Plotting and Planting
I finished the revisions on HELL BENT and sent it off to my editor on Wednesday, so then I took a little time to clean up my web page a bit. If you go poking around, you’ll see a page for HELL BENT, (under Books: Broken Magic: Hell Bent) an updated short story page (under Books: short stories), and some of my friends’ books that will be coming out this month (down there on the side bar).
I am also turning my attention to a few other things around the house. We intend to expand our garden this year. Last year we put in a couple of raised beds and promptly (and repeatedly) killed cucumbers, beans, pumpkins and squash. We did however, manage to grow zucchini (’cause seriously, who *can’t* grow zucchini?), tomatoes, peas, strawberries, and one lonely acorn squash.
This year I want to put in two more beds and try to kill some potatoes, onions, and garlic. I might even kill some carrots.
As for our hanging herb garden that I thought was so whimsical and delightful–it burnt to a crisp. We planted the herbs in the direct sunlight in the hottest part of the yard and the poor things sizzled, smoked, and croaked. So this year, the herbs will be tucked on the front porch where they will get morning sunlight and shade and shall be patted upon their leafy heads, and spoken to in gentle coos as we walk in and out of the house.
Our apple trees need a pruning, but our berries (raspberry, blueberry) are doing well. The wild blackberry we’ve been trying to kill for ten years finally wore us down. We quit. It can’t be killed. So now it is officially our corner-of-the-yard blackberry bush and it gives us lovely, plump berries when it is not trying to eat small children or entangle stray dogs.
As for the ancient (and wily) Concord grape vines in the back, the husband took a saw to it, to the delight of our neighbors. Apparently they weren’t thrilled to have the grapes climbing to the top of their 40 foot trees and dangling untouchable fruit above their heads. Since it had also devoured our dogwood, vine maple, and walnut tree, we were happy to bring it down a notch too.
And writing? That’s going great, thanks! I’m currently brainstorming and plotting book 2 in the Broken Magic series: STONE COLD. Since it’s due in a couple months, I’m hoping to get all the details nailed down this weekend and get a good strong start on it Monday.
Sorry for such a rambly post. Feel free to ask me questions, if you are in a chatty mood. 🙂
3 Comments
Deborah Blake
Yay for finishing the edits!
And I love your gardening descriptions 🙂 I have a huge garden, and every year, the plants and I battle it out. Occasionally, like last year, I have a banner year. I harvested a huge amount of absolutely gorgeous spaghetti squash, which I then stored in my mud room so I could eat them all winter. Only a squirrel somehow got in there and ate ALL BUT FOUR. What can I say–even in a good garden year, nature always wins.
Wild grape is a menace. I keep tearing it off of my barn and out of the trees. Good luck with yours. (Which is my kind way of saying, “Give up. It’s coming back. Resistance is futile. Grape vines are the Borg of the plant world.”)
Herbs, on the other hand, are very forgiving. They don’t need a ton of sun, so you can tuck them away anywhere. Good luck!
Oh, and did you hear my good news?
Colleen
I bought a gardening called “Carrots love tomatoes” it tells you what plants to plant together for better results in the garden., It made sense and I think it helped. I am trying some container gardening this year starting with lettuce. Good luck. What are you knitting?
Lizzie
Exciting isn’t it? I love spring. We spent the weekend cleaning up the yard, turning over the beds and burning the debris. Kids got all the seeds started in my mini greenhouse that the cat promptly got in to and walked all over. Knitting still on hiatus, discouraged I can’t make two of the same socks yet but I will get back to it. Spent the rest of the weekend reading Kitty Norville as I am all caught up with Allie. Need to get Hell Bent!