Year of Living Graciously - November

Hold hands with a mate, sibling, friend or child - in public.

Pumpkins are orange.

Ghosts are all white.

Candy is yummy.

Enjoy your fright night!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Major Award!

My painting efforts were recently awarded with, not one but two, count 'um, two blue ribbons at the Northeast Florida Fair! Below is a glass carafe bearing a colorful palm tree.

Below is the tall ship I painted. There is a story behind this. Notice the smaller version in the lower left corner of the picture.  That is a photo of the much larger painting done my mother. Her painting is the favorite of all my siblings. Since my brother, Bob, is a retired Navy Chief and currently a tall ship sailor, who better to keep company with this treasure in the place it was created, our family home.  I took the photo just to have a copy of my mother's wonderful artistry. After a year or so, it came to me that I should try and re-create her ship. To see the ship through her eyes and stroke on paint in similar hues touched my heart as I realize my love of color is the same as hers. 

But wait, there's more.  On my list of things to do is the making of Captain Fancy Patch videos. Captain Patch will be played by my ever-cooperating husband, Bruce. He will read my silly and family friendly Martha Bear™  teddy bear stories meant to encourage reading through our free online Rascally Readers program at http://www.marthabear.com/. And what kind of pirate would he be without a ship? Well, Captain Patch has one now and so you have the origin of the Rosie Freckle. Mom would get quite a chuckle out of all this, I'm sure.

Easy Mummy Hand

I saw a photo of a homemade mummy hand in Martha Stewart Living magazine.  I didn't read the directions so made my own version.  It's easy and fun and you can keep it from year to year.  Make several for Halloween decorations.

You'll need:

1 old glove (gardening perhaps), washed and dried

newspaper

white gauze

gray crayon

Stuff the fingers and glove fully with crumpled newspaper.  Begin wrapping gauze around the fingers, one at a time, ending up by wrapping the palm and back of the hand.  Tuck the end of the gauze in to secure it or it may be glued. Scuff the surface with gray crayon to make it look old and dusty.  See pics below.  Enjoy!

old, clean gardening glove

begin wrapping fingers with gauze

finished mummy glove!

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Captain Waite Taylor- Nor-easter

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

October 1880s

Captain Waite Taylor writes - Southbound on the Gentle Comfort from Savannah, Georgia to Fernandina, Florida, a nor'easter stirred the seas the last 24 hours. As usual, many passengers felt the rise and fall of the  deck as we rode the waves to home port of Amelia. It is wonderful to spy my Breelan waiting on the dock  of our island home. I love the waters but I love my Breelan more...    

***

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

October 2011

Jane Marie writes - We recently had a nor'easter on Amelia Island. We have wooden walkovers crossing the dunes now and I stood atop one to take these photographs below. The wind was blowing so hard, it shook the walkover and I am surprised the pictures are not blurry. I am glad you made it home safely. I know Breelan is, too...

          

Goodbye Lie Diaries - Breelan's Witch Fingers!

1880s

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

Breelan writes-

We Dunnigans enjoy Halloween, as you know, Jane Marie, and make Edible Witch Fingers for our annual party. You  might try them in your century. The children have a wonderful time trying to create what they think is the most realistically frightening finger. Give them a try.

This is what you will need:

Pumpernickel dough (Peeper makes the most wonderful pumpernickel bread)

Almond slivers

Sesame seeds

Roll small balls of dough between your palms to form 3 to 4 inch snake-like shapes for the fingers. Place almond slices on the tips for nails.  Score with a knife three times for knuckle wrinkles just beneath the nail and then again half way down for the second joint of the finger. Blunt the opposite end from the nail to make the finger appear severed.  Gently bend and squeeze the finger to look crooked and old.  Sprinkle with a seed or two to look like tiny warts. Place your raw fingers on a buttered cookie sheet. Let the dough rise then bake in a moderate over until done, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the heat. 

***

October 2011

Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida

Jane Marie writes-

You know, I once saw a picture of Halloween Witch Fingers.  Can't remember where or when or I would give them credit, of course, but since you sent the directions, we couldn't wait until Halloween and had to try them.  They turned out great!  We added a bit of red decorative icing on the "severed" end to look like blood.  We dipped them in warm honey butter and will make them again nearer to Halloween. We going to a party and will take them along to impress everyone.  By the way, since I don't have Peeper nearby to make the dough, my hubby Bruce got some at the grocery ready to bake. I'm sure it's not as good as Peeper's fresh bread but it made for good looking fingers.  I snapped a picture for you to see our work.  Thank you for the fun idea! 

PS We also made some marshmallow eyeballs with raisins in the center and added "blood."



raw dough before baking



baked Witch Fingers and Marshmallow Eye Balls

Scarecrow Costume - Easy

I has the girls dress like scarecrows for a fall Bunko party at my house. My costume cost me nothing because I gathered everything I needed from around the house. So if you happen to need a costume for Halloween, be a scarecrow and have fun! Find out how below:

Jane Marie as a Scarecrow



You'll need:

Straw hat

Leaves cut from construction paper in fall colors

Silk flower - 3 to 4 inch in diameter

Small ornamental bird (optional)

Old plaid shirt

Jeans or overalls

Multi-color raffia for tie

Natural color raffia for hat/hair (optional)

Rope for belt

Garden gloves (optional)

Old colorful shirt for vest (optional)

Neck kerchief (optional)

Straight pins and/or glue stick

Dark brown eyeliner

Gold eye shadow

Blush

Lipstick

Pigtails or braids tied with wired ribbon (optional)

Hat:

Look at a variety of leaves and cut out similar shapes for hat. Slip leaves in hat band or tie a piece of raffia around the hat to make a hat band. Pin or use glue stick to keep leaves in place but don't harm hat. Secure large flower on front with pin. 

Hair:

Optional:  Pin or stitch long strands of raffia inside hat to hand down and  appear as hair or put hair up in pigtails or braid and tie with bright wired ribbon. Bend ribbon so it stands out from face.

Clothing:

Roll up the sleeves of an old plaid shirt. Cut the sleeves of another old colorful patterned shirt and use as a vest if you want.  Tie a length of rope around waist.  Pin raffia bow at neck or tie kerchief around neck. Wear jeans or overalls.

Make-up:

Apply gold sparkly eye shadow on lids and up to eyebrow. With dark brown pencil eyeliner, draw three long lashes above each eye and three long lashes below each eye. Outline lips with same pencil extending a line two inches straight out from each corner of the lips.  Add three vertical lines on each extended cheek line to look like stitching. Apply medium or dark lipstick inside brown lip line, reapplying lip line if necessary. Apply heavy blush to the apples of the cheeks. Add blush or lipstick to tip of nose, if desired.  

October - Year of Living Graciously

Each month I suggest an idea for living graciously.  Give October's a try:

Tell a clean joke!

Scroll down the right side of this blog to view the entire Gracious Living list.

Goodbye Lie Diaries - Breelan - Writer to Writer

September 2011

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

Jane Marie writes:

Hi Breelan,

Wanted to tell you that this past weekend we had a gathering of local authors in our city Rec Center near Main Beach.  The weather was great, the public was welcolm (my personal spelling of the word)  and it was a full day of a wide variety of books from 45 writers. This was the first annual and we expect next year's show to be bigger! An especially big thank you to our two book stores downtown on Centre Street, Books Plus and The Book Loft. You'd love these places. Oh, the photograph below is me at the show.  I played with the color of the picture for giggles. If you're wondering what the black fringe is across the top, it is chair legs.  I was in front of the stage.

Being a part time reporter for the Florida Mirror, the forerunner of our News Leader, as well as in charge of advertising for your family's Aqua Verde Passenger Line, do you get much time for writing your stories?

***
September 1880s
Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

Hello Jane Marie,

I do so love seeing your creative photographs. What fun that must be to have the means to not only make the pictures but colorize them at your whim.

As to your question about my writing, I steal the moments when I can.

How very exciting to share your books not only with the town folks but with other authors. There is talk of starting some sort of gathering for the writers in my century. Seems everyone is so busy, it is difficult to pin down a time and place. We only have four ladies and one man who show interest right now. Once our group is established, we hope it, too, will grow, the same as your annual book show.

It is less than kind to say this, however, I can confide in you. One reason we are slow to commence our writers' gathering is Aunt Noreen. She wants to join. Can you imagine that?  She's driven half the ladies from the Orchid Society and the Sunshine Ladies at church are about ready to string her up!  When you created Aunt Noreen, you surely created a pistol!


PS I fancy the idea of spelling my words however I like, the same as you. Should Sister Anestassia ever hear of such a thing, I fear she will have a hissy. Now that would be quite comical!

Round & Round

Used to be, I roller skated all over the neighborhood, like the other kids. I carried a skate key on a string around my neck to adjust the metal clamps that attached to the front sides of my shoe soles. Every now and again, they would rip off those soles or come loose, flip out and back and slam  the back of your heel. Owwww.  Those were the days. I remember, too, being the winner of the "Name That Tune" at the roller rink. Baby Elephant Walk, said I, to win some plastic bagpipes.

I am happy to say that after a couple, oh heck, a few decades, they still have roller rinks with tons of kids of all ages skating. I know this because I recently attended a birthday party with my granddaughter, Ava. She was so cute learning and I was right beside her,  myself on wheels.  While the music is modern day and so loud it would leave you deaf if you stayed in the place longer than two hours, I have the picture to prove that I too braved the danger of the whirling wheels and stated. I wasn't as graceful as I once was nor was I as swift, but I still have the knack for falling down! It's just like that "riding a bike thing."  You never forget how.


"Okay, who took the skate key?"



What a Life

Note the little fellow in the middle stretching his leg!  Tough duty, huh?

Looking at Tiger Island across the Amelia River, Florida

Once Upon a Time in America ...

Once Upon a Time in America
 Jane Marie and Barbra

Goodbye Lie Diaries - Miss Ella's Double Splendor

Link to the Past... 

1880s  September

Fernandina, Florida  



Miss Ella



Miss Ella writes:

My husband, Michael Dunnigan, got us all out of bed this morning to see not one but two rainbows. Magnificent. And they were not out over the Atlantic as usual.  They were sitting over our little town of Fernandina.  I wish I could share them with everyone.

***

2011 September

Fernandina, Florida

Jane Marie writes:

As happenstance would have it, Miss Ella, the weather conditions on this September morning of the 21st century were the very same as they were on your 19th century September morn. My husband, Bruce, got me out of bed, too, and there were the rainbows.   You said you wished you could share them with everyone. Let me do it for you with the photographs I took.  Enjoy!

***

1880s September

Fernandina, Florida

Miss Ella writes:

My stars! To be able to see a fleeting thing of beauty then keep it with you like this forever--I thank you, Jane Marie.

GBL Diaries- Breelan Thanks JMM

1880s  Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida
Breelan write and Jane Marie answers...

Dear Jane Marie,


Breelan



   I want to thank you for finding me inside your imagination. I like who I am. You could have made me  hateful like Aunt Noreen but instead I'm lovable. Oh dear, I do not mean to sound boastful. It is just that I generally have more friends than enemies. Well, until I have my Goodbye Lie adventure. I shiver as I remember. My life in danger, my family, too... There are bad people in the world, even here on tranquil Amelia Island in the Atlantic Ocean and you found them.  It makes for a great tale I have to say. The best part of all is you deliver me into the hands of the man I love, although it is quite the struggle to be together.  I want you to know how happy I am to be able to tell you my feelings in these Goodbye Lie diaries.  What fun to reach through time like this!

   Most sincerely,
   Breelan Dunnigan

Dear Bree,


Jane Marie

    I am so very, very glad, happy and proud, as they say, to discover you, too!  Little did I know that the loss of my husband's job making me homesick for Fernandina when we moved away for two years then back again, would be the catalyst to spark me writing the twisting chapters of our  Goodbye Lie series. Notice I write our series.  It is not mine alone for without you, the rest of the Dunnigan family and the Fernandina townfolk plus the unwelcome intruders to cause conflict, we would not have exciting escapades to share with the whole world. Did you realize that folks all over the earth read about you and yours?  It was meant to be, sweet Breelan.
   Much love, 
   Jane Marie

A Goodbye Lie Recipe - Mocha-Choco Cooler

Martha Bear
our website spokesbear

Martha Bear and I love to bake and cook and eat. We often make this refreshing, low cal, CHOCOLATE cooler. Treat yourself and the family.  Heck, treat everybody!

Mocha-Choco Cooler

You'll need:

•1 cup non-fat milk

•2 tablespoons lite (regular is great too) chocolate syrup

•1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules (decaf is optional) or to taste

•2 tablespoons sugar (or 2 sugar substitute packs), sweeten to taste

•7 ice cubes



Mix all of the above in the blender, and whirl on high until the ice is crushed and the drink is frothy.



Makes about 2 cups, enough for 1 tall glass.

Year of Living Graciously - September

September - Relax when you can and avoid looking at a clock as much as possible.

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Breelan

1880s August

Fernandina, Florida

Breelan Dunnigan writes - We walked on the beach after church today. The dragonflies and damselflies are everywhere! Of course, I really can't tell the difference between them except I assume the smaller ones are the girls. In any case, I don't believe I've ever seen so many in my life. Peeper calls them Devil's Darning Needles. Where does she get these things? Marie is afraid they will bite. Daddy says their tiny mouths pinch you a wee bit but only if you catch them and they have to defend themselves. They're too fast to catch without a net and who would want to do that anyway? Well, Pat used to when he was a child. Oh, I just looked out the window and there goes little Mac running after some with a fishing net.  He's like his Uncle Pat for sure. I do love them so. 

NOTE:  I read Breelan's diary entry so went outside to see if there were tons of dragon flies down by the beach and, sure enough, there they were.  Actually, they are everywhere, not just near the water. They flew past so quickly I was able to snap only a few unblurred pics.  Thanks, Bree for the alert!  -Jane Marie

Old Joplin, MO Photo

A friend found and gave this picture to my husband, Bruce.  Does anyone recognize this old building in Joplin, Missouri? 

 If so, is it still standing and where is it?

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Clover

1880s  August

Fernandina, Florida

Picked two baskets of pears from Peeper's tree this mornin' early, afore anybody was out-the-bed. Dropped some at Duffy's back door. Figured Winnie America could make a cobbler with them lessen Aunt Noreen gets them first.  Lord knows Peeper won't share with Aunt Noreen.  Seeing how it's Sunday and all, I shared for her. I was feelin' sorry for Aunt Noreen last night when nobody paid her any mind at the backyard picnic. Most folks think she's mean. They'd be right about that.

Sweet Expression

     I was settling my grandbaby, Ava, in bed one night.  She said, "Do Mommy Covers." 
     I proceeded to tuck the blanket down both sides of her body, shoulders to toes.  "No, Grammy.  Mommy Covers."
     "Well, what is that?"
       "You know, like this." She turned the top sheet over the blanket, pulling them both up to her chin.
     I fell in love with the term Mommy Covers.  It's sweet sounding, Ava invented the name, and I did this with her mother's covers, the same as my mother did with me.  I actually remember my mother, Marie, telling me the reason she turned the sheet back over the top edge of the blanket was to keep the blanket clean since sheets are usually changed much more frequently than the blanket.
     Anyway, Mommy Covers will be added to Ava's list of childhood expressions we will tell her little ones when she grows up.  :-) 


     P.S. Odds are this expression will find its way into my next novel, Mark of a Man...

A Feathery Find

 I spied this beautiful hawk in the woods of Florida.  I think it may be a Red -Shouldered Hawk according to some photo research. He posed this way and that for about ten minutes. I took note that there were no squirrels in sight because they knew he was watching for them.  Smart little squirrels!

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Grandmother Peeper

August 1880s Amelia Island, Florida

Grandmother Peeper writes:  It's mighty hot these here last days.  I dun told nasty Aunt Noreena she kin be akeepin' herself cool at night ifn' she'll just take ta sleepin' under a wet sheet necked. She won't have none of it.  She says it ain't dignified.  She needs more sleep or she'll git even meaner than her usual ugly self and we'll have ta set a trap fer her. I always feel so sorry for Clabe. He ought ta be gettin' a medal fer livin' with that thing of a wife. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

Making the Mark - miasma

I never heard the word miasma until I met my hubby, Bruce. He said his grandmother worried about such things and I had him explain it.  Years later, I thought it would be a "better thing" to put in one of my historic novels.  Hey, how about my current work in progress, Mark of a  Man, set in 1898 on Amelia Island, Florida? And so I have.

Miasma was thought to be an unhealthy/disease producing sort of cloud/vapor, sometimes smelly, in the atmosphere resulting from decomposition of organic matter, particularly in and around swamps. Although the odor is bothersome, the vapor, itself does not spread illness.  In my research, I found that nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was a strong believer in miasma and, to that end, believed in open, airy, clean hospitals which helped out everyone in the end. 

PS While some Marthas (as in Martha Stewart) say, "It's a good thing," my teddy, Martha Bear®, says, "It's a better thing."

Grand Opening of Gracious Gifts by Jane Marie

For Immediate Release:

Gracious Jane Marie is proud to announce the grand opening of Gracious Gifts, a wee gem of a shop filled with riches from the imagination and hand of author and artisan Jane Marie Malcolm. Located in North 3rd Trading, 13 N 3rd St, Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida, Gracious Gifts is spilling over with one of a kind treasures. Novels Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie and Velvet Undertow, part of the Goodbye Lie historic suspense/romance series, are signed by the creator, herself, and include a free recipe insert. Complimenting the series are hand painted Secret Pebbles™ with verses and organza gift bags, glass carafes for juice, wine or water, old timey tic-tac-toe boards to pass down through the generations and framed art to turn a wall, corner or counter from blah to gay! Pretty Petal hair toys, greeting cards with Jane Marie's signature rose painted envelopes, magic keys for little princesses and pirates plus an assortment of miscellaneous delights, capture the eye and treat the senses. For personalized items and information, ask for Gracious Jane Marie Malcolm at North 3rd Trading, 904.261.0405 or email JMM at graciousjanemarie@yahoo.com. Take a piece of Amelia Island's GRACIOUS home to entertain and beguile - until you return to paradise…

Year of Living Graciously - August

Handmade is fast leaving from us.  I've mentioned this in an earlier blog. It is so important  to me that I made it August's idea in my monthly Year of Living Graciously list.

Teach someone the art of hand sewing, knitting, crocheting, any kind of fancy work, before these skills are gone forever.

Yes, new mothers still want handmade baby blankets, but they want YOU or GRAMMY to make them, not learn how themselves!

Cowboys and Aliens review

We just saw Cowboys and Aliens.  I am happy to report that Daniel Craig is still good lookin'!  He and Harrison Ford did some hard horseback riding themselves and Craig took many a tumble during his stunts. Yes, ladies.  There is a kiss.  The aliens are slimy and ugly and none too friendly.  This was fun entertainment on the big screen for a hot, hot summer afternoon, especially at matinee prices.  When a large popcorn costs $8.50, you need the matinee price. In any case, go see it and and while away two hours and 18 minutes. Oh, no need to stay through the credits waiting for a short extra scene like in Pirates. There is none.  Enjoy the show!

Controversy Over Goodbye Lie Series

By now, you have probably heard that the tag line for my historic suspense/romance series, The Goodbye Lie, is where Little House on the Prairie meets Gone With The Wind...  I have been contacted by several readers who disagree.  They think is should be where The Waltons meet Gone With The Wind. You know, they might be right.  My characters have been known to say goodnight at the end of a day.  Guess they've got me!

Meet a Real Harry Potter Fan

author Kate Brown

Kate Brown, young author of Rose Legends, recently wrote a blog about the meaning of Harry Potter in her life. We all have our obsessions.  Read about hers, below. (Link to Ms.Brown's blog: http://strangerandomocity.blogspot.com/)

Friday, July 15, 2011

It All Ends Today

Four words which may have changed a lot of people. It All Ends Today.
But there are simply two words which changed my life eleven years ago.
Harry Potter. Those two words, that name, inevitably changed everything
I would be obsessed with in the future. Now, I'm not talking about the
kind of obsessed where I draw pictures of the terrific trio and put
them on my wall or stalk the actors who play the characters in the
films. I mean the kind of obsessed where it literally changes my
personality.

Think about it. If I'd never cracked open Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone, I probably would not have found the love of reading
which I have today. There's something fulfilling about reading a new
story about a new group of characters in a new world. Something
wonderful and exciting about getting to leave your own world, even if
it's just for a few minutes, to visit Hogwarts or Middle Earth or
Alagaesia or even just Lawrence, KS (if you've never been there, that
is). But what is it about Harry that makes his story so intriguing to
children (and now adults) everywhere? The story of Harry Potter
transcends generation, gender, and so much more. But why?

Sure, Harry is destined to be a hero and we know that, one day, he will
have to stand up to the man who murdered his parents in cold blood. And
we follow his story in the meantime when we could choose to read other
books. Harry himself is no extraordinary person, if you think about it,
is he? He goes to school, he makes a few friends and a few enemies and
he goes through the stage which all young adults go through; teenage
angst. So why is he so amazing?

The answer is simple: It's not Harry that's amazing. Or rather, it's
not just him. It's everyone else with whom he surrounds himself.
Hermione Granger, the intelligent, bushy-haired, sometimes overzealous
young girl. Ron Weasley, the fiery-haired, lovable friend who's always
there for our hero... well most of the time anyway. The rest of the
Weasleys who seem to adopt Harry as their own, not because he's famous,
but because they know family is the most important thing. They teach us
that throughout the books. Without the Weasleys, Harry might have
befriended Malfoy and I'm sure we can all imagine how that might have
turned out.

But not just Harry's friends. What about his professors? McGonagall,
the wise, sometimes funny, stern, but caring professor who was there
the night Harry was left with his aunt and uncle. Snape, the man who
hates Harry because of Harry's father, but loved Harry's mother so
much. We see Snape's true colors in the final installment of the films
and the novels. And let's not forget Dumbledore. Dumbledore: the man
who, in truth, raised Harry like a pig for slaughter, but who did truly
care for the boy nonetheless. A man revered by the wizarding world and
loved by his students. It is partly because of Dumbledore that Harry
was able to defeat Voldemort in the end.

I'm getting a little rambly and I apologize, but if you saw the film,
you'd understand. There's just so much going on in my head right now.
Voldemort is dead. My childhood is over. My mischief is, sadly,
managed. What do I obsess over now? I'll tell you what. I'm going to
continue writing and taking cues from my favorite authors and hopefully
my books will be half as loved as Harry Potter because no author could
ever trump JK Rowling.

JK Rowling is my idol. Without her, I would definitely not be where I
am today. So I say thank you, Ms. Rowling. Thank you for thinking up
Harry Potter on a train without a piece of paper and sticking with the
idea long enough to do all you've done. Thank you from the bottom of my
heart and, if I ever meet you, I think I'll be too in shock to speak.

Kate Brown
Author of Rose Legends (http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Legends-Book-One-Found/dp/1456080598/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311557999&sr=1-1

The Goodbye Lie Diaries- Aunt Noreen

1880s July

Fernandina, Florida

Aunt Noreen writes - I don't understand why Ella can't discipline her children a little more.  Here we were, eating some of my delicious peach cobbler that I'd made special and carried over to Dunnigan Manor and Mac says, "I'm done."  Ella smiled that smile of hers and I just had to correct the child.  "Turkeys are done, young man.  You are finished. Now how hard is that to remember."  You'd have thought I'd said a bad word from the hateful look Peeper threw at me.  Sometimes I wonder why I endure those family dinners over there. Sometimes, too, I feel almost unwelcome.  Well, I must do what is necessary for family harmony.  Mother and Father would expect that of me. 

An Invitation to the Royals



The following is a copy of  the actual letter I sent to Prince William, Duke Of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess Of Cambridge along with two Secret Pebbles™ -

Your Royal Highnesses,

You are cordially invited to say at our house, Stately Malcolm Manor, the next time you cross the Pond and visit North America. Please give us 3 months notice of your visit to be sure our guest room is available. We live on Amelia Island, Florida, often referred to as paradise, so vacancies  are rare, particularly in the summer. I'm thinking when the kids are in school would be best.

My thoughtful husband, Bruce, has offered to remove his clothes tree, the already read stack of Louis LeMoure books and even the extra pairs of shoes in the corner of your room to make more space for you. If you'd like to sleep with a cat, just leave the door open. You will have to remember to drop the toilet lid each time you powder your noses to prevent the cat from bathing in that particular water. (Please refer to my July 10, 2011 blog entry entitled From the Cat at ttp://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html.) We will be serving Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce, a family favorite. We can not abide fussy eaters, so clean your plates. Mr. Ocean is two blocks away. Follow your noses to the scent of sea water. Oh, your security team is permitted to set up a tent inside our courtyard. However, we ask they conceal their slingshots to stay incognito.

Enclosed are two of my personally hand painted Secret Pebbles™ as wedding gifts as well as enticements to lure you back to America. The secret in the pebble is what you two share. Could your secret be love? I'm thinking so.

At your earliest convenience, please email me at GraciousJaneMarie@yhaoo.com so we may pencil you in our registration book. And remember, the latch string is always out.

Secret Pebble™
 samples

Sincerely,



Jane Marie Malcolm

silly person and author of The Goodbye Lie historic suspense

http://www.graciousjanemarie.com/



 

American Legion

Meet Bruce Malcolm, the newly sworn Chaplain of American Legion Post 54, Fernandina Beach, Florida. I am so proud of my husband.  I know his mother, grandmother, daughter and sons are, too.

For God and Country,

Jane Marie Malcolm

American Legion  Auxiliary

                                                         

Lost Art

Whilst walking about Wally-World the other day, I inquired of a young lady, mayhap two and twenty years old, "Where might the cross stitch supplies be? The floss, in particular."

Her reply? "I don't know what you're talking about. Do you mean yarn?  My great grandmother used to use metal sticks and make sweaters with string or yarn or something. The only floss I know about is dental floss.  If we have any of that, it's probably over there," and she pointed toward the toothpaste aisle.

Oh my, oh my, my. Dear ladies and gents. So much has gone by the wayside- crank telephones, typewriters, black and white TVs. Let not the art of cross stitch join that group. Please, please, in the name of all that is handcrafted, if you know how or know of someone who knows how to cross stitch, crewel, heirloom handstitch, candlewick, knit, hook, tat, quilt or sew, please, please, teach another.  Keep these leisurely arts alive in this day of instant everything.

Goodbye Lie Diaries - Peeper

1800s July
Fernandina, Florida

Peeper writes:  I seen three orange beaks apeekin' outa the nest in the small pine tree out front. The mama and daddy birds just keep awatchin' us human folks. It's a sad shame for certain we cain't talk bird talk and they can't talk people talk ors they wouldn't have ta be afrettin' we might hurt their babies. If'n I or any of the children gets too close, then in comes mama aflyin' and aswoopin'.  She'll hit our heads if'n she has to ta keep us away. We all start alaughin' though when she attacks the back end a the cat. Oh, little Mac asked me how come the mama don't sit on her eggs ta make um hatch.  I'm aguessin' it's bacause it's so dang hot outside, there's no need fer it.

Barbra's Chickpea Summer Salad

My daughter, Barbra, loves to cook food that is good and good for you. She's one intense athlete so does lots of research when it comes to chowin' down.  She sent me this recipe. Yummo!

Barbra's Chickpea Summer Salad





I eat this salad as often as possible while training. It has all the food groups without weighing you down and is loaded with fresh veggies that are raw, so vitamin packed. You can vary any of the ingredients (including the chickpeas but beware, the beans are the main ingredient in order to get ample protein and chickpeas are easy on the tummy, if you get my meaning…if you substitute others like black beans, I suggest you add them in sparingly to the chickpeas, keeping an eye on fiber content). This is a lot of fun to make and makes a ton! Enjoy and keep it moving!                             

- one bag dried garbanzo beans or several canned (if dried, cook on low overnight in a slow cooker to the consistency of canned…they come out perfect every time)
- chopped: zucchini, yellow squash, fresh tomatoes, hot banana peppers, cucumber, green, red or yellow peppers
- 1 container light Feta cheese
- chopped kalamata olives or sliced black olives
- chopped sundried tomatoes without oil


Toss with a bit of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and lots of red apple cider vinegar (or your favorite Fat Free Italian dressing), all to taste. Add a dash of salt (and pepper if you like).

Note from the creator: I am not a believer in fat free options and would normally opt for all full fat options, but this will weigh you down, tire you and defeats the purpose. There is plenty of flavor with the lighter versions. The beans and olive oil fills you up nicely without the weigh down. With that said, if I was having company over, I would surely go for “full tilt”, as my mother says!

Variations include: types of veggies, types of Feta, types of dressing, types of beans to infinity!

                                                                                                                          --Barbra

From the Cat

We have lots of wonderful company on vacation, particularly in the summer when the sea breeze invites visitors to the beach to sun and swim. A friend used to work for Disney and told me, "Once folks cross into the Disney park, they lose their brains," meaning they're on vacation and don't pay attention to many if any the necessities. All that is fine and good unless you have a catling named Button aka Little Naughty. For those who don't know of Button's antics, let me elaborate.

One of her favorite activities is to play in toilet water. The necessity here is to put the toilet seat and lid down when finished doing what needs to be done. This will, in turn, prevent her from frolicking in the less than completely sanitary H2O. As an assist in this process, we have installed automatic slo-mo toilet seat descenders, which mean all you have to do is gently push down on the top edge of the lid and it closes quietly. Our intent is to make the closing of the lid as near to effortless as is humanly possible. We explain this to our brainless guests, complete with demonstration. The rub here is that memory is required and without brains, can there truly be memory? Since Little Naughty has trained Bruce and me already, this lack of memory accords our buds an application to my Three Second Memory Club. Their repeatedly leaving the seat and lid up is proof the they quality for membership.

To make matters worse, we were mildly surprised to see where Button has taken to writting notes and taping them to the inside of the toilet lids. Aha, her diabolical messages thanking humans for leaving up the lids, did just the opposite---for 24 hours. Soon, the notes became invisible to those humans, still on vacation, and Little Naughty was once again playing in the toilet water. Oh, what  clever cat thou art. Her latest message of scoff demonstrates how we of two legs are good for but three things, feeding, stroking and cleaning her litter box. Sigh. See her  "Button note" below and advise as you see fit.

Jane Marie Malcolm, cat lover and  germ freak

PS I may be late in replying to your emails at graciousjanemarie@yahoo.com  because I am in the throws of finding the best sanitation company in which to invest. Might as well. I spend enough cash on the sanitrate stuff personally.

More Goodbye Lie Trivia

What is the name of the Dunnigan family dog?

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