PLEASE WELCOME
KATHY MCKINSEY
TO
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
My mother, Lila Mae Brinkmann, age 82, is an artist. Mom tells me that she has enjoyed drawing sometimes, but mostly her art has been shown through different kinds of sewing—quilting, crocheting, embroidery.
My mother belongs to a quilting group. When her twice-monthly shopping trips on a local bus route threatened to interfere with this group, my Aunt Geraldine, Mom’s sister, also a part of the quilting group, said they’d have to change the quilting day to a different day of the week. “We need Lila Mae to be here,” Aunt Geraldine said.
Mom is a quilting artist. She has made many quilts, for our family growing up, for herself, for my brothers and I in our homes, for her grandchildren.
Many people who have put together a quilt themselves hire my mother to do the finishing quilting process for them. Other people who want to make their own quilts have come to my mother for advice on how to design them.
Mom has collected many quilting patterns over the years. She has blocks around the house that she’s worked on and plans to put together into a quilt in the future.
She also crochets and embroiders—pillowcases, dresser scarves, table coverings, doylies, hot pads, dish towels, chair covers.
I inherited this desire to make pretty things from my Mom. I tried doing some embroidery when I was younger, but using lighter thread never worked well for me. I always did better with thicker yarn.
Because of my visual impairment, I never tried to quilt. However, whenever we visit my mother, I always go to her quilting group with her and take whatever knitting or crocheting project I have with me.
My mother, a teacher in middle school, and friends have taught me how to crochet and knit, and I love this.
I make afghans, large ones as well as for babies. I love making hats and scarves and slippers, as well as dishcloths, face cloths, and pot scratchers out of brightly colored tulle lacy material. Like my Mom, I love finding and learning to make new patterns.
I also like drawing. I have learned about braille tables, making drawings which can be felt with braille symbols. These drawings can be enjoyed by sighted and blind people. Sighted children like filling these tactile drawings with many multiple bright colors.
I have braille drawing patterns for Christmas trees, snowmen, a variety of animals, fish, birds, spiders, boats, trucks, much more. Since I inherited a love for making pretty things from my Mom, I am so glad I’ve learned different ways of creating beautiful and fun, visual and tactile projects. I will always thank my mother for giving me this love, as well as passing down her talent.
ABOUT KATHY MCKINSEY
Kathy McKinsey grew up on a pig farm in Missouri. Although she’s lived in cities for nearly 40 years, she still considers herself a farm girl.
She’s been married to Murray for 31 years, and they have five adult children.
She’s had two careers before writing—stay-at-home-Mom and rehabilitation teacher for the blind.
Now she lives in Lakewood, Ohio with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille transcribing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dogs.
Links:
http://kathymckinseyauthor.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey
https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey
ABOUT ALL MY TEARS
Five women search for God’s hope through sorrow and deep troubles.
Meet five women who struggle with life’s deep sorrows. Beth fights to recover from alcoholism and to mend her relationships with her family. Ann doesn’t believe God will forgive her. Kathleen wrestles with a years-old fear and with saving her marriage. Cassie needs to learn to deal with chronic depression. Martie finds herself the single parent of the eight-year-old niece she barely knows when the child’s parents die in a car wreck.
See how God gives them the gifts of hope, healing, and love.
ABOUT MILLIE’S CHRISTMAS
Tagline: Ruthie says Millie will love Christmas. Ruthie is Millie’s best friend, so she’s sure Ruthie’s right, but why does Millie keep finding Ruthie and her brother Jake crying?
Millie, an orange kitten, shares about her first Christmas. Her best friend Ruthie, six years old, teaches Millie about Christmas—food, decorations, music, presents, and Jesus!
Millie’s friend Bruce, the family dog, also helps her celebrate Christmas and sometimes gets her in trouble.
When Ruthie’s big brother Jake breaks his ankle, Millie learns about sad things, like divorce, when Jake can’t visit his mommy for Christmas. Millie watches Ruthie’s family love each other through the sadness and find joy in Christmas.
Share this story with a child you love, struggling with sadness at Christmas. Jesus’ love and truth remain solid.
THE YEARS THE LOCUSTS ATE
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CATHEDRAL STATE PARK, WEST VIRGINIA
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12/14/2020
FULL CIRCLE
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GREEN STUFF AND HUBS
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12/2/2020
NOEL: THE CAT WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS
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11/30/2020
GREEN STUFF MAGIC
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WHEN GRANDMA FORGETS
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11/2/2020
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BLUE ZONES?
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10/26/2020
FIVE WAYS SENIORS CAN BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS
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IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM JOIN 'EM
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WALKING IN A WRITER'S WONDERLAND
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LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
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8/17/2020
ADAPT OR DIE
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SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS IN BLUE
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THE SWEET COUPLE HOLDING HANDS
MELISSA HENDERSON
7/13/2020
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
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7/6/2020
FROM FICTION TO NON-FICTION AND BACK AGAIN
GAIL KITTLESON
6/29/2020
WHO SAID GROWING OLD IS FUN?
MARTHA ROGERS
6/22/2020
AND NOT TO YIELD
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6/15/2020
MY CULTURAL DISCONNECT
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6/8/2020
WHAT IS RETIREMENT
JULIE COSGROVE
6/1/2020
LOOKING UP OR LOOKING AWAY
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5/25/2020
SEEKING GOD
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5/11/2020
HOW OLD ARE YOU
Rachel J. Good
5/4/2020
IT'S NOT OKAY
MARTIN WILES
4/27/2020
EMBRACING MY INNER BOOMER
BARBARA BRITTON
4/20/2020
THE RACE FOR LILY
SHERRI STEWART
4/13/2020
GRANNY ALICE
LYNNE BASHAM TAGAWA
4/6/2020
RESILIENCE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/29/2020
LIVING WITH CHANGE
MARTIN WILES
3/9/2020
WHEN THE GROCERY STORE CLERK HAS TO CHECK YOUR AGE
MELISSA HENDERSON
2/24/2020
THE IMPORTANCE OF CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/17/2020
FRIENDS AT ANY AGE
ERIN UNGER
2/3/2020
IDENTITY CHECK
MARTIN WILES
1/27/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/20/2020
MY POSSESSIONS MATURE ALONG WITH ME
MARIE WATTS
1/13/2020
EYES FRONT
TERRI MAIN
1/6/2020
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING'
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/30/2019
SANTA'S RELUCTANT HELPER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/23/2019
THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
12/16/2019
VANQUISHING THE CHRISTMAS BLUES
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12/9/2019
GRANDMAS THEN VS GRANDMAS NOW
GAIL SATTLER
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TECHNO BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
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ADAPT OR DIE
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CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/11/2019
When our Get Up and Go Gets Up and Goes
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/4/2019
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/28/2019
MY LIFE AS A BARCODE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/21/2019
THE QUEST FOR THIN
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/14/2019
THE AMERICAN DREAM
ANGELA BREIDENBACH
10/7/2019
FROM GOLDEN YEARS TO GOLDEN BELLS
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9/30/2019
THE CHORDS THAT BIND MY MEMORIES
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9/23/2019
JUST BE STILL
MARTIN WILES
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PRINCE CHARMING, SPIDERS, AND CHEMO
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9/2/2019
GRAY IS GRAND
LOREE PEERY
8/26/2019
A GOOD QUESTION
GEORGE CARGILL
8/19/2019
LOVING THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION
ERIN UNGER
8/12/2019
MAKING PRETTY THINGS
KATHY MCKINSEY
8/5/2019
ARE YOU TOO OLD TO BECOME AN AUTHOR
HARRY WEGLEY
7/29/2019
ENJOY THE MEAL
MARTIN WILES
7/22/2019
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
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KEEPING IT FRESH
WANDA O. HOT
7/8/2019
OVERFLOWING WITH BLESSINGS
CLEO LAMPOS
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HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
JO MASSARO
6/24/2019
GOLDEN GIRL
PAT JEANNE DAVIS
6/17/2019
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW
CLEO LAMPOS
6/10/2019
Food, Families, and Fond Memories
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6/3/2019
FOR THOSE OVER FIFTY-FIVE
JUNE FOSTER
5/20/2019
NEXT GENERATION
KATHLEEN NEELY
5/13/2019
Mimi and Bop
Melissa Henderson
5/6/2019
NEVER TO OLD TO START OVER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/29/2019
THE WRITER'S CALLING
SHERRI STEWART
4/15/2019
PLAYING THROUGH THE FOG
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SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO TURN OFF THE GPS
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DON’T CALL HER MA’AM
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3/25/2019
When Your Past Looms Longer than Your Future
Debra Coleman Jeter
3/18/2019
OUR MCDONALDS
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3/11/2019
BORN TOO LATE
DIANNE BARKER
3/4/2019
PERSPECTIVE
LISA LICKEL
2/25/2019
IS IT THE BEGINNING OR THE END
KATHLEEN NEELY
2/18/2019
MY TO-DO LIST
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2/11/2019
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
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2/3/2019
MAMA, I CAN'T TAKE A BATH THERE'S A FISH IN THE TUB
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1/21/2019
EAT RIGHT NOW LIVE LONGER LATER
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1/14/2019
AM I STRESSED?
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1/7/2019
SHOULD VS WANT
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12/31/2018
I'LL BE ALONE FOR CHRISTMAS ... YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
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12/24/2018
THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE
LINDA SHENTON MATCHETT
12/17/2018
LIVING WITHOUT REGRET
Grant Ferguson
12/10/2018
GROWING UP CAN BE FUN SO IS GETTING OLDER
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12/3/2018
SOARING WITH BROKEN WINGS
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11/19/2018
NEVER TOO LATE
DIANE TATUM
11/5/2018
The Not So Good Good Old Days
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10/22/2018