Years ago, I took a trip out east with my husband, Rick, and our son, Kevin and one of the interesting places we visited was Salem, Massachusetts. Shortly after arriving, we signed up for a reenactment of a witch trial. It was based on the very first witch trial of a women named, Bridget Bishop, who lived in Salem Town.

Once we got to the meeting point, we noticed several actors dressed in colonial clothing were dispersed throughout the crowd of tourists. They mingled and talked friendly to everyone until without warning one actor turned to another and said loudly in a thick English accent, "She pushed my boy you know and he fell to the ground." Another actor immediately joined in, "I saw her wearing a red bonnet the other day." During this time another actor came walking through the crowd and the ones bad mouthing began to push and shove her. At one point they pushed her into my husband and he threw his arms up not knowing what to do. Seeing this one of the actors sneered at my husband and yelled out, "Look at the Minnesotan! He's defending the witch!"

We then walked with the now angry mob on the same cobblestone street that Bridget Bishop had, to the very building where the trial had taken place in1692. Everyone in the crowd used a wide staircase to the second floor and we were led to a small black elevator because our son was in a motorized wheelchair.

A nice young man dressed in colonial garb loaded us onto the elevator and when we started to move, I jokingly asked,"How do you know if you're taking up witches?" The elevator suddenly jerked and the man turned to me with frightened eyes. I asked if the elevator ever did that before and he told me it was the first time he experienced or heard of it. We blew it off thinking he was telling us a line to enhance our experience and got off the elevator.

During the trial anyone was invited to testify, but all of the actors testified using the actual documentation that had been used in the original trial. Some were dressed as Quakers and reported that they saw snakes coming out of her stomach which left me thinking that these people had to have been on drugs. In the end she was convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hang.

When the performance ended, we walked back to the black elevator but when the actor hit the button the doors wouldn't open. Several other actors and staff also tried, but the doors remained shut. We ended up talking with the actors for over an hour while we waited for the fire department to come and rescue us. During that time we learned more facts about the trial. There had been a strange fungus in the wheat that year and some believed it made people hallucinate.(I argued if the bread was baked it would've killed the fungus.)

Bridget Bishop's only crime was just being an ornery woman who didn't care about what other people thought or what she said. Her husband was out of town on business when they hung her. I can just hear them telling the poor man, "Oh by the way, while you were gone, we hung your wife."

We tried to leave Salem that day, but ended up staying the night when one of our brand new tires mysteriously blew before we got out of town. 🧹🧙

I hope you have a fun Halloween!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I can't believe it went so fast. All the planning and the anticipation and then — boom — our twelve day vacation of a lifetime was over. Before we knew it, Italy became a memory and we were back sleeping in our own beds.

It was a beautiful country with a long violent history, delicious food, great wine, famous art and of course lots of traffic and tourists.

It was a fun place to visit, but there was some things I found different or even strange. First of all, no matter how fancy the hotels were they didn't have wash cloths or shower curtains in the bathrooms. Each tub was very long and rounded at the bottom which made them slightly dangerous. On the top where a curtain normally would hang a mounted glass panel covered a little over a third of the area by the shower head to the tub. So when my husband showered and I was brushing my teeth at the vanity, I would get another shower. As for the washcloths, I was told by our tour guide and the clerks at the front desk of every hotel we stayed in that they don't put washcloths in hotel rooms in Italy.

Our rooms did have a regular toilet and a bidet that we never used because neither of us knew how to. Most of the public bathrooms and ones at the basilicas required a half of an euro to use. All of the restrooms except for a very few had toilets without a ring to sit on. So a person had to squat and balance on your knees while you did your business. I often thought about little old ladies with arthritic knees attempting to go to the bathroom and decided I didn't have anything to complain about.

Some of the shrines to the saints and popes in the basilicas had the actual pieces of the their bodies (lips, teeth, skin, heart ...)  preserved in gold embellished glass decanters. Some of their bodies were mummified and displayed in glass coffins. So weird!

There was so many places to eat and every meal we ate at a ristorante was tasty and reasonably priced. Dinners were concluded with a complimentary shot of limoncello, which was very delicious. One thing I did notice was that most of the servers were men. When I asked someone they told me that being a server was a prestigious job in Italy. It made me wonder what's going on in that country with women's rights. I think I figured it out when we stood across the street in Rome and observed the senate enjoying a break. I was amazed to see that all of the senators were men except for one.

I guess we really need to appreciate our own country and the rights we have here. Like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home." 🇺🇸🇮🇪

Ciao for now,

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

As I write this blog, my website is on the fritz. I don’t know when I’ll get it fixed, but hopefully I’ll get this blog out before the month is over. I’ve only been late one other time when I had computer troubles. Experiencing issues with your website is almost like your child being sick.You just want them to be better as quickly as possible.

Modern technology is really great when it works, but it seems when you depend on it, it’s far from foolproof. I’m trying to be calm and wait for a technician friend of mine to respond to my call for help. I’m not afraid to jump in and do things myself, but I’ve learned from the past to wait for direction. It’s best to steer clear of the rocks and dive where someone tells you it's safe.

Things have changed so much in the last years and it’s hard to believe how much I depend on technology. Like many of us it all started gradually for me. I had a job where I didn’t use the computer, but after my son was diagnosed with a terminal disease I had to make some changes. I needed to be in control of my work schedule and I started my own cleaning service. During that time I only used my computer to print out business cards and invoices for my clients. Years went by before I started writing romance novels and it didn’t take long to realize I needed to learn how to use a computer. I never completed a typing class in high school, so it was a real challenge. It was like trying to learn a new language.

Now after publishing five novels, I tell people that you really can teach old dogs new tricks. So, if there’s something that you need or want to learn, my advice is to tell yourself that you can do it and then go for it. I wonder how hard it would be to play the mandolin?🎵 Until next time, keep learning!

Donna

P.S. Does anyone know what's going on with the oak tree in the picture from this blog post?

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

Do you remember the song called the "Those Lazy Hazy Days of Summer" by Nat King Cole? When I hear that old tune, I picture folks on the porch watching the sun go down with a glass of lemonade in their hands. It brings to mind the old Country Time Lemonade commercials and the calming voice of the announcer talking about the feel of grass between your toes, the sunshine on your shoulders and how many days it's been since you felt either one. All of it creates an image of what summer should be — lazy and carefree.

Canadian forest fires have certainly made this summer hazy. For several days the sun rose like an orange ball and beamed through the smoke that many people assumed was fog in the morning air. The rest of the day was always hazy, but later the setting sun shone through the smoke and painted the world below with soft amber-colored rays. The lovely hues reminded me of the strawberry wine we make. (Our strawberry wine is made without artificial colors)

As far as the lazy part, many of our summer days are so crammed full, they come with a schedule and most end up far from relaxing. There's always an event or three going on in our lives. As children, summer seemed to last forever and it sometimes it was boring. But what's wrong with being bored and lazy once in a while? My siblings and I used our imaginations to invent things to play with around the house or outside in the woods.

These days children rarely have to use any creativity. Everything is done for them on the computer, iPad or television. And now with artificial intelligence literally everything will be as the name suggests — artificial!

But with or without AI, the lack of imagination is evident in many books, movies and music composed in the world today. Much of the current work is taken from old stuff and has been redone or is a repeat of the same plots or the same sounds. Some of it can be blamed on the intense marketing that is done with everything. It doesn't matter how talented you are, it's about how well you're promoted. There's a window that promoters use and if something is different or outside the window, it's sadly disregarded because it hasn't shown itself to be profitable.

So the bottom line is: Let yourself and your children be bored and lazy once in a while — it's good for the mind. If you don't believe me, read this article titled "Einstein Was Boring Before He Was Brilliant" at:https://calnewport.com/einstein-was-boring-before-he-was-brilliant/

Have a great rest of your summer 👙🌼🍹⛱ and enjoy these lazy, crazy days!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I'm really excited to be working on an eighties rock and roll romance called 'Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place.' It's been so much fun reminiscing about how the world was back then — fun and less stressful. I remember the rock bands of the eighties and how many were referred to as the 'Hair Bands' because of their wild long hair. Bands like Van Halen, AC/DC and Def Leppard were king with their electric guitars and everyone was dancing wherever a good band was found. One of my favorites was a group called 'Tears for Fears' and I still reflect on the eighties whenever I hear one of their songs on the radio.

Back then some of the young girls were mimicking Madonna with her heavy make-up and bold fashions that included fish net stockings, gloves and lots of big jewelry. She always topped off her look with some kind of a sparkling bow in her messy, half-up hairdo. I loved high waisted jeans and wore high wedged or heeled shoes and styled my long hair with feathered bangs. Jumpsuits were the happening thing and I had one in red and another in purple. When I wore the purple one I always put on my long lavender colored feathered earrings.

I'm very interested and would be thankful to hear comments on things that you loved or hated about the eighties. Anything specific to that time frame that sticks out in your memory would be so helpful for me in writing my book. It can be anything from what rock groups you loved or something about fashion, a favorite TV show or even a commercial. Please send your comments to https://donnalovitz.com/contact/ or post one on my Facebook page. http://Facebook.com/donnalovitz

Thank you so much and until next time — keep on rocking!🎸

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I read an article about some authors who rent a hotel room for a few days whenever they're behind on an important deadline. During that time they avoid all family, friends, television and social media in order to achieve their goal. It sounds like one of those movies where a monk goes to a remote mountain top and takes a vow of silence. I believe they call that quieting the mind and I guess if you can do it, the more power to you. But strangely, some people I know try to avoid spending any time by themselves. I think a little alone time can be beneficial in many ways. I'm not talking about always being alone. All I'm saying is a couple of minutes or perhaps a few days to yourself can rejuvenate things in your life.

Spending time alone can be an opportunity to declutter, reorganize and clear your thoughts. A slice of solo time can work wonders when you're trying to make a hard decision. Who knows? Some quiet alone time could lead you to the perfect solution. Solitude gives you a chance to let your thoughts go; making you more relaxed and creative. Being alone a few minutes a day to meditate or pray can also help to calm you.

We all have certain things that we'd rather do alone. Maybe we just want to do it our way and don't want anyone telling us how do it. I like to read the directions first while my husband likes to dive in head first. In the end, the project gets done but sometimes it could have been easier or more relaxing had we followed a plan. I also find that when I'm alone I get more things off my to do list. It's usually tasks that have been bugging me for a while. A collection of things that I've wanted to tackle but have been putting off due to lack of time or a moment alone. It can be as simple as spray painting something, repotting a house plant or even cleaning out my car. Getting those small projects accomplished always gives me a sense of contentment knowing I don't have to think about them anymore.

There's one more thing I want to mention about the beauty of time spent alone. There's an old saying that absence can make a heart fonder. So next time you're alone for an extended period of time, think of it as a spring cleaning for your mind and maybe your love life as well.

Happy thoughts to you!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

Living in northern Minnesota we tend to have snow longer than the central or southern part of the state. It's usually only a few weeks but sometimes it can be close to a month. We have a shed where the snow rolls off the roof and collects onto the north side and doesn't melt as quick as the rest of the yard. I call it our glacier because the bottom half always forms into ice . Every year I keep track of when our 'glacier' melts and it's generally around May 14th. This year it snowed a lot and our ice blob is bigger than I can ever remember. I'm thinking it could be a record setter.

We still have some huge snow banks, but in general things are finally starting to  melt. The deep white patches are getting smaller and the air smells like spring. You can walk outside and hear the birds singing in celebration. It seems everything is starting to transform into the time of year that everyone has been waiting for and dreaming about.

Already our social calendar is starting to fill up with activities for the summer with family and friends. We have a family wedding and have planned some small events we would like to attend. I don't really like to take lengthly vacations during the summer because it's the best time of the year here in our area. I do love seeing everyone and I'm excited about getting together, but the best part of the summer for me is being home to enjoy my own little slice of paradise.

Many people with children think they have to entertain them constantly with bigger and better vacations all summer long. I think there's nothing wrong with having a vacation or two to look forward to but sometimes less can mean a lot more. I asked my daughter one time what was her best memory of the summer. To my surprise it wasn't the actual the trip to the Black Hills, it was us as a family singing songs with the radio as we drove. I think many times it's the smaller things that we as adults appreciate and it appears children do too.

So whatever your situation is, it isn't always about the lavish vacations or packing the days full of activities. Sometimes doing less can help you enjoy and appreciate the summer a great deal more.

Whatever your plans are for this summer — take the time to really enjoy it!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

My husband put some tallow out on a tree outside the window for the birds to eat. The tree isn't far from the house and this afternoon I sat at my desk and watched a small woodpecker eat away at the treat hanging from the tree. Every once in a while, he'd stop and barely move and I wondered if something was wrong. I opened the door to see and to my relief, he flew away. He came back a few minutes later and did the same thing again. I thought about him and concluded that he was content because he was out of the wind and near food. It's amazing to see how easily animals naturally accept and adapt to their environment. I wish as humans we could do the same thing.

Someone once said, "The more you have, the more you have to worry about."

In this modern age we have so much more than our grandparents did — more money, vehicles, toys and gadgets. We do more traveling and have more technology to make our lives easier. Great medical advances have been made possible using modern technology and those breakthroughs are keeping us alive longer. Now days it's easier to keep an eye on your house or cabin when you're away and most people have an automatic start on their vehicle. And let's not forget about multitasking Alexa.

No one can argue that technology has helped us to live better and faster. But have you ever thought about all the ways technology has hurt our lives?

First of al think about all the stress involved in a faster world. I read years ago that stress can actually shrink your brain. I guess that isn't a problem for some folks because they have a smart phone to do all the thinking for them. Some children and adults don't have any idea how to do basic math without a device to do it for them. Family time is nonexistent in some family units because the majority of the time members are tuned into their phones. Most of us have seen that family who dine out and don't interact.They know more about what's going viral on Tik-Tok than what's going on in their own family.

We're constantly worrying about hackers and we spend lots of time and money to keep them at bay. We spend even more time charging up our multiple devices. How many times have you awakened to find that you forgot to charge your phone the previous night and now it's set your whole day off? Sure you can charge it on the way to work, but what if you forget? More people than ever are on some type of anti-depressant and/or sleeping pills. I believe a lot of it stems from being constantly bombarded with an overwhelming fast flow of information and expectations that result from technology.

On the lighter side, I think we all need to take a break and clear our thoughts once in a while. A few minutes to just listen to the wind go through the trees or to ourselves while we breathe. I call it quieting the mind and other's may call it purposeful meditation. I often end my session in prayer. Either way it can be a great way to shut out the stress. Who knows? Maybe I just need to focus on my friend, the woodpecker to learn how to be happy and contented in this ever changing world. 🌎

Wishing you quiet moments!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

Although it's our shortest month, for many people February is the longest month of the year. Could the problem lie with what happens in the months prior to February? Usually by November we are busy planning for the holidays and by December, we're into the thick of the festivities. Every year it seems more parties are extended further into January and by the end of the month we're packing things away for the next holiday season. Maybe the reason February gets such a bad rap for being boring is because we only have Valentine's Day to celebrate. The tiny month of February can't compete with the action packed months we spent during November, December and January.

My mother always hated winter and whenever I told her I was snowshoeing, fishing or taking my dog for a walk, she would shudder and say I was crazy for being outside for long periods of time. I believe we all need to get outside whenever weather permits and get some fresh air. I also think making future plans can uplift your spirits. It can be as simple as what to plant in the garden or planning your next vacation.

People often ask how my husband and I survive the long cold Minnesota winters living in the northern part of the state. The last few years we have gone on vacation or should I say a 'road trip' each February. This year we had some medical things to deal with and decided to stay home. We did have a fun 'trip' riding in an ice race a few weeks ago. We rode with the driver during two actual races and it was a blast!!

I've started writing a new book 'Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place' and the hubby has been fishing some. Earlier in January we had an ice storm followed by a massive amount of snow that left a lot of trees down on our property. Every day we try to cut down a tree or two and stack the wood to dry. With the amount of trees we have to deal with, we will certainly have a few bonfires this spring and summer. I guess that gives me something fun to look forward to in the future.

Wishing you more sunny days! ☀️

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.