Repose by Adele Downs #photography
Photo copyright Adele Downs 2017
Archive for the ‘Beach Vacation’ Category
Mornings By The Bay: #HurricaneJose2017, Donating Royalties to #AmericanRedCross
(Photo: Hours before Hurricane Jose moved along the Mid-Atlantic U.S. east coast.)
My husband and I decided to spend most of September at the beach to squeeze out every last ray of summer sunshine, and to finish the DIY bathroom remodel from hell. (More about that later.) For days the weather forecasters told us not to be concerned about Hurricane Jose’s path toward the Delaware peninsula; the storm would probably blow out to sea before it reached us. Because of these forecasts, we decided to stay in our Delaware house on the bay instead of returning home to Pennsylvania when Hurricane Jose moved up the east coast. Then the path changed and New Jersey, New York, and New England became targets of the hurricane, though Delaware would experience high winds and torrential rain. We’d ridden out tropical storms in the past without incident, and remained cautiously optimistic as we headed to the store for supplies.
It seemed as if everyone in town went shopping at once, because the stores were mobbed, and people were stocking up on food and cases of bottled water. We filled our Jeep’s gas tank to enable us to flee at a moment’s notice if Mother Nature changed direction and turned against us. We also expected another gas price hike after the hurricane blew by. Afterward, I made a trip to my favorite bookstore to buy a paperback and a magazine in case of a power outage. Then the weather forecast changed again, and the conditions for Delaware were expected to improve, with the exception of some beach erosion and areas of coastal flooding. We were relieved we wouldn’t live to regret our decision to remain in our house.
As it turned out, we were very lucky, because the Category 1 hurricane that brushed our peninsula from 200 miles offshore remained the weakest of the summer storms. When I think about the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the impact of Jose on states further north, and Maria’s destruction to our neighbors to the south, I’m thankful we were spared. I’m sending prayers and all possible good wishes to those negatively affected by the Hurricanes of 2017.
P.S. I will donate 100% of my royalties for my western romance KISSING HER COWBOY, set in Houston, Texas to the American Red Cross when you purchase the book between now and October 31. This is one of my most popular stories and was an Amazon Top 100 seller in three categories. Since the book costs only .99 and my portion of the sale is much smaller than a dollar, I will match every royalty I receive from my publisher in my quarterly check with a personal donation. You get the book for entertainment and the proceeds go to charity. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Here are the links to buy KISSING HER COWBOY.
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSFV2UC/
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/396388
Boroughs Publishing Group http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/kissing-her-cowboy
Beach Read-Luxury Model Wife by Adele Downs #romancenovel #mustread
Many thanks to Chantel C. for posting this photo of her beach read LUXURY MODEL WIFE on social media. Reading on the beach is super relaxing and fun and one of my favorite things to do. I hope Chantel enjoyed the book.
LUXURY MODEL WIFE by Adele Downs is a 2017 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit Winner.
“So good I could not put it down.” 5 Stars! ~Girl With Pen
“I’d make some space on your ‘Keeper’ shelf if I were you.” 5 Stars! Cuddles Please Blog
“Adele Downs has given us another amazing story.” 5 Stars! ~Bella’s Blog
See books by Adele Downs on Amazon!
Mornings By The Bay: Fishing and Crabbing #fishing
Where has the summer gone? Beach season has flown by. In addition to enjoying life on the Delaware coast, I’ve been busy helping my husband remodel the beach house guest bathroom. I’ll post before and after pictures when the room is done. I’ve also been working on a new novel, and have other publishing projects in the works that I can hardly wait to tell you about after the contracts arrive.
Blue claw crabs have been plentiful at the beach this year, and we’ve had good catches since May. Steamed and cleaned right out of the bay is the best way to enjoy them at dinnertime. Fresh corn on the cob from a local farm and a cold beer makes the perfect meal.
If you’d like to try your hand at crabbing–either from a dock using string and bits of chicken, or with handheld traps filled with bait, or by investing in crab pots that stay in the water overnight, you’ll need a fishing and crabbing license, and will have to follow the rules set by your state about keepers, but a seasonal license is well worth the enjoyment your family will have.
Here’s a picture of our overnight crab traps. Each household in our Delaware bay community is allowed a maximum of two. We use a combination of chicken and bunker fish for bait and the crabs love it.
This guy was definitely a keeper! On this particular day, we caught over 50 crabs, and though nearly half of them were too small to keep and had to be returned to the water, our catch yielded enough food for two meals.
Add side dishes for a great summertime feast.
When I’m feeling especially energetic, I make crab cakes or homemade crab bisque, which can be frozen and enjoyed during the winter months when we’re dreaming about warm weather.
It’s been a great summer in Delaware. I’ll be sorry to see the season end.
Beach Retirement by Adele Downs #photography
I think this might be my favorite picture, ever.
Photo copyright Adele Downs 2017
