It’s been a tough week in the United States, and I wanted to do an uplifting post. I discovered it is National Hug & High Five Day and the National Day of Encouragement.
Mark Twain said, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
Let’s find ways to be kind, encourage others, give a hug or a high five today. Shoot, let’s do it every day.
I appreciate you all, and while I can’t give most of you a hug or high five, here’s a picture from my neck of the woods.
In August, I joined a small group of friends, and we looked at our goals from January. We discussed how we were doing on our 2025 goals. We also talked about new goals for the rest of the year.
We discussed other goals, like family, health, and spiritual goals. One of my goals is to finish writing the rough draft of my work in progress.
Do you set new goals in September? Or do you feel like your original goals are in place and they are good? Or are you just happy to have survived a hot summer?
Goodreads is a good site for finding books and setting goals for reading. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15930746.Jackie_Layton
I hope September is a lovely month for you, and I hope you read great books.
I’ve been busy the past week working on Developmental Edits for Killer Secrets, the third book in An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery Series. I can’t wait to share this book with you all in the next few months.
This is not the cover, but there may be a kayak in the story.
Meanwhile, is anybody ready to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall?
Do you have any organizing tips as you prepare for a new season? I’d love to hear them.
In the Low Country, we don’t have many fall colors, and right now our focus turns toward disturbances in the Atlantic. Yes, it’s hurricane season.
I want to share a list of items you might want to keep in a disaster supply kit. This can come in handy if you’re leaving your home due to floods, fires, hurricanes, or other disasters.
I keep a first aid kit handy. In my disaster kit, you’ll find a portable radio with extra batteries, a NOAA weather radio, cash, mobile device chargers, bottled water, bedding and clothing, rain gear, blankets, towels, hand sanitizer, non-perishable food, pet supplies, toiletries, insect repellent, sunglasses, sunscreen, and important documents.
I hope the next few weeks are great for you. Stay safe and read good books.
Take Care!
Jackie
I hope you’re all having a great summer. I’ve been busy, including a trip to Gatlinburg to celebrate the birthday of my sister-in-law. It takes a special event to get this beach girl into the mountains.
The beauty of the Smoky Mountains was breathtaking.
We hiked, we got rained on, we played mini-golf, we got rained on, we ate out, we got rained on–do you sense a theme? We got rained on A LOT! But we had a great week! If you have the opportunity to get to the mountains, I strongly urge it.
Happy birthday, Carol!
Is it too early to think about Christmas? No. That’s why I’m participating in Cozies, Conversations, and More Facebook Group’s Christmas in July. The event is July 26, and I’ll be one of the hosts at 4:00 PM EST. I hope you can join us for the fun and prizes.
In October, I’ll be an author at the OBX Book Festival Books at the Banks! The beach is lovely in the fall. Books plus the beach? It sounds like a win-win. I’d love to see you there!
Make the best of rainy days and keep reading.
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I pack when preparing to travel is books. Sometimes I’ve bought a book and saved it for the trip. And I always want to include a visit to at least one bookstore when I travel.
I enjoy exploring the world. I enjoy mountains, big cities, and other beaches.
Do you have your books picked out for summer travel? Or do you travel by reading books in different and unique settings?
Here are a few packing tips in case you do get to travel.
I’d love to hear about your summer plans. I hope you have a great time wherever you are.
Happy reading!
Jackie
I don’t think anyone will argue that we’re living in challenging times. I don’t believe we should ignore what’s happening in the world, but we shouldn’t obsess over it.
One reason I enjoy writing cozy mysteries is because despite a tragedy, there’s a community of people who care for each other. This is true for the characters in the stories as well as cozy readers. I also like solving puzzles and it’s fun to read and write mysteries.
This is one of my favorite verses, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
What’s your favorite way to deal with stress? What’s your favorite escape?
I hope you have a wonderful week, and I’m looking forward to hearing how you handle the stress of the world.
In January, a local weatherman mentioned white pelicans had arrived in our area. Today, we just experienced the joy of spotting two white pelicans at our beach. People stopped and watched, and it was fun!
In the winter white pelicans visit Florida, but they can also be found in southern California and along the Gulf Coast states. In the summer adult white pelicans breed in colonies on lakes in western Canada and the northwest U.S.
The white pelicans feed from the water’s surface, dipping their beaks into the water to catch fish. I actually witnessed one of the pelicans dip his head into the water, lift it up, and swallow a fish. Brown pelicans were diving into the water to get their food, but the white pelican swam and ate.
The white pelicans are huge. I looked it up and they have a nine-foot wingspan! As we left the beach, we ran into a couple debating if it really was a white pelican. The man said they are not supposed to be in the Atlantic Ocean, especially in February. We told him he wasn’t wrong, but somehow, there they were.
It’s interesting how something as simple as white pelicans showing up unexpectedly can bring strangers together.
I hope you have a wonderful week, and I hope you find something amazing to connect you to new people.
Last week I shared that I wanted to focus on being courageous this year.
Merriam Webster defines courage as, “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.”
Are you facing challenges today? I hope you find courage as you face them today and always.
I can’t think of a time when I packed up my house that I didn’t move to another house or apartment.
There’s a defect with the flooring in our home, and the company is going to replace them. Yay.
BUT I have to pack up everything like I’m moving. Sigh. Still, I’m thankful they are being replaced because they have buckled, cracked, and splintered away. Why am I sharing this? Because I’m either going to be on social media a lot, trying to forget about the mess, or I will disappear. I’m not sure how I will deal with stress.
In case you enjoy before and after pictures, I’ll share the after when it’s all over.
Stay tuned for some exciting news.
Next weekend is Malice Domestic. If you’ve followed me for long, you know how much I enjoy attending this event. If you’re going this year, please look for me. I’d love to connect with you.
As I prepare for this conference, I’ll be busy. It’s during times like this that I look for easy recipes, and Frito Pie is one of my favorites.
Spread 2 cups of Fritos in a baking dish ( 8×8- or 9×9-inch) — double the recipe for a 9×13-inch dish).
Sprinkle chopped onions or green peppers and cheese over the Fritos in a nice layer.
Pick a can of your favorite chili, and warm it up in a small saucepan. Then pour the chili over the onion and cheese.
Sprinkle more Fritos, onions or peppers and cheese over the chili.
Bake for twenty minutes until heated and cheese is bubbly. Dallop sour cream or plain yogurt on top and serve.
I’d love to hear some of your favorite quick and easy recipes.
And again, I hope to see you at Malice.
Jackie Layton 