The Conversation

Was it something we said?

The crows were on a line in my neighbors yard. It was late in the evening and even with the telephoto I could barely see them. When I cropped the photos it looked like they were having quite a conversation.

For more photos visit Pat's Things in a Row!

This is the first Thursday of December, and Thursdays mean it's time for questions. Be sure to visit Thursday Two Questions.

Speaking of conversations.

1) When communicating with family and friends which do you use more, phone or email? Or texting? Video chats? Or ???

2) With texting and email being so frequently used do you think the art of conversation is dying?

Bonus question: Are your Christmas decorations up yet?

Calphalon Giveaway

Hi all! I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday and the long weekend. Ours was quiet and relaxing. No, I didn't go out on Black Friday. Instead I spent my time online checking out the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I did do a little in store shopping on Saturday after the crowds had thinned out.

One of the things on my list to look for before Christmas is kitchen area rugs. I could really use some new ones before the next holiday. But I think I will check at Wayfair before I make up my mind. They always have great products at the best prices. What is Wayfair? My long time blogging friends have heard me talk about the CSN Stores in the past. Well now CSN Stores is Wayfair.

Wayfair is in the business of giving our customers easy online access to the world’s home stuff in one place. Wayfair believes that options for your home can come from just about anywhere, so we carry over 5,000 brands of products like furniture, lighting, cookware, and everything in between. We also know that home furnishings often don’t fit in your car, so we offer free shipping on most big stuff and most other stuff, too.

And guess what?
Wayfair has offered to send on of my readers a Calphalon Unison 5 quart Dutch Oven Set.



Calphalon Unison Nonstick 5 Qt Dutch Oven Set


List Price: $215.00
Price: $49.95

The set includes:
5-Quart Dutch Oven
Nylon Spoon
Dish Towel






The Unison Nonstick Collection From Calphalon

Free your culinary spirit with Calphalon® Unison™ Nonstick! At last, nonstick cookware that lets you cook like a professional. Two surfaces make the difference. The revolutionary Slide Nonstick surface releases foods effortlessly, essential for creating tender omelettes and delicate sauces. And a specially textured Sear Nonstick surface that seals in flavor to create juicy braised beef, tuna and vegetables. Each surface is designed to enhance the specific cooking purpose of the pan.

I love Calphalon cookware! I am gradually replacing all my cookware with Calphalon. I have quite a few pieces already and I love them all. The nonstick surface is amazing and clean up is fast.


You can purchase Calphalon HERE or enter my giveaway and win the Calphalon 5 QT Dutch Oven Set.


MANDATORY FIRST TWO ENTRIES

1. Go to the Wayfair website and tell me one item you would like to find under your Christmas tree.
(1 entry, leave one comment)

2. Be a follower of The Road to Here on Google Friend Connect. You must follow publicly for it to count. (1 entry, leave one comment)

No other entries will count unless you do these two first.

If your email address is not on your profile please leave it in the comments. You can't win if I can't contact you.


BONUS ENTRIES
Leave a separate comment below for each bonus entry.

* Follow Wayfair on Facebook (1 entry) I will check.

* Follow SquirrelQueen on Facebook Leave your FB name in your comment here (1 entry)
If you want me to Like/Follow you back on FB be sure to leave a link to your Facebook page.

* Follow Wayfair on Twitter. (1 entry) I will check.

* Follow SquirrelQueen on Twitter. (1 entry)
Leave your Twitter name in your comment. I will follow you back.

* Tweet about this giveaway. Leave the link to your tweet in your comment.
(1 entry per day)
"I'm entered to win a Calphalon 5qt Dutch Oven at The Road to Here. Have you entered yet? http://tinyurl.com/7flof2s"

* Blog about this giveaway (on your main blog, not a separate page). Leave a link to your post in the comments. (3 entries)


This giveaway will end on December 15th at midnight PT. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only. The winner will be chosen using Random.org

GOOD LUCK!

Happy Thanksgiving

Isn't he cute. He and his family were on display at on of our grocery stores. It was windy and if I could have reached up that far I would have pulled his bandana off of his chin.

I am going to keep my Thursday Two Questions simple since here in the US most of us are busy with the holiday.

1) What are you thankful for?
2) What will you be doing when the meal is over?

Bonus question: What is your favorite kind of pie?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I'll see you all on Monday!

My Memories Suite - Review and Giveaway

I am so excited about the digital scrapbook software I received recently, I just have to tell you about it.

MyMemories Suite v3 software is a complete digital scrapbooking solution that provides a comprehensive powerful set of creative tools no other scrapbook software can offer. With its intuitive workspace and enhanced time-saving features, this application is perfect for a beginner to create a complete album in minutes, or to empower the design pro to build a scrapbook album masterpiece.

MyMemories Suite will help you create your beautiful pages from scratch or build an entire album using one of the many professionally-designed scrapbook templates provided within the scrapbook software. A large collection of papers and embellishments are also included and available at your fingertips to help you make each page uniquely your own.

The page above with Fuzzi and Sissi was created using MyMemories Suite. It was so easy and it only took a few minutes. But guess what, you can create more than just scrapbook pages.

Maybe you would like to create a collage of photos to use on your blog. There are lots of basic photo layouts included in the program. I used a basic one above, added my photos, and then added shadows to two of the photos to give it a more finished look.

I decided to add frames to these photos. There is also a large variety of colors and textures to use as backgrounds for the photos.

The photo of the rose above is straight from the camera. Maybe you would like to improve a photo or give it a different look. This program isn't Photo Shop but for the price it packs a lot of possibilities.

I sharpened the photo and gave it a muted red wash. You can also emboss, change to black & white or sepia, add a blue wash, sketch, or for a really different effect use the impressionist setting.

And if you really want to get a dramatic shot for your scrapbook or blog the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

With over 1,500 papers, over 1,000 page elements, and over 30 album templates (including 10 new for v3), MyMemories Suite lets you hit the ground running with your very own scrapbook or photo album in a matter of minutes. It’s easy-to-use and affordable—and compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.

You can make a beautiful scrapbook an interactive memory experience for anyone who sees it. Use simple one-click options to enhance your scrapbooks, with music, narration, video, and even the Internet. Go beyond pictures by showing off video of the birthday party, or record a narration to capture the memories that pictures alone cannot. With My Memories Suite you simply don't look at a scrapbook-you experience it!

Are you excited yet? How would you like to try this digital scrapbook program yourself? You can win a download here or look at the end of this post for a special code that you can use for a $1o.oo discount off the purchase of MyMemories Suite V3 software plus a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!

Giveaway
My Memories wants to give one of my readers a download code for one copy of MyMemories Suite V3 plus a $10.oo coupon for the MyMemories.com store.

Please read the instructions carefully. Leave one comment for each entry. If your email address is not on your profile please leave it in the comments.

Mandatory Entries:
1) Be a GFC follower of The Road to Here (one entry)
I will return your follow.

2) Visit www.MyMemories.com and tell me which digital Scrapbooking Kit you like best. (one entry)

Additional Entries
1) Follow the My Memories Blog (one entry)

2) Follow MyMemories on Twitter (one entry)
please leave your twitter name in the comment

3) Follow me on Twitter (one entry)
your Twitter name in the comment please, I will follow you back

4) Like Squirrel Queen on Facebook (one entry)
Leave a link to your FB page and I will like you back

5) Like MyMemories on Facebook (one entry)
Please leave a message on the FB page that you read about MyMemories on The Road to Here.

By the way, when My Memories FB page gets to 10,000 fans they are giving away an iPad, you just have to LIKE their page to be eligible to win!

That's all it takes. The giveaway will end at Midnight PT on December 5th. I will announce the winner here.


Can't wait? Below is the special code that you can use for a $1o.oo discount off the purchase of MyMemories Suite V3 software plus a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!

STMMMS64879

I suggest you copy and paste the code. This unique code is ONLY good for My Memories Suite V3. Click on the banner to visit the My Memories Store.

Merry Christmas Stories - Review

Merry Christmas Stories is a collection of 25 Christmas tales that emphasize the value of Christmas love and laughter. These short stories will make you laugh, smile and just feel good about this magical time of year. These delightful stories, written in a variety of genres, all reflect Christmas love, hope and charity.

A firm believer in the power and importance of laughter, Spalsbury employs humor in his books and hopes the stories will provide some Christmas cheer for all who read them. The stories represent a variety of genres ranging from the traditional to romance to science fiction.

There are stories of adventure along with humor, unexpected surprises, romance and poignant moments. These are feel-good stories, to uplift your spirit and to leave you with a smile or a warm feeling. Just the way Christmas should feel.



Jeff R. Spalsbury also writes science fiction and western novels. Avalon Press published his western novel, Hunt the Hunter, in December 2010 and the second novel in his Hunt series, The Hunted Return is scheduled to be published in July 2012, also by Avalon. His science fiction novel, SPACE DREAM ONE: That Other’s May Live will be published as an eBook in October 2011.

Spalsbury taught a class on the importance of using humor in the classroom at California State University in Fresno. He is also a former library director and professor at Porterville College, Porterville, CA.

To learn more about Spalsbury’s books, visit his website at www.JeffRSpalsbury.com. His books can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Black Rose Writing or various online eBook sellers, including the Apple iPad, Sony Nook, etc.


My Thoughts
This wonderful collection of Christmas stories has something for every reader. From the good samaritan who rescues stranded travelers to the young man who discovers the truth behind a long told family legend, each tale will leave you with a warm feeling in your heart. The tale of a jaded detective who takes a very special case on Christmas Eve made me laugh and left a tear in the corner of my eye at the end.

The majority of the stories are about ordinary people, some who might remind you of someone you know. There is a ghost or two, an angel and even a space traveler who will make your Christmas brighter.

Jeff R. Spalsbury is an excellent writer who has the ability to tell a complete story in a few pages. His style reminds me a little of O'Henry who wrote my all time favorite Christmas short story, The Gift of the Magi.

Merry Christmas stories would make a great gift or stock stuffer for any reader. It is also the kind of book you will want to read again and again. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Give yourself a Christmas gift right now and click on the Amazon.com link above.




I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. I have not been compensated for this review, all opinions are my own.

Merry Christmas Stories

Book Beginnings

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.




The Friday 56

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add your link to The Friday 56

Merry Christmas Stories
A collection of short stories
by
Jeff R. Spalsbury

The Beginning
From the story Santa's Missing
"There is nothing about Christmas I like. I know that sounds like I'm a Scrooge, but the plain truth is that all I do on Christmas is get drunk"

I admit that when I read the opening lines to this story I was a bit put off. But I continued reading and the story was really good.

Page 56
From the story Christmas Eve Dinner

What is she talking about? "That's right. It's for you. It's why Ive been working two jobs. It's why Ive been saving all my money."

I can't believe this. And I called him a slug, a schlep. " A ring!" What can I say? "It's really for me?"

Merry Christmas Stories

A firm believer in the power and importance of laughter, Spalsbury employs humor in his books and hopes the stories will provide some Christmas cheer for all who read them. The stories represent a variety of genres ranging from the traditional to romance to science fiction.

Watch for my review on Monday, November 21ST.



I will be working with the Cat Management Coalition at a spay/neuter event this weekend. It's going to be a cold snowy weekend so we will have to give extra care to the kitties to keep them safe and warm. This makes for a very long weekend. See you all on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Gone With The Wind

I was at one of our city parks a week ago and these trees in a row still had lots of colorful leaves.

Since then we have had lots of wind and this afternoon a little freezing rain. I'm pretty sure the wind has taken away most of the leaves.

If I could get "my ducks in a row" I would go back and see how the trees look now. For more visit Pat's Things in a Row.

It's time for Thursday Two Questions.

1) It's almost Thanksgiving here in the US. Will you be cooking or relaxing?

2) Is everyone coming to your place or will you be traveling?

Bonus question: Turkey or ham or tofu?

Mozart's Last Aria - Review

The news arrives in a letter to his sister, Nannerl, in December 1791. But the message carries more than word of Nannerl’s brother’s demise. Two months earlier, Mozart confided to his wife that his life was rapidly drawing to a close . . . and that he knew he had been poisoned.

In Vienna to pay her final respects, Nannerl soon finds herself ensnared in a web of suspicion and intrigue—as the actions of jealous lovers, sinister creditors, rival composers, and Mozart’s Masonic brothers suggest that dark secrets hastened the genius to his grave. As Nannerl digs deeper into the mystery surrounding her brother’s passing, Mozart’s black fate threatens to overtake her as well.

Transporting readers to the salons and concert halls of eighteenth-century Austria, Mozart’s Last Aria is a magnificent historical mystery that pulls back the curtain on a world of soaring music, burning passion, and powerful secrets.

Matt Rees is an award-winning crime novelist and foreign correspondent. He is the author of the internationally acclaimed Omar Yussef crime series, including The Collaborator of Bethlehem. He is also the author of Cain’s Field, a nonfiction account of Israeli and Palestinian society. Matt lives in Jerusalem.

You can Matt at his website, www.mattrees.net, read his blog, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

My Thoughts

Not only has Matt Rees written a well developed mystery novel but he explores the relationship between Mozart and his sister Nannerl. As much of a child prodigy as her brother Nannerl was taken out of the limelight long ago. She is living with her husband and children in a small village when she learns of her brothers death. Although they had been out of touch for several years she feels compelled to go to Vienna to pay her respects. Once there she gets caught up in the mystery surrounding his death.

I really like the character of Nannerl, she is determined to find the truth. What she finds along the way is intrigue, deceit, infidelity and a possible love interest. All of this kept the story moving and definitely held my interest. The possible involvement of the Freemasons really deepens the mystery. And then, or so it seems, the mystery is solved. Or was it? There is a twist of a twist to the ending.

If you love a good mystery then Mozart's Last Aria is a must read. I recommend this book to everyone.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not compensated for my review, all opinions are my own.

Fun With Hearts

I just received some new software to review so I used it to created the collage/photo above. It is called My Memories Suite. Very soon I will be reviewing it and giving away a copy. I will also be sharing a code with you my readers. You can use the code to get $$$'s off the software and get a credit to buy more goodies for the program.

For more photos visit Freda's Tuesday Takes and Tina's PicStory.

The Blooms of Autumn

If you look closely in the upper left hand corner you will see a duck or two.

These photos were taken at our local aviary on Tuesday. The roses were still blooming ... on the other side of the fence.

The roses in my garden still have a few blooms. Time is running short for them, the wind and rain are coming in tonight.

"Saw the rainbow in the heaven,
In the eastern sky the rainbow,
Whispered, "What is that, Nokomis?"

And the good Nokomis answered:
"'Tis the heaven of flowers you see there;
All the wild-flowers of the forest,
All the lilies of the prairie,
When on earth they fade and perish,
Blossom in that heaven above us."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Song of Hiawatha

Visit Freda's Quote It Saturday, Macro Flowers Saturday, Weekend Flowers, Flowers on Saturday and Today's Flowers.

Mozart's Last Aria

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add your link to The Friday 56







Book Beginnings

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Mozart's Last Aria
a novel by Matt Rees

Beginning
From the Prologue
"When she sang, it was hard to imagine death was so near."

Page 56
"The facade was a washed-out blue, like an old woman's irises. A statue of the Virgin nestled in a niche above the windows of the second floor. In the gateway, the cobbles were small rectangles of wood to damp the noise of carriage wheels and horseshoes."

Mozart's Last Aria

It’s 1791 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is enlightenment, Vienna’s brightest star. Master of the city’s music halls and devoted member of the Freemason’s guild, he stands at the heart of an electric mix of art and music, philosophy and science, politics and intrigue.

But six weeks ago the great composer told his wife he had been poisoned. Yesterday, he died.

The city is buzzing with rumours of infidelity, bankruptcy and murder. But Wolfgang’s sister Nannerl will not believe base gossip. Who but a madman would poison such a genius?

Black Friday

If you look at my last post you will see an inside view of our local post office. This photo show the outside of the building with lots of things in a row. For more visit Pat's Things in a Row.

Thursday means it time for questions. Please visit Thursday Two Questions.

The holidays are approaching rapidly, it is only two weeks until Thanksgiving here in the US. I have been getting emails about Black Friday deals since the first of the month. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when supposedly the best bargains can be found. It is also the kick-off for the shopping frenzy leading up to Christmas.

1) Do you shop on Black Friday?
I'm also curious if this is a US phenomenon or if it has spread to other countries. If you live outside the US, do you have a "national shopping day"?

2) Will you be looking for bargains on any particular items this year?

Bonus question: Margarine or real butter?

Time to Climb

Our local post office is located inside an older building built in, I'm guessing, the late 1800's. Here is a look inside the building. The postal facilities are on the main floor with other businesses located up the stairs.

For more photos visit Freda's Tuesday Takes and Tina's PicStory.

Music in November

Every year, in November, at the season that follows the hour of the dead, the crowning and majestic hours of autumn, I go to visit the chrysanthemums ... They are indeed, the most universal, the most diverse of flowers."
- Maeterlinck

The wind that makes music in November corn is in a hurry. The stalks hum,
the loose husks whisk skyward in half-playing swirls, and the wind hurries on....
A tree tries to argue, bare limbs waving, but there is no detaining the wind.
- Aldo Leopold

I really hope you all aren't getting bored with all the mums.
Please visit Freda's Quote It Saturday, Macro Flowers Saturday, Weekend Flowers, Flowers on Saturday and Today's Flowers.

Resonance

Book Beginnings

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.




Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add your link to The Friday 56

Resonance

The Beginning
Stupid paleontologists, he thought to himself. Didn't know how to grid a dig properly. Morons.


Page 56
So the guess hadn't been very exuberant. It hadn't been creative. And it sure as hell hadn't been right. Jordan figured one of these days he had to hit. But then he began the worrying. Would he die of boredom writing reports about food poisoning while he never figured out what happened to Eddie?


Resonance
The shift is coming. Soon. Dr. David Carter knows this. However, he's a geologist, so 'soon' means anywhere from tomorrow to a thousand years from now. People are dying. Now. Drs. Jordan Abellard and Jillian Brookwood are standing at the edge of SuperAIDS. Or are they? They won't be able to figure it out if they can t get some authorization signed--and soon. But they're peons and no one is paying attention.

Whole species died at the last polar shift, 65 million years ago. Right now Dr. Becky Sorenson has some seriously mutated frogs in her lab. In Los Angeles, Bees are making abnormal columns on the side of the freeways. In Georgia, birds are migrating out of season. It all makes a sick kind of sense when the doctors consider that the last magnetic shift is strangely coincidental to the dinosaur die-out. And the only similarity in the problems today is that each is occurring in a 'hotspot'--a pocket of reverse polarity tells them all the shift is already here.

The Weather Outside

These little wagons were waiting patiently all in a row for someone to take them out to the pumpkin patch. There they would be loaded with pumpkins that would brighten a family's Halloween. Please be sure to visit Pat's Things in a Row to see more.

It's also time for Thursday Two Questions.

After a relatively mild autumn we have now moved into November. Tonight we are getting 35 mph winds with gusts up to 44 mph, a nice breezy evening with leaves flying everywhere. The weather dudes say we will have snow mixed with rain tomorrow night here in the valley. There will be snow on our Blue Mountains for sure. Pretty soon we will be sitting in front of the fireplace and enjoying a hot cup of cocoa or cider.

Many of my blogging friends are already getting winter weather but in other parts of the world our fellow bloggers are beginning spring.

1) What is your weather like right now?

2) What is your favorite part of the current season?

Bonus question: What is your favorite comfort food?

Space - Review

Space

In Space, Emily Sue Harvey delivers us a deeply moving story of a family on the brink. Dan and Deede Stowe have worked for years, planning and saving for their idyllic retirement years. Just when they finally are about to realize their dream, their adult, recovering drug-addict daughter, Faith, moves back in with them and everything changes. Their “miracle child”, complete with druggie baggage, upsets the tranquil balance of the Stowe’s existence. Private romantic moments evaporate. Faith’s endless needs intrude hour by hour, devouring both their finances, their emotions, and most crucially, their space. In turn, Faith finds herself bereft of everything she cherished most, her health, her marriage, her child, her family, her reputation and, most of all, a space to call her own.

Amid chaotic challenges, all three battle to find peace with each other, a harmony that doggedly eludes them. For the sake of family solidarity, each is forced to sacrifice elemental components of self, until desperation turns them one against the other. Will love be enough to turn the tide? Is it strong enough to warm again hearts grown cold?

Space is a vivid, candid, and life-affirming story from a masterful storyteller of the heart.

Emily Sue Harvey

Emily Sue Harvey, author and speaker, writes to make a difference. Dozens of her upbeat stories and articles appear in Chocolate for Women, Chicken Soup for the Soul, women’s magazines, websites, and other anthologies.

She is the author of the novel Song of Renewal and Homefires and the novella Flavors. Her new novel, Space, will be followed by another novel (Unto these Hills) later in 2011.

To find out more about Emily visit www.renewalstories.com or www.emilysueharvey.com

My Thoughts

This is a powerful novel filled with very believable characters. So real they could easily be my neighbors or yours. Dan and Deede seem to have the perfect life until their adult daughter comes back home. Her life is in shambles and the drug use, lies and deceit quickly proves to be a drain, both emotional and financial, on her parents.

At first I tried to give Faith the benefit of the doubt but very quickly I decided I did not like this character. As the story progresses however it moves at times from Deede's viewpoint to Faith's side of the story. While I still did not like what was happening with her, and her constant need for attention, I began to feel some amount of compassion for her.

The family calls upon relatives, professionals, and God, to help and guide them through this crisis. Dan and Deede will strain their resources, and their marriage, for the love of their child.

Emily Sue Harvey has created an emotionally charged novel about a normal family facing it's greatest challenge. It was impossible not to get caught up in the lives of the Stowe family.

This is one of those books that I would read again. And Emily, if you read this, I will definitely be looking for a copy of Unto These Hills.

I highly recommend this book to all of you.

Be sure to visit Renewal Stories and click on Your Host to read about Emily Sue Harvey's journey to become an author. It is a story well worth your time.





I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not compensated for my review, all opinions are my own.

My Town

While we are relatively new to the area we have lived here long enough to become attached to this little town.

Many of the buildings in the downtown area have been here since the late 1800's. Almost all have been restored to original condition. The thriving downtown area is the center of the community.

The town is surrounded by thousands of acres of farmland. Many crops including wheat, soybeans and of course the famous Walla Walla sweet onion are grown in our valley.

For more photos visit Freda's Tuesday Takes and Tina's PicStory.