The Chicks are thrilled to welcome author pal Paula Charles to the blog today. She writes the Hometown Hardware Mysteries. She is kind enough to to do a giveaway of her newest book Axe Me No Questions to one lucky commenter today. And below she shares the adventure of installing her remodeled kitchen with her husband. Her DIY talents are enviable. DIY disaster The … Continue reading Guest Chick: Paula Charles plus a Giveaway
If I woke up one morning, let’s say it’s Feb. 2, and found myself living in an endless loop, what would I want to happen over and over? Would I relive a favorite day? My wedding day, for example? No. It was a lovely day. And back then my husband could, and did, actually pick me up and carry me over the threshold. But, we … Continue reading Let’s just do it — again
Like many people I start each January with a list of resolutions of all the things I’m going to accomplish during this calendar year. You know the list – ambitious, optimistic, unrealistic goals. Most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by March and have forgotten all about them by April. Not me. I stop actively pursuing those goals by March, but I tell (lie to) … Continue reading Never too late to start writing
I Things I love about October: leaves changing color, widely available pumpkin spice options, and Halloween decorations and movies. Leaves are ablaze with color here in the Marquette area. The most spectacular fall displays in the Upper Peninsula are actually in the Keweenaw Peninsula, in case you’re planning a visit. It’s a couple of hours drive from our home to the middle of the Keweenaw. … Continue reading Pumpkin Spice and everything nice
I missed the Chicks last week when some of them were in Nashville. Not that I would’ve seen them in person anyway. But, because they were in Tennessee — and I wasn’t! I do get a bit homesick. Not because I’ve ever lived in Nashville. I lived in and around Memphis for most of my life. My brother and his wife lived in Nashville for … Continue reading I’d like to be on the road again
My calendar is pretty open these days. It’s summer, after all. And I’m waiting on a much-needed knee replacement surgery, so I try not to walk much. I’m obsessed with made-up holidays, so I decided to look up what’s on tap for August. I’m talking to the right crowd to let you guys know: Today (August 9) is Book Lovers Day! Start reading or writing … Continue reading Make up your own holiday
My husband and I will likely drag our camp chairs down the side of our block and stake out a spot to watch Marquette’s annual July 4th parade. I love a parade as much as the next guy. I especially love marching bands. It’s hard not to admire someone playing an instrument that weighs as much as a tuba. This year the city of Marquette is … Continue reading A 25 buck memory is priceless
We’re delighted to have author pal Thomas A. Burns Jr. visiting with the Chicks today. It’s nice to have a fella on deck, since we have more authors of the female variety that hang out with us on the blog. Tom writes the Natalie McMasters Mystery and also writes stories about one of the most beloved detectives of all time —Sherlock Holmes. Today he will … Continue reading Guest Chick: Tom Burns
May 15 would have been my dad’s birthday. I shed a few tears and I texted with my brother and sister— the only two people in the world who understand that loss and who share many of my sweet memories of our wonderful daddy. Little brother pointed out that Daddy would have been 90 this year. I had lost track of time. Our dad was … Continue reading Daddy knows the drill
It’s that time of year when “yard sale” and “garage sale” signs are a common sight. One man’s junk is another’s treasure, and I’ve bought my share of both junk and treasure over the years. We all have knickknacks and odd items scattered in our homes, neither beautiful nor particularly useful, which guests could never guess the true value of. My brother bought this cut-glass … Continue reading Money can’t buy me love
It’s been a season of change for me. Winter has turned out to be much more like spring for us this year in the U.P. – much warmer temperatures overall and much less snow than past years. While hubs and I are not native Yoopers, we have lived here in Marquette 14 years now. We’ve experienced quite a few winters. This nearly snowless winter has … Continue reading Late edition
It seems my home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is receiving what lots of people across the nation were hoping to hear from Punxutawney Phil, the world’s most well-known groundhog — that there’s going to be an early spring. As Joni Mitchell famously said, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Hey, Phil, can we take it back? According to the news, Punxutawney … Continue reading Don’t Know What You’ve Got
Chicks on the Case 