Do you have a Favorite Holiday Book? WW entry

I recently finished reading Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love. It was a sweet novel that took place back in the late 1800s. The story was about a girl named Sophie that was once from a small town called Hickory Ridge.   She returned as an adult with a deep desire to revive the long-defunct Hickory Ridge Gazette.  The notion of unfinished business awaited her in Hickory Ridge, it had captured her head and her heart.

While I was reading this book, I felt a kinship to Sophie, I love writing my monthly magazine and bringing news to life.   Once Sophie set up her Gazette she had her first big interview with Ethan from the majestic resort that was being built in the mountains above Hickory Ridge.  Ethan was an accomplished businessman and architect.  When they meet they were intrigued with each other. The book took you through the many seasons and a love story between her and Ethan developed.  It was funny, I experienced their Thanksgiving holiday and then we had ours.  The last season was the Christmas holiday, they were buying presents for their loved ones and sharing secrets from their past.  Overall, I really enjoyed this holiday story.

A few of my favorite quotes from the book...

They say it isn't where you came from that's important; it's where you're going.

As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.

Many hands make light work.

When you fall off a horse, darlin', there's nothing to do but dust off your britches and climb right back on.

When you're standing in the shade, you ought to remember the one who planted the tree.

When the learner is ready,  the teacher will appear.


I am so happy to be a part of Booksneeze, a place that gives me the opportunity to choose from so many great books to read and then I get to write fun reviews.  I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about Every Perfect Gift, tell me what is one of your favorite holiday books?

Here is a photo from my sunset yesterday, iHeart Sunsets:-)

Take a minute and be sure to enter my Giveaway, it's an awesome Starbucks Holiday Giveaway from Bea's Gift Baskets!

Lastly, if you love blogging as much as I do and want to join in on this weeks Wordless Wednesdays, sometimes not that wordless, than please link your blog below and I'll be sure to visit and linkup!

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Holiday Starbucks Giveaway from BeasGiftbaskets.com

"Everyone has a gift for something, even if it is the gift of being a good friend." - Marian Anderson

Our November issue of The Heartbeat Magazine is online now!

We've been blessed with a wonderful Giveaway from Bea's Gifts & Gift Baskets.

Product Description

Our Starbucks Galaxy collection has everything needed to spice up a chilly winter's day!  Spread the warmth of the season as you gather friends, family and colleagues to enjoy the Starbucks Breakfast blend and House blend coffees, Peppermint Hot cocoa mix, Tazo Zen tea, Nonni's biscotti, Walkers shortbread rounds, and Walkers shortbread finger cookies, all assembled in a natural woven basket and tied with a festive red bow.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment!  If you have a blog I'd love to connect!

xoxo,
Nicole

Gobble! Gobble! by Jake WW Entry

Gobble!  Gobble!  by Jake age 9

Gobble!  Gobble!  AAHH!  Jordan the turkey sprinted as fast as he could possibly go into the thick raspberry bushes.  Whew.  "Glad I made it in here before the chef caught me and roasted me."  Hmm?  What should I do so I don't get caught?  OH!  I'll disguise myself.  OK so now I've got that, but what should I disguise myself as?  Oh!  I'll make myself look like Michael Jordan from when I won the Championship with Jake the Turkey and another turkey named Evan.

Jordan scurried off to his zone of the farmers plain.  "Ughhh!  Where is it?  Yes!  My jersey!  I found it!  OK now I can protect myself but what about all the other turkeys?"  Let me think...I got it!  I'll talk to the farmers and convince them that turkeys have a disease.  I can do that since I look like a human now with my jersey on.  Jordan bolted straight for the farm.

When he got there no one was outside, so he rang the doorbell.  Ding! Dong!  As soon as the sound faded the farmer popped his head out the door.  "Hello" said Jordan.  "Why hello" replied the farmer.  "I just came by to tell you that turkeys have been carrying a disease so you shouldn't eat them on thanksgiving"  said Jordan.  "How long will they carry this disease?"  asked the farmer.  "Oh!  Well ok.  I'll make sure to tell all the other farmers and stores nearby" the farmer said back.  "Good" said Jordan. After that he flew off to the bushes and shouted at the top of his lungs "YES!"  So that's why no one eats turkey on thanksgiving anymore.

Jake playing basketball with his Heartbeat Magazine Teammates!

Jake's Dream!

Cute Thanksgiving Typography found at Graphic Design Blog.

Quote of the week.  Provided by @projectalicia

To all my American friends Happy Thanksgiving everybody!  To all my other friends, Happy Holidays!!  Two days left for this months Giveaway:)  If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays please leave me your website link, I can't wait to visit!

xoxo,
Nicole
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What's on my iPhone? WW entry

Yesterday I had fun creating a few new pages on The Heartbeat Magazine website.  One called The Recipe Corner and the other is What's on my iPhone.

I had been searching on Youtube and came across a great list for What's on my iPhone.  I could view videos forever:)   While I was there, a friend of mine had recommended I listen to "Try Again," by Aaliyah.  My favorite lyrics in the song are, "If first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again."

If you have a smartphone, what do use it most often for?  I use mine mostly for photography and connecting on social media sites.

Here are a few pictures I took with my iPhone this week...

Saw this cool vintage camera at a 2nd hand store in Naples.

This bloom of flowers was too pretty to pass by, it deserved to be saved for later.

Lastly, a pretty sunset out my kitchen window.

Quote of the week:

If you're participating in WW, please leave your link so I can check out your post.  Also, I'd love to have you enter this months Giveaway, can't wait to see who gets the beautiful vase from The Clay Place.

Have an incredible week!

xoxo,

Nicole 

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Sharing Your Heart, WW entry

How do you share your heart?  Some people make crafts and share them, others bake a delicious meal or dessert.  I recently had the opportunity to read this delightful book called, "You Be Sweet, Sharing Your Heart One Down-Home Dessert At A Time."  with Recipes by Patsy Caldwell and stories by Amy Lules Wilson.  

The other day I was given one of my Grandma's recipes and went to the store to get all the ingredients, I made one batch of Dream squares and then had to make several more for family to enjoy.  It was so special to have the ability to taste the sweet treat she used to make us and watch my children enjoy that now. In the book they had a similar recipe called Just Perfect Cherry Walnut Bars. All the recipes are special to their Southern family and they entwine stories about how they became family traditions and sweet memories. 

"You be sweet," my mother said to me as long ago as 1967, when I was six years old and heading off to my first day of school at Hattie Casey Elementary.  Like generations of other Southerners, that phrase has served my family well for decades, regardless of the occasion.  Mother practically raised my two sisters and me on those three little words.  The all-purpose phrase saw me through my childhood: "You be sweet,"  Mother advised as I went next door to jump on a neighbor's trampoline; "You be sweet," she said when I told her the clique in junior high wanted little to do with me; "You be sweet," she repeated when in my twenties, I relocated to a town where I knew nary a soul; and now, "You be sweet," she says as we hung up the phone from our long distance calls.  

There are myriad ways to "be sweet," of course, such as volunteering at the homeless shelter, remembering Aunt Carlisle's birthday, and writing thank-you notes.  And then there is food:  baking a pie for a new neighbor, icing a cake for a coworker who is ill, or mixing up a batch of brownies for a family gathering.  As with Bless Your Heart: Saving the World One Covered Dish at a Time, Pasty Caldwell and I invite you to consider that the recipes in You Be Sweet are about more than food.  We like to think they present opportunities for connection and community, and we hope they inspire you to serve up a piece to others as an expression of welcome, sympathy, celebration, or concern.  For we believe that the sharing of food is akin to the sharing of one's heart, and we can think o no better way for us to "be sweet" to one another.  - Amy Lyles Wilson

I love family recipes, here is a great recap of why from the book.

Ida goes to the pantry and takes out the tin box that contains her most cherished recipes, those scribblings from another era that offer more than mere instruction to Ida; they provide connection, and allow Ida an excuse to revisit some of her fondest memories.

There were so many amazing recipes and I found two that I thought would be a treat for the holiday season.  Enjoy.

Quote of the week :
‎"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams." ~Ashley Smith (Such a beautiful quote shared from Sassy Lemonade)

I know this post is not very wordless, sometimes that's just the way it works out, I hope you'll join me for Wordless Wednesday linkup.  Please leave your blog link if you'd like to, I'd love to visit and see what you have to share!  Also, connect with me via Social media:)

xoxo,
Nicole Flothe