A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To ...

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic women’s fiction that honors pagan spiritual practices that nourish the soul. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where you do overcome obstacles and find your happily-ever-after.

A funny thing happened on the way to writing this blog post among other things. You may be able to relate to a habit of mine to discount small tasks as being easier to put aside to “do later.” And if you are like me, there comes a time when the list of small tasks, those that take 5 – 10 maybe 15 minutes, is a mile long.

Coming Soon

Having reached that point the end of December and having been derailed in writing the 9^th book in The Sacred Women’s Circle series Visions of Ireland as well as finishing my 2^nd non-fiction Yes! You Can Create A Life You Love because of a major hack of my web mail and website, I stopped writing and began to focus on that mile long task list as well as the “not at all funny” bigger task of dealing with internet security.

But back to the funny stuff at least to me when I stopped stressing out over it…my new bio for my new website.

Having a new website created, rebranding myself? No, still not funny. And actually the writing of the new bio wasn’t so much fun either. However along the way I wrote out the following:

Over 40 years with The William Glasser Institute: 27 years as Senior Teaching Faculty

39+ years in Domestic and International Adoption

Over 34 years in a women’s circle

Now Available

30+ years working with elderly and vulnerable adults including being one of the 1^st 90 people accredited by the National Guardianship Association as a Professional Guardian; 19+ years working in emergency response program for vulnerable adults

Almost 20 years working for child welfare

2+ years working in Public Welfare

1 year working with unwed mothers

2 years as a public school teacher (middle school and high school)

9 months working at county jail’s women’s section

Add it all up and you come to about 152 years! Now I find that funny.

Amazing isn’t it that over the course of my working lifetime, I’ve put in 152 years! Obviously these jobs were not consecutive…I may have a few years on me but not 152!

One of the assessments I did in terms of my life that was the most freeing was when I looked for the thread in all of the above.

I found it! 

And it made a big difference in how I saw/see myself. That 152 years of experiences means the stories I tell are filled with what I’ve seen, heard and felt.

Sometimes our journey gives us the wisdom to continue along life’s path with a smile on our face, a skip in our step and a great deal of gratitude. Most days that's true for me!

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2019 Judith Ashley

Once Upon A...Never Again!

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic women’s fiction that honors pagan spiritual practices that nourish the soul. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where you do overcome obstacles and find your happily-ever-after.

Living for a week in another time period is our monthly suggested Genre-istas topic. What I’ve learned over the span of my life is that, while I wouldn’t mind spending a few hours talking to someone I’m interested in who lived in another time period, the idea of being somewhere without the amenities of a flush toilet has no appeal.

Over my lifetime, I’ve camped out using trees and bushes for cover as well as a Port-A-Potty.

Never Again!

Growing up my family stayed at a lovely place along the Oregon Coast that had a wood stove and the hot water pipes ran through the back of the stove so, if one wanted hot water one kept the stove stoked. Even in August!

Never Again!

Oh, and we also cooked all our meals on the wood stove as this was before electric frying pans, microwaves, etc.

Never Again!

I remember when I was a child we had a wringer washing machine and washboard for those stubborn stains. The basement ceiling was crossed with clothes line for those wet days when the wash still needed to be done. There was an agitator in the washing part but it didn't spin. The knob on top adjusted the rollers. A hand crank is off on the right. (See picture below). Floors were cleaned with a bucket of water, bar of soap and a scrub brush---on one’s hands and knees or maybe with a string mop if doing a quickie clean. Either method required rinsing at least twice after the initial cleaning

Never Again!

Wringer Washing Machine

When I was married and my son was an infant (in the days before disposable diapers), we had no washing machine - wringer or otherwise. I packed up the  week's laundry, drove the 3 miles into town when I could get the car (only one and my husband needed it for work) to the laundromat. However, since we only had money to Wash the clothes, I lugged wet clothes home and hung them from the wooden drying rack and every other available surface to dry.

I counted myself fairly lucky as the other option was a wash tub, washboard, squeezing water out by hand. I cringe even now thinking of laundering filthy work jeans that way. And even when we had a washing machine, I hand washed my more delicate items in the kitchen sink and hung them up to dry.

Never Again!

Now I will admit that I live in the Pacific Northwest where the geologist have said it’s only a matter of time before we have a major earthquake that will destroy our coastline and decimate the city where I live. I’m fortunate that I have a house, I’ve done the earthquake retro-fitting (well, had it done by professionals). I’ve an emergency stash of medications, candles, flashlights, batteries, etc. I’ve a backyard and a shovel and I’ve an outdoor fireplace and some wood.

Now available!

While I say “Never Again!”, because of my life experiences, should the earthquake happen or the Cascade Mountain volcanoes erupt, I have those early life experiences so I know how to cook over an in-door or outdoor fireplace (or at least heat things up) and I can make some type of a (hopefully temporary) outside port-a-potty.

Now if the question was who would I like to spend a week with in person, maybe job-shadow? My list would include people like Queen Victoria, Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare, one of the Egyptian Pharaohs’ like maybe one of the female ones like Cleopatra. I’d like to sit and talk to one of the High Priestess in one of the temples dedicated to one of the Goddesses. I’d like to spend an hour or two visiting with Mary, mother of Jesus. Eleanor Roosevelt would be another person. Attending a meeting with the early suffragettes? Yes, count me in.

In the meantime, I’ll stick to spending time with people already a part of my life; make an effort to add new people; all while enjoying the amenities of the 21^st century.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

 © 2019 Judith Ashley

Ashley's First Love

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

The Gift of Christmas Anthology, published by Windtree Press, contains one of my short stories “First Love”. The story of Ashley Carlyle’s romance  with Arthur Kenner. “First Love” is also the prequel to “Ashley” the fourth book in my Sacred Women’s Circle Series.

Spoiler alert: Art and Ashley do not live happily ever after.

What is it that happens in relationships that have such promise?

Why are life’s bumps in the road so challenging that some people no longer honor their wedding vows?

I wish I had THE answer.

What I do know is that it depends on many things. In Ashley’s case, when she has a recurrence of breast cancer, Art is unable or unwilling to stay.

Why do I say unable or unwilling? Because for me there is truth in those words. Some of life’s events are such that we are unwilling to hang in there and others are so overwhelming we aren’t able.

There is a belief that God never gives us more than we can handle.

There is a belief that all is happening as it is meant to.

Both are beliefs that can carry us through the darkness that is a part of everyone’s life.

Art decides the “in sickness and in health” part of his wedding vows did not include two bouts with breast cancer.

Some of you may read that and think that’s awful. Not that I’m defending his choices but I do know that there are many Arts out there. I know this because when I talk to readers about my books, some women just walk away, some stiffen and nod in acknowledgement. Some women have said “Been there, done that” or “This hits too close to home.”

Ashley has the support of The Circle as she battles recurrent breast cancer and a bitter custodial battle. How could anyone ever truly love someone like her – no longer beautiful, no longer young and with three young children? Since I write romance, you know there is someone who can and does but the other side of the issue is Ashley, herself. What does she have to learn in order to accept the unconditional love offered to her?

The first five books of The Sacred Women’s Circle series are available at major e-retailers.

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook