Monthly Archives: March 2019

Photo A Day Challenge: Crowd…

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/march-photo-a-day-challenge-2/

 

Photo A Day Challenge: Pair…

Mourning doves.

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Photo A Day Challenge: Blossoms…

Cherry Blossom Festival in Newark, New Jersey (these photos are from 2018, the festival this year is April 6, 2019)

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Branch Brook Park is located in my hometown of Newark, NJ.   Branch Brook Park was created in 1895 making it the first county park in the nation.  It has the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the world… more than Washington, DC and more than Japan.  The cherry trees were a gift donated in 1927 by Caroline Bamberger Fuld. BBP is 360 acres and has almost 5000 cherry trees.  The Cherry Blossom Festival runs for two weeks beginning April 6, 2019.

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If you’re in the area go and enjoy the beauty of over 5,000 cherry trees in bloom 🙂

(Branch Brook Park)

Sparkle & Shine Cover Reveal!

Cover Reveal might be my favorite part of launching a book. I love unveiling the face of the story I’ve been working on so hard. The only way I could love this more is if I could have somehow wrangled Nicolas Cazale to play Rich for it.

Maybe in a couple years.

But seriously? This cover captured exactly what I was looking for, but saying why would be SPOILERS, so let’s just all admire the sweetness of it. And the balloons! I am so in love with the balloons.



Pre-Orders are available on Kobo, Nook, and iTunes now, or you can buy from Amazon on release day. In the meantime, follow me on Instagram for more teasers and sneak peeks leading up to release day next month.

Photo A Day Challenge: Glass…

Shattered

I love glass, looking at or through it or touching it, I find beauty in all forms of glass, and so with that being said you’d think I’d be sharing pictures of beautiful glass things but I’m not.  I’m sharing a glass experience that even though shattering still had a beauty to it.

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It was a quiet morning until it wasn’t.  There was a popping noise and a crackling sound!   Our sliding door went from…

                                                   this                                            to this

It actually was really pretty when the sun shone through it.

The glass people came, taped the glass door and moved it carefully to their truck.

As you can see the glass started to fall like sand in an hourglass.

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All done 🙂

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https://citysonnet.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/march-photo-a-day-challenge-2/

It’s That Time Again ! …

Time to change the clocks again at 2 a.m. today from Standard time to Daylight Savings time, and therein lies my teeny, personal gripe!

 

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According to the dictionary the definitions of standard are: normal, accepted, definitive, and official to name a few. I bring this up because today Sunday, March 10, 2019 is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.

I’m one of those rare people who like it when it gets dark early. I like long evenings when you can be cozy and comfy… not that you can’t do that when it’s light out but it seems somehow more cozy when it’s dark. I know there are some others out there that agree with me but somehow when we mention this preference we get looks of disbelief. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy an evening stroll, I’m not totally a hermit… I have been known to actually be outside after supper and enjoyed it.

I Googled ‘what do you call someone who likes the dark‘ and  of course got ‘vampire’…but lo and behold there is a word for those of us who do like early darkness better, it’s..

nyctophilia  nyc·to·phil·i·a (nĭk’tə-fĭl’ē-ə)
n.
 A preference for the night or darkness.

 

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I guess in the scheme of things it doesn’t matter…time is what it is, and as for me, I’m always….

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🙂

 

Review: Coffeehouse Knits

Review: Coffeehouse Knits post image

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First, the facts:

Title: Coffeehouse Knits: Knitting Patterns and Essays with Robust Flavor

Editor: Kerry Bogert

Published by: Interweave Press, 2019

Pages: 143

Type: Knitting Patterns

Chapters:

No chapters, just patterns and four essays

KS: Coffeehouse Knits

The In-Depth Look:

This is an invigorating collection of knits clustered around a coffee theme–steamed milk, deep brews–and, more importantly, the idea of community that gathers in a coffee shop.

Knitting is one of those perfect crafts that works both on your own and with a group. (It’s best when that group is like-minded, though it’s not necessary. I’ve gotten through many boring family gatherings with my knitting to keep my hands busy.)

It’s just natural, then, that knitting and the world of coffee drinking go together, whether you’re grabbing that first cup before picking up the needles or gathering with your knitting friends to talk and swap patterns and tips.

How can you therefore not appreciate a collection with a coffee theme? The names are so evocative you can almost smell the sugar and caffeine in the air. Latte Swirl Sweater. Chai Latte Cowl. Breakfast Brioche Scarf. Extra Whip Socks.

I’m getting hungry just reading the table of contents.

The collection–with samples and photos that are usually largely coffee-colored–is as delicious as it sounds. Sweaters, cowls, shawls, socks … all the usual things you’d expect.

You can buy this at your local shop (if not an actual coffee shop), or here, at Amazon.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by . Thank you!

My Gush: The theme alone would make me love it!

Photo A Day Challenge: Fresh…

New Jersey fresh from the Garden State.

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And fresh knitted baby hats at the NJ Sheep and Fiber Festival…

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Photo A Day Challenge: Bouquet…

Newport, Rhode Island ~~ The Elms

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The Top of New Jersey…

HIGH POINT STATE PARK,  which is the highest point in  New Jersey is located in Montague in Sussex County. At 1,803 feet above sea level it is the highest peak of the Kittatinny Mountains.  At the peak of the highest point is the 220 ft High Point Monument– from the top you can see New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

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There are 291 stairs to the top. I climbed them on my first visit to the monument in Sept, 1972.. I snapped this picture because I knew I’d never do it again. The monument isn’t open for the season yet so I didn’t have to find out if I would or not.. I like to think I would have tried.

View from the top Sept 1972.   Same view now but from base of monument.

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Views of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania

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With a little help from this…

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You can see really, really far… 🙂

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 There are also hiking and biking trails, picnic areas and a lake.

As the name of my blog implies yes, I am obsessed with Martha’s Vineyard… but I am also proud of my home state of New Jersey.

(There may have been some liberties taken with a few of the photographs… can you guess which ones?)  🙂