Updated: Mar 13
The McKenzie Sisters Mystery Series was created by my pal Samantha St. Claire, and she was kind enough to invite me along for the fun.
The Case of the Copper King
by MK McClintock
Ride the rails to Durango at the turn of the century with Cassandra McKenzie, a woman cunning enough to solve the toughest cases in some of the Rockies most rugged and beautiful places.
The Case of the Peculiar Inheritance
by Samantha St. Claire
Step into Denver’s bustling city streets at the turn of the century with Rose McKenzie, a spirited private investigator and a woman brave enough to undertake any case.
Each book takes place in a different Colorado location but they happen around the same time. They are stand-alone novels and can be read in any order.
Updated: Mar 12
Nature never fails to amaze. From one month to the next, the landscape gradually shifts to make way for new wonders and beauty.
I go up to Glacier Park often during the quiet seasons. It's a nice place to ponder and relax and imagine myself living 150+ years ago alongside the people in my books. Oh, how I envy them at times. Their lives were certainly not easier, but perhaps simpler.
The Gallaghers wake each morning to tend to their cattle, horses, and children. The Whitcombs oversee the mine and look after the people in their mountain valley. The men and women of Crooked Creek, no matter their duties, watch their tiny town slowly grow now that the war is over and more people head West. The McKenzie Sisters . . . well, their lives are more complicated than the others, but still simpler than ours. That leaves the British Agents and their wives, who have never set foot in the American West, but still, I envy them.
It is because of natural wonders and undeveloped land, such as national parks, that capturing moments like this is still possible. If you look really close (super close) at the image below, you will notice a man sitting on a rock ledge reading a book. I watched him for a little while, envious that he found that spot at the right moment of the morning, to shut out the world and read. The rushing waters of McDonald Creek blocked out all other sounds. Once I put away the camera, there was time enough to enjoy nature's symphony and remember why such places are vital and in need of cherishing.
Now, because of a shoulder injury (the darn thing got dislocated), this post is going to be difficult to finish, so I will leave you with a few more images from my weekend visit to the park, and a short (and wobbly) video clip of glacier waters roaring over their well-carved path.
“A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” – Henry David Thoreau
“The lake and the mountains have become my landscape, my real world.” – Georges Simenon
Be well, be kind, and stay safe.
—MK
Updated: Mar 12
Sunshine, flowers, and springtime treats. Yes, it is that time of year when I am wishing we still had four feet of snow on the ground, gray skies, and ferocious storms. We are experiencing what I like to call and "off year" in Montana. These are those in-between years when everyone is tricked into thinking the weather is always nice up here, but when the next winter rolls around . . . watch out. Well, not me, because I like winter.
Back to spring.
I do love flowers, and treats, and tea, and books, oh my! These zesty lemon bars have some zing, and the answer to that question we all ask, "What am I in the mood for on this fine spring day?" Am I the only one who asks that? I bet not.
Of course, one cannot ignore all the sugar and butter that make up these delicious morsels, and that is why smaller squares than what I've shown here, are all you need.
The best part about tea, treat, and book breaks are . . . you guessed it! The tea, treat, and whatever book currently has you flipping pages, dreaming over the hero, swooning alongside the heroine, or battling a ship filled with pirates.
Okay, so I haven't read a pirate book in a long time. Maybe not ever. Western and mystery are more my speed these days.
I don't have the new book, The Case of the Copper King, ready for you yet, but soon. In the meantime, there are literally (one of those words my editor says I shouldn't use), and I mean LITERALLY thousands of a-ma-zing books out there for you to read. I've even read the occasional book now on my tablet. I know, me, who swore against reading digital, reads a few e-books per year now, or at least starting this year. But, my goodness, there are too many books I want to read and not nearly enough space in the house to put them all.
You'll notice a few books in these pictures. The folks drink tea in them, and eat treats, and even read books. The Gallaghers and their friends sure are smart. I wonder how well you all might receive a book about two people who sit around drinking tea and reading books all day. It would probably be short. Maybe a short story. The imagination wheels are turning . . .
Okay, so this post is supposed to be about zesty lemon bars. You can find the recipe for these mouth-watering (really and truly) bars in the Easter 2019 edition of Entertain & Celebrate. I like these publications for the recipes as there are always many recipes worth trying.
