Book Nook on Lakeview Times!

21 Jul

Check out my Last 2 books on a new Book Nook Page hosted by Lakeview Times Weekly Online Newspaper!

 

 

Part 9 If Oak Trees Could Talk!

16 Jul

Part 9 If Oak Trees Could Talk!.

Part 9 If Oak Trees Could Talk!

16 Jul

Part 9 If Oak Trees Could Talk

Wow!  I am so overwhelmed with the response that I’ve been getting to my Video Blogs of If Oak Trees Could Talk!  Truly it has been so encouraging to me.   Thank you to all who have taken the time to follow along!  I know that your time is valuable and the fact that you take the time to either listen or read along with me each week is so priceless to me.   As I’ve stated before I feel as though you could be sitting across from me at my kitchen table!  Once again I hope that you’re sipping your coffee or tea as I continue the story of If Oak Trees Could Talk!  We will continue in Chapter Four Daddy’s Little Girl! I will actually read the last paragraph from last week as I had ended in a middle of a conversation between Henry and Amelia.

Chapter Four

Daddy’s Little Girl!

“Daughter, when my time comes to leave this old earth, I want to be buried underneath those outstretched limbs that I remember so fondly. I want to be buried right beside my Dear Sweet Momma.  Do you understand me Amelia?  I want you to know also that as I remember bits and pieces of my life that I’ve been trying to write them down.  I know that it might sound crazy, but hey, I’ve been known to be a little crazy.  It’s ironic that I have what the doc calls “Amnesia that is making me even crazier huh. I guess the bright spot is that I don’t remember that I’m crazy most of the time” Henry said as he laughed out loud.

“Daddy, please don’t say stuff like that, you’re not crazy.  Your condition is only temporary.  I’m so glad that you’ve been able to talk with me today, it amazes me how there are times when nothing seems wrong at all, but then there are times, well…you know.”

“Daughter, do you know that I proposed to your sweet Momma right underneath that old tree?  Yep, I sure did!   I asked your Momma a hundred times to marry me, but she really never took me seriously until one evening when I told her that I had a big surprise for her.  I picked her up and asked her to please let me blind fold her.  She must have had quite a bit of trust in me because she let me do it!  Anyway, I blindfolded her and drove her around and around so that she wouldn’t know where we were.  When we stopped I lead her to the surprise.  I had a dinner prepared for us from Mrs. Dooley’s Restaurant. I put it all in a picnic basket, along with a lot of candles and a nice big blanket.  I had everything ready when I seated your dear Momma underneath that old Oak tree.  I had bought her the most expensive engagement ring that I could afford at the time and I prayed to the dear Lord that she would accept my proposal this time.  I wanted her to know without a doubt that she was the only woman for me.  Well, low and behold, when I took the blindfold off and she seen all that I had done for her, tears filled those brilliant blue eyes and she finally said yes!  We played the car radio until the battery went dead and danced underneath the starry sky until morning.  Here we are all these years later and I love her more today than I did back then!”

“Helen, honey, now pull you up a seat over there and quit coddling me.   Standing up over me like that must hurt your back!  It sure looks like a beautiful day, what do you want to do today?”

Before Amelia could answer Henry, there was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me, Ms. Amelia, but Mr. Tyler’s breakfast is here. He also needs his medicine as well” The nurse interrupted.  “Would you like to take him outside on the terrace? Maybe, Ms. Helen would like to go as well. She loves the gardens!” The nurse suggested with a wink.

“Yes Mam.”  Amelia said sadly.  For she really thought that today was going to be it.  Amelia knew that her Daddy was sick; however she never lost hope that one day as she visited him that he would just come to himself and never leave again.   She always believed that if there were anyone who ever came out of this dreadful captivity of the mind that it would be her Daddy.   She never knew anyone who was more passionate about life and living than her father was.

“He will come home to live again!” Amelia finally concluded.  “If anyone can beat this, it will be Daddy!”

“Do you want to go outside Daddy?  Come on let’s get you outside in that beautiful sunshine.”  Amelia cheered.  “The sunshine will do you some good!  How would you like to see Momma?”

“We can go outside if you want to Helen.  Why not?  All we do is stay inside these days.  It makes a body grow weary and it seems one day runs into another.”  Henry answered.

Amelia wheeled her Daddy down the hall to her mother’s room, where the nurse helped her get both of them outside into the beautiful sunshine.  She couldn’t help but notice that both of her parent’s heads were now much more gray and glistened in the brightness of the warm sun.  Amelia grieved the time that she felt her parents were losing.

Thank you so much for “tuning in” or reading along today! I hope that you will subscribe to my Youtube Channel as all of my videos are archived in order!

 It is my hope that you will keep the comments coming for not only are they encouraging me but I know that they are encouraging others who take the time to read them as well! 

 

If you are interested in purchasing If Oak Trees Could Talk or any of my other books please go my Author Page Christine Gilliam Hornback on Amazon 

Or my website http://www.covenantessentials.com

“Tune in” next week for Part 10 If Oak Trees Could Talk!

Part 8 If Oak Trees Could Talk

8 Jul

Part 8 If Oak Trees Could Talk.

Part 8 If Oak Trees Could Talk

8 Jul

Part 8 If Oak Trees Could Talk!

Hello friends, thank you for visiting my Video Blog of my Romance/Suspense Novel ~ If Oak Trees Could Talk!

It is truly my pleasure and joy to be able to Video blog this book each week and present it to you!  I hope that you are following along and either listening or reading!  We are picking up this week in Chapter 4 Daddy’s Little Girl!

 

Chapter 4

“Daddy’s Little Girl!”

 

Although Amelia could have gone to the finest schools, she like her Daddy had very simple dreams.  She traveled once she was out of college all around the world secretly hoping that she would find someone like her Daddy.  She prayed to meet someone who would sweep her away in a romantic lifelong love affair so that she could have what she witnessed in her parent’s lives.   While travelling, Amelia never found love.  However, once her feet hit United States soil, she was bowled over by a handsome stranger who literally knocked her off of her feet and right onto her bottom side at the Airport. When she finally was able to catch her breath, she looked right into those apologetic eyes which were pleasantly inset in the most handsome face that Amelia had ever seen.  As the stranger extended his hand to help her to her feet, she noticed how tall and muscular he was.  Although embarrassed because she was knocked right on her butt, Amelia was pleasantly surprised that the person who slammed into her was very gentle as he tenderly picked her up.  Amelia’s heart pumped wildly and her cheeks became flushed as she gazed into his eyes.  She knew from that very moment that she had found the love of her life.  His named was Robert Arron Steele.  The couple immediately fell into a whirlwind romance and soon they were married.

The newlywed couple bought a wonderful house where they settled down right across the street from Amelia’s parent’s home.  Amelia was contented to be a doting mother of two boys and a loving housewife.  When her boys went off to school, she would help her Daddy in his hardware store.  Eventually she and Robert went in partners with Henry.  It was what made Amelia perfectly happy. This was the life that she chose, which was the most satisfying choice Amelia could have ever made.

“I know who you are dear, come here and let me hug you!  Did you bring the youngsters? Have you already seen your mother?”   Henry asked with more excitement than Amelia had seen from him in a long time.  “Do you know what has been happening to me, Amelia?”  Henry asked impatiently.  “I’ve been remembering things that I’ve not been able to remember for a long time!”  Henry said with a smile upon his face.

“That’s wonderful Daddy!”  Amelia replied.  “Tell me some of what you can remember.”

“Well let’s see.”  Henry began.  “I remembered when I first met your dear sweet Momma.  She had little pigtails and I fell in love with her at first glance.  I had never seen such golden hair in all my life.  But of course I don’t think she felt the same way about me.  Nah, I’m sure she didn’t feel that way about me.  I had to woo her with a swing that my Daddy put up in an old Oak tree in our side yard.  That old Oak tree was my dearest friend.  Did I ever tell you about me and that old Oak tree daughter?”

“Yes Daddy, do you not remember that I grew up with that same old Oak tree?  I swung in that same old swing and you pushed me many times.  Do you remember how you used to wind that swing around and around and then let it go?  I had so much fun!  I would become so dizzy that I thought I would throw up.  I giggled and giggled though.  Yes Daddy, I remember a lot of things that you told me that happened to you because of that old Oak tree. I also remember a lot of things happening there with us Daddy.   Do you know that that old tree is still standing?  She is waiting for you to come and visit her!”

“Daughter, when my time comes to leave this old earth, I want to be buried underneath those outstretched limbs that I remember so fondly. I want to be buried right beside my Dear Sweet Momma.  Do you understand me Amelia?  I want you to know also that as I remember bits and pieces of my life that I’ve been trying to write them down.  I know that it might sound crazy, but hey, I’ve been known to be a little crazy.  It’s ironic that I have what the doc calls “Amnesia that is making me even crazier huh. I guess the bright spot is that I don’t remember that I’m crazy most of the time” Henry said as he laughed out loud.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed “tuning in” or reading along today to If Oak Trees Could Talk!  Again I would love to hear from you.  All of my videos are archived both on my Youtube channel if you would like to Subscribe, or on my Blogs! Feel free to comment on either site.  Thanks again, “Tune in” next week!

 

Mama’s DIY Maple Sweetened Cookies!

6 Jul

Mama’s DIY Maple Sweetened Cookies!.

This recipe would be wonderful for Christmas Cookies!

Mama’s DIY Maple Sweetened Cookies!

6 Jul

Mama’s DIY Maple Sweetened Cookies

 

Mama's DIY Maple Sweetened Cookies

 

It’s been a while since I’ve posted my DIY recipes, but I wanted to share one of the simplest recipes I’ve concocted to make healthier “sweet” treats for my family!

I must admit that this Mama sometimes has a sweet tooth and unfortunately, I haven’t always made great choices in what I chose to eat!  I love sweets such as cookies, cakes, and yummy cobblers which were always full of sugars!

But…..now I have found a healthier way of  “baking my favorites.. and eating them too!” without going overboard of course!

With the ingredients below, I can make cookies that are gluten-free and “sweetened” with 100% real maple syrup which I have found when used in moderation actually has some pretty amazing health benefits!

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Mama’s New Sugar Cookies

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Mama’s New Sugar Cookie http://www.covenantessentials.com

When maple syrup is used in appropriate amounts it has nutrition benefits such as important antioxidants and minerals like zinc and manganese.  Its benefits can also include the ability to lower inflammation and better manage blood sugar.

Mama’s Maple Sweetened Cookies

Ingredients :

2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour

1 tsp Rumford baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup coconut oil

¼ cup real maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift together All purpose flour and baking soda

Melt Coconut oil and add to the dry ingredients along with the vanilla extract and the maple syrup.

Mix well, the dough will be pretty thick.

Drop cookies onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on out crisp you like them.

Variations:  This cookie is much like a basic sugar cookie, you can add a variety of different ingredients to make different kinds of cookies, such as peanut butter, chocolate or cocoa, almond extract, walnuts, pecans, coconut flakes etc…the list can go on and on…. 

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and that your “concoctions”  will be some of your favorite kinds of cookies by simply throwing in what you like or what your family likes!  I would love to hear from you!

P.S.  Look for my next DIY Mama post as I will be posting a few more yummy concoctions using this basic cookie recipe!  Until next time have fun concocting!

 

Source: http://draxe.com/maple-syrup-nutrition/

We Must Do the Work!

3 Jul

We Must Do the Work!.

We Must Do the Work!

3 Jul

We are half way through the year and I found this blog that I wrote in January. I am still working on my resolutions, how about you? I hope that you will read my repost of my earlier blog and be refreshed and encouraged to focus on your goals, and put in the work!

Part 7 If Oak Trees Could Talk

2 Jul

Part 7 If Oak Trees Could Talk.