fairysockmother

When Caitlin Brady’s daughter, Fiona, is kidnapped by oíche-sidhe, she finds her fate lies in the hands of Brendan, a mysterious kilted stranger. Caitlin’s everyday world seems suddenly peopled by terrifying creatures she thought only existed in fairytales. Yet, help also arrives from unexpected places, like her dear friend and confidante, Edward, a doctor by day and a fledging wizard in secret.

This breathless, action-packed novel introduces a mysterious fairy world that coexists with our own. Plausible characters and a fascinating back story suck the reader in as unexpected plot twists make the pages speed by.  O’Connell’s descriptions engage all the senses, creating an almost tangible impression. The author’s portrayal of Caitlin is particularly sensitive; her character is an eloquent mix of endearing and strong qualities as she faces the possible loss of her only child. Avoiding cliché endings, the conclusion hints at a sequel!

What an awesome 4th of July weekend! With temperatures in the high 70’s and nighttime lows in the high 50’s, it provided the perfect backdrop for Ellwood City’s Annual Arts and Crafts Festival. Our town of about 8,000 residents hosts a three day Festival that attracts over 22,000 visitors! For weeks in advance, hedges are trimmed, flowers planted, and homes are draped in bunting of red, white and blue. Welcome candles light every window. Yes, that’s traditional here in Western Pennsylvania and I love it!

High School Reunions are scheduled to coincide with the Festival and often there is more visiting done this weekend than shopping. The Library Director mans the Rotary Booth taking orders for hot sausage sandwiches and gyros. Parishioners dish up the specialties from their churches. The air is heavy with the fragrance of the wonderful variety of ethnic foods our area is home to. No one goes away hungry.

Concerts dot the schedule of the Festival. The Sanctuary Jazz Band pulls in a crowd! There’s folk music, rock, and country – something for every taste and age. People bring lawn chairs and spend the day. And, by the way, you can leave your lawn chairs unattended. No one would think of taking them. Bagpipes pierce the air and draw a crowd around our young native piper who has won competitions all over the world. He lives in Tennessee now but still returns for this weekend every year to pipe for family and friends.

Sunday morning Ellwood City’s Ministerium hosted a community service in the park. Over 500 people gathered: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, and non-denominational members! We sang and worshipped as one, choosing to emphasize our similarities rather than capitalize on our differences.

Sunday night was crowned with a Zambelli Fireworks Display! Fans jammed the stands of the football stadium and parked on every high point in town to watch the spectacle. Blankets dotted the field below the old Catholic School. Kids scampered after the glittering fireflies, which provided a Pre-Fireworks show. Then, suddenly sparkling dots of fire lit up the sky! I watched a veteran raise his hands to cover his mouth as red, white, and blue explosions burst above us in the night. I saw tears stream down his face and my eyes filled with tears, too.

I’m so proud of my town and my country! I’m thankful to live where I can raise my voice without fear of censor and vote for the men and women who guide our country. I am so very proud to be an American!

This year, January only toyed with winter. February brought it crashing down around us with heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. Our road is rutted with ice, the residue of too many trips by the snowplow over one snowfall after another. Tree limbs lie snapped and broken under a blanket of white. For the first time in my life, snow rollers appeared across the fields of Western Pennsylvania – a weird phenomenon created by just the perfect combination of temperature, wind, and heavy snow. They lay like giant white lifesavers rolled by spirit creatures that left no tracks across the white fields.

Hunger drives the animals in from the woods. Deer footprints pepper the deep snow around our Norway Spruces. They’ve neatly clipped off every needle on my azaleas and sheared the English Ivy nearly 6 feet up the tree trunks. A possum appropriated the cats’ food dish in the barn – hissing at anyone who attempted to drive him out. The horse feed must be kept under lock and key or the raccoons will dump the barrels and gorge themselves. The flying squirrels are back in the attic rolling nuts in the wee hours of the morning. Every living thing is seeking food and shelter, huddling together for warmth, holding on for just one more day

But March is less than two weeks away. We have gained an hour and a half of daylight and the angle of the sun has changed, even though the weather forecast promises another 4-6”of snow tonight. There is brittle beauty in these winter days but oh, the chill drives deep into the bones and I long for spring.