The prairie my great-great-great grandfather crossed with his new bride and her entourage of immediate family most likely seemed an unending landscape of dust, dirt, and scorching sun. He had ridden across this unforgiving territory once on horseback. Now he led his unsuspecting in-laws. While the account of the Hills wagon train of 1851 is […]
Packing for the Journey
Deciding what to bring across the prairie often meant heart-wrenching sacrifices. All too often an item viewed as essential at the beginning of the journey in St. Joseph, Missouri became the first thing discarded when the oxen became too weary to go on, or the wagon carrying the cargo wore out. My great-great-grandmother had to […]
- General
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Today’s the Day!
Today’s the Day. Cover Reveal for The Sister’s Plight, book 2 in the Call of the Frontier series. Pre-order June 1-30 for only .99. Book Releases July 1, 2021
Follow the Westward Journey
The second book of the Call of the Frontier series will be available July 1, 2021. It follows the story of my great–great grandfather, Cornelius Joel Hills, as he captained the Hills wagon train of 1851. He had crossed the prairies once on horseback and traveled to the Willamette Valley in Oregon to lay claim […]
When the Possum Headed North
About a year ago we trapped a possum living in our yard, with plans to relocate him to a nearby wilderness area. We checked local wildlife guidelines only to learn relocating possums was against the law. We released the animal on the furthest corner of our property. He was last seen waddling north as fast […]
- Faith Matters
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Flowers Understand
The clematis bloomed this week. We’d anticipated its coming as we watched the buds swell round and full, like a bowl full of yeast dough that is about to rise over the top. Our spring has been warmer and drier than usual, so the conditions were perfect for the clematis to thrive. In recent years […]
- Faith Matters
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When Scammers Call
The incident began innocently enough. We’d had problems with our cable service in recent weeks. Two visits by repairmen had not solved the issue. I’d registered a complaint with the company and expected a response. When I answered the phone a man claiming to be a representative for the cable company told me how sorry […]
Wishing You a Joyous Easter
With Easter bringing this holy week to a close I am reminded of an experience I had while cleaning out a neglected cupboard several years ago. Shoved to the back a tray of silverware waited, nestled among a few stale pretzels that escaped their bag. I recognized the pattern. The tableware came from my mother’s […]
Heading into March
Valentine’s Day is past. In fact most of February has left us. But the memory of that day to celebrate love still lingers. Just before the holiday I sat waiting in traffic for the light to change as people traversed the crosswalk. One young man stood out from the crowd. Not wearing a mask, […]