After a long patch of cool wet weather, we finally had a few sunny days this week. Much of the gardening had come to a standstill as we waited for the ground to dry so we could get into the gardens to prepare them for this year's planting.
We took advantage of the wet and cool snap by preparing the patio pots and transplanting the seedlings I had started in our basement into larger pots so they would be ready to be planted outdoors when the weather cooperated. As soon as the sun reappeared this week, my husband began work on the vegetable garden, tilling it and adding new soil. The tomatoes will be planted by the end of the week and then the flower gardens will get some much needed attention.
Bonnie and Clyde, our outside sibling felines, have also been waiting patiently for the arrival of warmer weather. Throughout the recent cooler and wetter days, they have continued their winter schedules, usually arriving around 5:00 p.m. for their evening meal and then staying the night in the basement.
They did enjoy the patio whenever we had a peak of sun or a slightly warmer day. But this week, they shifted into their summer routine. They started to lie in the shade of the willow tree and sun themselves on the patio. Clyde was spotted napping comfortably on top of the hay bales surrounding the igloo shelter. Last evening, after enjoying the 80 degree temperatures, they ignored our evening feeding calls and continued to laze around the yard until the sun had relinquished its hold and darkness was setting in. They came in for a late feeding and stayed the night.
We are creatures of habit and had developed a daily schedule around Bonnie and Clyde, but now we have to adjust our that schedule to fit the whims of the felines' warmer weather preferences. I'm just glad to know that they still want to come to a safe place to spend the night after an adventure-filled day of hunting, exploring, sunbathing and napping in the shade.
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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
Cozy Chicks Blog
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.
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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
