June: It's Bustin' Out All Over

How I love June, and not just because my birthday often (but not this year) is the first day of summer!

June is the time of our longest days. It's warm, but generally not unbearable or crazy humid.I don't live in the kind of neighborhood in which I grew up, where we played kickball on the four corners from after supper until after 8 p.m. But it still makes me happy to see kids playing softball and tennis and just generally hanging out at the parks nearby.

June is full of great music, old and new, including my favorite musical, "Carousel."

But right now, I'm loving June because... a baby tomato has appeared in my veranda garden!

You may have noticed I didn't send a May eletter. Well, it was a wild ride of a month!

I’m humbled and grateful that the Association of Catholic Publishers selected Unforgettable Women of the Gospels as its CatholicsRead book club selection for July. I hope you’ll join me at one of these free events. Note: Some events have limited space; others will include refreshments. Please register where indicated so you can have the best experience possible.



·      June 8: Come by my table in the exhibitor space at the Diocesan Jubilee Festival at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Front Royal, VA.

·      June 19: Join me for a one-hour, interactive discussion at 2 p.m. ET at my favorite neighborhood hangout, Pirouette, 4000 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA. Free wine pairings and cheese and crackers. Limited space remains; please register.

·      June 29: Join me at The Seed Catholic Store, 3709 S. Grange in my hometown of Sioux Falls, SD, from 2 to 4 p.m. CT. Snacks will be provided. Please email me so we can provide the best experience possible; no limit on event attendance numbers.

·      July 6: Join me for a one-hour, interactive discussion at 1 p.m. ET at my favorite neighborhood hangout, Pirouette, 4000 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA. Free wine pairings and cheese and crackers. Limited space remains; please register.

·      July 16: Join me for a discussion and snacks from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET at The Paschal Lamb, 11214 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA. Please register or email Paschal Lamb so we can provide the best experience possible; no limit on event attendance numbers.

·      July 18: Participate in the CatholicsRead virtual book club meeting, 4-5 p.m. ET.

Or, just scan this QR code or go to www.rejoicebeglad.com/unforgettableevents.

On the Nightstand: A Two-Fer Month

That trip to South Dakota also includes travel with my beloved aunt, visits with cousins and college friends, and attendance at my 50th (gulp!) high school reunion.

I'm figuring the plane travel will give me extra time for reading, so I have books from two friends on my nightstand this month:

The Dark Guest by Sarah Hamaker is a Christian suspense novel with echoes of life during the Cold War. Sarah and I know each other through Capital Christian Writers Fellowship, and I'm looking forward to diving into one of her novels.

Monastery and High Cross: The Forgotten Eastern Roots of Irish Christianity by Connie Marshner delves into Irish Christianity before St. Patrick and posits that the earliest Irish Christians came from the Mediterranean. Connie and I know each other through a Catholic lay organization and at one point owned condos in the same building. I know her to be a meticulous researcher.

What's on your nightstand?