April 7th – April 16th 2014
10 Days of Giveaways-Gardening Tips-Recipes-and more!
Plus a GRAND PRIZE you’ll be digging to win!
How about a Kindle or Nook anyone? What about a $25 gift card to buy books on that brand new ereader?? Plus a 2nd $25 gift card winner, as well as TONS of individual blog hop prizes!)
Hello blog hoppers!
I don't have a recipe, or a gardening tip, but I'd like to share with you a brand new fruit I discovered. Have you ever heard of a
Cucamelon, or the
Mouse Melon? I hadn't until last fall. Once I checked them out, I just had to order some seeds so I could give them a try.
According to the
Underwood Gardens, Terrior Seeds, LLC website, a Cucamelon is a tiny, watermelon-looking
fruit that is crisp, crunchy, and reminiscent of a cucumber, with a hint of
tartness. They can be tossed in a salad, pickled, or eaten right off the vines. You can read reviews from satisfied customers as well as order from Underwood Gardens, and for a great blog post on the fruit, check out
homegrown-revolution.co.uk .
On the back of my seed packet it says:
80 days, 5' vines productive and attractive. Mulch thickly and water well in dry weather. Plant near fence or with trellis. Pick fruits often to encourage growth of more flowers and fruits.
Now...once your gardening is done, you're going to want to relax with a great book, so I suggest you check out the newly expanded
COLORADO TRUST SERIES.
Trust makes all the difference when love and danger collide.
Evidence of Trust, Book 1, brand new release AVAILABLE NOW
Trust by Design, Book 2, brand new release coming Spring
2014
Trust in the Lawe, Book 3, re-release coming Spring
2014
Shattered Trust, Book 4, re-release coming Spring
2014
Trust by Design, Book 5, re-release coming Spring
2014
(previously titled Shadowed Trust)
Having grown up under the excessive expectations of her CEO father, Brittany Lucas is as resistant to authority as the mustang she’s training for her boss. It’s a fault that lands her in more danger than she bargains for while camping in the back-country of the Rocky Mountain National Park.
Ranger Joel Morgan is used to having the upper hand in all his cases—until he runs into the headstrong blond while investigating disturbing incidents of poaching in the park. Brittany’s imprudent lie of omission awakens ghosts in his past, making the sizzling attraction between them unwelcome. As he searches for evidence he can trust her, the monster mutilating wildlife turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.
EXCERPT:
Britt stewed in the saddle as her stallion picked his way
along the trail. Mark had called a half-hour ago, claiming he needed Mitch back
at the ranch. He hadn’t given a specific reason, and the moment she’d heard
Joel was riding in to be her new safety buddy, she figured there was more going
on than he would say.
Or could say.
Mitch’s initial frown had morphed into an emotionless mask,
so different from his usual carefree attitude. He hadn’t questioned the
request, or even commented when she tried to speculate about the change of
plans. With a grim “Good luck,” he’d turned his mount back toward the trailhead
and left her wondering what the heck was going on.
She’d slowed Paelo’s stride, but sure as hell wasn't going
to stop and twiddle her thumbs while waiting for Mr. Power-trip Ranger to catch
up. She was tired of him issuing orders and ruining her day every time she
turned around.
With the sun warming her back, she tried to enjoy the
scenery while she could. Lord knew once he
appeared she wouldn’t have a moment’s peace for the rest of the trip. In the
past week, the new leaves on the trees had darkened to a deeper shade of green,
their thick foliage shading the trail so much in places the snow from a week
ago still hadn’t completely melted. She knew the terrain well, had each
landmark etched in her mind. The hands of time and Mother Nature changed
something about them every year and she looked forward to cataloguing the
alterations each spring.
Her gaze scanned the trail ahead and the sight of hoof
prints in the snow made her draw back on the reins. The tracks didn’t appear
fresh, maybe a few days old judging by how they disappeared wherever the sun
had melted the snow. She dismounted and gave Paelo a soft command.
Inspecting the bare ground, she saw no sign of passage in
the moist soil, not even a slight indent. She’d guess the rider had come
through sometime after the storm a week ago because there hadn’t been any
precipitation since then.
This guy won’t think
twice if he catches you alone.
Joel’s ominous warning from the meeting sent a tingle of
uneasiness along her spine. She rose to her feet, shifting her gaze from tree
to tree, studying the shadows as she imagined someone out there, watching her.
A sudden rustle from behind made her jump and spin around.
Paelo stared back at her as he chewed a small branch loaded with green leaves.
The pounding of her heart eased.
“Oh, this is ridiculous,” she muttered. The tracks were
obviously old, and whoever it had been was long gone by now.
Still, she decided it might not be a bad idea to wait after
all. She backed Paelo up so they wouldn’t disturb any more of the tracks and
found a large boulder alongside the trail where she could sit.
Quite a bit later than she expected, Joel rode up, his face
cast in shadow from the low-sitting brim of his Stetson. She stood as he dismounted
before facing her with a scowl.
“I specifically instructed you to wait.”
Irritation flared even as she wondered how he knew she
hadn’t. Then it dawned on her, Paelo had left behind his own set of single
tracks. Shrugging, she retorted, “You caught up, didn’t you?”
His jaw tightened and his fists clenched at his sides. Britt
stood her ground despite the fact her stomach was doing that damn little flippy
thing it did whenever he was near. She moistened suddenly dry lips, and his
attention flicked down.
Heat flared at the memory of his mouth on hers. She’d
re-imagined both kisses way too many times over the past couple days.
“I—” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat and tried
again. “I found some tracks.”
He finally took a small step back and she moved past to
direct him to the spot. As he squatted for a better look, a reassuring thought
occurred to her. “They’re probably from a ranger, but I figured you’d want to
look at them.”
He rose back to his full height. “Stay here. I’m going to
see if I can pick up the trail further on.”
She automatically took a step after him, and he whirled so
fast she gasped.
Taking hold of her shoulders, he backed her up until the
heels of her boots came up against the boulder she’d been sitting on. “Damn it,
Brittany, I
said stay here.”
“I was just going to—”
With a low growl, he pressed her shoulders until she sat.
She leaned back as he planted a hand on either side of her. “This is precisely
why I told you to wait. Any evidence up to this point you’ve trampled, now let
me see what I can salvage of the rest of it without you getting in the way.
Move off this rock and I’m going to take you straight back down this
mountain—trail be damned.”
Grab your copy now and keep reading:
And finally, the part you've been waiting for...a chance to win my blog hop prize--$15 gift card. All you have to do is leave a comment answering my next question, and then enter via the Rafflecopter.
QUESTION/s: If you've tried the Cucamelon, did you like it? If not, does it sound like something you'd like to try?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
For more info on the Blog Hop GRAND PRIZE, check out the AUTHORS IN BLOOM BLOG HOP page. **To be eligible for the Grand Prize, you must visit each and every author on the hop and leave a comment on their blog.
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