For over a decade now, BW and I and another couple spend a week at the spa after all the holiday madness. It’s a lovely little break. The guys ski/snowboard, and the ladies enjoy the spa. I usually work a bit, too. I don’t ski. It’s cold, it’s wet–especially if you tend to fall down a lot. I prefer a nice hot stone massage to the slopes.
We all do what we do.
But this year, we had something different. BW was invited to do a photography showing here. This place has an amazing art collection. So in addition to the usual four, Jason and Kat came up–much valuable help with the loading in of BW’s art–Laura and her husband came mid week, and another friend and her dh came a day later.
It turned into a wonderful, happy little party that went a long way to keeping everybody cheerful even as the temps fell below zero. Talk about cold and wet.
What fun it’s been to 
float back from some fabulous afternoon treatment and see BW’s photographs lining the walls. And how lovely it is to spend a few days with friends who are friends with each other as well.
I’ve got a lot of work and a long winter waiting for me starting tomorrow, but this has been a warm little island of friendship and happy in the world of snow and ice.
Those of you dealing with the cold (it was minus 3 when I got up this morning), I hope you can gather with friends, or curl up with a book–I’ve done both this week, and it’s going to help me get through the chilly weeks ahead.
Nora
Those pictures are lovely! I particularly loved the one with the trees done in black and white. I feel like that would make for some amazing inspiration for writing! How talented your family is 🙂 Glad you are enjoying this amazing new year!
Beautiful! So many different kinds of art in our world. I’m glad you got to share it with friends and family.
Glad you could take the time to recharge your creative batteries! !! Waiting patiently (ummm..probably not) for the next book. Thank you for giving me a little bit of mommy time every time your books arrive! !!
that sounds like a fun and exciting trip, stay warm. What beautiful pictures, it was lovely seeing them. Thanks for sharing.
How Lovely!!!!! Does BW sell his work. Is there a website we can go to and look at it and maybe buy something?
Lovely trip and lovely photographs as I recall from TTP
Lovely. Thanks for sharing, BW’s photos are beautiful…you are both artists! Hope you can stay cozy while you work, now that you are back in MD.
Thanks as always for sharing a bit of your special times….we love you Nora…and can’t tell you how many happy hours of reading you have brought all of us! .Thank you!!!!
Congratulations to Bruce on his showing and to all of you on your lovely vacation! Good luck this winter with your work. I truly look forward to reading it.
What A nice getaway!
Always easier when people get along.
I plan on curling up,with books 2,and three, in the Blood Magick series with a blanket,& my puppy, to keep me warm!
What lovely photographs. Alot of talent in your family. What a lovely way to start the new year. Here in north Florida we had a couple 20’s-30’s nights.. But hanging with friends is always the best way to enjoy, and of course good books.
A week at the spa sound like heaven, but alas, no time for that. Here on the Canadian prairies, it is VERY COLD, but I am keeping warm curled upwith a nice blanket and my Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy, inspired, of course, by your recent short story! Am sooooo looking forward to your next book….
His work is beautiful. You make a good team. 😉
What wonderful pictures…he is amazing!!!
Congrats to BW on the show.
Routine and tradition are nice, but every now and then it’s good to mix things up.
Here I sit with hot steaming bowls of soup, hot tea, fuzzy socks, long johns, fleece underwear shirts under my hoodie surviving the frozen Minnesota tundra. After chores I sit and crochet, embroider a little and of course devour a good book while the boys watch their neanderthal tv shows. Your style of relaxation is a lot warmer Nora, and I hear you about the wet cold of skiing. Did that in my youth when I lived in colorado, when my bones flexed well; now, now I am perfectly content with my relaxation choices, especially the reading a good novel. Thank you again for sharing your gift..nothing like a summer romance to keep the chill away.
That’s wonderful! Lovely to take a ritual break and to celebrate too. Blessed be.
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing, Nora!
What a lovely holiday. I can’t imagine that kind of cold as it is close to 80 in Florida. Enjoy and know we all appreciate the fact that you work so hard. Thank you!!
I only get heat & the occasional cool-ish weather, so I find that little chilly getaway delightful! How terrific to see the BW’s magic on those walls!
It sounds WONDERFUL. I could do with a good professional massage myself. I’m afraid all the good my last one did was undone within 24 hours. It truly sounds like a lovely time.
As for the cold, freaking BRRR. My son was off three days last week just because of low temperatures (we had a high temperature of 1 the other day) and even lower wind chills. We are expecting another day off school tomorrow (it hasn’t been announced yet) because temps will be subfreezing overnight, and we will be getting snow and freezing rain, turning the roads into a solid sheet of ice when kids are supposed to be getting ready to go to school.
Thank you for sharing your trip with us. The pictures were beautiful. I love to live vicariously thru your writing and blogs. So glad you could go and look forward to the results by reading your next wonderful book.
The photographs are amazing. I love hearing about your family and friend filled trip. Here’s hoping you survive the cold cold winter. I won’t tell you the temp in California today. So looking forward to the new books in 2015. Bright Blessings!
Congratulations to him on the showing! That is great! Glad you had a nice time, it’s so important to take that time! 🙂
What a great get-a-way!! I’ve seen Bruce’s artwork up close and personal when I stayed at the inn and he is truly talented. You are both artists on paper but in different methods of expression!! Love you Nora…keep doing what you do and I will be devouring every word!!
I don’t like cold and wet either and my rump is magnetically attracted to icy or cold surfaces so I stayed in for all of our snowy, slushy weekend. I read Portrait in Death and nursed a cold.
I’m rereading the entire series before the new one comes out. I better hurry because I won’t want to wait once it gets released. Thank you for great books that take me on mini vacations from our cold and snowy Michigan winters.
t has been very cold here this last week or so (-18C or -4F) so I share your feelings about winter. I can’t get used to it and I’ve lived here my whole life LOL! What a great honour! I’m sure as someone who is known as a “word artist”, it is wonderful to see your husband’s talent as a “visual artist” on display. Looking forward to some great reads in 2015 especially now that you’re relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated!
Those pictures were all good. I especially liked the ones of the red stones. I can understand why you wouldn’t like the cold and wet of skiing but I have to say this. For those of you who do ski/snowboard, how much more do you appreciate coming into a nice warm lodge after being cold and wet? That’s just my opinion.
It’s only -24c in my neck of the woods. Hope you are further inspired to write novels that are so easily read with a blanket, fire place and hot tea on hand.
I love your books, they have the magic to put me right into the scenes and I feel like I am a kindred spirit to many of the fabulous characters you create. Thank you for all you do!
Beautiful. Looks like BW rocks too! An entire family of talent, how awesome is that?!
Such talent, congratulations!!! Seems like awesomeness runs right through the family, very exciting.
Hi Nora!
your book- Festive in Death – got me through- (Enjoyably i must add:) The cold – December into January – Gargantuan Flu- time/season- for me— So– Thank you – So very much- – for – continuing to write your ‘in death’ books– i really really R E A L L Y enjoy them, a lot! (i enjoy All of your books- actually:)
Happy new year to you (and yours),
i hope – you’ve not had, this bloody flu!
With love to you, always,
Nikki xox!
Can’t believe I just discovered this blog! A longtime fan here- been reading since I was in high school and I’m past 30 now. And I have to say I absolutely LOVE your trilogies even if they are always 3 men n 3 women- everything else is magic- the plot with twists, your writing, and the unique personalities of the characters. Never fail! I have a question- I’m sure others have asked but what do you read for pleasure? And specifically- what did you read when it was 3 degrees out? 🙂