To The Irish!

                                 CHICAGO RIVER

                               

                               Thank you, Chicago!

photo by Barbra Boutin https://homeasap.com/barbraboutin

Fun Find

     Whilst visiting local Amelia Island antique shops, I came across this wonderful iron star.  A light spray of  coral paint and sealer against the weather, I added a bit of glitter, too. It now hangs on our front gate.  I love it!

How Much is That Doggie on the Blanket?

 

       You have probably heard How Much is That Doggie in the Window?, a sweet song about a canine for sale. Well, we won't accept any money for  Abby, Spokesdoggie for this blog, and our beloved Chihuahua pup.  Wearing her present from Santa, Abby insisted on modeling this pretty checked little number with the snowflake design. Cold temps have come to Amelia Island, Florida! The low  is supposed be in 50s (Fahrenheit)! We’ll need another log on the fire!

Tree in a Book

 

      I saw this paper folding idea online at The Shabby Tree. Since I am an author, I just had to make my own version.  Being an evergreen, it not only works for Christmas, but year round.  And, of course, pearls, as books, go with everything! 

   P. S. Thank you, Shirlene Reeves, for the big bling tree topper!

Peeperisms: A Warning

*Peeper

 "If'n she wears a flower

 by her cheek, 

she might turn out 

 ta be a sneak!"

                              -Peeper                           

 *Peeper Clegg adopted the Dunnigan family, moving right in on them, back in late 1800s Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida .  Now, she is the beloved grandmother of the lot.  Famous for her elixir fixers and funny fights with neighbor Aunt Noreen, she is a prime character in the The Goodbye Lie historical romance series. Her colorful countrified sayings have come to be known as Peeperisms.

 The Goodbye Lie Victorian romance series is available in E-books and Paperbacks

These books are not your typical mystery novels.  Add the unexpected, humor, family misdeeds, plenty of passion, good and bad ...  All of this is just part of 

 Amelia Island’s Goodbye Lie novels.

The Great Explosion

Dear Everyone,

     I have done it once again.  No, I didn't run over the garden hose with the mower or superglue my fingers together or thaw a block of cookie dough instead of ground beef when company was expecting my crock pot spaghetti meat sauce.  This time, I picked up an unopened and oversized plastic bottle of  pop to put in the refrigerator to cool.  That was my intention, anyway.  The unintended happened.  I lost my grip (on the bottle, to clarify) and it crashed to the floor, splitting its thin plastic container wide-open.  You may have seen those golden fireworks which spin around on the ground, spewing their fiery sparkles everywhere.  That was what entered my shocked mind,  as I was irrationally fascinated by the happening. After a near eternity, I snapped out of my mesmerizing stupor and grabbed the bottle, tossing it into the sink.  I didn't measure it at the time, but I'm guessing there was, at most, a half a cup of liquid left in said bottle.  I slipped and slid in my flip-flops on the river of brown pop on the floor, surveying the damage. Grabbing dish towels from the kitchen drawer, I began to sop up the mess.  Then I realized the refrigerator door, still wide open, had been thus during the explosion.  As you guessed it,  the entire interior was filled with an uneven spattering of brown freckles.  The stuff was everywhere, including puddled under the pull-out vegetable bins.  From my toes to my forehead, I felt the trickling yet refreshing liquid on me, like a dirty rain shower. Oh, and it wasn't just on my skin and my clothes, those freckles were on both sides of the kitchen. On the baseboards, the cabinet fronts, the assorted decorative items atop the cabinets, inside the magnetic picture frames on the frig, on the louvers of the water heater closet and high up on the door to the garage, some 15 feet away.  (Refer to the picture at the beginning of this post.) 

            

Sigh.  Well, my kitchen could/can always use a good scrubbing. Still, I suspect I will find brown polka dots long into the future.  The ONLY saving grace was that the drink was diet soda, less sticky than the full-tilt sugary stuff.  Hey, I try to find those silver linings every place I can because, of course, I believe in happy endings.  But oh, the power of pop!

-jmm 

Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow Excerpt - Carolena Dunnigan and Grey McKenna - circa 1889

 The Goodbye Lie Diaries

(Through the magic of electronics, mental telepathy and a smidge of time travel, Jane Marie is able to communicate with her clan of characters from her  The Goodbye Lie series. The result is The Goodbye Lie Diaries, scattered throughout this blog.)

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

Late 1880s

Carolena Dunnigan writes: 

Dear Jane Marie and Ava,

Carolena Dunnigan

     As you may know, I lean toward the artistic, myself, so I  appreciate your efforts with regard to the watercolor you both showed earlier on this blog.  What with me now working as our
Aqua Verde Passenger Line interior designer of yachts and ships, my imagination is free to combine color and texture and all that encompasses. My reward is seeing our patrons with approving wide eyes when they board our vessels and look about. I boldly pronounce that I am very proud of my contributions to our family business.    

**********

I thought this would be a fine time to share a passage from  Carolena's story below. Read on - Jane Marie 

 EXCERPT from

 AMELIA ISLAND'S VELVET UNDERTOW featuring Carolena Dunnigan  

the year is 1889 ...

Get your copy of Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow

 HERE 

in Paperback or E-book

   The ride to the Coral Crown gave Carolena little time to reestablish her composure. She knew she must try. 

   The ship's engineer, supervising the last of the coal being loaded aboard, but ever aware of his surroundings, called out, "Cary! What are you doing here at the docks? And with your satchel in tow. I thought you'd be housebound for a long time mourning Grammy. Need a vacation from Aunt Noreen, do you?" he teased.

   Obviously, Grey was busy. Still, his remark, although partly true with regard to Aunt Noreen, could not be ignored. "Grey McKenna! I'm hurt you'd think me so selfish as to desert my family in their time of sorrow. I hoped you thought more of me than that." She really meant what she said. She was disappointed he would ever consider her doing such a thing, although she didn't get the quality of loyalty from her mother. Mother. She forced herself not to frown at the thought. Mother would never again hold the sweet meaning it had.

   "Hey, I meant no harm. We’re about to pull out, so no time to talk. If you’re coming, Cary, get your tail up the ramp. Now!"

   When he took her bag from her, she glared at him for his crass language, not to mention his use of her horrid nickname. She just hoped nobody heard him. Had anyone else spoken like that to her, she'd happily assault them with a scathing attack they'd not soon forget. Grey was a friend and right now, she couldn't afford to lose any more people she trusted.

   Carolena didn't know what cabin arrangements to expect and decided patience was reasonable. Choosing a deck chair, she settled herself in a corner while waiting for Grey to finish his work. Once the Coral Crown was piloted away from Fernandina and out in deep waters, he'd come get her. 

   She tried to concentrate on the sun's slow-motion dive into darkness as Amelia Island faded in the distance. The hours passed. Passengers strolled about; she never noticed them. Stewards offered blankets of woven plaid and warm bouillon to sip, served from silver, but she sent them away. Captain Rockwell stopped by, and she assured him she was fine. When her eyes closed and her head nodded from emotional exhaustion, her miserable meditation didn't abandon her. It lurked inside her dreams.

   A low, long sounding "whooo" entered those dreams. It brought her around and once she deduced it was the bleat of the foghorn, she remembered where she was and why. Her gown was damp from the humid air, and she found herself shivering. Fully awake, anger surged through her. Well, I like that, she seethed. Grey McKenna has completely forgotten me! It certainly seems I have little chance to stir romance in him if he can't even remember I'm on board!  

   She rose and stretched her stiff limbs as inconspicuously as possible. She wondered if this was what Peeper felt like in the mornings when she arose, forever grousing about her achin' this or that. Carolena smiled as she fondly thought of Peep's squawking complaints of constant ill health.

   Her pleasant musings quickly faded. Complain! She would find Mr. McKenna and complain a tad herself! She left her satchel behind the chair and went in search of him. He couldn't escape her on this floating island if he tried! She walked down to the engine room. Straining her voice to be heard against the powerful equipment, she learned from Mr. Casey, who was polishing the bright work to a fine fare-thee-well on some clanking machinery, that it had been approximately fifty minutes since he'd seen Grey. Back up she climbed, her anger firing her impatience.

   She made one pass around the promenade deck, asking several porters if they knew the whereabouts of her prey. She was answered with the same shrug and some vague, "Sorry, Miss Carolena. Last I saw of him, he was in the pilot house."

   She headed to the pilothouse. There, she was steered to the dining saloon. She took in the savory smells and asked for Grey from the man who held the door for her entry.

   "I believe, ma’am, Mr. McKenna was called to the library. There was a ruckus of some sort. If you go down this corridor and take the first left, you ..."

   "Thank you, steward. I know the way." Of course, she knew the way. For a quick moment, she felt a twinge of guilt for having sounded so curt. Oh, she hadn't the time for apologies. A ruckus in the library? Strange. And to call for Grey particularly? Making a quick pass throughout the room, Carolena saw only an old man in a rocking chair, three frumpy-looking ladies and a teenaged boy and girl, who obviously had come to steal kisses between the stacks. She paused to spy, envying the young lovers. Grey wasn't in the library, so she would try the gaming room. He liked to watch the cards even if he couldn’t play while on duty.  The place was lively with piano music, murky with cigar and pipe smoke, and loud with laughter and the sound of clinking chips, toasting glasses, and spinning roulette wheels. She caught sight of the playing cards imprinted with the Aqua Verde crest and thought them to be an elegant amenity. Grey was not in here either.

   Carolena would check every compartment on this ship if she had to, asking each member of the crew when last they'd seen the engineer. The boat deck grill smelled so good and the banjo strumming was so spirited, she was tempted to have a seat and look for Grey later. She advanced to the winter garden. The glass enclosure was overfilled with lush foliage, exotic caged birds, butterflies, and an aquarium, all meant to impose spring and summer on the passengers year round. Grey was not there. On to the gentleman's smoking room she'd furnished with leather wing chairs, the shooting gallery, the kennel with its own sun deck, the indoor swimming pool of enameled sandstone and mosaic wall friezes, the small hospital, the barber shop, the chapel, able to be transformed for multiple denominations with the sliding of a silk screen, the theatre where tonight's presentation was a musical comedy, the boutique, the print shop that was putting to bed the Crown's own daily newspaper, and even the children's playroom where the audience was enjoying a Punch and Judy puppet show. 

   The only thing left to do was to find the First Officer, Mr. Hastings. He would direct her to a cabin. She desperately wanted out of her limp clothes. Then, she remembered one more place she hadn't checked, the men's gymnasium. Rushing down two decks, she found herself looking at the thick polished oak doors. A gleaming brass plaque declared her destination reached, but Carolena suddenly wasn't certain if she should be so bold as to enter the room. She'd been in this place many times during construction, yet this was different. Men would be in degrees of disrobement and perspiring to boot!

   Oh, pish-posh! Tugging open one door, she noted the paneling and wished it were daytime so the added illumination from the portholes would show off the high quality equipment in the room. There were a few fellows in short pants inside, all preoccupied with exercising. One guest was using the rowing machine, his full face flushed from exertion. Another, quite attractive with banana-blonde hair and soft blue eyes, was furiously punching a bag as if it were his mortal enemy. Realizing she was staring, Carolena's eyes turned to the pommel horse, which went unused as did the brass lion's head mounted on the wall, which held pull-ropes tied to weights. In the far corner, two men wearing mesh-wire facemasks and chest protectors parried, their fencing instructor shouting praises and corrections intermittently. 

   Disheartened at not having found Grey, Carolena pushed against both heavy double doors the same instant they were opened from the outside. She fell into the man who was intent upon entering. Grey! He was quick to catch her in his arms. It took her a few breaths to recover her composure. Then she laid into him. "Where have you been?" she shouted. "All I can say is thank you ever so much for leaving me out in the dark and the cold and damp. I may have caught my death for all you care. And have you gotten me a cabin? Or did it slip your mind that my tail, as you so coarsely put it, was even on board? I've been everywhere looking for you just so I could give you a good-sized piece of my mind."

   Grey was amazed at Carolena's shrewish tone, and she was surprised when he lifted her to her toes by her upper arm and rushed her away from the door and into the passageway. 

   "Let me go! Just because you wrassle equipment and engines and things on this ship, gives you no leave to bully me!"

   He released her once they were a distance from any ship's activity. The smile on his face was gone. "I don't give a good goddamn if your daddy and brother-in-law own this ship, missy, I won't tolerate you talking to me like that." His head cocked as if at the point of discovery. "Fascinating if you don't sound exactly like that Aunt Noreen of yours. Pity the poor fool who finally marries you." His searing look intensified. "It's a lucky thing you're a woman. If you were a man, I'd call you out!"

   "How dare you?" she responded. "Handle me ever again, and I'll have your job!" She was upset. Maybe about as upset as she'd ever been in her whole life. She was so mad, she could spit mud.

   Grey's eyes narrowed, and what Carolena witnessed in him frightened her. Her temper disappeared, replaced by bewilderment. Was she afraid of him?

   Speaking softly and slowly, "No one, not man nor woman, threatens my job." He leaned in closely. "You want to run things, do you? Well here, my dear, I give you full dominion over my responsibilities on the Coral Crown," adding, "with my compliments."  Grey pulled away and ripping the golden crossed-anchors from the collar of his uniform, he seized her wrist, and slapped them onto her upturned palm. A casual about-face and he walked away, leaving her alone in the corridor.

   She stood trembling, unsure of what to do. In all her ups and downs, she'd never before felt faint. At this moment, she was quite certain she was near to it. It was clutching at her, pinching off the breath to her brain. She leaned against the wall to recover. She straitened her sleeve where he'd twisted it on her arm and righted herself. In the event anyone witnessed the spectacle, she spoke aloud, "If that insolent oaf wants to quit and leave hundreds of passengers stranded in the event the ship breaks down, then he's simply showing his true colors. No loyal crewman would abandon his obligations if his feelings got bruised." How I've misjudged him, she thought. He's neither the kind man nor true friend he purports himself to be. He's a beast!

   Calm down, Carolena, she ordered herself. I’ll just have to put Second Engineer Casey in charge, and that’s that! Then it came to her! Who was she to be putting anyone in charge? Yes, she knew about the ship, but all she knew was its interior design. Of its basic construction, she understood only that burning coal in the fire room produced steam, which pushed piston-things, and they turned engines. Her tongue had gotten away from her, and her interference had caused Grey to quit his post. 

   Would Casey take over without talking to Grey? She doubted it because the chain of command was inbred in him the same as in any faithful sailor. When he and the captain learned the reason for the resignation, oh God. What if word gets out among the passengers and back in Fernandina? I can only imagine the rumors. And when it gets back to Waite and Bree and Daddy, I'll be so ashamed, they'll probably ask me to leave the business, and rightfully so. When I was a little girl, I remember Daddy telling me respect can only be given. It can't be demanded.

   What have I done to myself, my family, and the reputation of the Aqua Verde Passenger Line? Beast or not, I need Grey.

Grammy Camp - Poo-Poo People

     Meet our Poo-Poo People!  

     In recent memory, with toilet paper such a hot commodity, and recycling always meet and right so to do, why not make silly-looking folks from the tp tubes.  Here is our result!  Create a whole town of Poo Poo People.  Have the whole family embellish them with lace, ribbon, feathers, glitter, colored markers, rhinestones, etc.  However your decorate you new PPP friends, it's all about creating.  Have fun!   

Grammy Camp - Beading

Key Chain with Initial A by Ava

     Beading and jewelry making has many parts.  You first have to decide what to create.  Then, you must sort through the beads/embellishments to find the color, style and mix you want. Next, you lay them out on a special tray in a pattern, changing your mind repeatedly.  Finally, you string everything and finish with special tools for wire, if used.  In our case, the result is Ava's key chain, which is useful besides being decorative, where Grammy's bracelet is only decorative.  Ava wins on value points!

     Thank you to my sister, Nancy Kamp, a jewelry making instructor, who knows her craft, and thank you, Aunt Nancy, too, for our endless supply of beads!  

                                         Love, Ava and Grammy

Heart Bracelet by Grammy

Year-Round Patriotic Tree

      We should celebrate America every day, so why not put up a patriotic tree?  You can leave this decorated gem out year round.  I have posted pictures of other themed trees, Christmas, Valentine, St. Patrick, Easter/Spring and now we are enjoying this red, white and blue delight and it's easy to create.  The whole family can participate, which makes it all the better.  From the Spring tree, I removed anything that was not red, white and blue.  There are round Christmas balls, flowers, Dollar Tree U, S and A, letters (all on one banner which I cut apart), ribbon, lace, cut out paper stars I down-loaded free from the internet, silver ice-cycles to add extra sparkle along with the twinkling white lights and three large flags surrounding the top hat made from a coffee can. Scroll down to see the top hat tree topper photo. The only expense was one dollar for the USA sign and two more dollars for some extra flowers.  I was short on the red and blue.  Any-who, I love how it turned out.  Consider doing your own and God bless America!

The tree topper is made with red and white checked fabric covering a coffee can.  A painted cardboard brim, computer printed paper stars, a recycled bow with added ribbon, the white plastic coffee can lid, an embroidered star from an actual American flag and glitter complete the hat.

Precious Perfection

     These beautiful robin eggs were discovered by my brother, Bob Harkins, a retired Navy Chief. (I'm very proud of him, as you might guess.) They are in a rose bush, of all places.  Pity the poor critter who tries to snatch them...smart mama bird. Well, as soon as he sent me this photo, I knew I had to share. Thank you, Bob.  Thank you, Lord, even more!

Nao Santa Maria in Fernandina, FL

     Here she is, the Nao Santa Maria.  Built in a Spanish shipyard by the Nao Victoria Association in 2017, this is a full-sized  replica of the original ship that carried Columbus across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492.  It was constructed to  celebrate the 525th anniversary of the "meeting between two worlds."

Videos to enjoy: 

5 Facts about Santa Maria - interesting

Amelia Island Florida Santa Maria Video - beautiful

 

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida 

is a wonderful place to live!

A Floral Remedy, The Goodbye Lie Diaries with Breelan and Miss Ella

Goodbye Lie Diaries

(Through the magic of electronics, mental telepathy and a smidge of time travel, I am able to communicate with my clan of characters from our Goodbye Lie series. The result is The Goodbye Lie Diaries, scattered throughout this blog. -jmm)

Late 1800s

Fernandina, on Amelia Island, Florida   

   

TELEGRAM

Breelan Dunnigan

FROM: BREELAN DUNNIGAN

TO: ELLA DUNNIGAN

GIFTED BOUQUET STOP VASE NECK TOO BIG STOP REQUEST SOULTION STOP AUNT COE SENDS LOVE  

*******************************

Miss Ella

FROM:  ELLA DUNNIGAN

TO:  BREELAN DUNNIGAN

TIE STEMS WITH GREEN RIBBON 2 INCHS ABOVE VASE EDGE STOP LOVE MOTHER

*********************************

Current Day

Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida

Jane Marie writes:

     With regard to the above telegram from Breelan Dunnigan to her mother, I wondered if, once Breelan arrived home to Amelia Island, Miss Ella would speak to her daughter about the cost of sending such a frivolous request.  But Bree wanted an answer and she went to her mother first. I like that.  Apparently, Aunt Coe never heard of this solution. Neither had I.  Having a fresh bunch of flowers, naturally, I tried the trick. Putting them in a vase with too large a mouth, I tied the stems with a green ribbon scrap and it worked. See the photographs below.  Thank you, Miss Ella!    

Where is the ribbon?

The secret green ribbon works!😊

Buy The Goodbye Lie Series 

 in E-books and Paperbacks HERE

Happy Mother's Day!!!

      

     Isn't this a beautiful wreath for all the mothers out there to see and enjoy? I know my mother in Heaven would love it.  To me, it represents the tender devotion mamas have for their children, no matter their baby's age.  My friend, Jolene Woods, was sweet enough to let me snap this treasure of hers.  Happy Mother's Day, Jolene, and Happy Mother's Day to ALL!

wreath hand crafted by Tammy Haya 

 Message Tammy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tammy.haya.1

 if you'd like her to make something special for you or yours. 

And a Happy St. Paddy's Day to You, Too!

 This Irish Claddagh necklace was a gift from my dear brother, Bob, a retired Navy Chief.  The hands represent friendship, the crown is loyalty and the heart love.  It is very special to me.  Thank you, Bob. -jmm

☘☘☘

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

Valentine Chihuahua

 

Abby, our spokesdog and always willing model, is posing in her burgundy lace-trimmed daytime shirt meant for frolicking.

 She's all about the love.

Abby is enthusiastically modeling her formal Valentine gown.

💖 May sparkling hearts overflowing with love 

rain down on you forever! 💖

If you love romance,

try Jane Marie's Goodbye Lie series. 

 "Men will die for Breelan Dunnigan ..."

Ready or Not

Yes, ready or not, 2021 is now upon us.  I will speak for everyone and say: Welcome!

Happy New Year!

                                                               And we have our Abby, Spokesdog for GraciousJaneMarie.com, proudly rockin' her new metallic-jacket look, whilst guarding her blue baby as they share a beam of sunlight whilst, again, sitting on her bestest blankey. 

She's ready for sure!

Apple Butter Smoothie Discovery Plus A Goodbye Lie Excerpt and Recipe with Miss Ella

 There I was, in search of fruit of some sort for a smoothie. All I had on hand was one still to be ripened banana.  Hmm.  Perhaps applesauce?  That might work. Then I thought, how about grape jelly?  There's fruit in jelly, right?  Alas, there was no grape or strawberry or raspberry jelly or jam in the fridge.  My husband, Brucie, has a habit of polishing off household foodstuffs and neglecting to add those items to the shopping list for replacement.  Grrrrr.  I digress. So, along those lines,  I saw the brand new jar of apple butter in the cupboard.  Why not?  Let me tell you, it was very good!  Here is a list of estimated amounts of the ingredients I used.  You'll have to make yours to taste, but do give it a try.

JMM's Apple Butter Smoothie  

3/4 cup of non-fat plain yogurt

4 heaping teaspoons of your favorite brand of apple butter

1/2 cup no fat milk

1/2 a tray of ice cubes

Blend and enjoy any time of the year.

Enjoy! - Jane Marie

***

Excerpt from Goodbye Lie concerning Apple Butter:

     Turning to leave the barn Miss Ella asked, "How did you happen to come home so early today? It's just now five o'clock. Are things going well in the world of architecture?" Michael knows supper is always served at six, she thought, unless there's a potluck meal at church or some other social event. Then again, it could be his already bulging belly demands an earlier feeding. 

     "What's the use of being the boss, if I can't play a little hooky with my baby here?" His tone was short. This was certainly one of his hungry moods coming on.   

     "I'll see if I can't hurry up your dinner, Michael."

     "What? You mean it'll be a while?"

   "Yes, darling," she responded in as sarcastic a voice as his question deserved. "If you'd listen to your wife occasionally, you'd hear her say she has a few things to do besides following the timetable of her husband's stomach."

     He reacted with a snort.

    "Today, as substitute choir mistress, I was called upon to make last minute changes in this Sunday's schedule of hymns because Miss Bayer is out of town visiting her grandfather and Mrs. Lingenfelter is having her baby."

     Her husband grumbled in disgust. Unable to stay cross with him for long, she offered, "If you'll give me ten minutes, I'll pull some cornbread from the oven and slather it with apple butter for you to nibble on. That should tide you over for a bit until I'm sure the soup is done."

     "You know how I hate it if the beans are the least bit hard," he cautioned.

     "We only hate the devil," Marie announced.

    "Yes, baby girl. That's right. See there, Michael. It's true what they say about little pitchers having big ears and our little pitcher hears everything. Don't think she doesn't."

    Michael replaced his grimace with a smile and kissed his youngest child on the cheek.

MISS ELLA

     Miss Ella shook her head at her sometimes moody, but very wonderful husband, thinking how lucky she was to have him. Back inside the aromatic kitchen, she checked the steeping jelly kettle of peaches, stirred the pot of salt pork and bean soup, and cleared a spot for the hot cornbread among the fresh radishes and onions. It had been such a peaceful afternoon. Too peaceful, she realized. 

     Where was Jack Patrick? Her only son, age eight, was usually so noisy she knew his whereabouts every minute. She left the kitchen, went down the long hall past the stairs, and entered the front parlor to find her mother, Hettie Eckert, known to all as Grammy. Grammy was swaying in her rocker, intently working on a braided rag rug, and there was Jack Patrick, sneaking up from behind, scissors in hand, about to cut the soft wild-hair wispies from his sainted grandmother's head! 

     "Jack Patrick!" yelped his mother. 

     Calmly placing the shears back in the sewing basket, he stated, "Mama, I hope lightning flies through the window and kills the cat. I'm innocent!" 

     She knew exactly how innocent he was. She allowed the boy to dash out the front door before he caught her laughing.

***

Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie series

 Ebooks and paperbacks HERE

*Miss Ella's Apple Butter Recipe

You'll need:

• 4 cups unsweetened applesauce (made from cored apples that have been slowly cooked to reduce them to pulp or purchased applesauce)

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• Nutmeg to taste (use sparingly)

• Cloves to taste (use sparingly)                                                   

Combine the ingredients and bring them to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  

Spice to taste.

Serve on warm cornbread, muffies or bread.

Makes five cups.



*Miss Ella is the matriarch of the Dunnigan family. Loving, intelligent and married to Michael, she is the mother of four and known for her cooking, roses and general kindness toward everyone.