QUEEN ELIZABETH WAS AN ICONIC RULER Queen Elizabeth was an amazing monarch. Whether you admire her or not, there is no denying her rule was long and successful. I honestly don’t know as much about her as many others might, but I’m confident there are few alive on the planet today who don’t know who she was. Like many with access to streaming video entertainment, I watched the first season of Netflix’s The Crown series, depicting her life and reign. And while I’m sure the producers took ‘artistic liberties’ with the content, it’s clear Queen Elizabeth was an amazing woman.
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To Do Before the End of 2022
2022 ENDS IN 101 DAYS Can you believe year 2022 is coming to a close? Dude, I’m a little bit blown away when I realize we’ll be in OCTOBER in just eleven days! WHAT?? Where has this year gone? I mean, honestly, a LOT has happened for us this year. Personally. So, there’s that. But still, it just seems like the year is flying by! I’m not sure I’m ready for winter yet. Ok, Fall is my fave. So, I’m happy about arriving at these months. Especially after the ungodly HOT summer this year. But there is still so much
What is OMAD and Why Am I Doing It?
WHAT IS OMAD? OMAD is an acronym that stands for One Meal A Day. It’s a type of Intermittent Fasting (IF) where you eat all your food for the day within a specific ‘eating window.’ What does that mean? Well, technically, you don’t have to eat just one meal in order to follow the OMAD ‘rules’ or guidelines correctly. Most people following this dietary protocol go without food or caloric beverages for a certain period of time, then break their fast by eating only during certain hours. There are many different variations of this Intermittent Fasting plan, and you can
Just Two Days Back on a Plant-Based Diet
Ok, so not even two days on a plant-based diet. More like by the end of the first day. Ugh. HERE’S THE STORY On Thursday, June 16th, 2022, I wrote the following journal entry – “After 15 months on a low-fat, plant-based diet, here are some of the issues & concerns I’m noticing – Seriously increased cracking sound in my knees & ankles – audibly. Muscle loss – noticeably in my upper body. I feel much weaker. Extremely thin & weak fingernails. Thinner Hair – significantly. Still high blood pressure after almost a year and a half. Continual crusty nasal
My Fave Fall 2022 Hair Trends
FALL 2022 HAIR TRENDS I’ve been dying my hair since I was thirteen years old. I was born a toe-head blonde. Do kids these days even know what that means? I was the only child in my family of five kids who had naturally white-blonde hair. That’s me, front and center, in that photo. When puberty hit (for me, that started at age eleven), my roots started coming in a more ashy ‘dishwater blonde’ that I didn’t like so much. So, I started buying that grocery-store boxed hair dye and began keeping my hair a lighter shade of blonde. I
Why is Pumpkin Spice a Thing?
PUMPKIN SPICE, I’M A FAN! I don’t remember when I became aware of the popularity of Pumpkin Spice. I think it was probably long before social media was a thing. My sweet little mother was a terrific cook. But even more than that, she was a fantastic baker! Most days, when I’d walk in the door from school, I was greeted by the amazing aroma of something delicious baking. Frequently it was cookies or some kind of sweet roll. Often the smell of fresh baked bread welcomed me home. Other times, usually in the fall, it was pies and coffee
Supporting Other Artists Instead
I HAVE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL PYROGRAPHER FOR A LONG TIME If you’ve followed me for very long, you know that I’m not only a fiction author, but I’m also an artist. In fact, I started burning art onto wood and leather, an art form known as pyrography, long before I began my adventure into writing fiction. And I love my craft. I have had the honor of creating custom-burned pieces, surprisingly many of them memorial pieces, over the years. And those experiences have been a real joy and pleasure. But I find that, as I’m preparing to publish Book Four
Resurrecting Brown Paper Coffee Company
ABOUT BROWN PAPER COFFEE COMPANY My passion for great coffee and pastries began with a Swedish mother who was an avid baker and loved a steaming cup of the fragrant brew. In 1997, that passion grew into a mail-order gourmet coffee, biscotti, loose tea, specialty hot cocoa, and accessories company called Brown Paper Coffee Company – or BPCC – for short. After four years in business, we had to let it go. Now, more than 20 years later, I am resurrecting that fabulous business. But I’m taking a different approach thanks to online shopping and access to artisanal bakers. WELCOME
Welcome to my Closet Office
I’ve nicknamed this closet office my Cloffice. This is where I’m setting up a temporary work space until we move out onto our own acreage. Jeff and I moved from Forest Grove, Oregon to Tyler, Texas, last week. We set up short-term housing in a nice, gated apartment community while we search for land to build our off-grid “forever home.” We are in a very spacious 1-bedroom, 3rd-floor apartment. This is a big change from the 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath house with a large fenced yard backing up to wetlands where we lived for four years in Forest Grove. But this apartment
Halloween Candy Craziness
Americans Expected To Celebrate Halloween This Year Like Never Before! Halloween candy sales are expected to sky-rocket this year! According to this article in CStoreDecisions the trend is definitely way UP! Anticipated spending is expected to hit $10.14 billion — an all-time high. And while I don’t get super excited about the fact that American children will be consuming that much refined sugar…still, I’m happy to learn that attitudes and outlooks seem to be improving. At least, if Halloween candy sales are any indicator. The article goes on to share some fun facts about the upcoming 2021 Halloween season. These
