Romance Readers Want to Know: Sweet Romance Author Joselyn Vaughn, Giveaway

Romance Readers Want to Know Series
On the J.Q. Rose blog every Thursday

Hello and welcome to the J. Q. Rose blog. Today my friend, critique partner, and talented sweet romance writer, Joselyn Vaughn is my guest author. I have the popcorn ready and the lemonade, so grab a bag and a glass and be ready to ask Joselyn questions. You may want to ask her about the Meddlesome Matchmakers series. Her writing will certainly elicit a giggle from you and, perhaps, a tear too. Thanks to Joselyn, a lucky commenter will win an e-copy of her witty and warm romance, Sucker for a Hot Rod. Deadline to enter is noon on Saturday, April 9.

Questions People Ask Me as a Writer by Joselyn Vaughn 

The question I am most often asked is “I’ve got a great idea for a book. How do I write it?” Sometimes it’s varied with ‘you should write it.’ Well. If you have a great idea for a book, no one else is going to make it happen like you can.

If you have a great idea, what can you do with it? There are as many ways to start writing a book as there are writers. There are probably actually more because no book writes in the same way.

Here are some things you can try:

• Start writing. Get a paper and pen and see where your main character is, have them do something. Start asking yourself questions about the character is doing and why.
• Create an outline. Make some notes about who your main character is, what they want, why they want it, and how they are going to go about getting it. Outline some pivotal scenes to develop the story.
• Join a writers’ group. A good writers’ group can be a great way to bounce ideas around and develop them. Another brain can help you connect gaps in your story or build stronger motivation for your characters. Writers’ groups can be at your local coffee shop or library, or online.
• Sometimes once the story gets rolling, it snowballs on its own. Other times, you need to step back and revisit one of these options.

What story has been knocking around in your head itching to get out?

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Sucker for a Hot Rod by Joselyn Vaughn
Sweet Romance

Back of the Book:

Bryce Halloway only dates a woman once. No exceptions.

It gives him the reputation of a heart-breaker, but he can handle that as long as it keeps his mother, Dinah, from trying to marry him off. Judi Montgomery and her tempting ponytail finagle their way around official dates with car problems and driving lessons. She worms her way into his heart and entices him to want more from his life.

When health issues cause his father to retire, Bryce inherits the family-owned tractor repair shop. Can Judi’s love and encouragement give him the courage to break tradition and pursue his dreams of owning a custom hot rod shop?

Buy Links:

Amazon: 

Barnes and Noble: 

Audible: 

Smashwords: 

iBooks: 

kobo: 

About Joselyn:

I am a stay at home mom who has walked on the dark side of potty training. When not traversing that valley of shadow, I write, run, and sew. Sometimes with successful results.
I love writing romance because I enjoy stories where everything works out all right in the end and the main characters have a happily ever after. My stories are set in small towns with quirky characters that take on a life of their own.

Joselyn Vaughn's website

Thanks for stopping in. Feel free to ask Joselyn a question in the comment box. You could win her ebook!

Are you a sucker for a hot rod? If you could have any vehicle in the world, what would you choose? I bet you know my favorite.

=======>>>

My Mustang!

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Cover Reveal for Joselyn Vaughn's Hauntings of the Heart, Tidy Tidbits for Writing and Living, This Week

Happy Monday and Happy Birthday greetings to our first President, George Washington!

So excited to start the week off sharing the new cover for Hauntings of the Heart by Joselyn Vaughn. Hauntings is one of my favorite stories by Joselyn, and I've read them all!  This talented author is my friend, crit partner, and a dedicated runner. Her imaginative stories are now in a series entitled Meddlesome Matchmakers. All the stories are filled with her humor and warm storytelling style. (And believe me, she has the skills to help others make their stories sparkle and shine. I'm so blessed to be in a group of writers who are so encouraging and supportive.)

Hauntings of the Heart by Joselyn Vaughn
Sweet Romance

Hauntings of the Heart by Joselyn Vaughn

A Meddlesome Matchmaker Novel

Back of the Book: When lost love shows up on your doorstep, what do you do?  Minnie Schultz slams the door in his face. She and Gordon Anderson have a history—close to ancient history, given the fifty years since their last encounter. After all that time, it might seem like water under the bridge. But the water pours from the plumbing in Minnie’s bed and breakfast, the Lilac Bower, uncovering all the secrets and heartache between them. With the help of some paranormal investigators, an Elvis impersonator and a couple of nosey friends, can Minnie and Gordon find the future they were meant to have?

Buy Link: Hauntings of the Heart by Joselyn Vaughn

Other books in the Meddlesome Matchmakers series: Climbing Heartbreak Hill and Sucker for a Hot Rod

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Tiny Tidbits for Writing and Living

• With Presidents' Day this month and Washington's birthday today, do you know who was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C.? Thomas Jefferson
• A handful of ice cubes in the garbage disposal breaks up grease and keeps it clean. Turn on the disposal and run cold water. Add orange, lemon or lime peels to ward off odors.
• A strawberry isn't actually a berry, but a banana is. (I couldn't believe this little tidbit either, but I found this article from the Stanford Alumni magazine to back up the statement. Go figure.)

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Romance Readers Want to Know
Thursdays on the J.Q. Rose Blog

This Week:

Thursday, February 25--Author Helen Henderson answers questions from her readers and will answer questions about her writing asked in the comments. AND a lucky commenter will win a pdf copy of her novella, Magic and Steel. Please come on over for the Q & A.

Travelogue: Camping in Michigan with Author Joselyn Vaughn, Seeing You Again

Travelogue on Thursday

Hello and welcome. I'm thrilled to host my friend, crit partner, and best-selling author, Joselyn Vaughn, today! Joselyn has a brand new release (August 11), Seeing You Again. A warm, laugh outloud worthy romance. Be sure to check out her new story below.

Today Joselyn takes us on a family camping trip in scenic  Northern Michigan including views of Sleeping Bear Dunes, voted #1 in Good Morning America’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Places in America in 2011. Take a peek at this magnificent view of the dunes in abc's video of the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Grab your roasting sticks, hot dogs, marshmallows, and sleeping bags for a fun camping escape.

Campfire ready for roasting

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Camping in Michigan by Joselyn Vaughn

We spent a weekend in Glen Arbor, Michigan in June. Despite predictions of rain that never materialized into more than a few sprinkles, we had a pretty good camping trip.

Michigan: Sleeping Bear Dunes

Camping is not my favorite adventure and with the new challenges of dairy- and gluten-free diets for myself and my daughter, I feared cooking over an open fire would be too much of a hassle.

Unfortunately, the availability of hotel room  that could accommodate three kids and a very large dog were in short supply. We loaded up the boat with three tents and a variety of camping supplies. (Given how  many trips my husband made to the store for must-haves, I think a resort stay would have been cheaper.)

We chose Glen Arbor as a destination because I wanted to do a half marathon there that circled Glen Lake. The course was beautiful, although my race photos show how tired and sore I was. After the race, we went back to our campsite, so I could take a shower (my main requirement if we have to camp).

Half marathon course around Glen Lake
Photo by Joselyn Vaughn

Joselyn in blue shirt in front.
Photo by Joselyn Vaughn

In the afternoon, we unloaded our supplies from the boat and took a tour of Glen Lake. From the lake, we could see the monstrous dune climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes. The water was an amazing Caribbean blue, despite the cloudy skies. One of the super tired kids and the dog got a much needed nap.

Sand and Lake Michigan
Photo from Flickr: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Later we went to the other side of Glen Arbor and saw Lake Michigan. The public beach was small and a cold wind was blowing off the lake.

We intend to visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes area again this fall for the Sleeping Bear Marathon. Hopefully we will be able to explore more of Glen Arbor and Empire during that trip.

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Back of the Book:
After twenty-five years with Sam, their lives revolving in circles that barely touched let alone overlapped, was it time Margie consigned their marriage to an album of faded photographs? The Christmas ball at her mother-in-law's retirement home would either be the final straw for their failing marriage or the perfect chance to reignite the old flame. Can the happy-go-lucky shenanigans of the retirement community remind Margie and Sam that falling in love has no age limit?

Now available at amazon

  

Visit Amazon's Joselyn Vaughn Page

About Joselyn:

I am a stay at home mom who has walked on the dark side of potty training. When not traversing that valley of shadow, I write, run, and sew. Sometimes with successful results. For more, check out my website.

I love writing romance because I enjoy stories where everything works out all right in the end and the main characters have a happily ever after. My stories are set in small towns with quirky characters that take on a life of their own.

Seeds of Inspiration: Author Roseanne Dowell with No Regrets and Giveaway

Welcome multi-genre author Roseanne Dowell to the Seeds of Inspiration Event. Remember to enter to win a copy of Roseanne's e-book, Trouble Comes in Twos, by leaving a comment below. Winner will be chosen after 12:01 Sunday morning.

Now let me tell you a little bit about Roseanne Dowell. She is an avid reader. Roseanne writes various types of romance - paranormal, contemporary, and mystery. She has several books available at Amazon as well as over 40 articles and short stories published in magazines such as Good Old Days, Nostalgia, and Ohio Writer as well as several online publications. Besides teaching writing courses for Long Story School of Writing, she also taught two writing courses for the Encore Program at Cuyahoga Community College.

Roseanne lives in Northeast Ohio where she enjoys life as a wife, mother of six, grandmother of fourteen and great grandmother of two.  When she’s not writing or enjoying her family, Roseanne spends her time with embroidery and quilting, especially combining the two. She also enjoys blogging, tweeting, facebooking and posting on various writers groups. 

Visit Roseanne Dowell at 
her author website  
her blog 

her Facebook page 

No Regrets by Roseanne Dowell

Like most authors, I always loved to read. From my first book, Dick and Jane to the Golden books, I read every chance I had. I grew up reading Nancy Drew mysteries and soon moved on to Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. I was a big fan of Agatha Christie –still love her books, actually.

Ever since I can remember I’ve been writing, even as a teen. I often made up stories and wrote poetry. Of course, I kept a diary/journal. The stationary department of stores always drew me. My favorite places to shop to this day are Office Max and Staples. I have a love affair with paper and pens. I still can’t resist notebooks, especially if they’re on sale. It’s nothing for me to come home with three or four various types of notebooks, file folders, and pens during the school supply sales.

While working as a school secretary, and encouraged by my coworkers, I took a correspondence course -writing for children. It didn’t take long to realize, that even though I had six children, it took someone special to write for them. I also tried my hand at nonfiction, but at the time, didn’t care for it. That’s when I moved on to romance novels and mysteries. Two of my favorite genres. Not that I did anything with those stories. At least not then. They sat in the attic with my poems and journals. Back then we didn’t have computers, let alone the internet. Finding time to write with six children wasn’t easy either and I never submitted anything.

It wasn’t until 2002 while I was at a Book Club meeting, the conversation turned to what we most regretted in our lives. I confessed I hadn’t pursued a career in writing. That’s all it took. My friends convinced me it wasn’t too late. There was only one way to find out, I decided to give it a shot and took another writing course. Part of the course was writing nonfiction, my least favorite genre. Within a couple of months I published my first article in Good Old Days Magazine. I framed a copy of that check. Since then, I’ve had several nonfiction articles published. My first published book in 2006, Satin Sheets, sold over 35,000 copies. Not too bad for a first novel. It’s out of print now and available as an ebook, It’s Only Make Believe. 

As I said previously, I love mystery and romance and often combine the two. I also love the paranormal (ghosts) and incorporate them in a couple of my books, Time to Love Again and Shadows in the Attic. Entangled Minds is a paranormal about ESP.  A firm believer in love at any age, some of my heroines are older women. Time to Love Again, Geriatric Rebels, and Another Day all feature older heroines. I try to insert a bit of humor in most of my stories also.

My latest book, Trouble Comes in Twos, released with Books We Love Publishing was intended as the third book in a Trilogy.  Circumstances beyond my control made me change it into a single book. My inspiration and idea for the book came from a visit to Locust Grove Cemetery in Twinsburg, Ohio. I have a thing for cemeteries, especially old ones, and visit them every opportunity I get. Fortunately my husband indulges my strange habit.

While we were walking around, reading the headstones –something else that intrigues me-- the story idea began forming. The cemetery is located off a main street and set way back from the street. It’s a very small cemetery, and if you didn’t know it was there, you’d drive right past it. We almost missed it the first time we went there. It’s surrounded by stores two sides and a retirement home on another and slopes down a hill. My imagination immediately reacted. What if someone got killed here? How long would it be before someone found the body? The graves in this cemetery are very old, so I doubt too many people visit them anymore.

By the time we got home, my mind was whirling with ideas for the book and before long the first draft was born. Several months later, I was ready to submit.

Trouble Comes in Twos Back of the Book:

After a five year absence, Kate Wesley returns to Twinsburg Ohio to open a florist shop. She’s content with life until Mark Westfield enters the picture. To make matters worse her ex fiancé is back in town, looking to pick up where they left off, and she’s attracted to both men. As if her life isn’t complicated enough, she finds a dead body in the cemetery, the twin sister of the victim shows up and another body is discovered. Can Kate sort through the confusion her life has become or will she become the next victim?

You can find this book as well as all of Roseanne Dowell's books at Amazon

Please leave a comment to enter the drawing to win Trouble Comes in Twos. We love a wave, a hug, high five, or even a giggle. Thank you.

Hobby Hoedown: Joselyn Vaughn and Transformed T-shirts

Please welcome my friend, critique partner, and talented author Joselyn Vaughn to the Hobby Hoedown. I'm thrilled to spotlight her hobby, but I am also excited to introduce you to her brand new sweet romance, Climbing Heartbreak Hill,  just released by Astraea Press on Tuesday!

With the help of the junkyard king and a mechanical bull,
can Tara and Ryan find the courage to climb Heartbreak Hill together?

Not only can Joselyn create funny and heartwarming romances, she is very accomplished with a sewing machine. Take a peek at her cute designs fashioned from T-shirts.

Transformed T-shirts by Joselyn Vaughn

I run a lot of races and quite often the race entry comes with a t-shirt. I have shirts in drawers, hanging in the closet, and stacked under the bed. Some are nice, some are sentimental. Some are not. When they offer an ugly one, I’m lucky if I remember to ask for an XL, then my husband can wear it. He’s somewhat less particular about what he wears than I am.

I’ll eventually make a quilt with the sentimental shirts, but what about the others? I may just refashion them like these.

These aren’t race shirts, but shirts I really like, but are not a style that I wear often.

First, I cut off the collar and sleeves. I made a buttonhole on the bottom, then sewed a channel around the bottom for the ribbon. I had a slight mishap on the purple one when I tried to put two buttonholes on the channel. Somehow (probably user error), they didn’t line up properly, but I figured the ribbon would cover them anyway. I made two more channels across the front and back and wove the ribbons through them. Tie some bows and you’re done. Very easy.

Can you believe my daughter turned up her nose at the purple ribbon when I tried to put it on one of her dresses? But then, she likes to wear polka-dots with camouflage and stripes. Our tastes are a bit different

Back of the Cover from Climbing Heartbreak Hill:

Professional runner, Ryan Grant, blows out his knee training for another attempt at the Boston marathon and the dreaded Heartbreak Hill. Ryan retreats home, not looking for anything more than a fast recovery, but he finds solace in the arms of his tax preparer, Tara Mansfield.

Tara’s cheerleading career ended abruptly and she faces an upward climb beating the stereotype as dumb blonde in her new calling as an accountant. Framed with defrauding the IRS during the last weeks of the tax season, Tara’s tentative confidence is shaken, but Ryan coaches her in ensnaring the true perpetrator. She cheers him on in discovering his identity as a coach rather than an athlete.

With the help of the junkyard king and a mechanical bull, can Tara and Ryan find the courage to climb Heartbreak Hill together?

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: 

Astraea Press: 

A portion of my proceeds for Climbing Heartbreak Hill will be donated to the One Fund for Boston to help those injured in the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

Contact Links:

Email: joselynvaughn@gmail.com

Website: 

Blog: 

Amazon Author Page: 

Twitter: @joselynvaughn

Facebook: 

Facebook page: 

Goodreads: 

About Joselyn

I live in the Great Lakes state with my husband, three rambunctious children and two barking Beagles (I suppose that is redundant.) When not suffering the woes of potty training three toddler/preschoolers, I enjoy reading, running (sometimes it's fleeing the craziness at home), reconstructing clothing, thrift store shopping and surfing Pinterest.com. (I spend way too much time there and am getting all kinds of exciting ideas for projects for my husband to do. He is less than thrilled by this.)

I love writing romance because I enjoy stories where everything works out all right in the end and the main characters have a happily ever after. My stories are set in small towns with quirky characters that take on a life of their own.

These shirts are so cute, Joselyn. Thanks for sharing!

Remember to leave a comment because May is my birthday month so I am celebrating with a fun opportunity for commenters.  You can name the shadow person in my work-in-progress!  Having that character's name will be a birthday gift I will truly appreciate. After your name is drawn on Monday, May 27 at 9 pm, I'll give you the info about the character so you can conjure up a name for him. Your name will appear in the acknowledgement section of my new mystery. Please add a note when you comment so I'll know you're interested in naming the character. Put on your thinking caps!

Thanks for visiting the J.Q. Rose blog!

Five Star Reviews for Coda to Murder

You can pick me right up off the floor right now. I landed here when I checked out the reviews for my new cozy mystery/sweet romance novel, Coda to Murder. I discovered two more FIVE STAR reviews were added to the review section at amazon.com/ for Coda to Murder!

Reviewer M. L. Lanouette said, "I enjoyed this mystery on so many levels. The mystery drew me right in, as did the romance and the inspirational message of the story. I read it in one night, couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this story."

Reviewer Rochelle Weber said, "It was a fun read about a woman who lives and practices what she believes. I can respect that, and enjoy my friend's talent for spinning a tale that keeps me on the edge of my seat wondering who did it and laughing out loud at the same time. Yeah, it's a great Contemporary-Cozy Mystery-Romance with a bit of Inspiration thrown in if you want some. I highly recommend Coda to Murder."

Download a sample of Coda to Murder at MuseItUp Publishing, amazon.com, and all major online booksellers.

A Lot of Thank Yous--Today is Release Day for Coda to Murder

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock 

that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Today is the day I've been waiting for for nine months..No not the birth of my baby, but kind of. This is release day for my new mystery/sweet romance, Coda to Murder, from MuseItUp Publishing.

So many folks have contributed to the writing of this book--fellow authors in my Koffee Kuppe Writers Critique Group, friends in the Fremont Area District Library Writers Group, Pastor Ed, and Officer Doug, and encouragement from friends and family. I listened and interpreted what they told me so if there are any errors or misinformation, it is entirely my doing!

I want to take time to say heartfelt thank yous to Lea Schizas, MuseItUp Publisher, and editors Kim Cresswell and Penny Ehrenkranz for their help in shepherding the raw manuscript into a finished e-book. I am proud to be a part of MIU knowing how important it is to the staff to offer the best book possible to their readers.

Also a huge thank you goes to my cover designer, C.K. Volnek for a spectacular, eye-catching cover that will attract readers' attention. She took a spark of an idea from me and turned it into a lovely, emotional piece of art.

I can't forget to thank all the authors at MuseItUp for their support and encouragement. Many authors who will be hosting me on the Coda to Murder virtual book tour are Muse authors. I am overwhelmed at how close people can become over cyberspace, never meeting face to face. I cherish these friendships. 

I look forward to the book tour and interacting with readers. We're kicking off the book tour at Janie Franz blog on Monday, February 25!! There will be prizes awarded at the end of the tour. Be sure to comment in order to enter the random drawing.

MuseItUp Publishing Bookstore Buy Link 

Save 25% this week on Coda to Murder.

New Mystery Cover Revealed for Coda to Murder

Huge THANK YOU to C.K. Volnek for this outstanding cover for my new mystery, Coda to Murder, to be released this Friday, February 22 by MuseItUp Publishing.  

Look for the virtual book tour to begin next week with prizes and fun as I visit fellow authors' blogs for interviews and discussions.

Please join me. See the side panel for the schedule!!

BBB: Joselyn Vaughn's The Warden's Lantern and Giveaway

Welcome to the Bodacious Blurbs Bonanza 

appearing every Wednesday for your summer reading pleasure.

Author Joselyn Vaughn has generously offered a PDF copy of the e-book to the winner of a random drawing. Please comment to enter your name in the contest.  

Winner selected on Friday at 9 p.m EDST.

Blurb:

Dark, creaking trees. Cracking thunder. A ghostly orb.

Barbara Milanowski couldn’t have picked a worse night for her amateur paranormal investigation, but she couldn’t let her longtime crush Elmer Derecho’s skeptism go unchallenged. When Elmer runs her off the road with his motorcycle and scolds her for being out in the inclement weather, her happily ever after drops with the barometric pressure and the loss of her keys and glasses. While spending time alone with Elmer was one of her fantasies, the dream date didn’t entail diving into the mud and untangling herself from a raspberry bush.

While trying to protect Barbara from the storm, Elmer’s eyes are opened to all the things in his life that are missing. Elmer had gotten comfortable with his maps and pictures and chasing tornadoes after the fact. But Barbara reminds him of his forgotten zest for adventures, and ignites his interest in the Warden’s Lantern and for Barbara.

While sheltering in a dilapidated guard house, Barbara and Elmer are drawn out of the protection by the Warden’s Lantern, the ghostly light Barbara had been trying to document. Elmer dismisses it as a trick of the electrical storm, but together they attempt to find the true source of the light. Will their shared talents solve the mystery and start a lasting relationship?

Amazon Buy Link

Kickoff to Summer Blog Hop and Giveaways

Join us June 5 and June 6 and enter for giveaways!

Today I am thrilled to welcome you to the Kickoff to Summer Blog Hop featuring author friends who are outstanding writers AND  my critique partners. When this group, dubbed the Koffee Kuppe Writers,  first met not one had a published book. Now four of the five are traditionally published with approximately fourteen books pubbed or contracted.

We, the Koffee Kuppe Writers, are gathering together online today for a fantastic, Kickoff to Summer Blog Hop. Not only will you learn  more about my special author friends, but you will have the opportunity to win the random drawing on each author's blogsite. Just leave a comment to enter. The winners will be announced on June 7.

Please visit the rest of the Koffee Kuppe Writers to discover their unique stories 
and win their great giveaways:
 Mystery author W.S. Gager, 

YA paranormal author Tess Grant, 

and Sweet Romance author Joselyn Vaughn 

on June 5 and June 6 on the

***Kickoff to Summer Blog Hop.***

Win a PDF copy of my mystery, Sunshine Boulevard, but if you can't wait for the drawing,  Sunshine Boulevard, is specially priced during this blog hop at my publisher's bookstore, Muse It Up Publishing. The winner will also receive an excerpt from my latest mystery, Coda to Murder, which will be released by MIU Publishing February 2013. You will be the FIRST to read it. AND what would be a giveaway by J Q Rose without some kind of flamingo as the prize? So you can win a cuddly flamingo too! 

Veggies from our vegetable garden.

Our Main Summer Activity

Throughout our marriage, my husband has been a gardener. Our summers are focused on gardening and eating! We have a pretty good deal worked out where he does all the soil prep, planting, weeding, fertilizing,  harvesting and I do the prep and cooking. Yep, that's it. No bugs or weeds or pickin' green beans for me.( He doesn't like the way I pick beans, therefore I am off harvesting duty. The beans are the same color as the leaves and stalks so I "overlook" the beans. He even planted purple beans several years to help me find them lurking in the green foliage. Needless to say, I even missed the purple ones! Yes, really. Purple beans are tender and turn green when you boil them.)

Can you find a green bean in here? Neither can I!

He was so intent on gardening that on our FIRST anniversary over 40 years ago, he went out to till the garden. I was shocked! No romantic, candlelight dinner? Not even a pizza from the take out pizza shop to celebrate? Needless to say I was in tears when he came in that evening. And being a man, he had no idea I had expected some celebration and romance. That was the beginning of learning to communicate with each other. After forty years we are still working on it.

We continued to garden even after having our first daughter. He loved taking her out to the garden with him.

Green, purple, yellow, and pole beans.

Bean Planting Time

Our two-year-old daughter, Sara, toddled around the spring vegetable garden as my husband carved rows to plant the bean seeds. It was a perfect evening to enjoy the outdoors. So many fun things for the little girl to explore….hoses, buckets, new plants springing up, lots of dirt and bugs.

My husband grabbed the bag of bean seeds from his pail and noticed how enthralled Sara was with the beetle-like black June bugs crawling around the dirt and through the plants. She picked them up and let them crawl along her small hands and up her arm until it tickled her, then she would shake them off and pick up another.

“Sara,” he called. “Don’t step on the onion sets, the green stuff there in front of you.”

Sara looked up from her play with the bugs. She squatted down and gently touched the delicate sprouts arising from the row of onion sets. She checked with her daddy to see if this is what he meant not to play with.  “Yes, Honey, don’t play with the plants, okay?”

He watched her for a minute and smiled as she carefully reached for another June bug. Turning his back to her, he began planting the bean seeds in the rows.

My husband heard a rustle behind him and checked to discover little Sara following him down the row. He turned back to the planting, then heard Sara crunching and chewing.

Whirling around to our daughter, he yelled, “Spit it out! Spit it out, Sara.” Fearing she had eaten a mouthful of June bugs, he rushed to her side as she slobbered out pieces of bean seeds.

What a relief. Sara ate bean seeds, not June bugs!

Sara is now a grown woman, and her sons toddle after Grandpa in the garden. So far, no grandsons have eaten the bean seeds during the spring planting….that we know of.

Through the years, we learned a LOT about gardening. We especially enjoyed sharing tips with customers who came to our greenhouse in the spring. A few years ago I decided to blog about our gardening experiences and knowledge on The Garden for Eatin'  for Practical Vegetable Gardening. If you're a gardener, you may want to check out the site to follow our journey this year. If you are the cook and like trying new recipes, please e-mail me for a copy of The Garden for Eatin' Recipe Collection with tasty recipes using fresh veggies from your garden or local farmer's market. My email address is jqrose02 at gmail dot com.

Thanks for Kicking Off the Summer with us! Comment now to be eligible for the drawing and visit the other authors in the hop to learn more about them and discover their entertaining stories. Leave a comment to win!


Wishing you a fun-filled, relaxing summer season!!