Serene...Simple...Holidays...

Hello my kind friends! I have been thinking sooo much about all of you! It's been a crazy time for us with some family business and business/business that is gobbling up time, focus and energy. This year our holidays are very simple...a small tree...white lights...green wreaths hanging in the kitchen window...lots of serenity...much like these amazing images I found on the charming My Sparrow and Pinterest sites! Today there is rain outside...it's misting down at a steady pace. My hoarded stash of fresh pumpkins are (finally) slow~roasting in the oven! Did I tell you? They were all free...donated to anyone who cared to go by and collect them...courtesy of our local pumpkin~patch. The kind souls (who've been organizing it for decades) do this every year. It's a win~win for all!!!! They need to clear the vestiges of their Halloween and Thanksgiving festivities out of the way in order to make room for the annual Christmas tree lot/mini~carnival! Today, thanks in part to their good will, the smell of fresh pumpkin~spice bread will be perfuming the air of the McBride household! Bad news...my camera has been on the blink as of late...yet...the good news is...after a bit of fiddling...I do believe we've put it on the mend. It's charging as I write this so keep your fingers crossed that I'll be able to take photos of my little pumpkin bread project and share them here with you. In the meantime, I hope you don't mind soothing your eyes with these lovely images! As always, sending good thoughts and love to all. Here's wishing a season brimming with serenity, happiness and harmony to all of you kind and kindred souls!!!



Love and good thoughts from Tracey and Family! x0x

Taking Comfort in "Wren Bay"

Wren Bay by Clarice Fox~Hughes

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This past February...while mourning the unexpected loss of my oldest brother...my long~time blog friend Clarice emailed me with a few sample snippets of her first novel "Wren Bay". It was a work in progress at the time. Clarice's labor of love.

In a rare quiet moment during a harrowing time, I read her work and was comforted. Reading about Wren Bay transported me across time to a cozy place populated by charming, productive characters.

Immediately, I responded.

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My Dear Friend Clarice,

I LOVE this concept! From what I've read so far you are creating a world that reminds me of a cross between Barbara Macomber (?) and Jan Karon!....I am down at my dad's house and....everyone is now napping so I thought I'd try to get my mind off of the sadness by losing myself a bit on the computer. So, I must say thank you for the lovely story bits you've sent. They were a comfort to read and I just want to jump into their world. It's my (humble) opinion that we need more books like the one you are writing....

Please keep going with this project as it sounds wonderful and comforting and just what the world needs right about now. You know your market (us bloggers) and what we like and need. I think you have a winner.

More soon my friend.

Love and good thoughts from Tracey.

x0x

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Happily, a few months ago I was able to buy the newly published copy of Wren Bay and I am so pleased I did. I've long been a fan of Clarice's creativity and Wren Bay is a fictional form of her inspirational blog Storybook Woods. Generously peppered throughout the book are Clarice's tried~and~true recipes and practical tips. She has taken the subjects she blogs about (fashion, crafting, whole food, self education, up cycling and the like) and weaves them into a charming fictional tale. Like Clarice herself, the main character (Wren) takes the simplest things in life and makes a celebration out of them. As Wren grows and learns new skills and ideas, so do we.




If you'd like to learn more about Wren Bay (or purchase a copy of your very own) just click HERE to make the jump to Clarice's charming blog. Please tell her Tracey says "hello"!







Sending love, comfort and good thoughts to all.



Warmly,



Tracey and Family



x0x