Springtime seems to finally be making its presence known in Minnesota, where winter likes to hold on with icy talons for as long as possible. Despite its best efforts and a lingering chance of snow, my crocuses have pushed forth their heads and the grass is beginning to green. I find myself perusing seed catalogs, visiting greenhouses, and waiting anxiously for the return of hummingbirds. One … [Read more...]

Sanditon is back and it's brighter and more colorful than before. Season 2 (now based even more loosely on Jane Austen's unfinished novel) became available for US viewers  on March 20th. I watched episode one and was impressed and delighted with the new production. The set and costumes have been much-improved and taken to a whole new level with far more color and detail. The producers … [Read more...]

In the novel I'm currently working on, one of my genteel heroines, finding herself in reduced circumstances, is trying her hand at baking to help make ends meet. To write these scenes, I perused a few cookery books from previous centuries, looking for some relative easy recipes for her to try. Here is the easiest cake recipe I could find in the 1780 edition of The Art of Cookery Made Plain … [Read more...]

If you are longing to go to Britain like I am, but can’t (or aren’t ready) to travel abroad yet, here are 15 places in the U.S. that might tide you over until we can all travel again safely: Unsurprisingly, New England tops the list, with all of its beautiful, historical cities originally settled by the British. For example, walking the cobbled streets of Boston’s historic section could … [Read more...]

There’s nothing quite like book mail, is there? I thought I’d start 2022 off right by ordering some new-to-me books (from Baker Books and Christian Books). Here’s what I ordered and why: Jesus Always by Sarah Young:  I kept seeing a woman I follow on Instagram posting pages from this book with many meaningful phrases highlighted—phrases that struck me so hard I found myself taking screen … [Read more...]