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Fall Colors in Oregon

We’re in the process of buying a woodburning stove for what we call the family barn. I have an office set up in the barn, and I love writing out there during the summer months. Unfortunately, our summer months in Oregon are short in comparison to the cooler fall and winter seasons.  A woodburning stove will allow me to use the barn year-round.

 This morning we went to the woodburning stove store to finalize the purchase. On the way there I was reminded of one of the many reasons I love living in Oregon. The fall colors are spectacular. Seasons weren’t something we really experienced in Havasu. 

Barn with a View

Have you ever seen one of those photographs showing someone on the beach with his or her laptop, working while enjoying the sunshine and spectacular view? It is especially appealing to the author, who can easily take a laptop about anywhere.

One problem with that image, it typically doesn’t work. At least it didn’t for me. When I lived in Havasu, the place with lots of sunshine, I’d occasionally try taking my laptop out on the patio and work by the pool. It sounded lovely, and I was under a patio cover, so it seemed like the ideal workspace.

Unfortunately, I could never handle the glare and eventually retreated back inside to work.

Now that we are living in Oregon, the landscape and climate is vastly different from Havasu. Lots of rain here, but when the sun pushes aside the rainclouds, outside is where I want to be, not in front of the computer.

Last week I tried something a little different while editing. I took my laptop out to the barn, opened one of the garage doors (our family barn has 3 RV sized garage doors). Instead of going outside, I sat on the sofa with my laptop, with the door opened behind me, as you can see it the picture.

It was amazing! I am tempted to drag my desk out there. It is like working outside, but not outside. Fresh air, sunshine, no glare, and if it does start to rain, I am safely under roof. This may be one of my new favorite workspaces

In other news, The Ghost and the Medium is off to the editor. Look for it to be available May 19, 2022 in eBook and paperback. I don’t yet have the release date for the audiobook version.

I’m coming up for air….

It’s been a hectic six months, with packing up our house, moving from Arizona to Oregon, settling into our new home and remodeling, bringing Mom up here, preparing for the holidays, and writing a new book.

But my newest book, The Ghost and the Church Lady (Book 29) of the Haunting Danielle series), is off to the editor, and I can now take a little breather and look over my to-do list and see what I can cross off.

One thing I can cross off is the idea for my next book. It already came to me, The Ghost and the Medium will be Book 30, and it will probably come out in May. Look for The Ghost and the Church Lady on January 27, 2022.

We had a wonderful Christmas. It was the first time in years both my son and daughter, and their families, spent Christmas with us. Mom was here too.

I hadn’t cut or colored my hair since covid hit. But I was starting to look like a little old hippy, so my daughter gave me a trim while she was here. I have decided to embrace my gray, so no more hair dye. I once said I would never allow myself to go gray, but like Mom says, never say never. My hubby likes the color, and I figure I’ve earned all that gray.

I’ve been trying to take breaks and walk our property. The top photo is of our pups inside the gate, as I take off to walk the perimeter. This helps the pups to get their own exercise. While I’m walking on the property surrounding them, those two are running circles around their big yard.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2022!