Growing organic food.

I am planning what to grow in my greenhouse and organic garden.

At the moment, in spite of the heavy snow earlier in the year, and the cold weather, I have curly kale, New Zealand spinach, brussel sprouts, winter cabbage, turnips and beetroot greens (which can be cooked like spinach) in the garden; and I have lambs lettuce and radishes in the greenhouse.

Every year I grow something new. Two years ago I planted an expensive disease resistant peach tree but so far it has only produced one delicious peach. This year I am going to grow a dwarf, self-fertile, nectarine that I can grow in the greenhouse and which will crop well. Talk about being optimistic!

Keen gardeners always visualise perfection but rarely achieve it, howevewr if one thing fails something else is sure to be successful. Usually I manage to grow 50 or 60% of my own fruit, herbs and vegetables. I also utilise weeds such as dandelions in various ways.

Finished my novel

I am patting myself on the back because, this morning, I finished tweaking my novel set in Edward IIs reign. Writing this novel has been so intense that I felt exhausted and when back to bed to have a nap.

All that is left before submitting it is applying the spell and grammar check and tweaking the synopsis and my letter of introduction to the publisher I plan to submit it to.

Revision, Writing and Research

Only two more chapters of my novel set in Edward II of England's reign to tweak. Phew! This novel is - to use a cliche - a labour of love.


Writing and researching a novel without any assurance that it will be published requires enthusiasm,dedication and perserverance.

There was a time when I thought I would never be published and am delighted because MuseItUppublishing has published three of my historical novels and will publish a fourth in March. One is set in the reign of Queen Anne Stuart 1702 - 1714, and two are set in the Regency Era, and my fourth also set in Queen Anne's reign will be published in March, 2013.

More about revision.

Lots of things I should have done today. Instead I concentrated on tweaking my novel set in Edward II's reign. When I revised the novel I was also working my way through a vicious infection. It required two lots of antibiotics and left me exhausted. At the time, I though I did a good job of the revision. All I can write is that I made a lot of mistakes. It really isn't worth persisting when really ill.

Historical Research

While tweaking my novel set in Edward II's reign I found a historical inaccuracy. That sent me scuttling to my non fiction books on the era. I also consulted Burke's Peerage and Baronetage which is very helpful. I'm very relieved  to have solved the problem which saved me having to re-write the last third of the novel.

Yesterday my thoughts turned to my organic garden so I went to the garden centre to buy first early seed potatos. I'm also growing micro greens and sprouting beans.  At lunchtime I looked at the home grown vegeables from the freezer with great satisfaction. The beetroot were particularly sweet.

 

Historical Research

Writing, Redecorating, GardeningStill tweaking my novel and can hardly believe it's taking so long. Oh well, when I finish I hope to have an extremely well-written manuscript.

Still tweaking my novel and can hardly believe it's taking so long. Oh well, when I finish I hope to have an extremely well-written manuscript.


Also, the re-decorating and gardening bugs are slowing me downToday, my son put two shelves by my bed. So, when I'm working in my bedroom on the laptop I will have everything within easy reach.

Next week the fireplace in the living room will be removed and the wall replastered and, when the plaster dries, repainted. I have some gorgeous silk cushions embroidered in the Chinese style and intend to choose a pale golden-yellow which matches one of the colours in them for the paint.

Historical Research

I'm really glad I don't have a deadline for my novel set in Edward II's reign.

I was checking something for a friend, another historical novelist, in Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, and read the entry re:letters patent. To my dismay, I realised I had got the facts wrong in my novel.Phew! I am very glad I found out before I finish tweaking the novel and submit it.

Sun at Last and My Novel

It might be only temporary but at long last, here in South East England, there is a yellow orb in the sky! I'm staying at my youngest son and daughter-in-law’s house looking through the large patio windows at the large snow-covered garden at the end of which is a gate giving access to the forest.


So far I've seen a variety of birds and lots of squirrels when I glance up and out from the lap top while tweaking my novel set in the reign of Edward IInd.

It might be only temporary but at long last, here in South East England, there is a yellow orb in the sky! I'm staying at my youngest son and daughter-in-law’s house looking through the large patio windows at the large snow-covered garden at the end of which is a gate giving access to the forest.


So far I've seen a variety of birds and lots of squirrels when I glance up and out from the lap top while tweaking my novel set in the reign of Edward IInd.

Revision and A Change of Scene

I'm one third of the way through my novel set in Edward II's reign and looking forward to researching and writing the sequel.

Due to the snow I haven't been out and about much so I'm more than pleased with my change of scene. I'm spending tonight and tomorrow night with my youngest son and his family. His older son made me laugh, he wants to be an author when he grows up if he can make a living at it.

Cuttings Files + Cutting re:Frescos

As part of decluttering my entire house I have been going through box files in which I have been filing cuttings for yearsonly . I am only keeping ones pertinent to history.  Amongst them I found one I had forgotten about medieval frescoes.

A character in my 'Edward II' novel has built a manor in the early 14th century with all the latest 'mod cons' century and decorated it. Amongst the decorations is a frescoe my imaginary character thinks even the king might envy.

In the medieval era the choice of colours were limited because only natural pigments were available. For example in the great Chamber of Longthorpe Tower three miles from Peterborough red, the same colour as nearby iron deposits predominates, in some of the best frescoes in the country.

Final Check after Revising My Novel

I'm glad I decided to read through my 'Edward II' novel once more. So far I haven't found any historical inaccuracies but I have fund some misplaced commas and a few, a very few typos. I have also exchanged some weak verbs for stronger ones. Hopefully, I will definitely be able to submit it in the ver near future.

Snow versus gardening

Covered with snow the garden looks very pretty, however, by now the curly kale will be too tough to eat.


I can't wait for the snow to go so that I can sow micro greens, lettuce and tomatos, as well as going to buy new potatoes to chit. For the uninitiated chitting potatos means putting them in separate spaces in a warm dark place and waiting for them to sprout before planting them out.

Every year, I grow something new. I'm tossing up between a grape vine, a nectarine or kiwi fruit,

Research

Some time ago my computer crashed. Unfortunately I had not backed up the bibliography for my novel set in the reign of Edward II. I rechecked the research but, to my annoyance, I can't find the source for something concerning Aymer de Valance Earl of Pembroke. It's only a minor detail in the novel, and I'm almost certain the research was correct but nevertheless I would like to double check it. 

Review of False Pretences by Rosemary Morris

F. Way’s review of False Pretences on Amazon




I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot of False Pretences. When reading the novel I felt Annabelle’s overwhelming mission is to find her origins so she tenaciously pursues all clues.

Annabelle puts her life in danger when she runs away from the boarding school where she has lived since the age of five. She is rescued by Roland, who is too much of a gentleman not to help the intriguing young lady.

I particularly relished the suspense of the reciprocal love between Roland and Belle desire, which is thwarted by misunderstanding after misunderstanding which prevents them achieving mutual fulfilment. I wanted the truth to replace the false pretences and for Roland and Belle to overcome each other’s prejudices.

Rosemary Morris’ major and minor characters spring to life. I sympathised with Annabelle and liked Roland, and was particularly amused by the snobbishness of Roland’s grandmother. Apart from this Rosemary’s great attention to every aspect of the Regency era is impressive.

False Pretences is a ripping read and I look forward to reading this author’s next novel.

England and Kenya

The view from my back garden is spectacular. The withered hydrangea flowers covered with snow look like large pompoms. Every branch is outlined with snow and the top of the native hedges around the garden look as though they have been iced by a giant hand.

In spite of the intense cold I am glad to be in England. When I lived in Kenya for 20 years I missed the changing seasons, each one with its own beauty. However, I do miss the Kenyan coast with coconut plams, white sand and warm sea, I also miss the trips to National Parks in the days when I saw herds of elephants, lions, giraffes zebras, wildebeeste and many other animals. Yet, today, I would not exchange my somewhat privileged life for my life in England.

Work in Progress -New Novel

I have nearly finished the first novel in a series, which is set in England in the reign of Edward II. I have one more chapter to edit before I run it through the spell check. After a friend has read it I shall be ready to submit it.

Today, I checked some research. Unfortunately, while working on the first version my computer crashed and I lost the records of my research. Fortunately I had copied the novel so I didn't lose it in the crash.

People who say airily, 'I could write a novel,' don't realise what hard work it is.

Health Suite

I thought a visit to the health suite and the local leisure centre would be enjoyable. Sad to say the boiler has broken down so there are no showers, neither the sauna nor the jacuzzi were hot enough and the steam room wasn't working. As though that was not enough the health suite was chilly. As for swimming, by then  I guessed the pool would be cold and didn't bother with it. Deep sigh. What a waste of time and money!

More Retail Therapy

Although snow was falling this morning, it wasn't settling, so my daughter and I decided to return to Dunelm for some more retail therapy. I bought a very comfortable Memory Foam Mattress for an excellent price, some artificial sweet peas, which look realistic, to put in a vase on the windowsill on the landing, a large new wok and a nifty little chopper that is just right for herbs. As I grow a lot of herbs to make teas and for culinary purposes it will be very useful.


There are loads of goodies in the sale that will conclude at the end of January so we will probably go back once more.