From the Mist

In the mist she saw him and her heart broke. She blinked against her tears and swore at her foolishness.

The green of the Irish landscape stretched before her yet again. She was tied to here. She was tied to the dirt beneath her feet, the dew on the grasses and even the pearled rays of sun that struggled to light this day.

Her heart, yes, could wander the paths he walked, but her body was caged here.

There were some who didn't agree, some who thought she could have gone, should have gone with him. But tradition, family, the land, this place were all the blasted reasons she gave for staying and she clung to them plainly out of spite some days.

Today was not that day. Today she looked across the fields and saw him. She'd curse herself and cry and vow that never again would she let her mind play these tricks. But, then she'd revel in the picture set before her.

She's smile as he'd wink and hold out a butterfly like a magic secret.

Or she'd feel the thrill of being led by his hand to that treasured spot on a rainy evening to see he'd gathered a picnic and built a cozy fire to warm away the chill.

The images would flit and fade and mix with the memories of her mind. But today he was a vivid vision. Today he walked in through the edge of the mists and stood in her door. And her heart splintered.

Why she wondered. She hadn't seen him in ages--the war, his adventures, his need to get away had stolen him from her. All she had were these mad grasps at memories, and she couldn't tell anymore if they were real or imagined.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she reached to the man. A sob caught in her throat as the man reached, pulling her to him.

She opened her mouth, she wanted to speak, to say she would go with him and that she regretted everyday that she hadn't.

"Darlin' now don't be saying anything. From the moment I stepped away from you, I've dreamed of kissing you again. It's taken me thirty years and a million miles, but I've come back to do just that."

1st Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

2nd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

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Who's Your Heartbreaker?

Oh boy! What a memory I have for you...

When I was all of about 17, I fell in love with this boy, a cowboy no less. He was a handsome devil. Tall, sweet talking...sweet smiling. My young heart just fell right at his boot covered feet.

I thought we were doing great. Out dancing on Friday nights. Rodeos on Sunday...I was a barrel racer, and he was a bareback rider. What a pair we made; I thought. When February rolled around, I thought I'd do something clever for him. I knew he'd do something sweet for me. He was just that kind of guy.

So I wrote a little poem professing my undying love and carved the short verse on the bottom of a great big Hershey bar. I was so excited all day, so anxious to give him that wonderful, teenage-girl gift.

That night he stopped by. Up to the house he came, a dozen red roses in his hand and a little bear. He said nothing at all, just handed me the roses and the silly little animal and walked away. I smiled like a love sick fool because on each of the roses there was note tied up with ribbon. And a big note on the bear.

Well, I'm not going to go over what each note said, but I will summarize it for you. Basically, he said he wanted to break up with me. He didn't think he could go with a girl who won more money than him in the rodeos and that he really felt I was too short for him.

Ha!  I cut up those roses so fast and ripped the head off of that bear and dumped the whole deal in the trash.

Then I sat down and ate HIS Hershey bar!

What a laugh I have now. That chocolate was really good!

Do you have a heartbreaker in your memory? I'd love to hear about it!

In honor of this Valentine's Day Misery, I'm giving away some sweet Montana chocolate and a $10.00 gift card to Amazon OR Barnes & Noble.

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Be sure to leave a comment with your e-mail to be entered in the GRAND prize drawing!!  It's amazing!!

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

Want More Hops???
Click Here: Heartbreaker Hops! Ends Feb. 11th
 Click Here: Celebrating St. Valentine Ends Feb. 18th

Happy Endings

I believe in happy endings. I believe in the power of love and that this power can and does last beyond the grave. There is a spirit that lingers after a loved one has passed that we feel in our hearts. It may be a brush of air or a ray of sunlight on a shadowed path. But it is there and it gives comfort.

My husband was recently in a terrible accident. And I thought as I stood beside his hospital bed, holding our 10 month old daughter in my arms, while our other children huddled near me with fear beginning to edge across their faces, that the spirit of his life would be all we would have left. That we would remember his smile in flashes of memories. That his arms holding us would be the fleeting brush of a breeze. That his love for me would shine through the darkness to light my path. And I was afraid.

Soon, though, he opened his eyes. When he smiled up at us, our happy ending began.


In honor of happy endings everywhere, I've giving away one of my favorite happy ending stories and a $10.00 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  See below to enter!  May your day be filled with romance and mystery!

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Do you have a happy ending?

Ring in the New Year

I can remember a time when 2013 seemed decades away. Now it is upon us, and I couldn't be more excited.  So many wonderful things going on!  As the New Year comes, it is always fun to look back on old memories.  One of my favorite New Year memories is a lovely, romantic one.

December 31st, years ago beneath the soft light of falling snow, close to the hour of midnight, the love of my life knelt before me, asking if I would spend the rest of my life with him.  He promised so many things that evening  ...to share in the laughter of our children, dance with me in our kitchen and make me smile everyday.

He does all of that and more.

'Le Gra Go Deo'  - With Love Forever, my dear husband.


In honor of romance, I'm sharing a few of my favorite books with you.  Check below to enter to win!

Be sure to leave a comment with your e-mail to be entered in the GRAND prize drawing!!

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May you have a blessed New Year!  I'd love to hear one of your memories of years gone by.

May the sun shine, all day long,

everything go right, and nothing wrong.

May those you love bring love back to you,

and may all the wishes you wish come true!

All the Best,

Rionna

Drop on by these other Blog Hop Sites for more chances to win!

Winter in Montana!

It's wintertime in Montana!  To celebrate, I'm participating in two Blog Hops...each with awesome prizes!!  I'm giving away a few awesome prizes myself.  Look below to see!

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One of my favorite Montana winter memories happened last year.  My three daughters were off from school.  It had snowed so much the night before!  In the morning  the whole world looked like it had been sprinkled with magic dust.  We made snowmen and snow angels and went sledding down our tall hills. Hot chocolate and warm cinnamon rolls were just the thing to come in to.  So much snow.  So many giggles. I loved that day!

Other Sites for this Blog Hop!

1st Grand Prize:

A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: 

A $200 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack: 

paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks,

 cover flats, magnets, pens, 

coffee cozies, and more!

Be sure to leave a comment with your e-mail address to be entered to win!

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A Few of my Favorite Things...

I enjoy a nice glass of wine, a perfect cup of tea, a well cooked meal, but I also love caramel apples.


I'm an English major--twice now because I have a Masters in English--so I love all things written. Everything from Robert Herrick to Edgar A. Poe.


I love exploring new places and revisiting the old ones for the new perspective life shows.




I love my children and their silly laughter.


I love the full moon on a dark winter night.


I love the ocean in the depths of a storm.


I love to dance under a midsummer sky.



What do you love?