Angela glanced over at Henry. He was hunkered over a book. Angela knew that Henry was writing again. He had a small book. In it he wrote down what they stole, and how much it was worth. He kept assiduous track of all expenses they incurred, then he wrote about his life.
Henry was rarely in a pleasant mood. Angela made the mistake of asking Henry once, "Why do you write so much in that book? Could you teach me some book learnin'? Maybe I could keep track of what we steal and what we spend. That would save you time."
Henry made a gesture as though he was going to hit Angela in the face. Angela flinched. Henry laughed. "You little no account, good-for-nothin'-girl. I've told you that women are only good for two things, keeping a man warm on cold nights, cleanin' and cookin'."
Angela did NOT correct Henry and tell him that he had listed three things, not two.
Henry continued, "You are more stupid than a bird. You couldn't learn nothin' no how. Men are meant to do readin' and writin'. Women, well they are intended to do what men wants them to. Now finish cleanin' them pots and git in your bedroll. We have a long trip tomorrow."
Angela walked the short trip to a pond nearby. She wasn't afraid of the dark. Henry Butler was her adopted Father. Living with him made any other threat seem minor. Angela was a slave to Henry's wishes and whims. He fed her only enough to keep her alive He frequently told her that she was only good to him small. If she began to get large he'd kill her and adopt another small child.
Some days were so bad that she wished he WOULD kill her.
Then she would remember that Henry had consigned her to Hell for being, "A worthless Bastard that even the Devil didn't want."
Angela often thought that even Hell had to be a better existence than the one she had with Henry.
She put a small amount of sand in both of the cast iron pans. She scrubbed the pans with sand. Then she rinsed them off in the freezing cold pond water.
Her hands were cracked, split, and bleeding. After the sand she would lather the pans with homemade lye soap that Henry had taught her how to make. The lye cleaned very well. It took off any food that was stubborn. Unfortunately it took off a great deal of the skin on her hands and wrists.
Sometimes Angela would sneak a tiny bit of butter and rub it into her miserable hands. Henry caught her once. He did not beat her, or spank her. He had a far more heinous punishment. He simply did not feed her for however long he deemed necessary to teach her "The error of her ways."
Angela heard a lonely wolf howl close by. She was not frightened that the wolf would kill her. She WAS frightened at the method that the wolf would use to kill her. Scrubbing more quickly she finished the job in record time.
When Angela returned to the campfire with the scrubbed clean pans in her arms Henry was fast asleep. He was sitting up with his journal in his lap. Angela weighed the pros and cons of awakening Henry. She knew that he would be furious if she awakened him. She also knew that if he slept sitting up all night he would be angry that she didn't wake him up to get in his bedroll. Angela knew the principle of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't," all too well.
As Angela climbed carefully into her warm, soft, bedroll she made the decision to make a token effort to get Henry into his bedroll. She called out in a very quiet voice, "Henry, you need to wake up and get into your bedroll." She repeated the same directive three times in the same volume of voice. Henry didn't even hear her. He just snored louder.
Angela climbed into her bedroll with a smile on her face. "It's worth it to have a hurting tummy for a few days. Henry will have a stiff neck for a few days. He's cross as an ol' setting hen when he sleeps like that, but it makes me happy that he will be hurtin'.
Smiling brightly Angela said the nighttime prayer that she had been taught at the orphanage, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." AMEN.
Angela got off her knees and crawled into her bedroll. Turning on her right side she smiled and welcomed the release of sleep.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Confusion, Drifting Anchor OR DRIFTING ANCHOR RANCH?
Today I logged in to post on this blog. Imagine my surprise when I started to read the post on the screen and discovered multiple grammatical and spelling mistakes. (We all make mistakes, but I do proof my entries carefully).
The biggest surprise was when I came to the use of the F word, and I am NOT referring to F as in friendly. That is a word that I will NEVER use in my writing. It's not that I consider myself morally superior to those that use the word freely. As a personal choice I believe that using that word lowers humans to the basic instinctual action that is common to all mammals.
Sex naturally makes almost all women feel connected on every level to the person with whom she participates. I believe that is also true of many men as well. This connectivity serves a purpose. The wonder and joy of being connected in intimacy can be the foundation to create a healthy family that can withstand the bumps and bruises of modern life.
The writer of driftinganchor.blogspot.com IS an excellent writer. I enjoyed their descriptions (minus the use of that word), and I felt drawn in quickly as I read the first paragraph.
I only post my experience on MY blog in case any of my friends or family make the same mistake that I did. I will read more of driftinganchor.blogspot.com because the author does have talent. I hope the same can be said for me as I write driftinganchorranch.blogspot.com
The biggest surprise was when I came to the use of the F word, and I am NOT referring to F as in friendly. That is a word that I will NEVER use in my writing. It's not that I consider myself morally superior to those that use the word freely. As a personal choice I believe that using that word lowers humans to the basic instinctual action that is common to all mammals.
Sex naturally makes almost all women feel connected on every level to the person with whom she participates. I believe that is also true of many men as well. This connectivity serves a purpose. The wonder and joy of being connected in intimacy can be the foundation to create a healthy family that can withstand the bumps and bruises of modern life.
The writer of driftinganchor.blogspot.com IS an excellent writer. I enjoyed their descriptions (minus the use of that word), and I felt drawn in quickly as I read the first paragraph.
I only post my experience on MY blog in case any of my friends or family make the same mistake that I did. I will read more of driftinganchor.blogspot.com because the author does have talent. I hope the same can be said for me as I write driftinganchorranch.blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Clam Chowder
In Warrenton, which is a town near Astoria that was started almost 50 years after Astoria, Oregon (which is a town that I use in my series) there is a small restaurant across from the Shiloh Inn. I wish I remembered the name. You can probably Google it. Anyway, if you like clam chowder, you WILL want to eat theirs. I don't really like clam chowder all that much...usually it is too rich with clams that taste like the rubber eraser on the end of a pencil. (Yes I DID chew on the eraser throughout my grade school years. So I know when that eraser and the clams share an equal taste sensation.)
The charming waitress insisted that I MUST get the clam chowder instead of the salad. I am ever so grateful that I listened to her. I'm absolutely certain that they create THE BEST clam chowder, bar none, that I have ever eaten. DELICIOUS doesn't begin to explain what it tasted like. There was a richness there, a luxuriant sense of creaminess. The flavor of clam was delicate, not overpowering. The clams had actual taste, and were relatively tender to chew.
Our lovely waitress had worked there for many years. She said that they used to give anyone who requested the recipe for the chowder. Then a new restaurant moved into town, and started using their recipe. They no longer give out the recipe. (Why do the dishonest always spoil things for those of us who strive for honesty?)
This is truly a shame because I would love to reproduce this hearty, delicious meal. She explained that it did have heavy cream, and half and half (She had me at heavy cream). They use clam juice...which she explained is like chicken or beef broth only it's made with clams. The sad part is that she had no idea what seasoned the chowder.
I wish that I could reproduce the recipe for my blog. The best that I can do is to tell you, if you ever travel to Warrenton, Oregon, google the restaurant that is across from the Shiloh Inn. I also had the salmon fish and chips (amazing as well). The ambiance is simple, homey. It feels like you've dropped into a dear friend's home for dinner. The waitresses are charming, helpful, and the food is INCREDIBLE!
(I Googled and found that the name is Dooger's. The name is a little strange, and it actually IS DOOGER'S not DODGER'S.)
The charming waitress insisted that I MUST get the clam chowder instead of the salad. I am ever so grateful that I listened to her. I'm absolutely certain that they create THE BEST clam chowder, bar none, that I have ever eaten. DELICIOUS doesn't begin to explain what it tasted like. There was a richness there, a luxuriant sense of creaminess. The flavor of clam was delicate, not overpowering. The clams had actual taste, and were relatively tender to chew.
Our lovely waitress had worked there for many years. She said that they used to give anyone who requested the recipe for the chowder. Then a new restaurant moved into town, and started using their recipe. They no longer give out the recipe. (Why do the dishonest always spoil things for those of us who strive for honesty?)
This is truly a shame because I would love to reproduce this hearty, delicious meal. She explained that it did have heavy cream, and half and half (She had me at heavy cream). They use clam juice...which she explained is like chicken or beef broth only it's made with clams. The sad part is that she had no idea what seasoned the chowder.
I wish that I could reproduce the recipe for my blog. The best that I can do is to tell you, if you ever travel to Warrenton, Oregon, google the restaurant that is across from the Shiloh Inn. I also had the salmon fish and chips (amazing as well). The ambiance is simple, homey. It feels like you've dropped into a dear friend's home for dinner. The waitresses are charming, helpful, and the food is INCREDIBLE!
(I Googled and found that the name is Dooger's. The name is a little strange, and it actually IS DOOGER'S not DODGER'S.)
Travel to History
It wasn't one visit, or two, it was a gradual process of many visits to the Oregon Coast, and to Astoria, Oregon that led to my personal discovery of the series that I am writing, "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch." Actually it began long before my first, second, and third visits to Astoria. It began when I was a small child watching, listening, and recording in memory for me to review and draw upon when I grew up. (I'm not certain that I HAVE grown up, but I'm trying.) Western American television series and listening to my grandparents reminiscings sparked the fire that led me to writing.
The Drifting Anchor Ranch, is a fictional place. It has never actually existed except in my fertile imagination. An anchor is such a lovely symbol of so many things. An anchor can hold us steady in the storms and squalls of life. (If you have not yet faced any storms or squalls, just hang on, they WILL happen). This is not a threat, storms and squalls help us to become strong.
On the other hand, an anchor can also hold us so still in place that we can't grow, move, achieve. An anchor is meant to hold us steady, but there is a reason why it was pulled up when the ship was ready to travel. You can't move freely with an anchor holding you hard and fast in place.
One of life's little mysteries, how things can be both good AND bad. An anchor symbolizes this enigma.
When I began to put the story on paper with ink (I am NOT as old as the dinosaurs!), it took shape quickly. When I searched for a name to give the ranch I turned to my beloved husband, also a writer. He had such a brilliant mind. He truly was a creative genius (Really, really!)
He asked, "Who started this ranch? Why did he want to start the ranch? What type of work did he do before he began the ranch?"
When I explained Sea Captain, wanted to start a different type of life, drifted anchor that put the ship ashore he responded as though it was the simplest answer in the world, "The Drifting Anchor Ranch." I was delighted! My husband passed away two years ago. The name of this series keeps him close to me.
I am fascinated by the 1800's in the Western United States of America. It took great courage and vision to travel to the unknown and then create a good life for their children and the people who came afterwards. These pioneers and their lives teach me about life, and facing it with courage. I hope that others will enjoy traveling to the past in my novels.
The Drifting Anchor Ranch, is a fictional place. It has never actually existed except in my fertile imagination. An anchor is such a lovely symbol of so many things. An anchor can hold us steady in the storms and squalls of life. (If you have not yet faced any storms or squalls, just hang on, they WILL happen). This is not a threat, storms and squalls help us to become strong.
On the other hand, an anchor can also hold us so still in place that we can't grow, move, achieve. An anchor is meant to hold us steady, but there is a reason why it was pulled up when the ship was ready to travel. You can't move freely with an anchor holding you hard and fast in place.
One of life's little mysteries, how things can be both good AND bad. An anchor symbolizes this enigma.
When I began to put the story on paper with ink (I am NOT as old as the dinosaurs!), it took shape quickly. When I searched for a name to give the ranch I turned to my beloved husband, also a writer. He had such a brilliant mind. He truly was a creative genius (Really, really!)
He asked, "Who started this ranch? Why did he want to start the ranch? What type of work did he do before he began the ranch?"
When I explained Sea Captain, wanted to start a different type of life, drifted anchor that put the ship ashore he responded as though it was the simplest answer in the world, "The Drifting Anchor Ranch." I was delighted! My husband passed away two years ago. The name of this series keeps him close to me.
I am fascinated by the 1800's in the Western United States of America. It took great courage and vision to travel to the unknown and then create a good life for their children and the people who came afterwards. These pioneers and their lives teach me about life, and facing it with courage. I hope that others will enjoy traveling to the past in my novels.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Excitement, Enchantment, and Enrichment
I'm thrilled to announce that in April I will be having a book signing at Aunt Addy's Country Home in Farmington, UT. I will announce the day a little closer to the event. In conjunction with this event, I will be releasing two more of my books from the series, "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch."
I know that I have said many times that my books were going to be published and then they weren't published, but that is a benefit of being a self-published author. No deadlines established by somebody else that will NOT be allowed to bend and stretch as life dictates.
The two books soon published will be "Celeste, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch" and "Angela, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch." Celeste's story begins in slavery. She loses her parents, brother, sister-in law, nephew, and baby brother on the ragged trip in raging seas. When she arrives in Astoria, Oregon a wily Madame traps her into sexual slavery. Celeste succeeds in freeing herself, and starting a new life.
I will continue to publish Celeste's journal of events leading up to the point when the 2nd part of her story begins.
Angela, has been adopted by a thief, and trained to pick pockets and climb in tight spots to steal in the middle of night. She is in the process of stealing from the Calkin family when she is caught. They grow to love her, and adopt her.
I do enjoy writing tales of redemption. It's easy in life to focus on all the negative things in the world, the evils that DO exist. Yet I am a firm believer that there is also great GOOD in this world. There are still kind, decent people who do their best to bless their fellowmen.
This year I'm working on publishing three more books, "Sarah, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch," "Thrive, Don't Just Survive," and "Haunted Love." I'm so excited for the new people I will meet (as I create them), and the new worlds I will explore.
Please join me on this ride of adventure, and discovery,
Vivian Varlowe
I know that I have said many times that my books were going to be published and then they weren't published, but that is a benefit of being a self-published author. No deadlines established by somebody else that will NOT be allowed to bend and stretch as life dictates.
The two books soon published will be "Celeste, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch" and "Angela, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch." Celeste's story begins in slavery. She loses her parents, brother, sister-in law, nephew, and baby brother on the ragged trip in raging seas. When she arrives in Astoria, Oregon a wily Madame traps her into sexual slavery. Celeste succeeds in freeing herself, and starting a new life.
I will continue to publish Celeste's journal of events leading up to the point when the 2nd part of her story begins.
Angela, has been adopted by a thief, and trained to pick pockets and climb in tight spots to steal in the middle of night. She is in the process of stealing from the Calkin family when she is caught. They grow to love her, and adopt her.
I do enjoy writing tales of redemption. It's easy in life to focus on all the negative things in the world, the evils that DO exist. Yet I am a firm believer that there is also great GOOD in this world. There are still kind, decent people who do their best to bless their fellowmen.
This year I'm working on publishing three more books, "Sarah, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch," "Thrive, Don't Just Survive," and "Haunted Love." I'm so excited for the new people I will meet (as I create them), and the new worlds I will explore.
Please join me on this ride of adventure, and discovery,
Vivian Varlowe
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