful dog and left the skin on his front porch! He is just devistated, and wondering why someone would do this. It wasn't his dog, and he did call the police.

Friday night, a helicopter was hovering for hours over the woods/creek across the street. We knew there was something very wrong going on. Then yesterday morning, the State Patrol Water Rescue and about half-dozen other police vehicles were coming out of the open gate leading down there. I asked one of the divers if someone fell in, and he said, yeah. I asked if they were okay, and he just said welllll. I said Ah, never mind. And he said he couldn't give any info. I told him no worries, I understood, I wasn't meaning to pry.

Found out later on the news that it was an 81 year old fisherman went missing, his wife called Friday afternoon and they looked for him all night. He didn't make it. It's very very sad. We are trying to figure out why he would do that. There aren't any fish in the creek right now, that I know of. He must have been just needing to get out of the house, or something. It's very sad!!


So... That's been my weekend thus far! The lesson I've learned?? Life is a rare and precious gift. Enjoy every moment of it!

Hugs,
Colleen

Review for Enchanted

Just recieved a 5 heart review for Enchanted, from TRS!

http://theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/enchantedlove.htm

♥

Thanksgiving Eve...

Wow, what a trip this has been!
I went to work on Monday, there were dry roads and just the normal 45 minute commute. Got in, got started, great! One hour later all hell broke loose and I've been reeling ever since. It started snowing and so we tracked it on the weather cams up the freeway to my exit. We weren't supposed to get any snow, but there it was! Wet, frozen white. So, they were happy to let me go home and after an hour and a half commute, I've been there ever since!

This morning, I'm up and trying to get my little dog out, and the 17 degree weather has frozen my door shut, so my poor little dog is standing there shivering, telling me to hurry up! It took awhile, but Mr. C was finally able to get it open. The poor little guy has learned to love his sweater! He brings it to me, I ask if he wants it and he wags his tail. Good enough for me, wish granted.

Yesterday, I was helping out at the barn and had to break one-inch thick ice for them! Then had to haul for Passion and Buddy, what they had was completely frozen! Never has those fuzzy, thankful kisses felt so good! :) Have I mentioned before how much I love them?? hehe Well, today, as is customary, I am paying the price for it. My shoulder and back are very sore! No good deed goes unpunished, does it?
I had a dream the other night, that Scooter came and crawled into my bed, pulled the blankets over his head and held them with his hooves. He was cold and didn't want to get out. I got LeAnn to get him out and she swatted him on the rump and told him to get up. He just gave me that sad look and asked why?
I told LeAnn the dream and she said it's because he wants a warmer blanket and she would put one on him. Of course he followed me around and gave the best fuzzy kisses! :)

I will be so glad to see the rain again. Though I can't ever really recall a time when I'm not glad to see the rain. :)

Have a great Wednesday! I hope you all stay warm and safe on this big holiday travel day!

Hugs
C
~♥~

Silky Saturday

It's been one of those stress filled weeks! It was my first week back after seven years off at my office! But finally, after over a year of trying, I'm back! I love the team I'm on, the ladies are all wonderful and have great sense of humor! It will be hard on my whole family at first, but I'm hoping this adjustment will go quickly. I've been a stay at home mom for so long, that it seems like my home life is on pause until I return. It will all fall into place though, everyone is supporting me going back to a job I loved having, and really hated leaving to begin with. But family is always my priority. :)
On the writing front, I believe it will help a bit too. Sometimes my brain gets a little clogged if I'm at home and "too close". Getting away, driving, doing other things, all seem to help set the path straight, air things out a bit, and help my plot move along. Don't get me wrong, I keep a pad and pens (don't ask about the pen fetish lol!) on me at all times. I can't let those great lines escape me!

So, I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!

I'm off to work on my next Sterling Moon installment. :)

C~

Happy Samhain!

Blogging at LSB

Today I'm blogging over at Liquid Silver Book's, Silver Expressions Blog! It's my turn to SEx again! :) I'm lookin' for some cute chicks! :)


http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/blog/
 
Have a great Saturday! :)
 
♥

Scooter Tale

Found out my guy, Scooter doesn't like squash! He thought he was being smart and took a big mouth full of the center stringy bit with seeds, and could not spit it out fast enough. He pivoted on his hind hoof and bolted for the door to find water or anything to get the taste out. Of course in his greediness, he got it all the way to the back of his mouth and had to work his tongue like a dog with peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth to get it out. He charged out to the front to eat grass and I took pity on him and picked an apple for him. Of course I scolded him while I held it for him to eat. He is my baby after all. hehe :)

HEHEHEHE!

♥

LSB Blogging!

Today I'm blogging over at Liquid Silver Book's Silver Expressions. Yep, I'm SExing!

http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/blog/?p=6431&cpage=1#comment-26714

♥

New Cover!

Okay, so here is my new, preliminary cover! Didn't Amanda do a gorgeous job?? *sigh* I'm just so happy with it! ♥

Viggo Vid

Just because:

Colleen's Critters

So my friend, Lee, hurt her back again on someone else's horse, so I've been taking over barn duties and awol. The poor thing can't even move to answer her phone half the time.

My Passion was so upset about being moved from the barn out to pasture for a few days, that she quit eating and drinking. One of the other mares got between the hot fence and the barbed wire, very early this morning, so Lee had to haul her sore hiny out there to disentangle her. She called me a little later this morning and asked me to bring Passion back to the barn bacause she was on the verge of colic (to which the other mare threw a fit at being left). So, after bringing her back, Passion instantly ate, drank and nuzzled. She was content again. I've read where horses will do this because the water smells different. If you take one to a show and don't haul your own water, they will often quit drinking and become dehydrated. So, a nifty trick is to use koolaid to scent the water. BUT this time, it was the color of the bins. These horses won't drink from a pink or yellow container, or whatever other one they decide is yucky. Eat yes, but drink no.

Then there's Curly, my little Hudini Pony, has been up to her tricks. She came running home a couple of nights ago and ...

Oops! Barn Call! LOL (Had to put the fence back up after Lee managed to get into the truck to get hay. The horses need very spacific hay and feed, or they simply won't eat it. These are all male, so I think you get the idea how pickiness runs in the male species. lol)

... tried to get cozy with the Stallion. Uhh, no can do! So, Lee finally was able to get a little pony proof pen for her! lol One of the neighbors is leasing their alpaca pen to us. hehe It's perfect for her and she is actually quite content in there with Maylee, a small red horse. SO... I'm tired...

Yesterday, I did manage to make bread, which came out nicely!

Jeez, it took me over an hour to write this!! lol

I'm going to attempt to do a little writing before starting dinner now. What a day, and it's not over with yet!

A Rare Family Photo

Today was my MIL's birthday, so I had a rare opportunity to have a photo taken of our family. :)

Jon Paul's portrait just reminded me so much of my daughter, I had to share them side by side.

Eden at Twilight ~ In Print!

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/eden-at-twilight-paperback-p-3436.html

EDEN AT TWILIGHT is the story of Lily, a woman who wants love, and Leaf, the man who risks it all to love her.

Lily Moore is an ordinary accountant who works long hard hours, leaving room for little else. After strange occurrences begin haunting her, she’s convinced by a motherly friend to take a vacation in Scotland. While there, she meets the man of her dreams, a handsome stranger with shifting hazel eyes. <>p Leaf falls for Lily the moment he sees her, love at first sight. Never has a woman taken his heart so quickly. When trouble stirs and threatens her, he stands by her side, traveling through time and dimension to reclaim her from a deadly Drow leader. Lily has no choice but to trust him and hope his strength will pull them through. But is his strength alone enough?


Excerpt:
Lily was glad when the plane ride was over. A feeling of awe surrounded her as the shuttle pulled into the drive of the cottage. It was as if she was entering into the picture on her post card. After paying the driver and stepping from the car, she stood looking around in an enthralled stupor. The scents, sounds, everything was just as her imagination had promised it would be. Shading her eyes against the late afternoon sunshine, she just couldn’t help standing motionless, looking at her dream come true. She finally moved to pick up her luggage without taking her eyes from the grand cottage before her. It was as if she were afraid it would disappear before she could get inside, if she took her eyes from it. Reaching down, she fumbled for the handle of her suitcase, her fingers meeting the warmth of a large hand. Her attention suddenly snapped from the scenery unfolding before her and back to reality. A reality snagged straight from her dreams. Standing in front of her was a kilt-clad man waiting with her luggage in hand. Her eyes wandered upward and she unconsciously pressed her hand over her heart when her gaze locked into his sharp, hazel green eyes. Yellow flecks hypnotically kept hers transfixed for a brief moment before she could tear them away. She blinked and her heart stood still, time seemed to have stopped.




“I’m Leaf,” he held out his free hand to her.

Great News!!

I just signed a new contract with Liquid Silver Books for the first book in a new trilogy titled, Sterling Moon: Enchanted. I'm so happy I can barely contain myself!!

Here is the blurb:

Dalton Adams is working to achieve his doctorate in animal wildlife and zoology. His thesis paper, on the subject of the difficulty of wolves replenishing themselves in the northern Cascade Mountains, leads him to a cozy lodge nestled in the Cascade Mountains. His long, and out of season, reservation will allow him to be close to his source of information, while allowing him the freedom to shift from man to wolf. But, his plans are all altered by a twist of fate.


Faye Dillon finds her world forever changed when her guest arrives. She is attracted to the dark, shaggy haired man with piercing blue eyes. There is an instant, unnamed connection between them. She gets more than she bargains for when the Alpha steps into her life.

♥
 
Okay, now I'm off to work on the second book! :)
 
C~

Funny Face

A never ending source of comedy! Meet Buddy! lol

My Wild Life

Sadly, this was my chicken coop. It has since been repaired. I didn't have the heart to shoot it with anything other than a camera.

The History of Groomsmen

I found this very interesting and thought I'd share it.


The tradition of a best man has its origin with the Germanic Goths, when it was customary and preferable for a man to marry a woman from within his own community. When women came into short supply "locally," eligible bachelors would have to seek out and capture a bride from a neighboring community. As you might guess, this was not a one-person operation, and so the future bridegroom would be accompanied by a male companion who would help. Our custom of the best man is a throwback to that two-man, strong-armed tactic, for, of course the future groom would select only the best man he knew to come along for such an important task.


The role of the best man evolved. By 200 A.D. his task was still more than just safeguarding the ring. There remained a real threat that the bride's family would attempt to forcibly obtain her return, so the best man remained at the groom's side throughout the marriage ceremony, alert and well-armed. He continued his duties after the ceremony by standing guard as sentry outside the newlywed's home. Much of this is German folklore, but is not without written documentation and physical artifacts. We have records that indicate that beneath the altars of many churches of early peoples (the Huns, Goths, Visigoths, and Vandals) there lay an arsenal of clubs, knives, and spears. The indication is that these were there to protect the groom from possible attack by the bride's family in an attempt to recapture her.

The link gives full details on the history of weddings and traditions in general. It's wonderfully fascinating!

http://www.hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/customs.htm

Great Contest!

My friend, Sherrill Quinn, who is an author with Brava, posted this contest to her blog the other day and I thought I would pass it on. Imagine being mentored by a Star Author from Brava! How cool would that be? Here are the fun bits and details! :)

http://www.bravaauthors.com/contest/brava-contest/

Good luck!

C~