Wednesday, April 27, 2022

The Keukenhof Gardens planted the seed for my book, On Rosy Lane...



 The Keukenhof Gardens planted the seed for my book, On Rosy Lane, and the Boogman family the moment I arrived.

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In 1984, I was a senior in high school, and my family moved to England. I felt like the luckiest person in the alive. It was here my world grew at an exponential rate. I was about to have an adventure that would change my life forever. I graduated from London Central in High Wycombe, England, and as a graduation present, I visited Holand. When the tulips grow in long lines as far as the eye can see, it is a truly magnificent sight in the spring. I learned about the history of the tulip trade and how to grow a tiny garden of my own, divide the bulbs, and as a result, take a little tulip garden and make it much more significant. I learned about the Dutch trade during the tulip crash of 1637. I visited Amsterdam, saw windmills, and learned how the Netherlands constructed dikes and dams. I attended a class that showed me the skill of making and how to repair a wooden shoe. I went to Amsterdam, saw Ann Franks's house, and to the Van Gogh museum.

In my book On Rosy Lane, David and his wife Roos (the Duch word for Rose) move to America, build their dynasty, and hold on to their belief that generosity and kindness can make all the difference. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to hear more about my experiences and how they shaped the book series, Rosy Lane. On Rosy Lane is now available to buy on my website RoseElainePublishing.com or on Amazon. 

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

With wit and amusement, my aunt, who was...


 This picture reminds me of my mom and her sisters!!!💗💓😍😊 My cousins and I called our aunts "The YaYa's" after watching the 2002 movie Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Our family is large. My mother is the youngest of 8; she and her sisters have a special relationship and a deep bond. For years, our "YaYa's" would pack in a van and take a trip to the Smokey Mountains for a week and tell funny stories of their adventures together. They would shop, go to Dolly Wood, see the shows and eat! They loved hanging out together, and laughter would bubble over and fill the world with joy!


Like the time they saw Jersy Boys. With wit and amusement, my aunt, who was well in her sixties, rushed the stage as if the show's star was Elvis Presley, causing dozens of other ladies to do the same. My aunt knew the young man in the musical because he was dating a friend's daughter. After the show, the young man reported that this was the first time that had happened, and as I am sure you can imagine, the audience was very enthusiastic! The YaYa's would laugh so hard every time they told that story.

As women, we get busy, live hectic lives, and sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. We can't pour from an empty cup, and remembering to take time and recharge is essential. Sometimes that might be with friends, weekends away as depicted in my book Friendship Day on Rosy Lane, or as my mother and her sisters would do. And sometimes, it is about taking time for yourself to read, sleep, and have a pot of tea or coffee.

I keep my books at 100 pages so that you can read them in a short amount of time; they are light, lovely, easy to read, and are a great excuse to stop and take time for yourself. The book on Rosy Lane is available for pre-order on Kindle, or if a hard copy is more your style - mark your calendar for April 30, 2022, and schedule a little time for yourself at the same time.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Overcoming Objections


 My family had many encyclopedias, Popular Mechanics, Young Readers, National Geographic, etc. I particularly like books that have instructions to make things. I learned to make dolls out of yarn, furniture out of dixie cups, and many projects that you could make from things you found around your home. One day, I was in the third grade; I read that you could make a spool holder out of wood and nails. I was excited and planned to make this a gift for my grandmother. I needed some help, and when my father came home from a hard day at work, I asked for his assistance. He said he would be happy to help, but we did not have the supplies. I left the room and came back 20 minutes later with a board, nails, and a hammer, not to be deterred. I remember my mom laughed, and my father and I spent the entire evening working on this project. Years later, my mom revealed that after leaving the room, my dad looked at my mom, smiled, and said, "You just got to know how to talk to her." and she replied, "You don't know her." which is why she laughed when I came in toting all the supplies we needed. 

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Today I have this spool holder hanging on my wall with the spools of thread that belonged to my grandmother. I use this as a reminder that I can overcome objections. In my journey in writing the book On Rosy Lane, I ran into many obstacles, and my first attempt at writing this book was pretty bad. Upon that realization, I found an editor, a layout artist, and someone to teach me how to market my work. I am still learning, not afraid to ask for help, and entirely grateful for the people that helped make this book possible. On Rosy Lane is now available to buy on my website RoseElainePublishing.com or on Amazon. 

Day One of the Rose Elaine Self-Care Challenge

  Like many people, I thought I did not have time to spend on myself, so I created ways to fit self-care into my busy schedule. Join me and ...