What an amazing January. Mid-sixties today, and we're not complaining!

May this be a joy-filled, peaceful Christmas for each of you!

Warm greetings,

Sally

In  A Holiday Yarn, the seaside knitters talk about the huge Sea Harbor tree decorated with lobster buoys and traps. In today's New York Times, the tree that inspired Sea Harbor's tree is featured (and,  nana said proudly, if you look closely, you may see my grandchildren, Ruby and Luke's, painted buoys!).

And it's coming in COLD. 30 today. I wish Don and I had gotten the tree last week when we had some 50+ days (and before I sprained an ankle!). But no matter, the tree will appear eventually.

My writing friend Nancy Pickard has found a lovely office space on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, right in the center of the shopping area. The window overlooks a street with shoppers strolling up and down, musicians sitting on corners with guitar cases open, fountains flowing (at least for a few more days....), coffee shops a-plenty, and the Apple store just around the corner. And, as lady luck would have it, it came with two desks! With the colder weather coming in and the porch furniture being put away, it's a most wonderful place to be.

A HOLIDAY YARN is now out in paperback. It's like seeing an old friend when I walk in bookstores. 

And secondly, for a sneak preview of A FATAL FLEECE, read today's blog post on Dru Ann Love's musing page....

....is  beautiful! We're here in Gloucester, on Cape Ann--very close to where the seaside knitters live and work—for two weeks of research, walking the beach (a balmy 65 degrees yesterday), smelling the salt air.  Our small cabin is across the street from Niles Beach--90 steps away. It's a perfect place to think and write and come up with ideas for book seven in the series. And the most wonderful bonus is having room for our 3 & 5-yr-old grandkids to spend the night! Soccer games, ballet classes, Halloween parties--and writing. A most wonderful mix.

Such a gorgeous day. Wish I could bottle it and bring it out on a cold blustery winter day. But my pal Nancy Pickard and I are thinking ahead to those days when the cold winds drive us from the porch. Office space may be in our future! One with a view, our own coffee pot and lots of muses hanging out! Stay tuned....

Hot in Kansas, cool in Starbucks. Just like baked Alaska. Hope everyone is finding ways to enjoy these warm days -- ice cream, icies, friends, cool movie theaters. I'm watching William through the Starbucks window. He is standing in this heat with his cup out, his back hunched, his bent body supported by a cane. Some staff here say he makes a good living doing that, but, oh, my--what difficult work....

I think it's finally here. SPRING. I know it because the porch is clean, the chairs dusted off, and it's time to move out with the birds. I'll miss my Starbucks friends and the comforting din of chatter and expresso machines, but writing on the porch is quite wonderful. ("And inspiring," she said hopefully.)

Tomorrow night Nancy Pickard and I will banter about publishing and writing at the KC library/Plaza branch. Should you be in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello--