The June Giveaway is the Fleur de Lis Pillow. I always love finding some unique giveaway related to my writing because it makes a special connection between us. For June, something for decoration. Something for back support when you read. Something to hold in your lap and rest your book/eReader on as you read. How can you win?
The secret: Sign up for my newsletter, right her at my website! HERE
The instructions on how to win the June Giveaway (there will be lagniappe included) will be in the newsletter. Be sure to sign up at my website for the newsletter and also, make sure you’re following this blog.
The June newsletter will come out Saturday!
All my best,
Linda Joyce
Loved my Gram was an unstoppable force of good.
JS,
What a wonderful positive statement.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Baking apple pies with her.
Leslie,
Do you have a favorite apple to use?
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandma took care of me and my siblings, and she was so much fun. The absolute best thing ever about my grandma is she was my biggest fan and I learned how to be the best person and wife and mother I can be. I still will think of something that my son does and I will pick up the phone to call her. I tell my husband that my grandma would love him for the simple reason that he loves me.
Maggie,
Having a strong loving influence in your life, like your grandmother, is what family legacies are all about. Those traits of love and caring help shape not just your family, but give the world strong compassionate people.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I will never forget the one on one time we spent together as she taught me to crochet
Kari,
Do you still crochet?
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
What I remember most about my grand mother, my father’s mom was how supportive she was of all of her grandkids. Because of her, my dad showed up at my wedding in Montana to give me away. You see, my grandmother had just had her at surgery and my dad did not want to leave her in New York because he was afraid something was going to happen to her. My grandmother, Abuela Gloria, looked my dad in the eye and said, “I do not plan on leaving this earth any time soon and Sandy will probably be the only one of your girls who will get married in a church, so you need to be there for her!” She wanted to make my day special by ensuring he showed up. I am lucky she did because I have pictures with my dad on my special day. Having lost both of them, I have these special memories to remember always. She was my rock!
Sandy,
Your photos are truly treasures. Your father–he was between a rock and a hard place–came through for you because he had a strong mother. What a wonderful legacy.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I only met my grandmother’s one time when I was very young so, I really don’t remember much about them. I was very close to my great-aunt who was the sister of my grandmother who lived in Denmark. One of my first memories of my great-aunt was her teaching me how to do a summersault when she was probably 65 years old. We had many years together and we even when to Denmark together when she turned 80 to celebrate her birthday with her family.
Anne Marie,
What wonderful memories! I’ll bet you had a fabulous time in Denmark. Thank you for sharing.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My great-grandmother taught me how to read and play piano. She also used to make me peanut butter/honey corn flake bars every day, which I just recently learned how to make myself.
Grace,
Do you have a favorite song or piece of music you always play that your grandmother taught you?
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My paternal grandmother was such a sweet, gentle soul. She raised my father to be a true gentleman.
Mary,
A mother’s influence is a family legacy. It’s wonderful she imparted character to your dad.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandma was very quirky. She would stay up all night and do housework. I would wake up in the midle of the night and she would be vacuuming with a long cigerette holder hanging from her mouth. She also only cleaned in her bra and underwear. She would always ask us if she smelled like an old person. She would only drive a Thunderbird. I loved her very much.
Audrey,
YOU have a grandmother who deserves to be a character in a book. How fun!
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My Nana loved to play board games with us. I have such wonderful memories of her.
Lori,
Board games! Fun! I always begged mine to play with me… instead, she did teach me to cook.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandmother on my Japanese side used to come stay with us when we lived in Japan.
I remember her always having Juicey Fruit gum. She spoke no English,but I spoke Japanese. I loved her so much.
I was probably around 4 years old. We moved to the states when I was seven. And, I didn’t see my grandma until I was around 10 .
We lived on Okinawa then and flew to Japan to see my grandma. I missed sleeping with her on the futons on the floor in her room.
I never forgot the lavender scent of her kimonos. I never saw her wear western clothes in person,although later in life saw some pictures of her in western clothes.
Her name was Haruo Hasegawa. She was my Obachan. I miss her….
Kay,
Thank you for sharing. As you know, one of my grandmothers was Japanese, too. We share similar experiences.
Hugs,
Linda Joyce
My grandmother basically raised me, so she was a huge driving force in my life. She taught me alot of what i know, and always wanted the best for me. She was always proud of me and one of my biggest cheerleaders. When she passed it was very hard for me, to lose that driving force in my life.
Christina,
My deepest condolences on the loss of your grandmother. I can only imagine the sense of loss from her absence.
Hugs,
Linda Joyce
My grandmother was a total love. My widowed mother had to work so it was great to have our grandparents across the street to keep an eye on us in the summertime. She ended up bedridden with arthritis but was always smiling. When I was learning to read, I would sit in a chair next to her and laboriously read my books to her with a gentle proper pronunciation correction coming from her here and there. She was so patient with me and I loved nothing more than to be entrusted with a book from school so I could hurry home and read it to her. As time went on, our grandparents moved in with us. When I married and brought my babies home to her, she was so happy. I loved this woman so much and even as a child, I never minded changing and cleaning out her bedpan. I honestly feel that her patience with me and my growing love of reading planted the seed for the reader and reviewer that I am today. I look forward to seeing her again one day.
Connie,
What joy you must have brought to your grandmother. Often, as children, we absorb what we’re taught without even realizing it. You’re an angel.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I only met my grandmother twice during her lifetime. Once when she traveled from Germany to Georgia when I was a young girl; and also when I was a senior in high school at the age of 17. It was a wonderful Adventure and although there was a language barrier between us oh, it did not affect our relationship one bit. Love conquered any obstacle! My oma never forgot holidays, or our birthdays. I admired her strength and Devotion to her family. She overcame so many challenges; a widow at 38 , she raised her 3 children to be frugal, independent, industrious, and faithful. Sadly, Oma passed away at age 91. I was in Hallmark picking out Mother’s Day cards when the full weight of losing her came in waves of grief & tears. I miss her everyday.
My mantra is from the Bible, “I can do all things thru Christ, who strengthens me.”
Susan,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful tribute about your Oma.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I only have a few memories of my grandma Collins. She would hold me on her lap and feed me an apple that she had scraped with a spoon . She would bounce me on her knee and kiss my cheek.
Toni,
A very sweet memory you have about your grandmother.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I spent every summer with my Grandparents in Colorado. I loved every minute of my time there since they were loving and caring people.
My Grandmother only went to the 8th grade but she was very wise. One of the things she used to say was to wake up with a smile on your face and you will have a good day. I have tried to do that and it really helps.
Joye,
Your grandmother had great wisdom. My husband’s grandmother never got past the 8th grade either. She, too, was very wise. And she told my husband when he was a child, “You can get glad in the same pants you got mad.”
Thank goodness for Grandmothers!
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I loved both my Grandmothers they were always there for me to talk with and help me when I needed . I remember the first gift i was given when I was child Grandmom Cook gave me a Barbie head that you could do its hair and Grandama Fell gave me a hand made sweater.
Also Grandma Fell made some clothes for my barbie dolls 🙂
Debra,
What a sweet memory! I learned how to sew watching my mom make Barbie clothes.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I wish I had spent more time getting to know my Grandmothers. I loved her beautiful singing voice & homemade bread.
Beverly,
I wonder if we can ever truly know our grandmothers. They had lives and experiences, way before we were born, that shaped them. I’ve never met one yet that didn’t have wonderful stories to share.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandmother was my rock… she showed me I was stronger than I ever thought I was… the best support system I could have ever needed growing up.
Colleen,
How wonderful that you had such a strong supportive rolemodel.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I had a hard time finding where to give my comment. Your poem is very touching and reminds me of the times my mom would sit with me and reminisce of her past and us when we were children. Only Grandmother on my father’s side spoke only Spanish. My only reply in Spanish was I don’t understand but that still is a memory I won’t forget.
Yolanda,
I’m glad you found the right place to leave a comment. I’m sorry about any difficulties.
One of my grandmothers only spoke Japanese.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandma was a force to reckon with, she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.
Christal,
Strong women raise strong children.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I never really knew my grandmother, but I’d say she had positive impact on my life. She made sure that all of her daughters went to college and got a degree in education. She said they didn’t have to become teachers, but she wanted them to have that degree so they’d have better lives than she’ led. Because of this my mom met my dad at college. My parents followed her example and made sure we all went to college.
Alice,
She did give you wonderful gift: a legacy of education. So very important.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandma cooked great foods! She was so kind to everyone.
John,
What kinds of foods were your favorites?
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandmother and I used to paint together.
Jennifer,
What kind of painting did you do?
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My paternal grandma was Norwegian. She was very kind. She played her pump organ with everyone singing. I wish I had her pump organ. She had my brother & me on the farm for 2 weeks every summer. She started teaching me to do Swedish massage when I was 4 years old. She added to her lessons (which were practiced on her) when I mastered it. By the time I was 7 my dad asked for massages. I am thankful she taught it to me when little as she died when I was 9. Arthritis doesn’t allow me to do much massage anymore. She was a great cook. I loved her very much missing her still.
Lin,
How nice for you that you have strong cultural heritages. It doesn’t take long for someone who loves us to make a significant impact on our life.
Smiles,
Linda
My grandmother was a great cook. She always welcomed anyone that wanted to come on Thanksgiving. She and my aunt took me on their Saturday shopping trips when I was a kid. It was always an all day event and I enjoyed the time with them. She was a little bashful, but she was kind to everyone.
Zara,
Shopping trips! There’s so much children absorb from those kinds of fun outtings.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
I have fond memories of spending the night at my Grandma’s house… we’d have a small dish of vanilla ice cream and play cards while watching the baseball game on tv.
Catrina,
What a nice memory. What kind of cards did you play?
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My grandmother was a force to be reckoned with. My grandfather was a pastor of a Salvation Army church. She played the piano and sang. I started playing the piano when I was 6 years old because of her. She took us to summer camp at the Salvation Army camp, where we did projects, hiked, swam, learned the word of God. She made the best macaroni and cheese of anyone I know. My favorite food all these years later. Just so many memories. I miss her.
Lori,
What sweet memories!
Thank you for sharing,
Linda Joyce