Every year we go plant shopping in the spring to fill all our flower pots.  This year I've planted and planted but I still have pots to fill.  It's a challenge but I was impressed by how finished everything looks with these filled flowerpots sitting around.  I hung my two new birdhouses -- one is a pink flamingo with long legs and the other is a turtle.  They are so cute and welcome additions to my backyard. 
A couple of my chimes lost the string fight and so I'll be looking for more.  I know my neighbor's would probably rather I didn't, particularly on those really windy nights but I love the sound.
Next Tuesday is my aunt's 85th birthday.  My parents have been gone for a long time and she's been a substitute mom.  I try to visit as much as possible for I know I won't always have her around. That being said, Mother's Day is just around the corner so make sure to do something special for your mom.

All my good intentions fell by the wayside.  I was going to keep this blog current but once more time got away from me.
Here it is -- the first iris in my 2012 garden.  Isn't it spectacular?  I do love them so much.  Can't wait to see all the others.  Hope the new lilies I planted also show up.
As for Do You Hear What I Hear -- I've listened to a number of books on my I-Phone and am happy to report I've found some new authors I really enjoyed.
As for me, I'm plugging along at my writing and hope to do a research trip soon for locale purposes and get the book ready for a publisher or agent (not sure which).  On the book front, happy to report I now have two e-books available through Barbour's Truly Yours.  Christmas Mommy and Opie's Challenge are now on Kindle.  Check them out.
As for the header, I'd written this and clicked on the wrong button and it was no more.  So as I said, don't click until you save or you're sure you want something gone. 
Tomorrow night we perform our Easter cantata -- Were You There -- there's one line in the program that truly says it all for me -- for my sin, I'll take Your cross. Jesus bore that cross for our sin and I pray everyone will take advantage of the upcoming services to thank Him for doing that.

Here it is -- nearly the end of January.  Spring will be here before we know it.  Notice how I'm skipping the part about the groundhog and six more weeks of cold weather?  :)  So far our weather this year has been fairly pleasant. A little chilly now and again but we've had days this week that were like early spring. The weather even has my bulbs confused -- I've got daffodils pushing up out of the ground already. I imagine they'll be in bloom before much longer.
As for my writing, I'm working on a story idea I hope to submit to an agent. With the news of Harlequin purchased Heartsong Presents this week, I'm eager to see what their plans are. Meanwhile, I'm going to make an effort to get an agent.
I also want to start a new segment called Do You Hear What I Hear?  No, it's not about Christmas. It's about audio books. Ever since I got my IPhone I've become addicted.  Right now I'm listening to Leisl and Po by Lauren Oliver.  It's a children's story but I'm enjoying.  My next listen will be Diann Mills' Breach of Trust. I'm an auditory writer -- my characters talk to me so it stands to reason that I'd love audio books.  In the past year I've listened to at least three or four a week and it's been great. So if you have a favorite audio book, please share it with me.

My head is filled with what this means but if today is anything to go on I'm going to have a lazy year.  Other than going to church and cooking the traditional black-eyed peas in a crock pot, I did little today.  :)  I've made resolutions regarding my health and my home and home I can keep those for longer than the traditional resolution time frame.  My writing is next on my list -- it's time to continue the book I'm working on and find an agent this year.  So Happy New Year one last time -- here's praying everyone's 2012 will be totally blessed. 

Well here we are -- 7 days away from Christmas. Wish I could say I'm ready but I still have a ways to go.  Better get there soon though or I'll miss it completely. Here's the tree in my office -- revolves and as you can see the snowman at the top has a pretty satisfied smile on his face. 
We performed our Christmas cantata last Sunday night and as always I was lifted high with the beautiful music and words. The program was Welcome to Our World and how wonderful it will be to one day welcome our Lord and Savior to His world. 

The upcoming week will be a busy one for everyone and I wanted to take time to wish each and every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving.  I pray you and your family have the most blessed of gatherings.
My author copies of Just One Touch arrived in the mail this week. As my way of saying thanks, I'm giving away five copies to the first five people to comment on this post.
Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless.

Took a couple of extra days off to get a head start on outdoor decorating. We always put it off until the first of December and it turns cold so this year we said we'd get everything strung out and then light it around the first of December.  Only thing is it really will be colder in early January when we go to take it down.  :(  So far we assembled a few wire trees and some present boxes. There's a lot more than goes into my Christmas wonderland.
Anyway, a bunch of bulbs that might have otherwise been destined not to survive also made it into the ground today.  It'll be a while before they burst out of the ground and give thanks for saving their lives but at one more thing off my endless list. We even trimmed some branches off the crepe myrtle trees. Are we crazy or what? It was like a summer day out there today but word has it tomorrow will be a different story.
Won't be long until JUST ONE TOUCH arrives. God has blessed me with fourteen single titles, two novellas, and three anthology reprints.  Not bad for a writing career that took twenty years to take off.  God knew the plans He has for me and it's clear that once I made the right choice (to write books that honored him), success was mine. 
Ideas are falling in place for the new book. I have visuals of the characters, plan to place the story in Nags Head, North Carolina, and look forward to introducing the characters to everyone.

Today is my dad's birthday.  He's been dead twenty years this year and he would have been 77 years old.  Time is certainly whizzing past. 
Just chatted with my great niece on FB and she told me she did a book report at school on one of my books.  I teased her about being unique -- not many kids can say they're reporting on a relative's book.  Well, then again, maybe more than you realize considering the number of books being written every day.  So many books, so little time.  :)
I was honored that she chose to do that though.  I remember book reports in school (no, my memory isn't that far gone). I didn't mind the written ones but boy did I hate the oral reports. I hated any situation where I had to stand up before the class.
God has certainly strengthened my self-esteem over the years. He helped me realized we're all special in His eyes and I've stood in front of groups and made speeches and even sung in cantatas. Now since I don't really have a great voice (yes, I'm the Barney Fife sp??? in the group) that's quite a stretch but in the end we sound pretty good.
What kinds of things has God enabled you to do that you believe you never could?

If you've visited my site lately, I'm sure you think that's the case with me but I truly want to do better but life seems to get in the way more often than not.  I'm going to strive to keep this updated so I hope you'll visit and if it's out of date call me on it. I do appreciate people taking the time to visit my site and look forward to hearing from you.
2011 has been a fast year -- hard to believe it's already mid October and two months and 3 days to Christmas.  I know -- I hear the groaning.  :)  Still it's my favorite time of the year and I look forward to bringing all my decorations out of storage and enjoying them for the holiday season. 
As for writing I haven't done much since I finished the third of my North Carolina Hideaways idea.  The third, Just One Touch, will release to the Heartsong Presents bookclub in November. 
I hope you enjoy meeting Lauren, Jake, baby Teddy and Yapper.
I am putting together a new idea and for now it's formulating in my head more than anything else. I do have about 6K words written but that's a long way from a complete story.
PS I can claim my blog is the reason I'm behind. It said it published but didn't.  Guess I'll contact my provider now.

Sunday is the first day of spring.  I read a question this week asking our favorite thing about spring.  I don't have just one.  I love spring -- maybe because of the new growth but also because I'm escaping the cold of winter.  It's only mid-March and nearly all my daffodils have bloomed out.  I've wandered around the yard looking for new growth, wondering how the bed I planted last fall will do, hoping to see many of my beloved irises and lilies bloom this year, planning which projects I'll carry through on this year.  Maybe that's my favorite thing -- the hope of a new season. 
I'm winding down on my third book, Just One Touch.  The first book, Peace, Be Still, released a couple of weeks ago and I got the opportunity to blog on the Heartsong Connections site.  It's always a joy to receive a new book.  I thank God.  Without Him it wouldn't happen.