Jeffree Wyn Itrich's Blog, page 3

Getting antsy.............We're three months out from Th...

 

Getting antsy.............

We're three months out from The Wedding Dress Quilt publication day. August 25th for those of you keeping score. I'm both ecstatic and terrified. I shouldn't be because this will be my fourth book, plus I've been in 13 Chicken Soup for the Soul titles and had so many articles published that I long ago lost count. Still, The Wedding Dress Quilt occupies a special spot in my heart. Why?

WDQ takes place in Texas, which is where my mother's side of the family goes back four generations. I'm a proud fifth-generation Texan. Many would argue that I'm not because I was born in California. That's just a minor technicality. Half of me bleeds Texas red and I'm proud of that. It took 30 years to get here, but eventually, I did, with a husband and a cat in tow. From the day we rolled into town, we knew that we made the right decision moving halfway across the country. I bring all of this up because it happens to Lisbeth in WDQ, too. The cross-country move was not the only major event that Lisbeth and I share. When we settled in I discovered a lot of family in Texas that I didn't know existed. Much like Lisbeth who before she moved to Texas had no idea that she was born in Texas and had more relatives than she could count on all her toes and fingers. Okay, so Lisbeth and I share a few life events. You'll have to read the book to find out about the others. 

I'm pretty sure that I am not the first or only author to dip into my family history and borrow aspects of our family sojourn as background or fodder for colorful scenes. Is this my memoir? Absolutely not. Lisbeth and I simply share a few experiences and circumstances. Had my family settled in Alaska in the 19th century the book would probably have been based in Sitka or Ketchikan or Skagway instead of Waxahachie in Texas. As you read through the book, I'm sure you'll wonder if a given scene really happened to someone in my family or to me or did I shape an event to fit into WDQ. If you're really curious, email me. I keep no secrets. 

Getting back to why WDQ occupies a special place in my heart: it's as much a part of me as my physical being. From the first moment that I started thinking about Lisbeth's story, I realized that the story had been fomenting for years and years. I wrote it down, and discovered that it was only about 1,500 words, a short story. A friend read it and asked why I didn't write it as a novel, in other words, add 50-60,000 more words. I couldn't fathom it. I said everything I wanted to say, and yet something was niggling me, pushing me to add to the story. It took five years and eventually, the story blossomed into what you read today. I'm pretty happy with it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. I'd love to know what you think of The Wedding Dress Quilt.

Till next time,

Jeffree Wyn

Happy Belated Mother's Day!I meant to post this message o...

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

I meant to post this message on Sunday to wish all you mamas out there a glorious day. Obviously, that didn't happen, so I'm going to Plan B. Who says we should be honoring and cherishing our mothers on just one day a year? I am starting a new tradition that calls for celebrating mothers for a whole week. And if my mama were still alive today (that's her in the photo above) I could shower her with love all week long. So, I didn't miss the big day, since I've got seven days to celebrate her. If only she were here. It's been 18 years since she left us and I still miss her terribly.
After she suffered a stroke at age 78 and developed dementia not long after, she lost bits and pieces of her memory every day. She still knew who I was, as well as my brothers and sister, and we were grateful for that. 
What bothered me most was that she had lived an extremely vibrant and interesting life, and just when she should have had those memories to recall in her later years, she had no idea that she was the executive assistant to Darryl Zanuck, one of Hollywood's major producers and studio executives. She didn't remember any of the stories she told us about what really went on in Hollywood; some of them were real doozies. 
She didn't know that she turned heads when she walked down a street. And that many people mistook her for the famed actress, Ava Gardner. 
She didn't remember that our father gave her a pink Cadillac convertible that made the whole town turn and look when she drove it anywhere. 
She didn't know that we moved to Honolulu in 1963, where we lived on a beach in a mansion that used to belong to the Vanderbilts. I tasted my first kiwi, mango, and papaya fruit off the trees in our yard. Coconut too. 
She didn't remember attending a fundraiser for Richard Nixon in 1960 and when she returned home said she wouldn't vote for him because she didn't like his nose. She argued that a man with a nose like that couldn't be trusted. Though he didn't win in 1960, and did win in 1968, she was proven right with the Watergate scandal. 
Though she saw my sister and I marry she didn't get to witness the successes we achieved in our work lives. Fortunately, she did get to meet and dearly love her grandchildren. 
She didn't know that she could cook as well as any major chef. Whenever we'd eat out in a new restaurant, she would make notes of any new dishes, go home, and practice making them in our kitchen until hers were exact replicas of the restaurants. 
Mama didn't realize how artistic she was, that she sculpted, created glass mosaics, knitted, sewed, made candles, created decoupage, macrame, woodworking, stained glass, and a few dozen other crafts that I can't remember. She was always making something. My sister and I have no doubt that we got our creative streaks from her. 
I knew that she was really slipping one day when I called her to let her know that I made her recipe for lemon bars and that it turned out perfectly. She paused for a few moments then asked, "What's a lemon bar?" I felt my heart breaking. I told her what it was and she responded that it sounded good but why did I say it was her recipe. Trying to keep my voice from cracking I explained that she had developed the recipe, and that she used to frequently make them. She responded, "Oh." I knew at that moment that not only did she not understand what a lemon bar was, she didn't know what a recipe was either. 
It's hard enough to lose your mama; no one can fill her shoes. I would add that it's even harder to lose your mama when her memories are gone.  

Temps are Rising, Looks like Summer is on its WayFunny th...

Temps are Rising, Looks like Summer is on its Way

Funny thing about the Lonestar State. None of our seasons stick around for very long, well, except for summer. She just loves to hover over the whole state, drenching us with humidity, and making our hair stick out like cotton bolls. Summer also attracts every bug that can fly, walk, or catch a ride on a horse, cattle, bird, or anything that moves. The bugs have work to do and are bound and determined to start their chores. I'm not talking about the lovely pollinators because really, who can argue with a bug that makes the flowers bloom and brings fruits and vegetables to our gardens? 

Nope, I'm talking about the nefarious kinds, the ones that bite. Sure as shineola, as soon as the temps rise to 80+ degrees those critters start biting. Take this evening for example. I stepped outside to revel in the jaw-dropping sunset and looked up toward the sky to feel a soft breeze graze my face. Nearby a few fireflies buzzed around the intoxicating honeysuckle. Spring at its finest. If I didn't know better I woulda thought I was on the front cover of an issue of Southern Living Magazine. Sounds idyllic, right? Not exactly. 

Just as I was melting into my reverie, something invaded my daydream. That "something" bit me on a finger, then another bite on a different finger. By the time I flew up the back porch steps and into the house, I had five bites. I never saw a single one of the ne'er-do-wells, but I knew exactly who they were -- the infamous No-See-Ums! You think I'm joking? I kid you not.

 Actually, they do have a more scientific name -- biting midges. Name or no name, they make spending time outdoors unpleasant. If there's an upside to these nasty critters it is that they have a relatively short lifespan. Adult midges live only two to seven weeks. I wish I could tell you that they disappear after that. They don't. Their offspring replaces them and the generation after that keeps the cycle going. And on and on it goes until a few cold storms freeze them out in early winter and they disappear until the following summer. Meanwhile, all you can do is spray yourself with Deet or an essential oil like eucalyptus. Apparently, they don't like eucalyptus. That's probably why you'll never get bit in Australia or California where eucalyptus trees grow like weeds. 

My first summer living in Texas I decided to figure out why the darn bugs will fly 150 miles to bite me. Because truly, it seemed like they were coming in from everywhere just to dine on me. I discovered that they're  attracted to moisture, warmth, carbon dioxide, and lactic acid, and we lucky humans emit this stuff all day long. Animals do too, but with a nice layer of fur, they don't get bitten as often as humans. Evidently, I am one big ole juicy bundle of deliciousness. Just my luck. Fortunately, I've got plenty of Deet and eucalyptus spray to cover myself until winter arrives.

 

Spring has Sprung in TexasIn many parts of the country, ...

 Spring has Sprung in Texas

In many parts of the country, snow is either still on the ground or still falling. But not here in central Texas. We saw several days with temps in the 80s last month, and now in March, we're relishing 70 degrees, my favorite time of year. Flowers have begun to bloom, especially our beloved state wildflower, the bluebonnet, and daffodils, tulips, and roses, to name just a few. And the redbud and fruit trees are showing off their flowery blooms as they prepare for the next cycle. It's so pretty outdoors it's enough to make a person cry. See what I mean? Don't these photos make your eyes water, just a bit? 
  
I assure you that I am not the only person in Texas who gets excited over bluebonnets and wildflowers. If there's a significant field of bluebonnets, rest assured that there will be cars and trucks parked bumper to bumper along the roadside, with families spilling into the field for moms and dads to take photos of their kiddos sprawling in the flowers. It's kinda a rite of passage in Texas; everybody does it. But of course, that doesn't make it right. "What?" you say? Yeah. If you walk among the bluebonnets trampling them before they go to seed, they won't sprout up next year. And that would be a real shame. Instead of walking in a bluebonnet field take those pretty photos of the kiddos standing in front of the field, not in it. You'll achieve the same effect, and you'll preserve the bluebonnets for a return performance next year. 
And then there is the not-so-obvious, possibly dangerous reason not to walk in a knee-high bluebonnet field. Snakes. Yep, snakes. They are known to hide in the foliage. If it's high and thick, you might accidentally step on one, and that would definitely spoil your outing. Take a look around. Can't see the ground? Then err on the side of caution. There could be a snake, poisonous or otherwise, lurking in the field. Probably not a chance you want to take with your kids. Bear in mind that snakes, especially rattlesnakes are not looking to tangle with you, rather they're looking for their next meal: rodents that are attracted to the fragrant scent of bluebonnets, and snakes know that. It's one big buffet out there for the copperheads and rattlers. 



Of course with all this flowery splendor, the temps and humidity will rise and the skeeters will soon be along en mass. I used that term a few days ago with a friend who doesn't live in Texas. She asked what a skeeter is. I immediately thought --"lucky you!" It's this guy, the bad boy bloodsucker of the insect world:


I've already seen a few on the back porch and fortunately, they're ignoring me, for now, which is a good thing. With complete confidence, I can tell you that if there's a skeeter within 50 miles of my house, it will find me. And all his friends and family will find me too. And they will bite me mercilessly. I will swell up like a circus balloon in minutes. It won't be long before I can't sit on my porch without getting bitten, which means it's time to set up my mosquito deterrent device. I bought it a couple of years ago and I must say it does a marvelous job at keeping the skeeters off the porch. If I leave the porch I have to douse myself with a mosquito deterrent spray, which I detest, but subject myself to because it sure beats getting bitten. 
Until the skeeters take up residence on my porch, for now, I'm good. I can sit there drinking a cup of tea or a glass of wine in the evening, and watch the light wane until day turns to night. Right about then my dog will likely remind me that it's time for supper, and he will keep reminding me until he convinces me that feeding him would be easier and quieter than listening to him barking and barking and barking to get my attention. And he's right about that. 
Till next time....

Family secrets, a second chance at love, and a stalker ―...

 

Family secrets, a second chance at love, and a stalker ―  trouble is right around the corner.

It's been five years in the making, and finally, my book The Wedding Dress Quilt is seeing the light of day. At least a preview is. It will be published on August 25, 2024, by C&T Publishing. Though I signed a contract with C&T in the spring of 2023, I could not go public with it until now. Here is the cover folks, and I could not be happier with it. Pretty right? I'm sure you're wondering what it's about.

Adopted as an infant, art quilter Lisbeth James has no clue about the family waiting for her. After her maternal grandmother dies, Lisbeth inherits the family home and travels to Waxahachie, Texas to claim her inheritance. There, she finds long-lost family, a man who makes her heart flutter, a feeling she has not known since the passing of her former fiancé, and a hidden treasure―a stunning wedding dress― that inspires her to make a double wedding ring quilt. Yet beneath the newfound joy, she discovers a stalker and unknown pieces of her past.


Weaves timeless themes cherished by readers of all ages: second chances, finding family, and new love.

The relatable main character, an avid quilter, stumbles upon her mother's unworn wedding dress, inspiring her to create an extraordinary, prize-winning double wedding ring quilt.

The main character confronts her deepest fears, embraces life-altering challenges, and uncovers the darkness that follows her to a small town in Texas.




To be published in August, 2024 by C&T Publishing. For more information on local appearances, contact Jeffree Wyn Itrich: jeffreewyn@gmail.com 254-242-6263Available for preorder: https://www.amazon.com/Weddin.../dp/1644035162/ref=sr_1_1

What Would Mama Think?Earlier this month, Mama would hav...

 

What Would Mama Think?

Earlier this month, Mama would have turned 101 years old. When she died at age 83, she lamented that she didn't get to live to be 100. Until she lay dying, I didn't know that she harbored such a lofty goal. Unfortunately, her health didn't allow her to live to that ripe, old age. It's now been 18 years since she left us and not a day passes that I don't think of her.  
As the years have passed without her, I've wondered what she would think about each of us, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I would hope that she would be proud of us, and happy that we turned out okay. I also wonder what she thinks of our new world, and how divided our country has become. How what used to be thought of as wrong, has become the new right. 
I try not to dwell on such thoughts, even though our new society swirls around me and it's hard to ignore. Instead, I try to stay focused on the good. I relish news stories that feature people doing good and noble things in their communities, people who help others, even though they may not have much to call their own, and people who step up during a crisis, because it's the right thing to do. People who exemplify the best of humanity. I like to think that there are more of the latter than people who are all for themselves. 
One thing I do know is that doing good for others generates more goodness. When you do something for another person, you not only feel uplifted yourself, but you send kindness down the line. The person who is on the receiving end of your altruism is more likely to do the same for another. It's become a common phrase: "paying it forward." Practicing decency, graciousness, and generosity daily begets more goodness in others. And God only knows that we could use a whole lot more of that in this world. 
I'm not talking about giving a million dollars that you don't have to charity, rather, hone in on simple things. Take an elderly neighbor to a doctor's appointment. Mow a single mom's lawn. Bake cookies for a shut-in. Read books to young children at your local library. Volunteer in a soup kitchen. Next time you're at the grocery store, help a mother with a cart full of food to load her groceries into her car. 
Not everyone commits to a New Year's resolution at the start of each year. If you haven't, it's not too late. If it's something you'd like to do, there's an extraordinarily meaningful one you can start doing today. One you can do every day and make a difference in our world. Go out and do something good for somebody. Look around you. There's always someone who can use a helping hand. 
Till next time.............

I'm in a New Book! Just a short note to let you know that...

I'm in a New Book! 

Just a short note to let you know that I'm in a new Chicken Soup for the Soul book -- Me and My Dog. I am so very grateful to have a story in this compilation of dog stories, available Feb 6th. This will be the 13th CSS book featuring one of my stories. You can preorder on Amazon or check your local bookstore on Feb 6th. If you like the book, please leave a review on Amazon. Every review counts to get the word out about this heartwarming book.
https://amzn.to/4aQCQVp

Exciting News Coming SoonAs many of you know who are reg...

 

Exciting News Coming Soon

As many of you know who are regular readers of this blog, I have a new novel coming out in August. Yesterday I learned the actual publication date -- August 25th. And.....drumroll.....at the end of February I'll be able to share with you the name of the book, a few details about the story, and an image of the book cover. I have been chomping at the bit to share all of this with you, and have had to exercise complete patience in waiting. (Not my biggest virtue.) We're almost there, so stay tuned.  
Now back to our regular programming...........an Arctic blast is soon to be blowing through Texas. Same one that's gonna cause havoc in the northern and eastern states. The reason this is a big deal here is that WE AREN'T USED TO COLD.  We have few seasons here, it's mostly hot or warm most of the time. We don't own hard winter clothing, but we do have closets full of flip-flops, shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops. Fortunately, I own clothing that I can layer, a warm coat, a drawer full of socks, and several pairs of boots. I'll survive. 
When Snowmaggedon practically shut down Texas in February, 2021, it wasn't pretty. Lots of people lost power, frozen pipes burst, and accidents occurred everywhere as people's cars and trucks did slip-n-slide all over the roads. We fared well without incident then, and am hoping to do the same this time. If there was a bright spot during Snowmaggedon it was watching the neighborhood kids making snow angels outside in their yards, and seeing townsfolk skiing down streets, using a water ski-like handle and rope attached to the back of pickup trucks driven by friends and family. The skiers would yell out like they were riding a bronc or bull in a rodeo, something they do a lot around here. It was a boatload of fun to watch from my cozy living room, where I was warm and toasty. There was no way I was going out into 15-degree temps (or lower) to get a closer look at the skiers. I'm not that crazy.
Meanwhile, our indoor/outdoor cat is anxious to go outside and visit his peeps in the neighborhood. He doesn't understand why I am keeping him indoors. The outside temps have not yet risen out of the 30s, and until it gets near 50 I'm not letting him out. I think our other cat who is indoor only has tried to explain to Willie how things work around here when this thing called freezing temperatures arrive, but I don't think that Willie is listening. I'll just play the role of mean mom, and keep him safe. 
Wherever you are, I hope you stay warm, without any incidents from the coming storms. Say safe, stay toasty, and enjoy the snowy spectacular that Mother Nature gives us. 
Till next time...........
Jeffree Wyn

Oh my! I can scarcely believe how fast the holidays flew...

 

Oh my! I can scarcely believe how fast the holidays flew by. One minute I was baking lots and lots of cookies and cursing my oven for burning half of them. Not me, mind you. It was definitely the oven. Anyway, the next thing I knew it was January, and not just January but a week into January.


So far, the year has been blissfully good to me as I hope it has for you. Got a lot of rewriting done on my novel, have been organizing "stuff" all over the house, cooking some fun dishes, weeding my veggie garden that never got cleaned up in the fall, have read some great books, and welcomed a new family member into our house. Nope, not that adorable baby in the photo. This guy:




His name is Willie, after Willie Nelson, who was born and raised about five miles north of where we live. Our Willie, who is not quite two years old, has a bit of a wild side, just as Willie Nelson did in his younger years. Even though our Willie had a home, he adopted us. And try as we could to return him home, Willie would run away and kept showing up at our house. His owner finally said, "you've got yourself a new cat." Willie has moved right in. At first, I wasn't sure that he and our nearly three-year-old cat would get along. After a few hissy fits and tails blowing up like bottle brushes, they adjusted and now seem to get along fine. The dog is another story. He's terrified of Willie. Not sure why. Willie hasn't done anything to the dog. Maybe they have some kind of telepathic understanding. Who knows.


I also learned recently that I will have a story in the upcoming Chicken Soup for the Soul: Me and My Dog book. It's a special compilation of stories culled from their story library. Many years ago they published a story I'd written called "Meeting Earl." I am honored to be included in this book. It comes out next month on February 6th. I hope that you'll pick up a copy. It's full of heartwarming dog stories. What's not to like? 





And finally, a story I wrote about an old-time candy company here in Texas was published in this month's issue of Texas Coop Power. I had a blast visiting the factory and getting to interview the owner. You can read the article here:
https://texascooppower.com/the-sweete...

Till next time........

Being Grateful In 2017 I began a Gratitude Journal. Neve...

 

Being Grateful 

In 2017 I began a Gratitude Journal. Never heard of it? In simple terms, it is a journal where each day you write down no less than one thing you're grateful for. Of course, you can write down more than one. I often wrote down two or three, because there was always more than one thing to be grateful for each and every day. I loved writing in my journal because it made me conscious of all the good going on in my life, and steered me away from dwelling on the bad. You know - stress, politics, difficult bosses or coworkers, all those annoying things that eat you up inside and keep you awake at night. 
Initially, I kept it up daily, but then it became more sporadic. In mid-2018 I stopped altogether and picked it up in 2021. That lasted until the end of the year, and once again I stopped recording my gratitude, though I did have a perfectly good reason why. In 2021 I began developing a tremor in my writing hand. By 2022 it grew worse and worse and by 2023 writing became difficult and laborious. Plus I'd developed severe, very painful arthritis in the same hand making writing all but impossible. Just trying to write a short grocery list was a chore that could take upwards of ten minutes. 
I'd been seeing a hand specialist who by mid-2023 told me that I'd reached the maximum number of cortisone shots he could give me. Any more and the cortisone would start permanently damaging my cartilage and bone. My only option was to have the arthritic bone in my hand removed. I didn't love the idea of undergoing major hand surgery, but if that was the only way to be pain-free and regain the use of my hand I figured I might as well get it over with. My surgeon warned me it would be extremely painful, and the recovery long even with three months of post-op hand therapy. As I sit and type this I am five months out from surgery, and while I am buckets better than I was before undergoing the knife, I still have a ways to go. He did tell me that it could take six to twelve months before I'd truly be pain-free and back to normal. I should have believed him. He was so very right. And that's my perfectly good excuse for not writing in my gratitude journal. 
Today I pulled it out and began reviewing pages and pages of entries. I had forgotten many of the joys that I've written about, the gratitude I expressed. Entries spanned from being grateful for reconnecting with an old friend to successfully making a batch of Fromage Blanc cheese to having a roof over my head to an afternoon nap to finishing a quilt I'd been working on for months to an amazing dinner my husband made to witnessing a blue sky the likes of which I'd never seen to finding and meeting new family to recognizing that gratitude was changing my perspective by giving me a way to look at life and influencing how I responded to it. As I thumbed through the journal I was amazed at all that I'd found worthy to write about, things I should still be grateful for every day. 
In a moment's breath, I rededicated myself to once again regularly write in my journal. I dated a new page and scribbled (my handwriting is not yet terribly legible) several things for which I'm grateful. It was when I closed it and saw what was stamped on the front cover that I remembered why I began the journal in the first place, the reason for its coming to be. In gold ink is stamped: "Start something wonderful." That was the impetus in the beginning, and even though I've taken a long break away, it is now the inducement to continue. Just as my journal entry of long ago made me realize how recognizing and expressing gratitude changed my perspective and life in such a positive way, it is time once again to restart and appreciate the simple wonders of life.