Marcum's Bride  Now available at the Kindle Store!

When Marcum sees Melissa for the first time, he knocks her off her feet literally, and she knocks him off his figuratively. She is as smitten with him as he is with her, but can she learn to trust him? She has lost everyone in her life that she has ever loved. Is it worth the risk? Can he break through her 'tough as nails' exterior to find her tender heart? Will she get away from the horrible man she is betrothed to, before he forces her to marry him?

Raphaela's Joy

The second book in the New Beginnings series is now available at the Kindle store!

When Raphaela von Hessen married her love, Captain Johnathon Rosen on the ship that he captained, bringing them to Texas, she had no idea what may lie in store. While she grew up privileged, she felt very inferior to her captain’s sister when they arrived on their ranch where Clara and her sons already lived. Clara was a strong independent widow raising two sons in the rough terrain of east Texas on her own. Now her brother brings home a girl half his age and expects her to take her under her wing and teach her to be a tough Texas rancher’s wife. She doesn’t know how to cook, sew, or garden. All Clara could hope for was that she was a fast learner. Little did Clara know when she saw the beautiful young Raphaela for the first time how much the young woman would change her life. As Raphaela became her friend and sister, Clara learned how much she was lacking in her own life—the life now being improved and changed forever by her dear young sister-in-law.
Raphaela had so much to learn and very little else to do on the ranch. Every month her hopes for a baby were dashed. To distract his beautiful wife from her empty arms that ached for a baby to hold, Johnathon took his wife across the state to Gonzales, Texas to visit family that she thought she might never see again. The trip was hard and long. They endured the dusty dry trail and then unending rain with no shelter, sickness and criminals. Would Raphaela be able to survive in Texas without her family? Would she ever be able to relieve the pain in her heart and fill her empty arms with a child? Or would her husband have to give up his ranch and move her closer to her family, just to see her smile again?

Eek!!  Schlange!

I found a rough green snake in the greenhouse this afternoon.  Scared me to death!  I have only seen the smooth green snakes around here and they are much, much smaller!  This guy was around 3 ft and as large around as a garden hose.  He followed the wall around the greenhouse and stopped to drink out of one of the large black saucers under a large potted plant.  I have never seen a snake drink, but his jaws were moving and he was swallowing!  Very cool.  I did not see where he went, I hope he found his way out of the greenhouse.  I am afraid that he is hiding in my very large pot of oak-leaf fern.  

Finally! the greenhouse structure is complete!

You can see the ugly ol' tarp.  I have not been able to get the greenhouse shade screens yet, but the poor plants had to have something to keep them a little cooler and they barely lived through the heat as it is.  I have already enjoyed it immensely,  I am so grateful that the Lord has brought us cooler temps and a little bit of rain. We are expecting to not get much over 90* all week. :) Love you honey bunny!  

 

Mean while back at the house.... been a little bit busy...

  

In 1848, a young, privileged German couple, Johann and Hanna find love in their arranged marriage. However, to the disappointment of both their families chuck it all way, and travel half way across the world to experience life on the Texas frontier. They put their lives in peril on both land and sea, enduring through storms, wagon wrecks, encounters with savage Indians, and a harsh, unforgiving new climate. Johann often wonders why he ever brought his beautiful Hanna to this God-forsaken land. Was it God-forsaken? Would they endure? Or would they leave Texas, and come home to Germany as their families hoped?

I finally published my novel!  I have gotten it published to Kindle at Amazon.com

For sale now at the Kindle Store!  

A Rose For Hanna

The Greenhouse is nearly finished!!

Richard has been busy on my greenhouse!  Well both of us have.  But-- he cleaned and set over 1323 antique bricks by hand.   I think he loves me ;)
 Today he made 2 tables for me, continuing the theme of recycling, he used different parts-- all used-- to fashion me "new" tables.  I will add photos of those soon.  Stay tuned!

Windows going in!

5 windows and counting.  Actually we are up to 7 or 8 windows now, the guys are out working on it right now!  I have a door, too, but they have decided to wait to hang it till after all the windows are in etc.   Up next... the roof!

Greenhouse!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!  I am so excited!!  Still lots of work to do but I have waited so long for this day!!

Sophie's little Rascal was born November 16, 2012.  He is bright eyed and bushy tailed and just as cute as he can be. Sophie has been "udderly" unbelievably well behaved.  She *is*  PERFECT!!  Her first time being milked went off with out a hitch.  She acted as though she'd been milked all her life.  She also has taken foster calves with out blinking an eye.  We are feeding Rascal and 2 fosters who share adopted mamas, Daisy and Sophie.  Chase even gets away with milking only when the fridge is empty.  If I had made a list of all my favorite qualities I'd look for in a milk cow, she would have them all.  I feel so blessed!!  
 Rascal is being raised correctly by his perfect mama.  We  have erred in the past due to being in a position of "having" to handle our calves so much.  As far as bull calves go, one really needs to leave them alone and not make pets out of them.  This will result in a much better behaved bull in the future.  We want our bulls to respect us.  This little guy doesn't want scritches or scratches under the chin or behind his ears like our past calves.  He is content to run as far away from us as he can.  I am proud of this.  This also means that he does not want to push on us and become so familiar with us that he will one day realize he is bigger and meaner than we are.  This is safer for any one that will have to deal with him in the future.  

Mean while back at the house...
Richard has been working on my greenhouse.  It has only just begun.  It will be 21'X14'.1".  It is being built from recycled aluminum windows (thus the odd size). We will use SunTuf clear polycarbonate corrugated roofing material. I will post photos soon of our progress.  Richard has one wall built, and has started fitting the others. ;) can't wait!!