March Mood(s)
Pear blossoms, new chapters, and a question
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
~Charles Dickens
As Dickens noted, March is a month of contradictions. His quote feels especially true here on the farm.
The weather has been just cooperative enough to let me tackle outdoor chores—good news for the property, slightly less good news for my muscles. Thankfully, my brother has been a good-natured partner in the effort. Together we’ve been cutting away brush, clearing tangled growth, and reclaiming parts of the yard that had been swallowed up over the years.
In the process, we uncovered the old pear trees.
One of them looks like it’s shouting Hallelujah! right now. Just look at all those blossoms! When I moved here during the winter, it seemed a little sad, crowded by underbrush and overshadowed by a towering oak. (When the tree service came to remove some dead pecans in November, I had them trim back a few of the oak’s limbs as well.)
Now the pear tree is bursting with flowers.
Every morning, I step outside with my coffee cup and just stand there looking at it. The blossoms feel like a quiet little celebration of spring, and they’ve also gotten me walking more than I did during those bitter winter temperatures.
Moments like that—watching something come back to life after a hard season—have a way of stirring the imagination.
Which brings me to writing.
My new book, Letters from Texas, is growing chapter by chapter. I’ve written nearly a dozen chapters now and have a solid outline… assuming none of the characters decide to toss me a curveball.
This story is part of my Letters from Home series and is inspired by true family stories from the World War II era. I’m fictionalizing many details, but the heart of it comes from real experiences. That means more research—but also more moments when history suddenly feels very close.
And that leads to a small favor I’d love to ask of you.
For a future Letters from Home book, I would be honored to hear about the service stories in your own families. You don’t have to share names or anything personal. Just tell me:
Which branch they served in
Where they were stationed
When they served and when they came home
What state their “letters from home” would have originated.
Anything else of interest you wish to share!
These glimpses into real lives help me honor the spirit of those who served.
More Book Stuff
Moments like standing with coffee in hand, looking at unexpected blossoms—remind me that a little wonder can hide in very ordinary places. So, before I sign off, I also want to point you back to a story that many readers have been enjoying lately—Sparkle Spin–Tumble Bin.
If you haven’t stepped inside Daphne’s mysterious laundromat yet, this is a perfect time. What begins as an ordinary place to wash clothes slowly reveals secrets, enchantment, and a few very unexpected residents.
📚Lord Fritz McSpin would certainly approve of adding one more adventure to your reading pile!
Thank you, as always, for being part of this community of readers. Your encouragement, your stories, and your messages mean more than you know.
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Grace, Gratitude, Growth,
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I can't wait to hear all the ways you're going to use these delicious pears. :-)