As we roll on toward the end of 2015 and the holiday season officially begins with Halloween, I thought today would be a great time to introduce you to Marueen Bonatch while she shares with us something she treasures....
A Labor of Love
As the summer winds down and the first thoughts of fall
tickle the corners of my mind, there’s one thing I treasure more than the changing
colors of the leaves and the shadow of a promise of the autumn crisp air…
tomatoes.
Not just any tomato, mind you, garden tomatoes. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the tomatoes
you see in the store, the ones that never seem quite as red. That lack firmness,
and when you cut them they reveal mushy centers or bleached flesh… those aren’t
real tomatoes. Those imposters could
never live up to the taste of a fresh, garden tomato.
Around June I’ll start asking my father, and father in law, how
soon I should expect a garden tomato. Knowing darn well that I usually have to
wait until well into July, or maybe even August. I get impatient because there’s
nothing like that first tomato after long months of deprivation. Then they
start coming in droves. I make my best effort to ensure none of them are wasted
since I know; it’s feast and then famine.
I don’t garden myself. I’ve never tried. One reason being
that despite having a mother who grows beautiful flowers and a father who
gardens, I have what I refer to as a black thumb. Most things I try to grow
die. Houseplants shudder at the thought of taking up residence. The other more
important reason that I’ve never attempted to grow my own tomatoes, is because
both my father and father in law are stellar gardeners. They provide me with my
bounty of tomatoes and I don’t take it for granted.
But it’s more than the tomato itself that I treasure.
Because I’m sure, if I scoured the stores and farmer’s markets I might, just
might, be able to find a home grown garden tomato somewhere. I treasure knowing
my father and my father in law have grown these tomatoes. They’ve taken their
time, and love, for months to nurture the little seedlings into plants.
Painstakingly caring for them through unpredictable weather and fending off
wildlife clamoring to have the garden as their lunch.
Almost anybody can start a garden (well, maybe not me, lol) but not everybody can be a gardener. I’ve encouraged my husband to learn the gardening
secrets these two wonderful men in my life have honed into a science. These
tricks of their skillful trade are as precious as that cherished family recipe.
These gardens, these tomatoes, are the fruits of a labor of love.
* * * * * * *
Although tomatoes are not on my list of favorite foods, I'm sure anyone who gardens and loves them will agree with Maureen!
Therefore
she’s chased other interests, though none-the-less-daring, but closer to the
ground, such as belly-dancing, becoming a self-proclaimed tequila connoisseur,
fulfilling her role as biker babe to her alpha hubby and surviving motherhood
to twins (so far).
Find out more about Maureen's world by visiting her Website, Amazon Author Page, Blog and connect with her on Facebook, Good Reads, Pinterest and Twitter or sign up to receive her newsletter!
She's a witch hunting a spell.
He's
hunting witches and falling for her.
Carman
has worn out more towns and last names than impractical shoes protecting the
secret of her magic blood. But when a friend goes missing, and another is
infected with a deadly spell, Carman must choose. Expose her magic blood by
curing the spell—or stop the infection from spreading by killing the source…the
grandmother.
Magic bounty hunter Dylan
has scoured libraries of banned magic paraphernalia seeking a method to
distinguish genuine witches from impersonators. He suspects unorthodox
librarian Carman
might hold this information tighter than the hair he’s dying to unleash from
her bun. With a past as hidden as his sleeve of tattoos, Dylan discovers he’s
been used to gain Carman’s trust and their passion risks more than mixing
mortals and magic.
Fun Facts about Grandma Must Die:
The
inspiration for the church/library and the town in the story are located along
a bike path the author frequents.
A
church that now operates as a bar the author has visited inspired the interior
of the church/library in the story.
The
heroine, Carman, is obsessed with sexy, stilettos.
No
real Grandmas were harmed in the making of this fictional story. In real life everyone
loves Grandmas (unless, of course, they’ve been infected with a nasty spell).
Sound like a really cute story!
Grandma Must Die can be purchased at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.
Hope you enjoyed today's treasure. Stay tuned weekly for more!
Until next time....take care & God Bless.
PamT