When I moved from a large farm house and an equally large garden seven years ago I thought I would need all my time and energy for writing fiction – and I do, but there is a limit to how long anyone can sit at a computer and remain physically active. Anyway I enjoy growing things.
Fiction with farming has gradually become my label as all my novels are connected to farming, usually in Scotland, even though they have a strong element of romance and family realtionships. I thought a slight change might be in order for my latest novel so I made my heroine into a market gardener. The novel will not be published until May 2012 but I have just received a picture of the jacket.It features a red rose and is completely different to any of the jacket covers I have had before. It is appropriate to the story and to
the title : Another Home – Another Love.
Lack of a large garden without a vegetable plot has not held me back. I am still using the potatoes, onions and carrots which I have grown in large pots. I also have some herbs, especially mint, chives and thyme. I also had chard, courgettes, spring onions, garlic. The leeks have been a bit disappointing this year but I still have a dozen growing – enough for a good pot of various soups for twelve weeks. My favourites are leek and potato, leek in broth and leek, celery and potato
I grew up with an orchard and planted fruit trees as soon as I married and had a garden of our own. I have missed them so now I have a Victoria plum in one corner with rhubarb underneath, a miniature apple tree which has produced well this year, a loganberry bush, and strawberries in tubs. Who knows what next year will bring? Maybe French beans.
The birds have devoured lots of peanuts since the weather turned colder but they are expensive this year. Even so I have been delighted to see the Woodpeckers back.
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