Maybe it's the glorious weather. Maybe it's "Tate" and the rest of the Texas McKettricks. Maybe it's that I'm not you-know-whatting anymore. Yesterday I missed the blog entirely, and today I'm late, so there you have it. Blog-challenged. Not exactly breaking news, but you see, when I miss a post, my sister Sally gets concerned. She decides I'm in trouble and immediately begins mounting a rescue effort. :) So for her sake, and for any of you who might have so much free time that you engage in similar worries (smile here), I'm just fine.

This morning, I woke up at 4:30, which is usual for me, and took the dogs outside, brought them upstairs for their breakfast, and then sat at my table staring into space. The dogs always settle down on their cushy beds and go back to sleep once they've chowed down--and it looked like a fine idea to me. (The sleeping, not the chowing down.) So back upstairs I went to my own cushy bed and slept nearly four more hours. Luxury.

I'll be writing tonight, but that's okay. I'll be in good company--dogs and cats and McKettricks!

I'll be back on Monday. Enjoy your Independence Day and be safe.

Yesterday I received copies of my August book, "The Bridegroom", and once again, I was blown away by the great cover. (Harlequin's art department, and the fabulous Margie Miller, are the very best.) Margie was also responsible for the Creed covers, which I adore.

The same day I leave on my tour, July 24, this installment of the historical Stone Creek series (Gideon's story) will hit the stores. Even though I've had 80-plus books released over the course of my long career, the thrill is as big as ever.

In the meantime, though, things are poppin' down there in Blue River, Texas, where the new crew of McKettricks hang their hats. Who knows what Tate and Libby will be up to today. Just when I think I know what those two are about to do, off they go in a whole new direction. All my characters are unpredictable, but the McKettricks work harder at it than most. :)

One of my zinnias is about to bloom! I am SO excited. All you veteran gardeners out there are probably rolling your eyes, but, hey, it's all new to me. The plants are tall now, but I remember poking seeds into the little peat pots in one of those indoor greenhouse things and waiting (and waiting) for them to sprout up through the soil. My green onions are doing that now, and my Swiss chard is ready to be thinned. It takes me half an hour, anyway, just to water the flowers and herbs and vegetables growing on my deck--but I'm not complaining. It's a sort of meditation for me--I talk to the plants just as I talk to my dogs and cats and horses.

The 4th is coming up. Just a gentle reminder--fireworks can be very frightening for pets. It's a good idea to keep them in and give them a lot of reassurance. (How would YOU feel if things suddenly started exploding all around you and you had no idea what was happening????)

Mary Ann continues her comeback. She could so easily have died of this illness, but God was watching over her and she got help just when she needed it most. She is an inspiration to all the rest of us, in so many ways.

I am loving this beautiful summer weather. So are all my plants, and my horses, too. I think it would take a hurricane to make them go back in the barn. :) They like spending their nights under the stars, and don't even seem to mind the rain.

May you be blessed.

I'm not going to bore you with Linda's-not-smoking reports for a while--suffice it to say, I'm feelin' good and doing really well. It's so nice to breathe freely. YES! If I blow it, I'll let you know on this blog. As long as you don't see it here, you'll know I'm still smoke-free.

Mary Ann says she feels better than ever before, and considering what she went through, that's pretty amazing. If you know my cousin, you know she always says what she means--and I can verify it. She's like a different person, full of gratitude to a good and merciful God and getting stronger every day. She's already talking about coming back to work, but that isn't going to happen until her doctor says so. (Mary Ann may be the Trail Boss, but I OWN this outfit. :)) When I look into her eyes, I see the younger Mary Ann, the spirited one I've known for all but six months of my life and ALL of hers.

As for me, I'm living my dream. I'm WRITING, my very favorite thing to do. I'm raising flowers and vegetables--today, my green onions began to pop up through the soil, incredibly tiny, reaching for the sun. I have my pets around me, and every once in a while, I slap a dab of paint on something or whip up an ATC. Lately, I've been trading with my 12 year old niece, Karmen. She makes a great card.

It's all good.

And I am so grateful.

Air. It's a delicious sensation, breathing. :) I'm getting better at it every day.

It is so good to have the Trail Boss back on the ranch. Mary Ann is recovering nicely, more like her old self and in some ways, even better. Her attitude is totally positive. Like me, she's grateful for every breath--this round, quitting smoking is something to celebrate, withdrawals and all, not suffer through.

My deck-garden is taking off--I've even got Swiss chard planted out there. Onions, too, though those haven't broken through to the surface yet. The green pepper plant is forming tiny buds, the tomatoes are thriving, and the herbs, well, I'm already able to use those. My mint plant is a special favorite--I make tea from the leaves, adding some lemon balm.

Sadie is under 32 pounds, and doing great. (Although she'd tell you, without your even asking, that I'm starving her.) :) Beagles, it seems, are compulsive overeaters. They don't have to be hungry--they will eat until they burst.

In closing, a few words in remembrance of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

Jackson was a big part of my daughter's childhood. Wendy loved "Thriller"--and so did I. Whatever the allegations, his talent was truly remarkable. I imagine Wendy feels the same way I did when John Lennon was killed--bereft.

Farah Fawcett had a lot of us (who were young in the 70s) layering our hair and trying to toss it back over our shoulders the way she did. She fought a wicked disease with courage and shared her strength, even in weakness, with as many other people as she could in that recent documentary. It would be a pity to remember her for her beauty alone. This lady, my friends, had guts.