Historical Pub

Yesterday, a friend and I met at one of The Coach and Horses, one of Hertfordshire's most historical pubs, in Rickmansworth.

I liked the ambience of the original tap room. Low, beamed ceilings, and flames leaping in the old fireplace warming the flag-stoned room. My imagination had not difficulty occupying it with people from times past.

According to the brochure: "To discover the history of the Coach and Horses, we must trace our steps back in time to the late 1600's and the Salter family of Rickmansworth.

"At around 1720, a Samuel Salter arrived in Rickmansworth. Born in 1695, this young man married Elizabeth Robinson in 1724 and settled in the town. ...

The Coach and Horses itself dates back to at least 1722, with the foundations of the building dating as far back as the end of the 16th century. Salter's brewery emerged at a later date beside the pub."
To discover more visit: www.thecoachand horses.info

Beetroot Soup and Plum Pie

I have lots of beetroot from my organic garden. Yesterday, I made a big pot of soup to be served with sour cream and fresh dill from my garden.

From lunchtime onward members of my family popped in and had one or two bowlfuls of soup. So much for freezing some, but I don't mind. Even more than cooking, I like watching other people enjoying one of my homemade meals.

I also picked plums from the garden and made a plum pie, which members of the family ate with gusto.

Review of Far Beyond Rubies

Romance Historical Lovers Classifications:

Time and Setting: England 1706

Genre: Historical Romance Heat Level:1

Amazon. Reviewer Rating: 5 stars4
Review by Maggi

There’s a wealth of historical detail in this charming and well-written novel by Rosemary Morris. The plot is woven with some skill into the history of Queen Anne’s rein. The heroine, Juliana, is at the mercy of her scurrilous stepbrother, William, the seventh Baron Kemp. He plans to claim her inheritance, Riverside House, and rid himself of her and her sister, Henrietta, claiming them to be illegitimate. He has plans to marry Juliana off to a libertine. With her father dead, Juliana is at his mercy.

The handsome hero, Gervaise Seymour, is one of the most interesting heroes I’ve read in a while. He comes from a broken family, and has personal issues he must resolve. He is returning from India, where he gained a fortune and married an Indian woman. Now a widower, he mourns his lost love. But having come across Juliana who is in need of help, how can he turn his back on her? It is Juliana’s voice, which first attracts him: a melodious voice offering comfort. And despite Gervaise’s intentions, he is soon captured by her looks. But he is ever the gentleman.

Gervaise put a hand on each side of her tiny waist, controlling his fervent desire to hold her close.
He avoided looking into her eyes for fear she might read the lusty thoughts in them.
Determined to honor his dead wife, he fights his feelings during their shared adventure, quite convinced he will never marry again. But there’s a hint here, of something mystical between them.

Morris’ knowledge of India enriches this novel, adding spice, while never loading us with unwanted detail. It’s a novel, fresh story, which sets it apart from the more conventional historical romances.

Gervaise, a decent and attractive man, has brought Indian customs and food with him to England. His home is decorated in the rich colors of the East and delicious cuisine graces his table. This makes for a fascinating hero and serves to cause a degree of conflict between him and Juliana, who is a strong heroine. She is protective of her younger sister, and while extremely attracted to Gervaise she is reluctant to trust him or indeed any man.

I’m a fan of Rosemary Morris. Her characters always make perfect sense, and again the resolution of this story is quite believable. There are some great secondary characters too, like Monsieur Lorraine, an ‘air merchant

* * * *

My organic garden plus a reciepe

Yesterday, I gathered my marrows and summer squash, cleared the  veggie patch where they grew, and then spread lime over it. Recently I bought a tray of winter cabbage and another of purple sprouting broccoli for next to nothing in a sale at a garden centre. It's a little late to plant them in the garden, but I've limed their patch and if I cover them with fleece to protect them from the worst of the weather I hope they will thrive.

The broad beans I planted two weeks ago after enriching the plot with manure are coming up. They are hardy and will survive even the worst winters. The plants toughen up so much that few blackfly attack them. Early next year, after sufficient pods develop, I shall pick the topmost leaves and cook them like spinach.

At the moment I'm enjoying apples, pears and plums from the garden. Today, I plan to make a plum pie, yesterday, I made vegetable marrow soup.

To serve four.

2 lbs of peeled, cubed marrow, seeds and pith removed.
2 ozs butter.
1 & a 1/2 pints vegetable soup stock.
1/2 pint milk.
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp pepper or more to taste
(I added a tbs of hyssop leaves from the garden but it's not essential.)

Watford Writers

Yesterday I attended Watford Writers at Café Cha Cha in Cassiobury Park.

On manuscript evenings members bring something to read and afterwards receive constructive comments from the group.

Yesterday, was a little different. There was a quiz about t.v. films and books. I did not do well but I'm not going to confess how  badly I did. We then played consequences. I chose Charles II for my character. I wrote a bit about him, and then folded the paper down, passed it on and answered the other questions on other papers. At the end the results were read out.

A number of men chose to be David Beckham. I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

Locked Out

After spending an enjoyable Sunday with some of my friends I returned home, went upstairs and could not open my bedroom door. Guess what! My address book, diary and mobile were in the bedroom. I used my landline to phone people whose numbers I remembered. Everyone was out.
Eventually I contacted a workman who came within the hour. He managed to open the door but the paintwork has been damaged. Anyway, in spite of that, I'm grateful to him.

Tag for The Captain and The Countess

Last night I woke at 2.a.m and fretted about all the things I must do and those I want to do. While trying to go back to sleep I composed a 21 word description of my new novel The Captain and The Countess for my publisher. Afraid I would forget it, I turned on the bedside lamp and jotted it down on a notepad I keep beside my bed. I've sent it to my copy editor and hope she approves of it.

Garden Centres and Stephen

Yesterday, my 11 year-old grandson had a day off school. He spent the morning with me, and asked to visit a garden centre. Off we went. I bought some tulip bulbs - a different variety to the ones already in the garden. The pink and peach coloured flowers will be frilly. I also bought a tray of winter cabbage.

Grandson did not find anything he wanted so we went to Homebase. He chose a cactus in a blue pot with orange Mexican inspired designs and promptly named it Stephen. The cactus is tiny but it has vicious thorns.

I bought a tray of purple sprouting broccoli and some rock roses reduced to 20p a pot. I'll nurture them in the greenhouse until next year.

Who are you?

Yesterday, while I made green tomato chutney and considered my store of homemade jam, jelly, chutney and pickles with satisfaction, a fair-haired slip of a girl came to mind. She was making a conserve (of what?)when a servant rushed into the still room saying: "the soldiers are coming." At that point I sensed the anxiety of the girl, who loved her home, her garden, her still room and other country pursuits. Who is she? What is her name? Was she real or is she a figment of my imagination?
For a long time I have been considering writing a novel centred around a garden, perhaps my mystery girl will feature in it. At the moment, I want to get to know her.

Festival of Romance

I'm really looking forward to attending the Festival of Romance. I'm looking forward to meeting friends and making new ones as well as to the events. At the moment, I'm thinking about what to wear. A sari for a special event, a smart outfit to wear when I read an extract from Far Beyond Rubies, something appropriate for the awards etc.

Fewtival of Romance 2013

Yesterday, I booked accommodation at the Park Inn in Bedford for the 2013 Festival of Romance at which I shall be a participating author.

By the way, you could win a weekend away at the Festival of Romance and meet your favourite romance authors, thanks to the Romantic Novelists' Association

Details are at:  http://festivalofromance.co.uk/#/win-tickets/4578722184

Harvest from my Organic Garden

Since I went on holiday to Woolacombe Bay in Devonshire my routine has been interrupted, but, to use a cliché, I'm back on track.

There's a bumper crop of fruit and vegetables this year. The apples, pears and plums are more delicious than any bought from the shops.

I've made chutney, jam and pickles and am about to make rhubarb pickle. I've also stewed plums and put them in containers in the freezer - I'll enjoy them in the winter months. I've also hoarded rhubarb, apple and apple and blackberry pies in the freezer.

So, I'm wishing myself bon apetit. Cheers everyone.

From My Bookcase

Following the Drum - The Lives of Army Wives and Daughters Past and Present by Annabel Venning.

"Scanning four Centuries from the 1660's to the present day. Following the Drum tells the stories of wives, daughters and mistresses of the British army who followed their military menfolk to some of the most treacherous places in the world."

Annabel Vennings tells "of women taken captive, or forced to become fugitives in enemy territory; of women who endured long marches and harsh sieges; women who chose to follow their men onto the battlefield itself; women who had to give birth to the sound of canon fire and then march on minutes later; women who found themselves widowed and alone in a strange land; and of women who struggled to keep themselves and their families alive as the world they knew disintegrated around them."

A fascinating read, I glanced through the book and can't resist re-reading it.

Radish Pickle

Trying to be super-disciplined. Finished writing at 10 a.m. and got on in the garden. Some radish plants had formed seed pods. Hmm, I thought, I bet I can do something with them, so I googled radish seed pod pickles, found a recipe and followed it, however I replaced the chillies with mustard. Now I'll give the pickle time to mature and then taste it with interest. Next project is to pickle peppery nasturtium seeds and to make lemonade, some of which I'll use to make ice lollies.

From my Bookcase

The third publication I had forgotten I own is Waterloo A Guide to the Battlefield, The Official Guide of the Waterloo Committee published by Pitkin. It is informative with illustrations in colour. The guide book was written by the late David Howard who, according to His Grace the Duke of Wellington at the time of publication, "...book A Near Run Thing is certainly one of the most exciting accounts of the battle I have ever read."

From my Bookcase

Another 40 page long book I had forgotten I bought is one of the Men-At-Arms-Series (No.130) Wellington's Heavy Cavalry by Bryan Fosten, published by Osprey Military. There is a lot of useful information and it contains many black and white illustrations as well as coloured ones.

Men-At-Arms Series 126

I should catalogue my small but useful collection of non-fiction. Recently, I visited the National Army Museum in search of information. (At the moment I am researching British Hussar Regiments in the late 18th and early 19th century for my new novel, Monday's Child, the sequel to Sunday's Child published as an e-book.) Anyway, while removing a book from the shelf I found Wellington's Light Cavalry No.126 in the Men-At-Arms-Series by Bryan Fosten published by Osprey. I bought this informative book with many illustrations of uniforms and equipment ages ago and had forgotten about it. That's why I need to make a list of my books.

From My Bookshelf

Redcoat - The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket by Richard Holmes is an interesting addition to my library.

 'Wonderful ...Not just a work of history - but of enthusiasm and unparalleled knowledge.' Bernard Cornwell.

'Redcoat is the story of the British soldier from the Seven Year War through to the Mutiny and Crimea. It is consistently entertaining, full of brilliantly chosen anecdotes, and rattles along at a good light infantry pace.' David Crane. Spectator Books of the Year.

From my bookcase Wellington's...

Amongst other books I am reading Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles. A Biographical and Historical Dictionary by T. A. Heathcote.

The book "covers the lives of forty-one of the best known divisional commanders, principal staff officers and heads of supporting arms and services in Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army which famously halted Napoleon's previously invincible eagles and forced them back into France..."

Home Grown Vegetables

Home grown vegetables for lunch today. New potatoes with parsley sauce, Swiss Chard dressed with powdered sesame seeds and vinegar and runner beans. Delicious.