Autumn Coffee Concoction

I start my day with yoga and meditation to get my body moving. Then I have a cup of Java with collagen peptides added to wake up healthy. 

Today, I created a delicious fall morning drink.

> Starbucks Fall Blend has fresh spice notes with a hint of toasted nuts.

> Collagen Peptides for hair, nails, skin and joint support.

> A tsp of chocolate - hot cocoa mix is good too but I like the added protein and vitamins of protein powder.

> A dash of cinnamon - my favorite is Vietnamese Cinnamon.

> Creamer is optional but I like to add Caramel Oatmilk Creamer to my cup.

Stir well and enjoy a cup of autumn. 

Too Busy to Love Yourself?

Magzines, social media and mental health experts tell us to take time to love ourselves. In today's hectic world it is hard to find time to do much of anything for yourself.

I suggest looking at your daily routine and finding a few moments of calm. Yes, a few minutes is a good start. Once you find that mysterious quiet time, use it to think of one thing that you like about yourself. Think about something that made you laugh recently. Name one thing you are thankful for.

I like to grab a cup of coffee to sip while the dog is doing her morning routine. I admire the flowers I managed to plant during a fybro flare and I remember fun times around the bonfire pit. I enjoy the sun on my face and am thankful for another day. 

Take a mindfull minute today for you! 

Corny Memories

While sitting next to the bonfire and husking the fresh corn I picked up from a local farmer, memories tickled my mind.

Flyboy says this time of year reminds him of hawking corn with his cousins on a rural corner in Fergus Falls, MN.

My thoughts take me to Coldwater Lake in central Michigan. I return to sitting on the back porch of the family cottage with my sister and cousins, husking fresh ears of corn. I'm sure my gram could've stripped all the ears in a fraction of time it took us, but I think we had the job to stay out of the way and out of trouble. 

Nonetheless,  I cherish that quiet time we had and the family dinners that followed.

Stop at a roadside farmer's stand and pick up some corn or other fresh produce. Ask a loved one to join you to enjoy preparing and share a meal.

What fond memories pop up this time of year for you?

#SummerRead - Sci Fi Romance

Looking for something different to read?

How about:

- A post apocalyptic romance.

- A hero who has special prosthetic, armed with a deadly blade. The guy is is direct, down and dirty.

- The heroine Lidia is a doctor

- Desert sailing ships and adventure.

- Gritty sex.

"If you're looking for a fast entertaining read that takes you out of the everyday and into the future, Desert Blade is it. I LOVED the hero Derek - a strong, protective warrior who never loses his compassion despite the insanity of the world around him. The heroine Lidia is a doctor who adapts herself well to an uncertain future, but never gives up her values or vow to help those in need." - Julie Rowe

Near-Future, Science Fiction Romance, Post-Apocalyptic 

In the post-apocalyptic Midwest, now a ravaged dust bowl, former
guardsman Derek Covington must find help for a sick boy. With nothing
but memories of all he lost, Derek crosses the desert alone in search
of the doctor who saved his own life ten years ago. Drifter gangs who
loot and pillage don't dare come near, for Derek has a formidable
weapon: a prosthetic arm with a deadly blade.

For a decade, Dr. Lidia Sullivan has fantasized about the handsome
guardsman who'd been in her care. And now she can't deny his dangerous
request. But as they make the treacherous journey back to Old St.
Louis, they must contend with much more than fierce desert winds and
their unthinkable attraction. A fearless gang has spotted Lidia—a
rare woman—and will fight Derek to the death to get her. And though
he risks his life to save her for the sake of the child who needs her,
she fears there's one thing Derek will never risk: his heart.


Available from 

Carina Press

Amazon

Publisher's Weekly calls Desert Blade "a sweet romance in the burning
wreck of a postapocalyptic United States" .

#TastyTuesday - Cran Razzy!

Today's Tasty Tuesday is another sexy summer drink. This one is only 163 calories and packed wih Vitamin C.

Cran Razzy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

2 cups cranberry-raspberry juice

2 cups seltzer

2 tbs lime juice plus, 4 lime slices

6oz (3/4 cups) vodka

Preparation

Fresh raspberries should be frozen in a single layer. Combine cranberry-raspberry juice, seltzer, lime juice and vodka in a pitcher. Pour the mixture in a glass and add the lime slice and frozen raspberries for garnish.

Tea Time - Memories

Todays tea is one of my moms favorites.

 

She loved the warm spices and delicate orange nuances of Constant Comment.

She would make a cup then settle into her favorite chair with one of her many Harlequin romances.

Peaceful Porch

I found an old photo of the porch. I designed the size of the porch to become another room in the warmer months. Over the years, we've definitely used it as such. We've had meals, put together puzzles, done craft projects and games, quietly read and entertained guests over the years. It was a favorite place for teens to hang out.

Ten years ago. Before my mom passed, she enjoyed spending the entire day rocking, reading and watching birds from her favorite spot on the porch. As time has slipped away, we built the back deck and the boys have left the nest. The porch doesn't get  used as often. However, it is still a peaceful place to relax. On rainy mornings, I enjoy doing yoga and meditation while breathing in fresh air. To avoid sun and heat, I enjoy the quiet to write and Reyka lounges nearby.

It's funny how places evolve and change.

#SummerReadRecomendation - Cherry Tree Harbor series

Summer reading is always my happy place.

 I love everything my writer pal, Melanie Harlow Author creates. Melanie is a Michigan author, like myself, and her settings are in my favorite areas of the state. Small towns and hot heroes are my weakness. Add in wineries and I'm there! Her descriptions of both locations and characters are superb, making the reader feel like they are standing in the scene.

I began reading the Cloverleigh Farm Series, then ate up the Bellamy Creek Series. LOVE!

Those of you who know I am a Book Dragon, can expect to see plenty of her books in my hoard. The Cherry Tree Harbor books are delicious. Pick up your copies and meet those hotties.

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀!

They have a little bit of something for everyone…𝑎 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑑, 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑟 𝑁𝑎𝑣𝑦 𝑆𝐸𝐴𝐿, 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑’𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑑/𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑔𝑟𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑦/𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒, 𝑓𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝, “𝑀𝑦 𝑊𝑖𝑓𝑒”, 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑’𝑠 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟, 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑜, 𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑦𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑏/𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑟.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞…

𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛 → https://harlow.pub/RunawayLove-amazon

𝑋𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 → https://harlow.pub/HideawayHeart-amazon

𝐷𝑒𝑣𝑙𝑖𝑛 → https://harlow.pub/Make-BelieveMatch-amazon

𝐷𝑎𝑠ℎ → https://harlow.pub/SmallTownSwoon-amazon

Be sure to check out Melanie's Author Page on Amazon.

#TastyTuesday - Strawberry Fun

I stopped at the local farmers' market and found some large strawberries. 

Hmm... strawberries!

Dip them in chocolate!

I managed to get the berries home and cleaned before the boys noticed. I dipped some in chocolate to take for a picnic. Some went into the freezer to use later. 

When the boys sixth sense kicked in and they began to forage in the fridge, I popped some into the blender with a scoop of ice cream and a cup of milk to make smoothies.

Today's romance tip:
On hot days, keep large strawberries in the freezer. Tease your honey when he gets home from a hot day at work. Keep some for later at night too! The coolness of the berry against hot skin... the sweet smell tickling the senses... the caress of a tongue that laps up the juice left behind.

a Superior Reunion

Nothing is better than old friends who haven't been together in years have a reunion and time feels as if it never passed. 

A sign of true friendship is how it endures through time.

Lucky for us, Trish organized such a reunion on the beautiful shore of Lake Superior. 

With such an incredible view yoga outside was spiritual and the walk was refreshing.