I've always had pets, both in my childhood home and on the farm that my parents owned with my uncle. My husband, on the other hand, did not grow up with furry pets in his childhood home...only a parakeet. So when we married, he was open to the idea of having a cat. He even added a second cat to the mix shortly after when a fellow teacher brought some long-haired strays to school. Those two furry friends were with us well into their late teens. But, since hubby was gone most of the day at work, the cats were mostly my companions.
We had other felines after that but it wasn't until we had moved to a more rural area that my husband's attitude toward our furry family began to change. We had adopted two cats (half-sisters) from a friend's farm. Since I was at home all day (writing), I particularly bonded with one of the adoptees. The other seemed to sense our bond and sought my husband's attention to compensate. However, he was still working and had limited time to spend with the cats.
But after hubby retired and we rescued a pregnant stray who conveniently appeared in our backyard, witnessing the birth of her kittens touched us both in a special way. He now had more time to devote to raising the furry family and now they, along with two sibling strays that are daily visitors, occupy much of our time and attention. We still have the farm rescue who had "adopted" him and they take a daily nap together. Often when he leaves to run errands or is just working in the yard, the cats are at loose ends and watch carefully until he returns. And in the case of Bonnie and Clyde, they often wait outside the door until they hear him in the basement and they jump through the cat door to greet him. This week's photos capture some of those special moments.
So, although our son is half of a country away, there are plenty of furry felines who are ready to wish their human daddy Happy Father's Day.
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Coming in January 2018
(Now available for pre-order)
Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries
A new series from Karen Rose Smith
Murder With Lemon Tea Cakes
In an old Victorian in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson and her aunt Iris serve soups, scones, and soothing teas to tourists and locals—but a murder in their garden has them in hot water . . .
Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling protective—so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, she worried . . . especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy’s Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey’s grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn’t want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart—but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey’s murder.
Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene—and Daisy hopes that Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her aunt’s name and bag the real killer before things boil over . . .
Includes delicious recipes for Iris’s Lemon Tea Cakes and more!
Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling protective—so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, she worried . . . especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy’s Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey’s grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn’t want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart—but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey’s murder.
Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene—and Daisy hopes that Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her aunt’s name and bag the real killer before things boil over . . .
Includes delicious recipes for Iris’s Lemon Tea Cakes and more!
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Click on the link below to read an additional blog entry by Karen
every Thursday on the Cozy Chicks blog
every Thursday on the Cozy Chicks blog
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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. This award-winning and bestselling author will have her 100th novel released in 2018. At present she is working on two mystery series for Kensington Books--Caprice De Luca Home Staging cozies and Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.
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Karen and Paddy
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Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks and does watercolor paintings rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.
Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below.
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©2017 Karen Rose Smith
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