Happy Birthday to My MUCH Younger Sister!

Just a quick reminder--the Book Release Celebration Blowout Giveaway ends at midnight tonight Saturday the 23rd, EST). If you're having trouble leaving a comment, try again, or just say so in the contest form.

I want to wish a big happy birthday to my "little" sister, Becky. I love her a whole lot, even though she is ridiculously gorgeous and smart and stuff. *blows kisses*

(I'd tell you how old she is, but she has promised to hurt me if I do. Let's just say that she is MUCH younger than me, and leave it at that.)

This was the last time I was in San Diego, on the beach with my wonderful brother in-law Rich, which is married to my other gorgeous, smart, and younger sister Sarah.

Blue Moon, Summer's End, Celebrations

I meant to post about the blue moon earlier, but, you know...life :-)

Did you get to see it? Here in upstate NY, it was amazing. I gathered to do ritual with Blue Moon Circle (it was our night, after all) and it was wonderful.

Then on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, I got to spend some time with one of our original Blue Mooner's, the lovely Robin, and her family. If you have been coming here for a while, you have probably heard about Robin, hubby George (who put a barn roof on for me this summer, bless him), and my two goddess-children, Sophie and Nate. Nate is going off to pre-K today for the first time! And Sophie is in first grade. Wow. Since the family moved about 45 minutes away, we don't get to see each other nearly as often as I'd like, so it was a real treat to drive up with pal Ellen and spend the day hanging out with the Wrights.

We had a fabulous BBQ with foods from the garden (and the kids made the best deviled eggs I'd ever had, with eggs from their own chickens). It was the perfect end of summer day.

That's ice cream and fresh strawberry rhubarb pie the kids are eating, sitting by the pool. See what I mean?

And a belated happy 50th birthday to my wonderful sister Sarah, who's big day was yesterday. And happy anniversary to my parents, who have been married for 54 years. Freaking amazing, all of them.

So, did anyone else do anything worth celebrating last weekend? And did you see the moon?

On Sisters and Celebrations

Believe it or not, this glamorous, gorgeous woman is my kid sister, Becky. Today is her birthday, and she is 40-something still younger than me. (Pardon the fuzzy picture, I stole it from Facebook.)

I am blessed to have two sisters who are smart, funny, beautiful, warm, wise, and talented. Also, they both beat me at Words with Friends on a regular basis.

Happy birthday, Becky. I hope the coming year brings you new and wonderful gifts to unwrap. You deserve them.

We're going to be celebrating around here, too. Sometime today or tomorrow, this blog should hit 40,000 views

Holy crap. 

I am so grateful for everyone who comes and shares this space with me. You all rock.

So let's celebrate in style. Tell me which book of mine you would like to have and why (in the comments here) and one commenter will win a free book of their choice. You have until midnight EST tomorrow (Friday the 24th). YAY!

Family and Faerie Festivals

Lots of fun stuff happening this week! (Which means I won't be getting any writing done for the next few days, but that's okay, because sometimes you have to...you know...LIVE.)

The best thing is that my kid sister Becky (and by kid, I mean that she is younger by four years, and cuter by leaps and bounds) is coming out from San Diego with my nephew Stamo (15) and niece Athena (17). We're all meeting up in Schenectady, where we grew up, and where my other (middle) sister Sarah lives with her hubby--the ubertalented Rich--and my fantbulous nieces Addy and Bri, both of whom just finished their first year in college. We'll spend some time there, and some time here, and lots of time just hanging out and reconnecting. Probably playing multiple games of Apples to Apples, sitting by the BBQ, and just enjoying the rare opportunity to be together. [The last time we were all together was a year ago last Feb when our beloved grandmother died. This should be a slightly cheerier visit!]

Sarah, me, Becky. Aren't we a good-looking bunch?

The gorgeous Athena, Uncle Rich, and Stamo (that handsome devil). Stamo and Rich will probably take their shared love of baseball to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown at some point, while the rest of us go to my shop in Oneonta or hang around my house.

Depending on how the schedule works out, I am hoping to also make it (with or without Becky and the kids) to the New York Faerie Festival up near Binghamton. I didn't get a chance to go last year, because I was in NYC at a conference, and it is a blast. The theoretical plan is for me and pal Ellen to drive up and meet Robin and the kids (who live 5 minutes from the FF) and spend the say together. There is music, all sorts of revelry, and I believe...jousting. http://nyfaeriefest.com/ I highly recommend it, if you live anywhere nearby.

This is probably as close as I'm coming to a vacation this year, so I intend to enjoy it as much as I can. I might even (gasp!) relax. After all, the writing and everything else will still be waiting for me when I get back.

Are you going to get together with family this summer? Go to a particularly interesting event? Share, please--I'd love to know!