It’s spring in my native Texas. Actually, this year, spring
showed up two months ago and it’s already hit the eighty-degree mark in my neck
of the woods. We have short sweet cotton-candy springs, interminable oven-hot
summers, nostalgia tepid autumns and a single sharp snap of winter.
But right now, it’s spring. The peach trees are flush with
delicate pink blooms. Yellow daffodils push up from the brown earth.
Bluebonnets propagate across my lawn along with dandelions and clover. Bees
buzz. Crane flies float. Thin mosquitoes hunt for blood. Redbirds shower in the
fountain, flipping their wet heads like shampoo models, proud in their scarlet
glory. Mockingbirds call from the lavender crepe myrtle, trilling their cache
of stolen songs until long after midnight. Mama and Papa Buzzard build a nest
in the elm tree.
I step outside and breath deep the scent of hyacinth and
trumpet vines that smell like Bit-o-Honey.
My Aussie shepherds tussle, showing out for me. Buff Orpington hens
chase bugs in the flowerbeds. Angus cattle graze in the field behind my house,
their chewing rhythmly hypnotic. A dual axel pickup truck, known around here as
a dually, pulling a gooseneck horse trailer rumbles by on the road. The cowboy
behind the wheel smiles and waves. I wave back.
This is home.
THE COWBOY TAKES A BRIDE is the first book in a new series,
featuring Jubilee, Texas. Jubilee is a fictional town, but it’s based on my
hometown of Weatherford, Texas, which is the Cutting Horse Capital of the
World. We are also the Peach Capital of Texas. Peaches and cutting horses and a
friendly hometown atmosphere. That’s what we do best.
With this new series, I’m letting you into my home and into
my heart. Many things in this book are
fictionalized versions of things that have happened to me. I’ve met people like
the characters in this book. They are as real to me as my next-door neighbors.
Welcome to Jubilee. I’m so happy you could join us.
Tell me a little bit about your hometown. Do you still live
there? What’s the weather like? What does your town/city do better than any other
place on earth? Post a comment for a chance to win a $25.00 gift card to
Amazon. I'll pick a winner tomorrow afternoon, March 27th, on release day.
Lori
http://www.loriwilde.com
***Lori's winner is Runner10!! Congrats! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your details! Thanks.***
***Lori's winner is Runner10!! Congrats! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your details! Thanks.***
20 comments:
My home town is the centre of the universe (at least that's what I told my other half when he suggested we live somewhere else!) I'm also kind of lucky that my mum and dad, two sisters and their families and my family all stay in the same housing scheme. Thankfully not all in the same street, but literally only two minutes away from each other. This has proved very handy when children have had accidents at ridiculous times. My town is on the west coast of Scotland about 40 minutes away from Glasgow by car and only an hour from London on a flight.
Hi Lori, I live in Middle Earth. Ha, just kidding, but for those unfamiliar with New Zealand if you mention Middle Earth everyone seems to know what you're talking about. I grew up in One Tree Point, which is 20 mins south of Whangarei, New Zealand. I moved to Auckland , did some time in Hamilton and then back to Auckland where I shall probably remain until I win Lotto. We have Summer over the Xmas/New Years months... well we're supposed to, it didnt happen this year, it was rain rain rain! We have Daylight Savings as well which means it's lighter for about 3.5 more hours than it is in Winter, it's getting dark again early which means Daylight Savings is about to end and winter is on its way. We're in Autumn (Fall) at the moment... I can feel the chill in the air and went looking for my slippers tonight for the first time since last winter :)
I love my hometown. It's a small town in the mountains - rainy springs, hot summers, Indian autumns and cold snowy winters. I came back home as soon as I got my university degree. I was lucky enough to travel all across Europe but I am always happy to come back home. Not sure why I am so attached to it - I could have live in many European metropolises but I chose this small town :)
I grew up in Two Rivers, Wisonsin a small city with a population of approximately 12,000 people. It was a very safe community. I biked and walked everywhere. We never even locked our doors! It is know as "The coolest spot in Wisconsin" as it's located on a peninsula which juts out into Lake Michigan. We have gorgeous sunrises, scenic views and a long sandy white beach which goes on for miles. There are kite flying events, band concerts in the park and the famous ice cream sundae festival. Two Rivers is known for inventing the chocolate covered ice cream sundae! There is a July 4th Snow Festival with a highlight of a dump truck full of snow. When I went to college I had a lot of sweaters. I didn't realize that it was unusual to need one year round. Summer nights could get very chilly. I learned how to swim in numbing Lake Michigan waters. It was a nice place to grow up. In the summer time, I return to Wisconsin, I live about 2 hours away. My mom has lived in TR her whole life, 88 years in June.
There is a state forrest for camping right outside the city, also located right on Lake Michigan. My daughter and I both had our wedding receptions at the Lighthouse Inn also on the lake with areception hall room with windows overlooking the lake.
There are places to rent bikes, art galleries, a historic fishing village, nature hikes at Woodland Dunes.
It's located 35 miles from Green Bay, 2 hours from Milwaukee and 1 hour from Door County.
It was a great place to grow up.
I enjoyed your descriptive and lovely post today. We moved away from my home which was a large metropolis with charm, and historic importance years ago and moved to a medium city in the Southwest which is unique and historic. The climate is ideal, the skies blue, sunshine predominates with the primo balloon fiesta on earth.
The city where I was born and lived most of my life is an interesting and fascinating place. When we left I looked forward to the new city and setting. A total contrast in everyway but a beautiful experience living in the foothills of the Rockies. Climate is easier and horizon stretches on forever both of which I appreciate greatly.
My hometown is known as The City of Roses. There is a historic residential part of the city that has five park/gardens interspersed. The green areas are well tended rose gardens and a rhododendron garden. I loved seeing those areas in full bloom. In the downtown area, weekends were often spent wandering the large local crafts and food market/fair. And when the weather was poor, we would head over to the main library and escape to faraway places with dashing characters showing us the way to adventure. I no longer live in my hometown, but I do love it dearly.
I live in a small town in Iowa. I grew up in a town about 1/2 from where I live now. The city I was born and raised in. I think the 4th largest city in Iowa. I love the smaller town. My kids go to a smaller school. I feel that they will not get lost in the system living in this small town. My son has autism and needs that little extra help. I also love because there is a bunch of small towns around. There are 3 small libraries and always have something to read. Would love to win. thanks for the giveaway.
christinebails@yahoo.com
It sounds like Spring has reached many places. Yesterday, the weather was bright, sunny and clear. Today it's cloudy and rainy. I don't mind since the rain will give the flowers a chance to bloom with the seedlings taking root. I know what you mean about taking a breath fo fresh air. When I smell wet grass and gravel this season comes to mind.
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
My home town, like many others', was a great place to grow up. I have lived half an hour away for over half my life now, but I still return many times every year.
One of the things I appreciate about my home town is that they hold a reunion of sorts (via a street fair) the last weekend of every September. Kids come home to see their parents, then line up downtown to reconnect before the parade comes through. That night, there's dancing in the arena with a local band.
Good times abound.
I grew up in the country and still live in the. Country. I love everything about it. I love the smell of grass and the flowers blooming. It is a beautiful time of year. I live at the end of a country road. I love to get home and escape from the crazy world.
Congrats on the new series, Lori. I'm a city girl. The Big Apple has always been my home. We get to enjoy all four seasons. There's something for everyone in NYC.
I still live in my hometown. We have all the seasonal changes that are related to New England. Well, this winter was the mildest one that I've ever known.
Our town used to be an industrial one, but now all of the factories are closed and sitting vacant. There's talk about rebuilding, but we'll just have to see :)
I live in Orlando, so the weather here is a short stretch of cooler weather with low or no humidity for winter (hardly any rain), and the rest of the time it's 80's and 90's with a lot of humidity, lots of thunder showers and a lot of lightening. The one thing I think Orlando does better than anywhere else is entertainment/amusement. We have four Disney parks, two Universal parks and SeaWorld in the immediate area, plus water parks like SeaWorld's Aquatica and several at Disney, and lots of smaller attractions and things to do. Whenever I have time to spare, I never run out of places to go.
Thank you for your post, Lori. I lived in a small town in Arkansas with no particular distinction, and have for most of my life. When I was a teenager, I'd have given anything to live somewhere more exciting and sophisticated. Nowadays, I'm glad I'm still here!
Good luck with "The Cowboy Takes a Bride"!
I was born in Chicago, now in Milwaukee, so not very different. Here it's cleaner and alot cheaper to live, I do miss things in Chgo, interesting not far, but rarely go there.
My hometown was chartered in 1760 and was in the midst of the Revolutionary War. It's a small town and still maintains that colonial feeling - we even have a huge old oak tree the George Waahington really did tie his horse to. I've lived here for 50 years (so far). It's probably why I love series about small towns & the families & friends who live in them.
My home town growing up was wherever my Father was transferred to next. We had a holiday home at the coast that gave us a bit of stability. My parents retired to the coast, so I guess that is as close to hometown as I have.
I was born and raised in Chesterton, Indiana. I moved only a mile away from my parents house when I married. I still live in my hometown and I love it! We are 5 minutes from Lake Michigan so I go there a lot in the summertime. Our town is small and charming, like Mayberry. We have a fresh food market in the summer time that brings in all kinds of tourists. It is called European Market. We also have the Wizard of Oz fest here every year. People come from all over the world to attend it. We always have the stars from the movie come. It is a fun and crazy time!
I still live in the town I was born and raised in. I used to think I wanted to get away when I got old enough because the town was too small, but now I've grown to appreciate that aspect and the benefits that come with it... lower crime rate, higher learning in education, friendly people, less traffic, and many other things. I am pretty sure I am going to do live out the rest of my life and pass away in this small town.
yadkny@hotmail.com
Post a Comment