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–The Scent of a Flower by Mary Vee

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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—Garden Joys by Judith Rolfs

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A Writer’s Garden, children’s book Mystery of the Silver Shells, Garden devotion, garden joys and inspiration, Judith Rolfs

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 Judith Rolfs talking about her garden joys. Welcome, Judith!

Thanks for inviting me back to speak about my two joys – gardening and writing.  I love having guests enjoy my yard. We had 25 people for the Fourth of July and six were these precious children all under five posing for a picture in my woodland garden.

I’ve become more mindful over the years what a huge spiritual activity gardening is. My perennials remind me of God’s constant, but invisible presence in my life. In early April I see nothing in my garden but hard earth. Then, it seems a miracle when hostas begin to poke up creating the perimeter of my garden followed soon by lily of the valley. These amazing plants have survived the dark frozen earth and waited patiently to reveal their splendor again. I wait for the bursting of my day lily buds into their beautiful multi-petaled stars. Shockingly, I’ve done nothing to nurture them, they simply faithfully return. What a lesson of God’s faithfulness this is.

The challenge for me is always in the waiting period until the season for growth begins.

My problem with book writing patience is similar. I often want to rush things. When I finish the first draft of a book I decide I’m done before the essential second and third draft, and a professional editing. I’ve had to learn to wait and go through the process. Literally ten drafts of my latest children’s book Mystery of the Silver Shells were needed! Book Three in the series adventures of Tommy Smurlee & Grella Weller I wrote for kids eight and up trying to make sense of the world. Figuring out who they are, what they like, what they can do, what’s right and good, what’s not. It’s a fun mystery mixed with fantasy – kids create amazing inventions. As a marriage and family counselor I hope my books help parents transmit good values. I also want children to experience the joy of creativity and develop their imaginations. I love it when my young readers tell me they want to try to write their own book after they read a Tommy Smurlee book.

I get my inspiration for both gardening and writing by walking the path around Lake Geneva daily and observing the fantastic gardens. I found this cute bear on my walk the other day. I ponder that gardeners are privileged to participate with God in bringing beauty to the world! And we Christian writers also have the joy of communicating His beautiful truth to make the world a better place.

About the Writer/Gardener:

On Judith’s YouTube channel you can find Marriage and Parenting tips plus Judith reading short stories to children from her modern fairy tales book Unforgettable Stories for Kids.

Her Amazon Author page reveals what an eclectic author she is: five star mystery novels, marriage and family how-to books and her Tommy Smurlee/Grella Weller children’s books.

Mystery of the Silver Shells

 By Judith Rolfs

It’s the popular Adventures of Tommy Smurlee fantasy series! Fun, intrigue, and danger await Tommy, Grella, and friends at the amazing Dunster’s Camp of Mystery and Inventions. Campers compete to create inventions and solve the Mystery of the Silver Shells. A battle of good versus evil rages. Unique imaginative activities fill each day with wonder! Struggles must be overcome and lessons learned, as friendships deepen at Dunster’s.

The characters are unique and lovable. Bug-loving Grella Weller with a gentle heart and a mind like Einstein; Tommy Smurlee, fascinated with numbers and geography, craves physical and mental challenges; huge Piney, with his dogged, strength are major characters. Minors include Blake driven to be first in everything and Quid, his fun-loving, intense stepbrother who can’t sit still. Toodle, small for his age, but mighty in mind, alternately cowers, then surges with bravery. Orson Gartini, filled with self-absorption is attracted to evil. The Sunmaker is the supernatural force of good and Dagta, force of evil.

Available at Amazon

A Writer’s Garden—A Season of Roses by Everley Gregg

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A Writer’s Garden, Diamonds, Everley Gregg, flowers, Forgotten Flowers of Flanders romance series, Garden blog, gardening, Horses, medieval historical romance, perserverance in the garden and in life, roses, The Knight and the Rose

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 Everley Gregg. Everley will be talking about the roses in her life. Welcome, Everley!

As far as gardening talents go, mine are a bit weak. Although I absolutely love delicate flowers like the orchid and cyclamen, I struggle to keep them going. Either I water too much or not enough. Too sunny a window or not enough light. My son gifted me a miniature gardenia for Mother’s Day and I keep hoping I don’t kill it! Nearly two months and it hasn’t bloomed yet…

Roses, however, are tough. Thank goodness this flower is such a sturdy specimen.

Scattered about our home are a number of rose bushes, stubborn, tough ladies I stuck in the ground over the years and then forgot about—until, like magic, they shock me with brilliant blooms every spring. And shock me they do, because by the time they bloom, I don’t even remember what color they were supposed to be. Apparently, the two alongside my walkway are supposed to be red. And red they are—gloriously, brilliant red.

On my front steps, since last summer, was a small pot in which a miniature rose once lived. Poor thing spent the entire winter out there, a single, bare branch sticking up through the snow. Every day when I came and went, the bony, thorned finger pointed at me, accusing me of neglect. This spring, a number of times, my husband asked if he should throw it in the trash.

“You know, honey, I think that plant on the porch is dead. Do you want me to—”

“No. I’ll take care of it.”

I’m so glad the rose heard him. A few days later, tiny green leaves appeared on that bony finger.

Just last week we transplanted the struggling plant into a bigger pot, with new soil and a sunnier location—on a roller thingy so I can move it inside when winter comes. Just look at it now! It’s even got a bud on it. I wonder if these blooms will be red, like the others?

There is another red rose that has come into my life. Her name is Rose Diamond.

In 2019, I suffered a debilitating shoulder injury that cost me my career as well as many other activities I’ve enjoyed all my life: fishing, golfing, archery, bowling. My favorite sport by far, though, was riding horses. I started riding at the age of eight, and since adulthood, spent very few years “horseless.” I was informed I would likely never ride again.

So what did I do, at the tender age of 63, with limited use of my dominant right arm, when the doctors delivered this damning decree? I bought a horse.

And yes, her name is Rose Diamond. Brilliant red she is, and a diamond through and through. We snapped this photo the day she came home, my daughter showing her off.

With the help of a skilled and sympathetic occupational therapist who specializes in the equestrian sport, I now have dreams of riding again—on my Rose. Honestly, since she came into my life last fall, there were many times when she was the only thing keeping me going. Animals have almost supernatural healing powers. Horses are no exception.

Writing—my other passion, almost as essential as breathing—has been a challenge with a “stupid” right hand. But much like that stubborn rose on my front porch, I persevere. My latest romance series is medieval historical. Is it any wonder the book I was working on when Rose cantered into my life was entitled “The Knight and the Rose”? Mayhap. It is the second in my series called Forgotten Flowers of Flanders, published by Dragonblade Publishing.

So yes, the theme for my life of late has been the rose, a species known to be tough. Hardy. Difficult to kill. I so needed the inspiration of this tenacious flower over the last few, trying years. And in so many, different ways, the rose has been there for me.

My sister-in-law is a photographer who lives two states away. We finally got a chance to spend some time together last month after lockdown eased. I was telling her about my horse.

“What’s her name?”

“Rose,” I replied. “Rose Diamond. Isn’t that lovely?”

Her eyes widened. “Have I got a photograph for you!”

Terri took this photo way before Rose came into my life, back in 2019. The year I was injured. Probably the very same month…

The diamond in the center of this gorgeous bloom was her grandmother’s engagement ring. She called the photo “Diamond Rose.” I told her she was clairvoyant.

Except she got the name backwards. 🙂

About the Writer/Gardener:

Everley Gregg is in love with medieval history. She’s always been mysteriously drawn to Flanders, the area of the world now encompassing France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. If she ever gets to go back in time, 15^th Century Flanders is where she’d want to be.

In this life, Everley resides in Massachusetts with her husband of over 40 years (she’s an expert at happily-ever-after). Her other loves (besides writing) are raising Persian cats, riding dressage horses, and reading. Everley earned her MFA in creative writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA., and also writes award-winning supernatural suspense and women’s fiction as Claire Gem.

Everley loves to hear from her fans! Sign up for her newsletter at www.everleygregg.com.

Connect with Everley on Facebook: Twitter:  BookBub: Goodreads:

The Knight and the Rose

By Everley Gregg

Will a proud knight fight for the widow’s honor . . . and heart?

Fifteenth Century, Burgundy

Beverielle Buchanan wears a shroud of guilt she didn’t earn. The daughter of a tavern wench in the Flemish port of Antwerp, she is one of many of Duke Philip’s bastard daughters. But the duchess, Lady Isabella, brings the girl home to court to raise as a lady. Beverielle’s Scottish roots rise to the surface when she meets the brawny Highlander knight. But in a cruel twist of fate, she is betrothed to an Italian merchant of the duke’s choosing. Only three months married, and she finds herself a widow. Her hopes for capturing the heart of the Scottish knight renew until she discovers she may already be carrying the Italian’s child.

Honoring the Auld Alliance, Knight Ròidh Keegan left the Highlands to join Duke Philip’s army in defense of Burgundy. His fealty over, he’s planning his trip back to Scotland when Beverielle, the flame-haired girl he met at Coudenburg, arrives at Germolles Castle. The then-gangly child has blossomed into a lush young woman. Now, however, she is a widow, and a pregnant one at that. Can the knight, soon to be laird of his own castle, still consider the Scottish lass for his bride? His heart says aye, though a long journey and many obstacles lie in their path. But Keegan is a knight, trained to fight.

Will he take on the battle for Beverielle’s heart and honor?

Want to read more? You can find The Knight and the Rose at Amazon

A Writer’s Garden : Gardening – A Family Legacy by Liz Tolsma

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A Writer’s Garden, Christian Suspense Romance, family gardening, flowers, Garden blog, garden legacy, Liz Tolsma, perennial 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 Liz Tolsma, who will be sharing the family legacy of her garden. Welcome, Liz!

blazing star

My husband and I had just purchased our first house, and we stood in a backyard and stared at the overgrown, falling apart dog kennel behind the garage. Because we were on a corner lot, the house faces one street, and the garage faced another. That meant we could see this hideous sight from our kitchen window and our patio.

Something needed to be done.

My father was an avid perennial gardener. His yard was beautiful. So when he had a day off, I invited him over and showed him our mess of a yard. To his credit, he wasn’t daunted by the task before him. He suggested we start in the front. Okay, so he didn’t want to tackle the back! Our bushes were out of control, and he helped me trim them.

Underneath the leftover winter debris under these buses, he discovered hostas. I had never heard of such a thing, but he was excited. He even knew the variety they were – Royal Standard. He told me they were great shade plants and that they would bloom white later in the summer. To this day, he gushes about the amazing find we made that day.

We then went to a local nursery and purchased some moonbeam coreopsis. He thought they would do well in our shady yard. I got quite the education in perennials that day.

And it didn’t stop. Once my husband and I tore out the dog kennel, my father gave us some plants from his yard. He patiently told us the name of each one (usually the scientific name) and how to care for it. Before long, our yard was filled with color.

• 

• 

• 

Apparently, it runs in the blood. My great-grandfather was a gardener. My grandfather started his own landscaping company once he retired from dairy farming. I have cousins who are avid gardeners. I guess you could say we have dirt in our veins.

My dad can no longer garden, but each time I walk to my yard, I can hear him waxing about each plant. It’s a legacy he’s passed to me, and one I hope to pass to my children one of these days. Along with some of the plants now growing in my yard that came from my dad’s.

About the Writer/Gardener:

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a U.S. Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find her working in her large perennial garden, her happy place. To her, there’s nothing better than a little dirt underneath your fingernails and a bouquet on your table. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

The Silver Shadow

By Liz Tolsma 

Denver of 1900 is still a dangerous place to be following the silver crash of 1893. And of out of the dark comes a shadow intent on harming women. Ambitious young Denver newspaper reporter Polly Blythe is searching for the big story that’s going to launch her career. On Friday evening, August 24, 1900, she gets her break when two women are cracked over the head within a two-minute walk of each other. But policeman Edwin Timmer thwarts Polly’s ideas of a serial criminal. . .until the shadowy figure strikes again. Will the reporter and the policeman team up to find the culprit before he strikes too close for comfort?

Want to read more? You can find The Silver Shadow, a Christian Suspense Romance on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbook.com

A Writer’s Garden–The Healing Garden by Christa MacDonald

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A Writer’s Garden, Christa MacDonald, flowers, Gardening blog, plants, Redemption Road, romantic suspense, roses, Sweet romance, the healing effect of a garden, tomatoes, vegetables

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 Christa MacDonald who will talking about her garden and its healing and calming effect. I’m sure we can all relate. I know I can. Welcome, Christa!

Tomatoes in Grow Bags

It’s June and my garden is already overgrown. I have not been attentive this year. This is more of a problem than usual because I added two additional beds. Also complicating things, I decided to put my tomatoes in grow-bags. It’s my anti-blight experiment. For years I never had blight issues, but the last two summers have been pretty brutal so I’m seeing if the grow bags can solve it. So far, I’ve only seen the impact on my water bill. Yikes these things dry out quickly!

The roses have been outstanding this year. Is anyone else having a rose year to end all years? It’s a balm to my tattered soul.

• 

• 

After a very rough few months managing a job heavily impacted by the pandemic, I went into this gardening year a bit ragged. This was followed by the sudden loss of my 17-year-old daughter, Eden, to an undiagnosed, asymptomatic intracranial brain hemorrhage. The shock, the struggle to save her and the devastation knowing we couldn’t has nearly finished me off. Grief is an angry ocean, and I am tossed about on its waves, struggling to keep my head above water. Sitting in my garden, especially in the evenings, is a way I’ve found to calm the seas. 

Gardens are healing places. I’m not sure if it’s being connected to God’s creation, the smell and vibrancy of life all around, or just the quiet and peace of it that does it. The garden offers a safe place to be your wounded self. Weeping is entirely acceptable with the plants, and so is staring off into the distance, lost in thought. And if you’re feeling the rage coming, take it out on the weeds. They won’t mind. 

Eden’s Rose

In my family, I’m the only gardener. Eden hated gardening, although she loved plants, specifically bright, vibrant, unusual ones. She even kept a moss terrarium up in her room. But the act of digging in the dirt, dodging bees (she was allergic to wasps), and dealing with the heat – not her thing. Every Saturday, though, we’d watch the BBC program Gardeners’ World together. I even planted a rose because it shared her name. 

As it happens, that rose was in the front yard and took a beating this winter. It looked close to death, so I transplanted it to my herbaceous border in the back. At first, things were looking grim, but it hung tough, and a few days ago, just after Eden died, the rose with her name gave me a bloom. It was as if the garden knew I needed to see that proof of life. I, of course, wept. 

But our family has something better than a bloom as proof of life after death. Eden was a child of God, saved by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Our souls are eternal, and it’s a comfort knowing that hers is with the Father. 

Sitting in my garden tonight, in the gloaming, I can’t help but think that those of us who garden, who hike forests, who farm, who seek out God’s creation, we are the lucky few. God is the original gardener; we are His apprentice. Time spent tending his creation is time spent with Him. What is more healing than that? 

About the Writer/Gardener:

Christa MacDonald is a lifelong gardener and writer living in New England despite its terribly short growing season. She’s the author of the Sweet River Redemption contemporary Christian romance series. All three books are now out on Amazon and the first in the series, The Broken Trail, is on audio at Audible

Connect with Christa on her Website.

Redemption Road

By Christa MacDonald

It’s redemption that he needs, and she’ll pay any price to help him find it.

As the new game warden in Sweet River, Alex Moretti is focused on enforcing Maine’s wildlife laws and little else. Moving from tragedy to a fresh start, all he wants is a way to fix his life in the tranquility of the north woods. Until he meets Annie Caldwell at Coffee by the Book. But his own bitter, dark life is a threat to Annie’s sweetness and light. It’s better for him to stay away.

Annie doesn’t know how to label her relationship with Alex, but she is determined to figure it out. After a few false starts and a kiss under the Christmas lights, their romance goes from fiction to fact. Annie has fallen hard. Then trouble shows up. Someone is stalking Alex, seeking to punish him for a mistake which ended in deadly consequences. When Annie becomes a target, he tries to push her away, but she won’t abandon him. Alex is desperate to keep Annie safe while he attempts to reconcile the past, but what he really needs is redemption. And she will risk her life to help him find it.

A Writer’s Garden–Puppy Gardening 101 by M.K. Scott

Tags

A Writer’s Garden, amateur sleuth, cozy mystery, flowers, Free book limited time offer, Garden blog, garden safety for pets, Gardening with dogs, husband and wife writing team, MK Scott, Wedding Cake Blues, woman sleuth

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 husband and wife author team M.K. Scott, co-starring puppy Janeway, who was the inspiration for this garden blog.  Welcome, M.K.!

Thanks, Catherine.

Writers have to write, even if their work never gets published. Gardeners have to garden even if they decided to get a lab puppy during 2020. Welcome to Puppy Gardening 101. With a puppy, we opted for a new fence, which resulted in digging up all my irises along the fence row and transferring them to my gated gnome garden. An excellent decision because Iris are toxic to dogs. Here’s a complete list of what could be fatal to your pet courtesy to ASPCA.

I discovered many of my standbys were toxic to my four-legged chewing machine. She showed a partiality to roses, which aren’t toxic.

Janeway, named after Star Trek Captain Janeway, unearthed my transplanted rosebushes that I babied to keep alive. Fences only increase the challenge. So, what’s a gardener and puppy owner to do?

• 

• 

Most of my plants have moved to the front yard, gnome garden or on top of the picnic table. Hubby built four high gardens that are about three feet off the ground. Inside of those I planted marigolds and petunias.

Outside the gnome garden, but still fenced, I planted roses, sunflowers, and zinnias.  The list of safe flowers is considerably shorter than the toxic one.

Fortunately, the dog safe flowers grow well in our area. As puppy Janeway grows into her full size, I realize potentially toxic plants may not pose as much a danger to her as to a toy dog. Often, it is the root or bulbs that are toxic. Thinking back on our former dogs, most had no interest in the gardens or the flowers, except for Chance, a boxer mix. I used to watch with great interest a bud ready to bloom only to find the flower vanished after it bloomed. Once I peeped out my window and caught Chance in the act of snapping the blooms off my yellow rose bushes and eating them. Apparently, he loved flowers, too.

While dogs may not have the same appreciation for flowers as gardeners do, they love to interact with them. When Janeway greets me with the stem of a blossoming flower, I take it from her and thank her pretending she meant to pick it just for me. It works out better this way.  I tell myself she won’t always be this way. If not, I always have my gnome garden.

About M K Scott

M. K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind cozy mystery series, The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries, The Talking Dog Detective Agency, The Way Over the Hill Gang, and Cupid’s Catering Company.

 Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities.

The Internet and experts in the field provide forensic information, while the recipes and B and B details require a more hands on approach. Morgan’s daughter, who manages a hotel, provides guest horror stories to fuel the plot lines. The couple’s dog, Jane, is the inspiration behind Jasper, Donna’s dog.

 Working together and still happily married.

MK Scott Social Media Links  Website Facebook Twitter Amazon

Wedding Cake Blues

By MK Scott

Della always dreamed of owning a bakery and catering service. But the fate of her dream come true rests on how well her business, Cupid’s Catering Company, pulls off the wedding of the decade.

As she and her team work their magic in the kitchen, the lavish affair takes a troubling turn. The bridegroom has vanished, but in a strange twist of events, she’s the only one who’s concerned about his disappearance.

As rumors that the groom-to-be caught a case of cold feet and whisperings about his ties to unsavory characters swirling, Della trades in her chef’s hat for a sleuth fedora and follows the clues.

Can she find the bridegroom, save her bakery, and fend off her mother’s matchmaking attempts before it’s too late?

Currently, Wedding Cakes Blues is free on Bookfunnel the month of June, Here is the link for the free book.  

It may also be purchased from Amazon for those who prefer that method.

A Writer’s Garden-The Trials and Triumphs of Landscaping by Chris Paxson

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A Writer’s Garden, Chris Paxson, Garden blog, Garden devotion, garden tips, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message  Bible Study book, Proverbs 9:10 Ministries

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 Chris Paxson, one half of the co-founding team of Proverbs 9:10 Ministries. Chris will be sharing her 30 years of landscaping trials. Welcome, Chris!

           

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Almost 30 years ago my husband and I built a house on a sloping piece of land in the fertile soils of southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. It’s a mostly wooded lot, with rocks, roots and vines that can make you want to call landscaping quits more than once! Still, thirty years and many more landscaped areas later, every spring makes us glad that we persevered and stuck to the challenge.

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            There are some things that a beginning gardener, like me 30 years ago, would be better off knowing. First and foremost (or the one I wish I had known) is that it’s best to buy many of the same plant, and plant them together for effect. Being void of that knowledge, I spent many years shopping at the local garden center buying a variety of four-inch potted plants and spreading them out. I’m still grappling with the problems from that mistake to this day. Some other things I’ve learned in the process are that only certain plants grow under the shade of walnut trees that are poisonous to most plants. If a plant tag says “sun/part shade” it does best in mostly sun. And I’ve learned that sometimes you have to sacrifice a plant that’s not doing well, rather than trying to save every sprig of anything that’s alive, if you want to keep your sanity!

            Life as a Christian has some of the same attributes as the life of a gardener. It takes perseverance to learn about God through prayer and Bible study. There are some things it’s better off knowing from the start, like the fact that God is Sovereign over every single thing. Having that knowledge makes it easier to understand the Bible and helps in dealing with everyday life! During your walk you’ll encounter rocks and boulders of sin that you have to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to dig out of your life. You’ll encounter temptations like vines and roots that constantly threaten to trip you up. And, last but not least, it’s often better to narrow your focus. You’ll have things that you’d like to hold on to, but that only tend clutter up your life like sprigs of individual plants that are good, but in your garden only become eyesores. You need to let go of those.

            Thirty years of trial and triumph makes you able to relax and enjoy the journey. So keep planting and watering. Try new things. Dig out the old and replant it somewhere else. if that doesn’t work, toss it, or hand it over to someone else. Narrow your focus to what’s most important. Most of all, love God and do everything for His glory alone. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

About the Authors:    

Chris Paxson & Rose Spiller are co-founders of Proverbs 9:10 Ministries and co-hosts of the No Trash, Just Truth Podcast. They have been teaching Bible Studies for over 20 years and have written many of their own studies. Along with teaching together, they speak at conferences and retreats. Their second book, The Bible Blueprint – A Guide to Better Understanding the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, an overview of each of the 66 books of the Bible, is due out in this summer. They are in the process of writing their third book, Deciphering Revelation. Connect with Chris and Rose:

Links to Proverbs 9:10 Ministries & No Half Truths Allowed

Website:  https://proverbs910ministries.com

Proverbs 9:10 Ministries on MeWe:  https://mewe.com/p/proverbs910ministries

Instagram: proverbs910ministries

No Trash, Just Truth! Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/615385 can also be found on all major podcasting sites, Rumble, & YouTube

No Half-Truths Allowed – Understanding the Complete Gospel Message

by Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller

Authors Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller were frustrated at the fluff and heresy being pedaled as “Women’s Bible Studies.” Many studies are shallow and emotion-based, not grounded in the truth of Scripture, and they found this particularly true in regard to the Gospel Message. Because of a genuine concern for salvation and what was being witnessed, they wrote their Book and Bible study, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message (Ambassador International, May 8, 2020, $15.99). When it comes to proclaiming the Gospel message, half-truths, vague notions, and generalizations can be dangerous. What are the important truths we need to know and share with others? Is it enough to believe that God loves us and wants a relationship with us? Is it enough to “ask Jesus into our hearts”? Is it enough to recite the “sinner’s prayer,” or do we need to repent of our sin? Is going to church and serving others enough? Is what Jesus suffered more than just a gruesome death on a cross? If Jesus, who is fully God, was crucified, did God die on Good Friday? Is God mad at us when we sin and happy when we’re behaving? Can we lose our salvation? If you’re not sure of the answers to any of these questions, join Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller as they explore the answers to these and many other questions.

A Writer’s Garden, Chris Paxson, garden tips, garden blog, Garden devotion, Proverbs 9:10 Ministries, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message  Bible Study book,