A Cousin's Prayer

A Cousin's Prayer (Indiana Cousins Book 2) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the second book in the Indiana Cousins series and it's even better than the first. Katie Miller's struggle to overcome panic attacks and her search for faith come together in a compelling story. As usual, Wanda Brunstetter weaves in a cast of characters full of flaws and strengths who are so very... human. Suitable for any age, this book is an easy one to recommend.

Salt & Pepper Twins

A nice set of salt & pepper twins born this afternoon to Twin Willows Mingle. These are the first lambs for Mingle to raise and she seems to be doing a good job so far. The black lamb is a ram and the white is a ewe.

A Cousin's Promise

A Cousin's Promise by Wanda E. Brunstetter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wanda Brunstetter does a very good job in her portrayals of the Amish way of life. This book is no exception. The story begins with an accident that changes the lives of the young people involved. Tragedy strikes and they learn how to pick up the pieces and move on. Well told and believable, a very enjoyable read.

Rosalie of Grand Traverse Bay

Rosalie of Grand Traverse Bay by Donna Winters

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The mystery of who Cutler Gowan is keeps this story moving along. Rosalie gets caught up in helping her aunt and uncle with their attorney friend, Kenton. A predictable romance ensues that is complicated by things happening at Rosalie's home in North Carolina.

The story is good but I felt as though I should have read the previous books that "Rosalie" was spun off from. There were a many characters and they seemed to have more backstory than this book could account for.

The setting of this story is wonderfully done, the time period is authentic, and if anyone is familiar with the Grand Traverse Bay area, you will feel right at home in this story.

Triplets!

Even though I fully expected Dance to have triplets this year, due to her size as well as the poorer quality of her wool when I sheared, it was still a thrill to get all three delivered, up and nursing tonight. All three are white, 2 ewe lambs and 1 ram lamb. This is the first one born getting cleaned up.

It's Here...

Not unexpected, but not welcome either. I predict our feed costs will double, as they did last time gas hit $4/gallon. Look for food prices to skyrocket in the coming year. It'll cost more to raise food, harvest food, and get the food to market.

And I think it's high time I trained at least one of our horses to pull that cart stored in the barn. I need a new harness but as things are now, a good harness will cost me less than a full tank of gas. Mr. Ed's IGA has a nice hitching post behind their store. Sorry Wal-Mart, I don't save money if I have to pay gas to get there!

First Lambs!

The first Twin Willows Lambs born in 2011 arrived at 8:45pm on April 12. Out of Twin Willows EweNika by Twin Willows Odin. A nice boy and girl pair of twins. Shown here at an hour old.

Lamb Watch

It's that time of year again! Actually, this the latest we've ever started lambing. Since Jeff aged out of 4-H and we didn't need lambs born in January to be ready for the fair, I've pushed back the start of lambing a little more each year.

I think I've hit upon the perfect formula now. The rams go in the day before deer season; the lambs arrive the middle of April. That's after hypothermia cold and before fly season. Brilliant!

I only kept 6 ewes this winter. There are 3 aged ewes and 3 yearlings out in the barn. I like to see yearlings have a single their first year, but it looks like China might have twins. Queen and Lilly should be carrying singles. The older girls all look good. EweNika and Mingle should have twins and Dance looks like she may be carrying triplets.

Watch here for updates and photos as the 2011 lambs arrive.

The Blacksmith's Bravery

The Blacksmith's Bravery by Susan Page Davis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


To be honest, I'd put off reading this book fearing it would be the all-too-typical tale of a masculine-light female lead who does it all better than the men of the Old West. Wrong! Susan Page Davis put together a cast of characters who are believable, likable, and find themselves in situations realistic for the time period of the book. Three cheers! This is the third book in a series and it reads fine as a stand alone. I haven't read the first two yet, but I will! I highly recommend this one if you enjoy a good western with a touch of romance. Content wise, it's suitable for teenagers on up. The spiritual message is subtle, not preachy, and woven deftly throughout the book.

Double Identity

Double Identity by Diane Burke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Likable characters, small town setting, budding romance and - oh yeah - the mob. This is the first Steeple Hill "Love Inspired" book I've read. A grandmother with an addiction to the old Harlequin Romances swore me off book club selections for life. Not anymore! Diane Burke crafts a love story into a strong plot about deception and faith. The theme of reliance on God is woven into the story without being preachy. The story has a very satisfying and believable twist at the end that leaves the reader content. I recommend this one for younger teens on up. A very good read!

Alpha Redemption

Alpha Redemption by P.A. Baines

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I recommend this book even if you're not much of a sci-fi fan. While the setting is sci-fi, the theme is life and faith and what it takes to have both of those. Brett is as down-and-out as a human being can be, completely divorced from God and heading nowhere. His travels with Jay, a computer who evolves into an almost-human, take us on a journey like no other. The book skips around a lot, going forward and backward in time. This isn't a light read, it takes some paying attention to keep up with the story, but it's worth it.