Current work: my 50th M&B (aka Rome-set Riva)
Listening to: Mozart
Reading: lots this weekend: Mary Contini, Dear Olivia (very interesting true account of Italians emigrating to Scotland between the wars – brought me to tears in places, and thank you to Michelle Styles for suggesting it); Natalie Anderson, Dating and Other Dangers (fabulous concept and really enjoyed it); Heidi Rice, Cupcakes and Killer Hells (nice fast read); Nicola Cornick, Whisper of Scandal (fabulous – really, really enjoyed the setting)
I was going to sort of take this week off; however, my wonderful ed came back to me very swiftly on the outline for my 50th (especially nice of her as she was about to jet off to the RWA conf in NY and was up to her eyes). And, as the characters are talking to me, I might as well get on with it, yes? (I know I’m banging on about this one being #50, but I can’t quite believe it, and seeing it in black and white makes it feel a bit more real. Not quite 10 years since #1 was accepted.)
On Sunday, one of the nearby villages had an ‘open garden’ event – which meant we spent a very English Sunday afternoon, wandering round a mixture of cottage gardens and formal gardens (DH has definite garden envy and wants an orchard). Like several others, we had a cream tea on the lawn of the Old Rectory, surrounded by roses.
I was going to sort of take this week off; however, my wonderful ed came back to me very swiftly on the outline for my 50th (especially nice of her as she was about to jet off to the RWA conf in NY and was up to her eyes). And, as the characters are talking to me, I might as well get on with it, yes? (I know I’m banging on about this one being #50, but I can’t quite believe it, and seeing it in black and white makes it feel a bit more real. Not quite 10 years since #1 was accepted.)
On Sunday, one of the nearby villages had an ‘open garden’ event – which meant we spent a very English Sunday afternoon, wandering round a mixture of cottage gardens and formal gardens (DH has definite garden envy and wants an orchard). Like several others, we had a cream tea on the lawn of the Old Rectory, surrounded by roses.
(And, as it’s this part of the world and some of the gardens were a very long way apart, we also sat on some haybales on a trailer attached to a tractor - which went a lot faster than the one I often get stuck behind on the school run!)I could be really boring and post lots of garden pictures, but I will be restrained and stick to the things that I really loved:
Sundial (especially the way it seems to encompass the topiary here).
The spandrel on the porch of St Margaret’s church, showing St Margaret slaying the dragon.
The faded St Christopher wall painting inside the church.
Frilly poppies (these are so going on my list of things I want in my garden next summer, along with the rain daisies I’ve wanted for years and some night-scented stocks. And maybe some delphiniums, as I don't think Byron will do what Ben used to do and dig them up and bring them in to me with a waggy tail - he's more likely to see them as a stolen shoe dropping-off point).
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