Midwest Storyteller

A First Friday Freebie for May!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 6 Comments

My great hope has been that this post would make it to my subscribers at the right time and on the right day. My internet has been down and the fixers arrived and reported that wasps have some inexplicable desire to gnaw at fiber-optic cables and had done so to the one leading to my house. They repaired the nibbles and now my first-world problem is solved. That means there’s a freebie for you!

Beaded Charm Bracelet Freebie at midweststoryteller.com

 [Bracelet]

I usually find that May’s calendar is just about as packed as December’s. Everyone is out and about at one event or another. There are picnics, barbecues, bridal showers for all those June brides, graduations and vacations. I thought perhaps you needed a new accessory for some of these events. This gold-tone beaded bracelet is elasticized and features a charm-holder in the style of a safety pin (although the pin does not open). There are three rhinestone studded charms attached – a cross, a star and a heart. Since it is stretchy, it should fit most wrist sizes.

To enter to win the safety pin charm bracelet, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Charmed, I’m sure!” You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, May 3rd, 2024.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.  You’re not officially subscribed until you confirm by email.

Subscribers often tell me how much they enjoy my humor non-fiction here at Midwest Storyteller. I am convinced that true family events provide the greatest stories possible and I love preserving all the things relatives have shared with me over the years. The clients I coach and others who just want to eat healthy food and be happy doing it love the recipes here.  However, no one will get to enjoy it all unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, May 3rd, by leaving a comment which says, “Charmed, I’m sure!”   

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

If you’ve fallen behind, maybe it’s time to catch up by checking out all the tabs and exploring the pages here.  You’ll find plenty to smile about on my “Life with Smuffy” and “Laugh!” pages. Try a great recipe from my “Food Freedom” page.

Enjoy every day in May!

Latest Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

I have managed, in spite of all the push lately surrounding my writing, to draw a winner for April’s First Friday Freebie. Let’s meet –

April Freebie Wnner Ginger midweststoryteller.com

Ginger from Prairie Home, Missouri!

Congratulations, Ginger!  I hope you enjoy your little birdie, wherever it finds a place to land. I’m thinking that the double-ended nature of the piece makes it a great way to lower a hanging pot to the desired level, but I know Ginger and it may end up gracing her super-cute chicken house.

I know you’ve met Ginger before as she is a repeat winner. That’s because she enters often.  Her name was drawn at random after she commented on the freebie post as directed in the post.  I do have to ask you to go to a tiny bit of effort each month in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention. 

I send freebies anywhere in the continental U. S., so don’t think you’re too far away to enter.

As long as you’re an email subscriber, you can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of each month.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer for the one Ginger won here. 

If you’re reading this and haven’t become an email subscriber yet, please do that today.  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, have enticed you to do that.   

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Again, comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies enable me to reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Coming up on May 3rd, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, May 3rd, 2024.

I hope April brought you showers (if you needed them as much as we did) and that May will bring you flowers. Lil’ Snookie and I are going to be busy planting some of those today, doing our part to make America beautiful. Leave a comment and tell me what you’re planting that makes you smile. 

The BEST Way to Keep Herbs Fresh

~ Midwest Storyteller

Here we all are with May about to burst on the scene and one thing that is likely overtaking the great majority of us is the desire to grow things.  Whether you are the person who goes all out and plants a full garden of veggies or the person who lines their porch and steps with colorful pots, this urge is one of the main symptoms of spring fever.

Today marked our second, and possibly our last, trip to a plant nursery.  Smuffy remarked that we are doing well at restraining ourselves this year.  He is still in search of a certain tree he wants to plant, so we’ll see if he can manage to come home with just a tree.

I have a soft spot for herbs and like to have a kitchen garden full of pots that boast basil, parsley, cilantro, sage, lemongrass, rosemary, oregano and a special pot of catnip just for Phoebe June’s enjoyment.  This year, however, a brand new grandbaby is on the way and the writing aspect of my life is going to take up all the hours that I am not snuggling her.  I’ve decided that a few colorful pots in addition to Smuffy’s veggies is all I can deal with.

That means I’ll need to use up the remainder of last year’s herb harvest that I dried and if I need fresh herbs, I’m going to have to purchase them. (Insert groaning noise here.)

I cannot adequately express my aggravation at going into a supermarket and paying a ridiculous sum for a half-handful of limp herbs that will still be too much for the recipe.  This scenario is almost always followed by the burial scene as I pull them from the refrigerator, wrapped in whatever shroud happened to be the latest sure thing recommended on a cooking show or blog, and lower their brown, slimy remains into the trash can.

But this story has a happy ending!  A little over a year ago, I happened to be watching “America’s Test Kitchen” and they were testing the best ways to keep herbs. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I thought to myself and then I nearly snorted with sarcasm as they recommended the Cole and Mason Herb Keeper and claimed that in their testing, this amazing little box kept the herbs fresh for – are you sitting down? – eight weeks!

Soon after, my family asked if there were any additional items I might want to put on my Christmas wish list. On a whim, I told them I’d like to try one of these miracle gadgets.  My wish was their command and after a few months of use I knew I would have to do a favorable review here on the blog (which, by the way, I am not getting paid for).

This herb keeper has gone way beyond my expectations. It truly will keep your fresh herbs fresh for eight weeks! The parsley in the photo you see here has been in the Cole and Mason Herb Keeper for at least a month and just take a look at it! I merely took it out of the refrigerator, sat it on the windowsill and snapped a photo without plucking off any unsightly leaves. As you can see in the photo, there are only a couple of leaves with a little yellowing that need to be removed.

It has a fill line so you know how much water to add. Just tip it over and dump out the old water and add new every week or so. There are removable dividers so that you can separate three types of herbs in one container.  Simply wash your fresh herbs, trimming the stems and any leaves that might fall below the water line, and insert them into the keeper.  Slide the outer sleeve up to the height of your herbs and flip the lid closed.  Keep them in your refrigerator and you’ll be snipping away on fresh herbs for weeks to come.

I found this fresh herb keeper at ColeandMason.com and at Amazon.com for the same price – $19.95.

As a certified lifestyle coach, I love to share great finds like this with my one-on-one clients and those who attend my weekly group sessions. Life is simplified when you can avoid extra trips to the store. You and your family are healthier when you can enjoy nutritious, healthy foods.  On top of that, you’ll have more money left in the budget to spend on feeding your family well when you stop having to throw food away.

I’ll take back that snort of sarcasm that I gave when I heard the claim that the Cole and Mason Fresh Herb Keeper will keep your herbs fresh for eight weeks.  It does and it will!

What great gadgets and helpers have you discovered to help around the house?  Leave a comment so we can all discover what is tried and true for you.

Need great healthy recipes?  You can sit on your porch with a glass of Lime Sillies here, make a quick skillet dish of Saturday Pasta any day of the week, or try my great copy-cat recipe for No-Carb Easy Bread.

Happy planting!

Share My Big Moment!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 5 Comments

Sometimes you’ve just got to shout it out! While I’m thrilled that you enjoy all the stories and articles here on my blog, sometimes it is a struggle to bring you blog posts as often as I’d like. The biggest reason for that is that I have been up to my eyebrows in writing a historical romance novel series for years now. However, if you’ve been keeping up here on the blog, you will know that several months ago, a publisher offered me a contract on the series (which I signed). If you missed that news, you can read that short post here.

Signing contracts, dear friends, is only the beginning. Since then, I’ve been overwhelmed with developmental edits on the first book and polishing manuscripts on the other two books in the series.

I think my next book will be entitled: “How to Get Your 3-Novel Series Ready for Your Publisher and Not End Up in the Funny Farm”.

Through it all, I have felt more than blessed because it was my dream and goal to have this series published. What author could ask for more?

Due to an absolute deluge of grace, however, I got more! My steps were ordered into a place I had not expected and never dreamed of and I want to share it with you today in this less-than-a-minute video.

VIDEO: EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!

The book series, entitled “Morgan’s Landing” is coming soon. I’ll post updates here on the blog, but if you would like to be sure that you personally receive the updates on the book release, sneak peeks at the cover and glimpses into the story line, please email me and ask to be on the “Morgan’s Landing” mailing list and I’ll be sure you get all the news. (Please don’t put your email in the comments here, as others will see those.)

Do watch the video, though, and comment on my exciting announcement. While you’re at it, let me know if you have a story to tell. Do you write? Are you thinking about writing? What is holding you back?

I’m Springing a Freebie on You!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

Last month, when I offered the First Friday Freebie, I spoke prematurely in saying that spring seemed to be arriving early this year.  It was, indeed, just a teaser, as we once again this week found ourselves covering up outdoor plants and ourselves against the freeze.

I’m going to push the warm weather idea and offer you a freebie for April that definitely speaks of better weather.

Metal Bird Art www.midweststoryteller.com

 This little piece of metal art is a Hobby Lobby find by The Spring Shop that you can display inside or out.  It measures 12.68” X 5” and will look great on a wall, on a porch post, hanging from a shepherd’s hook or even on the back yard fence.  The three-dimensional bird and leaves have a weathered look already so they’ll just become a little more so as they spend time outdoors. You have the option of hanging it by the curved metal piece or with the attached twine.     

To enter to win the metal bird art, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “A little birdie told me I might win this freebie!” You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, April 5th, 2024.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.  You’re not officially subscribed until you confirm by email.

No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, April 5tht, by leaving a comment which says, “A little birdie told me I might win this freebie!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

SPRING TIP:  Have you heard about any of the scientific research concerning grounding?  Grounding, to put it in ultra-layman’s terms, is when you get outdoors, get your bare toes in the grass and get your body in touch with the earth, thus setting off a whole batch of good health benefits you may not have even known you needed.  Your grandma probably knew it.  She was probably the one who said, “Get out and work in the dirt – it’ll do you good!”  You may have thought she was just trying to get you to do her gardening chores, but she was imparting wisdom, health and life to you with those words.

It’s less than two weeks till planting time here.  Make plans to get out and get grounded!  Try singing while you’re at it.  It may make the neighbors stare, but it’ll multiply the health benefits for you.

If it’s still too cold for you, take some time and catch up here at Midwest Storyteller.  Check out all the tabs and explore the pages.  You’ll find plenty to smile about on my “Life with Smuffy” and “Laugh!” pages.

Happy Spring!

March’s Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

This may seem a little late, but our First Friday Freebie winner has been a bit under the weather.  Now that she’s feeling better, she was able to send me a photo.  Let’s meet –

Vikki from Boonville, Missouri!

Congratulations, Vikki!  I know the symbolism in this freebie means a lot to you and that you will find a great place for it in your home or office.   

Vikki’s name was drawn at random after she commented on the freebie post as directed in the post.  I do have to ask you to go to a tiny bit of effort each month in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention.  Vikki is a repeat winner for that very reason –  she is paying attention!

Don’t think you’re too far away to enter.  I send freebies anywhere in the continental U. S.

As long as you’re an email subscriber, you can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of each month.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer for the one Vikki won here. 

If you’re reading this and haven’t become an email subscriber yet, please do that today.  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, have enticed you to do that.   

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Again, comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies enable me to reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Coming up on April 5th, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, April 5th, 2024.

I have tulips blooming all up and down my front walk.  This is always a special time because I feel like it makes my house look happy after the long, drab winter.  It may be my favorite part of spring.  It’s less than two weeks till planting time where we live.  What are your spring gardening plans?  Leave a comment and tell me about the happiest place in your yard! 

March Starts with a Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 6 Comments

If you live where there are four seasons (and in the Northern Hemisphere), the month of March brings hope, warmth in spurts and newness of life.  To add to all this, it also brings a First Friday Freebie!

Spring, unless this is just some sort of teaser, seems to be arriving early this year.  Celebrating the Passover and Resurrection will also arrive early this year, so I’m not waiting to offer this Freebie until April.  Let’s take a look. 

Beaded Wooden Wall Cross www.midweststoryteller.com

This wooden cross wall hanging is a Hobby Lobby find and I love the three-dimensional look.  It measures approximately 14” X 7.5” including the bead tassel at the bottom. Smaller wooden beads also cross in the center over the cut-out area.  If you have a wall that is wallpapered or painted in a happy color, this decoration will really make things pop. The tassel, cut-out and 1” depth of the piece creates shadow and movement.   

To enter to win the beaded cross, all you need to do is hum a tune and “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I Will Cling to the Old Rugged Cross!” You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, March 1st, 2024.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, March 1st, by leaving a comment which says, “I Will Cling to the Old Rugged Cross!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

This month, if you are a believer, it is time to turn the eyes of your heart toward Calvary, tune the ears of your spirit to the Voice of the One who loves you most and set your feet on a path to share the Good News with someone who might be waiting to hear it. 

You don’t have to be a believer to enjoy the humor, stories, reviews, creative ideas and recipes here on the blog, but I do share from my heart and unashamedly let you know who I am at times. God has blessed me and my family immeasurably and this glorious season is the most special and holy time of the year for us.

Blessings to all!

Meet February’s Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

The month of love is about to expire, but gloriously it will be replaced by the month of spring!  Before it’s gone, let’s meet the First Friday Freebie winner.

Freebie Winner Ruby www.midweststoryteller.com

Ruby from Boonville, Missouri!

Congratulations, Ruby!  You’re a repeat winner and that is because you always remember to enter to win. I hope you enjoy this bit of shelf décor that not only was great for the month of love but also for styling your home with a Resurrection theme or for any time of the year.

Ruby’s name was drawn at random after she commented on the freebie post as directed in the post.  I do have to ask you to go to a tiny bit of effort each month in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention. 

Don’t think you’re too far away to enter.  I send freebies anywhere in the continental U. S.

As long as you’re an email subscriber, you can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of each month.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer for the one Ruby won here. 

If you’re reading this and haven’t become an email subscriber yet, please do that today.  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, have enticed you to do that.   

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Again, comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies enable me to reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Coming up on March 1st, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, March 1st, 2024.

We’re emerging from a cold snap here and if the meteorologists aren’t messing with us, we’re heading into some glorious days as March rolls in, so I am hoping that the old saying that should it come in like a lamb it will go out like a lion is just a bunch of hooey.  I just love it when spring feels like spring!      

Peace within the Pages

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 1 Comment
Thrush Green Book Cover www.midweststoryteller.com

I’ve been spending every spare moment (hear me chuckle at the idea of one of those) editing the first novel in my series so that I can get it back to the publisher.  This is so they can get it back to me and I can get it back to them and they can get it out to you.  What could be simpler?

Much has been going on with our household lately and I find myself dealing with a greater degree of stress than I’d prefer.  As I’ve often let you know, I’m a great fan of P. G. Wodehouse.  No, make that an absolute addict.  He is my literary idol.  Although I do read many other books, I daresay that if you found yourself in a wager and had to guess what might be found on this writer’s nightstand at any given moment, it would be a Wodehouse.  It would likely be one I’ve already read multiple times.  His brand of humor just makes my day and since laughter is the best medicine I turn to him especially in times of stress.  To enter his wonderful world of enjoyable characters and bathe myself in his ability to turn a phrase washes the day’s troubles away and gives me a reset.

Smuffy has an author who does the same for him.  He’s able to re-align and de-stress within the pages of Gladys Taber.  That might seem out of character for Smuffy, but if you’ve followed him on my Life with Smuffy page, surely you’ll be able to see how a writer who moves into a centuries-old New England farmhouse and chronicles her existence in a place where nothing much every really happens would be a stress-reducer for someone who manages to find himself in as many scrapes as Smuffy does.

Not too long ago, a dear friend of mine who also loves to read old books introduced me to Miss Read and I’ve had time now to read a couple of her books.  I find delightful peace within the pages.  I’ve just finished “Thrush Green”.  It’s a short read and melts the world away.

As I’ve been acclimating myself to the publishing world for the last several years, I am so often told that the modern reader craves instant action, strong characters, twisting plots and, if at all possible, some kind of bomb going off on page two of the manuscript.  I’m not opposed to it.  In fact, my novel series will make you laugh, make you cry and yank you around in spots. I find, however, that as a lover of old books, I don’t always need that.  Sometimes I just need a peaceful escape.

If you’d like to take a break from your stress, I’d recommend a visit to the quiet English village in “Thrush Green”.  The story, set in the 1950’s, takes place on the first day of May as a one-day fair comes to delight most of the townspeople and aggravate a few of them.  In that 24 hours, you’ll meet the trusted old doctor and his possible replacement.  You’ll fill with hope for the girl with the broken heart and cheer on two young lovers as they navigate the hurdles that others place between them.  You’ll discover who the scoundrel is and pat the hero on the back and give a few sighs of sadness at the thought that you may be witnessing the end of an era for this quaint village.

All this, yes, as the stress of your own life eases away.  What better way to call it a day than to take a vacation to such a place before dropping off to sleep?

So, while you must wait a bit longer to get your hands on my own page-turner, you can check out Miss Read and start with “Thrush Green”, the first in her “Thrush Green” series.

You can find many of the books by this author at great prices here at Thrift Books.  I find their deal of free shipping with at fifteen dollar purchase a great buy – just pick up two or three titles at once.  And, as always, it’s here on Amazon.

Spring is so revitalizing and healthy for us in body, mind and spirit, but it isn’t quite here yet.  Use these remaining chilly days to get in some relaxing reads.

What have you been reading lately?  Leave a comment and share a book or books that soothe your soul!

I may need some soothing tomorrow.  While we enjoyed 82 degrees today, it will dip to 22 degrees tonight and will fight its way to a mere 40 degrees tomorrow and my calendar says that I’m not allowed to stay in and keep cozy.  This is where I live, folks!

Subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already. That’s where all my announcements will be concerning the release of my novel series coming soon!

‘Tis a Freebie of Love!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 5 Comments

The focus in February is always on love.  Rather than grumble because it gets commercialized, why not be grateful for the reminder?  You don’t have to have a “significant other” in order to feel the love or share the love.  Look around.  Someone in your life needs to feel special and know that you care.

I’d love to make all my readers feel special, but, alas, as there is only one First Friday Freebie, I’ll have to make do with one of you.  Let’s take a look at it. 

Love Cross Freebie www.midweststoryteller.com

This cross makes a statement about the One who is love.  While it will fit in nicely with all your reds and pinks if you decorate for Valentine’s Day, it’s green-on-white color scheme will take you right on into spring and celebrating the Resurrection which, by the way, falls early this year in March.  The metal wording gives texture and shine.  It measures approximate 8” X 5” and does not have a hanger on the back.  However, it is an inch in depth so it is meant to be a shelf sitter without tipping over. I thought many of you would enjoy this great  Hobby Lobby find. 

To enter to win the Love Cross, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Send me the love!” You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, February 2nd, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, February 2nd, by leaving a comment which says, “Send me the love!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

One of the great things about a February is that even if you don’t care to keep it for yourself, you can spread the love by presenting it as a thoughtful Valentine to someone you care about.  You can be that person who lets them know they are special just when they might be needing to hear it.    

Speaking of love, you know I love Smuffy.  Have you read each and every episode of my “Life With Smuffy”?  I love and sharing those with all of you and filling your lives with joy and laughter.