June 30, 2016

Small Town, USA

Happy Fourth of July









Everybody loves their hometown.  After all, it's THEIR hometown.  Born there or living there by choice, we all take pride in the accomplishments, beauty and notoriety of our place.  I am no exception.  For me, Amelia Island, Florida has it all.  I often say, "History loves here."  Since I love history, I'm in the right place. A real live working seaport with a National Historic District full of Victorian homes and storefronts, this city is my definition of Small Town, USA.





Through the generosity of many, we can now brag about all the American flags hanging from street lights and telephone poles in our downtown and clear out to our Main Beach at the Atlantic Ocean.  The flags are our cherry on the top of our rich dessert of Southern hospitality smothering our Amelia Island. Next time you're able, come on down and enjoy this paradise, along with us. It's too beautiful not to share!

June 22, 2016

My Purple Chidken - Another Lucy Moment

   When I cook, the result is most often tasty.  However, the appearance is just as often not what I expect it to be.  Case in point:  There I was, wondering the answer to the question my friend, Jamie, often asks, "What are you chiseling out of the freezer tonight?"  So to that end, I knew there were some boneless, skinless chicken breasts just waiting to be thawed and turned into another of my never to be repeated because I can't remember just what I did, delicacies.  Okay, what should I add to the slow cooker with the chicken?  I found some frozen onions and green pepper pieces, canned spiced tomatoes, broken pieces of spaghetti noodles and  red wine in the refrigerator.  I dumped all but the noodles into the pot, which in my vast culinary experience, must be added the last few minutes, lest they don't soften to the point of disappearance. I added the lid and cranked the dial to high. 
   Leaving the kitchen and entering Story Central, down the hall, the special spot in our home where the minutes, like  the overcooked noodles, disappear as I empty my mind of the thickening agent which will add flavor to the characters in my next novel, Sand and Sin. What eventually tore me away from the story of the woman in the leaking canoe being paddled down the rough river rapids through the jungle--was the smell, a delicious small.  I hastened back to the kitchen, to trip over the cat and land, after one less than graceful skid, in front of the crockpot. Daring not to lift the lid, I anticipated the taste of heaven arriving within the next hour.
   The table set, I served the spiced bouquet of odiferous delight by the bowl to my waiting family. The comments flowed like the tomato based broth before them.
   "Ick.  What is that purple stuff?  Liver?"
   "It looks like eels!  I'll vomit if I have to look at it again."
   "Mom, what did do this time? Did you mix up our dinner with the garbage, again?"
   Oh, those kidders of mine - Perhaps I was a tish heavy-handed with the red wine, but I've never had better tasting purple chidkin, our new name for this most unusual chicken, in my life. Of course, the blindfold helped a lot.  

June 19, 2016

Moustache Cup

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY 
To the fathers out there:
Thank you for all the love you've given, the lessons you've taught and the money you've spent on us.

So,  long ago and who remembers where, we came into the possession of this
beautiful antique moustache cup. If you've never seen one for Dad before, note the inside coffee guard, for lack of  knowing the real name.  As you sip on the rim, the guard supports your moustache while  leaving room for your nose so you can breathe by way of the dip in the middle of the guard. Pretty clever as well as beautiful, huh? If you father has a moustache, think about getting him his very own.

June 15, 2016

Gone With The Wind Quote


Children are life renewing itself ... 
      - Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell 

Today we welcome the newest member of our family.  A perfect baby angel on earth, we all are blessed to have this sweet soul among us.  

In difficult times, may we remember those wise and wonderful words above, penned by Mitchell in 1939, and be comforted.

June 8, 2016

Guess Who

Who is this person on the right?  It's me!  I love fun surprises.  When I opened my email, I found this multi-color picture from Sarah W., sent all the way from Arizona!  She snapped my picture at a book signing here on Amelia Island and created this oh-so-artsy quad image. 
 

Her note read:

 To Jane Marie -
   The characters in your books are especially colorful. Because of that, I made this picture to
 represent all the rainbows in and around you.  
 -Sarah W.

I am so very touched, I have to share with everyone. Thank you, Sarah. You are too sweet!
                                                      -Jane Marie

June 2, 2016

Chocolate Table- Goodbye Lie Diaries, Nora

Pictured on the right is a chocolate table. Also known as a tea table, note the removable serving tray on top. Owned by my friend, Emmie Noble, she's placed her hot chocolate cup, saucer and chocolate pot set inside.

I discovered some information online by Fay Spencer of Spencer's Antiques in Waynesville, Ohio.  She explained these were especially popular from 1800 to 1850.  I also found most interesting that during our American Revolution, hot chocolate was served instead of tea as a way of protesting the British and their tea tax.

Thank you to Emmie Noble and Spencer Antiques. For more about Spencer's, call 513-897-7775, 274 S Main St., Waynesville, Ohio 45068

*****

Goodbye Lie Diaries
1880s
Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida


Nora Duffy
Nora Duffy writes: My mother, you know her as Aunt Noreen, or Noreena, as Peeper calls her when she wants to irritate her, has a chocolate table in the parlor of our Duffy Place.  You can't know how many times my brother, Warren Lowell, my father, Clabe, my mother and I sit in that room, carefully sipping our chocolate treat.  Except when the milk was scorched, Mother blamed it on the stove, or that time Father burned his lip and spilled his cup onto the handwoven rug, I have wonderful memories.  I am most pleased to see such a lovely piece of furniture has survived the rigors of time to be appreciated in your century. (Jane Marie - I tried to sound somewhat dignified in my diary entry.  You know the true me and how Breelan and I can get into trouble far too easily to suit our families.  I have some ideas about what we'll do next ...)  

Nora, Aunt Noreen, Warren Lowell and Clabe Duffy live right next door to the Dunnigans on Amelia Island, Florida. Breelan Dunnigan and Nora are first cousins and quite the conspirators in their The Goodbye Lie series.