Weekend Window Shopping at Birdhouse Books - Cat Postcards, New Year Cards, Children's Books

Just stopping by with a glimpse of some new arrivals at Birdhouse Books. 

You'll find all these goodies at Birdhouse Books on eBay!

Lovely French postcard, a black and white photo of a cat watching birds from an apartment railing.  This charming card would look great framed.

Vintage postcard of cats exploring the patio at the Hemingway House, Key West, Florida.

Lovely vintage New Year postcard with a fireplace and spinning wheel.

This 1910 New Year postcard shows a book and pink flowers.  It is a John Winsch postcard.

This vintage B.B. London postcard celebrates the New Year with lovely pink dogwood blossoms in a basket.

What a charming vintage postcard!  "Look Pleasant."  There is a short verse with daisies and a rural scene.

Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse is a picture book by Leo Lionni.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is one of my favorite picture books for children.  This lovely story is about snow and winter and friendship.

Wee Witches' Halloween is a picture book by Jerry Smath.

The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin is a cute Thanksgiving picture book for children.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Dear Abby: When the Pack Grows Smaller - Helping Grieving Dogs

Dear Friends,

This week we have a question from my friend Angela.  I will post her question and my answer, and hope you will join in with any suggestions or tips in the comments below.   

Thanks, and love to all!
Abby

Angela's family lost their precious little dog Teddy recently.   He is the cute little black dog pictured in the photo above (back left).  His brothers are Gizmo, the little brown dachshund (foreground), and Sarge, the big sweet dog (back right).

You will find another photo of the brothers together, below:  (left to right)  Sarge, Gizmo, and Teddy.

Angela writes that Gizmo and Sarge are really missing Teddy.  "Teddy just provided the energy and enthusiasm. My dad and I were talking about how much the house feels empty without Teddy. He really was a spark plug. Sarge and Gizmo just lay around and act depressed. They get happy for brief moments but other than that, they just lounge around looking morose. That had been my question for Abby. Since she lost a 'brofur' just like Gizmo and Sarge, how did she cope with the loss?"

Dear Gizmo and Sarge,

I am so sorry about Teddy.  I have heard many stories about him, and know he was a special, fun, lively boy ... and an important part of your family.

I lost my beloved brother Barney Fife last September, and I still think about him every day.  Momma says we were bonded.  I believe this means we loved each other and were inseparable.  Yes, that sounds right: bonded.

At first it was very hard.  Barney went to the vet and he didn't come home.  Momma was sad and she cried, and I missed my brother and didn't understand what was happening.  After a day or two, I figured it out.  I felt sad too.  I was very quiet and stuck to Momma like glue.

Here are things that helped.  Momma told our neighborhood friends about Barney.   They gave me extra attention and their dogs socialized with me even more than usual when we met them on walks.   Visiting with other dogs was really nice.

And about walks -- we started going on extra walks.  Lots of time outside!   I kept very busy.  Being busy helped.

Friends and family came over, as they usually do, but they brought treats and toys and gave me lots of extra attention.  I liked that.

I found a special plush toy that belonged to Barney and I made it my lovie.  I still carry it around and snuggle with it, and sometimes like to sleep with it.  It reminds me of my brother.

Momma gave me extra cuddles and attention, and I liked that too.  I did not think that Momma could love me more than she already did, but it seems like that happened.

We turned on lights and played music and tried to fill the house with happy noise.

We still miss Barney and think of him every day, but more and more we remember the good times spent with him.

I am thinking of you both, and your Mom and family too, and sending you many good and comforting thoughts.  You have friends and family who loved Teddy and who love you both and want you to be happy again.  I hope some of these suggestions help you.

With love and hugs,
Abby

Throwback Thursday - The Hustle

If you were a 1970's teen, at some point you did the hustle. This disco dance was popularized by the movie Saturday Night Fever, with John Travolta.  I loved this movie, although it probably was too mature for me at the time.  The music and dancing is what made the biggest impression on me.

I am pretty sure I still could do the basic hustle moves today.  As a teen I even had a book about the dance moves.

I practiced this many times in the '70's. Here, for your listening pleasure, is "The Hustle" by Van McCoy (1975). Check out some of the '70's fashions in this video - parachute pants!  

I'd love to hear your disco dance memories in the comments, below!

Wordless Wednesday - Little Girl Gives Cocker Spaniel Dog a Bath (Vintage Postcard)

Found at Birdhouse Books:  Cocker Spaniel Postcards

Author Interview and Giveaway: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Marty Wingate

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A Potting Shed Mystery
(Potting Shed Mystery series Book 3)
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Alibi (August 4, 2015)
Random House LLC
ASIN: B00PEPR70M


Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Laura Childs, Ellery Adams, and Jenn McKinlay, Marty Wingate’s enchanting Potting Shed Mystery series heads to Scotland as Pru Parke plans her wedding . . . all while a vengeful murderer is poised to strike again.

After her romantic idyll with the debonair Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Pearse culminates in a marriage proposal, Pru Parke sets about arranging their nuptials while diving into a short-term gig at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. At hand is the authentication of a journal purportedly penned by eighteenth-century botanist and explorer Archibald Menzies. Compared to the chaos of wedding planning, studying the journal is an agreeable task . . . that is, until a search for a missing cat leads to the discovery of a dead body: One of Pru’s colleagues has been conked on the head with a rock and dumped from a bridge into the Water of Leith.

Pru can’t help wondering if the murder has something to do with the Menzies diary. Is the killer covering up a forgery? Among the police’s many suspects are a fallen aristocrat turned furniture maker, Pru’s overly solicitous assistant, even Pru herself. Now, in the midst of sheer torture by the likes of flamboyant wedding dress designers and eccentric church organists, Pru must also uncover the work of a sly murderer—unless this bride wants to walk down the aisle in handcuffs.

Birdhouse Books Interviews Marty Wingate 

Birdhouse: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

Marty: It might’ve been somewhere around third grade – when our teacher read Charlotte’s Web to us. I was lost in the storytelling!

Birdhouse: What was your favorite book as a child?

Marty: See above! But also, I remember reading a series of chapter books for third and fourth graders that had something to do with a cat and a space ship. I was quite taken at the time, but can’t remember anything else now. If this sounds familiar to any of your readers, please let me know.

Birdhouse: What is your writing day like?  Do you have any interesting writing quirks?

Marty: I get at least two hours of new writing done every day. Well, that’s the goal. Every writer has her own style, and I prefer to write something new, and then go back to edit – comb through, clean it up, add detail. I find a twenty-minute walk invaluable to adding layers to my writing.

Birdhouse: What was the most surprising thing you learned while creating this book?

Marty: The story has to do with the journal Archibald Menzies kept when he sailed with Captain George Vancouver on the Discovery in the late 18th century. I was amazed to find out that not only was the last year of Menzies’ journal missing, but also the last year of everyone’s on that ship.  Conspiracy, you say?

Birdhouse: Who are your favorite authors?

Marty: I’m all over the map on this one. I love Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (Susanna Clarke) and think J.K. Rowling’s new PI series is great. I’m a big fan of Sophie Kinsella and the Shopaholic series. But for all time, the author who most influenced me will be Ray Bradbury.

Birdhouse: What is your next writing project?

Marty: I’m just finishing up edits for the second book in my other mystery series (Birds of a Feather) – Empty Next. And then, it’s back to Pru: I’m working on Potting Shed #5 right now.

About the Author

Marty Wingate is the author of two previous Potting Shed mysteries, The Garden Plot and The Red Book of Primrose House. Her new Birds of a Feather Mystery series debuted with The Rhyme of the Magpie. Wingate is a regular contributor toCountry Gardens and other magazines. She also leads gardening tours throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and North America. More Potting Shed and Birds of a Feather mysteries are planned.

Author Links

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martywingateauthor
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/martywingate
• Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/453259.Marty_Wingate
• Website: www.martywingate.com
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marthawingate/
• Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marty-Wingate/e/B001JS1AIS

Purchase Links
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