A Writer’s Garden–Summer’s End by Catherine Castle

Tags

A Groom for Mama, A Writer's Garden, Autumn Sedum pictures, Catherine Castle, Garden blog, romantic comedy, Summer's End, Sweet romance

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is me, Catherine Castle.

Today’s post will close out this season’s garden blog. I want to thank all my contributors and readers for being part of the blog this year.  I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the posts as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing our gardens with you.

I know fall is coming to my garden when I look out the breakfast nook window and see my autumn sedums changing color. All summer long they sit on the hillside with tiny while blooms that my husband calls little cauliflower heads on the tips of the stems. (you can just barely see the white tips on the bushes to the left of the white stick at the edge of the garden wall)

Then in late August the tiny heads begin to expand and turn pale pink.

Almost daily we see the flowering head change colors. From pale pink to dusty rose in early September.

and then in late September they go maroon.

In winter, if I leave the flowers on, they turn chocolate brown. 

I look forward to the two-month show of color every garden season. It reminds me that nothing is static in the garden, or in life. Things are always changing, and we have a choice to either accept the change or moan about it. As a gardener, I’ve learned to accept the seasons of nature, which helps me to accept the changes I face in life, because I realize there’s always a second chance to experience a renewal of what I know or discover something new and different on the horizon that will expand my experiences.

I’m anxiously awaiting next year’s garden and the surprises it brings–if I’m lucky enough to stay upright in 2022 and not break any more bones. I don’t need that surprise again! I hope to get my container veggie garden started next year. It was slated for this fall, but … life gave me a challenging change this year. Ah, well, there’s always next year.

Be sure to join us again in March or April 2022 for another year of A Writer’s Garden!

Happy gardening wherever you are!

Catherine

About the Writer/Gardener:

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, theatre, and quilting. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances and both of her books have won awards. You can find her award-winning books The Nun and the Narc and  A Groom for Mama on Amazon. Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

You can often see Catherine’s love of gardens in her books, and A Groom for Mama is no exception. In one scene, Mama, Jack, and Allison visit a rose garden, inspired by a garden tour Catherine and her husband took one summer.

Here’s the blurb for Catherine’s award-winning romantic comedy with a touch of drama,

A Groom for Mama. Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

A Groom for Mama

By Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom for Mama.

Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

A Writer’s Garden–Perfect Gifts by Sally Brandle

Tags

A Writer's Garden, clean romance, Garden blog, garden tools, historical romance, Sally Brandle

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Sally Brandle talking about garden gifts, the kind you use in the garden. Welcome, Sally!

My family knows my love of gardening and they respond with perfect gifts. Over the years I’ve received a swell pair of shovels from my youngest son, a garden cart, and endless tools. For my birthday in October this year, my two sons sourced a lite, battery powered chopper’s delight. I now can prune bushes without my shoulders complaining.

The Garden Claws were my husband’s idea. I don’t think my collection of ‘fingerless’ gloves are unique. Long nails aren’t the issue. The Claws are great for semi-detail weeding and are about $8 a pair. Rain has prevented my determination on durability. So far, they appear sturdy and my nails are clean!

My latest book, the enhanced memoir of a dear friend, launched in May. We self-published, so the garden took second place on the chore list this spring and summer. My guilt receded after a neighbor remarked on the beauty of the butterflies hovering over the flowering shrubs and blooms. I turned the ingrained weed-alert in my brain into choosing to notice what others appreciate—the beauty of the plants, how many birds, bees, and butterflies are present, and the peaceful setting. When I look out from the windows of my office with that thought in mind, I smile and realize how very blessed I am to steward and share this beautiful piece of earth.

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  Looking Down from sugar peas

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  Looking up from sugar peas

The young woman featured in my latest book, Sapphire Promise, is now 98 and no longer the avid gardener whom I met thirty years ago. When I tire of pulling weeds, I think to myself, “Iris would love to be doing this.” That mindset can change a task to a privilege most days. I must admit, I still find morning glory and horsetail to be garden enemies!

May all your plants prosper and your back stay strong!

About the Writer/Gardener:

I grew up gardening with Mom and never lost an admiration for nature’s colors, textures, and scents. Trying to convert our tiered, half-acre plot to be senior friendly presents an ongoing challenge. I try to intersperse gardening, riding, and writing.

My series of three books published by Soulmate Publishing are contemporary, clean, romantic suspense.

iSapphire Promise is a World War II inspirational memoir beginning in 1939 Batavia, Java, Indonesia. This is a clean old-fashioned romance.

Social Media Link:   www.Sallybrandle.com

Sapphire Promise

By Sally Brandle

Loyalty to family. Trusting instincts. The will to survive. These virtues are deeply embedded in a mature Dutch teenager, Annika Wolter. Her attributes prove useful as she navigates typical coming-of-age insecurities and a blossoming romance with a handsome lieutenant in 1939 Batavia, Java.

Nothing prepares her for the distress of Hitler’s attacks on European countries followed by Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor, toppling her idyllic life in the Dutch East Indies colonial society and separating her from the man she loves. Uplifting events from a true story showcase how determination, nursing basics, and language skills keep a young woman and her mother alive in the worst Japanese internment camp in the Pacific. If you admire clever women and unfailing love in a tropical wartime setting, you will be captivated by Sapphire Promise.

You can find Sapphire Promise on Amazon: and Barnes & Noble

A Writer’s Garden–A Cottage Garden from Gail Kittleson

Tags

A Writer's Garden, cottage gardens, flowers, Gail Kittleson, WWII romance

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Gail Kittleson, talking about her cottage garden. Welcome, Gail!

It’s been interesting watching our cottage garden grow this year, especially since the hero of my novel-in-progress was growing one, too. 

A Nineteenth Century British woman, Clare Lucas Balfour, wrote:

“What a desolate place would be a world without a flower! It would be a face without a smile, a feast without a welcome. Are not flowers the stars of the earth, and are not the stars our flowers of heaven?” Forty Thousand Quotations: Prose and Political (1917)

What would the heavens be without stars? And we might echo this thought concerning the earth and flowers. The beauty stars and flowers bring to our world, though, cannot be measured in exactness.

            How often did glancing out the window at our cottage garden warm my heart this summer? How many times have your spring or summer or fall flowers lightened yours?

          I could add a few pages of quotes here—but this one from Joseph Addison will do. “There is nothing that makes its way more directly to the soul than beauty.”

When we’re really down, we need encouragement in the worst way. Sometimes we can barely hold our head up, and things like flowers and stars can make an enormous difference. The fictional hero who spent the summer with me knew this because he’d grown up with his grandfather’s garden.

And his grandfather patterned his gardens after…drum roll…writers! Check out the cottage gardens of Thomas Hardy and Beatrix Potter!

About the Writer/Gardener:

Gardening “grew” on Gail Kittleson, who writes World War II fiction. She’s always dabbled, but having lived long enough to see the consequences of planting a sprout or seedling, now spends more time thinking through her gardening decisions. Since victory gardens became so vital during the Forties, they play a role in several of Gail’s novels.

Follow Gail on social media at:

Gail Kittleson: Facebook: Twitter @GailGkittleson: @gailkittlesonauthor (Instagram)

You can check out Gail’s books on Amazon

Land That I Love

by Gail Kitteson

Set in the German Hill Country of Texas during World War II, Land That I Love is a sweeping literary novel of love and loss; friendship and animosity; fathers and sons; and coping during times of war and peace. Yet it is more than a love story. It is about the racism and bigotry that still exist in our world. As author Gail Kittleson’s characters struggle with the problems of everyday life, they teach us that we survive hard times by being good neighbors despite our differences and that hatred can be conquered by love, understanding and forgiveness.

A Writer’s Garden–Cherry Tomato Snacks from Emma Lane

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A Writer’s Garden, Cherry tomato appetizers, Cherry Tomatoes, Emma Lane, Garden blog, recipe, Regency Romance, The Duke and Miss Amabell Hawkins

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Emma Lane who will be talking about cherry tomatoes and how she uses them on a snack cracker or for a quick summer meal. Welcome, Emma.

Inside Greenhouse Three there are vigorously growing hanging nursery pots of tomatoes. These are cherry tomatoes and they come in red or yellow. Medium-sized, these fruits of the vines are just ripe for popping into your mouth without a smidgeon of preparation. Don’t ask me how I know; I’ll never tell.

Hanging Baskets of Tumbling Toms go out of the greenhouse for sale around the first of May and disappear quickly. They may need to be brought in at night, but they are already in bloom with some tiny tomatoes showing. It’s a way to get a jump start on the season for a delicious tomato taste.

Lately I’ve learned to use them in several different ways that liven up a quickly thrown together summer meal. Below are a few ideas. You’ll spin off into your own vivid imagination, I’m certain, adding salads and main dishes. This is quick and easy fixing that leaves plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine outside.

Party Picks   Crackers of Choice

There are tons of choices for the bottom of your snack which will wind up being topped by half a cherry tomato. I like plain old saltine, but I do experiment with any and all of the offerings. I need to mention that a homemade loaf of bread makes a fantastic “cracker” cut into small squares. Also, just plain toast cut into squares works well.

Next the Spread

These are just a few of the spreads I’ve used:

(1) Canned potted ham (or a chicken spread) mixed with mayo or a touch of mustard. Occasionally I use a pear relish mixed in that is delish. Mix and spread on your crackers lightly. Don’t glob or your cracker will collapse. Still taste good, but not esthetically attractive so soggy.

(2) I’m mad for the whipped cream cheese. ‘Nuff said about that. It’s pretty simple to spread on your crackers. You can add any old spice that strikes you as interesting. I’ve used Season all Salt, cinnamon, Italian seasoning or just a piece of fresh basil. All good. If you use the basil leaf, add a swipe of creamed cheese to glue it to the cracker else it’ll slide right off.

(3) I’m wild for ricotta cheese, but hubby isn’t so we get to ‘decorate’ our crackers individually.

Meat?

Here I use whatever I’ve got in the kitchen. Sliced ham bits are lovely, a sprinkle of the sausage you had for breakfast is great, a bit of corned beef (just a bit because it’s strong), another cheese either cut to fit the cracker or shredded and sprinkled over. Like the crackers, cheeses come in a great assortment chosen to taste.

You’ll find your own preferences for thickness. Slice the cherry tomato in half or into four slices and top your masterpiece. Use a bit of spread to stick it if toppings tend to slide.

Now is the delicate operation that remains a mystery you might keep to yourself. A very small dot of “Zesty Italian Salad Dressing. Shake first and I promise you, you must use only a very small dot on top the tomato. Voila!

A plateful of these colorful snack crackers will disappear in a flash. Be sure you get your share. Enjoy!

ABOUT THE WRITER/GARDENER

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter

The Duke and Miss Amabell Hawkins

By Emma Lane

Can an arrogant duke overcome his prejudice against a beautiful but managing female in time to find true love and happiness?

Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king’s business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother’s estate.

The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?

Available from Amazon

A Writer’s Garden—Sweet Memories of Flowers by Carole Brown

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Carole Brown, Catch Me If You Can, Flower Memories, flowers, Garden blog, Suspense fiction

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Carole Brown. Carole will be sharing her sweet memories of flowers and those sweet people who’ve given them to her. Welcome, Carole!

Sweet Memories of Flowers

Hubby and I celebrated another anniversary this August, and as usual I received a card and flowers from him. That may seem like a mundane comment, but it’s anything but that. Every year I think the card he gives is the best one yet. Here are a few words from his card:

I hope you already know just how amazing you are to me, but on our anniversary I thought I’d tell you again, because you’re incredibly special—and I love you very much.

Every year, I love the flowers he gives me, but then I love all the flowers he gives me, whether it’s anniversary time, Valentines, or whenever. Today I wanted to share a few pictures of plants and flowers I’ve received through the years and/or some wild ones that we’ve admired together.

I never know what color of roses he’ll choose, but I ahh over them because he loves me and gave them to me. This year, he surprised me with pink roses: 

Here is a picture I took of a milkweed plant near our home. When I spotted it one day, I knew I had to get a picture of it. The butterfly was an extra bonus. Beautiful, isn’t it, in its wildness?

Flowers Hubby helped Grandson pick for me. Mismatched and uneven stems, but gorgeous because of who gave them to me. Flowers have meanings. To me, these spoke of a child’s love for a grandparent and a love of a grandfather who took time to help that grandson share.

Wild flowers are some of my favorites! Here are two different bouquets of wild flowers at two different times. I’m always amazed at the combinations of colors Hubby comes up with.

• 

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While visiting with a friend near the lake, we went to the Butterfly garden. It was a quiet, peaceful period, enjoying some of God’s creations. Here’s a beauty we spotted while there: 

And, last but not least, our beginning where we learned to share, to love the flowers around us. This is my wedding bouquet. White flowers for purity. Yellow for sunshine and happiness.

I really do believe that flowers are some of God’s best earthly gifts to us. What’s your favorite flower?

ABOUT THE WRITER/GARDENER

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

 Connect with Carole on her Personal blog, Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, or Bookbub

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

            By Carole Brown

The big cat sat on the oversized rock, ears pointed toward the sky, every muscle taut, every sense at the ready.

“S-s-shut up and f-f-forget it. You’ve s-seen nothing and know nothing. I won’t warn you again. G-g-got it?”

The cat’s head swiveled, his ears twitching as if catching the hint of threat in the whisper. A soft hiss slid from his open mouth and reinforced the overtone of evil pressing in upon the scene. Within hours, lies and dark secrets are slithering all over the campground.

Coaxed into finding the animal killer at Jamieson’s Outfitters, Tara Layne, with her sidekick, Boet, is welcomed by a threatening whisper and the unfriendly eyes of a rugged and devastatingly handsome manager. Wesley Clarke, both interesting and frustrating, holds an attraction for Tara that is both primitive and exasperating.

Intermingled with her search, Tara deals with her own heartbreaking buried secrets. When a strange old Native American probes into the recesses of her heart, he encourages her to face her bitter feelings.

As Tara closes in on her search, she finds herself—and Boet—the target of someone who’s determined to outrun and outsmart her. Someone determined not to get caught.

His theme: 

Fun as fast as you can, you can’t catch me.

The question:

Can Tara run fast enough to catch this real live Gingerbread boy

before he decides to get rid of her and Boet?

Buy Link:   Amazon

A Writer’s Garden–Hoping for a Harvest by Amy R. Anguish

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Amy R Anguish, Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams, Christmas Anthology, Garden blog, Mistletoe Make-believe, vegetable garden

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Amy R. Anguish talking about the uncertainty of gardening. Welcome, Amy!

You Never Know

Every year, when we plant the seeds in our garden, we have no idea what the outcome will be. Obviously, we have our hopes and dreams of what will happen to those plants throughout the summer. But every year brings different weather, bugs, diseases, and sometimes just bad seeds.

Still, we poke the tiny seeds into the earth, give it lots of water and as much sunshine as God will send, and then wait.

Waiting is the hard part.

As the tiny green shoots poke their heads up, branching out and expanding, blossoming and growing, our hope grows right along with it. How can it not? The excitement of seeing those first little green tomatoes or tiny green beans comes every time.

This year, we picked around 40 pints of green beans, canning most, sharing some. We ate and ate tomatoes, as well as making several batches of salsa and spaghetti sauce. And we picked squash until we were all sick of it.

But as we watched and waited for the cucumbers, which last year came in abundance, nothing but disappointment grew. In fact, something destroyed the first two plants we had come up, and we had to replant. Twice.

Same with our pumpkins. And sunflowers.

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Just about the time I was ready to give up on the watermelon, it stretched out and actually gave us a nice basketball-sized one.

And just when I had decided we would just settle for the cucumbers we’d gotten from friends, we got a nice big one, with more coming on. In late summer, no less. Only weeks from autumn.

My five-year-old was thrilled, to say the least.

You never know what you’re going to get when planting seeds, but isn’t it exciting when you do get something? Just like in everything in life, it’s always worth it to try. Even if you only get a few carrots from a whole pack of seeds. Those few carrots are always worth it to my children.

And most of the time, anything we’re willing to put a little effort into, will bring us at least a small harvest.

What have you tried that may not have turned out exactly as planned, but was still rather sweet?

About the Writer/Gardener:

Amy R Anguish

Author of An Unexpected Legacy, Faith and Hope, and Saving Grace

Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher’s kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.

Follow her at  her website Facebook  Or Twitter

Learn more about her books at https://www.pinterest.com/msguish/my-books/

And check out the YouTube channel she does with two other authors, Once Upon a Page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiu-jq-KE-VMIjbtmGLbJA)

Mistletoe Make-believe by Amy Anguish

(From the Christmas Anthology Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams-a selection of five sweet beach read Christmas novellas)

Charlie Hill’s family thinks his daughter Hailey needs a mom—to the point they won’t get off his back until he finds her one. Desperate to be free from their nagging, he asks a stranger to pretend she’s his girlfriend during the holidays.

When romance author Samantha Arwine takes a working vacation to St. Simons Island over Christmas, she never dreamed she’d be involved in a real-life romance. Are the sparks between her and Charlie real? Or is it just her imagination?

Buy Link

A Writer’s Garden—The Comeback Garden by Becky Van Vleet

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Becky Van Vleet, children's book, Children's Picture Book, Garden blog, garden pictures, Talitha the Traveling Skirt

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Becky Van Vleet talking about the resilience of nature.

Welcome, Becky.

Every year I look forward to planting my vegetable garden, knowing full well that my husband and I will enjoy the fruits of my labor with fresh salads almost every evening for a period of time. I get so excited when I see my rhubarb wake up after sleeping all winter. I can almost taste the raspberries that will appear later in the summer when my bushes come alive again.

Come April, all my perennials around our whole house show their sleepy heads and inevitably burst forth with all kinds of promises of blooms in the month of May. The spring and summer months invite me to a bright and colorful foliage party every year, and I never miss it, always praising God for his artwork right in my yard.

But this year my yard party not only stalled, but nearly did not happen at all. I was devastated when on May 29 we had one of the worst hail storms I can remember. The afternoon the heavens broke open with hail about the size of golf balls gripped me in fear. For nearly an hour, the sound was deafening as hail pummeled our roof. I feared broken windows, not to mention destruction of all my beautiful plants that had already emerged from their winter slumber, showing great promise of what was to come. I watched this storm for a few minutes from my kitchen window. But I finally had to walk away; I couldn’t take the scene that fell before my eyes.

I

While I was thankful we had no broken windows and I believed our roof stayed intact, I went outside after the storm to assess the damage. I was heartbroken. My rhubarb was totally beaten to a pulp, my daisies and flocks and clematis in the front yard were flattened, my daylilies in my back yard as well as my cone flowers were no more. Even the heavy-duty branches of my mini rosebushes snapped. I couldn’t believe that within an hour, my beautiful yard turned from hope and beauty to ruin and ugliness.

What to do? Just accept it and look forward to next year.

But God didn’t leave me there. No, not at all. Slowly, ever so slowly, my flowers, bushes, and trees revived. I saw new promises of a beautiful yard, a comeback garden. I watched the progress each day while our sunshine and showers and rainbows gifted me.

Take a look at the “comeback” pictures to see the miracle God did with our yard! And isn’t that what God does with our lives? One day we are a mess and we feel hopeless, like there can be no comeback. But if we trust God and we’re patient, He will do mighty works to turn ruin and ugliness in our lives to new hope and beauty again.

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About the Writer/Gardener:

A retired teacher/principal, Becky Van Vleet makes her home in Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, writing, oil painting, and hiking. But her favorite hobby is spending time with her family, especially reading books to her eight grandchildren.  When they come to play at her house, they love to check out her vegetable garden to see if there are any pickings.

Becky is an award-winning author of children’s picture books, inspired by true family stories. She is currently working on her first novel, a young adult book about her father’s adventures in WWII aboard the USS Denver.

A little skirt that has been traveling around in her family for more than 70 years, passing through three generations, inspired her to write her first children’s picture book, Talitha, the Traveling Skirt.

Social Media links: Website Facebook Goodreads

Talitha, the Traveling Skirt

By Beck Van Vleet

Meet Talitha, a little plaid skirt that likes to travel. Through the years, she visits many two-year-old girls in a special family who wear her to get their pictures taken. But Talitha encounters problems when she least expects them. Filled with colorful and detailed illustrations, young children will delight in this heartwarming story about a little skirt’s adventures.

Purchase link

This delightful book, geared for ages 3-8, may be purchased at Amazon. Be sure to let Becky know if you’d like the free coloring pictures her illustrator provided. She can send those your way!

A Writer’s Garden–The Scent of a Flower by Mary Vee

Tags

A Writer’s Garden, Detective Carhill Mystery, Garden blog, Garden devotion, Justice for Elizabeth, Mary Vee, Middle Eastern flowers, scents of flowers, Swiss Alp flowers, using scents in your books, writing tip

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Mary Vee talking about the sweet perfume of flowers.           Welcome Mary!

The Scent of a Flower

When I walk near a flower in its habitat, the scent captivates me. The colors are brilliant, of course, but it’s the unique scent of each flower that implants the experience in my mind. So, a wild daisy in my woodsy, country yard will have a different scent than a wild daisy in a big city, because the surrounding habitat is included in the scent.

Today as I write this post, I realize I am smelling the sweet scent of God when I smell a flower. The God who is everywhere and always present. I close my eyes or maybe gaze at the surroundings and think of Him. He made this plant and blossom and placed it here as a gift to me and gave it such a delightful scent I am prone to think of Him.

When I climbed Mt. Pilates to this Swiss Alp peak, I found these tiny yellow flowers. They stretched out, overlooking Lucerne, Switzerland far, far below. I smelled chilled, moist floral-sweet air. I have seen similar flowers since, and they remind me of this climb, this view, these low-lying clouds, the people below, and the God who created them.

In Israel near where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount, I found this bush with brilliant red leaves. From a distance they looked like flowers. I thought, what a perfect color to cause visitors to remember Jesus had stood here. I have seen poinsettias in Mexico. A similar bush with red leaves that appear to be flowers from a distance, they reminded me of this bush in Israel. Their scents differed tremendously, each reminding me of the Creator who not only spoke truth in Israel, but still speaks truth in Mexico.

In Petra, Jordan, I walked through a passage with seventy-five feet tall rocky walls. Other than the passage ahead and behind I had only a sliver of a view of the blue sky above. The area was a desert environment. With little to no rain, these plants found a way to send leaves through the cracks, their roots clinging to the rock. Their dusty, chalky scent was all I could smell. They lived far above my reach. When I smelled a similar scent, I am reminded God is here with me even in difficult or seemingly impossible times. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God.

I used the scent of flowers and gardens to help my Detective Carhill understand his client better and thereby draw the needed conclusion. I used a beautiful garden in the middle of a busy city in another book to give Liz a rest from her trials. I used a garden in another book to help Anders, who suffered from a head injury, the familiar scent needed to find his way home.

The floral scent is powerful, able to bring pleasure, security, memories, and joy. All gifts from God.

Smell a flower. Make a memory

About the Writer/Gardener:

Mary Vee’s garden used to be a well-manicured landscape until one vacation and a lot of rain encouraged the supposed weeds to flower, painting fresh colors, and leaving new scents. She has since adopted the European method of gardening, removing only the rascals that kill, like strangling vines. Mary is a drama inspirational fiction author, telling exciting stories that open windows when life closes doors.

Website:    Today’s Writer’s World – Smart Solutions for busy Writers and Readers

Instagram: @MaryVeeWriter

Twitter:      @MaryVeeWriter

Facebook:  @MaryVeeTodaysWritersWorld

Justice for Elizabeth

By Mary Vee

High society woman, Elizabeth Alexander, can’t possibly fulfill her societal obligations with her husband locked in prison.

The gossipers won’t believe he is innocent. Her family’s name is at stake unless she finds the person who set up her husband.

Detective Carhill recently helped one of the Cinq Amis, Elizabeth’s dearest friends. The man kept the entire ordeal from inking the papers and solved the case quickly, as he promised. 

Elizabeth is running out of time. Unless Carhill solves the case, and soon, the Alexander family name will forever be worthless.

“Sadly, the wealthy are always presumed guilty until proven innocent. There are only seven people who believe in Phillip’s innocence. The rest are determined to destroy our family’s name with their words.” …Elizabeth Alexander
“This is killing Elizabeth. I haven’t always been the best husband. Our parents pushed our marriage when we were nothing more than young teens…Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with her.” …Phillip Alexander

Book 2 in the Detective Carhill Series. Be sure to also read “Sylvia’s Secret,” A Christmas Story, Detective Carhill Mystery Book 1

Buy Link for Justice for Elizabeth

A Writer’s Garden–Theme Gardens by Emma Lane

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A Writer's Garden, cozy mystery, Emma Lane, flowers, Theme Gardens, Whispers of Danger and Love

from Emma Lane

Theme gardens can be fun for adventurous gardeners who want to shake things up.

Photo by Emma Gossett on Unsplash

Colorful annuals. Their raison d’etra, reason for living, is to bloom and make seeds. To keep them full of their bright and beautiful blossoms frequent culling of the old blooms is the secret. Paying attention to color combinations will enhance bedding petunias such as blue and yellow; red, white and blue; primary colors-red, yellow and blue; all pastels.

 

Perennials are friends forever. The trick here is to plant staggered bloomers. Daffodils and tulips for spring give way to lupine and peonies in April and May. June is for roses (and brides) and July owns lilies. Hibiscus and other members of the family (Rose of Sharon) for late summer, and we all appreciate summer’s wind up with splashes of intensely colored mums and sunflowers. There are many beautiful perennials to be planted in between. Careful attention to foliage varieties is also important for a successful perennial bed: spiky Crocosmia, spreading Dianthus, and pretty round-leafed Baptismia australis which has an herbal gray cast to its foliage.

Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

Butterfly and humming bird gardens are always fun. Certainly the tiny hummers appreciate blooms where they can dip in and steal a drop of nectar, but I’ve seen them take a tiny taste of flat but colorful yarrow. My son gifts me a huge fuchsia for Mother’s Day which is the very day I usually spot the first humming bird. They love this plant! Hummers prefer trumpet shaped blooms they can dip their long bills to drink the nectar, but I have observed them sipping from a daisy.

 

Shade gardens are wonderful underneath shaded walkways. Besides the enormous varieties of hosta, spring bulbs can be followed with blue bells and other shade loving perennials. Brunneria is a precious substitute for hosta. Deer treat it with disdain. Begonias have a large variety for annual shade; my favorite is non-stop begonia in their vivid colors. Spring blooming shrubs are glorious such as rhododendrons, azaleas, dogwood and many others that liven up the woods before the trees leaf out.

Cutting gardens are wonderful for those who appreciate fresh cut bouquets for inside. Reserve a bed especially for: gladiola, tall zinnias, phlox, sunflowers, snapdragons, lisianthus, lilies, just a few of the varieties that are splendid cut flowers.

 

… which leads me to call attention to my latest Cozy Adventure/ Mystery, Whispers of Danger and Love.

The heroine is a landscape architect who speaks gardening. She struggles with a client who demands a cutting garden midsummer, (and a hunky detective who seems bound to destroy her plants.) I enjoyed relaxing in her garden even as I created it from my own imaginings. It was also fun to watch the sparks fly between a couple who knew each other as children but must readjust their thinking as adults.

About the Writer/Gardener

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma Lane, and spice as Sunny Lane.

She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.

Look for information about writing and plants on Emma’s new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest.

A Writer’s Garden—A Garden In The Treetops by Carole Ann Moleti

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Carole Ann Moleti, with a most unusual garden view.

Welcome, Carole!

Normally, when I think of a garden, I think of our frog pond, flowers and vegetables. But For the last year and a half, I’ve become accustomed to the view from my second story bedroom window. It’s the only room large and private enough for me to take my Zoom Yoga and Ballet classes.

Whether it’s setting up a makeshift barre or spreading out my mat, the hour and fifteen minutes doing something physical, as well as seeing familiar faces, has been a comforting ritual. This was particularly important because as a nurse practitioner, my workdays have been long, unpredictable, stressful, and emotional for the last year and half.

My house is surrounded by very large oak and maple trees that are homes to many squirrels. This year, I discovered they had bored a nest hole in the trunk that had been hidden from view from below. I never realized how many birds sit on those branches, and wonder if the cardinals, robins, blue jays, and sparrows have been out in force because all of us were not, or if they have always been there and I never noticed.

squirrel’s nest tree and birds’ perch

My spot for balance or demi pointe poses have been the line of trees down the block. Last fall, they displayed a beautiful riot of colors much better appreciated from the second story than ground level. My favorites are the reds and oranges, and they were very vivid last year. In winter, the branches swayed in the winds threatened my “spot” as I struggled to stay upright. But they looked so beautiful covered in snow that I didn’t want to tear my gaze away. This spring the best “spot” was the flowering trees covered with white and pink blossoms that never failed to raise my spirits.

treetop view from my spot

I noticed that leaf buds appear earlier that I’d thought: late March here in New York City. And that maples go through several different cycles with brown buds that give way to two stages of green ones. Pin oaks shed their leaves in spring before they bud out. 

I must admit I like the convenience of not having to drive to Manhattan (and park) to attend ballet class. And nothing beats jumping out of bed and taking yoga in my pajamas. The small talk in our own bedrooms and living rooms created a sense of camaraderie between instructors and attendees alike, and were also a welcome opportunity for commiseration and encouragement.

Classes are now hybrid, but I’m sticking with online. This fall, I, like millions of other students, will go back to in person classes. I’ll get back into the raucous rhythm of New York City as the seasons change once again.

I’ve spent most of the last year editing and submitting manuscripts and have focused on writing short non fiction, to help release the tension and to try and make sense of pandemic chaos. But this summer I’m prepare to ease back into fiction, and you can be sure the pandemic experience will inform my work in progress: a contemporary Western Romance set in Northern California.

But as life normalizes, I don’t want to loose this newfound skill of slowing down to notice the details not normally at eye level, as well as to savor the things my busy eyes and mind never had no time to focus on. Like these bees who chose the Lace Cap Hydrangeas over the traditional ones for their appointed rounds.

Slowing down has helped me appreciate the small details that are essential for writers, and I hope this experience will enhance my ability to find pearls to enhance my prose as well.

What has the pandemic been like for you and your writing process? And how has your adjustment to ‘normalization’ been going?

About the Writer/Gardener:

Carole Ann Moleti lives and works as a nurse practitioner in New York City, thus explaining her fascination with all things paranormal, urban fantasy, and space opera. Her nonfiction focuses on health care, politics, and women’s issues. But her first love is writing science fiction and fantasy because walking through walls is less painful than running into them.

Carole’s Cape Cod paranormal Unfinished Business Series novels have been published by Soulmate. He short stories have been featured in several of the Ten Tales fantasy anthologies, and her darker fiction has appeared in the Hell’s Kitties, Hell’s Heart and Hell’s Mall anthologies.

She won the Oasis Journal 2009 Prize for best nonfiction, and two timely pieces of her memoir have been published in the acclaimed Shifts and Impact anthologies.

Connect with Carole through her Website: Newsletter: Facebook: Amazon Author Page

Unfinished Business Series

The Widow’s Walk (Book One of the Unfinished Business series)

By Carole Ann Moleti

Mike and Liz Keeny are newlyweds, new parents, and the proprietors of the Barrett Inn, an 1875 Victorian on Cape Cod, which just happens to be haunted— by their own ghosts from past lives. The Barrett Inn had become an annex of Purgatory, putting Liz and their infant son in danger. Selling the historic seaside bed and breakfast was the only answer, one that Liz and her own tortured specter refused to consider. Were Mike and Liz doomed to follow the same path that led to disaster in their previous lives? Was getting out, getting away, enough?