Summer in Texas

Hi, it's been a while. I've been very busy with my now 18 month old grandchild, Haylee and a whole list of other things.

I want to let you know that Texas isn't a great place to visit in the summer. It's Hot, Hotter and Hottest and this year dry. Well, really dry. The whole state is under burn bans I think. We water the poor plants in hopes they will survive until it cools a bit. That doesn't happen until October, usually. Even the dogs don't want to go outside.

This year we have armadillos and a raccoon to contend with along with the killing heat. But the poor ranchers and farmers are the hardest hit.

So much for the weather. Thank you, who ever invented AC!

Haylee is growing and learning with her 2 year-old cousin here to teach her. She and Bella get along great, but Haylee is more daring than Bella. We expect Haylee to be using the doggy door soon. these two girls are like night and day. Bella is has blond bone straight hair, fair to the point of pale, thin and high maintenance. Haylee is short, chunky, with a riot of light brown curls, tans like a swim instructor and is normally a very happy active child. The girls give us all a run for our money. Thankfully we have three adults to help keep them corralled; Grandpa, Josh the 15 year-old brother of Bella, and myself. I do love having them here to make life interesting.

Renee's dream of having her own business is keeping us very busy. Please take a peek at her websites. ijustfinished.com is a site for readers to share their feelings about books they read. It provides reviews and interviews. Coffee with an Author is a weekly BlogTalkRadio interview that runs on the site starting each Monday at 10 AM CST. There is also an interactive Q&A with an author on the site weekly. One of our reviewers is also highlighted weekly. So lots happening on this site. The forums were pillaged by spammers earlier this year, so a redesign is about to appear on ijustfinished.com. Come by, bring your favorite drink and visit a while.

The newest site is Stimulating Conversation About Your Book, an authors marketing strategies. site. We offer services to authors to help them develop their brand and create the attention necessary to sell more books. The services can be as simple as providing information for the author to implement or as complex as helping them create the design to meet their image and put it all together for them. We can maintain the sites, schedule events, and allow the author time to write. It's an economical cohesive way for authors to become more visible and sell more books.

So the world continues to turn here at Muse's Acres and I try to stay in contact with everyone. More of these services that will cross post would help.

Til I return see you on the computer Mondays at 10 AM CST for Coffee with an Author on BlogTalkRadio.

Setting up new site

I see I've been neglecting this blog. As soon as I get all my different sites compiled into one then it will be easier to stay connected with all of you.

Life at Muses Acres has been busy as we are planning for Spring, even having Spring weather interspersed with Winter. The lettuce is planted and doing very well, soon to have baby lettuce for salads. Peas and beans are sprouting, but will be a while before they bear fruit. I have asparagus to plant. Such a funny plant!

All the wonderful birds are eating us out of house and home. so many this year. It's great!!! The Goldfinches are getting more yellow. A pair of Bluebirds have moved into the new bird house and Killdeer are running in the front of the subdivision. Can spring be far behind?

The grandchildren continue to grow and develop. Josh just had surgery on his long leg to slow its growth, so the other will catch up. He is working hard to rehab his leg so he can get back to gymnastics. His sister, Bella is talking more and more. She will be two in April. Her mother is so glad Bella is getting words, so much better than whining and pointing. Hope her mother feels the same when Bella becomes a motor mouth! But Bella is a cute kid! Her cousin, Haylee is getting taller, catching up with her weight. Haylee is a year behind Bella, but they play well together. Haylee is learning the fine are of walking. It is killing ever adult's back, as she enjoys walking everywhere. Her crawling is still not there. Maybe she will just walk? Oh, dear I better get in shape to catch her!

That's about all I can think of for now. Check out my BlogTalkRadio Show Coffee with an Author Mondays at 10AM CST or go to www.ijustfinished.com to hear it and look over the great site. Vote on the radio shows as well.