New Blog Georgia Home and Life Features Mom & Pop Businesses, Old Homes, Artists, Writers and More

So, here I go again. I wish I could stay put with my current blogs, but I am a blog freak, and if I get an idea, I have to blog about it. Somewhat off my usual rounds of getting to my favorite places in Georgia while I am in physical therapy for my hip replacement surgery (done in May, which if you follow my other blogs, the Merry Month of May is when everything, yes everything happens to me!) So instead of choosing another month to break the cycle, I elected May for my surgery. No easy task either to have surgery when you live with six dogs! The best pet sitter in the world moved in to run the household for three weeks. But now, life is back to normal. I am on a walker, but still a bit off my rocker! And back to thinking of moving to a small farmhouse outside of Atlanta.

As I sat at the computer looking at tiny towns with big old houses, I realized how little I know of Georgia outside of metro Atlanta where I've lived all these years. Well, the lights did not go out in Georgia in my brain that night, instead a humongous fluorescent light bulb lit up ( I try to keep energy efficient with everything I do). START A NEW BLOG. The words whirled around my head as I thought of titles for my blog and checked to see if the domain names were available. Yes, I also am a domain name freak. My list is long, you never know when something big could happen!

An hour later, exhausted, I came up with Georgia Home and Life. Anything with lifestyle was taken, but if you throw enough words together and run them through a domain name checker, you will sooner or later win the lottery and get your name!

I sent an e-mail to a writer friend ( PEN, short for Penny, but perfect for a writer, agree? You can visit her website here.) to see if she had an idea or two for a post. She came up with something better. The phrase Homegrown, as in small business homegrown in Georgia. Can't tell you how much I loved that name. So back to my domain checker and now I own the dot com Homegrown in Georgia. And with that name the complete idea for the blog fell into place for me.

Homegrown in Georgia. Spotlighting small business, mom'n'pop restaurants, old houses, getaways, local artists, writer, and more. Discover all you didn't know about Georgia.

You can visit the blog and learn some things! You can also contribute if you have a special spot close to your heart in Georgia you'd like to share with us.

I'm energized again after surgery. Between my new blog and the launch of my picture book A Dog Dreams of Paris I have lots to do between my physical therapy sessions.  As if living with six dogs didn't keep you on your toes even when you are dancing on a walker.

I am writing this drinking coffee out of the official Georgia Home and Life signature mug. You can have one, too. Easy Peasy to purchase on CafePress in
the shop On The Q-Teez, along with some great writing and artists T-shirts and mugs designed by, who else but my friend PEN!

Available through On The Q-Teez on CafePress

 

"Danger In Her Words" Published In Time For Valentine's Day. A Romantic Romp!

 

Paperback on Amazon. Kindle coming week of February 17th.

 

 

The best of news on a snowed-in day in Georgia. My book is now available on Amazon. A work of fiction, a bit girly, sassy, sexy, and fun, I am so happy to have finished it. My life since spring has been centered on writing, re-writing, and editing. An anticipated publication date of Christmas with a marketing theme of 'naughty or nice' got postponed until Valentine's Day.  I think it is the perfect romp for the most romantic holiday of the year!

 

 

 

 

 

A TV sitcom pitch gone wrong turns dog-column writer Susan Meyers in a tailspin. Sex Sells was the topic of the day at the writers’ convention. Susan decided to try something new and a steamy romantic novel seemed just the answer. A widow who hadn’t dated in three years, Susan was out of practice with men and sex. She turned to an online dating site to find inspiration for her book and unleashed a predator with the words she wrote. Tucked an hour away from her friends in a small town where she kept to herself, with only her tiny dog for company, Susan felt safe from the world. Little did she know her life was about to change.

 

 A romp of a story about writing and finding yourself in this book within a book. If you love girl-talk, farmhouses, antiques, country towns, a touch of murder, a sprinkle of suspense, and a bit of naughty fun, come join Susan as she learns about life from her character Jamie. Two widows looking for love in all the wrong places might still get it right if they live long enough.

 

 

Book and cover design by pd king design. Published by Gilbert Street Press.

Birthday Week Ends At Steppenwolf Concert

 

My friend Dianne with me at the concert!

 

 

 

The Banger Sisters!  There I've said it. I promised Dianne not to call us that at the concert - but I love that title, so I am using it here. I also loved the movie when it was released in  2002.

 

 

 

 'The Banger Sisters' 2002 Movie

 

 

Turning sixty-five was nothing compared to turning sixty. Yes, I am older, but wiser, and settled into my life and loving it. At sixty I had been a widow for three months and just started on my journey to find my new life.

 

For my sixtieth birthday I bought a vintage corvette to help me along the road of discovery. I rarely drove it because I needed my van to haul antiques to my shop.  I made the car a character in my book The Unfaithful Widow.

 

 

 

 

I got more mileage out of the car sitting in my driveway than most did on the road. It made me feel alive to just to look at it and on days when I was blue, I could crank it up, listen to the motor hum, and smile at the universe. When my sixteen year old foreign exchange student came to stay with me for five months last year she, and her teen friends, looked at the car in awe. She called me 'mum'. My good friend said she should call me 'grand mum'. I mentioned that one night over dinner when she talked about calling me 'mum' in front of her friends. I will always laugh when I think about one boy's reply. "You can't be a grand mother with a car like that in your drive way!" Amen to that. My Vette finally found a new home this year with a young handyman who traded work for the car. My house got a facelift and the car went where it belonged. To someone who would give it a life I never did!

 

 

 

 

Now, on to the Banger Sisters! My friend met Steppenwolf some forty-years ago and told me about the concert. She wanted to go and I thought, why not? I love music, especially today's music, but back in my early years I was not a rock fan. I do remember Born To Be Wild, and loved it. And the concert was a biker and beer charity event. My cool factor was up even though the heat was on.

"We need to do something about your make-up," my younger friend kidded me. "And you might need to wear a sexy top or something."

I giggled. And then The Banger Sisters movie popped into my brain. She was the hip one who remembered the early years of John Kay and I was the older one who needed a refresher course on the bands. My redo included my hat. I knew my make-up would melt at the outdoor concert - but I didn't want my brain to fry.

We bought the V.I.P. tickets and sat next to the stage. The tickets came with a reward - a quick meet and greet with Steppenwolf. My friend got a hug from the band members in the thirty-seconds we had with them!

An incredible way to end a week of birthday celebrations. It was a great birthday shared with my best friends, all week long! The grand finale got me out of my comfort zone (I am not an outdoor concert gal) and I glowed with sweat until I sparkled with joy!

Concert memories!

Meet and Greet with Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf

 

 

 

 

 

Music before the concert in parking lot.

 

 

 

 

Mother's Finest

 

 

 

 

Concert Ad