What Happened to my Summer?

 

NO, I HAVEN'T MADE IT TO THE BEACH ALL SUMMER! I was reminded the other day that my older son's birthday is right around the corner on September 1st. What? Isn't it still July? Dear Lord, its actually nearing the end of August and I have not blogged since June!

What happened? Well, life gets in the way in subtle ways and you 'roll with the punches' and get back up, or die. I got up. I wrote a short story and it was rejected after six months by a publisher, so I rewrote it and submitted it elsewhere. Guess what? It will be published in a fundraising anthology in October. The earnings from sales go to a writing group, not me, but that's perfectly fine. Seeing it alongside other stories in a book I can add to my bookshelf is the goal.

Hubby and I traveled to western North Carolina for a lovely wedding, then continued south to Florida to check on my parents' gravesite. Come September 1st, mom will be gone one whole year. In mid-July we spent the weekend in Banner Elk and Linville area of North Carolina to attend the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.  The weather wasn't with us, but we had a blast.

Wait...I remember now...August was the month of hardly any rain AND 100 degree days! Yes, the heat has been brutal but unlike our friends in New England, we have whole-house air conditioning. The power company loves it every time we touch the thermostat, so shorts and tank tops are the daily outfits unless we have to go out in public. 

I do like Autumn weather and am looking forward to finishing my current manuscript because I would love it to come out this November, but we will see. Every time I reread it to check things or add a section I find typos. Let's just say the eyesight isn't the best. To all, keep cool and march on until the air temps grow more comfortable!

Nancy Lee Badger

June is Popping Out All Over

POP! Flag Day is June 14th. Americans commemorate this day because in 1777, we adopted the 'stars and stripes' as our brand new country's national flag. Here at our home in Raleigh, North Carolina we fly a flag from the front of the house and from the rear deck every day. 

POP! June 17th! My husband also flies a flag that commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill. Even though the majority of the fighting happened on Breed's Hill in Charlestown, his ancestors fought there as Patriots. 

June 19th is Juneteenth National Independence Day and is now a federal holiday that started in 2021 in the United States. It commemorates the ending of slavery in America.  For my husband and I, it has been the anniversary of our wedding for much longer! In fact, this year we will celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary! 

June 21st is the first day of summer, also called the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere. This also means it is the shortest night of the year. From that day on, the days get shorter as we head toward fall and winter. 

June 21st is also father's Day this year. Fathers are particularly honored by their children. It is a movable holiday, landing on the third Sunday in June. One of our sons was born on a different date, but it was also Father's Day. 

If any of these dates mean anything special to you, enjoy them and the weather that, for me this week, has seen lovely cool mornings. I can be found sitting on our back deck instead of my lawn chair in the front yard because we are having new windows and a front door installed. Energy savings, we hope. I read and still throw carrots and birdseed to feed the rabbits, chipmunks and deer. I listen to the birds and dream of visiting the beach...soon! 

On a serious note, June 1st is a special day for me, this year, because I signed my 5th contract with the Triangle Association of Freelancers to publish my short story, THE HONEST TRUTH in a book titled the  TAF Omnibus Volume V which will be released around October 1, 2026. 

I also hope to self-publish a historical pirate romance set in Scotland this Christmas.

Enjoy the weather wherever you are. Read a book or two. If you need a book, check out my book links HERE and enjoy the summer. 

Happy June to y'all,

Nancy Lee Badger

Let's Welcome May

May Day is May 1st, and has its roots as a Pagan holiday, more like an agricultural celebration. Ever seen a Maypole? Kids or prettily-dressed women would dance around them to welcome planting times. Some countries consider it a Worker's Day (although here in the USA we celebrate that on Labor Day in September.) 

May the 4th is a nod to STAR WARS, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. So wish all you see 'May the 4th be with you!' They should respond in kind with 'And also with you.' 

May 5th is also known by our Latino friends as Cinco de Mayo. (Cinco mean '5') and many go out and celebrate with fantastic Mexican food as well a margarita or two.

May 10th is Mother's Day this year. It always falls on the second Sunday in May. This is a special day for anyone that has had a hand in raising a child. (Dads have to wait until June.) I miss my Mom.

May 25th will be celebrated as Memorial Day. It used to be May 30th, but was changed to wherever the last Monday of May lands. I wish I could have met my Uncle David, but he died during WW2.

However you celebrate May, do it with smiles and laughter and remember to enjoy the sunlight. If its raining (it's Spring, remember) try reading I have a few books out there. See the list and all Buy Links HERE

Nancy Lee Badger

E-Books Help Earth Day All Year

I loved the Kindle I owned, then found I could send the same books I buy to my Android Smart Phone. Now, I take books everywhere. 

Waiting in a medical office? READ! Waiting in the airport Cell Lot for a relative to land? READ! Want to read outside or so you don't disturb your partner with a exterior light in a dark room? READ on a device that has its own light.

I still prefer the written book in print, but even I have problems holding a heavy hardcover book at times. Also, the words seem to be getting smaller! Another plus for reading via a Kindle or Smart Phone is that you can enlarge the size of the words.

Amazon sells the Kindle, Barnes & Noble has the Nook Book, and Apple does it all. Whichever way you like to read, you might find you can read a new favorite for a lot less than a printed book. My published books are discounted because an ebook is cheaper for a distributor to distribute.

But...please remember. It still takes the author the same amount of time to create the story. You will get all their hard work whichever way you buy it. You are buying the same sweat, creativity, hours of work, editing, and more.

For EARTH DAY 2026 I am reminding you of my published  ebooks available now at great, low prices and instantly downloaded to your device. 

Check them all out on my Blog BOOK Page HERE.

Here are a few examples of ebooks you might like:

So, whatever you plan to do to celebrate Earth Day 2026 which falls on Wednesday April 22nd this year, remember that caring for our planet can include saving a tree all year long by READING AN E-BOOK!

Nancy Lee Badger

A Writer Loves Coincidences and Clover

It was simply a coincidence that I was born on a Friday the 13th. Other oddities fill my life and I cannot ignore them. 

Our firstborn son was due August 16th but arrived over Labor Day on Sept.1st. Our second son was born on Father's Day. My dear dad passed away on Groundhog Day. My sweet mother recently passed away Labor Day that also happened to be her grandson's birthday. She was buried on September 11th aka 9/11. As New Yorkers, that date means a lot to us. It is also my cousin's birthday, the one who served in Vietnam. Another cousin still celebrates her 4th of July birthday. Our grandmother was born on Easter. 

And last (although there are probably more) Hubby and I were married on a date that we never realized would become a Federal Holiday... Juneteenth!

Do you remember I mentioned recently that I am back to writing? I spent a month writing along others in the Triangle Association of Freelancers aka TAF and my book is now about half completed. Lots more to go, then edits. I have set it mostly in 1867 in the town of Southold, Long Island, New York. I still need to work on a Christmas holiday historical story, and I plan to submit a short story for TAF's Omnibus V, a group fundraiser, which will be published in the fall. I am toying with writing a quick-read short story to submit to a company I recently heard is accepting submissions. A busy time. 

If you are or want to be a writer the best thing to do is start. Maybe you have a small idea or maybe you have tried before. As Yoda said "Do not try...do!" A plan is setting aside some time in your day and then sit down and do it. A pad of paper and a pen, a notebook, or a laptop can take your words and show you what can be. Try it. 

Find all Buy Links HERE

Nancy Lee Badger 💗

Snow. What is YOUR Take on a SNOW BOMB?

We moved to 'The Sunny South' years ago from the White Mountains region of New Hampshire. After attending college, finding work, buying a home, and raising two boys, I remember snow. Lots of snow. Get-the-car-stuck-in-the-driveway snow. Use a 20 foot roof rake to remove a foot of the white stuff so ice edges didn't form or the roof collapsed.

So, after the kids grew into adults and I told my husband we needed to move closer to my parents and sisters, we arrived in Raleigh. Little did we know a 'SNOW BOMB' would stop everyone in their tracks. With the threat of ice and snow (we got mostly ice the first weekend) stores were ransacked of food and Duke Energy were warning us about a possible power outage. Schools were closed before a flake arrived. We stayed indoors for five days because the roads were treacherous. I wish I had a horse.

The next weekend the snow arrived in abundance. We got 5 to 6 inches. Luckily, it was fluffy stuff and the wind blew a lot of it away. It looked pretty until you realized the streets were not plowed. Again, or ever. A snow storm is the perfect reason to grab or download a book and read near the fireplace. 

My office

What was the worst ice or snow storm you have ever survived and where did you live at the time?

Nancy Lee Badger, waiting for spring.

An Author's NEW PLAN

"Nancy, get back to writing." 

Simple as that, you think? Not really. It has been a tough last six months. 'Things' took over my life.

My 95 year old very independent mother got Covid-19 that turned into pneumonia that put her into the hospital, then rehab, then killed her. 

She gave me Covid-19 and I am finally feeling a lot better (and am newly vaccinated...again!) As her oldest child and her executor I am still waiting for the lawyer's bill. Oh yeah...I will have to get her forms to her tax man. With luck, a few dollars might be refunded. 

We got her buried with dad in another state and cleaned out her apartment by donating most of her furniture to Healing-Transitions in Raleigh, NC. I kept her pretty green couch and still need to move some things around to make it look its best. I will think of her as I sit and watch the birds at the feeder.

Back to writing...really. I just started a book, by referring to an outline I started two years ago after a visit to Southold, Long Island, New York. It is in the early stages, but the idea of getting up with something to do that keeps my mind learning and growing is a treat. 

If you are or want to be a writer the best thing to do is start. Maybe you have a small idea or maybe you have tried before. As Yoda said "Do not try...do!" A plan is setting aside some time in your day and then sit down and do it. A pad of paper and a pen, a notebook, or a laptop can take your words and show you what can be. Try it. This is how I was able to write and publish around 50 books (2026 plan: count the books).

 So, have a Happy New Year by sitting down and starting that book, like me!

Nancy Lee Badger