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I’ll actually be traveling in my mini-van. The one with the pink John Deere plate on the front. That’s another story for another time, though.
I apologize for the long silence here on the blog…most especially for the fact that a picture of fish eyeballs has been gracing my homepage for ten days. I will now replace it with a picture of me and my goofy horse. ^^This is his way of telling me that he’s done taking cookbook cover photos. Don’t you just love how clean he is??
Someone please ‘splain to me how I thought it would be a good idea to take a cookbook cover photo that included both an obnoxious horse and an ice cream cake – on a very muggy South Carolina evening. It remains to be seen whether we got any cover-worthy pictures. If I have enough time after I come home from my trip, I’ll probably give it another go. My sister Katelyn was kind enough to give my horse a bath for the photoshoot as well as run the camera. Maybe I can coerce her into doing it again…
Katelyn cleaning out Traveler’s nose…
So yeah. What I’ve been doing during my absence. As you guys know, I finished up the recipe testing for my cookbook two and a half weeks ago. That was a Saturday, and the following Monday I called my representative at the printing company that’s going to be making my cookbook. He informed me that if I want to get this book published before Christmas, I needed to get all the recipes to the designer post-haste. As in, “Can you have everything typed up by July 29th?”
“No sweat,” I thought. And then I started (and realized that it was going to take a very long time). For the past two and a half weeks I have been sitting at my computer for about 12 hours a day, stopping only to eat, take a quick run, and sing. There’s an interesting little variable in this whole equation – namely that I am heading to Lancaster tomorrow for a 10-day choir tour, followed by a week visiting relatives, followed by a trip to Holmes County to visit the printing company I’m working with and see my designer live and in person. In short, I’m going to be gone for about a month, and while I’m on tour I’m not going to have much time or internet. Therefore it was imperative that I get everything sent off before leaving. I worked as hard as I could, and God has come through for me in some amazing ways during these last few busiest weeks of my life! I was able to get all the recipes edited, typed into my printer’s database, and edited again. Yesterday I finished selecting and editing the pictures for the book (there will be lots). I do have some extra stuff to write yet, like a bio section and some baking tips sections, but those are gonna have to wait for the present. I’ll work on them if I have any spare time on tour, and if they don’t get done then I’ll work on them when I’m at my cousin’s house off the coast of New Jersey. We’re both working women, so we’re going to be office buddies for a little while every day. 😉
You guys, I’m SO EXCITED for my little trip and all the places I’m going to be going and people I’m going to be spending time with. I’ve been holed up in the basement of my house for weeks on end finishing this project, and I’m ready to fly. Er…drive. Actually I’m not really looking forward to the driving, but it is a necessary evil. Now that I have the bulk of the cookbook typed, I feel so free. Oh, there’s a LOT more work to do, but at least it’s a different step in the process. Things are coming together, all by the grace of God! Let me tell you some of the practical ways He’s been real to me lately.
Traveler looks a little concerned about his new look…
It’s not a good idea to work under a high level of pressure until after midnight every night for weeks on end right before a choir tour. Choir tours are physically brutal. I knew I needed to make good use of the sleep time I was getting, so one night last week I asked God to give me a really good night of sleep and keep my body in functioning condition. Guess what? He did! That night and many nights after that. Whenever I asked, He gave. When I forgot to ask, I tossed and turned. God wants to hear from us, people!
I needed quotes to use as filler material for my cookbook, but I was too busy typing up recipes to go search them out myself. I asked around for people to share their favorite quotes with me but didn’t get much response. “Oh well,” I thought, “I’ll deal with that problem later.” The next day three people sent me pages of quotes. My dear mother wrote out a bunch of quotes from Pinterest that she thought I would like and painstakingly sourced them all. God knew what I needed, and He very clearly showed me that He was taking care of me.
An unfortunate number of the pictures were of me doing something odd…
About the cookbook – it’s in the design process now (I’ve been working back and forth with my designer on design proofs), and I hope to have it available for preorder in September or October. I really don’t know how fast these things move, but I’ll keep ya posted. 😉
And about that choir tour – I’m singing with a 16-member choral ensemble called Laudate Mennonite Ensemble based out of Lancaster, PA. We’ll be doing a short tour as well as making a recording. You can find information about our tour dates and locations (we’ll be in PA, OH, and VA) on the Facebook page here. Head over there and like the page and maybe I can convince them to post some picture updates. I’ll try to take some pictures as well, but I’m not sure how much time I’ll have. My internet access will be limited for the next couple of weeks so I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to post, but I will try to check in here and on my Facebook page as often as possible (although I will be using this time for a much-needed break to a certain extent).
Thanks so much for following along on my cookbook journey…all your support means so much.
Poor Katelyn missed her snack and was ravenously hungry, so she was munching on peanuts and Traveler wanted her to share.
You mentioned that many of the pictures you took were of you doing something odd, but I think that the ones you showed us were endearing and I think it’s great to let your public see the fun side of you! Candid pictures are so much more discriptive then posed ones! We want the real you! ❤️
Thanks for all the great recipes. You’re my go-to after the THM book!
You are in my neck of the woods in muggy SC! 😉
Wow – it’s a small world!
I hope you have a fun and safe journey! I still have tons of your recipes that I haven’t tried yet, so I can wait patiently for new posts. 😉
Thanks for the update and congratulations on getting your cookbook typed. I will pray for you and your travels.
Thank you, Erika!
So excited for your new cookbook! You have truly been a blessing….your recipes and your smiles. I appreciate your dedication to our Creator, and not just to food. Take care, and God Bless 🙂
Thank you, Karen! <3 Praise God!
God bless your journey hun. Thanks for all you do. You are an amazing woman of God. Question. Will we be able to purchase your book from Australia. I sure hope so I’ve been hoping for so long now that you would write one. Love your work. Keep looking up.
Thank you! Yes, the book will be available for purchase anywhere as long as the buyer is willing to pay the shipping (and the shipping rates should be standard, not exorbitant. The books will be coming directly from my printer and they said that their international shipping should be just as good as anyone else’s.). 🙂
You are awesome!!! I love you. I know I don’t know you in person but I feel like I do. I can not wait for your cookbook. I pray blessings over you and protection over you in your travels. Have fun on your working trip.
Thank you so much, Christina!
Have a fun trip! I’m very much looking forward to your cookbook coming out! Hopefully we will have easy access to it from here in Alberta, Canada!
Thanks, Eve! Yes, you should easily be able to access a copy once it comes out. 🙂
Your horse is adorbs!!!! Have a safe and fun trip
He says thank you. 😉
Awesome work! Deadlines are no fun! So glad you are through that and can focus on a different change of pace for awhile. Have fun on your your – wish you were heading Canada way!
Thanks, Andrea! Canada in the summer would be a good idea!
My sister in law Glanette is also going on the Laudate tour! Sounds like fun. Can’t wait for your cookbook! Thankyou in advance for all your hard work!
I look forward to singing with her!
I live in Coshocton county and am in Holms county quite often. Will you be selling peaches again? If so, I’ll come buy some. I’d love to meet you.
Hi Tanya! No, I won’t be selling peaches this year, but my grandparents are there. 🙂 I just have too many things going on this summer.
Enjoy the choir tour and all the special memories you will be making. Even though you have some more cookbook work to do, give those relatives priority while you are with them. Safe travels.
Thanks for the reminder, Allison! I rarely get to see these relatives, so I definitely intend to do that. 🙂
Hi Briana, May the Lord’s grace, mercy, and protection be with you as you travel through this month. Many blessings, Carol
Thank you, Carol!
Love these pictures! Hope you have a great trip! (I said something about your horse and Mark asked me if it was a dapple grey. He knows his history better than I do! Lol!)
Haha…thank you!
I love how you acknowledge the goodness of our gracious God! He’ll continue to cover you and help everything come together as He ordained before time began! Safe travels. I’m looking forward to your cookbook!
Amen! And thank you!
I just recently started following you and can’t wait for the cookbook. Thank you for all your hard work! Hoping you get to rest and relax at some point on your trip. Safe travels!
Aw, thank you, Melissia!
That’s amazing Briana! You can get your horse to smile like that?
That’s not really a smile…more like an annoyed head toss that my sister managed to catch right at the right moment. 😛
Hey, Briana, I see your choir is coming near my area when you’re in Lewisburg. Maybe I can attend & meet you in person. 🙂
That would be neat!
Was nice to meet you last evening. Thanks for your part in pointing us to Jesus thru song. Curious, what do you do with thm on such kind of outings? Do you take your food along or just eat what’s set before you?
I take a few of my own snacks, as well as overnight oatmeal for breakfast, and the rest of the time I just try to do the best I can…and indulge a little in the sweets department. 😉
Wow! Blessings for safe travels! Faith Mennonite is down the road from me–you’re covering a lot of ground on your tour. I hope it’s a nice break after working on your cookbook!
Thank you, Ruth! I’m looking forward to it!