Nyle and my Series "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch."

For twenty long years I've been writing, writing, writing a series....actually first it was going to be one book.  Then it was too long for one book.  Then it became 2, 3, 4, and now I'm up to nine novels in the series.

One of the big reasons that it didn't get published sooner was because I didn't believe that my writing would interest one soul besides me.  YUP....my inferiority complex had an inferiority complex.  I couldn't bear the idea that someone would read my book and dislike it.

It took a long time and lots of helpful advice before I had the courage to self-publish.  Amazingly, some people have read it and liked it, a lot.  I'm certain that some don't like it.  On the other hand, if I don't try how will I ever know if I can do it?

So, I came to Nyle (always the man with the creative ideas) and said, "There is this captain...well he doesn't start as a captain.  He's shanghaied at a bar in Portland, Oregon when he's fourteen.  He works very hard, and by the age of twenty owns his own steamship traveling with cargo from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco, California.

He is tired of the sea life (which he didn't want to do in the first place.)  He has looked all over the world for his own personal place to build a ranch.  A humble place at first but he has big plans and dreams to turn it into a beautiful mansion eventually.

His dreams become reality in a strange way.  He goes to bed one night leaving the steering of the ship to his second mate.  The mate has never dealt with the sand bars that are so tricky at the end of the Columbia river, and the beginning of the Pacific Ocean.  He doesn't set the anchor deeply enough and the ship runs aground.

Captain Calkin goes ashore to determine first the extent of damage to the ship.  Then he recognizes the place of his dreams complete with rolling hills, a water supply, and lots, and lots of lumber to build with and sell.

He begins his ranch unafraid of hard work.  He names the ranch for the anchor that drifted and helped him run aground.  The anchor sits at the beginning of the ranch with a large sign above it that says, "Drifting Anchor Ranch."

Nyle gave me the ranch name.  I had just finished the above story, telling it to him, and quick as that he said, "Oh, the ranch should be named the Drifting Anchor Ranch."  He was always so creative.

I'm so grateful for the name because it is a perfect analogy for so many things in real life.  I think most of us have had an anchor that has drifted from time to time in our life's journey.  Many of us have even run aground causing some temporary damage.  If we are blessed that drifting anchor has led us to new opportunities, just as it did for Blake.

I'm grateful for the anchor that Nyle's love has been in my life, keeping me grounded and safe. Even though he is no longer on this physical plane, I still feel his spirit encouraging me and protecting me.