J. Schlenker at home and welcoming Spring and I!

Spring arrived and with it, flowers and a day of regrouping.

I spent the day with my wonderful friend, J. Schlenker at her farm high in the rolling hills of Kentucky. 

I enjoy going to her home. It is so welcoming and her textiles grace the room giving it a warm and gracious feel. Her home is made, even more inviting by the earthy tones and the stonework that are sprinkled about inside and out.  

I arrived early enough that there was still a chill in the air and we began to talk about our various works in progress. We seem to have several ideas that are itching to find a home in a book as soon as possible. We discussed the role of the beta reader and I learned so much from her on that subject. I really did not know how to guide my beta readers the first go round, I might be better equipt to deal with them this time.  

We discussed personal beliefs and shared special moments in our lives with each other. It was a totally relaxing and uplifting day. A day, when I need a smile, I will recall those laughs and those touching moments that we shared. It is not often that you do find a kindred spirit in a person that you just happen to come across while on Goodreads, but I am thankful that I have J as a trusted friend and mentor. Her writing is on such a spiritually in tune level, it is like she understands more than the rest of us and writes in a way which allows us to capture some of that understanding.  

J will probably not appreciate me using her as a blog post, but I can't help sharing what a lovely person she is. When you find people like her, you share them. (Here's her new blog)

When I first read Jessica Lost her Wobble, I had not yet met J. We had written back and forth a little bit seeing as how we only lived about seventy miles from each other. Her book touched me in a real way. It made me see things a little differently and made me realize life is a bit of a mystery that we color with our own interpretations.  If you have never read this book, you need to add Jessica to your list. It is one of those enriching books that takes you on a journey where you come home a little wiser than when you left.  

When I headed home I enjoyed lovely music that made me sing along with the stereo and perhaps encouraged me to drive just a little too fast. Not so fast that I didn't enjoy the view of the Daniel Boone National Forest as I passed through or the clouds that puffed along the horizon trying to catch up to me. No, I believe it was the perfect speed to end a perfectly lovely day.