SimplyLife

When you bite into that burger, what's on top of it?  Ketchup, mustard, salsa, relish, onions, cheese? All of the above? None?  I love condiments of all kinds, all ethnic persuasions, colors, textures. They add the zing to whatever I'm eating. As a kid, ketchup was my number one favorite. It goes well on most anything. Ask my Aunt Nita who was a real rebel back in the day and put it on her eggs. I was mildly shocked at this as a child, but followed her example and found it to be pretty tasty. Now I prefer salsa and cheese on scrambled eggs, but nothing can replace ketchup on a myriad of foods. So what's a condiment? It comes from the Latin word "condimentum" which means seasoning. I can see my Latin teacher standing to cheer on this one. I should try to decline the noun, but I'm not sure if I'd make it. All good words come from the Latin, which is common knowledge, sort of like "all words come from the Greek" (My Big Fat Greek Wedding).  Diction...

Taffeta, silk, crinoline, pearls, silk flowers, ruffles, bustles, sweetheart, v-neck, cathedral train.... You guessed it, I was in a bridal boutique. One of those great moments moms get with daughters is shopping for a wedding dress. And as every bride will tell you, they know when THE dress is found.  I remember that moment myself, uh..a long time ago now.  Lo and behold the very first dress I tried on was the dress, although several more dresses were brought out just to make sure.  It was a short shopping trip, but the dress was on sale, fit perfectly, and I whisked it out the door that day. The boutique we visited on Saturday was relaxing and sophisticated. Debussy and Handel furnished the background music. The deep-carpeted showroom was full of lush and lovely dresses of every kind. The owner, a Brit immediately set us at ease, listening carefully to Emily's vision of her special day. He and his assistant began to explain the designe...

After living in the severe winter weather of Western New York for a lot of years, we traded the snow in for sun and the high desert of southeast Arizona in 2003. Here sunny days are the norm and clouds nary sprout until it's monsoon season. The official rainy season is from June 15 to September 15. Most natives don't want it to start until July 4 because there's some superstition that the rain will be cut short. Thus the saying - "Rain in June, no monsoon." It's been our experience that it starts whenever it's good and ready with a bit of rain coming in June, but the majority arriving in July and August. The monsoon is a well documented weather pattern peculiar  not only to India and other exotic regions, but the American Southwest. During the winter, wind flow in Arizona comes from the west or northwest. When things begin to heat up, wind patterns begin to change to the south or southeasterly directions gathering moisture from the Pacific and pulling it...

The winner of a copy of The Time Under Heaven is Alana Torraca. Congratulations, Alana! Your book will be on its way this week. 

I thought it was time for another bit of Cochise County history this week. Instead of a person or event, we're looking at a place. It's the main employer and biggest presence in our area, which is Ft. Huachuca. It's pronounced wah-choo-ka , in case you're wondering how to wrap your tongue around it. An obscure Indian word that loosely means "place of thunder."  The whole thing came about in 1877 when Capt. Samuel Whitside and Company B, 6th U.S. Cavalry were tasked with protecting the settlers and controlling the Apaches from finding refuge over the border. Trying to find a good camping place for his men, the Captain settled on a beautiful canyon that was wooded with lots of running water, had excellent places for observation, and plenty of grass for their horses. So Camp Huachuca was established, gaining the title Ft. Huachuca five years later and designated a permanent Army post. There was a lot of action in the late 1800s--Tombstone was in its heyday...

I'll be giving a copy of The Time Under Heaven to the winner of a drawing on July 11.  Just click to follow SimplyLife between July 1 and July 10, and you'll be entered. It's SIMPLY simple. The Time Under Heaven is available at Amazon in paperback or Kindle.  Reviews In "The Time Under Heaven," first-time author Laurinda Wallace has created ordinary, relatable, and approachable characters, weaving a story of struggle and ultimate success from a faith perspective. And just when you think you know where the story is heading, it veers off into unknown territory revealing how unexpected life is. Wallace's storytelling captures the reader's emotions and attention with characters that have heart and soul and settings with vivid realism. "The Time Under Heaven" is a great read that will leave you wanting more.   Francine Biere, Author of Death in the Desert. Editorial Review - The Time Under Heaven – Laurinda Wallace’s debut novel is a...