I added on a photo I took this morning just after we hung out the flag.  HAPPY JULY 4th, Happy Independence Day!  Ring out wild bells . . .

Hello girlfriends!  I’m back!  I hoped you enjoyed a little summer rain (if you didn’t see the video,it’ll be at the end of this post). One good thing about the rain is how beautiful and fluffy and green it’s making everything look. MUSICA!!!

I wanted to give you our lucky winner for the bookmark right now, but Vanna wanted a bubble bath!  And whatever Vanna wants, Vanna gets!   So we are going to have to wait a bit longer until she comes down.  Until then, I’ll give you a little more of our local weather report . . . That’s my garden up there, we haven’t had to water it once this year!

The last time we saw the sun for real was the afternoon of the full moon over a week ago.  Early that evening we went to a friend’s 1820’s house to sit on her screened porch, watch the birds at the feeders and try to name them, sip wine, and wait for the moon to come up.

A couple hours later we drove out to our favorite place to moon watch on East Chop where we get an unrestricted view over the water.  But, this picture says it all, blowing clouds were racing the moonrise and the clouds were winning.

So I looked around to find something else to point my camera at and I found this …

And this too, the ferry coming out of Oak Bluffs crossing just where the moon should have been.  Nice but not quite what we were expecting.  Picture a huge yellow ball right behind it.  That’s what we should have seen.

We stayed out there for a while, but finally realized it wasn’t in the cards and started home.  On the way we stopped for a quick photo of the lighthouse.

And then around the bend we went and over Lagoon Pond we saw this. STOP THE CAR! This was the only peek we got of the moon until early the next morning when I saw it going down from the bedroom window.

Pretty, beautiful over the water . . . and then the clouds came in and have never gone away since.  A couple of nights ago we walked down to Main Street for dinner at La Cave — we sat on the restaurant porch and watched visible fingers of mist curling and blowing down the street.  It’s warm, it’s dark and it’s wet.

But it’s not dreary.  It’s making the island more beautiful than ever.  It feels just like England!  I’m sure if you’ve rented a beach house on the island, this isn’t what you were expecting, but business at the bookstore is very brisk, and the restaurants are full!

I don’t mind a bit.

And neither does he.  BTW, I would never kiss this frog because I like him just the way he is.  And I already have my Prince.  What else, oops, I think I hear the pitter patter of little feet. Vanna . . . Let me grab her!  Yoooo Hooo, Vanna, we are waiting for youuuuu.

(Dressed in tennis clothes and a gold necklace this woman understands the good life.)  Before I could say a thing she sprang up, skirt twirling, and leaped into the top hat and disappeared to the bottom like a swimmer.  It looked like she turned herself into a Waring blender because she had all your names twirling in the hat like a tornado — round and round they went, then suddenly, Boom!  Here she was!  And I have the winning name!!!  Now let me get my pen so I can write that winning name on the Beatrix Bookmark.  Six letters . . . and one of them is the very last letter in the alphabet. A hint Girlfriends.  (That narrows it down a bit, doesn’t it?)

The winner is our girlfriend ESZTER from Veresegyhaz, Hungary!  We’ve truly gone global girlfriends!  This is our second world winner — the first was when Leanne in New Zealand won the Autumn book, and now Hungary!  What a small world!  Congratulations Eszter, you are our grand prize winner for the day!  I will put your little bookmark in an envelope, with extra postage, and send her winging across the water.  Say hello to Hungary for us!

Thank you all for trying, for being here, and for being you. ♥  And now, not to let it get maudlin around here, I have news.  In fact I have too much news.  Number One is this:

Can you guess what this is?  Note that it is not moving, and yet I cannot seem to take a focused photo of it.  Can you imagine what is in these boxes? she says, shakily.

Can you believe it?  They’re here!!!  A Fine Romance, our brand new book, is actually here in my house!  Ripping the wrapper — I’m way too excited to focus the mere camera.  What camera?

Now I begin to get it together…. I’m better now. I report in: she is beautiful.  She smells just like all the best new books you have ever smelled.  She is cozy, her pages are smooth, her cover is cool to the touch, and she is wearing a red ribbon, sooo romantic.

Petey wasted no time getting into the picture.  Everyone wanted to get near her.  These first advance copies of our book ~ we only got a few ~ are going to be mailed to places like Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews, plus different magazines and newspapers.

But, as promised, the very first one gets signed and off it goes to Gail.  If you remember, Gail is the girlfriend who won the Valentine’s Giveaway of an advance copy of our Book!  Surprise Gail!  Your book is in the mail!  And it really won’t be long for the rest of us!  Every day I am adding new EVENTS to our calendar . . . it’s getting exciting!  Be sure to check often for a book signing near you.  What?  Did someone ask me if I liked the book?  Oh girlfriends, I really do like it. ♥

And here is the next wonderful thing:  Many of you know what a long-time admirer I am of Gladys Taber and her wonderful books ~ and if you don’t, you can read about it HERE.  I especially loved everything she wrote about her 1690 Connecticut farmhouse called Stillmeadow.  I “discovered her” many years ago when I bought my first little house on the island.  One of Gladys’s books had been left behind by the previous owner; I fell in love with The Best of Stillmeadow and Gladys Taber; she helped to anchor me in New England (coming from California, I needed anchoring ~ it was all so different than what I was used to).  Soon after, I found out there was a Friends of Gladys Tabor fan club and became a member.  Their wonderful Newsletter is still a highlight of my day.  When it arrives, I always make a cup of tea and sit down to read it, like a letter from home. I’ve never been to Stillmeadow.  I’ve heard that Gladys’s granddaughter lives there now and never wanted to disturb her, although I’m sure she does get disturbed all the time!

This is Stillmeadow.  And yesterday, I had the honor . . . the surprise and honor,  to accept an invitation to speak and sign books at next year’s (Saturday, June 14, 2014) Annual Reunion of the Friends of Gladys Taber.  This time it will actually take place in Southbury, Connecticut and include a tour of Stillmeadow Farm (it doesn’t always).  I would put a hundred exclamation points here, but I’ve been told that’s not “good writing.”  Perhaps squealing, jumping for joy, or calling my mother would tell you how I feel.  Suffice it to say that I am thrilled.  If this sounds like your cup of tea, you’ll find details in EVENTS, which is in the column on the right of our blog.  Check back, it’s a year from now, we don’t have every detail set, but you can defintely pencil it in on your calendar!  Stillmeadow!  I never in a lifetime would have imagined this!!!!!!!!!!!!  (oops)

As if that isn’t enough, there is still more!  But I am going to save the other things for next time, because it’s getting late and I need to hit the “Publish” button.  I could go on all day!  Have a wonderful evening Girlfriends.  Congratulations to all of us just for having each other.  Here’s more rainstorm for all of you living in the heat.  Blessings to us one and all . . . Happy 4th of July!  XOXO