Rainbow Over The Coronavirus #AmWriting #WritersLife #WritersCommunity #Coronavirus #Covid19 #BeachLife

Like many people, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the Coronavirus2020 pandemic and the need for self isolation. A few days ago, despite the rain, I decided to get out of the house and away from the news to take a ride to a popular bay side beach. Even though the beaches are closed on both the bay and the ocean sides of Delaware, seeing the sand and water can make me feel better about almost anything. (Plus, there’s a takeout ice cream store nearby, which makes a beach visit especially worthwhile.)

I sat alone in my car in the rain, enjoying my chocolate cone with chocolate sprinkles, with my eye on the bay through the windshield, when, suddenly, the rain stopped and the sun came out so fast it was like somebody hit a light switch. Just as fast, a rainbow formed in the distance. I grabbed my iPhone, jumped out of my car, and shot this picture seconds before the rainbow disappeared behind more cloud cover. If you look closely at the horizon, you just might see the arch.

Can’t see the rainbow?

I’ve highlighted the photo below.

I know these aren’t great pictures, but my photography skills, or lack of them, aren’t the point of this post. I’m a romance author, after all. Something beautiful and unexpected had occurred in the midst of a storm, during the worst health care crisis our country has known in my lifetime, and if I hadn’t paid attention, I would have missed it. The moment seemed like a metaphor for something I needed to learn.  Despite the wildly obvious cliches about rainbows and ice cream cones, I felt better.

My mood lifted, and on the drive home I became hopeful that our country and the world will heal from this virus, maybe sooner than we know. The sun will shine again. Our lives will return to normal, or a new normal. I thought about changes I can make to improve my own life post-Coronavirus, and how to implement them. When that happens, chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles at the beach will taste better than ever.

~Best, Adele

Winter At The Beach by Adele Downs #photography #beachlife #writerslife #authorslife

It’s winter here at the beach, but spring is in the air. Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvania groundhog from the town of the same name, predicts when spring will arrive based on whether or not he sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, February 2.

Phil predicted an early spring for 2020, and I believe him. My daffodils and crocus are already out of the ground.

Thanks, Phil!

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2020

The Inspiration for CATCH ME-Love Is Like A Box of Chocolates #SweetRomance #Anthology @CamdenParkPress #WritersLife #WritersCommunity

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2020

This is the bicycle that inspired my short story “Catch Me” in the sweet romance anthology LOVE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES. It’s not a particularly sexy bike; it’s sturdy with thick tires and a foot brake instead of the hand brake installed on racing bikes. It’s a Schwinn, and almost exactly like the bicycle I rode as a child, which is probably why I picked it out and brought it home from the local big box store.

Riding the bike, however, has been a challenge. I’m scared of my Schwinn. My fear of falling has taken some of the shine off my exercise good intentions and visits to neighbors. Understanding that practice might ally that fear hasn’t helped much. Riding my bike has become more about gritting my teeth and getting from point A to point B than the elated air-and-sunshine freedom at the beach I anticipated. However…I’m not giving up. This year, I intend to make my bicycle my friend… I hope.

My fear of falling off my Schwinn sparked the idea for my LOVE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES short story “Catch Me.” My creative spirit invented the heroine, Lilly, and the handsome construction worker, Theo, who meet after Lilly hits the asphalt when she loses control while riding beside Rehoboth Bay (pictured). Their happily-ever-after is a much better ending than the one I fear for myself. But, who knows, maybe with determination and practice I will regain the bike riding confidence of my childhood, soar beside the water, and make exciting new friends in my community along the way.

Buy the Book!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084S7D6NC

Books To Read: https://books2read.com/LoveIsLikeChocolate

January Beach by Adele Downs #photography #beachlife #writerslife #authorslife

It’s winter at the beach. I live in the southernmost part of Delaware, where the weather is generally milder than neighboring states to the north, but not as warm as those in the US Deep South. It’s 46 degrees here, and dreary, and though the ocean and our beaches are ever present, they seem just out of reach. The best we can do is walk along the shoreline and breathe its briny scent while we wait for spring sunshine and the heat of summer.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2020

Gull Gang by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs #beachlife #writerslife

Some of us will never give up the beach, no matter the season.

Photos copyright Adele Downs 2019

Shell Hunters by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs #beachlife #writerslife

A grandmother and child hunt for shells on the beach as fall arrives.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2019

Beach Pal by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs #beachlife #writerslife

This little guy sat next to my chair on the beach for four hours. LOL. My new friend.

Photos copyright Adele Downs 2019

Spring Beach 2019 by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs #beachlife #writerslife

May and early June is the most relaxing and enjoyable time for me to visit the beach. The temperatures are moderate and the crush crowds of summer haven’t yet arrived.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2019

Mornings By The Bay: Personal Shell Collection #amwriting #WritingCommunity #writerslife #beachlife

Good morning from the beach! A friend of mine found this large, round basket at the Home Goods store, which turned out to be the perfect container for the oversized shells in my collection. They’d been displayed individually throughout my house, but I think showcasing them together creates more impact. There’s a story behind each item in the basket, collected over the course of my life. To name a few:

-The starfish my daughter found as a child, attached to a bulkhead at Gordon’s Pond beach.
-Driftwood my late husband found while we walked along the shoreline in Rehoboth.
-The horn shell I bought from a fisherman on a beach in Jamaica.
-The conch shell I found while exploring The Bahamas.
-Brain coral given to me by my parents decades after their 1960’s Caribbean cruise.

Each item inside the basket is a cherished memory, and I look forward to adding to the collection for years to come. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to display your own collection of personal treasures to beautify your home and brighten your spirit.

Speaking of collections, I finished writing a short story for an anthology scheduled for publication in February 2020. If the story is accepted by the publisher, I’ll be sure to tell you about this exciting project.

Have a great week!
Best–Adele

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2019

Beach in Spring 2019 by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

Spring temperatures in Delaware have varied wildly–from the 40’s and 50’s to a day or two of sunny 70 degrees. Walks along the beach and boardwalk are exhilarating and make me anxious for steady warmer weather!

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2019

Winter Beach 2019 by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

The beach is peaceful in winter. On mild days, with temperatures in the 50’s, it’s comforting to walk along the coastline or on the boardwalk without the crush crowds of summer.

Photos copyright Adele Downs 2019

Santa’s House at the Beach #photography #Christmas #ChristmasSpirit @Adele_Downs

I took these pictures of Santa’s House on the Rehoboth, Delaware boardwalk, where children visit Santa every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas. My four-year old grandson has enthusiastically embraced the concept of Santa Claus, especially the part about him bringing toys to good children, and his excitement has filled me with Christmas spirit. There’s nothing like having a small child around to better appreciate the holidays.

Merry Christmas!

Photos copyright Adele Downs 2018

Fall Sunset by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

Sunset over the bay, Fall 2018, Delaware.

Except for my signature, these photos are unaltered. Nature doesn’t need artificial colors.

Photos copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Beach Before Dusk by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

In the off season, the beach is often deserted in the late afternoon before dusk. I sometimes sit in my convertible and read a book or eat a simple meal while enjoying the scent of the salt air and the feel of the breezes on my skin. And sometimes I take pictures, like this one, from the driver’s seat of my car.

Except for my signature, this photo is unaltered.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

October Beach by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

I finished the final draft of a new novel, then took a walk on the beach, imagining my love was with me.

Except for my signature, this photo is unaltered.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Flamingos in Maryland by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

Flamingos in Maryland? Yes, at the Salisbury Zoo. I had no idea these creatures were so noisy! They sounded like a flock of honking geese.

The colors in this photograph are unaltered and exactly as they appeared through my camera lens.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

October Beach Day by Adele Downs #photography @Adele_Downs

On the beach on a warm October 2 afternoon, after a morning of writing. Yes, I’m writing again!

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Alone On The Bay by Adele Downs #photography

The summertime beach crowds are gone and I had the waterfront park on the bay all to myself while I read in the shade for a few lovely hours.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Early Morning Walk by Adele Downs #photography

Early morning walk along the beach in Delaware.

Except for my signature, this photo is unaltered.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Beach Chairs On The Bay by Adele Downs #photography

Except for my signature, this photo is unaltered.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Alone At The Beach by Adele Downs #photography

Except for my signature, this photo is unaltered.

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2018.

Little Library At The Beach

Greetings from the beach! I moved from my family home in Pennsylvania to my vacation home in Delaware full-time and dove straight into summer. As part of my new routine, I’m taking early morning walks on the boardwalk along the ocean. The air at dawn is cool and refreshing, and I’m learning to appreciate rising early to work out. By 8 AM, the sun starts to get hot, and my enthusiasm for exercise declines with every uptick of the thermometer.

Near the end of my route, a sign for a Book Box takes me a few yards off the boardwalk to an adorable little free library. Book Boxes are popping up all over the country, and book lovers and authors like me are thrilled by the trend. The process is easy–take a book, give a book. No library card or membership of any kind is needed and you can borrow or donate at any time.

There might be a little Book Box or two in your community. If not, maybe you and an organization close to your heart can start one in your neighborhood. Reading is fun!

Happy summer!

How could I resist taking a look?

Following Ms. Bunny to the Book Box.

Built by the Village Improvement Association.

Take a book. Donate a book. Easy.

I’ll be glad to donate signed copies of my books.

**

Photos copyright Adele Downs 2018.

It’s Freezing Cold, Dark, and Gloomy #HappyNewYear2018 #NewYear

It’s dangerously cold here on the U.S. Mid-Atlantic coast, and even the beach looks dark and gloomy this holiday weekend. Polar Bear Plunge fundraising swims have been cancelled in several beach communities due to concerns about public safety, and a news story reported that sharks are freezing in the frigid waters. I’m blowing the dust off my treadmill to exercise inside, since it’s waaaay too cold to take a walk on the boardwalk or around the park.

I’ll spend New Year’s Eve with Netflix, a cozy fire in the fireplace, and a glass of wine. Have I mentioned that I hate winter?

Stay warm, everyone! Happy New Year! Wishing you the best in 2018.

Photo copyright Adele Downs, 2017.

Santa’s House on The Boardwalk – #Christmas #ChristmasSpirit

I took these pictures of Santa’s House on the Rehoboth, Delaware boardwalk, where children visit Santa every weekend from Thanksgiving ’til Christmas. My three-year old grandson is just beginning to grasp the concept of Santa Claus, especially the part about him bringing toys to good children, and his excitement has filled me with Christmas spirit. There’s nothing like having a small child around to better appreciate the holidays.

Merry Christmas!

Storm Approach by Adele Downs #photography

Photo copyright Adele Downs 2017