Pewter Coffee Pot

It was a dark and stormy afternoon…and my foggy brain craved some coffee before starting this blog post. I knew my mind could use a hefty dose of caffeine to get the wheels of creativity turning.

It was just yesterday, when I was measuring the rich brown grounds into my French press, that a thought occurred to me. When exactly did coffee come to America? I knew that tea had been the most popular beverage in the colonies up until the Tea Party in Boston—a rebellion that sent cases of tea leaves floating in the murky harbor. But what about coffee?

The answer may surprise you as much as it did me. Coffee, tea, and chocolate all arrived in the American colonies at about the same time in the late 17th century.

Coffee originated in the Arab countries but live plants were transported to greenhouses in Holland in 1616. From there, the Dutch began to grow this popular bean in India and Java (now called Indonesia). Within a few years, the Dutch were the main suppliers of coffee to Europe.

According to the International Coffee Organization, the first European coffeehouse opened in Venice in 1683. It was called Caffe Florian in Piazza San Marco and it is still open for business today! And Lloyd’s of London—the largest insurance market in the world? It also started out as a coffee house.

Metal and China Coffee Pots

Now, the Holland connection brings up another interesting tidbit from my research. A mortar and pestle for “braying” coffee beans into powder was brought over on the Mayflower in 1620 by William and Susanna White (two of the passengers). The emigrants onboard the Mayflower had resided in Holland for a time before leaving for the New World. Thus, the first coffee may have arrived with the first colonists arriving at Plymouth, although there was no record of the beans actually carried as cargo onboard.

The first literary reference to coffee consumption in North America is from 1668, when coffee houses were established in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other cities. Often these coffee houses also served other beverages such as tea, ale and cider.

In 1773, the coffee house known as the Green Dragon, became the location where enraged colonists planned the Boston Tea Party to protest British taxes on tea. I imagine lots more coffee than tea was served there after that date.

A reference to coffee and tea is found in Shirley Glubock’s Home and Child Life in Colonial Days:

“In 1670, a Boston woman was licensed to sell coffee and chocolate, and soon coffee houses were established there. Some did not know how to cook coffee any more than tea, but boiled the whole coffee beans in water, ate them, and drank the liquid; and naturally this was not very good either to eat or drink.

At the time of the Stamp Act, when patriotic Americans threw the tea into Boston Harbor, Americans were just as great tea drinkers as the English. Coffee-drinking, first acquired in the Revolution, has also descended from generation to generation, and we now drink more coffee than tea. This is one of the differences in our daily life caused by the Revolution.”

Johnson Brothers Coffee Pot

Just one of the many differences, indeed.

My favorite excerpt about coffee and the American Revolution was an incident recorded by Abigail Adams in 1778, and quoted in Revolutionary Mothers by Carol Berkin:

“An eminent, wealthy, stingy merchant (also a bachelor) had a hogshead of coffee in his store, which he refused to sell…under six shillings per pound. A number of females, some say a hundred, some say more, assembled with a cart and trunks, marched down to the Warehouse and demanded the keys which he refused to deliver. Upon which one of them seized him by his neck and tossed him into the cart. Upon his finding no quarter, he delivered the keys when they tipped up the cart and discharged him; then opened the Warehouse, hoisted out the coffee themselves, put it into the trunks and drove off…a large concourse of men stood amazed silent spectators.”

Wow. I guess the moral of that tale, is never stand between a woman and her coffee—especially during a Revolution!

(Pewter Coffee Pot from ColonialSense.com)

After I had finished parking the lawnmower in the shed, my mom came and told me I should come see something out front where she and my sister were planting flowers. I followed her back up the sidewalk, and grinning, she pointed to the bush growing by the front door.

I leaned over to look, and perched in the bush was the cutest little baby cardinal who ever peeped. Looked like a fuzzy, brown ball of feathers with two beady, black eyes and a beak. Might have been old enough to fly, but he was still young enough to require nourishment from his mother and boy, was he requiring. He peeped and peeped and peeped, mouth agape, calling to Mommy relentlessly. Didn’t even acknowledge my presence as I stood there watching. He might have stopped to look at me once or twice, but he didn’t move from his spot.

Nothing else in the world mattered to him at that moment. What mattered was food. To get food, he had to call Mom. Calling Mom = food, and that’s what he did for at least twenty minutes while I was there, and he could have been peeping for hours before then. It was a simple display of nature; a common event slightly uncommon to a guy like me who sits inside reading books and drawing all the time. To a lot of people, it may not mean much, but it struck a certain chord with me. It made me think, “Why can’t I be like that with God’s nourishment: The Word?”

Lately I’ve been trying to stick with daily devotions in prayer and reading The Bible, but even if I have it in mind to read or pray all day long, I still manage to skip a night every now and then. I grew up getting it drilled into me to read The Bible every day, and I can imagine a lot of you readers were too. So how can I still not be doing it? Sometimes, it’s really easy. Sometimes, I’m pumped for Bible-time. Sometimes, I crave it like a drug. Aaand sometimes…somehow, I just miss it. Other things clog my thoughts and I let Bible-time slide.

I’ve never wanted to set up a specific time for myself to read The Word each day, because I want devotions to feel natural, not mechanical like a chore. Nothing against anybody who does read at such-n-such time every day, I usually just read when I think to read. But wouldn’t our spiritual lives be so much fuller if we called to God for nourishment constantly like baby birds? If nothing else mattered to us but His Word, and we took only what He gave us and didn’t worry about all the stuff going on outside of our tree, wouldn’t life be so much simpler?

Later on, the bird’s mother finally showed up to feed him. He got all excited and hopped up and down on his branch and accidentally fell to the ground, not too far below. Still, he peeped for Mommy, flapping his wings and trying to fly. I want to get that excited about The Word! I want to hunger for it nonstop, and I want to feel like flying when I get it. What’s awesome is that if we live a righteous life in Christ and soak our hearts in The Word, someday, we will soar with angels! Who wouldn’t want that? What’s stopping you? Dust off that Bible and get some Heavenly grub!

I’m gonna go write about werewolves some more.

In Christ,

Luther D. Powell

 Being with family this weekend underscored more than ever the value of family, and, how fleeting time is. It slips by so quickly and in the moment we don’t see it passing away. It’s only when we compare the yesterdays with the todays, looking at old photos and how we’ve all grown and aged that we realize that life is so very temporary. I watched my mother struggle with remembering even the basic things. She sat through the graduation ceremony only to forget later she’d even attended. “When is graduation?” she asked as we gathered with family at the grad party afterwards. I gently reminded her she’d already attended.

More than ever I wanted to preserve family memories. As a writer/artist I am always working on one art project or another, but rarely do something for myself. Finally, I found a way to capture some of these precious moments and memories. You can find more about the heirloom mirror on my blog. 

As a historian, I hear you, Teena – don’t forget to take notes and grab all the memories you can–once the folks are gone, the stories go with them…thanks for sharing….Lisa

Teena Stewart is a published author of The Treasure Seeker and many other books. In addition she is a  ministry leader and successful artist.Teena Stewart is a published author of The Treasure Seeker and many other books. In addition she is a  ministry leader and successful artist.

When I wrote my first book in 2008 I had absolutely no idea about marketing or promoting.  I thought (like most aspiring authors) my publisher was going to do most of it for me. But I soon realized that I had to do about 95% of it. WOW what a shocker!  But after my dismay, I rolled up my sleeves and got busy.  I soon found that God had blessed me with another niche when it came to marketing.  My passion and desire now is to connect readers with authors.  As the owner of WNL Virtual Blog Tours I share with my clients ways they can gain more exposure while promoting their books.

Here are ten ways to help bring awareness to you as an author.

1. Send review copies of your books to book clubs and to all the journal and magazines that review books in your genre.  Most publishers will do this, but it never hurts to research other places that you can submit a copy of your book. There are plenty of places on-line that will review your book for “free.”

The importance of book reviews: Now that you have written the book, the next step is to find an audience to read it. Cultivating an audience is essential to the success of any book. It is very important that your book is reviewed. A book review is an opportunity for people to take notice to what you have written. Once your book is reviewed, there are plenty of places the review can be posted (i.e. Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites).

You should seek out those in your target audience, editors of newspapers or journals, book club presidents, and those who are willing to review the book. Include an email on your website, inviting them to review your book upon request. Ask them where they are planning to send or post the review. You want to make sure that those whom you are asking for a review copy know you are expecting them to do a review to help you promote your book. Book reviews give your book credibility! Here are just a few places you can announce your book release and reviews:

http://freebookreviews.blogspot.com http://www.bookreview.com/$spindb.query.bottom.booknew http://www.prweb.com/

2.  Offer sample chapter as free downloads on your website. This is an excellent way to “tease” readers to want more. Make sure the chapters you are offering are your best chapters, and turn those chapters into PDF files.

3. Publish an e-mail newsletter. This is a great opportunity to connect with your audience. You could pull nuggets from your book, give book excerpts, and offer other valuable information to your readers. Encourage people to subscribe on the website, and then send out an occasional newsletter with interesting new material in this book’s field.

4. Do book signings. Find places that are willing to allow you to come do a book signing. Years ago, bookstores were thriving with author’s book signing; but over the years, book stores have closed down. Because of this we have had to think outside the box.

5. Give away copies to the right people. Use this as your calling card. Give copies to potential clients and customers. Encourage them to read it and pass it on to others.

6. Sell your books out of your trunk. Always carry books and promotional material with you at all times.

7. Leave promotional items at the dentist or doctor’s office and any other professional business where people gather. I’ve left bookmarks in the pockets of the airplane.

8. Become a reviewer on Amazon. Use your own name accompanied by “author of the book…” Review other books; and when people read your reviews, some will click through to your book.

9. Become a Blogger and blog about your book.

10. Write articles using some of your book’s content.

Paulette Harper Johnson is an award winning author, writing coach, Bible teacher, radio host, and the owner of WNL Virtual Blog Tours. Her years of marketing her own self-published books have created a special talent in her—her ability to sell a product well. Not only does she specialize in marketing strategies, but also serves as the publicist for P.F.L. Publishing.

She serves in ministry as an Elder with her husband Sr. Pastor Tony E. Johnson at Word of Faith Worship Center in Bradenton and North Port FL. Paulette’s website: www.pauletteharper.com

The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit. We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, “of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion.” What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from hishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation’s gratitude, the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.

It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective. By order of

JOHN A. LOGAN, Commander-in-Chief

N.P. CHIPMAN, Adjutant General

Official: WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.

 *********************************************************************************

For Immediate Release May 27, 2011

Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2011

For over two centuries, brave men and women have laid down their lives in defense of our great Nation.  These heroes have made the ultimate sacrifice so we may uphold the ideals we all cherish.  On this Memorial Day, we honor the generations of Americans who have fought and died to defend our freedom.

Today, all who wear the uniform of the United States carry with them the proud legacies of those who have made our Nation great, from the patriots who fought at Lexington and Concord to the troops who stormed the beaches at Normandy.  Ordinary men and women of extraordinary courage have, since our earliest days, answered the call of duty with valor and unwavering devotion.  From Gettysburg to Kandahar, America’s sons and daughters have served with honor and distinction, securing our liberties and laying a foundation for lasting peace.

On this solemn day in which Americans unite in remembrance of our country’s fallen, we also pray for our military personnel and their families, our veterans, and all who have lost loved ones.  As a grateful Nation, we forever carry the selfless sacrifice of our fallen heroes in our hearts, and we share the task of caring for those they left behind.

In his second Inaugural Address, in the midst of the Civil War, President Lincoln called on our embattled Nation “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”  On this Memorial Day, and every day, we bear a heavy burden of responsibility to uphold the founding principles so many died defending.  I call on all Americans to come together to honor the men and women who gave their lives so that we may live free, and to strive for a just and lasting peace in our world.

In honor of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer.  The Congress, by Public Law 106 579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 30, 2011, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer.  I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

I request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control.  I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

by Sara Gruen

ISBN-13: 978-0061241086

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (April 3, 2007)

$10.98 on Amazon

Riding Lessons is Sara Gruen’s debut novel and, if this is her first novel, I cannot imagine what masterful work will come next. Her writing is sensitive and superb and her knowledge of horses and the world-class competitive equestrian world is stunning. Every writer must study up on certain topics in order to realistically incorporate it into their work, but Gruen clearly is an expert in horses and horsemanship.

At the heart of her story is Annemarie Zimmer who nearly made it to the Olympics but at eighteen saw her dream and life shattered when she suffers a fatal injury that nearly left her crippled for life and destroys the horse she worshiped. Though she recovers physically, she never fully recovers emotionally and she lives the equestrian dreams behind to become a wife, mother and career professional.

Suddenly everything unravels.  As if losing her job, and husband isn’t enough, Annemarie must also return home to her dying father and hardened mother. Her relationship with her teenage daughter is falling apart and Annemarie is so emotionally fragile from past wounds and her present circumstances she begins a slow descent into destruction that nearly undoes her. Annemarie comes to symbolize lost youth and childhood wounds.

At times the story is almost too painful to read, but when things seem darkest, Gruen gives us new hope tied to an amazingly beautiful but imperfect horse who enters Annemarie’s life and gives her a second chance. 

This was a book I had difficulty putting down. I give it five stars out of five. You can’t do better than that.

Buy on Amazon

♦♦♦♦♦ Reflections

Teena Stewart is a published author of The Treasure Seeker and many other books. In addition she is a  ministry leader and successful artist.Teena Stewart is a published author of The Treasure Seeker and many other books. In addition she is a  ministry leader and successful artist.

Staring at the suitcase on my bed, an audible sigh escaped. Fighting back tears, I turned to my constant companion, Jesus.

Lord, I just want to go home.

I had just arrived at the conference center after a long day of traveling by planes and automobiles (but no trains, unless you count the underground subway at the airport). It had been a month fraught with family concerns as well as travel and my inner resources had depleted to the point of exhaustion.

Why did I come?

I did not know anyone there except through online friendships. Would I even recognize anybody? I felt even more awkward when I realized how many people there had lovely southern accents. Certain that my Massachusetts/California/Iowa accent would sound harsh, I wondered if I would stick out like a dissonant note in a melodious orchestra of voices.

Am I supposed to be here?

There were many conferences available throughout the year but I truly felt the Holy Spirit drawing me to this time and place. Clinging to that thought for reassurance, I refreshed myself as best I could and trudged to the first dinner and meeting.

I prayed that God would strengthen my exhausted body and guide me in the next few days to follow His purpose for why I was there.

When we all gathered together for praise and worship time, we were led by a wonderful composer named Lynn DeShazo. She is the author of “Ancient Words” which happens to be one of my favorite songs.

The lyrics melted my heart because I knew that I was not here at this time and place for me. I was here for HIM—to be a vessel of use for His work here on earth and to praise Him with all of my being.

Holy Words long preserved
For our walk in this world.
They resound with God’s own heart.
O let the ancient words impart.
Words of life, words of hope,
Give us strength, help us cope.
In this world, where e’er we roam,
Ancient words will guide us home.

Singing with hundreds of other voices of fellow writers, submitting myself to Him in praise and humble worship, I experienced just a little taste of heaven.

I am so blessed that I got to see a glimpse.

While I have come away from this conference with a heart full of new friends that I cherish, it is the ancient words found in God’s Holy Bible that will forever be the most treasured memory of my obedience to Him.

Ancient words ever true,
Changing me and changing you,
We have come with open hearts,
O let the ancient words impart.

This is a painful reality I’m just now figuring out. I am not saying it’s particularly easy to write any other genre. Drama or romance fiction may come a bit more naturally to some authors because it usually deals with, well, normal people doing fairly normal things, right? Horror doesn’t even have to deal with not-normal topics to be scary, but its driving factor is fear. To write horror, you have to know how to scare people. To scare people, you have to know what people consider scary.

I may have said in a previous blog, I write horror for a number of reasons, a few of them being, I like spooky stuff and horror comes most naturally for me. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that I don’t run out of ideas once in a while. I’m working on a ghost story for the time being, and it has occurred to me that aside from the conventions of ghost-horror that I’ve seen done over and over already, I don’t really know what makes a ghost story scary these days.

I told Lisa a month ago or so that I feel it would be a wise move to try writing a little outside of the horror genre, but I’m not sure where else I could go. Most will agree that Stephen King is THEE horror guy, but his dramas like The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile are just as highly-acclaimed as any of his horror novels, so could I pull off variety as well? The other story/stories I have in mind that aren’t horror could be considered speculative fiction, supernatural drama, maybe? Got some action, humor, romance, but maintaining the sort of dark roots that my horror stories would stem from.

I also have a possible sci-fi-comedy in the works, sort of like Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but it’s still very, VERY premature.

I guess I’m saying all this to get feedback on the notion of variety as a writer, whether or not you as readers might think it smart to cross into different genres every now and then, or if sticking to one is a wiser choice.

I’ve been told that genre-hopping as an artist is a bit counterproductive, because after so long, people will expect to see a certain kind of artwork from you which will be placed within the constraints of a specific “art world,” so to speak. An instructor told me this past semester that I won’t necessarily be best at creating artwork that I like looking at, and that it’s good to have a signature style that everyone will recognize. I’ll always think certain art styles or topic matter is cool, but if I’m best at something different, I shouldn’t deviate too far.

So far, writing blogs feels kind of similar. I apologize if I seem a bit uneducated in some of the subjects I’ve chosen to write about. I admit I should do more homework before deciding on beefy bloppicks. I’m writing as a student, but I want to be the teacher, and it helps if I know the material. This is a case where variety is a more iffy choice, and it might be best for me to write only about personal opinions and experiences, not involving hefty, arguable matters.

Whether writing books or blogs, I want to glorify God and encourage people to see Him in new ways. I want to reach out to as many people as I can. With that in mind, would it be best to write mostly what I enjoy writing and what comes naturally, or would I be just as effective as an author writing something that readers won’t quite expect from me?

Thanks for reading, cheers and God bless!

In Christ,

Luther D. Powell

A couple of years ago, the idea of writing a devotional about the lessons I learned while riding a motorcycle came to me. I had no idea what I was getting into and how much writing devotionals would minister to me as an author. I jotted down notes for weeks, hoping to come up with enough lessons to take the reader through a month. Lessons from the Open Road ended with 33 lessons, each followed by Scripture and prayer.

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes learning new things is hard. Just when I thought I’d mastered the parking lot where I was learning to ride my little Yamaha Virago starter bike, I pulled out, forgot to hit the brake, did an Evel Knievel, and jumped a short concrete wall, landing in some trees. My poor little bike limped home with a hole in the crankcase the size of a quarter. J-B Weld to the rescue!

I’m stubborn, too stubborn to quit. After I recovered from the sore neck that resulted from my stunt, I climbed back on the old iron horse. Eventually, I graduated from the parking lot and hit the streets. When I’d learned to ride well enough to satisfy hubby, he bought himself a new Harley and I inherited his anniversary edition Harley Davidson Sportster. And, when I graduated with my masters degree, you’d never guess what I wanted. Yep, a new bike. I became the proud owner of a Screamin Eagle V-Rod (picture attached.)

All good things must eventually come to an end. I enjoyed my days on the road, but found another passion. Writing. I work a full-time job and since there’s only so much time in the day, I have to choose what’s most important to me. The bike had to go. Occasionally, I miss it, but for the most part, I’d rather be writing. I’m hoping the devotions in Lessons from the Open Road will minister to your heart as much as writing them did to mine.

Lessons from the Open Road is currently available in e-book format and will be coming soon in print. I had planned to list it at no cost, but Amazon wouldn’t allow me to do so. I’ve listed it at the lowest price Amazon allows, 99 cents, and all proceeds will be donated to my church’s building fun for the new church that’s currently under construction.

For more information about Lessons from the Open Road, you can check it out on Amazon .

About the Author:

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance, romantic suspense, and non-fiction. She is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on her blog, most of which are signed by the authors. She’s also the moderator of the popular facebook Christian Fiction Gathering group

When not reading or writing, K. Dawn Byrd enjoys spending time with her husband of 16 years while walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near her home and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

Links:

Book giveaway blog: www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

Young adult blog: www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com

Website: www.kdawnbyrd.com 

I’m also on Twitter (kdawnbyrd) and facebook (K Dawn Byrd.) I am the moderator of the Christian Fiction Gathering facebook group  If you join this group, you’ll get reminders about the weekly book giveaways.