Cathleen Armstrong, Author at Cathleen Armstrong

Aug 23, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Celebrations

Remember those long, lazy summer afternoons that never seemed to end? You know, when the cotton was high and the livin’ was easy? Well, I want to know where they went. I’m not talking about this summer, although, heaven knows, it shot by while I was still shopping for an Easter dress, but summer in general. I think about it all through the rainy winters. I say, “Next summer, I’m really going to use the pool. I tell myself that wet hair easily becomes dry hair, even curled hair, in just a few minutes with the help of a hairdryer….

Aug 20, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Creativity, Garden, Home

I love roses. My house is rarely without a bowl of the fragrant blossoms somewhere, and from early to spring to late fall, they bloom in my garden. I know. Roses are considered by some to be way overdone. And there’s some truth to that. God created an infinite variety of flowers, from the shy violet to the brash, platter-sized sunflower. And roses have claimed far more than their share of the limelight. But what can I say? I still love them. Right outside my front door is a huge rose bush, maybe fifteen feet high, which puts…

Aug 16, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Family, Home, Time Management

Our Town, by Thornton Wilder is a mainstay of high school drama departments and community theater, It tells the story of one woman, Emily Webb who died young and is given the opportunity to pick one day of her life to relive. She returns to her twelfth birthday and is at once elated to be back in the shelter of her childhood home and heartbroken at the easy way they take each other for granted, not realizing how very precious each moment, each day of their lives are. All too often, though, just like Emily, we don’t remember to live…

Aug 13, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Food, New Mexico

When I was growing up, going out to eat usually meant going out for Mexican food. Probably a lot of that had to do with the fact that that was what was available, but it also just tasted wonderful. And it was hot. I really got those cartoon pictures of people eating something hot and having steam shoot out their ears. I could feel it, even if no one could actually see the steam. The yolk of a fried egg on top of the enchiladas tempered the heat a bit, and so did the honey squeezed into the interior of…

Aug 9, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Books, Bookstores, Writing

It’s finally here! After writing, editing, pitching, editing some more, and waiting, waiting, waiting, Welcome to Last Chance finally hit the shelves this week. It was such a thrill to walk into a bookstore and find copies of my book on the shelves. I felt like I should do something—turn the book over so the author picture showed, maybe, and strike a pose to see if anyone noticed the resemblance. But no, I just looked at it a while, picked it up, gave it a pat, and put it back. And then I left, hoping it would soon find someone…

Aug 6, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Home, New Mexico

On a trip though Ireland a few years ago, I fell in love with the low hedgerows that divided the field from each other. They seemed to rise from the fields themselves, as integral a part of the landscape as the rocky crags that rose here and there, like they had been there forever. I wondered if even the owners of the fields had any idea how long they had been there, or who had planted them. Then, last spring, when Sarah and I were on our way to the Double E Ranch, I had to smile as I noticed…

Feb 5, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: News

The lights are down, the Christmas decorations are all put away, and 2012 has tottered off into history. Outside, the skies are low and gray and a cold rain is falling, but, even so, I have to admit I love this most reflective time of year. It’s a time for putting a pot of soup on the stove, setting some bread to rise, and thinking about all the things this brand new, totally unused year might bring. Some of the things I see coming up in the new year are exciting. My first novel, Welcome to Last Chance, will be…

Feb 5, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Hospitality

Have you ever noticed how often eating is mentioned in the Bible? From the trees God planted that were pleasing to the eye and good for food in Genesis, to the Marriage Feast described in Revelation, food plays a really big part. Another thing I’ve noticed is that in almost every occasion, the meal is presented as a gift and honor to someone else. I especially like the story of Abraham’s visitors. Three guests turned up unexpectedly, and Abraham ran to meet them begged them to stay and refresh themselves before they moved on. When they agreed, he set someone…

Feb 5, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Recipes

This is my all-time favorite soup recipe. You can stop by the store on your way home, be back in the car with the ingredients fifteen minutes later, and be serving hot, homemade soup to your family a half hour after you get home. Plus, it is scrumptious! Green Chile Posole 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ½ cup chopped onion 1 cup bottled green chile salsa (mild to hot—you choose) 4 oz. can chopped, roasted green chile (optional) 28 oz. can Mexican style hominy (look on the Latino foods aisle) 1 rotisserie chicken 1 quart chicken broth Sautee…