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THE RAGGED EDGE OF NIGHT by Olivia Hawker It all started with a notice in a German Catholic periodical, ESPRIT, in 1942. This set in motion the story of THE RAGGED EDGE OF NIGHT by Olivia Hawker…historical fiction about a former friar, a widow with three children and a small rural town during WWII called… Read more

“ONE FOR THE BLACKBIRD, ONE FOR THE CROW” by OLIVIA HAWKER THE SETTING: It’s 1870 on the eastern Wyoming prairie, in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains. Two families (the Bemis family and the Webber family) with adjoining homesteads eke out a living on their farms, about 20 miles from the nearest neighbor or town.… Read more

A weekend immersed in nature, art and music…heaven to me! Michael and I spent a few weekends ago in Ithaca, N.Y. It’s a sweet university town (Cornell University and Ithaca College) known for its natural beauty. In the heart of the Finger Lakes, it has more than 100 waterfalls, gorgeous gorges and challenging hiking trails.… Read more

Although our time in Toronto was filled with music, shoe-shopping and lots of eating, Michael and I also did our part helping Michelle with volunteer clothes-sorting for a locally based charity called SAFETYNET…something she and her neighbor do almost every Sunday. SAFETYNET is an organization that provides wrap-around services that encourage independence and helps break… Read more

Do frequent trips to Canada count? Since Michelle’s and my trip to Italy in October/November 2021, we’ve been to Canada to see our dear family. Italy just whet our appetites to travel more…we’re used to journeying far and wide…anywhere we wish to go. Because of COVID, our passport has been inactive . Michael and I… Read more

“FOUR NAILS” by G.J.BERGER Once upon a time, there was a young Indian boy…an elephant trainer… named Ashoka. Forced into slavery to help his family survive, he became known an “elephant whisperer” of sorts, after successfully training Four Nails, an unusually enormous, wild elephant. He eventually became head mahout in Hannibal’s army as they marched… Read more

October 23rd is Michelle’s birthday so we decided to plant ourselves in her most favorite place for her special day…ORVIETO, ITALY! We arrived the day before her COMPLEANNO and stayed at the HOTEL PALAZZO PICCOLOMINI (that offered us the most wonderful views of Orvieto rooftops…sunset to sunrise) Happily walking through the town we know so… Read more

THE STOLEN LADY by LAURA MORELLI Books have the power to transport us, to allow us to escape to another time and place just through the written word. That’s the closest thing to magic I know! THE STOLEN LADY by Laura Morelli is a historical fiction novel that has as many layers as a beautiful… Read more

“THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS” by Kristin Harmel Kidnapped from her German parents and raised in the forest, Yona was trained to survive in the most difficult of environments. Destined to become a hero as she moved from childhood to adulthood, survival training proved valuable in her saving many innocent lives…lives of those she met… Read more

This has been a perfect week to jump back into digital challenges issued by my favorite online groups! It’s been a while since I’ve done so many at once. Sunday Postcard Art (https://sundaypostcardart.wordpress.com) asked for art depicting old age…I used an ancient fresco as my base and added an old lady to the mix. This… Read more