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I'm blogging over at Prairie Chicks Write Romance today. We're sort of taking the holidays off but we're still blogging. Last week was stories and this week we're doing recipes. Leftover recipes, that is. The other Chicks have posted recipes for a Wassail bowl and Plum Pudding as well as using leftover turkey and cranberries. My recipes today are for Eggnog Bread and Mashed Potato Candy . Great reasons to clean out your fridge before the new year, if you're so inclined. You also have just a few more days to enter the Prairie Chicks Anniversary Contest. So what are you waiting for? Hoping you're showered with blessings in the coming year. Anita Mae.

I'm blogging over at Inkwell Inspirations today. The theme is: Fear Not, For Behold! Since I already did a blogpost on fear when I reviewed Max Lucado's book Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear, I wanted to do something different this time. Because I'm still enjoying the Christmas holidays, the Nativity story is still on my mind. I started thinking about the fear the shepherds would have faced as they stood out on the hill above Bethlehem and the heavens opened in a choral song. What would I have done? Quaked in fear? Run? Fainted? As usual, my imagination took over.  The story is about a cocky young shepherd named Nathaniel and what happened to him on the night Jesus was born. If you have a few minutes, please join us there.

It's Christmas Eve and I've posted a story for you over on the Prairie Chicks Write Romance blog. All the Chicks are posting Christmas stories this week and it's my turn today. It'll only take a couple mins to read and it's called, 'The Shepherd' . Next week we'll be posting recipes to help you clean up those Christmas leftovers. Anyone who leaves a comment between Dec 20th and Jan 2nd will have their name entered to win a fabulous gift basket from the Chicks. The more days you comment, the better your chance to win. Comments posted here will not be entered as you must post them on the Prairie Chicks Write Romance blog. I collect Nativity sets and have photos of my kids' favorite set here. I have more photos of my collection over on the Chicks blog today, so head on over, read my short work of fiction and view the pics. Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Anita Mae Draper.

Prairie Chicks Write Romance is having a Christmas Contest! On Jan 1st, the Prairie Chicks will celebrate their one year of blogging anniversary and we'd like to thank our readers by holding a contest. Visit  Prairie Chicks Write Romance any time between Dec 20 - Jan 2nd and leave a comment. The more you visit and comment, the more chances you have to win. For the prize, each of the 7 regular Chicks will send the winner an appreciation gift. Don't forget to leave your email address using (dot) and (at) so the web spammers don't get it. For a special treat, all this week the Chicks will be posting seasonal stories followed by seasonal recipes next week. Here's a photo of my stocking. My mom made it from felt approx 50 yrs ago and I used it regularly until 2008. I now display it to preserve it.

Busy day today. Workers were in yesterday to put the new carpet in the livingroom/hall and new vinyl in the bathroom. Wow! Looks like a new house. Well, except it makes the worn lino in the diningroom/kitchen look...old and...worn. We had to empty the diningroom to put all the livingroom furniture in it while they put the carpt down. So now that the everything's back in the livingroom, I get to wash the lino floors before we bring the diningroom furniture back in. Lucky me! Meanwhile, I'm listening to Christmas music to get in the spirit of cleaning which isn't one of my favorite things to do - the cleaning that is - I love the music. I'm also  blogging over at Prairie Chicks about how I've had to move my writing cave from it's original productive spot in the livingroom to the sunroom, the garage, back into the house, etc. I have pics, too, including one with my new burgundy wall. Love it! Speaking of pics - one of these days I'll post before and after pics...

Ouch! Temp was   -35C/-31F this morning but it felt like -47C/-52F with the windchill.  I needed to travel 1.5 hrs south today to bring the boys to a Kid's Christmas party for hubby's work. It's a free 2 hr swim plus games, food, Santa and a $25 gift. The boys look forward to this party so off we went. Although it was cold, the sun was glistening off the snow. I thought I'd show you some photos I took on Thurs. The first one is the Sacred Heart church right in Montmartre. I really like this photo except I wish the telephone pole and lines weren't in the way. This second photo was taken on the way to Montmartre and is just a snowy grain bin scene that caught my eye. I don't know how long we'll be in this deep freeze but I sure wish it'd go away for awhile. I don't mind it being this cold in Jan when all I have to do is huddle in the house but with only 11 days before Christmas, I've got places to go and gifts to buy. So how's the weather in yo...

Today over at Prairie Chicks Write Romance , guest blogger Lisa Mondello is giving away a 2 book set to one person who leaves a comment on her Making Inspiration Real post. Lisa writes Love Inspired Suspense for Steeple Hill and the book giveaway is for her Cradle of Secrets and Her Only Protector . Here are the questions being asked today: So, as a reader, what sucks you into a story? And as a writer, is it easier to start with a blank or partially filled canvas? Now head on over to Prairie Chicks and leave a comment to get your name in for these 2 inspirational suspense romances.

Christine Rimmer is back over at Prairie Chicks Write Romance for Part 2 of her Creating a Series post.  Part 1 was posted last Sat. Christine will be giving away a signed book from her backlist—winner’s choice, subject to availability—to one person who comments on either Part 1 or Part 2 of this 'Creating an Ongoing Series' post. Please include your email address in your comment. But you have to comment over at Prairie Chicks to be entered. Today's photo is of the frost in my kitchen window taken just after sunrise. At first I puzzled over the circular patterns at the 4 and 5 o'clock position until I recognized them. They were made from my flyswatter. LOL

I've been busy blogging and answering comments about being a movie extra over at Inkwell Inspirations today. The theme is Life Lessons and I used the movie extra or backgrounder to show the lessons my kids have discovered while working as these invisible people. If you get a chance, head on over and whether you read my post or just scan it, I'd like to know your answers to these questions: - Have you ever worked on a TV or movie set? - Have you ever wanted to? - Which movie or TV show would you want to work on if you had a choice out of everything? The photo is what my yard looked like when I went outside today. A humble example of God's handiwork.

I'm blogging over at Prairie Chicks Write Romance today about a secret exercise. Since I've talked about Emma's secret so much, I thought I'd use the exercise to delve into Dan's secret. I was thoroughly surpised then when I discovered something I should have known all along. Now to slip it into my Emma's Outlaw story. And a-tweaking we will go...