There were possibly twenty reasons why I hung the sign on my study door reading, ‘Gone to Scotland... back in a month.’ Reason number one: I was compelled to languish on a stone bench in the rocky high grounds of Edinburgh Castle, eyes closed, savoring the sweet sound of bagpipes echoing through the centuries-old stillness. The only thrill that could possibly surpass the bagpipes would be the sensory awakening at the Edinburgh Tattoo. Beyond that, my list included a longing to revisit the lochs in hopes of glimpsing the elusive Nessie, a craving for the earthy taste of haggis, a penchant for a lively Scottish reel and jig, and a need to purchase genuine Scottish shortbread. I also yearned for an authentic Scottish coat, gloves, and matching tam-o-shanter, the sight of a man in a kilt (preferably bending over to tie his shoelaces), and the desire to potter around a certain famous viaduct crossing.

Like the winter, grief has a season. Life returns with the spring. A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built the life she dreamed of during her teen years in a trailer park. An unexpected interruption from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects to her past while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of five hundred acres of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan. Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. When Bethany is left the land, Evan must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away. For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace that she’s not even sure exists?

A field guide to finding calm, creativity, and self-discovery through encounters with nature. A fresh perspective, an outdoor exploration, a new adventure about to begin—How to Be A Wildflower is a book for celebrating these and other wide-open occasions. Encouraging self-discovery through encounters with nature, beloved artist Katie Daisy brings her beautiful paintings and lettering to this collection of things to do and make, quotes, meditations, natural history, and more. Find wonder and inspiration in these peaceful pages, live life to the fullest, and discover the wild and free spirit within. “For pure whimsy, you just can’t beat How to Be a Wildflower: A Field Guide by Katie Daisy. The Bend, Oregon, artist brings her beautiful paintings and lettering to this delightful book, a collection of nature-inspired quotations, meditations, lore, and even a recipe for fresh strawberry-rhubarb pie.” —Traditional Home

Of course, I’d shied away from traveling to Croatia! Why embrace the unknown with Venice, Nice, Rome, and Constantinople calling? I’d heard whisperings of a city dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ but had little idea where that soul-stirring nirvana might have been located. You can imagine my surprise and delight, when I was invited to accompany five friends and their two young sons to Dubrovnik, Croatia, for a five-day stint in the scorching Balkan sun. Words cannot express that first glimpsing of the red-roofed, white-walled, brilliant-blue -sea-skirted city when our sleek, silver, chauffeur-driven van tumbled into town from the brooding, cobalt-crusted Dubrovnik mountains. Lord Byron had it right: Heaven on Earth! The following five days for our ‘party of eight’ included beaches, swimming pools, ‘Old Town’ treasures, Wall-walks, Croatian food to die for, and best of all – a delightful ‘Game of Thrones’ tour, which had two little boys searching every nook and cranny on the ‘Kings landing’ for that elusive Iron Throne. Who’s never wanted to play kings or queens? So you’ll be joining us on this pink-pearler tour in one of the world’s most Instagram-able spots? Thought so!

If you are ever lucky enough to receive an invitation to a wedding in Poland, make sure you RSVP... ASAP. It happened to me. I was invited and travelled to Poland along with 50 other Aussie guests. I knew nothing about Poland. Nothing save the fact that every Polish name seemed to end in ski, ska, or sko. Australia’s highest mountain – Mount Kosciusko, was named after a Polish explorer. If you’d like to find out more about the natural wonders of Poland, the heritage sites, the beautiful, wide landscape, and why so many travellers choose to go to the land of zloty and pierogi, then this book has been bookmarked for you. The laughs, the landscape, the characters, the sheer beauty of it all. Come travel with me and find out for yourself what all the fuss is about.

A Suitcase Full of Boomerangs is essentially a romp around the Republic of Ireland. Tiny boomerangs are bequeathed to colourful characters encountered throughout the three-week round trip. Narrated in the first person, the protagonist and two of her sisters manage to have a ball as they traverse the width and breadth of Ireland in a big black jeep filled with suitcases full of boomerangs. This book of travel laughs, mishaps and adventures is a light-hearted, feel-good read, intended to whisk the armchair traveller far away to another time and place – the magic that will always be Ireland.

If you loved Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, you’ll love Where the Wildflowers Grow. Sexual confusion and dysfunction cause the unraveling of the perfect American family in small town Georgia in 1960. Rose Cassidy's fantasy life is a haunting reminder that she's living a lie. So when she has the opportunity to act on those fantasies, she dives in without any thought to consequences. Rose's husband, Ryan, has fantasies of his own, and his actions cause unimaginable pain to the very children he tries so hard to protect. When the happiness each member of the Cassidy family seeks so desperately to find is shattered by shame, guilt, and ultimately murder, they must each face the truth that lies deep within their souls.