Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall Reviewed

The book, Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall, took me by surprise! 

I have read several books by Tyndall and always loved them.  She is one of my favorite authors because I know I can depend on her for a great story with clean content. However, Timeless Treasure is more than a great story.  It is an exceptional historical fiction that I would highly recommend.

When I read historical fiction, I want historical accuracy.  Tyndall certainly did her "homework" for Timeless Treasure.  The story is based on a real pirate, Stede Bonnet, who was executed in 1718.  The author built a romantic story around Bonnet's real life with a fictitious tale of why he turned to pirating even though he was a well educated, wealthy landowner, married and with children. 

So many things in Bonnet's real life story seem unexpected, contradictory, perhaps even unbelievable, but they were true.  He was factually known as "The Gentleman Pirate" because of his own behavior, yet his association with Blackbeard, who was certainly no gentleman, is well documented. It should also be noted that he knew nothing about sailing prior to becoming a pirate.

The fictional suggestion that he was in love with someone other than his wife and wished to secure a separate fortune to support their life together, would be a plausible explanation for why a wealthy gentleman would turn pirate. Thus the reason this book is exceptional! 

 

Timeless Treasure Synopsis

 Chapter One takes place present day and introduces us to a decedent of Stede Bonnet.  Lexie Cain has just returned from her mother's funeral to a home where she is no longer welcome since it belongs to her step-father.  She is there only to retrieve an ancestral chest containing photos, school papers, a scrapbook, and some old letters. Flipping through the letters she discovers they were written by Bonnet. Those letters change the course of her life.

The opening paragraphs of chapter two introduce us to Stede Bonnet and the woman he loves, Melody, at the burial site of his firstborn son. We discover just how bereaved, miserable and unhappy Stede is with his life.  When Melody informs him that her father is moving her family away from Barbados to Charles Town, a city in the colony of Carolina, Stede's desperation intensifies. He must do something to change the course of his life.

Current day Lexie Cain moves to Charleston in the hopes of finding buried pirate treasure.  She gets a job in the local museum, takes the first "Bonnet" letter to a college history professor for authentication, and then finds herself the target of criminals.

As Lexie reads through the letters with the professor, Barret Johnson, we are all hearing Bonnet's tales of piracy, his longing for a life with Melody, and his plans for a happy future together.  In spite of the fact that we know from the beginning that Bonnet is hung, we hold on to the hope that it was somehow not him that was executed. That he somehow managed to find the happiness he so desperately sought.

_______________________

 

There is no way I will tell you more of the story, yet there is so much more than this brief introduction of the book, including the romance that develops between Lexie & Barrett.  

I would never wish to ruin this marvelous book for anyone else.  You deserve to be able to "walk" through this adventure for yourself.  It would be dastardly indeed for me to rob you of this experience and I refuse to do that.  After all, I am no pirate!

 Timeless TreasureCheck Price

 

Books by MaryLu Tyndall Previously Reviewed

The Liberty Bride

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Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall Reviewed by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of Tips for Photographing your Pet

Dixie Rose

 On April 10, 2021 we adopted a new dog.  We had been looking for a dog for nearly a year but had been unable to find a small dog to fit our needs.  Then, in early April, Tricia from Stray Paws Rescue contacted us and said she thought she had the perfect dog for us.  Dixie is a two year old Jack Russell Terrier who had been abandoned and was rescued by Stray Paws in January.  She was a month pregnant at the time and was brought to a foster home to have her pups and recover.  Tricia took excellent care of her and the pups and the four pups were all adopted once they were weaned.  It was then that Tricia, who had read our application, thought she would be perfect for our household.  Tricia brought her over to meet us and she is indeed a perfect fit.  She loves to follow my husband around and go on long walks with me.  Here are the first photos I took of Dixie right after she came to our house.

Photography Tips for Dogs

Now those of you who know me or have been reading my posts know that I love photography. So, when sweet Dixie arrived you just knew she would be my next photography model.  The first photos I took were quick shots to show our family and friends what the new member of our family looked like.  I knew that I would want to take some better photos once Dixie got to know me better, so I did some online research on tips on photographing dogs.  There is a wealth of information out there, but for now I thought I would share a few of the tips I have used.  I have a lot of work to do in improving my technique but it is a fun new challenge.

Use a Black Background for Classic Portraits

I found this tip on several sites and decided to give it a try.  It is not one I would have thought of on my own but I like how they turned out.  My favorite is the intro photo for this article and here are two more that I like.

This first photo shows Dixie in her classic pose every time I walk up  to her.  She rolls over on her back and waits for me to scratch her belly.  She is so cute.  This was also another tip I read to have them on their back looking up at you.

By holding up a treat I got her to sit and look up toward me.  

Keep Their Personality in Mind

On all of the tip sites that I read they suggested to get to know your pets personality and keep that it mind when taking the photos.  The following photos show some of Dixie's favorite activities.

Dixie loves to watch the squirrels in our yard and on the trees in our backyard.  She will spend hours just looking at them as you see in the two photos below.  

When Dixie is tired from her squirrel patrol you will find her curled up on the bed or on a blanket on the sofa.  Here are a couple of her resting photos.

Both of these photos also use another tip I read about online.  That is to "focus on the eyes to create depth" .   That isn't always easy to do because when I put a camera in front of my face Dixie tends to look away.  I'll have to work more on that technique.

More Photography Tips for Dogs

Here are a few more tips that caught my interest.  I will have to work on them.  Stay tuned, I see another post on dog photography after I've had Dixie for a while and have perfected some of these techniques.

• Capture Owner Pet Relationship
• Think before you Snap
• Rule of Thirds- don't always have dog in center of photo.  Look for unique angles.

Dog Toys Provide Hours of Fun

Dixie loves all types of dog toys, but I think balls are her favorite.  Here is one she recommends.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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In Two Short Weeks Gardening Will Become Everyone's Favorite Pastime!

For many Gardeners, waiting till the 21st of May is a ritual!

Garden centers all across the United States and Canada will be open for longer periods of time during that First Long Weekend and business will be brisk I'm sure!  Everyone knows that the chances of frost after this date is rare, so the plants you buy now will prosper without worry about weather conditions.

Everyone and their friends will be lined up to buy their bedding plants and vegetables that they plan on planting in whatever space they are gardening in.  

Did you know though, that you could be planning many ways in which to help your seedlings and bedding plants get off to a great start, right now?

How? 

Well let me take this opportunity to help you all become better gardeners and also become more ecofriendly too!

I'm sure that in your household there are many times through the week that you will be preparing eggs, either for breakfast or lunch or maybe in some wonderful baking.  Well, what do you do with the egg shells that are left behind from all this acitivty?

Don't throw them away!  

Egg shells are great in the garden!  

If you throw them away, you have lost a great opportunity to feed your plants naturally with what you have at hand.  I keep a metal bowl in my kitchen to catch all those egg shells.  It doesn't matter if I have shells from hard boiled eggs or from fresh eggs that I use in baking or frying.  They all go into the same bowl.  

You can keep some of the egg shells as they are and use them for potting up seeds, The shells will hold soil and you can water them easily, When you plant them in your garden the whole little shell pot goes into the soil.   I personally don't do this but you can without any problems!

When the bowl is full or I'm ready to deal with them, I take the shells and bake them for 30 minutes in an oven set to 350 degrees.  I do this to kill any bacteria (salmonella) that could be present, especially in the raw egg shells.  Once they have been baked, the shells become much easier to pulverize or to break into smaller bits.

You can use either white eggs or brown it makes no difference in the garden, just remember to bake them before adding them to your plants.

Now, here's the part that I really like.  Egg shells broken up in small bits like the ones in the picture above can be used around the base of your plants to keep slugs and snails at bay.  They really don't like the sharp edges of the shells on their tender foot!  

Eggs are a great source of calcium and your plants will thrive with that added natural fertilizer and it doesn't cost you anything more than the time to save, break, and bake them.  (Who knows, you might even use breaking up the shells as a therapy for anxiety during these times!)  

But that's not the only use that egg shells have.  If you love birds and have bird feeders in your backyards, add some broken shells into the feeders.  The birds will enjoy an extra treat and again you don't have to spend any money to give them this added bonus.  The calcium in the eggs is great for all outdoor birds.  

Is your soil a little too compacted?  Adding egg shells will act as a natural way to add some aeration to your soil mix too!  If you are like me and add worms to your garden beds, egg shells will feed your worms and the worms will feed your plants.  It's a win-win situation!  

Egg shells are totally organic and there is no need to waste them by throwing them out with the trash.  Do yourself a favor and start using them for the birds and the flowers and veggies that your are growing this year.

Add a worm farm to your garden this year if you really want to up the WOW in natural fertilizing!  I was amazed last year when I added worms to my balcony containers.  My tomatoes and cucumbers just went wild for the added benefits that the addition of the worms made.  

There are many different styles of worm farms available, or you can make your own by following the instructions on YouTube.

If you are looking for a finished worm farm set up, you can get one on Amazon right here!

This one is inexpensive and will do the trick quite nicely!

 

 If you need worms (the red wiggler ones), let me know I have thousands of them!

We need to become aware of ways in which to garden efficiently and with an eye to being as eco-friendly as possible.   Mother Nature is counting on us to do our part.

If you want to read more about worms and my garden efforts you can do that right here! Then you will understand why you need the red wigglers too!
 

Happy Spring to everyone and Happy Gardening too!
 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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How Do We Say Congratulations?

 

A Review of Graduation Congratulation Cards

With graduations coming up, it's time to look for some cards to wish the graduate well.

Saying congratulations is a message that tells someone you are happy for his/her success or good luck.  

There are many ways to express this 'acknowledgment' of a job well done, to show our approval of their accomplishments, to wish them well at their success.

We extend our 'best wishes' to a couple on their wedding and an 'awww, so sweet' to parents of a new baby, and a 'well done' at graduations.  We give a 'thumbs up' for a new job or a promotion and for success in any aspect of life.  We shout 'Yes!' and 'Alright!' when our sports team scores a touchdown or hits a home run.

Words of congratulations express our praise and approval.  It's a blessing, a flattering expression, a way to show we care even if it's shortened in today's tech world of Tweets and Texting as WTG (Way to Go).  The message is the same no matter how we say it.

Graduation Congratulation Cards

Image Source: Pixabay

Graduations are not just for high school or college. We often celebrate with graduations starting with nursery school. And a few years ago I attended my grandson's kindergarten graduation complete with caps & gowns and a diploma! It happened in the same week that I attended my oldest grandson's high school graduation! 

Let's look at a few greeting card suggestions for the many special graduation events in our lives. 

Nursery school or Kindergarten

Cat Graduation Card

This cute cat graduation card is suitable for any graduation, but especially perfect for a young cat-loving child graduating from nursery school or kindergarten.  Card is printed on a thick card with a silk finish. Comes with a white envelope. The inside is blank for your own message.  This graduation card is created by Ruth Mutch for her Etsy Shop Penguin Parade Shop.

8th Grade or Middle School Graduation

8th Grade Graduation Card

Celebrate a major milestone in a kid's life with these cute handmade, hand drawn greeting cards featuring a sweet, pudgy penguin in cap and gown (leave a note with desired school colors!!) contemplating all the good things that await them. Card in pictures is specifically for 8th grade but can be customized with whichever grade (5th, 6th, 8th, etc!) the child is graduating from. The list inside the card can also be modified - just include what you would like to be listed in your notes to the designer, along with the color for the cap and gown.

Cards created by Rebecca Miller for her Etsy Store Crafting Away the Feels.

High School Graduation

And so the adventure begins... Winnie the Pooh graduation card

The Adventure Begins Graduation Card is professionally printed on matte cardstock

The card is blank inside for room to write your message

Single cards come with an envelope. 

Card is the creation of Kel from Smiling Snapdragons on Etsy.

College and beyond

Graduation Card

Graduation Card is professionally printed on matte cardstock

The card is blank inside for room to write your message

• A2 folded card  (Size: 4.25" x 5.5")

• Blank inside for you to write your own personal note

• Letterpress with love on my 1948 Vandercook letterpress

• Printed on luxe, heavy weight 100% cotton card stock

• Paired with a coordinating colored envelope

Created by DeLuce Design on ETSY

In Summary

Source: Pixabay

This has been a sampling of the graduation cards available for your favorite graduate. For more ideas, browse here.  

Best wishes to all graduates in your future endeavors. 

*Graduation Cards Review written by (c) Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Favorite Window Cleaner Review: Sprayway

Spring cleaning in the north usually includes the windows and it can be a chore! After having the long overdue windows professionally cleaned I asked they window cleaner which product they liked to clean glass and windows. The recommendation was Sprayway.

I was not familiar with Sprayway and was kidding the window washer about how I used to clean windows old school with a homemade liquid mix and newspapers. This method worked well until the ink was changed on newspapers...where the ink now ends upon your hands and the paper disintegrates. I then changed to the infamous blue bottle spray which I found was adequate enough, but left alotof streaks.

I searched out a bottle of Sprayway to try and am very pleased with the results. No streaks! Leaves the glass or window shiny and sparkly. Easy to use and the results are worth the labor.

Affordable Price

This is a product I suggest you comparison shop for if buying online. I found a huge price discrepancy between purchasing at the usual online and buying at brick and mortar stores in the area.  The online offerings also required a multi-pack purchase. Sprayway was easily found at the local Ace Hardware store, big box hardware stores and grocery stores. 

Curbside pickup is available for each store and while not as convenient as ordering online w mail delivery the savings were significant. 

Foam Or Spray

I have only used the spray version of the product. While intrigued with a foam option I decided to stay with the spray bottle for this round of glass cleaning.

Shout out to Ace Hardware

Once again the local Ace store comes through. Both the foam and spray versions were available.Ace offers online ordering with curbside pickup plus earning points on the Ace rewards card for monetary rewards. Always a fan of the local Ace store and much prefer to shop local if possible.

More About Ace

Ace Hardware Reviewed by Wednesday Elf

Local Ace Hardware Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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