Hello everyone! I'm back from the break and here to tell you a bit about what I've been doing during my time away. First of all, I went to the Malice Domestic Mystery Convention in Bethesda, Maryland. So much fun! So many things to see and so many events to attend and authors to hear and meet. I'll have a whole week of posts about it upcoming - May 14-18.
But first...and most important...Nan of Letters from a Hill Farm came to Austin to visit. If you don't know Nan, you should. She and her daughter and granddaughter flew south to see friends and family. Happily, I was one of the friends and we spent a whole afternoon and evening together.
I picked her up at her hotel and drove her all over my part of the Central Texas area. I'm sure she will share a bit about her time here on her blog, but I'll say a little. We saw a lot of wildflowers and some horses, visited my home and walked around our yard talking about the plants and flowers that were blooming. Nan jumped when a little lizard darted out from under some rocks - yes, we have lizards and scorpions and snakes, unfortunately. We ate some Mexican food and then I was able to take her to my monthly Mystery Book Group and introduce everyone. Our May book group discussion centered around the books of crime novelist Peter May and a good time was had by all. So happy that we had this time together.
Nan (L) and yours truly (R) outside the Mexican food restaurant.
The book that Nan brought me - so excited to try it soon! And thanks again, sweet friend!
Told you that we have snakes! My husband found this snakeskin in the yard after he got home that same evening. No, it isn't a rattlesnake, but it was over 5 feet long.
The opposite end of the spectrum from the snakes - here's a little doe and her two little fawns, probably born just a few hours before. Not sure how well you'll be able to see this, but I was taking the picture through my bedroom window. The little ones were still unsteady on their feet. Cute, right?
Welcome to Texas, y'all!!
Kay, you know I love this post! What a thoughtful book that Nan gave you, looks like my kind, nonfiction! So happy you had such a nice visit, wish I could have been there too!😁
ReplyDeleteNan is very thoughtful indeed. Wish you could have been here too!
DeleteKay G. I must give credit to Tom for the book. He heard about it on the radio, and thought it was just THE present for Texas Kay.
DeleteYay for book blogging friendships! I'd love to visit your area some day, but is it possible to keep the snakes and other creepy crawly creatures somewhere else while I'm there? :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I could try. Ha! We do have trains though - just saying...:-)
DeleteIt's so much fun to meet up with long time friends. I'm glad y'all had a great visit.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is and we did have a lot of fun.
DeleteWelcome back! Sounds like you had a lovely visit with your friend. What a nice way to ease back into the routine. Can't wait to hear all about Book Malice!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Catherine! I've got all my posts written for next week. Whew! Hope you guys like them.
DeleteMetting up with online friends is the best! So glad you and Nan were able to spend more time together :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think we stopped talking for 8 hours. Ha!
DeleteSounds like you had a great time! I could do without the snakes, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big snake fan either, Angela. However, I also don't love scorpions. The deer are OK. Ha!
DeleteWe did have such a good time!! We didn't stop talking for the whole time! That snake skin is longer than Hazel!
ReplyDeleteIt was almost longer than you! LOL
Deletehahahaha
DeleteNice to have a visit from a fellow book lover! Can't wait to hear about your Malice Domestic trip.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenclair! All the posts are written for next week. Hope you guys enjoy them.
DeleteIt was nice to meet Nan. I hope she enjoyed our book club. Can't wait for your posts about Malice Domestic.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gayle! I loved the book club! Wish I were closer.
DeleteAs you can see, Gayle, she did like the book club. I knew she would. And Malice next week!
DeleteIt sounds like you have been having fun! I am glad you were able to meet up with Nan. I can't wait to hear about Malice Domestic.
ReplyDeleteI have been having fun, but I'm glad to get back to my blogging routine. And I'll have another break or two this summer.
DeleteSo nice to meet up with a blogger friend! I'm sure you and Nan had a wonderful time. Looking forward to reading your posts about Malice Domestic, Kay.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melody! We did have a nice visit.
DeleteThat's so wonderful you got to see Nan! And, I can't wait to hear all about your time at Malice Domestic!
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a lot of fun, Iliana.
DeleteIt sounds like you and Nan had a great time together, a perfect visit. I did see Nan's post but did not comment yet. I loved the landscaping where you live and the trees are beautiful. And glad you are back from the break.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! We love where we live.
DeleteSounds like you had a great visit! But... a five-foot snake??? Ugh! Looking forward to hearing about the convention...
ReplyDeleteYes, well, as I said - welcome to Texas - ha!
DeleteIt was the best picture I could take without disturbing them too much. I was amazed to even see those little fawns. So sweet and tiny.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back from your break Kay. I am looking forward to hearing about Malice Domestic. I think its so great that you and Nan had such a good visit. Great picture of the two of you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margot! We did have a nice time.
DeleteThis is just so wonderful. I love that the internet brought you two together so many years ago. I too have made friends like this via the internet that I never would've met otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI think the internet broadened our friendship base a lot, right? It's been nice finding people who are like us in the 'reading' area.
DeleteHow FUN!!! I love it when bloggers can visit in real life. I love both your blogs and so happy to hear you had a great visit
ReplyDeleteWe did indeed have a fun time. We hope to repeat it someday.
DeleteIt's wonderful to meet bloggers isn't it? I've been lucky enough to meet a few but haven't in so long!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is fun to meet other bloggers. It's interesting that many of us share a lot of our lives here with people that we never get to meet in real life. I do love that though and think about everyone.
DeleteI knew you two would have a wonderful time together! I wish the four of us could manage a visit someday. Maybe we'll have to plan a trip to New Hampshire in the coming years. Looking forward to our visit here in OR this summer. I'm also planning a Texas trip in October, so we might just see each other more than once this year! :)
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of a NH trip is very good. And we'll have to talk about Texas in October. :-)
DeleteWhat a lovely visit! How exciting to spend time with a blogger friend and how great that you got to take her to your book club. I just spent the weekend in south Mississippi so I'm familiar with the lizards and the snakes but you can keep your scorpions! In theory I don't mind non-poisonous snakes as I'd rather have snakes than rats but I still jump pretty good if one surprises me! The doe and her fawns are so sweet. I know they're terrible on gardens but I love deer and I don't think I've ever seen a fawn that is that little!
ReplyDeleteWe shall not speak about rats. At all. LOL
DeleteYeah, we've got lots of critters here in the Phoenix area as well. Lizards, snakes, scorpions, coyotes, bobcats, javelinas, etc. I rarely see scorpions, although some people find them in their houses regularly (eek!), but all the rest are just part of life in the desert.
ReplyDeleteWe have to have regular help with the scorpions and other bugs - glue traps near the outside doors and in the garage. And we find scorpions all the time - year round. I recognize all the 'creatures' you listed as ones we've seen around. Plus foxes and lots of deer.
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