Beloved Castaway

I'm looking forward to Saturday. It's the semi-annual Amish quilt auction. I've blogged about it multiple times, and it's hard to explain just how much fun the day is. My mom and I have been attending it together for over twelve years. Molly came with us to the fall sale last year and decided to join the club, making it three generations. We'll spend the entire day eating delicious, home-baked foods (full of calories) and watching handmade works of art go up for sale. From children's first sewing and woodworking projects to thousand dollar quilts and bedroom sets. The weather is supposed to be nice; I can't wait.

Beloved Castaway by Kathleen Y'Barbo is the first book in the Fairweather Keys series. Isabelle Gayarre has booked passage on Josiah Carter's ship out of New Orleans hoping to start a new life in England. Born into slavery and sold to an older man, she's fleeing for a better life on her faith in God. Josiah is shocked to discover that his passenger I. Gayarre is a female, and the news only gets worse when her half-sister and another society woman show up and they all insist on traveling with Isabelle. Josiah is running from his past as well: debts and an angry father. Isabelle and Josiah face fire and shipwreck together before landing on Fairweather Key in Florida. Josiah and Isabelle are both likable characters, and their romance is a foregone conclusion, but Y'Barbo places several intriguing obstacles in their path. Isabelle's faith carries her through the worst of times, and her reliance on it affects those around her becoming a powerful witness to the power of God. The denizens of Fairweather Keys are varied and quirky and will make for more enjoyable books in this series.

Mia came racing inside after playing because she was being bothered by "can't-see-ums". I said, "don't you mean no-see-ums", and she said, "No, I can't-see-um. When there's only one, you can't-see-um, but when there's a whole bunch, then you can definitely see-um."

Today's pic is Mia in her new tent. I'm a big believer in using the point rewards offered by different companies. I got this for free from turning in the codes on my Disney movies. Go here for more details. It came with a matching blanket. She's thrilled and ready for camping this summer.