A Line of Women

 I'm still plugging away at my family tree. And I've been thinking about Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) a lot. (I know, you're rolling your eyes and thinking, "Of course you are, Holly." LOL)

Ancestry.com says, "Mitochondrial DNA makes up only 0.1% of the overall human genome and is passed down exclusively from mother to child." 

For me, it went...

Holly 
Pat
Marion
Sarah
Mary
Sarah
Elizabeth
Eliza 
Jane

Jane is my 6th great-grandmother. She's where that branch's trail muddles a bit. She was born in the late 1700's.  Despite the fact I can't go further back (yet), from Jane that mtDNA traces back to Mitochondrial Eve. She lived more than 100,000+ years ago. So even though I feel I've taken my family tree back quite a ways, that chain of women is so much more expansive. 100,000 years would be well over 4,000 generations. I can trace nine in my mtDNA line...but there are so many more. Woman, after woman, after woman...  As a woman with three daughters, I love that I gave them all that long lineage.

My grandmother was adopted. I found her original birth certificate and was able to  use that to trace her bio mom. Sarah was a nurse. She never married and lived with one of her sisters for her adult life, until that sister passed.  I'm a little haunted knowing that she was still alive while my grandmother was an adult...while I was in my teens. Did she think about the baby she'd called Marjorie Ruth every day? She was a morning's drive away, but we never met. She never knew my grandmother, my mom or me. She never got to see her legacy.

Each step I take on my tree leads to another piece of the puzzle of me. But the mtDNA line is one that reminds reminds me of the power of women. Women carry that tiny .1% of 4,000+ women in us. We give give life to the next generation and bless our daughters with that same line of mtDNA. There's such a power in that.  Knowing the strength of all those women who came before us, and the generations of women who will come after we have to remember our power as we work for our daughters' future.

One of the things that stands out to me as I work on my family tree is how some of the women get lost to history. Women like Jane. She took her husband's last name and her family name and line are lost to history...so far.  I've hit those hurdles many times in my tree. I'll keep looking, but I find some solace in knowing that the women in those lost lines maintain their past in their mtDNA. Is there any wonder I've been thinking about it so much lately? 

I'll continue looking for Jane's story...and telling my stories. Stories of women who have power and strength. Women who know their worth.  And I'll work to build a future for my daughters...and son. LOL

HollySpeaking of trying something new...

Check out some of my books!

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1-6 are available now! Book 7 & 8 are available for preorder and the final book will be out this fall!

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Hometown Hearts

Jill of all Trades...Master of None

 I just did a thing...I bought a small loom from my friend Mauri. She wanted a bigger one and I wanted to try weaving. I wrote about weaving in my book Just One Thing without ever having used a loom (I also wrote about pottery before my first pottery class). 

As I worked at putting my first warp on the loom I found myself thinking about all the crafts I've tried. It started with my Mom teaching me to cross-stitch and embroider, then crochet. Over the years, I learned to sew and quilt, I learned basketweaving, I learned pottery (and found my true love) and now I'm toying with weaving. I'm a Jill of all Trades and a Master of None. And that's ok.  

I talked about quilting also in Just One Thing and wrote a supposed Amish tradition (which may or may not be an Amish tradition), that they purposefully add a flaw in every quilt because nothing but God is perfect. I love that thought. 

I don't strive to be perfect. I do strive to be competent and to enjoy the process of each craft. 

I think there's a lesson in that. I know there's a lot of pressure in the world. But what if all the jobs we're striving to be perfect at, we instead allowed ourselves to make mistakes? What if when we're trying something and find we made a mistake, we think...well, that's my unintentional, intentional flaw? Maybe we'd be more apt to try something new. 

Now I suspect this world view wouldn't work so well with, well, let's say skydiving, but so many things we try won't be harmed by one small flaw. Some may be even more beautiful because of it. I think the other advantage to trying new things is...staying young. Learning, trying new things, expanding our horizons.  I'd love to hear from friends who've been expanding their horizons and trying something new.

Holly

Speaking of trying something new...
Check out some of my books!

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1-6 are available now! Book 7 is available for preorder and the final book will be out this fall!

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Hometown Hearts

Fast Nacht Kuchen

 

I'm getting ready for Shrove Tuesday on Tuesday. When I first became part of Himself's family, his mother taught me to make faz naught kigglies, the family name for Fast Nacht Kuchen. She was an Irish girl who married a German boy. My father-in-law's mother taught her to make this German dish that was made on Shrove Tuesday. I'd never had one before I met Himself...and those years without seems like wasted time. 

It turns out there's some debate about the shape of the donuts. For me there's no question...triangles. My MIL made them that way, so for me, that's the proper way. But because I try to be an accepting human being who welcomes other opinions, I am open to trying other shapes. I mean, it would be a trial, but hey, I'll manage. So if you make circles or squares and want a taste tester, let me know.

There's also a debate on what to call them. For me, they'll always be faz naught kigglies because of my husbands family. I don't think anyone will mind what you call them as long as you call them when they're ready. 

I'm going to post this on Monday in case you've never made fast nacht kuchen and want to try them. Pretty much any not too sweet dough will work.

My MIL never gave me a specific bread recipe. But I bought this really cute Pennsylvania Dutch recipe book in Cook Forest and have used this recipe for decades. (Our family always called it Cooks Forest, but since I've started my State Park hiking, I know it's Cook Forest.)

So here's my version of this recipe. I used to double it when the kids were young and they took in trays for their classes, but these days I half it. That's ample for Minions.

1 TB honey
3 1/4 C milk
8 C flour

1 TB dry yeast

1/2  C butter

2 eggs

I make the dough Monday evening and let it rise overnight. 

In the morning, I punch it down and roll out sections, cutting them in to triangles. I use pretty much every cookie sheet and cutting board I have to let them rise a second time for at least an hour.

I heat up a couple inches of oil in my big cast iron frying pan (it doesn't have to be very deep...these are thin) and when it's sizzley (I have no temperature for you...I just drop a piece of dough in to check that it bubbles). I do a half dozen fast nachts at a time. (Don't crowd the pan...it will lower the temp of the oil and make them sort of greasy.) When they're lightly browned on both sides, I drop them into a bag of cinnamon sugar and shake them so they're coated. REPEAT until all the dough's been fried.
These are best served immediately or quickly. They're not super sweet, which means it's easy to eat a lot of them. I mean, I do have to test them...I wouldn't want to serve an inferior fast nacht. And because I'm up early working on these, I need a lot of coffee and these are perfect with coffee.

I've found a lot of Mennonite branches in my family tree. Most came from Lancaster. So there's a really good chance, my family made these and my mother-in-law reintroduced me to a part of my personal history without either of us knowing it. I like thinking of that. My mother-in-law was an amazing woman. We lost her twenty years ago (I wrote a fictionalized version of her in Briar Hill Road) and I still can't believe she's been gone that long. We bought her house and, though over the years, things have changed, there's so much of her and my father-in-law in it. I'll be thinking of both of them on Tuesday when I get up in the wee hours and make some fast nacht kigglies for the Minions and I'll know that before I even joined the family, she would have been up early in the kitchen making them as well. I love the continuity of that. When my kids were little, I'd send down their classes a tray of fast nachts each Shrove Tuesday. I won't make quite that many this year, but I will make enough for Minions and Himself's colleagues. 

Traditions. 

There's something about carrying on family traditions and passing them on to the next generation. Do you have any Shrove Tuesday traditions?

Holly

Check out my newest releases:

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1, 2 , 3, 4  and 5 are available now! Three more are on their way this year.

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Hometown Hearts

January '24 Newsletter

New Year...a New Read Happy New Year!   I finally landed on my Word of the Year...Peace. Most of the time, my words are for me to build a year around, but this year, I'm hoping the entire world embraces peace. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and that the new year just brings you joy...and peace. The 5th Around the Square book, Royal in Hiding, is a Kindle and Kindle Unlimited exclusive...and it's out now! I hope you'll pick up a copy of the first book in my royal trilogy that's set inside the series. I've always said, Erie has everything...even royalty! Start Shopping And don't forget the second Harry's Pottery book, Slip and Fall, is out now! In Slip and Fall, Harry discovers why there's a dead body in her kiln. Now, she's got a dead slip & fall scammer murdered. She's on the case...again. Amazon  Kobo  Apple Books  Barnes and Noble  Books You May Have Missed Review: "I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an honest romance, a slice of life book, or a book which deals with families. I can't think of anyone to whom I would not recommend this book. If I could give it more than five stars, I would do so." Shop Now  As always, thank you so much for all your support! Tallulah, Mabel and I wish you a wonderful 2024! Holly

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2024 Word of the Year

 I really put some thought into a word to build a year on. I mean, having one word carry the weight of an entire year on its back is an awesome responsibility. So I mull. Even when I think I have my word, I still mull. I want to get it right. 

Drum roll...

2024's word is...

PEACE.

Normally, my word is just about me. Given the state of the world right now, I've expanded my word to the entire world. It seems like a perfect global word to build a year on.  I try to keep my social media upbeat and positive, but that doesn't mean I don't see what's going on around me. I ache for all those who are suffering physically, mentally and spiritually. I stand with every person or nation who strives for peace. 

That's my macro hope.

My micro hope for the year is finding peace within myself. I'll confess, I find it on a regular basis when I'm out in nature. Everything seems to slow down. I can hear myself think. The worries of the world melt away. (Of course, sometimes my weekend peace is interrupted when in the midst of my nature walk the dogs find poop and roll in it. I blame Tallulah who has always loved stinky stuff...she's teaching Mabel bad habits.) 

That personal peace can collide with world peace. I'm not under any illusions that I can change hearts and minds worldwide, but maybe, just maybe, I can make one person feel just a bit lighter. Just a bit more positive. Just a bit more..peaceful. And maybe that person will spread their peace to another. And maybe they'll spread it and... Well, you get my point. My  heroine in A Hometown Christmas says she knows she can't save the world, but she can try. That's just it. I believe that things like Peace, Hope, Charity are contagious. 

So in this new year, I hope to be a super spreader and share my peace with all of you. 

Happy, Happy New Year! May 2024 bring us all a bit closer to our best selves.

Holly

PS Check out my books:

Book #5 is out tomorrow!!

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1, 2 , 3 & 4 are out now. 
Book 5 is available for preorder!

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Hometown Hearts

Being a Woman

I watched Barbie this weekend and loved it. Loved the message and loved the memories. Oh, how I loved my Barbies. I had two Malibu Barbies that I dubbed the twins. I had a Ken who couldn't keep his head on his shoulders. I had a black haired Barbie...who was my first one. And...  Well there was a whole gang.  Oh the adventures they had. 

I'm going to confess, the movie got me thinking about my life and who I am. What sort of woman I am. I've spent most of my life working as a writer...working for myself. There was no man I answered to. I've worked some marvelous female editors (if you're one of them reading this...thank you!). I've been surrounded by a cadre of women writers who've supported me and over the years have become more than colleagues, but rather friends. 

But I'm more than a writer. That comes second to my other main job. I'm a mother of four—three  are daughters. Looking back, I know I wasn't a perfect mother. God knows, I wasn't perfect. But I did try to be perfect in my attempt. I apologized when I was wrong. I tried to be there for them. And I hoped they saw in me a strong woman who spent her life trying to do her best and loving them wholeheartedly.

Do you remember Caps for Sale? The peddler wore a stack of hats on his head and had to balance them carefully. That's what being a woman is. Balancing a stack of hats as you walk through life trying to avoid the monkeys. The things you expect of yourself. The things others expect of you. Every choice you make adds a hat to the pile you carry.

I raised four kids. I've cared for other kids. I was a kindergarten story lady (like Pip in Carry Her Heart). I was on the PTA (like my PTA Mom trilogy). I was on the school board. I volunteered in a Teen Parenting program. I planned the kids game for our school's Feather Party (like Once Upon a Thanksgiving). When I was young, I cared for three younger brothers after school. Then  I cared for my kids. Then my grandmother as she got older. My mother-in-law when she got sick (like Briar Hill Road). I cared for my neighbor, Marge, who had no one. We made her family. Now I care for the Minions and an aunt and...caring. That's been my life's major calling. 

Back to Caps for Sale...I've dropped hats. Over and over again, the monkeys have come along and I've lost all my hats. But after a moment,  I stopped, picked them up and kept going.

That's what being a woman is for me.  A series of dropping my hats and then picking them up and getting on with it.

I agree with Barbie...being a woman is hard.  But it's a joy. I might juggle a lot of hats and I might not be perfect, but truly it's been my glee. 

 

Holly

On Sale for $.99:
A Hometown Christmas
Amazon
Nook
Kobo
iBooks

Christmas in Cupid Falls is on sale at Amazon for $.99/

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1, 2 , 3 & 4 are out now. 
Book 5 is available for preorder!

Hometown Hearts

A Hometown Christmas

Happy Holidays...or should I say, HOLLYdays??!!

I know I've been talking about my new release, Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery, but today I'm talking about A Hometown Christmas...it's on sale for $.99 just in time for Christmas! Come join my hometown gang and celebrate with this very special holiday story!

One of my all time favorite reviews from a Hallmark Holiday movie friend, was, "This should be a Harllmark movie." I'll let you know if Hallmark calls! LOL In the meantime, I hope you'll give it a read! 

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season, whatever holiday you celebrate! 

Holly

PS. While you're shopping the sale, check out my most recent books and pre-order the what's-coming-next ones?

Slip and Fall: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #2 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery #1 Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook
A View to a Kiln on Jeopardy!!

Exclusively available for Kindle and KU.
 Around the Square
Book 1, 2 , 3 & 4 are out now. 
Book 5 is available for preorder!

Hometown Hearts