We Have Winners!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our contest last week, even with all the hiccups!

This morning, I assembled all the entries from various social media outlets and ran a random number generator to choose all the winners. I'm still waiting on shipping addresses for some of the physical prizes and as soon as our book, Go West, His Momma Said, is ready, I'll contact those winners for current e-mail addresses. (Or feel free to send me your e-mail address now if your name is on the list.)

Congratulations to:

• Annie Keys, winner of the Purple Water Lily

• Winner of the coffee, Twitter account @InDianesKitchen

• Winner of Peggy Cunningham's devotional, Shape Your Soul, and my book, My Prayer Journal, Twitter account @Norma_Gail

• Winner of the children's book bundle, Rachel Hartsfield

• Winners of Kindle versions of Go West, His Momma Said:

@vbenchley, @SJB6991, @Spider_Gina, @TomvCS345, @twoshotgirl, @brittbratpics,  @Darraghman1, Julie Arduini, Daisy Buckner, Tammy Doherty, LoRee Perry, Kathleen Smith

Thank you!!

My art is available for purchase at:

www.Tracy-Ruckman.pixels.com 

or

www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/tracy-ruckman

Books are available for purchase on Amazon:

Tracy Ruckman Author Page

Peggy Cunningham Author Page

Estelle Herndon Author Page

Contest Update & Changes

Well, after numerous retakes and tries yesterday that didn't work, I'm reformatting the contest announced yesterday. I apologize for the inconvenience and instability. I had hoped to help spread word about some special books and projects, but technology did not want to cooperate.

So, we'll make it easy. To enter to win any of the prizes below, just leave a comment anywhere you see this post - on my blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Pinterest, on Instagram and you'll be entered to win each time.

If you want to help spread the word about any of the projects listed below the prizes, feel free to share this post or any of the links below, but you are not required to do so.

And, to make it quicker, we'll end the contest on Sunday, December 8, so everyone will be sure to get their prizes in time for gift-giving.

We'll be giving away a total of four prizes and Kindle versions of our soon-to-be-released travelogue, Go West, His Momma Said to each winner, plus 10 additional winners for the book only.

You could win:

Prize #1: 
One 11" x 14" autographed art print poster by Tracy Ruckman

Prize #2: 

One 1-pound bag of whole coffee beans by JavaPresse.

Prize #3:

Children's Picture Book bundle

Prize #4:

Shape Your Soul devotional by Peggy Cunningham and My Prayer Journal 

Prize #5:

Kindle versions of Go West, His Momma Said by Tracy Ruckman will be given to all four winners of the prizes above, plus 11 additional winners.

The projects I want to promote, and the reasons why:

Kids Christmas Project blog post - The Kids Christmas Project is near and dear to my heart. Rumi Rancho is off to press today in Bolivia with books printed in Spanish to GIFT to children in the Andes Mountains - books that share love, laughter, stories, memories of childhood, and most of all JESUS. The author, Peggy Cunningham, also wrote the Hooray for Holidays series of books, and you can learn about those here: Hooray for Holidays video

KC's Christmas Discovery blog post - KC's Christmas Discovery also shares Jesus in a fun Christmas story. The author is on a mission herself to share Jesus far and wide, and the more people who know about her book, the more she is able to do that. Here's the "behind the scenes" look at the creation of this sweet book. KC's Christmas Discovery video

Read to Your Family video - Clients of TMP Books (publishing or marketing) offer some great choices for your family reading time. 

My own projects I'm wanting to share far and wide include my new art store and prayer journals - art and journals make great Christmas gifts.

Art on the Move blog post

Prayer Journal Retweet

New Camping Journal and New State by State Prayer Journal

Compiling our travel book is taking much longer than I'd originally hoped and planned, so in the meantime, we created a couple of new journals that we hope will be helpful.

The Jot it Down Camping Journal offers a great way to record your camping trips. We checked our own notes from 189 days on the road, and compiled some quick fill-in-the-blank forms to help you keep track of your travels. We also included some handy checklists to help with planning and packing.

Available on Amazon

The State by State Prayer Journal provides a great way for you to document prayers for our country. Each state has four dedicated pages with prompts so you can list names or specific items in each area, and a lined note page for you to record specific prayers. Extra lined journal pages are included at the end.

Available on Amazon

Visit Tracy's Amazon Page for more journals and books!

#LeapFrogs: Niagara Falls

I faced quite a challenge trying to pull Tim away from the new friends he'd made at the Erie Canal, but Niagara Falls was calling!

When we told family and friends we were heading to Niagara Falls, the first question they all asked, "Do you have passports?"

My passport expired a few years ago, and I never renewed it; Tim has never had one, and now that we're on the road, we knew it would be difficult and costly to obtain. I researched the Falls and learned that they could be viewed "more naturally" from the American side, and that appealed to me, so we went.

As always, budget was a huge consideration in our planning. Niagara Falls is a New York State Park, but they don't charge admission. They do, however, charge for parking ($10). I'd read about the Maid of the Mist boat ride, but knew we didn't have it in the budget, so we planned to just walk around the park and view the Falls from every angle available on land.

The moment we climbed out of the car, we knew we were at Niagara Falls - a fine mist floated across our cheeks, the power of the rushing water vibrated the ground beneath our feet, and the unmistakable roar filled our ears. The power of the Falls touched my pocketbook, too - I decided on the spur of the moment that we'd eat PB & J for a week so we could go on the boat!

Tim earned the nickname Papa Smurf with this photo!

Visiting Niagara Falls was the experience of a lifetime and we're both so glad we splurged on the boat. Definitely worth the price, and the memories will last a lifetime.

I even turned my favorite photo into artwork and it is now available as a limited time promotion on FineArt America!

Recent Posts:
#LeapFrogs: From Bar Harbor to the Erie Canal
#LeapFrogs: Majestic Maine
#LeapFrogs: Cape Cod and Boston
#LeapFrogs: Zigzagging into the Northeast
#LeapFrogs: Bucket List Checkmark - the OBX
#LeapFrogs: Friends, Seafood, and a Personal Tour
#LeapFrogs: The Boondocks, A Library, and Charleston
#LeapFrogs: Pre-Order Our New Release
#LeapFrogs: A New Journey Begins
#LeapFrogs: Wacky Experience in Albuquerque
#LeapFrogs: Discovering Arizona
#LeapFrogs: The Grand Grand Canyon
#LeapFrogs: Grand Canyon Bound
#LeapFrogs: Mountain Fears and the Saguaro
#LeapFrogs: On to Arizona
#LeapFrogs: Speeding West Again
#LeapFrogs: A New Tent and a Little Time to Breathe
#LeapFrogs: Running from the Weather
#LeapFrogs: A New Town and a New Ministry Idea
#LeapFrogs: A Desert Experience
#LeapFrogs: Exploring Carlsbad's Treasures
#LeapFrogs: Settling into New Mexico
#LeapFrogs: Change of Terrain and a Midnight Visitor
#LeapFrogs: Covering a Lot of Miles
#LeapFrogs: Holy Ground in Kerrville

Get your #LeapFrogs Merchandise here:

#LeapFrogs Mug

#LeapFrogs Water Bottle

#LeapFrogs Tote Bag

#LeapFrog T-shirts

#LeapFrogs: From Bar Harbor to the Erie Canal

After a beautiful time in Maine, and vows to return, we began a new trek west.

My irrational mountain fears kicked into gear, so we planned a route that would keep us as much out of the mountains as possible. One day, I'll return to the area and explore it all, but for now, this has to suffice.

The drive through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont was beautiful and surprising, because I found some delightful small lake towns. My imagination went wild thinking of summer homes there. Ha! Unfortunately, I was driving so I didn't capture any pictures until we got to the Vermont welcome center. (I think I could move in there and be perfectly content!)

Before we left Vermont, we were determined to get some maple syrup. Tim's grandfather and uncle made maple syrup in Virginia, so that will always be his favorite, but we did find some Vermont syrup in the quaint town of Bennington. Tim's the syrup person but I delighted in the meat market where we found it - Henry's.

Henry's is a small corner store with all sorts of local delicacies. They roast their own meats for the deli counter, too, and we snagged a delectable chunk of their roast beef for sandwiches. They package the end pieces and sell them in chunks, in addition to slicing, and those chunks make the best "leftover" roast beef sandwiches. (I need one now.)

We'd found a campsite where we could stay awhile, so we headed to Macedon, NY after we left Henry's. We drove along the top edges of several of the Finger Lakes, and vowed to return there, too. The area was a bit crowded as we passed through, but the towns were unique and interesting, and the water incredible. The town of Skaneateles really captured my writer's imagination, so I hope to set a script there at some point. (I'll just need to learn how to pronounce the town name first!)

We weren't sure what to expect when we got to Macedon. The campsite information gave us the basics - free, portajohn, small town. The information was correct, but it was so much more.

The city park sits along the edge of the Erie Canal, and Macedon hosts one of 35 locks on the Erie Canal. The city provides the camping spots for hikers and bicyclists who trek the Erie Canal Trails.

When we arrived, there were a couple of tents set up on one side of the street, away from the canal, but there was one site closer so we chose it for ours. 

The Chief Lock Operator was on hand and while we were there, he educated us on how the system works, and let us watch him work. He gave Tim a close up tour one day while I was at the library working and then some of the other employees, Wink and Wes, taught him even more on other days. 

After I'd worked a few days, I took a day off to explore the area and discovered this park also offers a little library and a butterfly garden. 

One morning, Tim whipped us up some pancakes one morning so we could sample that Vermont maple syrup, too.

I took clothes to the laundromat one day, too, and the Lord had a special blessing and surprise for me. A kind lady was sitting in the lobby and after I got our clothes in the washers, she introduced herself and we began chatting. Her husband came over and they told me they had a local ministry based on the FROG principle - Fully Rely on God! I told them about our journey, the #LEAPFROGS, and he went out to his car to return with this little friend, which he gave me. 

When it was time to leave, they both took my hands and led us in prayer. They said they'd continue praying for us on our journey.

I love divine appointments such as these. They refresh and revive me, and minister in ways in ways I never knew I needed. 

Recent Posts:
#LeapFrogs: Majestic Maine
#LeapFrogs: Cape Cod and Boston
#LeapFrogs: Zigzagging into the Northeast
#LeapFrogs: Bucket List Checkmark - the OBX
#LeapFrogs: Friends, Seafood, and a Personal Tour
#LeapFrogs: The Boondocks, A Library, and Charleston
#LeapFrogs: Pre-Order Our New Release
#LeapFrogs: A New Journey Begins
#LeapFrogs: Wacky Experience in Albuquerque
#LeapFrogs: Discovering Arizona
#LeapFrogs: The Grand Grand Canyon
#LeapFrogs: Grand Canyon Bound
#LeapFrogs: Mountain Fears and the Saguaro
#LeapFrogs: On to Arizona
#LeapFrogs: Speeding West Again
#LeapFrogs: A New Tent and a Little Time to Breathe
#LeapFrogs: Running from the Weather
#LeapFrogs: A New Town and a New Ministry Idea
#LeapFrogs: A Desert Experience
#LeapFrogs: Exploring Carlsbad's Treasures
#LeapFrogs: Settling into New Mexico
#LeapFrogs: Change of Terrain and a Midnight Visitor
#LeapFrogs: Covering a Lot of Miles
#LeapFrogs: Holy Ground in Kerrville

Get your #LeapFrogs Merchandise here:

#LeapFrogs Mug

#LeapFrogs Water Bottle

#LeapFrogs Tote Bag

#LeapFrog T-shirts

#LeapFrogs: Majestic Maine

From Cape Cod and Boston, we headed to Maine, another one of those 4th grade social studies destinations I'd always longed to see. As an adult, I wasn't sure I could handle the cool temperatures I was sure Maine would offer, but I was pleasantly surprised and quickly fell in love with the state.

One interesting aspect I noticed right away - even though most of the area where we'd traveled thus far on this leg along the east coast was already experiencing summer, when we arrived in Maine, we noticed that spring was just beginning. Trees were just beginning to bud, and flowers just beginning to spring their blossoms.

Acadia National Park was already getting crowded, but we met some great folks as we drove around snapping photos. My photos don't do justice to this area. I look forward to returning to the area again.

This is one of my favorites - we watched the cloud move over the island then completely envelope it.

Funny story. While we were driving around the park, we decided to stop for a picnic lunch. These talkative blackbirds joined us, and kept up a running chatter with us the entire time we ate our sandwiches. (Yes, we talked with this. Don't you?)

As soon as we got back in the car, they swooped down to the table to snatch up any crumbs we left behind. They seemed to nod their head in thanks as we drove away. 

Recent Posts:
#LeapFrogs: Cape Cod and Boston
#LeapFrogs: Zigzagging into the Northeast
#LeapFrogs: Bucket List Checkmark - the OBX
#LeapFrogs: Friends, Seafood, and a Personal Tour
#LeapFrogs: The Boondocks, A Library, and Charleston
#LeapFrogs: Pre-Order Our New Release
#LeapFrogs: A New Journey Begins
#LeapFrogs: Wacky Experience in Albuquerque
#LeapFrogs: Discovering Arizona
#LeapFrogs: The Grand Grand Canyon
#LeapFrogs: Grand Canyon Bound
#LeapFrogs: Mountain Fears and the Saguaro
#LeapFrogs: On to Arizona
#LeapFrogs: Speeding West Again
#LeapFrogs: A New Tent and a Little Time to Breathe
#LeapFrogs: Running from the Weather
#LeapFrogs: A New Town and a New Ministry Idea
#LeapFrogs: A Desert Experience
#LeapFrogs: Exploring Carlsbad's Treasures
#LeapFrogs: Settling into New Mexico
#LeapFrogs: Change of Terrain and a Midnight Visitor
#LeapFrogs: Covering a Lot of Miles
#LeapFrogs: Holy Ground in Kerrville

Get your #LeapFrogs Merchandise here:

#LeapFrogs Mug

#LeapFrogs Water Bottle

#LeapFrogs Tote Bag

#LeapFrog T-shirts

#LeapFrogs: Cape Cod and Boston

Before we left Hershey, we decided that we'd save New York City for a later visit. (Interestingly, I learned there is an affordable campground in Brooklyn that we'll eventually explore!) So we worked a route around the city, and headed for Plymouth and Cape Cod.

When I was in fourth grade, we had a social studies textbook that caused me to fall in love with the world and with the idea of exploring the whole world. In that book, I learned about Plymouth and Cape Cod and had longed to visit there ever since.

On the way, we stopped in the town of Mystic.

 And then the Cape Cod seashore!

I loved discovering these mats that make the beach much more accessible for those with limited mobility or in wheelchairs. 

The town of Plymouth was a delight. I've vowed to return one day to just hang out for a few days. 

And yes, the rain moved in on us again.

When we started this east coast journey, our plan was to get to Boston by July 4, so we could picnic on the lawn and listen to the Boston Pops. My mom had always tuned into their celebration each year, and the idea of enjoying the music and fireworks up close and personal had always been a desire. But reality finally sunk in - to get a seat on the lawn, we would have to arrive early in the morning and stay until after midnight, then fight traffic back to wherever we planned to stay. After checking campgrounds and hotels online, and admitting that I don't enjoy driving at night anymore - in traffic - in an unfamiliar town - well, that just changed all our plans and we decided to visit before the crowds arrived. 

And I'm so glad we did. As we were circling round and round in town, I kept thinking I'd never complain about Atlanta traffic again. At least most of our roads and signs seem to make sense - Boston's didn't seem to make any at all. Ha! 

We were excited to discover we could visit and explore the USS Constitution. Parking was easy (in the garage across the street) and the site wasn't terribly crowded. 

Affordable camping options weren't available in the area, so we sped through and didn't give the area the time it so richly deserves. But we will be back. We're already planning return visits to several locations.

For now, we continue our trek north.

Recent Posts:
#LeapFrogs: Zigzagging into the Northeast
#LeapFrogs: Bucket List Checkmark - the OBX
#LeapFrogs: Friends, Seafood, and a Personal Tour
#LeapFrogs: The Boondocks, A Library, and Charleston
#LeapFrogs: Pre-Order Our New Release
#LeapFrogs: A New Journey Begins
#LeapFrogs: Wacky Experience in Albuquerque
#LeapFrogs: Discovering Arizona
#LeapFrogs: The Grand Grand Canyon
#LeapFrogs: Grand Canyon Bound
#LeapFrogs: Mountain Fears and the Saguaro
#LeapFrogs: On to Arizona
#LeapFrogs: Speeding West Again
#LeapFrogs: A New Tent and a Little Time to Breathe
#LeapFrogs: Running from the Weather
#LeapFrogs: A New Town and a New Ministry Idea
#LeapFrogs: A Desert Experience
#LeapFrogs: Exploring Carlsbad's Treasures
#LeapFrogs: Settling into New Mexico
#LeapFrogs: Change of Terrain and a Midnight Visitor
#LeapFrogs: Covering a Lot of Miles
#LeapFrogs: Holy Ground in Kerrville

Get your #LeapFrogs Merchandise here:

#LeapFrogs Mug

#LeapFrogs Water Bottle

#LeapFrogs Tote Bag

#LeapFrog T-shirts