tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68611766671013595822024-03-13T02:16:54.486-07:00Cats, Roses...and Books!Karen Rose Smith's BlogKRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.comBlogger561125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-1767276339688879602021-08-23T07:40:00.005-07:002021-08-23T07:40:58.127-07:00MURDER WITH ORANGE PEKOE TEA release @karenrosesmith<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilaEs6P_c17tv2ZxXxflejYbNU2EmTbdLVtM6svlkRv4_SllNiYgkb6REccDlSYyg_5ZFKPf3iBMHndslTy6Kjk6oAo9su3iFcvaG5QSdL8s2-SgcIo5QnzYGL53UyS-mQuuaNCpw8fpx4/s640/IMG_7862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilaEs6P_c17tv2ZxXxflejYbNU2EmTbdLVtM6svlkRv4_SllNiYgkb6REccDlSYyg_5ZFKPf3iBMHndslTy6Kjk6oAo9su3iFcvaG5QSdL8s2-SgcIo5QnzYGL53UyS-mQuuaNCpw8fpx4/s320/IMG_7862.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>My 106th published novel will be released on Tuesday, August 24, 2021!!! It hardly seems possible that my first novel was published in 1992. I wrote romance for 20 years and then turned to writing cozy mysteries. This is my second mystery series. <b><span style="color: #e69138;">MURDER WITH ORANGE PEKOE TEA</span></b> is the seventh book in my <b><span style="color: red;">Daisy's Tea Garden</span></b> series. The series is set in the fictional town of Willow Creek in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and has a home and hearth flavor. Relationships are everything in my sleuth's life as well as concerning motive in murder.</p><p>Some of the themes in the series readers have enjoyed are these. Daisy has two teenage daughters at the start of the series. Her daughter Jazzi is adopted and begins a search for her birth mother. In later books, her older daughter Violet falls in love. An out of wedlock pregnancy causes a bit of turmoil! Daisy becomes more acquainted with Jonas Groft, a former detective, who now owns a furniture store. He makes many of the pieces himself. Daisy's childhood friend Rachel Fisher is Amish. This is a connection to the plain community that enables Daisy to find necessary clues when solving the murder cases.</p><p>Daisy's Tea Garden is located in an old Victorian and she runs it with her Aunt Iris. Pennsylvania Dutch food and goodies play a part in the cozies as well as the traditional scones and tarts that are served with tea. The tea garden allows customers to buy soups, salads and baked goods as well as serving afternoon full tea service on appointed days. Daisy's specialty tea services are a local and tourist experience.</p><p></p><p>Please come and visit Daisy's Tea Garden and become a member of the Willow Creek community as well as a part of Daisy's family.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRIUr7f6qGzH1H72PwWgcz46Y6Xt-5nIYN7y1J9gDb_mSd0klkc_Kx83KX3RlKMA1NKG6ufdmzViX5Z-yUMX8f4uaZ3h5W-smzgmsGzwTjXLMrXGixr9HavR_GlUB_3flTAo-98xkVp88/s640/IMG_8034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="640" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRIUr7f6qGzH1H72PwWgcz46Y6Xt-5nIYN7y1J9gDb_mSd0klkc_Kx83KX3RlKMA1NKG6ufdmzViX5Z-yUMX8f4uaZ3h5W-smzgmsGzwTjXLMrXGixr9HavR_GlUB_3flTAo-98xkVp88/s320/IMG_8034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Orange-Daisys-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08P82JPHP/ref=sr_1_2?crid=32GR3Y1Z4N1A8&dchild=1&keywords=murder+with+orange+pekoe+tea&qid=1629729395&sprefix=murder+with+ora%2Caps%2C259&sr=8-2">Purchase MURDER WITH ORANGE PEKOE TEA on Amazon</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-orange-pekoe-tea-karen-rose-smith/1138373707?ean=9781496733979">Purchase MURDER WITH ORANGE PEKOE TEA on Barnes and Noble</a> </span><br /></p>KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-27901140708568206582020-09-20T14:00:00.004-07:002020-09-20T14:00:31.022-07:00Currant Conversation Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRDRS-fcJoNyj9Zyima4Ir0vhEu32KeEihSmwj8V5nM-2-PLbsX6PU0JZdf5zNFEYfN3fk0HUPgKeKSwEqyn4kbXOy-wWwDmVc2m8Rizd0JrQUTStbHPFx_RXtOezY2JxRCuGq8qGfVwB/s640/IMG_3684.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRDRS-fcJoNyj9Zyima4Ir0vhEu32KeEihSmwj8V5nM-2-PLbsX6PU0JZdf5zNFEYfN3fk0HUPgKeKSwEqyn4kbXOy-wWwDmVc2m8Rizd0JrQUTStbHPFx_RXtOezY2JxRCuGq8qGfVwB/s320/IMG_3684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText">Drinking tea was a past time long before I began writing
cozy mysteries that take place at my sleuth’s business establishment, <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Daisy’s
Tea Garden</span></b>. When I was a child we lived with my grandfather and aunt. I
remember nights in front of a black and white tv/radio/phonograph combination.
My mom would brew tea.</p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"> <span style="color: #800180;">Burton Teapot for One</span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wzfFV-u30-bcko-_ek3d5TdIqXzzSG9UPWSG5AEv0x0JVlHS6NDG9meAR6sV_EA6mJZbIPjJGkS25Ykurf-udeeDeMM8idAvOnakXZioVTvhI3WHnKDfgMT8glijLVbT2P9p_Faf-qRj/s640/IMG_3691.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="640" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wzfFV-u30-bcko-_ek3d5TdIqXzzSG9UPWSG5AEv0x0JVlHS6NDG9meAR6sV_EA6mJZbIPjJGkS25Ykurf-udeeDeMM8idAvOnakXZioVTvhI3WHnKDfgMT8glijLVbT2P9p_Faf-qRj/w200-h153/IMG_3691.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText">This week I tried Plum Deluxe’s Currant Conversation
Oolong Tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/vanilla-black-currant-oolong-tea" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuTEEeWSGhUG1yJm1vsE9MEzu0DPPqTos5l6EF22hOEXsFU3-Ey7fdkqWhBd5dDFTXxuYBUwnlCkN1uyRBaGbQIqJzYmtseRbAvpg0fPhOPs3QwJh5RHmfLkN7Lyvn-TeVO56b2TO8-6v/s320/IMG_3687.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoPlainText"> <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/vanilla-black-currant-oolong-tea">Currant Conversation Oolong Tea</a><br /></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Since my next <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Daisy’s Tea
Garden</span></b> mystery release is <b><span style="color: red;">Murder With Oolong Tea</span></b>, I’m especially interested in
oolong flavors. Oolong is neither a Green tea or a black tea. It has
characteristics of its own depending how it’s oxidized. The taste can also
depend on where it’s grown. Its origins are in China and Taiwan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Currant Conversation Oolong Tea has more
of a woodsy taste than fruit taste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
smoothness comes from vanilla. It is organic. I used 1 teaspoon for each cup
with boiling water, steeping it for about 4 minutes.</p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">I hope you can relax and enjoy a time-out for a cuppa tea! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Tidbit about <b><span style="color: red;">MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">A spring house on a farm is almost a thing of the past.
But not for Daisy Swanson. A spring house could save her life! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p><b style="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;">NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER</b><span style="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: xx-large;"><b>MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA</b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Release Date: DECEMBER 29, 2020</span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s2048/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s640/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" /></a></span></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Oolong-Daisys-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B086R9HPGJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=murder+with+oolong+tea&qid=1598116049&sr=8-2">PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON</a><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-oolong-tea-karen-rose-smith/1136765125?ean=9781496723970"><b>PRE-ORDER ON BARNES AND NOBLE</b></a></span></p>KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-51755238358360520232020-09-06T07:33:00.000-07:002020-09-06T07:33:28.139-07:00Hot #Cinnamon Tea for #Fall by Karen Rose Smith<p> </p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrkcEU7VBlZ2ocIpsXpQAihXWfF-GArByeT3tqbDWxmjSjjczVFj3uW7LBDlp6gFmkyanqj8EktqSK60wxzfSzUgY59eq9HFytYayCNd6usmTLHqQvCrbZGCAjpuAbpIjwmtllfxV8lzn/s640/IMG_3601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrkcEU7VBlZ2ocIpsXpQAihXWfF-GArByeT3tqbDWxmjSjjczVFj3uW7LBDlp6gFmkyanqj8EktqSK60wxzfSzUgY59eq9HFytYayCNd6usmTLHqQvCrbZGCAjpuAbpIjwmtllfxV8lzn/s320/IMG_3601.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Are you looking for a fall tea? Or just one that’s a
little different in taste?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">At Daisy's Tea Garden that my sleuth Daisy Swanson and her aunt Iris run in an old Victorian house, they are constantly mixing and discovering new flavors. So am I.</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">This week I’m drinking Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon
Tea. Last winter when my throat was scratchy, I looked for a different type of
tea to soothe it. At first I found the caffeinated tea. I like the sachets that
look like delicate silky bags. Since I prefer this tea lightly brewed, I use
them twice. </span></b></p>
<p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 23.2px;"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWQH5fPQYJupA27VL_hiMwLkf2pcYy-dM_I1cf-OL47hDtiFiFPhPBD4MqFQVryVgzMkspDzsW-YaDbv1u_MJBoG2Lj2PRPgJ3k4IkB1fZ01n08XeQJyABp3jTP7d-vm3YqHWkx5B9BBp/s640/IMG_3599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWQH5fPQYJupA27VL_hiMwLkf2pcYy-dM_I1cf-OL47hDtiFiFPhPBD4MqFQVryVgzMkspDzsW-YaDbv1u_MJBoG2Lj2PRPgJ3k4IkB1fZ01n08XeQJyABp3jTP7d-vm3YqHWkx5B9BBp/s320/IMG_3599.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Both
caffeinated and decaf are sweetly spicy. They remind me of the taste of “red
hot” candies that I sometimes use in baked apples. The tea sachets hold a
combination of black tea, 3 types of cinnamon and sweet cloves. Each sachet can
brew a 12 oz. cup. I prefer this tea hot. <a href="https://www.harney.com/collections/all/products/hrp-hot-cinnamon-spice-30-sachet-tin">Harney and Sons Cinnamon Tea</a></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 23.2px;"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaKptBVS1ygKrDFk4BkVdR7j2fEy_bz0Qw08qqmPRzfEZrFAmQzhLBeRmLTUeqosedGZugERKspFFGzyOg4Qp6QZeR-z_uA9KQ8Zj5JdK0CDm_2Suv0cCqv3Qb38OKg7nTAWvqrIBAFlH/s640/IMG_3600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaKptBVS1ygKrDFk4BkVdR7j2fEy_bz0Qw08qqmPRzfEZrFAmQzhLBeRmLTUeqosedGZugERKspFFGzyOg4Qp6QZeR-z_uA9KQ8Zj5JdK0CDm_2Suv0cCqv3Qb38OKg7nTAWvqrIBAFlH/s320/IMG_3600.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">If
you like cinnamon, I believe you’ll like this tea. </span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 23.2px;"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><span style="color: red;">Murder
With Oolong Tea</span> tidbit this week!</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></b></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Will Shakespeare’s wife’s name was Anne Hathaway. This is a clue leading to why a 60
year old English teacher used a fake ID! </span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 23.2px;"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Until
next time...</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER</b> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: xx-large;"><b>MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA</b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Release Date: DECEMBER 29, 2020</span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s2048/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s640/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" /></a></span></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Oolong-Daisys-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B086R9HPGJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=murder+with+oolong+tea&qid=1598116049&sr=8-2">PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON</a><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span class="s1"></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-oolong-tea-karen-rose-smith/1136765125?ean=9781496723970"><b>PRE-ORDER ON BARNES AND NOBLE</b></a></span></p>KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-73385081756598812472020-08-30T08:48:00.000-07:002020-08-30T08:48:18.314-07:00Toasted Nut Brulee Oolong #Tea by Karen Rose Smith<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo66NKaOeq5XJE4_c9J_3hhhG5FxlI80flr6fiXTc4I4Vhw_s_fB-qVNy7xTkPFvmnYinJ7PuuG1tfDINayidZFiUebsLcRgqjKsb8zVIQywaymxw4zDKXmqBikKyYi8lAU9G2GcpP1oQ9/s640/IMG_3421.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo66NKaOeq5XJE4_c9J_3hhhG5FxlI80flr6fiXTc4I4Vhw_s_fB-qVNy7xTkPFvmnYinJ7PuuG1tfDINayidZFiUebsLcRgqjKsb8zVIQywaymxw4zDKXmqBikKyYi8lAU9G2GcpP1oQ9/s0/IMG_3421.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText">I write a cozy mystery series for Kensington Books. My <span style="color: #800180;"><b>Daisy's Tea Garden</b></span> series is set in Lancaster, PA Amish country in a fictional town named Willow Creek. Many of the scenes are set in Daisy's tea garden that she owns with her Aunt Iris. In the next weeks, I'll be tasting teas that are new to me and blogging about them. I'll also share a hint about my next release that will be available at the end of December, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA</b>.</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText">To brew tea, I use a teapot I heat on the stovetop rather
than an electric pot. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJrYlMFZ9pIp7vmOP8UK1bioGJ0bp3xmkFX6HyQLrG5orqeJ4G3rLph0oyQxR9lTONTBX8bzmtyfS1LC95NOb_avDRLUsYaEqBiW_mCw4opiG_36vQebDR3iB0QkFdqtQD_qtoINbyyhI/s640/IMG_3376.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJrYlMFZ9pIp7vmOP8UK1bioGJ0bp3xmkFX6HyQLrG5orqeJ4G3rLph0oyQxR9lTONTBX8bzmtyfS1LC95NOb_avDRLUsYaEqBiW_mCw4opiG_36vQebDR3iB0QkFdqtQD_qtoINbyyhI/w246-h328/IMG_3376.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><p class="MsoPlainText">I have a variety of china tea pots for brewing, many handed down by my
mother. I enjoy using them to evoke memories or simply to make me smile. I use an infuser that can easily hold six teaspoons of loose tea, though most of my
teapots hold four cups.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFq0Uh63QEMAuDvOaUGx1Oi5nLEW5CHcOei6dAfpSp3ljABlWz4qBa4-2dlfITIGIF8rwBlFtvmFfkv5ZvJpePrJJl4Gcx9afc7866oMbrb-H573sCVZ04QiwEW_stMhXuXj8X8SVRnp-/s640/IMG_3420.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFq0Uh63QEMAuDvOaUGx1Oi5nLEW5CHcOei6dAfpSp3ljABlWz4qBa4-2dlfITIGIF8rwBlFtvmFfkv5ZvJpePrJJl4Gcx9afc7866oMbrb-H573sCVZ04QiwEW_stMhXuXj8X8SVRnp-/w246-h328/IMG_3420.jpg" width="246" /></a></div> <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This teapot is a James Sadler made in England. The
vintage tea cup belonged to my mom. It’s Royal Sealy China. I believe that atmosphere you create when brewing tea can bring a sense of calm and a return to a refined time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu_cRFIGK58ipPo10t_76u1euYfbGsYduDHHUFJYtycdUCnOs4G_Fjl8ZDyQReeVnMX47AAK3dG6YSP1XjwOhen3JGSVDCRimsww9uxD6i0SOXEsTpEFAeTRCM62P_wbZS5YlcacueCs-/s640/IMG_3422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu_cRFIGK58ipPo10t_76u1euYfbGsYduDHHUFJYtycdUCnOs4G_Fjl8ZDyQReeVnMX47AAK3dG6YSP1XjwOhen3JGSVDCRimsww9uxD6i0SOXEsTpEFAeTRCM62P_wbZS5YlcacueCs-/w262-h238/IMG_3422.jpg" width="262" /></a></div> <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2no5Kqr-TpoFV3EHqvk3XimzNXR8VRBlsD_dubgL8ehaEHdJ8JaD8lbgv6RyMEnOwPiV43PVD5Hmg79ZlpVsTUdAzEp6BKY2eta7O_8B3IIkQLyBAfXcK-r1rUiMFkBFVygr7WpBIECby/s640/IMG_3423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2no5Kqr-TpoFV3EHqvk3XimzNXR8VRBlsD_dubgL8ehaEHdJ8JaD8lbgv6RyMEnOwPiV43PVD5Hmg79ZlpVsTUdAzEp6BKY2eta7O_8B3IIkQLyBAfXcK-r1rUiMFkBFVygr7WpBIECby/w246-h328/IMG_3423.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This week I’m tasting Toasted Nut Brulee Oolong Tea. This
caffeinated tea is hand blended by Plum Tea Deluxe. I brewed a teaspoon a cup for six minutes. It’s just what the name
purports it to be—the flavor of nuts and a velvety, rich smoothness on my tongue. I
particularly like this tea hot. My husband likes it iced. It’s a mixture of
oolong, black tea, rooibus, apple pieces, along with nut and flower essences. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIa5tDPK7sHVZUWspn5eWrNXymWjMtC9oPpwzqVBuM7JUcc9E7UOmWOQD62d7etHV2PLUE0QOIfAB8sMKSwM7pB_2aaLWVUclwU07fMS-x2Lobj7vGVQcABEe_-eH5GxW_PIPCXvCUyGk/s640/IMG_3419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIa5tDPK7sHVZUWspn5eWrNXymWjMtC9oPpwzqVBuM7JUcc9E7UOmWOQD62d7etHV2PLUE0QOIfAB8sMKSwM7pB_2aaLWVUclwU07fMS-x2Lobj7vGVQcABEe_-eH5GxW_PIPCXvCUyGk/w197-h262/IMG_3419.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;">In Murder With Oolong Tea, Daisy is serving tea at a teacher appreciation luncheon. She hears a scream coming from the pool area...<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;">Til next time...<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER</b> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: xx-large;"><b>MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA</b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Release Date: DECEMBER 29, 2020</span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s2048/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s640/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></span><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Oolong-Daisys-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B086R9HPGJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=murder+with+oolong+tea&qid=1598116049&sr=8-2">PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON</a><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-oolong-tea-karen-rose-smith/1136765125?ean=9781496723970"><b>PRE-ORDER ON BARNES AND NOBLE</b></a></span></p></div><p></p>KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-72433304204602159852020-08-23T06:55:00.000-07:002020-08-23T06:55:01.492-07:00Peaches N' Cream Oolong #Tea by Karen Rose Smith<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdQHZBWN7rr38TzVQDVyjjwDhRbLZVzD0Mh6I2LQqt22wpa3fPuGy-Korh_O3E2dtddx1nHeDzB1cnL6-WHKe_jgp3QRhy_ZNtwZb7FjmKUxkOvDp2PGBKjPu_g3j8zKhuh9nf1ZPWXMO/s640/IMG_3378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdQHZBWN7rr38TzVQDVyjjwDhRbLZVzD0Mh6I2LQqt22wpa3fPuGy-Korh_O3E2dtddx1nHeDzB1cnL6-WHKe_jgp3QRhy_ZNtwZb7FjmKUxkOvDp2PGBKjPu_g3j8zKhuh9nf1ZPWXMO/s0/IMG_3378.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p></p><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText">There are reasons why many of us enjoy brewing tea. In my
Daisy’s Tea Garden cozy mystery series, readers can see why customers patronize
a tea garden. Sharing a pot of tea, can encourage calm, reinforce friendships,
and create an atmosphere that takes us back to a quieter more refined time. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0LbtFMqYBK-Ks6p5ebXuapEq3aj7Hi7b60H1FKgQo5UhkR-TinodEjAYUjFderE9dR-Hnt4VmlUDp9dqaQR6JskC-xjkCQOTJdZr7HkNRBNgIpPvnZ6xk9NiN_qVqfGT-jqw7TWISgMx/s640/IMG_3376.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0LbtFMqYBK-Ks6p5ebXuapEq3aj7Hi7b60H1FKgQo5UhkR-TinodEjAYUjFderE9dR-Hnt4VmlUDp9dqaQR6JskC-xjkCQOTJdZr7HkNRBNgIpPvnZ6xk9NiN_qVqfGT-jqw7TWISgMx/w197-h262/IMG_3376.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">I’ve found an assortment of teas that can help do all of
the above from Plum Deluxe Teas. Over the coming weeks, I’ll post my impressions of each one
along with a few hints about my upcoming Daisy’s Tea Garden cozy MURDER WITH
OOLONG TEA. Plum Deluxe Teas are loose teas that are blended in small batches at their studios in Portland, Oregon. The teas are organic, non gmo and free of
chemicals and sulfites. The company supports local businesses and USA farmers. </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcimpU42skNd20yPH98golVScQDxxo1Vb3V5YIIaOZdyFg-oaftwz1ZlzgPSnWI4crcjFUqBy8JyZ3oRakb9iBjhiUerTlSrDLltNG-2-MnVdleF38P0Mucjg95MGJ6byA-XZoDGcaqeF/s640/IMG_3377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcimpU42skNd20yPH98golVScQDxxo1Vb3V5YIIaOZdyFg-oaftwz1ZlzgPSnWI4crcjFUqBy8JyZ3oRakb9iBjhiUerTlSrDLltNG-2-MnVdleF38P0Mucjg95MGJ6byA-XZoDGcaqeF/w197-h262/IMG_3377.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">I’ll begin with Peaches N' Cream Oolong Tea. This is our season in
Pennsylvania for local peaches and it’s one of my favorite flavors. Plum
Deluxe’s Peaches N' Cream Oolong tea is a caffeinated tea with a smooth experience
of flavor on the tongue. It has a hint of peach notes that makes it comforting
as a hot beverage and thirst quenching as an iced beverage. I brewed a teaspoon
for each cup and steeped it for six minutes. You can learn more about Plum Deluxe Teas here. <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe Teas</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DrFCwcr8VluKmcZMS8NRSRqIUZkU8Ia-XXbBVjHTawuzO1UTZQzjB51EcSmc-Y7wBRCpmFou4nCxGWnz1yacJiEezoRST8oOP-XMH65ZV-HT_M5O64WrUyz-8PbJNL9YAivmKQPRVAN_/s640/IMG_3357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DrFCwcr8VluKmcZMS8NRSRqIUZkU8Ia-XXbBVjHTawuzO1UTZQzjB51EcSmc-Y7wBRCpmFou4nCxGWnz1yacJiEezoRST8oOP-XMH65ZV-HT_M5O64WrUyz-8PbJNL9YAivmKQPRVAN_/w307-h410/IMG_3357.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In Murder With Oolong Tea, Daisy finds an opinionated
English teacher might have more enemies than friends!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Til next time... <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER</b> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: xx-large;"><b>MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA</b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Release Date: DECEMBER 29, 2020</span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s2048/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdMjg2LUhqCPUV6ZzkOB-8H_d7oMWufopYg_aEi_eFsyDKdNTFdUnky1PsoKFm1cE7TU-pImR0Mn6t1kBTIjH3fKClRCunjtOM-jYpmT6_8m4pzopSWD3y_Kx-ZLyV5fNz3Yj3dP3FfKM/s640/Murder+with+Ooolong+Tea.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Oolong-Daisys-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B086R9HPGJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=murder+with+oolong+tea&qid=1598116049&sr=8-2">PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON</a><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-oolong-tea-karen-rose-smith/1136765125?ean=9781496723970"><b>PRE-ORDER ON BARNES AND NOBLE</b></a><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TC97SP1Jlr2r0iLbHlkBRlpY3Jr9PydI98hyphenhyphenBR75Q6c6vlBeNNirDSoEXC5HxMPx3sdnps2PfiTDqFxpU6egvZ05PTyan3Sc4VPa04HhlZvZbWDEFGpCxYG8hAf7APl0azJQ8q_Dx8p9/s640/IMG_3380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TC97SP1Jlr2r0iLbHlkBRlpY3Jr9PydI98hyphenhyphenBR75Q6c6vlBeNNirDSoEXC5HxMPx3sdnps2PfiTDqFxpU6egvZ05PTyan3Sc4VPa04HhlZvZbWDEFGpCxYG8hAf7APl0azJQ8q_Dx8p9/s0/IMG_3380.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-18448446383549657512020-01-10T03:30:00.000-08:002020-01-10T03:30:02.239-08:00Cat Gifts by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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I was excited by all the new electronic devices my husband and I received for Christmas to help make our daily routines (like preparing a shopping list) a little easier. However, my favorite gifts are those which are cat-related. Since I love cats and always try to feature them in my cozy mysteries, when I receive a "cat" gift, I feel that the gift was chosen personally for me and that the giver took the time to consider what I enjoy receiving.<br />
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Since I write the Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries (and of course love cats!) the Merry Catmas teapot pictured above was the perfect gift from my pet sitter. It perfectly combined both of my "loves." And it perfectly complements my Lenox cat cookie jar, a gift from Christmases past.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjohiUdFdTDZu-4MpLSfiSDYKAi3mDQJCHQYhQb4laQxY7gxNKoW5ozqS9btDpwpMVhcIkNj-FERX6aBSZbz64iHF1QFVd3Tu_M_9dxXsakqtJbuMnnXjjmDFDyjRAHwqigXx6V9QWzGU/s1600/IMG_0599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjohiUdFdTDZu-4MpLSfiSDYKAi3mDQJCHQYhQb4laQxY7gxNKoW5ozqS9btDpwpMVhcIkNj-FERX6aBSZbz64iHF1QFVd3Tu_M_9dxXsakqtJbuMnnXjjmDFDyjRAHwqigXx6V9QWzGU/s320/IMG_0599.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8d34TGmuaXDHEP9NfnOruIM2lLT_Hx3LW7AceOTBaVPEl0Y1aES2Pa94fBqhWR8cj_CeIpidCyjqCUg2ISGdxyYy_00OPga1w8z8FVHIrqwa0K0ogDNgCMgbtXvCbJLfoWPNPt1HspeG/s1600/IMG_0579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8d34TGmuaXDHEP9NfnOruIM2lLT_Hx3LW7AceOTBaVPEl0Y1aES2Pa94fBqhWR8cj_CeIpidCyjqCUg2ISGdxyYy_00OPga1w8z8FVHIrqwa0K0ogDNgCMgbtXvCbJLfoWPNPt1HspeG/s200/IMG_0579.JPG" width="200" /></a>My son always tries to find a personalized cat gift featuring one of my felines, but this year he gave me a black mug! Oh, did I forget to mention that the mug turned into a cat mug when it is filled with hot liquid? The image on the mug resembles the original paintings in my vet's office...which I always take a photo of and post on social media when one of my cats has an appointment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3M9Pz4_1B1B0vc2GsPuQgavTCRRs9snxPy6bh7ASX9caARkbWoJODPK-3AFs-R9lP3fnAdKgsTqjpuQjQ21jWdDVvsJv6e9Ml_w7tedgttWpXwMmRcvRXteoOv3jqQ0vMS3jpRsxH_OR/s1600/IMG_0581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3M9Pz4_1B1B0vc2GsPuQgavTCRRs9snxPy6bh7ASX9caARkbWoJODPK-3AFs-R9lP3fnAdKgsTqjpuQjQ21jWdDVvsJv6e9Ml_w7tedgttWpXwMmRcvRXteoOv3jqQ0vMS3jpRsxH_OR/s320/IMG_0581.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SKgP6-FMWdWbaevC1tcME1oJe71Rt-1FwUyBEX3Jj3ESeBfwE32RwgOcLl-l3P2ar8cshhiGGGG8-q3Kijze_g8UwVI57Rh6VEywcctDmKx97fAgtXxu99e_5fG915WNoRaL9KdKdBJL/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SKgP6-FMWdWbaevC1tcME1oJe71Rt-1FwUyBEX3Jj3ESeBfwE32RwgOcLl-l3P2ar8cshhiGGGG8-q3Kijze_g8UwVI57Rh6VEywcctDmKx97fAgtXxu99e_5fG915WNoRaL9KdKdBJL/s200/IMG_0580.JPG" width="200" /></a>Utilitarian gifts can also be made more personal by adding cats! I have a collection of decorative canes which I always take with me when I go out. But until this Christmas, I did not have one that featured cats. At a distance, it just looks like a multi-colored cane, but up close, various breeds of cats with their expressive eyes bring a smile to my face. </div>
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I saw the new drip-proof umbrellas advertised on TV before the holidays, but I was not aware they came with cats decorating the whole underside of the umbrella. Now all I have to do is look up on a rainy day and the sweet cat faces staring down at me will chase away the rainy day blues.<br />
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I also enjoy giving cat-related gifts. My husband has quite a collection of "cat" T-shirts. I added this one to his collection this year. The cat looks very much like Halo, the pregnant stray we took in who had her kittens in my office. She and hubby have a special bond.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYv9CFSe4g4cdTi5pP5dn-xPEzhvmAxVwPazyufhnNIF6B-YFKP5RXLkCmJ-kwrYIBOvPMQDS86Bdfg3SrYLChCHRK9czI-alzqOybuhGuL1-3tBKXzCs2xUF4DcrJQNoe6hExqYJ5gOj/s1600/IMG_0629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYv9CFSe4g4cdTi5pP5dn-xPEzhvmAxVwPazyufhnNIF6B-YFKP5RXLkCmJ-kwrYIBOvPMQDS86Bdfg3SrYLChCHRK9czI-alzqOybuhGuL1-3tBKXzCs2xUF4DcrJQNoe6hExqYJ5gOj/s320/IMG_0629.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Gift giving from the heart is always immediately recognizable when the gift is opened. The smile on the recipient's face shows appreciation for someone taking extra care to choose the perfect gift.<br />
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Now it's time to start shopping for next Christmas so I can give everyone on my gift list the perfect gift that will brighten their day.<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">NOW AVAILABLE</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjAlSbIhjizcIKSXoukvQoMvq5w3FwjUDBvVoz1oLceBixVDYntNOl36t6pF0Jt3G7lDED7cj1W63X-UC2G8Pg37sCcAYk26D2YIDyXj-xo0XE-OovVAX9H9Ny4EG0l9_ET7rNiLHDAgm/s1600/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="979" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjAlSbIhjizcIKSXoukvQoMvq5w3FwjUDBvVoz1oLceBixVDYntNOl36t6pF0Jt3G7lDED7cj1W63X-UC2G8Pg37sCcAYk26D2YIDyXj-xo0XE-OovVAX9H9Ny4EG0l9_ET7rNiLHDAgm/s320/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. </span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=murder+with+cherry+tarts&qid=1574181635&sr=8-1"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-17664263529654694902020-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:002020-01-03T06:00:02.365-08:00"Dotting" The House With Technology by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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Christmas brought new technology to the Smith house! After seeing the online promotions and discussing with friends how the Amazon Echo and Dot have conveniently worked in their homes, I decided to take the plunge and gift these items to my husband. I suppose the younger generation view these items as the newest technology and add them to their homes to keep up with the latest additions to phones and tablets. But, as a member of an older generation, rather than fighting the technology, I look at these new gadgets as a way to help me do things with less stress on me and my body. As a person with arthritis and tendonitis, it is much more convenient to give a voice command to turn on a light, make a phone call or listen to an audiobook than getting out of my chair or maneuvering my phone or tablet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxuhXkzxos-WUXoGbbD3_6YyBVAyY4ZTbBGHm0IGLoZtlwB_7zlJCt9jKyjMp0FH7XYC4CGelh5XrrLQZf5Ptdy-RIanZy4Y1Z1fNaRTvqPZkwkXn-YJ0q8d_IunbYfh1rR5F9bPubDnF/s1600/IMG_0579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxuhXkzxos-WUXoGbbD3_6YyBVAyY4ZTbBGHm0IGLoZtlwB_7zlJCt9jKyjMp0FH7XYC4CGelh5XrrLQZf5Ptdy-RIanZy4Y1Z1fNaRTvqPZkwkXn-YJ0q8d_IunbYfh1rR5F9bPubDnF/s200/IMG_0579.jpg" width="150" /></a>We have added smart speakers in my office, den and master bedroom. Now, at night, if I go upstairs to settle for the evening and my husband is still downstairs, I can talk to him with a simple voice command, rather than getting up and yelling down the stairs. If either of us were to fall or need medical assistance, we can call each other...or emergency services...hands free. I can also call anyone on my phone's contact list.<br />
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Do you remember the "Clapper?" We were still using them to turn on lights in the bedroom, but recently I was having a flareup of wrist problems and was unable to "clap" the light on. So we added a smart plug, synced it with Alexa and now I can just ask her to turn on or off the light!<br />
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I'm sure, as we become more familiar with the technology, we will embrace it even more as we discover new ways it can make our "golden" years easier. And it is also reassuring that if we need assistance, it can be there with one simple voice command.<br />
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Needless to say, my heroine in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series will most probably be adding these devices to her home. Hmmm...<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;">Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-13563207819901074742019-12-27T03:00:00.000-08:002019-12-27T03:00:03.860-08:00I Found A Gem of a Tea Room in Manchester, Maryland by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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After all these years, it is difficult for my husband to find different venues to celebrate my birthday. This year he happened across a newly opened tea room only about twenty minutes from our home. Considering that my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries are set in a tea room in nearby Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, this new establishment seemed the perfect place to celebrate. They were featuring a "Starry Night Tea" on the weekend of my birthday...so he made reservations and we headed for the Steeped Tea Cafe in Manchester, Maryland on a sunny December Sunday afternoon.<br />
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The tea room was festively decorated with Christmas merriment and the tea rooms were also adorned with traditional "tea" items. We were seated in the spillover room which gave us the entire three-table room to ourselves. It was enjoyable to have some quiet time away from the phone and computer to chat and enjoy the Christmas music that surrounded us.<br />
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The menu was displayed on each table and we knew we were in for a real treat. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMba9gqBQcWqQP9YRXGj_YGsntJz5AC1J9pClGKwlC_6cU6MDNNjCic-ouXd0yALl1t_Vyo2Cj8u4TjrE2JR5AXbEmTmjRG5ZWuYyVXd7_oYk5cChdZo3kZp5j4pTfMqCDPJmqQPaID0r/s1600/IMG_0506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMba9gqBQcWqQP9YRXGj_YGsntJz5AC1J9pClGKwlC_6cU6MDNNjCic-ouXd0yALl1t_Vyo2Cj8u4TjrE2JR5AXbEmTmjRG5ZWuYyVXd7_oYk5cChdZo3kZp5j4pTfMqCDPJmqQPaID0r/s200/IMG_0506.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCU7cFNXDLkuT8bufKtK3307glS7HU-LmUOlzPa4FSFAG2nO9P-STk5si3hcWhWHPmWcQ4wrcArOvRZwICAvP6IMyQ1Cuy-DDSyhnIZMJA6jkwYfbpC2EK3HW_dF1CZ9FAKjTZIJ0U1qTn/s1600/IMG_0504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCU7cFNXDLkuT8bufKtK3307glS7HU-LmUOlzPa4FSFAG2nO9P-STk5si3hcWhWHPmWcQ4wrcArOvRZwICAvP6IMyQ1Cuy-DDSyhnIZMJA6jkwYfbpC2EK3HW_dF1CZ9FAKjTZIJ0U1qTn/s200/IMG_0504.jpg" width="150" /></a>After our choice of tea was served, our first course was a delicate cranberry chocolate chip scone which blended really well with the Starry Night tea, a custom blend made at the Steeped Tea cafe.<br />
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That was followed by a delicious potato leek soup that was complemented by an arugula and pomegranate salad with a champagne vinaigrette dressing.<br />
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While we were waiting for the main course and dessert tower, we had a chance to chat with our waiter who was a family member of the owner. We discussed how the business came to fruition as a family endeavor and how the cafe differed from other tea rooms in the vicinity. It's always good to have research resources for future cozy mysteries right at my doorstep.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUWsU-PE8tUJzCkLO9x3UUSj4c18C7DFhqv97BJi702BpD5FeNh9b1ykjKCpP36JqfiqpSFKKrka3Ajv-bJKRBnbo8KwUg8_MBn5JFFqZwECgf05QgaPNVBQq3f1lsdSdWlR7CO6fwXnI/s1600/IMG_0512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUWsU-PE8tUJzCkLO9x3UUSj4c18C7DFhqv97BJi702BpD5FeNh9b1ykjKCpP36JqfiqpSFKKrka3Ajv-bJKRBnbo8KwUg8_MBn5JFFqZwECgf05QgaPNVBQq3f1lsdSdWlR7CO6fwXnI/s200/IMG_0512.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFIKoU2nzVcaEQqCyzJTAAcwtLOQQ89UaBfwJhZ7QKcnbRWKTPEuuAjw3KkybhHJC3wa0MF-pRjwfO4BV92hm9XRUMqPLU45m3aCU-t5TXKpbEU5FsECbnChyRusB5m2bkJ4XTM3uD9vq/s1600/IMG_0509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFIKoU2nzVcaEQqCyzJTAAcwtLOQQ89UaBfwJhZ7QKcnbRWKTPEuuAjw3KkybhHJC3wa0MF-pRjwfO4BV92hm9XRUMqPLU45m3aCU-t5TXKpbEU5FsECbnChyRusB5m2bkJ4XTM3uD9vq/s200/IMG_0509.jpg" width="150" /></a>We certainly were not disappointed when the layered tea tower was presented. The lower level featured grilled shrimp bruschetta, beef and blue cheese crostini and butternut squash puffs all of which were accompanied by the dessert offerings -- toasted hazelnut glazed pumpkin cake, a red velvet trifle and dipped Madeleines. Needless to say, by the end of the dessert course I was stuffing my cake and Madeleine in my purse to enjoy later.<br />
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After we finished our meal, we were greeted by Brandon Reiter, the chef and owner of the cafe. It was enjoyable discussing the business and getting a peek into the intricacies of creating a menu and preparing enough food to serve all the guests on a given day. Chef Reiter never believed he would end up owning and operating a tea room when he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. But he has enjoyed the last 18 months of ownership and hopes to expand the business even more.<br />
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Quiet time with my husband, a unique tea cafe and delicious food...what better way to spend my birthday? Please feel free to share your unique dining experiences as you celebrate special events in your year.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;">Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=murder+with+cherry+tarts&qid=1574181635&sr=8-1"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
<br />KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-51271589372357675292019-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:002019-12-20T05:00:00.888-08:00Cats Reign In My House<br />
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In my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries, Daisy has two felines that are a part of almost every scene which is set in her barn home. Pepper and Marjoram always greet Daisy when she arrives home from a long day at the tea garden and are her constant companions when she is at home alone. She often talks to them about her murder investigations, allowing her to hash out loud clues that have been spinning in her mind. Often they settle on the sofa or chair in the living room when Daisy is chatting with her daughters Jazzi and Vi or her beau Jonas.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbSGDBRjHpPG9rG0Qtch85TfGqFD3L0VKU6-_FPN_94GH_xW0rHKBLJuVNx2btOvAtYFT2lbSR7c9qSz0xCZxrQuENf7VFNhOAazIlhIz0J53lC0rcMheuFHMJgrJKkt6AAWDn-ZgpNH_/s1600/IMG_5778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbSGDBRjHpPG9rG0Qtch85TfGqFD3L0VKU6-_FPN_94GH_xW0rHKBLJuVNx2btOvAtYFT2lbSR7c9qSz0xCZxrQuENf7VFNhOAazIlhIz0J53lC0rcMheuFHMJgrJKkt6AAWDn-ZgpNH_/s320/IMG_5778.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Zoie Joy (AKA Pepper) appreciates<br />
the current animal print trend. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pepper and Marjoram are modeled after two of my own felines--Zoie Joy and Miss Paddington. My padded living room and office furniture is their favorite napping and bathing spots. When I purchased a new recliner for my husband as an anniversary gift, all the felines had to test it before he had the chance to enjoy it. Often when a cat has settled there for the evening, he ends up sitting in another chair, envying the cat who took his new throne.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDN6o-LJO2qQd_1onWZucWZX0SQzoeHBClI3yne4H_mc7VLeKNqkgifZ3OlkDVdNY9pv4Ekfea_AT_eBby8zNd1YfodYmjHmfX1dVnqSpC6wM4W5UDL_UnK57bS0eUDsxCmNxhbDsymt6/s1600/IMG_7630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="480" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDN6o-LJO2qQd_1onWZucWZX0SQzoeHBClI3yne4H_mc7VLeKNqkgifZ3OlkDVdNY9pv4Ekfea_AT_eBby8zNd1YfodYmjHmfX1dVnqSpC6wM4W5UDL_UnK57bS0eUDsxCmNxhbDsymt6/s320/IMG_7630.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Miss Paddington (AKA Marjoram) prefers the<br />
leather recliner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was sorting through my cat photos and found numerous shots of my "royal" felines enjoying their favorite "thrones." Here are some of them:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiR73plFrGor5NRtd2imP3Tb7IVlVhlOIBqRBh3PKRtLRLftYNRKe3sTRHARH5K7mP0QLzx0M66fVkyMUwcJm7y-R7eB4VsFbE51KxRVvlsQ2EEl7-6u_8k_TIvstcv5pkK6kZJx6AXX2/s1600/IMG_5840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiR73plFrGor5NRtd2imP3Tb7IVlVhlOIBqRBh3PKRtLRLftYNRKe3sTRHARH5K7mP0QLzx0M66fVkyMUwcJm7y-R7eB4VsFbE51KxRVvlsQ2EEl7-6u_8k_TIvstcv5pkK6kZJx6AXX2/s320/IMG_5840.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Zander prefers chairs with large<br />
padded arms. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEWncfVMltKoQSeYNalQUMJK4e_qcn5s0SAy10jlgs_xpmDytpYAoslNhS-O1uxS_08bUmN7r6jDdBkj6J6lKT8kC-hAD2pSqoTjwx1VLiIz2L9zjEaSKXqpjzc8j7tJOwsjQRXaRoe6H/s1600/IMG_2545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEWncfVMltKoQSeYNalQUMJK4e_qcn5s0SAy10jlgs_xpmDytpYAoslNhS-O1uxS_08bUmN7r6jDdBkj6J6lKT8kC-hAD2pSqoTjwx1VLiIz2L9zjEaSKXqpjzc8j7tJOwsjQRXaRoe6H/s320/IMG_2545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Miss Paddington settles on the padded<br />
cushion of a kitchen chair.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSQDsgBrmqT4qsagY1xU7vgaX2uR0NWmo6bx8cTMW7hdB320ZZD1DrDDLkQzwvOZMbexzV26AFqLSph0myj2YBDpEA3N9QxSxqK7jtJLnUAPvTndAipPgvkctx7Kl5w44RqfMthYBKChh/s1600/IMG_8807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="530" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSQDsgBrmqT4qsagY1xU7vgaX2uR0NWmo6bx8cTMW7hdB320ZZD1DrDDLkQzwvOZMbexzV26AFqLSph0myj2YBDpEA3N9QxSxqK7jtJLnUAPvTndAipPgvkctx7Kl5w44RqfMthYBKChh/s320/IMG_8807.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">The chair's arm and back provide Zander<br />
with a royal view of the whole living room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmmdHSyemBIc01dagtk-so4JCy0AbGZ6R198aF3ZW3pZ68ZScRjD9l5t7EOj49SyydL_25FCl_9wutdBNkRyb1swmNALeg-9oiPKvPJJRad1JxDbV9ynH4y61nQumVEdVlvcdQVNvy88K/s1600/IMG_6866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmmdHSyemBIc01dagtk-so4JCy0AbGZ6R198aF3ZW3pZ68ZScRjD9l5t7EOj49SyydL_25FCl_9wutdBNkRyb1swmNALeg-9oiPKvPJJRad1JxDbV9ynH4y61nQumVEdVlvcdQVNvy88K/s320/IMG_6866.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Zoie Joy often chooses the back of her<br />
favorite chairs where the view is definitely better.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u7kZecKp-5GnGTYNSD8jJPYMNO8rJNuKJhOb45F9StVVCum8b6LCzMq8ZYV5oh6sCrgVQu9RV8gb8UQ0Xwij-cqqk0Wv9n32mZMu45L3fr9CRoB6opjSh1Ql61WAymrS9u3Q45MH2S1i/s1600/IMG_8142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="640" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u7kZecKp-5GnGTYNSD8jJPYMNO8rJNuKJhOb45F9StVVCum8b6LCzMq8ZYV5oh6sCrgVQu9RV8gb8UQ0Xwij-cqqk0Wv9n32mZMu45L3fr9CRoB6opjSh1Ql61WAymrS9u3Q45MH2S1i/s320/IMG_8142.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Freya isn't picky about her resting spots. She tries them all out. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Do your cats "reign" supreme or are they willing to share their thrones?</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOW AVAILABLE</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyvLvbSynQYk9kaqnBtPgd6kMHXVMHmPZJp-3hrecFmQ8N0tamOGwuN6pOeRAnhAadRba4tiIihHsUSGv-Ak0ycB_zU2PfjGV8SV9x6Wz0nycE513eQ6UFSgZcmrLYc2T4CIx-D6Vevn-/s1600/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="979" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyvLvbSynQYk9kaqnBtPgd6kMHXVMHmPZJp-3hrecFmQ8N0tamOGwuN6pOeRAnhAadRba4tiIihHsUSGv-Ak0ycB_zU2PfjGV8SV9x6Wz0nycE513eQ6UFSgZcmrLYc2T4CIx-D6Vevn-/s320/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. </span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=murder+with+cherry+tarts&qid=1574181635&sr=8-1"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-56127039796863915402019-12-06T01:00:00.000-08:002019-12-06T01:00:08.908-08:00A Perfect Cup of Tea by Karen Rose Smith<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">by Karen Rose Smith</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yI0oGhed1kGSP5PCnIiZqdRKJm43jAsrmEcKQnEJU1EqsbmukP1oPFEIDAV1DXEUCNOfD0uyCBe7EsH8gaOFfa4Twq1kx0AWzmiQeSBhXFE8WxzduZU-Mbh5Hfuy2Th29PyHWv9UN5JK/s1600/IMG-5335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="719" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yI0oGhed1kGSP5PCnIiZqdRKJm43jAsrmEcKQnEJU1EqsbmukP1oPFEIDAV1DXEUCNOfD0uyCBe7EsH8gaOFfa4Twq1kx0AWzmiQeSBhXFE8WxzduZU-Mbh5Hfuy2Th29PyHWv9UN5JK/s320/IMG-5335.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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With the release of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth book in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series, my mind has been on all things tea-related. I can remember as a child having a cup of tea meant boiling some water in a pan on the stove, pouring it into a mug and adding a tea bag. Tea was often the choice warm beverage on days when I was home from school with a nasty head cold.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFo8twH5l7YweoNF5XHjAroiF9vTTvy-neMpiFMVOy7tyCw5hoCLKaPOOYC1iObA0NyQONAOOWT88SS8Yg5svU9SZ-1mTLuHusiFxqP4jCiH-f-x8xpoGZn-_sEB9F1B0sRByL9EAgPjK/s1600/IMG_0482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFo8twH5l7YweoNF5XHjAroiF9vTTvy-neMpiFMVOy7tyCw5hoCLKaPOOYC1iObA0NyQONAOOWT88SS8Yg5svU9SZ-1mTLuHusiFxqP4jCiH-f-x8xpoGZn-_sEB9F1B0sRByL9EAgPjK/s320/IMG_0482.JPG" width="320" /></a>But when I embarked on the task of creating a tea-themed focus for a new cozy mystery series and began researching tea and tea rooms, I developed a new-found appreciation for tea. I was amazed at all the varieties and blends available and the art involved in creating a perfect cup of tea. There definitely is a tea to satisfy everybody's palette. </div>
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As I began visiting area tea rooms, I was fascinated and curious how each owner was able to supply every guest at a table a different cup of perfectly brewed tea of their choice from an extensive menu. I was delighted to find on the back of a business card from TranquilaTea Tea Room in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania tips for brewing a perfect cup of tea. I would like to share those tips with my readers.</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Brewing A Perfect Cup Of Tea</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Bring cold water to a boil</span></li>
<li>Measure 1 tsp loose leaf tea per 6 oz of water</li>
<li>Place tea in an infuser or tea filter bag</li>
<li>Immerse infuser or tea bag filter into cup or pot filled with boiled water that has cooled slightly </li>
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<span style="color: blue;">Water Temperature</span></div>
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205 degrees (F) for black, herbal and rooibos teas<br />180 degrees (F) for green and white teas<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Steeping Times</span></div>
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Green and white teas -- 2 minutes</div>
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Black teas -- 3 minutes</div>
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Herbal and rooibos teas -- 3 to 5 minutes</div>
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For a stronger cup, add more tea leaves. Do not steep for a longer period of time, as this can lead to a bitter cup!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50ss-bFKEyKNBZmdcGrp-gHQes-_tabsjBgBHudAuZCivl4LvApBxAqRCa3JtDwFk9xr_d2xp0l_XCz7PMRLlE1UVPeTds-RqPvXVJRhVw-acVlmr4NFsqKqnu1HsRIlpDRIJ3-e1LwIm/s1600/IMG_4006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50ss-bFKEyKNBZmdcGrp-gHQes-_tabsjBgBHudAuZCivl4LvApBxAqRCa3JtDwFk9xr_d2xp0l_XCz7PMRLlE1UVPeTds-RqPvXVJRhVw-acVlmr4NFsqKqnu1HsRIlpDRIJ3-e1LwIm/s320/IMG_4006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Now available:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwVfzmF6scbhva9lBrnLnWrmPu3juw7bFjUzDCtkRKnQcNdeWv4ZyfeEf0GyPJh1CzO55jH49xf_vCA6lsABDEyyl0wLzsfmwjEkJaUxCanx4dfBGK7sqXf3-iIkG41yCv_VFtrGyUqfK/s1600/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="979" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwVfzmF6scbhva9lBrnLnWrmPu3juw7bFjUzDCtkRKnQcNdeWv4ZyfeEf0GyPJh1CzO55jH49xf_vCA6lsABDEyyl0wLzsfmwjEkJaUxCanx4dfBGK7sqXf3-iIkG41yCv_VFtrGyUqfK/s200/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;">Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=murder+with+cherry+tarts&qid=1574181635&sr=8-1" style="font-size: x-large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-25887431513400387102019-11-28T04:00:00.000-08:002019-11-28T04:00:10.950-08:00Thankful For A New Release--MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X2n5oYO8-PImloMDKHeD2etyZY3KtFVFjqTZFM5pEYLOx_hRHur3N-JrjRd7-r8rbQZtASDUsecbo5I122Judr7W5xDQwsI7atxUgLb_XNsfnI0IHF3V1gVmO5HjDHznRnTcXFk9QGlE/s1600/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="979" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X2n5oYO8-PImloMDKHeD2etyZY3KtFVFjqTZFM5pEYLOx_hRHur3N-JrjRd7-r8rbQZtASDUsecbo5I122Judr7W5xDQwsI7atxUgLb_XNsfnI0IHF3V1gVmO5HjDHznRnTcXFk9QGlE/s320/Murder+with+Cherry+Tarts.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>I have so many things to be thankful for and I could write about the traditional thanksgiving list of family, friends, health and on and on--all the things that surround me on a daily basis. Truthfully as I grow older, I reflect on these things every day. The one thing, as I get wrapped up in my day to day writing chores, that I sometimes forget to appreciate is the fact that I was gifted with the talent of telling stories in the written word and that I was fortunate enough to be able to share my stories with my readers. So it seems significant that I celebrate my 103rd release this week with the publication of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series for Kensington Books. And today I want to thank my faithful readers through the past twenty-seven years for believing in me and trusting me to produce a story that will warm your hearts and touch your spirit. I have appreciated all of your kind words and supportive notes through the years.<br />
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MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS is a cozy mystery which revolves around Daisy's outreach to a homeless single father and his darling daughter. I created a yummy cherry tart recipe for this book that is included in the back of the book. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTeCmvFWXMzkefPDlXXQUAjMnlaHoT1XkUAcc3Ec7YcrzO51rhNd_q7UqWxywSUnlrGbUfUaAKt-65f00aNUQgPveG_t7BkYDmK0JvDYh7wmyd664nAf9S_Y7o7ursC03XTYTKGqdcWze/s1600/IMG_6945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTeCmvFWXMzkefPDlXXQUAjMnlaHoT1XkUAcc3Ec7YcrzO51rhNd_q7UqWxywSUnlrGbUfUaAKt-65f00aNUQgPveG_t7BkYDmK0JvDYh7wmyd664nAf9S_Y7o7ursC03XTYTKGqdcWze/s200/IMG_6945.jpg" width="200" /></a>Pirated Treasures is an antiques shop that also plays a significant<br />
role in the mystery. Daisy purchases a Burton and Burton Victorian design teapot atop a teacup from the owner of the shop on one of her many visits to the shop while she is gathering clues to solve the murder of the store owner's nephew. Notice its uniquely-shaped infinity handle.<br />
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What could better than a steaming cup of tea, delicious food and delicate china to soften the sometimes terrifying search for a murderer in the community of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, deep in Amish country!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Here is a little summary of the book which is now available:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;">Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text" , serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=murder+with+cherry+tarts&qid=1574181635&sr=8-1" style="font-size: x-large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-11876512473761304592019-11-02T09:42:00.000-07:002019-11-02T09:42:01.555-07:00WOOD You Shop Here? by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Recently my husband and I went for a drive through Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Since my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series is set in PA Amish country, I like to take an occasional drive though the area to soak in the Amish way of life which was immediately evident as we veered off the Old Philadelphia Pike onto several side roads that wound through Amish homesteads and farms. It was a beautiful fall day and the horse-drawn farm equipment was active preparing the fields for winter and next spring's crops. Amish scooter cycles were being maneuvered along the country roads and wash was strung on pulley lines from the houses to the barn roofs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8qOaXiPDy8W3tWjszovk76DuG8AQ-j82qEjoLTyYVh-mNgsiOWjy6ljW4N9rY6YzlhfXMnVO21fzH8g_9pmHT3fgJ6Ibi7CBskIB7EG1MRdSAwwHYKZzUDkQNfn3wYQbI9iIO1UXTdML/s1600/IMG_6213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="640" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8qOaXiPDy8W3tWjszovk76DuG8AQ-j82qEjoLTyYVh-mNgsiOWjy6ljW4N9rY6YzlhfXMnVO21fzH8g_9pmHT3fgJ6Ibi7CBskIB7EG1MRdSAwwHYKZzUDkQNfn3wYQbI9iIO1UXTdML/s320/IMG_6213.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Amish operate many of the business establishments along the main route. I always enjoy shopping in these stores and appreciating the hand crafted quilts, wall hangings, garden ornaments and furniture.<br />
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We stopped at a small coffee shop in the town of Intercourse for a quiet lunch. I enjoyed watching the horse and buggies clopping along the street and the multitude of tourists who were enjoying the shops and outdoor entertainment at Kettle Village, directly across the street.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOli0TzgMOZ8sF2-z8kn3N0y_76QO7f6Yl0j538_bwfLq1mHqJ-PzgP9nr_pORYwxJHEjxqJKzzQEzY5B1foqOYO50VI9PA0qyC_fqYHxn6Q2NFtsTR_kPVj2D5ggCmovVR2ivPJi4uhWr/s1600/1014191203_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOli0TzgMOZ8sF2-z8kn3N0y_76QO7f6Yl0j538_bwfLq1mHqJ-PzgP9nr_pORYwxJHEjxqJKzzQEzY5B1foqOYO50VI9PA0qyC_fqYHxn6Q2NFtsTR_kPVj2D5ggCmovVR2ivPJi4uhWr/s200/1014191203_HDR.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Sharing the same building as the coffee shop was a furniture store with locally-crafted pieces, many from reclaimed wood. This shop immediately reminded me of WOODS, the business that is owned and operated by Jonas Groft in my tea garden mysteries. Daisy often makes the short trek down the main street in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, the fictional town I created based in historic Lancaster County, to visit Jonas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRbm5onTm73dbo_fiTpEj7iPmdRaOFzXA4Q-1tI7GhguLMCORw-PQFR_bfUuWynMpx6l-uzeZMO2WwBCJfF-KZ3XG-V84sTL4zbEqYiQ-wVIqQTyikRsSVvnaxUH61eP6xZgeemf7QoZ5/s1600/1014191229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRbm5onTm73dbo_fiTpEj7iPmdRaOFzXA4Q-1tI7GhguLMCORw-PQFR_bfUuWynMpx6l-uzeZMO2WwBCJfF-KZ3XG-V84sTL4zbEqYiQ-wVIqQTyikRsSVvnaxUH61eP6xZgeemf7QoZ5/s200/1014191229.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHlrC1FIkZfGkYtusNVu2vfEVW3bq6pSmwHkvNB2ucmgYQ6vATrblWyBLX8pd0nTC3nt5CC71OLi7yEnYH92dSilcfoi-VzmL2HfnZFrTBmNzhFyp4rpUc35vXReTp4ggRr1Hj1dks7g_/s1600/1014191202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHlrC1FIkZfGkYtusNVu2vfEVW3bq6pSmwHkvNB2ucmgYQ6vATrblWyBLX8pd0nTC3nt5CC71OLi7yEnYH92dSilcfoi-VzmL2HfnZFrTBmNzhFyp4rpUc35vXReTp4ggRr1Hj1dks7g_/s320/1014191202.jpg" width="240" /></a>Jonas makes many of the pieces featured in his shop, most made from reclaimed wood he often travels to purchase. Sometimes wood is found in old buildings that are being demolished or renovated. Daisy often observes the chairs lined in cubicles along one wall of the shop, very similar to the display in the store we discovered in Intercourse. They also featured tabletops which could be mounted on the pedestal bases of your choice, reclaimed wood mantles, and beautiful doors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpOoOwk32ulV5Amsm6hneEXIy13Z1wDEUnCkadsIChZH1sfyCB_Jw_v69qwJPOZsO7y6OPjWU5ThKJ7TrwyZY9LVnWEoN8Im5b6P5IJeOzE9MmG8hBYnLgheNTXPjraA6fddTE-_SLWyV/s1600/1014191230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpOoOwk32ulV5Amsm6hneEXIy13Z1wDEUnCkadsIChZH1sfyCB_Jw_v69qwJPOZsO7y6OPjWU5ThKJ7TrwyZY9LVnWEoN8Im5b6P5IJeOzE9MmG8hBYnLgheNTXPjraA6fddTE-_SLWyV/s320/1014191230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5isC0qEsdkwmUwag90MSDxz7ec77k-ss5PWDkdvKIMTHJuIBVJomipQ85T_nDsXKNSnNY_UrmKIKAX8k2UcdukbN5eWBw0QyQf_xon4WlI6TOw4fYGnBraZ-ZV_-t025Bepk_NOKqOu2S/s1600/1014191230_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5isC0qEsdkwmUwag90MSDxz7ec77k-ss5PWDkdvKIMTHJuIBVJomipQ85T_nDsXKNSnNY_UrmKIKAX8k2UcdukbN5eWBw0QyQf_xon4WlI6TOw4fYGnBraZ-ZV_-t025Bepk_NOKqOu2S/s320/1014191230_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a>Some unusual items also caught my attention. The shelf planter bicycle would be the perfect addition for a porch or sun room. There were also many signs made from reclaimed wood, some with just a single word, others with more thought-provoking messages.<br />
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I really enjoyed this visit to a shop that took me to a place that I had created in my imagination and shared on the written page. I truly felt friendliness, warmth and peace knowing that such places truly do exist.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Coming in December!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569367597&sr=8-1-fkmr0">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></span></div>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-90413108395674068122019-10-24T10:46:00.000-07:002019-10-24T10:46:17.159-07:00Shelters for Feral and Outside Cats<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">by Karen Rose Smith</span><br />
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Several years ago, we cared for a yellow tabby stray who came into our yard and seemed to want to stay. We named him Lancelot because the first time we spotted him, he was protecting a kitten. We got him care and found out he had FIV. He lasted through the summer. When he first began staying on our property, I wanted a protected place for him to nestle and we bought an igloo. The following year another yellow tabby came to us. We named him Sunnybud. He stayed for three years until his FIV took him. In the meantime we added more than one shelter for cats who needed cover over the winter. At times, we had three cats staying warmer. The thing about cats is that, unless they are bonded--mother and kitties, brother and sister--they each like their own space. They can be territorial. This summer I spruced up this shelter when I cleaned it out. We have turquoise planters and I had leftover paint from a reno project. <a href="https://arkworkshop.com/CAT-HOUSESsquare-entrance_c36.htm">Cedar Shelter</a><br />
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Some of the shelters have heat pads made for the outdoors. In those that don't, we use straw. Blankets and rugs will mildew and stay cold and wet. In winter, we've found the cats prefer the shelters with the heat pads. No surprise there. The photo I led with is an igloo with straw bales around it to insulate it even more both winter and summer. Sunnybud preferred being farther away from the house until he began to stay in our patio sunroom. The igloo is equipped with a heat pad.<br />
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There are many websites on the internet that have DIY instructions on how to make an inexpensive cat shelter. ( Link for info on a <span style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ucl/sets/72157626823176557/with/5830621015/">DIY Shelter</a>s</span><span style="text-align: center;"> )<span style="color: red;"> </span></span>YouTube also has many DIY clips on building outside shelters. Some of them use styrofoam coolers and others use store-bought coolers often used for picnic soft drinks. I found these on Etsy and they are called cat pods. These include a heat pad. ( <span style="color: red; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Extreme-Weather-12-5-Inch-18-5-Inch/dp/B0009YWJRE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472482107&sr=8-1&keywords=K%26H+Heat+pad" style="text-align: center;">Link to Extreme Weather Heat Pad</a> </span><span style="text-align: center;">)</span>( <a href="https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/">Link for Outside Feral Cat Shelters</a> )<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/90807375/heated-cat-pod-house2-doors">Link to Heated Cat Pod Tower</a></div>
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Before Sunnybud left us, he introduced a brother and sister duo to our property. My husband named them Bonnie (a dark Tortie) and Clyde (a yellow tabby.) They have been more of a challenge than any others. It's taken three years to socialize them to a certain extent. They come inside our basement now every afternoon to eat and cuddle up until morning. Then they go out again unless we keep them in for rain or freezing cold. Our basement is their apartment with cat beds and my plant grow heat pad that they use too. But we still can't touch Bonnie. I can pet Clyde unless I move my hand too fast or stand up! We're working on it. But before we even attempted to feed them inside the basement, they had to become comfortable with our property. These two had been caught in a TNR program because both their ears were clipped. I imagine they had a traumatic experience which is the cause of their apprehension around humans. We added another shelter with a heat pad when they arrived. I catnipped it and they began using it. It was a patiently slow process.<br />
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This is a feral shelter we have under our deck. Clyde often uses the roof to survey his domain. He and Bonnie can go inside and then crawl into a loft space that is insulated for warmth. Bonnie and Clyde both stay on our property now both day and night. <a href="http://www.feralvilla.com/Shelters_c_1.html">Feralvilla Shelter</a><br />
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A fellow writer found stray cats on her property. I've often looked at these tubes and she told me the stray cats are using the shelter. ( <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cat+shelter+tube&ref=is_s">Link for Info on the Tube Shelter</a> )<br />
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I'm an animal person, especially cats. We have five inside rescues. I can't handle seeing felines suffer in the winter. Hence, the shelters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aBIO5nFbh_RzLstZzB04WmSpVB_zCwPoluTKHNcY7S3VCM6F0swckfLM49suse7cViYTjO5XlUjJKdLj2UkmhwBFI0chRIbXWVuXUwG2jYKGgHdGLA9jxfY4kRnq8uM1m6dW6SyXXTnY/s1600/IMG_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="828" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aBIO5nFbh_RzLstZzB04WmSpVB_zCwPoluTKHNcY7S3VCM6F0swckfLM49suse7cViYTjO5XlUjJKdLj2UkmhwBFI0chRIbXWVuXUwG2jYKGgHdGLA9jxfY4kRnq8uM1m6dW6SyXXTnY/s200/IMG_0043.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Lancelot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1AIWY89bhghujpy546j5Rk0-DtA9W7Ferk2skOrXUkmHTUSTYyEDd05ch2SaZRVsTTOmUVHYt2rtPz0wTgE0zUUiFkM6196MxCgjqIIrZCQOk6zdEoKxNPE7mbc8N7NYdH4CzxPfETdM/s1600/IMG_6967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="471" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1AIWY89bhghujpy546j5Rk0-DtA9W7Ferk2skOrXUkmHTUSTYyEDd05ch2SaZRVsTTOmUVHYt2rtPz0wTgE0zUUiFkM6196MxCgjqIIrZCQOk6zdEoKxNPE7mbc8N7NYdH4CzxPfETdM/s200/IMG_6967.JPG" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Me and Sunnybud</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-cjj4JMhQfYullkZ55S4E1SsdNytMCGQK7qI1lIqOd7JVCPUK26V0NCOOWuQXgKLELh9wsdSl2OHMF_HpfTQGvrKjRPpAPDIVjyxy8hH8YV8xbsxLxb4khSIzq0X0LXM4rdcQKVjWezI/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-cjj4JMhQfYullkZ55S4E1SsdNytMCGQK7qI1lIqOd7JVCPUK26V0NCOOWuQXgKLELh9wsdSl2OHMF_HpfTQGvrKjRPpAPDIVjyxy8hH8YV8xbsxLxb4khSIzq0X0LXM4rdcQKVjWezI/s200/IMG_0033.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Bonnie and Clyde</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFglU7ckrisYlguJILsKmlSvhswQSws8vV0I8Ef7DFtJXmd-QW_GcEuq6GC0BNn5fW6AixEtuxqKorHeXE0LGMBeJqqhVp4gcHtW7_hi-GdI59FYE7JhyphenhyphenTMBjaJKjKdH3wPFn-rv12sq7x/s1600/IMG_6759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFglU7ckrisYlguJILsKmlSvhswQSws8vV0I8Ef7DFtJXmd-QW_GcEuq6GC0BNn5fW6AixEtuxqKorHeXE0LGMBeJqqhVp4gcHtW7_hi-GdI59FYE7JhyphenhyphenTMBjaJKjKdH3wPFn-rv12sq7x/s200/IMG_6759.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Younger Sunnybud<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sunnybud</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sunnybud and Halo before we brought her in.</td></tr>
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<br />KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-5041677198734827732019-10-05T02:00:00.000-07:002019-10-05T02:00:00.414-07:00Celebrating #Tea and Books!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was honored to be asked to participate in this year's Pennsylvania Tea Festival sponsored by The Rosemary House and Gardens and The Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop. The event was held in the gardens of The Rosemary House. It featured entertainment, lectures, vendors and, of course, a full-service tea luncheon.<br />
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The literary corner hosted six cozy mystery authors who were scheduled over the two day event to give a short presentation followed by a chat session with readers where the authors could answer questions and sign copies of their books.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43M09GYorlnmafMGXMSALdaVd-EhMJxotAU5LL84oWRvTRQFR9abxkIcsGFUEotRMBQ1RbtaANBK9mCBQo__6Z1C4Y-3FTWzkag1pNCOJdx3IuU64Fv8FMxo03nlM0KkmDRjORhRx7o4J/s1600/IMG_1202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43M09GYorlnmafMGXMSALdaVd-EhMJxotAU5LL84oWRvTRQFR9abxkIcsGFUEotRMBQ1RbtaANBK9mCBQo__6Z1C4Y-3FTWzkag1pNCOJdx3IuU64Fv8FMxo03nlM0KkmDRjORhRx7o4J/s200/IMG_1202.JPG" width="150" /></a>Each ticket holder received a tea cup when he/she arrived. The cup was then used throughout their stay at the festival to taste the tea samples that were offered by the vendors.<br />
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The mood of the day was light and cheerful and everybody seemed to enjoy the beautiful weather, browse the tea products and learn more about tea. The chef at Rosemary House even created a pimento spread/cucumber sandwich like the recipe in my recent release, <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Murder With Cucumber Sandwiches</span></b>!<br />
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I enjoyed the camaraderie with my readers. Chatting with them reaffirms what I hope to accomplish in my novels and they always give me new perspectives on what my readers like...whether it be shorter chapters, more than one murder or my sleuths' romantic relationships.<br />
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My Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries have opened a whole new venue for promoting my books. It is so enjoyable to sit with my readers, enjoy tea and tasty treats and interact on a much more intimate level than across a table at a bookstore. I always feel refreshed and renewed after sharing tea with my readers.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Coming in December!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .</i></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569367597&sr=8-1-fkmr0">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cherry-tarts-karen-rose-smith/1130946635?ean=9781496723925"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble</span></a></span></div>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-4538412419790212132019-06-29T08:31:00.000-07:002019-06-29T08:31:00.295-07:00Closet Treasures by #Mystery author Karen Rose Smith<br />
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I'm in a cleaning mood! This week when the sliding door jumped off the track on one of our upstairs' closets, I "suggested" that my husband and I clean out the closet while the doors were off. What started out as a simple repair turned into a week-long project. Of course, while the closet was empty, it was the perfect time to paint the walls that were ignored when we recently had the hallway painted. So we began the process of emptying the shelves, making a "keep" pile, a "donation" pile and a "throwaway" pile. Then the shelving was removed and the walls were painted.<br />
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The "keep" pile had linens and towels that we use on a daily basis, extra light bulbs and extension cords, tools and cleaning supplies. And then there were the treasures that had been stashed away on the top shelf that I had totally forgotten were there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtKc6Vugtfo6b1Y4BSHHRgonTmKd3SZnj7RWbaX8AfnQnNkK9itymhFVcZEMgVxl1EEUyD91j2wWV7M8q5ipONFpKokTuiTvG0HP5jVDevGcn52ooYJpYWUZyXIi9BqLdnOhPelE66voZ/s1600/0621191902a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtKc6Vugtfo6b1Y4BSHHRgonTmKd3SZnj7RWbaX8AfnQnNkK9itymhFVcZEMgVxl1EEUyD91j2wWV7M8q5ipONFpKokTuiTvG0HP5jVDevGcn52ooYJpYWUZyXIi9BqLdnOhPelE66voZ/s200/0621191902a.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQRefOzLMT2u9Vwf6ivG38ZBg3yEucqPqGRAfGaAnkUw2DByOBCObPTiIopJkhxoOdQwHPXqJM4DTFVfb05lOlU1G6HHh3IgchtoqGPdDxB5AJ4Yc16sB6mr7jf1haR718AG8troc4JXv/s1600/0621191900b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQRefOzLMT2u9Vwf6ivG38ZBg3yEucqPqGRAfGaAnkUw2DByOBCObPTiIopJkhxoOdQwHPXqJM4DTFVfb05lOlU1G6HHh3IgchtoqGPdDxB5AJ4Yc16sB6mr7jf1haR718AG8troc4JXv/s200/0621191900b.jpg" width="150" /></a>First, there were some of my baby clothes as well as our son's -- embroidered kimonos, crocheted baby booties, the receiving blanket we wrapped our son in the day we brought him home from the hospital, the embroidered crib quilt that was used in both of our cribs. The items brought back many happy memories and, of course, were carefully folded and replaced on the top shelf of the closet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW1UlE-Pvee5ymCyAkgnyzdmqBHg9YjmczP36b4imrd5oJvfOavs5VKUtOODMCpUxM3WuVUbVlpzxZA0c88PdgDJF7eFiHeoGbFodLNL0kYE5gSHZ8Si67TVHq3Nc38pcwG__CSMPAv2F/s1600/0621191858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW1UlE-Pvee5ymCyAkgnyzdmqBHg9YjmczP36b4imrd5oJvfOavs5VKUtOODMCpUxM3WuVUbVlpzxZA0c88PdgDJF7eFiHeoGbFodLNL0kYE5gSHZ8Si67TVHq3Nc38pcwG__CSMPAv2F/s320/0621191858.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgFJx8i3uxzJAH9PasuWlJLvhSOTZFJbXyP9ft_CRZo8J6kotvoVJgiHp9qZ7sNFxeGLVUY4fivGcI5ZWU5sUTWxKnFZcmSrJc291JLFnJ2-ARSlAFCWcyakZH0nkx6pEdhlB7tHrJMXr/s1600/0621191858c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgFJx8i3uxzJAH9PasuWlJLvhSOTZFJbXyP9ft_CRZo8J6kotvoVJgiHp9qZ7sNFxeGLVUY4fivGcI5ZWU5sUTWxKnFZcmSrJc291JLFnJ2-ARSlAFCWcyakZH0nkx6pEdhlB7tHrJMXr/s200/0621191858c.jpg" width="150" /></a>My mother always had extra linens, towels and dish cloths stored in her hallway linen closet. When we got married, she went through her stash and gave us many of the unused items to set up housekeeping in our first apartment. When she passed away, I kept the extras that were still stored in that closet. I tucked them on the top shelf of our closet and found them when we cleaned it out this week. I was pleasantly surprised that they were a much higher quality than can be bought today. I was also shocked at the sticker prices still on the items. Memories of shopping for these items at Montgomery Ward and J. C. Murphy came flooding back and I was filled with nostalgia. I worked at Montgomery Ward when I was in college.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8-_tVGzj36R-3OtV5bh9vQJSUFKwE4B3E3A34GgI9GazP-VdLRpXRGuQvMAAtPQB2F6sL41GM5fRu3rv7Bz9HENsE8j7KQFafc39CDcsCFO0mIJW4QaVm2xlTs93QCoaFEbx57FTctfh/s1600/0621191906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8-_tVGzj36R-3OtV5bh9vQJSUFKwE4B3E3A34GgI9GazP-VdLRpXRGuQvMAAtPQB2F6sL41GM5fRu3rv7Bz9HENsE8j7KQFafc39CDcsCFO0mIJW4QaVm2xlTs93QCoaFEbx57FTctfh/s320/0621191906.jpg" width="240" /></a>And there were also other "finds." Back in the days before we had self-sticking stamps and labels, we had to lick each item before apply it to an envelope. Mass mailings were facilitated by a gadget with a small water well and a wheel that turned through the water to moisten the stamps. I also remember using the gadget to wet S&H green stamps before applying them to the books to save for premiums at our local S&H outlet store. We also used the wheel when wetting the little black corners used to adhere pictures to photo albums or scrap books.<br />
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So cleaning out a closet turned out to be a trip down memory lane...to the days when a trip to the local 5 and dime store was an adventure, when handcrafted items added a special touch to an infant's layette and when a dishcloth didn't cost an arm and a leg!<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cucumber-Sandwiches-Daisys-Mystery/dp/1617739642/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=RG587A3SFBML&keywords=murder+with+cucumber+sandwiches&qid=1556666254&s=gateway&sprefix=murder+with+cucumber+%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1-fkmrnull"><span style="font-size: medium;">M</span><span style="font-size: medium;">URDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cucumber-sandwiches-karen-rose-smith/1129474139?ean=9781617739644#/"><span style="font-size: medium;">MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-50176624548694274842019-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:002019-06-22T05:00:00.588-07:00Extending Indoor Space to the Outdoors<br />
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I've wanted a canopied porch swing for quite a while. Arthritis and fibromyalgia sometimes limit where I can go and what I can do. The past few years my husband kept insisting our patio wasn't big enough to comfortably accommodate a swing. But...where there's a will, there's a way. And I set out to find the way. I enjoy spring, summer and fall as much as I can. I begin growing flowers and tomatoes from seed in February and March to remind me that spring and spending time in outdoor space is coming.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7orY4TRFIdq3zBgdQ4FhJ2PiGlxb9m8LWO4XbgKyS1WrbtkxxFyPtgUsLY1ksHpYPsPL_A28A18ow7Vwh_tLJQj3hWkPOiNOFexzu2bcqv2Xkpj244qqPNrAThYBI13alqrHvILUoXVO/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7orY4TRFIdq3zBgdQ4FhJ2PiGlxb9m8LWO4XbgKyS1WrbtkxxFyPtgUsLY1ksHpYPsPL_A28A18ow7Vwh_tLJQj3hWkPOiNOFexzu2bcqv2Xkpj244qqPNrAThYBI13alqrHvILUoXVO/s320/IMG_0146.JPG" width="240" /></a>I searched for the swing I wanted online first, deciding exactly the type I wanted--a three-seater that I could lounge on as well as sit on. Then with his trusty tape measure in hand, my husband and I went to the patio to figure out if and how it would fit. He reluctantly agreed to order the swing, hoping that my plan would work. (He should know after 47 years of marriage that it would!) After my hubby and our neighbor's son worked two hours to assemble the new purchase (the directions said it was supposed to be an easy assembly!), we began moving things around to see the best fit. I already had several patio pots planted, ready to decorate the space. My goal was to create an outside living space without sacrificing the view or obstructing walking pathways. Soon I had just what I wanted...a quiet retreat where I could spend sunny mornings either listening to music, editing or writing new material.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXW8DDldG1HebB1Y6z6BVFmdVb-KwQ3NIMQda6Am1AP4E-meIdkndw_xTap0W-N6C_ImJACprvqR0OuSX_LpWt_Qz1TJxg58x-7tswx_wV5KvvM1eeZ9lRo8mjHwgT2kp5QnCuiVTG8ZcV/s1600/IMG_4265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXW8DDldG1HebB1Y6z6BVFmdVb-KwQ3NIMQda6Am1AP4E-meIdkndw_xTap0W-N6C_ImJACprvqR0OuSX_LpWt_Qz1TJxg58x-7tswx_wV5KvvM1eeZ9lRo8mjHwgT2kp5QnCuiVTG8ZcV/s320/IMG_4265.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJd-21QJ3PuW_8LaQUpHFnXJV0onAFX2ssqzeVM9WpQ0KEPXBODYLDJh49is1rRVcP1o41kXxyC6nRZokas4uwep8mfyPPc0eo9nwilnojKC-K7IAaQgAC0N03-awWfHwsrq0emU6Hu_j/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJd-21QJ3PuW_8LaQUpHFnXJV0onAFX2ssqzeVM9WpQ0KEPXBODYLDJh49is1rRVcP1o41kXxyC6nRZokas4uwep8mfyPPc0eo9nwilnojKC-K7IAaQgAC0N03-awWfHwsrq0emU6Hu_j/s320/IMG_0122.JPG" width="240" /></a>Just as you accessorize your indoor spaces with wall groupings, knickknacks, greenery and pillows, you can do the same to add a special homey touch to your outdoor living spaces. I chose colorful cushions and pillows, potted groupings, and a fountain. I added the cat doormat hubby received from a friend for Father's Day and I even had a corner that I decorated with colorful stones that are supposed to glow in the dark. I added my favorite sign and a cat planter.<br />
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Now I can spend my spring, summer and fall mornings on the patio with the outdoor cats. (We've been taking care of two ferals--Bonnie and Clyde--for a few years.) Hopefully birds chirping, a fountain trickling and the scent of blooming annuals will give me peace of mind and the inspiration to write the next scene in my cozy mystery.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">And if I'm really lucky</span>, I might even spot a deer grazing in the field to the rear of our property. <br />
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-9238273568259954672019-06-15T04:00:00.000-07:002019-06-15T04:00:09.313-07:00The #Kittens Turn Two by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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Two summers ago on a hot summer afternoon, my husband received a call on his cell phone from a friend who had just found six kittens under her parents' front porch. She was calling for advice on how to handle the kittens. She had rescued two of the litter but it took another day before she could coax the others close enough to scoop them up and take them to safety. She took the six kittens home and sheltered them in her basement, despite the fact that she was allergic to cats. She also helped her father capture the mother cat to have her spayed.<br />
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Then began the arduous task of finding forever homes for the kittens. My friend appeared quite smitten with one of the first rescues--a black longish-hair sweetie she had named Freya. The other standout in the litter was the second rescue--a long-haired gray and white male. Her young son named him Mr. Hat.<br />
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My husband's first big mistake was telling me about the phone call. His second mistake was taking me to visit the kittens. I hadn't exactly voiced my thoughts out loud, but I was planning to adopt Freya. But as I sat in my friend's living room cuddling the little black bundle, my husband seemed taken with Mr. Hat. By the time we left, we had agreed to take both of the kittens. After all, they had just been taken from their mother, so how could we separate these two who seemed to have formed a bond?<br />
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The past two years have been filled with snarls of disapproval from our three senior cats, hours of playful banter with each other, and much laughter as we watched the antics of the newest members of our furry family. The kittens have grown into beautiful felines. Zander (formerly Mr. Hat) is striking in his demeanor and has become my best buddy. Freya is a unique character who loves to be snuggled on her own terms. They both have become cherished members of our family and are a constant presence on my social media pages. And quite possibly they will join Zoie Joy, Paddington and Halo as "characters" in one of my mysteries.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABm89KATIHJ1GQNOwt8gUjxN6jseYFS2a5Q4Tb_5pNaspxTye_dR118uBIssAZKCC9B705gklvoL7Iuqu7S3YRz4JvZl9lZxfKFGDNQQN5qk0GHcA8pMd2f25bos-iWL11MomqyCVO_aX/s1600/IMG_0058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABm89KATIHJ1GQNOwt8gUjxN6jseYFS2a5Q4Tb_5pNaspxTye_dR118uBIssAZKCC9B705gklvoL7Iuqu7S3YRz4JvZl9lZxfKFGDNQQN5qk0GHcA8pMd2f25bos-iWL11MomqyCVO_aX/s320/IMG_0058.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Zander</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdttwDNUjwDHo94mCV7hvwHKdpsMXiTAeYZI4CuKuKHXWI26lgjzvnoQeK7hphrlXPAm3qVY9y597bhWXQuWX2fOGp6jv0ZL40FslrCfie_F2QwVGdj2mmscHL0wTPuF9kt1VoSDQWzCCn/s1600/IMG_0032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="640" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdttwDNUjwDHo94mCV7hvwHKdpsMXiTAeYZI4CuKuKHXWI26lgjzvnoQeK7hphrlXPAm3qVY9y597bhWXQuWX2fOGp6jv0ZL40FslrCfie_F2QwVGdj2mmscHL0wTPuF9kt1VoSDQWzCCn/s320/IMG_0032.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b><span style="color: magenta;">Freya</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TYGXm4ObqZl8vmoeISyc0XPUMGDRCDALIN4Sa_nTesmrpgs3_sEYnYPtXCNduqN1xOlQMgrRK2P5aX_1hxl88RF-0rVGkWS7NvFircnckyAG6nen3sxiPEjddwsmABM5TlAWDJPMqJ3D/s1600/IMG_0039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="614" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TYGXm4ObqZl8vmoeISyc0XPUMGDRCDALIN4Sa_nTesmrpgs3_sEYnYPtXCNduqN1xOlQMgrRK2P5aX_1hxl88RF-0rVGkWS7NvFircnckyAG6nen3sxiPEjddwsmABM5TlAWDJPMqJ3D/s320/IMG_0039.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Zoie Joy and Zander</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtS-AbV7-1gXnoOOpy56abWrX1RaOpcIqCD6AJOIOoyWk3dYPpvcgi1kP30gWtJdUQFnpRogxBFIPdvO7l2y6Z7ctdtcOugCZ1EnmqaW241-3wgv4z4ig5iPC7mrN29AL7BoPyw2zeCJg_/s1600/IMG_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtS-AbV7-1gXnoOOpy56abWrX1RaOpcIqCD6AJOIOoyWk3dYPpvcgi1kP30gWtJdUQFnpRogxBFIPdvO7l2y6Z7ctdtcOugCZ1EnmqaW241-3wgv4z4ig5iPC7mrN29AL7BoPyw2zeCJg_/s320/IMG_0043.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b>Freya</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b>Freya</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqjuLGhl4vHKTzjMD7qZkHEqLJNLa2NpJe9BoDxF3i4t2xKNUrcm-EeU-QOu9UB71Pe0jLHJ3w90m8kdsVNLgu2bjYYjHJrHfKF-uYXdqlQhFYBeRqXy34HIFKAY3MktwdAGL2OgbgbOa/s1600/IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="618" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqjuLGhl4vHKTzjMD7qZkHEqLJNLa2NpJe9BoDxF3i4t2xKNUrcm-EeU-QOu9UB71Pe0jLHJ3w90m8kdsVNLgu2bjYYjHJrHfKF-uYXdqlQhFYBeRqXy34HIFKAY3MktwdAGL2OgbgbOa/s320/IMG_0004.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Zander</span></b></td></tr>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-82437014739882185792019-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:002019-04-27T00:00:04.571-07:00#Cat Safe #Gardens by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvqUC_Z2jBT5FeJTiYNUaiLVy8QqtyMI_L7ro4_OBzLuRP6HQ3YJmO328Wyn_1n3wOp-0uIafrCTNVmnaJqRZ5cJnEAuYqv8vcTtoDN4lLOSpdm7IDUiAmZlDkOmCBKQE-TcIMOiqRBO1/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvqUC_Z2jBT5FeJTiYNUaiLVy8QqtyMI_L7ro4_OBzLuRP6HQ3YJmO328Wyn_1n3wOp-0uIafrCTNVmnaJqRZ5cJnEAuYqv8vcTtoDN4lLOSpdm7IDUiAmZlDkOmCBKQE-TcIMOiqRBO1/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every year when I plan my herb and flower gardens, I consult the list I've made over the years for cat-safe plants. We have two stray outside/inside felines who make their home in our yard and basement. Bonnie and Clyde have been coming for three years but still aren't socialized. With five inside cats, we have let Bonnie and Clyde grace us with their presence on their terms, and that works.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Remember to use mulch that isn't dyed. Pennsylvania has a law against toxins in mulch but you have to watch for caffeine too!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I began looking for cat-safe plants, websites were confusing. One website would list a flower or plant as toxic to cats and another would not! I began to realize I had to consult more than one site as well as a friend with a Masters in herb therapy to grow my list. If I consider planting something new, I search the name of the plant and "cat safe" before I decide to purchase it. The ASPCA keeps a list of toxic plants on their website and I regularly consult that. <a href="https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list">ASPCA Cat safe plants</a> Here in Pennsylvania, this is the list of pet-safe herbs and flowers that I've developed:</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">HERBS</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Basil</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Catnip</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Catgrass</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Bee Balm</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Catmint</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Chamomile</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Dill</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Lavender</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Parsley</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Sage</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Thyme</span></b><br />
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PLANTS<br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Petunias</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Snapdragons</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Zinnias</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Roses</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Coneflowers</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Carnations</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Sunflowers</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Cosmos</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Phlox</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Coral Bells</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>You can have a cat safe garden that is beautiful, refreshing and fit for you and your outside felines.</b></span></div>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-4474494396877644322018-12-18T16:30:00.004-08:002018-12-20T16:05:16.615-08:00#Holiday #Cookie #Recipe<br />
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I include three recipes in each cozy in my Caprice De Luca Home Staging series. For me, the dessert recipe is always the most fun for me to create. These chocolate peppermint blossoms will add color and flavor to any dessert tray. (Nikki is Caprice's sister who owns a catering company, Catered Capers.) They also freeze really well. After I make a batch, I stow them in the freezer and just remove a few for a tray with other cookies whenever we have guests stop by. I hope you enjoy the flavor and color of this festive cookie.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Nikki's Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgqYxZi4UuDwwlu-wzbIjyn0JLxEhyphenhyphen0b8XanCyWqtCzXMYP0UoD0zS2a25v0-eHjbvDMO-VeTdGAEPQgmbyo_Pac0j1FrrrAwGd10_SM-p-uCKM7dDH6PEaoMUEw7hMn7F1o4GGWqaGO3/s1600/IMG_2757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgqYxZi4UuDwwlu-wzbIjyn0JLxEhyphenhyphen0b8XanCyWqtCzXMYP0UoD0zS2a25v0-eHjbvDMO-VeTdGAEPQgmbyo_Pac0j1FrrrAwGd10_SM-p-uCKM7dDH6PEaoMUEw7hMn7F1o4GGWqaGO3/s200/IMG_2757.JPG" width="150" /></a>2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened<br />
3/4 cup granulated sugar (plus an additional 1/2 cup to roll cookies in)<br />
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/4 cup cocoa<br />
2 1/2 cups flour<br />
36-40 white chocolate peppermint buds<br />
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Cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add baking soda, baking powder and cocoa. Mix until all ingredients are blended well and butter is smooth and velvety. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time.<br />
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When mixed, form one-inch balls and roll them in granulated sugar. Handle as little as possible. Put balls on lightly greased cookie sheets, leaving room to grow.<br />
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Bake 11-13 minutes at 375 degrees degrees until set. Let cool one minute, then lightly press on candy. The candy will melt a bit.<br />
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Remove cookies to a cooling rack. Let cool until candy has hardened again, then store.<br />
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Makes about 36 cookies.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Slay-Bells-Ring-Caprice-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01N5X8HOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545179250&sr=8-1&keywords=slay+bells+ring+karen+rose+smith">Amazon </a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/slay-bells-ring-karen-rose-smith/1125683949?ean=9781496709783"><b>Barnes & Noble</b></a></span></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-19600651280902574172018-11-28T16:26:00.000-08:002018-11-28T16:26:21.123-08:00Karen Rose Smith Hosts Barbara Silkstone and her COLD CREAM MURDERS series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzneE1PaU7fqq4z_ge7a5-hMjC4StIdelKHDAw5K9AazVAJtfNI23S8lj8NndKP5_DgUTHsYlDpaKOL84CYFBZwwxZt68n5pyc4WsqlvgUJOKr78-P5Z1d_oao1oaimfoMtlgfmD2Oc9Lr/s1600/Larger+kitten+darker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzneE1PaU7fqq4z_ge7a5-hMjC4StIdelKHDAw5K9AazVAJtfNI23S8lj8NndKP5_DgUTHsYlDpaKOL84CYFBZwwxZt68n5pyc4WsqlvgUJOKr78-P5Z1d_oao1oaimfoMtlgfmD2Oc9Lr/s320/Larger+kitten+darker.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Today, I'd like to introduce you to Barbara Silkstone, the author of <span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">over
40 light-hearted novels and novellas</span>. I hope you enjoy her new release <span style="color: purple; font-weight: bold;">GLOSSY LIPS</span>, Book 1 in her <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Cold Cream Murders series</span></b><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">.</span></b><br />
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<b>Here is a message from Barbara:</b><br />
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Please join Olive and Lizzy in <i>Nonna’s Cold Cream</i>, a beachside shop
catering to women who have spent too much time in the sun. The shop is easy to
find. It sits on the main street in Starfish Cove a quiet community—if you
discount the occasional oddball murders—located on the west coast of Florida.
There will be ten books in the series which features Olive’s cat, Puff and
Lizzy’s pooch, WonderDog. Each book will contain a recipe for lotions, potions,
and beautifiers. Always clean and wholesome!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>PREVIEW:</b></div>
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<span style="color: #444950; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Olive Peroni put out her family therapy shingle six years ago—never
thinking her top client would be Myron Meyers, head of a New York crime family.
When Olive’s grandmother dies and leaves her a condo in Florida and a secret
recipe for miracle cold cream, she grabs the chance at a new life in Starfish
Cove, Florida, making designer creams for ladies who spend far too much time at
the beach. Business is brisk at <i>Nonna’s
Cold Cream</i> shop and life is good! Olive even makes a wild new best friend
and business partner in Lizzy, the real estate agent who handles the transfer
of Nonna’s condo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444950; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> But when the
quiet little community on the Gulf of Mexico soon begins to compete with a
certain notorious coastal village in Maine, Olive finds herself solving oddball
murders as often as she soothes wrinkles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Business is brisk and life is good! Olive even makes a wild new best friend in Lizzy, the real estate agent who handles the transfer of Nonna’s condo. When a dead body is found in the trunk of Lizzy’s car, Olive despairs that life in Starfish Cove won’t be any different than the one she thought she’d escaped. But this time, instead of listening to confessions of murder, Olive’s going to have to solve one. Maybe two…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Contains a recipe for Olive & Lizzy’s super-creamy homemade lip gloss!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KWC53M4"><span style="font-size: large;">GLOSSY LIPS on Amazon</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71gyaFodnrL._US230_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Barbara Silkstone" border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71gyaFodnrL._US230_.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
Barbara Silkstone's most current series is Florence Nightingale Comedy Mysteries...THE GIGGLING CORPSE, THE KILLER CORSET, and THE CHEEKY CORONER. Cozies all.<br />
<br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Silkstone is the best-selling author of both Regency Pride and Prejudice variations, including the popular the MISTER DARCY SERIES OF COMEDIC MYSTERIES ~ PRIDE AND PREJUDICE contemporary variations. All her books are light-hearted adventures based on Jane Austen's timeless tales of love denied and love discovered. "Feel good" tales to warm your heart.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">She is also the author of the Wendy Darlin Comedy Mystery series. Five coffee-snorting tales that combine Cozy with outrageous adventures. </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Plus a mixed bag of standalone cozy comedy mysteries: Zo White and the Seven Morphs, Cold Case Morphs, The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland ... and more. </span><br />
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-7615619922271044302018-10-18T14:36:00.000-07:002018-10-18T14:36:23.023-07:00Cozy Chicks Oldies But Goodies Event--Giveaways and Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The four Cozy Chicks--Karen Rose Smith, Duffy Brown, Mary Kennedy and Lorraine Bartlett--are having an Oldies But Goodies evening on Facebook. Mark your calendar for October 25 from 7-9 pm ET. Come and join us for conversation, fun and giveaways!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1856294361152325/">Oldies But Goodies Event on Facebook</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Available November 27, 2018</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mysteries</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Book 8</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cut-to-the-chaise-karen-rose-smith/1128106188?ean=9781496709790#/">Pre-order CUT TO THE CHAISE</a> <b>on </b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>Barnes and Noble</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">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 book four in her Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries for Kensington Books. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Karen looks forward to interacting with readers.</span> <span style="color: red; font-size: small;">They can find her at the links below. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "\22 \\0022times new roman\\0022\22 "; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.karenrosesmithmysteries.com/">Karen Rose Smith's mystery website</a> </b></span></div>
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-37956278466628076982018-10-18T09:17:00.000-07:002018-10-18T09:17:54.282-07:00Harlequin Special Edition Book and E-reader Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-5521695264112327402018-07-19T21:14:00.000-07:002018-07-19T21:14:18.415-07:00Can You See The #Cozy #Clues? by Karen Rose Smith <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HwPQGuDEyyysJrvggTjzO2Z5ZOrK1kfx08KBQVFt7qNV6FBH50MBbr_XM2_1sqaHPLcHyTB0_q6QTyEMxjfjnQdzAXe8qYpTAEMh2S2-oVikwDbLs5ZUXFs2BDRXlxtl_CeBXkymKgD2/s1600/Cut+to+the+Chaise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="979" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HwPQGuDEyyysJrvggTjzO2Z5ZOrK1kfx08KBQVFt7qNV6FBH50MBbr_XM2_1sqaHPLcHyTB0_q6QTyEMxjfjnQdzAXe8qYpTAEMh2S2-oVikwDbLs5ZUXFs2BDRXlxtl_CeBXkymKgD2/s320/Cut+to+the+Chaise.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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I have a wonderful cover artist for my <b><span style="color: red;">Caprice De Luca Home Stager </span></b>cozy mystery series. Since Caprice not only stages houses but finds homes for stray animals who come her way, the artist usually included an animal. Caprice herself has adopted two cats--long haired calico Sophia and Persian Mirabelle--as well as her Cocker Spaniel Lady. She believes pets can help, calm, soothe and save their humans. On the cover for <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>CUT TO THE CHAISE</b></span>, my <span style="color: red;">December</span> Caprice release, Caprice encounters a Schnoodle. He looks just like the one my artist has portrayed on the cover.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkAxaE9E3AxTjjADChMXLcJzCFJBvap6wKQtnxpt3IzIlapEZe3M8hbzoyPZEBheSGCMqXhlqifqZpQ9Hki9Hyg4i74wMP1_uEVFCoz7qXH_OuxM-Tu6uMDP4YQah9MC2RpnmVapxiYvB/s1600/Schnoodle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkAxaE9E3AxTjjADChMXLcJzCFJBvap6wKQtnxpt3IzIlapEZe3M8hbzoyPZEBheSGCMqXhlqifqZpQ9Hki9Hyg4i74wMP1_uEVFCoz7qXH_OuxM-Tu6uMDP4YQah9MC2RpnmVapxiYvB/s320/Schnoodle.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
Before a cozy is set for publication, my editor asks me for cover ideas and I send him photos. Each element the artist chooses to use on the cover has something important to do with the mystery itself. Front and center on this cover, you can see Caprice's wedding veil and one of her shoes! This book is number 8 in this series and it is Caprice's "wedding" novel. I won't say who she marries in case you haven't read the first books in the series.<br />
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Bottles of wine are lined up in the shelves at the back and behind the counter. Much of this book is set at Rambling Vines winery. The setting portrayed on the cover is the tasting room. This is important not only because Caprice furnished it when it was renovated but because Caprice's wedding reception is slated to be held at the winery.<br />
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Michelle and Travis Dodd asked Caprice to decorate the winery in a unique way. They wanted a relaxed but classy atmosphere and asked Caprice to include chaise lounges. The tasting room is decorated in teal and claret decor from the leather chaise lounges and club chairs to the pendant hand blown glass lights over the wine tasting counter and the crystal and plates that are used for wine tastings.<br />
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After you've read this cozy, maybe you can find additional clues on the cover, hints to important elements in the mystery. There's a story behind each one. <b><span style="color: red;">CUT TO THE CHAISE</span></b> is available for pre-order now.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cut-Chaise-Caprice-Luca-Mystery/dp/1496709799/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531840284&sr=1-1&keywords=cut+to+the+chaise">Pre-order CUT TO THE CHAISE</a> <span style="background-color: white;"><b>on <span style="color: purple;">Amazon</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cut-to-the-chaise-karen-rose-smith/1128106188?ean=9781496709790#/">Pre-order CUT TO THE CHAISE</a> <b>on </b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>Barnes and Noble</b></span></span></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-52160985873060415312018-06-25T10:41:00.002-07:002018-06-25T10:41:29.185-07:00Cinnamon #Scone #Recipe created by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchcDN35tZ9qBZnG9jELWpExOLisXvAxrBNhBD5On9nFWUFkJ7Q87reGSYSbJZEjt_65EtHQYGCZTluvhKVI4SBN1wN0aFmEEm0XBQVkupTYgZPr78ghWgl5z4fCs5KKH_mESA5kmB91jj/s1600/IMG_9941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchcDN35tZ9qBZnG9jELWpExOLisXvAxrBNhBD5On9nFWUFkJ7Q87reGSYSbJZEjt_65EtHQYGCZTluvhKVI4SBN1wN0aFmEEm0XBQVkupTYgZPr78ghWgl5z4fCs5KKH_mESA5kmB91jj/s320/IMG_9941.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I developed the cinnamon scone recipe for my latest cozy release, <b><span style="color: red;">MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES</span></b>, it became a favorite. I've made it multiple times. I hope you like it too!<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Daisy's Cinnamon Scones</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfnLA8vwXiFtkUkDdA8Cg26igc4olgjiEtjblelB7ergqpuFJVcWvLPs8bQnzBfk-YcgcAzKlKef0V_88yQbiflWpWOS_WUUz7yuDzFqMSKZKh55stQOQc6VRol9olJZg65h-zQAdSkc3/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfnLA8vwXiFtkUkDdA8Cg26igc4olgjiEtjblelB7ergqpuFJVcWvLPs8bQnzBfk-YcgcAzKlKef0V_88yQbiflWpWOS_WUUz7yuDzFqMSKZKh55stQOQc6VRol9olJZg65h-zQAdSkc3/s320/IMG_3849.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">2 cups all-purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1/3 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 teaspoon baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1/4 teaspoon baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">8 tablespoons (1 stick) grated unsalted butter (I let it sit out 5-10 minutes before grating)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">3/4 cup cinnamon chips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1/3 cup ground pecans<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 large egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">3/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In a large mixer bowl, stir together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add grated butter to flour mixture and beat it in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stir in cinnamon chips and pecans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsCtkiW-qe94evSyMPSBFNJMcvzbhrQx_7TJGzUTgIi8ZyyK2a4Vzo3DQWhp9FK1guE5p3w0GxXvveW8rHeZDLGiP7OZat8K8FRPFmi4SpKPOiw10GPsDOzxZ462yIAdkZmjK97rwCuah/s1600/IMG_4955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsCtkiW-qe94evSyMPSBFNJMcvzbhrQx_7TJGzUTgIi8ZyyK2a4Vzo3DQWhp9FK1guE5p3w0GxXvveW8rHeZDLGiP7OZat8K8FRPFmi4SpKPOiw10GPsDOzxZ462yIAdkZmjK97rwCuah/s200/IMG_4955.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: "Dark Courier"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In a separate bowl whisk the egg with the buttermilk, then mix into flour dough with mixer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scoop out eight large scones (I use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup with handle) and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bake 17-19 minutes at 400 degrees until golden brown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cinnamon-Scones-Daisys-Mystery/dp/1617739626/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1527710355&sr=8-1">MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES on Amazon</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cinnamon-scones-karen-rose-smith/1127062601?ean=9781617739620#/"><span style="font-size: large;">MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES on Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6861176667101359582.post-66817889751587382332018-05-29T07:28:00.000-07:002018-05-29T07:28:12.506-07:00New Release--MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES by Karen Rose Smith<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You are invited to a Facebook launch party for MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExxVxV_E77vn5_1crQDnRDRyPhd9aEnWCkkxqSteeY92djiiKZwU8Jzy7gKsjq8J7pota5pDcYzoIp1fpkoJsRSlPe6ccaTUWGeFqD46FOnsaulutg7Iqcjq1UMrGFOjcqEe4WBKSyQGQ/s1600/IMG_7234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExxVxV_E77vn5_1crQDnRDRyPhd9aEnWCkkxqSteeY92djiiKZwU8Jzy7gKsjq8J7pota5pDcYzoIp1fpkoJsRSlPe6ccaTUWGeFqD46FOnsaulutg7Iqcjq1UMrGFOjcqEe4WBKSyQGQ/s320/IMG_7234.JPG" width="191" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When I have a mystery book release I enjoy celebrating with my readers. For the release of MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES <span style="color: #454545;">on May 29</span>, I have planned an all day chat and prize giveaway as well as a fast-paced virtual party <span style="color: #454545;">from 7-9 p.m.</span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDXjXWLohfO9DwIMJs5MnW9HbmitpPlAwYLQRqEBBVOBWxnYILqXLy90r3pWseWMgMIsCnm8YC9A1DR2gWoeYakyXihEwHNpe4pcHQQj_0G4DR6jZwbxAfPE4Wcrpo3zjrX-WXhj4iM3N/s1600/IMG_7038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDXjXWLohfO9DwIMJs5MnW9HbmitpPlAwYLQRqEBBVOBWxnYILqXLy90r3pWseWMgMIsCnm8YC9A1DR2gWoeYakyXihEwHNpe4pcHQQj_0G4DR6jZwbxAfPE4Wcrpo3zjrX-WXhj4iM3N/s320/IMG_7038.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Here are a few of my giveaways for the launch party which have an Amish theme. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In this Daisy’s Tea Garden mystery, quilts play a prominent role. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemxUAsVfN9n-DkbjBaBLUYlV8nOtPynOZhuNuwZhhVuPCbVcz55yFpnUx13QKFqk1DGuAzjcfafV7wgJd0czB2APDEEOHsavE7kPzg4H6UxDV0178BXe3U49OnsJJChERnQv1R23uRkez/s1600/IMG_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="640" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemxUAsVfN9n-DkbjBaBLUYlV8nOtPynOZhuNuwZhhVuPCbVcz55yFpnUx13QKFqk1DGuAzjcfafV7wgJd0czB2APDEEOHsavE7kPzg4H6UxDV0178BXe3U49OnsJJChERnQv1R23uRkez/s320/IMG_7197.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcxhtPXWbyS7dBxp5r_ZcREGiIa6BMSI8gbhWNbxaH-SfVZ8OVtyx-iC2ECNkdbKDTPV3x8lni7eTrz3jcR7pxhNG-Z_pzoUDEtcVAlgD-aWB3N4t00eBKx1bStwOZXOn3fGhua7KPqLO/s1600/IMG_7201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="640" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcxhtPXWbyS7dBxp5r_ZcREGiIa6BMSI8gbhWNbxaH-SfVZ8OVtyx-iC2ECNkdbKDTPV3x8lni7eTrz3jcR7pxhNG-Z_pzoUDEtcVAlgD-aWB3N4t00eBKx1bStwOZXOn3fGhua7KPqLO/s320/IMG_7201.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Join me on May 29th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. EDT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KarenRoseSmithBooks/">Karen's Facebook Author Page</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Here’s a preview of MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES (which includes a recipe for the scones): <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i>Daisy Swanson and her Aunt Iris run a delightful shop in Pennsylvania’s Amish country with an emphasis on tasty teas and treats—but murder is not so sweet . . .</i></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">As local merchants unite to attract tourists for a much anticipated weekend quilting event, business is sure to spill over into eateries like Daisy’s Tea Garden. Gorgeous craftwork is hanging everywhere—but among the quilts, potholders, and placemats, one gallery owner is wrapped up in some dangerous affairs . . .</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Reese Masemer had been dating one of Daisy’s employees, Tessa, an artist, though their last interaction was as strained as a cup of loose leaf tea. Now Reese has been found dead near a covered bridge where Tessa’s been practicing her sketches. She’s the obvious suspect, but Daisy’s learning that there were some major secrets in Reese’s background, and several of his relationships were infused with resentment. To save Tessa, she’ll have to find out who’s tainted this quaint little town with murder . . .</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cinnamon-Scones-Daisys-Mystery/dp/1617739626/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526943032&sr=8-1&keywords=murder+with+cinnamon+scones">MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES on Amazon</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-cinnamon-scones-karen-rose-smith/1127062601?ean=9781617739620#/">MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES on Barnes and Noble</a>KRShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04917722953196601117noreply@blogger.com0