Happy Holidays!

Wishing all my friends and readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love, Cass

The Constant of Love

Through the years, the smiles and the tears, the one constant is LOVE.

May the love and joy of the holiday season fill you with cheer and hope for a bright new year.

Blessings,
Cassandra

Friday Finds: Happy 4th of July!

 
This year has really flown by. Hard to believe it's already Independence Day here in the USA. I plan to do all the traditional things folks do on the 4th, have a cook out and grill burgers and hot dogs, light some fireworks, maybe go see a movie. And read a book. 


I have a TBR pile waiting with my name on it and I can't wait to dive right in. If your TBR pile is getting dangerously thin, check out these discounted summer reads....

Forty Things to Do Before You're Forty
By Alice Ross

Genre: Women's Fiction
.99¢ For a limited time! (Sale ends July 8, 2014)

The truth is that Annie Richards is just too busy to fall in love!

Running a successful cake-making business, acting as caretaker to grand country house, Buttersley, and not to mention single-handedly raising her five-year-old daughter is more than enough to keep Annie’s (flour-dusted) hands full! 

So can someone please remind her why she agreed to train for a marathon as a ‘40 things to do before you’re 40’ pact with her same so-called best friend?!

With every hour of day already taken up, the arrival of crime writer Jake O’Donnell at Buttersley shouldn’t really have any impact on Annie’s day-to-day life at all. There’s definitely no time in her carefully scheduled day for daydreaming about drop-dead gorgeous authors. Is there?

But between whipping up batches of her signature limoncello cupcakes, Annie realizes that Jake, and his twinkling dark eyes, can’t just be ticked off her mental to-do list as easily as she thought. 

Especially when it seems that no. 40 on her list could be creating a truly decadent wedding cake–for her very own wedding…

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Forty-Things-To-Before-Youre-ebook/dp/B00JMGTZQI

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forty-things-to-do-before-you-are-forty-alice-ross/1119274690

Frosted Shadow
By Nancy Warren

Genre: Cozy Mystery

FREE (For a limited time only! (Sale ends July 7, 2014)

There’s nothing pretty about murder.

Meet Toni Diamond, make up artist to middle America. She’s also got a nose for trouble and a passion for solving mysteries. Imagine Columbo in a lavender suit. She never met a woman who wouldn’t look better with a little help from the Lady Bianca line of cosmetics. But don’t be fooled by appearances. Underneath the fake diamonds and the big hair is a sharp brain and a keen eye that sees the details as well as the funny side of life. 

When a Lady Bianca sales rep is murdered at the annual convention in Dallas, Toni is the one who notices things that some people, like sexy Detective Luke Marciano, might easily miss. Only someone who understands as much about how to make appearances deceiving could see into the mind of this killer—a murderer who wants to give Toni a permanent makeover. Into a dead woman.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Frosted-Shadow-Toni-Diamond-Mystery-ebook/dp/B006HCTWVS

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frosted-shadow-nancy-warren/1108021842

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing All The Moms

 Both Young and Old, 

image courtesy openclipart.org creative commons; OlKu

A Very Special Mother's Day! 

Brightest Blessings.

And to those remembering 

a wonderful mom who has passed on,

a huge hug from me to you!

—Cass

Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone a Hoppy Easter! ;)

Check back later tonight for a new Writer's Corner post with guest blogger, author JoAnne Myers.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Ireland. A place where so many of my childhood stories began. Like many Americans, I have Irish roots. But talk to someone born and raised in Ireland and they probably don't understand the way we Americans focus so much on which percentage of Irish makes up our heritage. To them, we aren't Irish at all. But they are kind enough not to scoff, at least not in front of us. lol

Doesn't matter, because we love them just as much as every blade of grass, every stone, every folktale told (those childhood stories again), and every song in every pub. We dive into our bowl of Irish Stew and think it's the best we've ever had. A part of us comes alive the minute we see our first sunrise along the rocky shores of Loophead, or journey along the Shannon and witness the most beautiful rainbow you'll ever see.

They're right, you know. We're not Irish. We are mutts. But we're proud mutts. I'm just as proud of my 22% Scottish, or my 26% Welsh, or my 4% Cornish, and any other wee percentages I can find. Yeah, we tend to break it down and do the math. lol

When you think about it, we are a bit balmy. I believe the longing to belong somewhere or to something bigger than ourselves is universal. But since the U.S. is made up of mismatched misfits, we may feel it to a larger degree. And so we track our ancestry in an attempt to find our place in the world, the secret place our heart and soul resides.

We buy T-shirts with leprechauns on them, or the more adventurous might skydive dressed as leprechauns! We have grand parades in honor of St. Patrick, and drink green beer to celebrate the day (green lips from "Irish" green dyed beer is not a good look, trust me). And if you're not part Irish, well, no matter, because everyone can be honorary Irish on St. Paddy's Day and celebrate.

To friends and distant family 'across the pond', thanks for putting up with us, your American mutt cousins, for driving us to our hotel because after our fourth true Irish beer, we realized too late that the crappy watered down green beer we'd been drinking all those years here in the states, didn't prepare us for the real thing, and a serious ::faceplant:: was in our future. For rescuing us when we got chased by sheep in a field because we had to get the "perfect" photo on the way to Tipperary. Or getting our foot stuck in between the rocks at the aforementioned Loophead. Or not laughing at us too hard when we fell on our bum, because the fish we caught in Lough Ree wiggled so fast, it slipped off the hook and tried to take a bite out of us. And finally, thank you for your help, patience, and fortitude during the fiasco that I call The Search For A Potty Near The Haunted Ruins. :D (And no matter what you say, I know you also heard those ghosts laughing at me).

You might believe we're daft, but I have a sneaky suspicion that you just might love us back. ;)

May you be well and hearty, and each day bring you happiness and laughter!
Sláinte!

Merry Christmas!

 

Wishing all my readers and friends 

a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Yule 2013!

Lex's 30+ Days of Christmas

My good friend Lex Valentine is having a wonderful holiday celebration called Lex's 30+ Days of Christmas! The event runs through the month of December on Lex's blog SunlightSucks and there will be prizes galore, so if you love books, you have to drop by each day and check it out. I'll be one of the featured authors on December 29, 2013, giving away a copy of my ebook, Compulsion. Please spread the word and tell your friends about Lex's holiday bash.

Happy 4th of July!

glitter-graphics.com

 
Hope your Independence Day celebration includes love, laughter, and lots of fun. Oh and you can pass that cherry pie down this way, yum!

Memorial Day

glitter-graphics.com

Those who have fought to protect us may be gone, 

but they are not forgotten. 

Ya'll have a good Memorial Day with family and friends. ((hugs))

Irish Eyes

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope everyone is having fun and not getting sick drinking pints of green beer! lol

The only thing on TV right now is the movie Leprechaun (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107387/). It's so bad it's like a smack in the face to anyone Irish or under 4 foot tall. But if you're like me and your Irish eyes are smiling, check out these movies with an Irish touch.

One of my all time favorite movies fits this category - The Secret of Roan Inish (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111112), 10-year-old Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village in Donegal, Ireland. She soon learns the local legend that an ancestor of hers married a Selkie - a seal who can turn into a human. Years earlier, her baby brother washed out to sea in a cradle shaped like a boat; someone in the family believes the boy is being raised by the seals. Then Fiona catches sight of a naked little boy on the abandoned Isle of Roan Inish and takes an active role in uncovering The Secret of Roan Inish.

If you're not into the magical and paranormal or mysterious, then my other suggestion is a classic, The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. A retired American boxer returns to the village where he was born in Ireland, where he finds love.(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045061)

If you want a touch of comedy with your Irish Stew, then give this old classic a try. Darby O'Gill and the Little People. The best part? Sean Connery in his prime. rawr (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052722)

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas

Baking and Making Goodies for the Holidays

I surely come by it naturally, this passion for baking goodies around the holidays. I'm making two pineapple upside down cakes, Yule time holiday fudge, peanut butter cookies, mulled apple cider, peppermint bark candy, star lollies, and plum pudding! Oh yes, I will be waddling down the hall once the holidays are over. No way to avoid it, because as you probably know, the best treats are taste tested during cooking to make sure they are just right. lol

Give the recipe below a try over the holidays and let me know if it was a hit with your family and friends. :)

Yule Time Fudge
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup butter, divided
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup milk
12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Reduce heat to low; stir in white chocolate. Cook and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in extract. Fold in the almonds, cherries, and cranberries. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator.

I want to thank all my readers and fans for their support this year, and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, and an especially awesome New Year 2013!

May you enjoy good health, prosperity, love, and peace this coming new year.
Brightest blessings, Cass

To All My Friends And Readers ~

Image courtesy Cea - Flikr Creative Commons

Wishing one and all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Cassandra

Happy Litha!

The summer solstice is finally here! I plan to use every hour to celebrate this wonderful day. If you aren't familiar with the word Litha, here's a good article to get you started: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/lithathesummersolstice/a/AllAboutLitha.htm

From what I personally understand, the word/term Litha didn't come into existence until sometime in the late 1950's - 1960's in either Wales or England, but has grown in popularity and acceptance within the pagan community.

I remember as a child visiting my aunties in England and they never used the word Litha, instead calling the summer solstice, The Sun's Day. This was a bit of a misnomer since it usually was a bit overcast, but that's London for ya. I remember going to Avesbury one time on The Sun's Day, and it being packed with quite a few hippies, or as my one aunt said, The Bloody Clueless. lol.

Of course, seeing how she had been a nurse in WW2, she'd seen more in one lifetime than most of the privileged 19 and 20 somethings wearing their love beads had perceived in their short existence. lol.

Still though, I did think the garlands in some of the girls hair was pretty cool. :) ::nostalgic moment::
Hmm, I think I'll make solstice cakes. :)

If you'd like to make summer solstice cake, here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
    •    1 cup of real butter
    •    1/2 cup white sugar
    •    1/3 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup (can substitute light brown sugar)
    •    3/4 cup Honey
    •    4 eggs
    •    2 cups flour (can substitute with gluten-free flour)
    •    1 tablespoon grated orange zest
    •    1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
    •    1/4 cup baking raisins
    •    2 1/2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice
    •    1 teaspoon Rosewater for blessings of Love.
    •    3 Pinches of Basil for the blessings of Health, Protection, and Prosperity.
    •    3 fresh lemon or rose scented Geranium flowers for blessings of Happiness.

Preparation:
    1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2.    Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add honey and syrup, blending well.
    3.    Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    4.    Add flour in thirds, mixing well after each addition.  Then add remaining ingredients   (EXCEPT flower petals), and mix well.
    5.    Pour HALF the batter into a 9-11 inch round spring form pan.  Add a layer of petals, and cover with the remaining batter.
    6.    Bake about an hour.  Let cool and remove outer ring of spring form pan.  Turn out onto a serving platter.

Dust lightly with a powdered sugar if you wish, you can also garnish with a few fresh strawberries, raspberries, lemon/orange zest curls.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

While we enjoy the Memorial weekend with family cookouts, fireworks, movie going, fishing with buddies, or shopping with girlfriends, I'd like to ask you to also take a few minutes to remember why this day was made a holiday and to share a moment of gratitude for all who have given their lives in service to our country.

With love and gratitude and hope for the future.

Cass

Happy Easter

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter filled with love,
laughter, happiness, and of course—candy!

Thank God It's Finally Friday!

I can almost taste Labor Day weekend. Looking forward to our annual family cookout and maybe talking someone into going with me to the casino **cough cough** I mean, bra shopping, over the weekend. Any takers? Ahh well, I guess I'll have to go it alone.

The other thing I love about this last big weekend of summer, is that it kicks off the fall festival season and art fairs. There is something so neat about getting up early in the morning, sun just breaking the sky into a dazzling lemon yellow and watching the booths with all their creative and innovative items, set up and display the beautiful things from all their hard work.

The dew is on the grass, a mist is in the air along with the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and pastries, why—it's positively invigorating!

As I stroll paths around the booths, I'm always on the hunt for two things: anything with angels on it, especially jewelry pins (my oldest sister collects them) or anything with mermaids or manatees (which I collect). It's a rare day that I find anything for me, but I've been very lucky in the past, finding angel pins.

My other watch-item is a booth selling handmade potpourri by the scoop. I love the stuff, even though the booths usually make me sneeze. lol.

If you're sitting around on the weekends this fall season, wondering what to do, check out some of these neat art fairs that may be in your area. If you find any manatees or mermaids, let me know! :-)

Have fun!

~ Cass

http://www.artfestival.com/FestivalCalendar.aspx
http://festivalnet.com/art_fairs.html
http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/
http://www.fairsandfestivals.net/

Happy New Year 2011!

Image courtesy Glitter-Graphics

Happy New Year to all my friends and readers! 

Here's hoping this year is better than last year, or I swear to god 
I may wring the year's scrawny neck! lol

Have a fun day, no matter where you are and what you do. Sláinte!