Last week I saw, and enjoyed, the PBS American Masters about Carole King. (It's online at the PBS site, if you're interested.) I have always loved singer/songwriter music, and Carole King is one of my favorites. Her life is very interesting, especially the Brill Building years when she wrote music for many major 1960's artists. My favorite song by Carole King is from the 1970's. "Jazzman" was released in 1974. It has a great (not surprising!) jazzy feel, cowritten by David Palmer (Steely Dan), with saxophone solos by Tom Scott. "Jazzman" made it to #2 on the Billboard charts, and was nominated for a Grammy, although it lost to "I Honestly Love You" by Olivia Newton-John.
This song makes me happy. It is one of those songs that really takes me back to being very young in the 1970's, and it has that retro-but-timeless sound. Do you remember this song? What is your favorite song by Carole King? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.
Hi all! I have MANY more vintage Easter cards newly listed at Birdhouse Books. I'll post just a few photos here, and hope you will stop by Birdhouse Books to see more.
Vintage Easter card featuring a duck carrying a basket of flowers.
Vintage Easter card with puffy fabric inset of tulips.
Vintage Easter card designed by Melanie Renn for Gordon Fraser. It features a dressed bunny rabbit carrying a bouquet of carrots.
Vintage Easter card with a cute bunny rabbit illustration by Dana Strange.
My Visit to Bunnyland vintage Easter card featuring a photo of children meeting the Easter Bunny.
Vintage Easter card for a little girl featuring a die-cut well with bluebirds and bunny rabbit.
Mid-Century vintage Easter card with a cart full of Easter eggs.
Vintage Easter card with Mid Century stylized Easter eggs - fabulous!
I hope you've found some goodies here. Do stop by my store! And have a great weekend.
Dear Friends, I hope you are having a good week! I'm having a nice week with some warmer weather. That means walks outside are much more leisurely. This has been an unexpectedly busy week, but I wanted to share a fun video with you. This music video is by the East Bay SPCA in Oakland, California, and it is a remake of "Uptown Funk" with a dog rescue theme. I LOVE IT! I think I would like that little white Chihuahua and the black and tan Dachshund who uses a cart to come live with me. They look like fun friends! Wishing you a great weekend! I'll write more next week. Love, Abby xoxoxo
New York Times bestselling author Linda Goodnight
welcomes you back home to Honey Ridge, Tennessee, with another beautiful
story full of hope, haunting mystery and the power to win your heart
Renowned yet private, thriller writer Hayden Winters lives a life
colored by lies. As he is deeply ashamed of his past, his hunger for an
honest relationship and dreams of starting a family remain unsatisfied,
and he can trust no one with his secrets. He’s determined to outrun his
personal demons, but the charming old Peach Orchard Inn and a woman
whose presence is as gentle as a sparrow’s song stops him in his tracks.
Carrie Riley is afraid of everything from flying to thunderstorms,
and pretty much of life itself. But meeting the enigmatic writer staying
at the inn emboldens her to learn everything about him. When they
discover a vulnerable boy hiding at the inn, Hayden is compelled to help
Carrie protect him. Soon they’re led to a centuries-old mystery that
haunts Hayden’s sleep, and his only safe haven is Carrie. As the secrets
of the past and present cause their lives to become entwined, all
that’s left to come to light is love—if the grim truth doesn’t tear them
apart first.
The Rain Sparrowis a lovely southern novel. It tells the story of Carrie and Hayden, as they come together and find that their connection and love makesthem both stronger. I really enjoyed their story. It also is the story of how Carrie and Riley help Brody, a young boy with an abusive past. His story is heartrending and he is a very sympathetic character.
There also is a parallel historical storyline set in the Civil War. It is woven in with the present day story seamlessly.
The characters, interwoven storylines, and storytelling made this a very enjoyable read. It hasmore depth than a lot of women's fiction and romances. I have to add that I also really enjoyed the southern setting (Honey Ridge, Tennessee).
I have not read the first book in this series, but this novel worked fine as a standalone. I recommend The Rain Sparrow for any reader who enjoys a well written romance story.
Author Bio New York Times and USA Today Bestseller, Linda Goodnight is the winner
of the RITA and other highly acclaimed awards for her emotional fiction.
Active in orphan ministry, this former nurse and teacher enjoys writing
fiction that carries a message of hope and light in a sometimes dark
world. A country girl, she lives in Oklahoma.
I grew up loving cameras. One of my first toys was a toy camera, and I had many cameras over the years. Although my father was a gifted photographer and taught me some photography basics, I was not a serious, artistic photographer. I was, however, from my early years a great fan of chronicling everyday life with snapshots. The camera of my teen years was the Kodak 110. It was a small, slim instamatic camera designed to fit into a purse or pocket. I took it everywhere! It had built-in flash, which was great.
Michael Landon was the spokesperson for this camera, and appeared in print ads and commercials. You'll find a 1979 commercial below ... it gives a good glimpse at how this little camera worked. I have a couple of digital cameras now, but take most pictures with my phone. I love the ease of phone photography, and it works great for everyday snapshots. What camera did you grow up with? Do you still enjoy taking pictures? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.
