Teacup Tuesday on Lotus Bay

Happy Teacup Tuesday. Of course, my mind is focused on Friday and the launch of A REEL CATCH. While the title makes you think of fishing, a large part of the book is focused on Kathy opening her B&B, Swans Nest. She serves her first "official" tea-lunch during the course of the book, and I had a lot of fun planning that party--the menu, the dishes, how she folded the linen napkins....Yeah, I know. Anal to the max--but it set the scene for an important discussion between three of the main characters.

Can you guess what Kathy served?

From my garden

One of the hydrangeas in my yard. Most of them (other bushes) are pale purple. This is the best bloom on the bush. I'm trying to decide if I should pick and dry it so I can enjoy it for a few years.

What do you think?

Is life just a bowl of cherries?

It's the last of the sweet cherries season here in Western NY, and yesterday Mr. L stopped at a farm stand to get his yearly fix. I love this little vintage bowl that I got last week at a yard sale, and was the perfect size for the cherries. 

I must admit, I'm not a fruit lover, and that may be because it's so hard to find fruit that's actually ripe. I like bananas, can eat apples and grapes, but that's about it. I love vegetables, though. 

What's your favorite fruit?

Is this some kind of message?

Last week, I stopped at a couple of garage sales on the way to the grocery store. At one, I saw a brass bracelet that made my heart stop because it looked so much like one my Dad had made for me when I was in college. Mine is in silver, the one I got today is in brass.

Dad often worked in brass, silver, and stainless steel. When I asked the woman where she got it, she said a cousin had given it to her. (I should have asked her who her cousin was.)

 Dad probably didn't make the brass one. He never sold his jewelry, just making it for family. And he went to several jewelry-making classes at the Memorial Art Gallery here in Rochester, so this could have been made by a fellow classmate.

 Still, the lady said to me, "Maybe this is a sign from your Dad. Maybe he's saying hello."

That night, in the middle of the night, there was a BIG crash in my office.  A plastic shoe box filled with office supplies that had been in my closet was spilled on the floor. It hadn't been teetering, so ... how did it end up on the floor?

Since then, it's been quiet. But ... was my Dad trying to get my attention?

 What do you think?

Camping 101

As I mentioned a few months back, I'm fascinated by RVing. Fellow author Sue Ann Jaffarian has become a full-time RVer. She's still got a day job, but she's currently living in her class B RV and will hit the road when she retires at the end of the year. I love to read her posts and hope she becomes a vlogger.

I'm not great behind the wheel. What I mean by that is, I can drive for about an hour and then I want to fall asleep. That would not be good, so I will have to live vicariously by watching Youtube videos.

But -- someone in my family is more adventurous than me.

A few weeks back, my brother said his wife was bugging him to get a pop-up camper. She thought it would be fun for their granddaughter and give them something to do as a family. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when two weeks later he announced, "We bought a pop-up."

They'd looked at several used campers, and then they found this. I found it almost impossible to believe this pop-up is over ten years old. It's pristine, and they got it for a very good price.

View looking forward.

It was a lot roomier than I thought it would be. I believe one of the "beds" is a king while the other is a queen, and the table breaks down so it could be a bed as well. It's got a little 2-burner propane stove, and outdoor shower, and was spotless.

I had been in a pop-up when I was a kid, when they were still made of real canvas, and it smelled musty, which is why I could never see myself wanting one. But this pop-up not only didn't have an odor, but it was a hot day and it was actually very pleasant inside.

View toward the back.

So far they've only gone camping one time because kids today are scheduled up the wazoo. (Soccer -- and like why? It's not like this country is a fan of "real football" (as my Dad would say). Our team couldn't even qualify for the World Cup.) So they are going in two weeks--if not sooner.

I kind of envy them, but then I remember there's no bathroom. (Although they do have a "marine toilet." My brother had one on his boat so he knows all about it. Still....)

Now I would want to do some decorating. Nice laminate on the floor. Maybe paint the cabinets, etc. but they are fine with it as is. (As my brother pointed out, they were outside most of the time anyway socializing with their friends.) 

Anyway, I wish them lots of great adventures in their little pop-up.

Are you camper type of person?

A message from beyond?

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett

Yesterday, I stopped at a couple of garage sales on the way to the grocery store. At one, I saw a brass bracelet that made my heart stop because it looked so much like one my Dad had made for me when I was in college. Mine is in silver, the one I got today is in brass.

Dad often worked in brass, silver, and stainless steel. When I asked the woman where she got it, she said a cousin had given it to her. (I should have asked her who her cousin was.)

 Dad probably didn't make the brass one. He never sold his jewelry, just making it for family. And he went to several jewelry-making classes at the Memorial Art Gallery here in Rochester, so this could have been made by a fellow classmate.

 Still, the lady said to me, "Maybe this is a sign from your Dad. Maybe he's saying hello."

 What do you think?

Poisoned Pages is Now Available!

Like a box of a dozen doughnuts, the 12th Booktown Mystery is now available!

Tricia Miles, mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth, throws a housewarming cocktail party in her new apartment and has cooked all the food by herself--quite a feat for someone who previously couldn't boil water. Then one of her guests is poisoned and dies. Tricia's left to wonder if her cooking is to blame or if there's something much more sinister at play. Either way, Tricia's once again in hot water with her ex-lover, Chief Baker.

Meanwhile the charming town of Stoneham is being disrupted by a vandalism crime wave. It's the hot topic in the race for Chamber of Commerce president which sees Tricia pitted against two bitter rivals. With all that's going on can she find the killer before she's the next item on the menu?

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