I really enjoy cozy mysteries, so as the Christmas season was approaching, I found several Christmas themed cozy mysteries that I downloaded to my Kindle. I found one set of books that contained three different cozy mysteries all about a woman named Meridith and called Merry. In these mysteries you are introduced to Merry and her interesting cast of friends who live in a small town.
Santa Slaughter
The first book in A Very Merry Murder Mystery series is set during a Christmas festival in a small town. Meridith "Merry" is in between jobs and is working as an elf in the Santa hut. Her friend Maggie has a booth by the Santa hut that sells hot chocolate. On the first day of the festival Merry is working to set up the candy canes and her helpers are getting the children in line to see Santa. The first two children enter the hut and start talking to Santa when he gets called away for a minute. When Merry goes to take the photos she discovers that Santa is not there, the children show her how he went out the back door of the hut. When Merry goes out to check on him she finds him on the ground and the mystery begins.
First Date Disaster
In the second book, Merry's life his getting on a good track. She now has a job running the cafe/coffee shop in her small town. She also has a love interest in the town veterinarian. When the book opens, they have yet to go on a date but that soon changes and things are looking up until they run into a dead body on their first date. Merry feels invested in solving the murder especially when a friend of hers becomes a suspect. Rob, her date, is supportive and helpful but what a start to a relationship! Will this work out? Will the murder be solved? You will need to read the book to discover these answers.
The Body in the Bookstore
The third book in the series takes place when one of Merry's favorite authors, Aloysius Hunt comes to town to talk about his newest book at a local bookstore. Merry's Aunt Cassie is also a big fan of the Mr. Hunt, so she comes to town to attend the event with Merry. Before the event they are serving people in the cafe when a group of big fans of the Aloysius Hunt come in for some snacks and drinks before the big event. They follow Mr. Hunt wherever he is speaking and they are very excited about his newest book.
All is going well until they are at the bookstore, and a tragic accident occurs. When it turns into a murder, it looks like they have another mystery to solve.
The Books on Amazon
The first three books in this series, along with the other six, can be purchased on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle. Here is a link to the books A Very Merry Murder Mystery
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.”
Christmas is that one time of the year when sights and sounds seem to be
everywhere! Some of them evoke strong memories in young and old alike.
There is nothing like the smells of Christmas baking, gingerbread houses,
sugar cookies decorated to tingle the senses and a host of other "seasonal
decorations" that just make you smile all over.
One of these little decorations had my "tech-savvy" grandchildren mesmerized
for quite a while and each year, they look for that decoration and enjoy it's
slow and steady movement. All without the need of any tech or
batteries!
Each Christmas when I bring out this decoration, I can't help but smile and
recount those little faces watching this windmill turning on it's axis and
listening to Christmas carols in the background.
My little windmill came to me from a trip I took to Iceland, but I'm so happy
to see a very similar one here that you can purchase to add to your Christmas
collection. There is just one caveat that must be noted! This is
not a decoration that can or should be played with. It does involve a
candle and fire, so little hands must stay away and parents need to monitor
their children around this decoration. The smile on the little faces is
worth the extra effort to keep it in a safe place.
These windmills and similar ones make a lovely tabletop decoration that will
last for years. Enjoyment comes from watching the movements of the
hanging ornaments. I have found a spot for mine that doesn't even
require that the candle be lit! Just the air currents in the home keep
my little snowflakes spinning!
On a cold winter night, with Christmas music playing in the background, these
little dancing snowflakes make a nice cozy spot to contemplate the Christmas
message and find a little peace in a rather rushed and frenzied time of year.
For your pleasure and also for your choices of designs, I have included a link
for all of the windmills available. Some have stars, others have
reindeers or nativity scenes. Some have chimes and others not.
Each one is beautiful and your tastes may be somewhat different than mine so
with that in mind please take a look for yourself and find the one that
"speaks" to you! Just click the link where it says
WINDMILL CHRISTMAS !
I'm wishing all of you some quiet, contemplative time to enjoy all the sights,
the sounds and the meaning of Christmas to you!
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.”
We have just started to use our winter fleece bedding. Most of the spring
and summer we use our bamboo bedding exclusively but when it suddenly turns
cold in autumn and winter we need something warmer and
cosier.
We love getting into a warm, cosy looking and feeling bed. There is no
sheet shock or coldness at all and it feels so comforting. I always sleep so
well in our fleece bedding. Sometimes its all fleece with both a fleece
bottom sheet and quilt cover, other times we have the fleece bottom sheet
and bamboo quilt cover, depending on the weather and how we feel. I always
feel so incredibly warm, cosy and comforted in fleece.
The Fleece Warmth Factor
Fleece bedding is lovely and warm and keeps us cosy with just the
winter quilt. We find we rarely need any additional blankets on the top. As
we are trying to save on heating bills which are now very expensive, it
really helps to have a lovely warm bed. It really came in to its own when
the temperature suddenly dropped last week and we were cocooned in warmth
and slept really well. One of the best aspects is that when you first get
into bed there is no cold sheet shock. It is warm and cosy from the very
start. Personally I don't find i overheat in fleece bedding as we
usually only use it in winter and am glad of the gentle warmth.
Fleecy Softness
I am very sensitive to textures and fabrics and allergic to many chemicals.
So i have to go for materials that are soft to the touch. Fleece bedding is
lovely for me as it feels gentle and soft against the skin. So if you have
sensitive skin it might be something to consider. I always wash bedding
before using in order to make sure anything they have used in the process is
washed out with my sensitive washing powder.
Colour and Pattern
Fleece bedding is available in many different colours. I’ve seen everything
from gentle whites, soft neutral greys, pretty pinks and florals to fun
festive tartans and muted greens and blues. We recently bought two sets one
a very gentle muted pink and one a dark warm grey.
Easy Care Fleece Bedding
I always check the label or instructions before buying, but the fleece
bedding sets we use go straight in the washing machine at 30 degrees, which
makes life easier. It is generally tumble dry or line dry and no ironing!
Either way I find it generally dries quite quickly. I love that there is no
need for ironing and often labels say no iron which is great as one less
task to do. In my experience it doesn't have an issue with wrinkling or
creasing and looks great on the bed. This is ideal when busy, if you dislike
ironing like me or find it difficult. It is brilliant to just wash, dry and
back on the bed!
I would always be super happy with any fleece bedding as a gift. I also
love giving it as a gift. The only thing you really need to know is
the persons size of bed. I have bought fleece bedding for family members in
the past and it has always been well received. We often had it on the spare
bed when our family came to stay and they loved it, which was a good
indication they would appreciate it as a gift. I usually buy safer colours
for gifts so white or cream or other calm neutrals like light grey or
taupe. Otherwise if its for your own household or you know a person or
couple are open to different colours, there is usually a great variety to
choose from including brights, florals, patterns and themes. It strikes a
great balance between being very practical and useful but also quite luxury,
so perfect for gifting!
In the colder, harsher months I love to create bedroom sanctuaries with
warm cosy fleece bedding, safe flameless candles or fairly lights and lovely
pillows, quilts and cushions. It is a real cosy treat for yourself or a
loved one. The only problem you might have is if you are like me getting out
of bed in the winter mornings!
Reviewing Warm Fleece Bedding Perfect For Winter and Gifting by Raintree Annie
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.”
This years' favorite gadget purchase is a tie! It was a close race between a few contenders, but the Kebtek Cordless Pruning Shear lands in the top two gadgets purchased this year.
Which begs the question as to what product did the Electric Pruning Shear tie with ? The Cordless Leaf Blower which is another household favorite with the split vote of which product wins best purchase of the year.
Power
I found the shears very powerful. Powerful enough to cut through medium size tree branches with ease. The small size of the shears hide the amount of power generated.
Operation
One safety feature is the shears do not cut continuously without pushing the button to engage. So if a branch needs four cuts that would be four times the button must be pushed; mentioning for those with tender hands.
Charging
One of the best features of the Kebtek Pruning Shear is the inclusion of two batteries and the very smartly designed charging unit. The convenience of having two batteries charged and ready to go really makes this unit a stand out. Competitors charge additional for a second battery. The batteries are 2ah rechargeable lithium.
Storage Case
A hard sided plastic storage case comes with shears for easy storage. The case has a handle for carrying and is slim so can quickly be stored in narrow spaces.
Gift Idea
This is definitely on the list for the gift a homeowner didn't know they needed! But will love the gift and appreciate your kindness to make their gardening and DIY lawn maintenance so much easier and maybe more enjoyable 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.”
Lately, I've been tripping over Carl Jung videos—or more accurately, the algorithms on my social media seem determined to hand them to me.
At first, I would scroll past quickly, recognizing the name but not feeling any real connection to it. Then one day, something made me pause. I watched one short, then another, and before I knew it, I was engulfed in the powerful narrative-style video presentations. Snippets of his writings, reflections, and interpretations—layered with voiceovers that somehow went straight to the center of me.
It felt less like stumbling onto something new and more like something familiar tapping me softly on the shoulder. Something I was meant to hear now, at this time in my life.
Who Was Carl Jung?
I'll be honest: I had to go look up his credentials. We all know the name, but I didn't know the years he lived or the full weight of who he was.
Carl Jung (1875–1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of analytical psychology. His work reached far beyond traditional psychology, exploring dreams, symbols, mythology, spirituality, and the unconscious.
He gave us concepts like archetypes, the shadow self, synchronicity, and one of his most profound ideas: the journey of individuation. Once I started reading more about him, everything I'd been watching began to connect in a way that felt eerily personal.
Individuation: The Message That Stopped Me Cold
Of all the Jung videos I've watched, the one that stopped me cold was about individuation.
Jung described it as the lifelong process of becoming your true self—the self you were meant to be before life, expectations, obligations, or other people guided you off course.
The video explained individuation as a kind of "going home," not to any physical place, but returning to the inner self you were originally designed to grow into. And that struck me deeply.
At 65, I can feel myself moving in that direction—not in a dramatic way, but in a quiet, profound way. I wish I could remember every word from the video, because the message landed with such force. What stays with me is the recognition that I am finally circling back to who I was meant to be all along. It's a combination of bravery, but not really bravery, and anger.
I found this eBook on Amazon about Carl Jung's "Individuation." - Note, I haven't read it; I included it for anyone interested.
The Pull Away, and the Pull Back
What unsettled me most was how clearly Jung's message mirrored my own life.
From childhood onward, it was so easy to be pulled off course—into other people's ideas of who I was, what I should do, who I should become.
I remember being seen as delicate, even though I knew I was anything but. I wasn't upset by the misunderstanding; I was puzzled by it. I knew that wasn't me, even if I didn't yet know how to show who I truly was. Flash forward to today, my best friend often reminds me how strong I am. She sees me.
And Jung's explanation—that our original direction can be interrupted or reshaped by the world—made me see how far I had drifted without even realizing it.
Yet here I am, decades later, feeling a powerful pull back toward the girl I was at five—the girl who instinctively knew who she was!
I'm Trying Not to Be Angry - This is Personal, But I Have to Say I'm Dealing With That Feeling Right Now
I'm trying not to be angry, because I'm not an angry person. I don't believe in living in an angry space.
Truly, I don't carry anger or fear around with me. I feel it when it happens, and let it go, as I will with this anger. Psalm 23 repeats in my mind constantly, and it saves me.
But these Jung videos stirred something that surprised me. Not anger toward anyone—not my parents, not the world—but something closer to grief mixed with frustration.
Anger at myself. And yet, how can I be angry at a five-year-old child who simply loved, and wanted, and felt the need to play the piano?
At five years old, the piano felt natural to me. My teacher made sure to let my mother know that I had a gift. But when we moved away to another province, my parents were focused on building a life.
When my mother said we couldn't afford a piano—and I couldn't take lessons without one—I felt THEIR stress immediately. We had previously lived with my mother's parents, who had a piano.
So even though the piano awakened my soul, I didn't insist. I didn't plead. It wasn't in my nature to burden anyone. And so the piano-playing version of me slipped quietly out of existence.
But the writing version of me never left.
From eight years old onward, the poems, lyrics, and lines that arrived in the middle of chores, or in quiet moments, just kept coming. From humor to world events to parents to made-up lyrics, it was all penned to paper.
They're collected in my book We Will Have Morning Smiles—fifty years of my world in words. And now, as I put those words to music—finally allowing them to breathe in the way I now know they were meant to—I can't help but think that if piano had stayed in my life, I might have been doing this decades sooner.
Here's how I'm dealing with lost time: I've created a Time-Traveling version of me (lol, that creative side just won't leave) - You can check out the two "Back to the Future" shorts I've created so far. They're on this playlist from YouTube:
******************
The next curveball came after high school.
In high school, I was accepted into three universities for psychology, a field I had long wanted to pursue. But again, I was talked out of it. Steered elsewhere. Redirected. It only lasted a year before life pulled me into yet another path that wasn't mine.
So yes, I do feel angry at myself for letting others steer me: friends, family, men, expectations, interpretations. I'm legitmately p*ssed.
And yet, through Jung's lens, I now understand that this reckoning is part of the return journey. Part of going home to myself.
I don't want to leave this earth, when it's finally my time, without becoming my truest, most whole self. That self is the one who writes. The one whose words are her spirit and her soul.
The one who puts those words to music, spoken voice, or anything else that lets them live. I want to leave that behind. Every last piece of who I really am.
I need to return home, to me. And most of all, forgive everything, everyone, especially myself.
If you'd like to listen to my words, put to music, here's a playlist of what I've completed so far of the hundreds of lyrics and poems I've written over nearly 57 years. Every song includes information about when the words were written and the story behind them. "Measures" is my most recent, written at 64. I'm sharing work from 1968 (I was 8 then) til today, and tomorrow's words that are yet to come.
In closing, I'm reminding myself that it is THIS life that I lived, not the one I thought I should have, that inspired these poems and lyrics. And, my children are the best reason I took this path.
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.”
