Ramblings-n-Writings

Archive for April 27th, 2009

Honey, our cinnamon Chow mix, doesn’t visit Ramblings-n-Writings very often since Mandy, Sadie, and Spot (a.k.a. the Puppy Pack) arrived on the farm. However, I wanted to show you what a beautiful dog Honey is …

Isn’t she gorgeous? Those photos are untouched too. This year, her fur is incredibly thick after the winter making her all the fluffier. I don’t have an actual current photo of her except for these …

She showed up on the front porch looking like that. To get the true effect, you should really click on the photos to see them bigger.

All, I repeat all, of her fur is caked with dry mud. Actually, I’m not even sure that the word “caked” covers it. More like drenched. The Farmer said it reminded him of dreadlocks.

Yep, she isn’t so soft and fluffy now. And she didn’t exactly want to cooperate with the camera either.

Best we can figure she wanted to cool down in the unseasonable heat, and instead of wading in the creek, she found a mudhole. Thankfully, the mud wasn’t mixed with cow manure.

We tried using the hose on her. Brown, very brown, water. But I think we only got rid of .01% of the dirt. Needless to say, she isn’t allowed inside at night til she’s a lot cleaner.

I’m thinking a swim in the farm pond might be good on Honey’s to-do list for tomorrow…

In A Vote of Confidence, the stage is set for some intriguing insight into what it was like during 1915 to be a woman in a “man’s world.”

Guinevere “Gwen” Arlington is a beautiful young woman determined to remain in charge of her own life. For seven years, Gwen has carved out a full life in the bustling town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, where she teaches piano and writes for the local newspaper. Her passion for the town, its people, and the surrounding land prompt Gwen to run for mayor. After all, who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?

But stepping outside the boundaries of convention can get messy. A shady lawyer backs Gwen, believing he can control her once she’s in office. A wealthy newcomer throws his hat into the ring in an effort to overcome opposition to the health resort he’s building north of town. When the opponents fall in love, everything changes, forcing Gwen to face what she may have to lose in order to win.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Vote Of Confidence, go HERE

MY THOUGHTS:

I can’t think of any other way to describe A Vote of Confidence but “a fun love story.” Gwen Arlington is filled with spunk and spirit and isn’t afraid to be independent in a time when women were expected to be submissive, not part of the limelight.

The current candidate for mayor is the local drunk, not exactly an ideal candidate. Gwen places her name on the ballot only to find out that the handsome newcomer Morgan McKinley also joined the race. As you can imagine, Morgan and Gwen battle wits, but after reaching a truce, fall in love. However, that’s not the end of the story especially when Morgan pulls out “the big guns” and gains support…

Robin Lee Hatcher writes a wonderful love story full of twists and turns. I’m eagerly looking forward to book #2 in The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series in Fall 2009.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd’s Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon.