Blurb for Stamp Out Murder

From Washington DC
An amateur stamp collector and antique enthusiast, James Freeman, takes a vacation from his accounting firm to acquire an exquisite French Armoire, that he located on the internet. With his mapquest print-out in hand, he leaves the comforts of the city and heads into the wilderness. 


To the Mountains of West Virginia
He travels to the small town of Wanton, West Virginia, where he ventures down the wrong road, and becomes the prime suspect in the drowning of Sam Austin. The locals believe The Cheat River Ghosts are responsible for this murder and the cold case murders from the past. Nevertheless, the Sheriff, who doesn’t believe in ghosts, is convinced that James came to his town for more than a piece of furniture.


The Cheat River has claimed one life from the McKeel clan for the last three generations. With steadfast determination, James fights with all of his might to break the curse, before the river claims the life of his newly found love, Carolyn McKeel.


To the Hospital
Because of his meddling into the mysteries of Wanton, James wakes up battered, beaten and bruised in the hospital. This warning for him to get out of town only makes him more determined to find out  who is responsible for his injuries, the death of Sam Austin, and the recent shenanigans in Wanton.


To Hard Decisions
James has the life he’s always desired in Washington—A high paying career, a big, antiques-filled house, the freedom to pursue his stamp-collection hobby, and his solitude. Will he give it all up for love and the quirky friendships he makes in Wanton?

Unusual plaid sky

IMG_0446, a photo by cherleygrogg on Flickr.

James and Carolyn had never seen such a sky. They took a lot of photos. Something else new in their lives.

Rain, Rain Go Away

April Showers bring May Flowers, but what do June Showers bring?

James and Carolyn love to walk through the woods and spend quiet time together, but the rain is interrupting their rendezvous.  By the time Carolyn has her chores finished the woods are too wet to walk in.

Yesterday, Aunt Linda packed a picnic lunch for them. She had no idea they were going to rent a canoe and paddle down the river. Even after all that's happened, Carolyn doesn't fear the Cheat River. Aunt Linda would be livid if she ever found out. The rain poured down on them and soaked through the picnic basket before they had a chance to eat their fried chicken. The couple's lunch was ruined, but not their spirits. They ate as much of the soggy food as they could and fed the rest to the fish.

On returning to Jessup's Bed and Breakfast,  Carolyn showed James the full rain barrel. She talked him into helping her wash her thick, dark hair, explaining to him that there's nothing that makes the hair shine like rain water.

He reached into the barrel and started splashing the water on her. That was not exactly what she had in mind.


James had better be careful. West Virginia girls like to get even. 

Wanton's Folklore an excerpt from Stamp Out Murder

James and some of the other guests were gathered on the balcony listening to some guitar pickin' when this giant of a man (Aunt Linda's brother) Lionel started walking around until he had everyone's attention and then he started telling a tale that ne'er no one would believe. It went like this: 

Black Bartimore was an evil, surly buccaneer who murdered his wife and children and went to sea with a band of pirates as nasty as he. He roamed the Atlantic coast, murdering and pillaging and laying waste to the countryside as he passed. Soon Black Bartimor had a ship loaded with treasure; five hundred chests had he full of gold and jewels and goblets and mighty swords.

A thick fog lay over the bay as the ship approached, and the treacherous  tide soon took hold of the evil man's ship. He'd already kilt all his crew, so he had no help. The crashing, churning waters whirled and whirled until somehow, by magic, I suppose...by evilness, perhaps,  his ship came crashing down in the Cheat River.

Yes, the very Cheat River that runs right behind here. Just up yonder a ways. His ship, his crew and all his plunder landed. He had slit each man's throat, but he hadn't had a chance to throw them in the ocean, so when his ship got threw into West Virginia's raging waters, he had to dispose of the rotting bodies, and when he thought himself safe, he commenced to throwing bodies overboard and he didn't see the "Falls". They come up on him fast, and before he could abandon ship, he plunged headfirst and crashed on the rocks. His ship came crashing down on top of him and splintered into a thousand pieces. Some pieces big, some pieces small and the and Black Bartimore's treasures came to rest in that river, unless they hitched a ride on the ship parts and traveled on down the river.

Yet today, folks are afindin' human bones and if'n you do, you will have great luck if'n you lay that bit of the murdered pirate to rest. So as quick as you can dig a hole with whatever you can find and bury that bone, if'n you ignore it surely bad luck will follow you.

On the other hand, it's said, and I know  it's true,  every time folk hunt for his treasures, the water churns and churns and they hear a sound likin' to a raging bull. Black Bartimore rises from the river and chases them with a his cutlass. Now if you've come to Wanton to hunt for Black Bartimore's treasure, you may think twice because...sometimes he catches the folks that he's achasing.


Sources:

Black Bartimore (adapted and retold by Cher'ley Grogg from A Folklore of Black Bartelmy's Ghost)

Photo by mayakamina

Canceled

You have found a box filled with old postage stamps in your attic. You are not so sure how to identify old postage stamps but you have a gut feeling that you have found your grandfather's old stamp collection that dates back to the 19th century.

Then you become curious and ask “how can find the value of old stamps? When does the cost of old stamps increase?”

Aunt Lavina, the owner of Jessup’s Bed and Breakfast has a trunk filled with old letters and certificates. While James was searching for Civil War Memorabilia he got curious about the value of the old stamps that were on the envelopes.  James followed this link to find out more about identifying stamps. Value of Stamps.

The Two Penny Blue Stamps (1840)

These postage stamps lacked the country's name. One of the earliest stamps made in Britain.These rare British stamps, also known as the Blue Penny postal stamps, were sold for nearly $4 million in 1993.

What other valuable information did James find in the trunk? Read “Stamp Out Murder” to find out.

Canceled

You have found a box filled with old postage stamps in your attic. You are not so sure how to identify old postage stamps but you have a gut feeling that you have found your grandfather's old stamp collection that dates back to the 19th century.

Then you become curious and ask “How can you find the value of old stamps? When does the cost of old stamps increase?”

Aunt Lavina, the owner of Jessup’s Bed and Breakfast has a trunk filled with old letters and certificates. While James was searching for Civil War Memorabilia he got curious about the value of the old stamps that were on the envelopes.  James followed this link to find out more about identifying stamps. Value of Stamps.

The Two Penny Blue Stamps (1840)

These postage stamps lacked the country's name. One of the earliest stamps made in Britain.These rare British stamps, also known as the Blue Penny postal stamps, were sold for nearly $4 million in 1993.

What other valuable information did James find in the trunk? Read “Stamp Out Murder” to find out.

Aunt Lavina's Favorite Recipe for Butternut Squash Wheat Biscuits

Aunt Lavina and Carolyn like to use fresh ingredients as often as possible. They raise a wide variety of vegetables and buy locally whenever they can. In Wild Wonderful Wanton Wraith, Aunt Lavina shares her stimulating and tantalizing recipes. This is a sample of her old fashioned cooking.

Anyone who has ever had a garden knows squash is something that seems to multiply on it's own. Jessup's Bed and Breakfast guests love butternut squash wheat biscuits dabbed with rich creamy butter and homemade jam.

A quick Squash Biscuit Recipe--Aunt Lavina prefers the next one

One and a half cups cooked squash, 3/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute) 1/2 teasp. salt, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup hot milk, 1/4 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup tepid water, 2 1/2 cups of flour or enough to make a soft dough. Let rise, make into small, very thin biscuits. Put 2 together, with butter between, brush with butter, cover, and after they rise a bit, bake at 400 degrees. 

 Aunt Lavina's Favorite 

Light and Flaky Squash Biscuits

Makes 20-24 Delicate, Sweet and Vibrant in Color Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Baking Time: 18 minutes

2 cups whole-wheat flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter (or substitute)

1 cup puréed squash

2 teaspoons honey (Aunt Lavina likes to add 1/2 cup sugar substitute)

1-4 tablespoons low-fat milk

v   Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and work into flour mixture with a pastry cutter until it's the size of small peas. (Tub butter substitute is easier to blend, but some people really prefer the taste of real butter--Aunt Lavina uses real butter)

v  . Mix honey into puréed squash, then stir into flour mixture. Add enough milk to make a soft dough.

v  . Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With your hands, flatten it out to about a 1/2-inch thickness. Fold the dough in half as you would close a book. Rotate dough 90 degrees, pat it out, and fold it again. Repeat this twice, dusting with flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. Work quickly to prevent the butter from becoming overly soft.

v  . After the last folding, roll out dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 1 1/2-inch rounds. To shape the biscuits, form your thumb and first finger into a crescent shape. Hold the biscuit upright in this crescent with your fingers curled around the cut edges. Rotate and gently squeeze the biscuit to give it more height.

Note: Carolyn enjoys making different shapes, but the shapes make a difference in the lightness of the biscuits. If you just cut them and place them on a baking sheet, they'll still work, but they won't be as good.

Place the biscuits closely together in a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake until puffed and very lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Give one of these easy recipes a try and let us know how you liked them.