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Shannon Taylor Vannatter: The Dipper & Giveaway

2/26/2012

 

This week we welcome Shannon Taylor Vannatter to Author Memories

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Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom and pastor’s wife. When not writing, she runs circles in the care and feeding of her husband, their ten-year-old son, and church congregation.
Home is a central Arkansas zoo with two charcoal gray cats, a chocolate lab, and three dachshunds in weenie dog heaven. If given the chance to clean house or write, she’d rather write. Her goal is to hire Alice from the Brady Bunch.


The Dipper
by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Pieces of my grandparents’ lives cluttered my aunt’s back porch. Grandma had been gone three years, while only twelve months had passed since we lost Grandpa.

On this sweltering July day in rural Arkansas, a somber uneasiness filled the sticky air, as my mother and her siblings gathered to sort through sixty-years-worth of possessions. Mostly kitchen items, I didn’t want anything or feel entitled to the belongings. Yet, I hovered close to offer my mother moral support.

Unwilling to end up never speaking again, because so-and-so got this or didn’t get that, a caring hesitation settled over the siblings.

One of my aunts picked up a pie pan. “Does anyone want this?”

No one jumped on the offer.

“Didn’t you get that for Mom,” Mama said. “You should have it.”

The others agreed in unison.

“What about this?” My uncle pointed to a large platter.

A few moments of silence followed.

“If no one else wants it, I’d like to have it,” my uncle said.

“You can have it,” sibling voices blended.

“How about these old dippers?” My uncle held up two oversized dusty ladles.

I didn’t want anything, but at the sight of the stained, dented aluminum utensils, memories flooded my soul. Unaware I wanted anything, suddenly I wanted that dipper with every fiber of my being. Wanted it so bad, my heart hurt. Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away, determined to be strong for my mother.

“If no one else wants it, I’d like to have one,” my aunt said.

A hush hung in the air and my chest felt as if it would explode. I waited for what seemed like an eternity for someone else to speak. No one did.

With effort, I cleared the lump from my throat. “If no one else wants the other one, I’d like to have it.”

My uncle handed me the dipper. Tears blurred my vision.

“What are they anyway?” one of my younger cousins asked.

I pulled myself together. “At the old farm house, Grandma and Grandpa had a well. When we’d come for summer visits, Grandpa would fill a big black and white speckled bowl with water and put it in the sink with a dipper in it. Everyone drank from it all day long.”

“Eww.” My cousin made a disgusted face. “From the same dipper?”

 “And we never got sick. It was the purest, coldest water.” At that moment, I could almost taste it trickling down my throat. “We’d go home to Georgia and I’d make Mama put a bowl of tap water and a soup ladle in the sink. It wasn’t cold enough and never was the same.”

“Why was Grandma and Grandpas’ water so cold?” my cousin asked.

Out of my area of expertise, I shrugged.

“Well water comes from deep in the ground, so it stays cold,” my uncle said.

Made perfect sense.

The day continued, with numerous other items offered and claimed, and no one mad or greedy.

That night, I stared at my new treasure and tried to explain to my husband the feelings the sight of the banged up dipper had evoked.

“I don’t know why I wanted it so bad or what I’ll do with it.”

He shrugged. “Clean it up, put some flowers in it, and hang it on the wall.”
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Wash it? Coated in dust from my grandparents’ house, I love it as is. For months, the dipper sat on the counter before finding a sentimental home. It now decorates the top of my refrigerator with a sugar bowl missing a handle, and a chipped creamer dish my parents received as wedding gifts.

I've never washed it. Now my own dust encases that of my grandparents and every time I notice it, warm memories wash over me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Mar 4th
to be entered in a draw for a copy of 
Shannon Taylor Vannatter's
Rodeo Dust
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rodeo Dust, Barbour Books, Available now

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Ad exec, Rayna Landers meets bull rider, Clay Warren at the State Fair of Texas. While Rayna thinks she’s content solo, Clay longs for marriage and family. Though poised to win his third world championship, his ranch is in a slump. Clay convinces his publicist to hire her advertising firm in a last-ditch effort to keep his employees and lasso her heart. 

Soon the city girl is on the ride of her life, until the rodeo unearths buried memories from her past. Clay sees her through the trauma, but an injury and his stubborn determination to get back in the hypothetical saddle threatens their budding relationship. Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

Read the first chapter

Rodeo Dust is the first in a series of three Texas rodeo books. All are set in Aubrey, Dallas, & Fort Worth Texas. Characters participate in rodeos at the Historic Fort Worth Stockyard’s Cowtown Coliseum.

Rodeo Dust is available in paperback and e-book at http://www.barbourbooks.com Rodeo Hero releases in March 2012
Rodeo Ashes releases in August 2012

Shannon's debut novel, White Roses won the 2011 Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category. The 18th Annual Heartsong Awards named Vannatter 3rd Favorite New Author, and White Roses #1 and White Doves #8 in the contemporary category. The Arkansas Democrat Three Rivers Edition voted Vannatter one of 20 to Watch in 2011.
Shannon's books are available at:
Barbour Books,
Kathy's Book Nook in Heber Springs, AR,
The Bible House in Searcy, AR, Amazon,
and christianbook.com.

Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com 
and check out her real life romance blog at http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/

Connect with her on Facebook: facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter  
and Twitter: @stvauthor

Jessica Nelson link
2/26/2012 11:30:12 am

What a wonderfully sweet post!!! I'm trying to think of what my post should be about and am enjoying everyone else's bits of family. Very heartwarming. :-)

Carolyn Boyles link
2/26/2012 12:23:14 pm

I love Shannon's books! I have White Roses and White Doves sitting on my bookshelf next to my desk in my office. I'm ashamed to admit I haven't gotten White Pearls yet, but it's only because I've been "sort of" busy the last year or so writing my own book. Only the books I am currently using for reference for my own writing and my absolute favorite novels have a spot in this bookcase.

I've had the honor to hear Shannon speak at writers' conferences and present workshops and I always come away from her presentations knowing something about writing I didn't know when I went in.

Pegg Thomas link
2/26/2012 06:34:01 pm

I have a dipper just like this from my grandparents too! We had to hand pump the water from the well and - yes - we all drank from the same dipper. :) Wonderful memories.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
2/26/2012 11:49:14 pm

Hey Jessica,
I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

Carolyn,
You're such a great cheerleader. Even though I missed your book signings. One of these days, I'll make it.

Pegg,
Yes Grandpa hand-pumped the water too. However, I don't have such fond memories of the outhouse. Uggghhhh!!!!!

shelia hall link
2/27/2012 12:05:14 am

this brings back so many memories of my childhood as well! going to the well was a chore but good cool water was worth the effort! Love to win the book too!

Linda Duff Niemeir link
2/27/2012 01:52:55 am

I love this memory you have shared with us about your grandparents' water dipper! I have lots of memories in the book my mother and I wrote about her days growing up on cotton farms during the Great Depression in north Louisiana. I am so happy to meet another Arkansas author! I live in Camden. Best wishes for a successful book launch.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
2/27/2012 02:10:59 am

Hi Sheila,
We were spoiled. Like I said, Grandpa pumped the water for us.

Hi Linda,
I'm in the central AR area. Glad to meet you.

DebH
2/27/2012 08:50:30 am

love the memory you have shared. i can relate to suddenly wanting a seemingly boring item. my mom has a noodle press (that once belonged to grandma) that has many happy memories attached to it - at least for me. i think my brothers love that noodle press as well. whichever home it end up in - it will be well loved.

Anita mae
3/2/2012 11:30:25 pm

Hey Deb, my hubby has a slant-top desk afffectionately known as Grandpa's desk. It was handed down from his father, but hubby remembers his grandpa writing at it and he used to do his homework on it himself, which is probably the reason he ended up with up it.

When he inherited it, however, one glass pane was missing and the other was broken, and the drawers were in pieces with hardware missing. Hubby had it restored. It may not be as valuable as an unrestored piece, but the smooth, albeit distressed wood, lends a warmth to our room which modern furniture can't equal. :)

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
2/27/2012 12:20:17 pm

Hey Deb,
It's amazing what wonderful memories seemingly worthless items can stir.

Rita
2/28/2012 09:38:23 am

I have several things from my grandparents that have a much greater value than the money they would bring. I also have an old cornbread pan that I can't let go from my mother-in-law.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
2/29/2012 12:15:04 am

Rita, are your treasures as dusty as mine? I just couldn't bring myself to wash my dipper.

Anita Mae
3/2/2012 11:19:30 pm

Shannon, I think not washing it stems from the fact that it may still have their fingerprints on it. By washing it, you'll wash away the last remaining part of them - not in a ghoulish way - but a scientific fact.

I know and understand because I feel the way you do. :)

Lyndee
3/1/2012 06:51:52 am

Hi Shannon,
Such a lovely recounting. And I so understand what you were feeling. I have my Grandmother's brown pitcher which I acquired in much the same way! I also keep it on top of my refrigerator, and seems like my eyes are drawn to it every Sunday, because that's when we used it - having Sunday dinner at her house, EVERY Sunday, winter, rain or shine. It's a part of something more than an heirloom. It's deep in my heart and memory.

Thanks for sharing.

(I Anita Mae- I'm back and alone - No drama this time, lol ;)

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/2/2012 03:41:48 am

Hey Lyndee,
I love pitchers. I have a table from my grandparent's house too. It was my mom's, so I ended up with it. It's kind of beat up and needs refinished, but I'll never do it. I love it as is.

Anita mae
3/2/2012 11:21:39 pm

Hey Lyndee, glad you're back. Drama is good research for our books. :)

misskallie2000
3/1/2012 07:15:04 am

I have some old costume jewlery that my Granny wore and it reminds me of her when ever I see in my jewlery box. She died in 65. I also have some old embroidery of my Nannie's she worked in 1950's that I treasure.
I read White Pearls a yr ago and loved the story.
Thanks for this opportunity to enter giveaway.

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/2/2012 03:43:39 am

Hey Misskallie,
You should wear the jewelry. I love costume jewelry. I'm so glad you enjoyed the book.

Merry
3/1/2012 09:55:12 am

Beautiful post, I got all choked up. I have fond memories of camping on the snow in an old army tent in Oregon. We had straw on top of the snow and a pot bellied stove inside to warm us up. Outside the door flap, was a large tin milk can full of water and a dipper hanging on the side. I wish I had that dipper! :)

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/2/2012 03:46:08 am

Oh Merry,
You're much tougher than me. I can't imagine camping in the snow. I'm not the rough it type. I require plumbing and electricity. My idea of camping is a Winnebago (or however you spell it)

Merry
3/2/2012 07:47:55 am

Shannon, I forgot to mention that I did this as a child many, many years ago! :)

Anita Mae
3/2/2012 11:12:06 pm

Shannon, although I teared up when you first sent me a copy of this post, I always get a warm feeling at the end. No, I don't have Mamma's dipper (Mamma's Memoirs in another post here), but I have other things of hers, mainly a black hand-made baking pan and some rugs.

But, Pegg is right... we never thought about sharing the dipper.
And why would we when water was precious and needed to be heated on the woodstove before washing? When I went to visit Mamma, I hated using her outhouse, but her water was the best tasting. Even at that young age I knew it was different than the city water at home.

Mamma's well water made the coffee (we drank coffee all day long), pancakes, orange juice, whatever Mamma made with water - it all had a unique quality I've never tasted anywhere else, but can still remember. Mom used to say it was all the iron in the water up in Northern Ontario. Perhaps she was right. But it sure was special.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/5/2012 12:48:11 pm

I hated the outhouse and the heating water for a bath. But the water sure tasted great. And it was so cold.

Pam Williams
3/3/2012 01:20:37 am

I LOVED the Dipper post! I can see I'll be adding Shannon's name to my "Favorite Author" list. Thanks for the chance to get in the drawing too.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/5/2012 12:49:56 pm

Hey Pam,
I'll add you to my favorite reader list!

Jo Legat
3/3/2012 12:34:10 pm

Great post. I loved reading the Dipper Post! Shannon sounds like her books are going to be on the fun side to read.

Blessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/5/2012 12:51:50 pm

Hey Jo,
Glad you enjoyed it. I have fun writing my books, so I hope they're fun to read.

Anita Mae
3/5/2012 11:54:30 am

Shannon, thank you so much for reminding us that even the cheapest item can be invaluable if it comes with good memories. Your post gave me such a warm feeling. :)

Shannon Taylor Vannatter link
3/5/2012 12:54:25 pm

Thanks for having me Anita Mae. I wrote this story several years ago, right after it happened. I've wanted to share it somewhere and when I heard about your blog, it was the perfect place. I'm so glad everyone stopped by. And congrats to Sheila.

Anita Mae
3/5/2012 12:05:35 pm

Using the aid the random.org, the winner of Shannon's giveaway is...

Sheila Hall

Congrats, Sheila!

Shannon will be in touch with you concerning your postal info.

Thanks for stopping by everyone.

This week's guest is Sandra Orchard and her post on the WW2 evacuation of London's children.

Joye
3/8/2012 03:35:49 am

really enjoyed reading the comments. your book sounds really interesting.

Contemporary Furniture link
4/17/2012 04:47:49 pm

This one is my favorite post. I think it will help me a lot in my further studies and research.

table top fridge link
7/4/2012 11:26:22 pm

What a wonderfully sweet post!!! I'm trying to think of what my post should be about and am enjoying everyone else's bits of family. Very heartwarming. :-)

contemporary rugs link
7/5/2012 08:34:17 pm

very useful blog i like it this is the most useful way to provide help to others


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