The Blue Spruce

The blue spruce (also known as a Colorado spruce) is a beautiful evergreen native to the Rocky Mountain region. However, it also grows in other cool regions, like the Appalachian Mountains in the East. It's density of branches, conical shape, and striking bluish-green color has made it a favorite in the Christmas tree industry. It is susceptible to some beetles and needle diseases but is used in landscaping and as windbreaks. It isn't usually used in the timber industry, because its wood is brittle and full of knots.

The Navajo ad Keres Native Americans have used the tree as a medicinal plant and for ceremonies. The twigs are supposed to bring good luck when given as gifts. It's been used as a folk medicine to treat colds, settle the stomach, and as a rub for rheumatism. 

The tree grows rather slowly but can eventually reach heights over a hundred feet and live up to 600 - 800 years. It has a deep root system and doesn't blow down easily. It tends to retain its needles well and likes the higher elevations, where it's cool and humid. It was introduced to Europe late in the 19th century. Now, as the Christmas tree market reaches full-swing, you may want to look for a blue spruce.

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It's Time

...so stand fast in the Lord... (Philippians 4:1).

It's time for Christians to stand up and speak out. The Church has remained silent too long. The freedom of worship that we've always given thanks for and this country was founded upon is eroding away. A society that once smiled on Christian values is now frowning, and the shootings, drug addiction, greed, and lawlessness are some of the results.

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein... (Jeremiah 6:16).

Our God is a patient God, but, over and over in the Bible, when the Israelites had turned and moved farther and farther away from God, Israel was defeated and her people taken into captivity. If American doesn't turn to God for healing, I'm convinced the same thing will eventually happen to us. America cannot free herself of her long held values, like honor, honesty, empathy, integrity, and trustworthiness, and remain strong. Is a radical group, like ISIS, going to conquer?

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand (Ephesians 6:13).

We need to begin on our knees in prayer. I keep hoping there'll be a backlash and every person in America with a Christian heritage will stand up and shout "Enough!" I feel called to do some of that. It's time for a Jeremiah to come forth and declare, "Stand firm in the Lord!" America needs another Great Awakening, but who will come forth to lead the charge? Will you say, "Here I am, Lord. Send me?"

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Hawk Returns

Hawk, a Cherokee brave, was an important secondary character in my first novel in the Appalachian Roots Series, Cleared for Planting. He was one of those characters, who would not go away. When I originally created him, I thought he would be a very minor character, but he evolved into so much more. Hawk is the character I've cried over more than any character I've ever created, because, in some ways,  he didn't really find the happiness he longed for or deserved. 

He's never left me but has resided in the corner of my mind ever since he came upon the scene. I couldn't forget him. So, Hawk comes back near the first of Uprooted by War, the third book in the series. This manuscript is with an editor at Ambassador International now. It should be out early in 2016. Hawk plays a greater role this time than he did in the first book. I won't tell you much more about Hawk's return, because I don't want to present any spoilers. However, I hope readers will finally feel that Hawk has been vindicated. I do.

I know I wasn't the only one who cried over Hawk's situation. Other readers have told me they felt the same way. I think its great when readers (and authors) get that caught up in the story and the characters. If a reader is moved to tears but gives a big smile at the end of the book, that says a lot. I appreciate all of you who are giving my books that chance.

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How Sweet It Is

Leah on the cover of the 2nd book

In earlier times, those in remote places or people without the means often used honey to sweeten instead of sugar. This happens in my third novel in the Appalachian Roots Series that's with the publisher now. Uprooted by War is set during the Civil War. Stables, including sugar, become unattainable, and Hawk shows Leah how to keep bees and gather honey. It becomes their only sweetener, until the war ends. 

Since Leah married into the Moretz family of German descent, here are two recipes she might have used, if she had the ingredients. On the last, they also ran out of flour and only had corn meal to make bread with.

German Honey Cakes


1 cup honey
1/8 cup butter or margarine
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 beaten egg yolk
1 egg white
9 ounces bread flour by weight
Boil and skim the honey. Add butter and let cool to lukewarm. Dissolve baking soda in a little water and add. Mix in beaten egg yolk and then flour. Beat egg white until stiff and fold in. Put batter in refrigerator for about 2 hours. Spoon onto greased baking sheet like cookies. Bake for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 375 degrees. Makes about 3 doz.

Honey Muffins

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
Stir flour and sugar together. In a separate bowl blend the last 4 ingredients. Mix into flour until moist, but don't over stir. Spoon into greased or muffin cups with paper liners. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 17 minutes or until done. Makes about 1 doz.

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Turkey Talk

Explorers found turkeys in North America. They mistakenly thought it was a guinea fowl, usually found in Turkey at that time, therefore they called it a "turkey fowl," which was later shortened to "turkey." Turkeys were so prevalent in early America and became so popularly hunted that Benjamin Franklin (reported by such sources as National Geographic) wanted to make the turkey the national bird instead of the eagle. However, the Audubon Society disputes this.

Turkeys found in the wild are about half the size of a domesticated turkey. In fact, most domesticated turkeys become so heavy they can't fly, but wild turkeys can fly up to 60 miles per hour. Male turkeys have the fan-like tail feathers. Females lay 4 -17 eggs to hatch and feed their young for only a few days after they're born. Baby turkeys learn to fend for themselves early. Almost all turkeys like to stay in groups.

Tales have spread that domesticated turkeys are so dumb, they will raise their heads and open their mouths when it rains, and some have drowned from it. Although turkeys really have bird brains, most sources say they get themselves in trouble because they're so curious. (Wasn't that a cat?)

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Pulling Out the Quilts

The fall weather has been mild longer than usual this year where I live, but there's definitely been frost on the pumpkins for the last few mornings, and that means it's time to pull out the quilts. I still like to sleep under my quilts in the wintertime. Maybe that's part of the reason I like quilts and quilting so much.

Tacked with green threat that blends in

I know in the mountains, if the women didn't have time to put into fancy quilting required to make a quilt and they needed a quilt to use, they tacked it. They would run thicker thread or several strands though the quilt layers and tie it off, leaving a tassel. The tassels of thread actually added to the design of the quilt. If it didn't look quite as pretty as a stitched one, it still felt just as warm on a cold night.

I remember times from my early childhood, when we didn't have central heat, and the mountain temperatures would make the house feel icy cold before morning. Mama would pile so many quilts on the bed I had a hard time turning over. But, you know, I slept better under that heavy mound.

I don't need quite that many quilts now, but I still generally sleep better in the winter than I do in the summer. There's something cozy about snuggling down under a couple of quilts, and having your own warm cocoon. It feels like home.

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Cranberry Bread

Right after Thanksgiving last year, I came across fresh cranberries marked down to 25 cents a bag. Since I didn't grow up where cranberries are grown, I've never cooked much with the fresh ones, but the bag had some recipes on the back. I bought two bags to give them a try. When I baked a loaf of cranberry bread using the simple recipe, it turned out to be one of the best quick breads I've ever eaten. I thought I would share the recipe here for Thanksgiving. Enjoy - 

Cranberry-Nut Bread

2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix together dry ingredients. Blend in orange juice, egg, and oil. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in a greased 5 x 9 inch loaf pan. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and let set 5 minutes before slicing.

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A Thanksgiving Setting

One of the most idyllic Thanksgiving settings is Cades Cove in eastern Tennessee. It might have been a harsh place to spend the winter, but the natural beauty of the place also sends my spirit soaring. The majestic mountains, the lush valley, and the flowing mountain stream, all work together to lift me up. Even the winding mountain paths that likely follow old Cherokee hunting trails feel like home. I think I was born with a mountaineer's heart.

Man-made structures also speak of home. The cabins tell of an earlier time, when home and family mattered more than anything else, except God. Where neighbors helped each other, because they knew what a sense of community was, and it would be hard to survive otherwise. It was where a person gave thanks for what they had, no matter how meager, and a visitor was always welcome to share, no matter how little they had.

The churches tell of the Creator, who was easy to see in these hills. They taught the importance of loving, sharing, and caring. More than one church stood in the small community, but they needed to be in easy walking distance. Faith might be a private thing to these people, but it was good to come together and learn how to serve God better and to give thanks.

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An American Founder of Faith

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up... (Job 22:23).

As we draw near Thanksgiving, I thought it would be good to take a look at some of the American leaders in the beginning of this country and see how their faith played such an important role in their lives and in the birth of this nation. At that time. this land was seen as "under God."

William Bradford was one of the Separatist who came over on the Mayflower. He had been born in Yorkshire, England, in 1590, and grew up there. His father owned a large farm, and they were considered an influential, wealthy family. His grandfather, William Bradfurthe, had likely been part of the nobility, but young William became an orphan at age seven and went to live with his uncles.


When he was twelve, William went to hear the Separatist preacher, Richard Clyfton, and returned again and again, despite the fact that his uncles forbid him to do so. During one of the meetings, he met William Brewster, who gave him books to read and kept him informed of the church reform movement sweeping England. After being imprisoned for a time for his beliefs, William made it to Holland with other Separatists.  He married there and had a son, John. In 1620, he joined the group who planned to come to the American colonies aboard the Mayflower.

After struggling to survive the first winter in the Plymouth Colony, two Indians came in the spring to show the colonists how to plant crops. That led to the harvest celebration in the fall that we think of as the First Thanksgiving. This colony had been founded to honor and worship God, and giving thanks came naturally. William went on to be governor of the colony five times for a total of about thirty years. He is also well-known for the journal he kept that tells of establishing and governing the colony. It's been published as Of Plymouth Plantation. Look at what he wrote:

Being thus arrived in good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all perils and miseries thereof, againe to set their feete on the firme and stable earth.... Having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony.

Notice that "for the glory of God" came first. We would do well to likewise put God first and obey his Word. America would be a much better better place to live, if we did. And, not only would the country be better off, but so would our families.

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Pay Attention to the Details

One of the times that I attended the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching in Cullowhee, North Carolina, a staff member told about injuring her hand because of a large envelope she'd gotten in the mail. I saw the cast around her hand and asked, "What was in the envelope?" 

She looked at me with surprise. "You know, out of all the people I've told this story to, you're the only one who's asked about that."

Looking at this with hindsight, it was the detail oriented writer coming out in me. Details are crucial to a story, but how a writer presents the details is just as important. In some fiction, the author gives the details in separate paragraphs, and sometimes these get lengthy. I always feel like the author is trying too hard to impress, and I often get bored, if the story doesn't soon begin to move forward.

I prefer to make descriptive paragraphs short when necessary, and work the sense of place and setting into the story, as it evolves. However, it's important not to forget about any of the details. I'm also an avid reader, and I've read book after book, where the unchangeable details about a character will be different later on in the book, or where the author has forgotten her own details of the story. I work hard to keep this from happening in my books, and I encourage other writers to do the same.

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Early Self-Sufficient Farms

Through much of American history, people on small, rural farms lived from what they could produce. This came more from necessity than choice. It especially held true for those on the western frontier or in remote locations, like the Appalachians. If the family couldn't grow it, make it, or find it, they didn't have it.

Self-sufficiency began with a home. Early log cabins eventually gave way to houses made with lumber, but few of them were fancy, and they often went unpainted. Many families then built some, if not all, of their furniture. Women spun, wove, and sewed linens, as well as clothing for the family.

Food production was essential. Besides a large garden, farm animals were important. Cows and chickens were the most common, but hogs, sheep, goats, ducks, geese, or others might also be added. Mules, horses, and oxen helped with gardening and other necessary tasks. Hunting and fishing were not done for sport but to provide food. Fruits, berries, and nuts added variety to an often bland menu.

Times might have been simpler then, but we often forget what hard work surviving was. I love history. I taught it for years and now write about it. But, sometimes, when reality sets in, I begin to wonder if the good ole days were so good after all. Like most of you, I also like some of our modern conveniences.

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Historical Rock Houses

Early rock house, Scottish style

When early settlers came to America, they built with whatever resources were available. The very first homes, like the ones at Jamestown or Plymouth, were daub and wattle. However, with the availability of forests, the log cabin became popular in most areas. These were used for years, but in some locations the availability of rocks, provided another building material. In fact, these had been used for home construction in the Old Country for years.

Stone houses had some advantages. They were strong, sturdy, and long-lasting. In addition, they didn't require much upkeep, like the log homes that had to be chinked (filled in between the logs). Disadvantages included they were slower to build and required more skill.

Stone houses seemed to be particularly popular in areas with strong German influence, like Pennsylvania, western Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and the Carolinas. In my historical novel, When Winter Is Past, set in Pennsylvania in 1739, Stanton Klein's large farmhouse is made of stone. It's a standalone novel available online, and most bookstores can order it for you. I lived in Pennsylvania for three summers and have made several trips back. Many of the old stone houses are still standing today, and they are lovely. So are ones in other states. Check out the ones near you.

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Early Plantations

Early plantations developed into self-sufficient communities, much like the castle and the serf system had done in Medieval Europe. Even if the plantation owner went to market occasionally, much of what they needed was produced on site, especially their basic needs. Their crops brought in revenue for other things they might want.

Leaders of the first permanent English colony in America at Jamestown discovered the Indians growing tobacco. Englishmen liked the new plant, and the Virginia colony began growing it in large quantities to export. Plantations evolved. When Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793, that crop became profitable to grow, and cotton plantations sprang up. 

Latta Plantation, a former cotton plantation, near Huntersville, North Carolina, is a good example of a self-sufficient plantation, because it's presented as a living history farm for visitors today. Tour guides have an excellent knowledge of the time period (1800), the property, and the family. Depending on the season, visitors can see the garden, farm animals, and many outbuildings. Take a photo-tour of the plantation here, and visit it, if you get a chance.

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