True Love Story

Hello, faithful friends and followers! Have I got a delightful treat for you today. . . snickerdoodle cupcakes! My husband enjoys his snickerdoodle cookies so when I found this recipe for cupcakes well, I just had to try it and oh, am I ever glad I did! These cupcakes are amazing! Seriously! Ingredients: Cupcakes 2¾ cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoons salt ¾ cup shortening 1⅔ cups granulated sugar 5 large eggs 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1¼ cups milk Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.  Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder,  1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside. In a large bowl, beat shortening  with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar.   Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla extract. Slowly add flour mixture and milk,  mixing until just combined.  Do not overmi...

Sweet friends, enjoy the music while you read the words. The bugle echos shrill and sweet, But not of war it sings today. The road is rhythmic with the feet Of men-at-arms who come to pray. The roses blossom white and red On tombs where weary soldiers lie; Flags wave above the honored dead And martial music cleaves the sky. Above their weary-strewn graves we kneel, They kept the faith and fought the fight. Through flying lead and crimson steel They plunged for Freedom and the Right. May we, their grateful children, learn Their strength, who lie beneath this sod, Who went through fire and death to earn At last the accolade of God. In shining rank on rank arrayed, They march, the legions of the Lord; He is their Captain unafraid, The Prince of Peace...Who brought a sword. - Joyce Kilmer - The price of freedom  is eternal vigilance. - President Thomas Jefferson - For love of country,  they accepted death. - President James A. Garfield - Although no sculptured marble should rise t...

Jagears delivers a wonderfully romantic read  with a Hero and Heroine to cheer for. Evelyn Wisely has a heart for the orphans of Teaville  and works at a local mansion that rescues children out of the town's red-light district  and gives them a place to live.  But her desire to help isn't limited to orphans.  The owner of the mansion, Nicholas Lowe,  is willing to help her try to get the women working in prostitution out of the district as well- if she can gain the cooperation and support of local businessmen to go against the rest of the community.  David Kingsman has recently arrived in Teaville from Kansas City  to help with one of his father's companies in town.  While he plans on staying only long enough to prove his business merit to his father,  he's shown interest in Evelyn's work  and is intrigued enough by her to lend his support to her cause. They begin with the best of intentions,  but soon the complications pile up...

Stop by  Rose Petal Blessings.

Hello, my sweet and lovely friends! Two weeks ago my hubby, son, and I enjoyed a little getaway. We took in a Rockies game and enjoyed a train ride up Pikes Peak. I thought I would share some photos with you from our time away. While I have lived in Colorado for many, many years I have never been to the top of Pikes Peak until now. My, what a view! We rode the Cog train up to the top and if you ever have the opportunity to visit Pikes Peak I would recommend riding the train. It adds so much more to the trip. The view up to the top was simply beautiful. Forgive the glare in the photos  as the pictures were taken through glass.  As you can see from the next photo we are above timberline and almost to the top. We stepped outside of the train and the view took my breath away. Everything was so beautiful and clear. The clouds were right there. . . so close you could almost touch them. The day we went was the first day in almost a week that the train made it to the top. Being so hig...

Heaven and earth will pass away,  but my words will never pass away. - Matthew 24:35 - There’s a dear and precious Book, Though it’s worn and faded now, Which recalls those happy days of long ago, When I stood at mother’s knee, With her hand upon my brow, And I heard her voice in gentle tones and low. As she read the stories o’er Of those mighty men of old, Of Joseph and of Daniel and their trials, Of little David bold, Who became a king at last, Of Satan and his many wicked wiles. Then she read of Jesus’ love, As He blessed the children dear, How He suffered, bled and died upon the tree; Of His heavy load of care, Then she dried my flowing tears With her kisses as she said it was for me. Well, those days are past and gone, But their memory lingers still And the dear old Book each day has been my guide; And I seek to do His will, As my mother taught me then, And ever in my heart His Words abide. - Refrain - Blessed Book, precious Book, On thy dear old tear stained leaves I love to ...

In the fallout of her deceased father’s financial ruin,  Annabelle’s prospects are looking bleak.  Her fiance has called off their betrothal,  and now she remains at the mercy of her controlling and often cruel brother.  Annabelle soon faces the fact that her only hope for a better life  is to do the unthinkable and run away to Fellsworth,  where her estranged uncle serves as the school’s superintendent.  Upon arrival, Annabelle learns that she must shed her life of high society  and work for her wages for the first time in her life. Owen Locke is unswerving in his commitments.  As a widower and father, he is fiercely protective of his only daughter.  As an industrious gamekeeper, he is intent on keeping poachers at bay  even though his ambition has always been to purchase land he can call his own.  When a chance encounter introduces him to Annabelle Thorley,  his steady life is shaken.  For the first time since his w...

Welcome , my friends, and thank you for visiting today! As promised, the winners for the hymn print and tea cup cards will be announced at the end of this post. Many, many thanks to all of you who entered the giveaway and supported both of Joy's beautiful Etsy shops. Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending a tea party hosted by my very own mother. My sister lives two hours away and she drove up for the special occasion so the three of us could enjoy tea, food, and fellowship. For the tea party I was sent an invitation and on that invitation I was encouraged to dress up. Hats and gloves were a delightful option. I searched high and low for a delicate pair of gloves at the antique shops, but alas, I could not find any in good enough condition to wear. So I moved onto the hats. . . and couldn't find a single one. My son was with me when I tried on the vintage hats and I must say that he and I had a good laugh  over several of the styles atop my head. . . they simply didn'...