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

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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

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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—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–Theme Gardens by Emma Lane

Tags

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–What COVID Did for My Garden by Caroline Warfield

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Caroline Warfield, COVID garden, garden pictures, historical romance, Longwood Gardens, The Ahsmead Heirs, The Wayward Son

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 Caroline Warfield who is sharing the good things that COVID did for her garden. Welcome, Caroline!

Gardens are one thing; gardening is another. I generally say I love the first, but I’m not fond of the second, nor particularly skilled. Covid turned that on its head.  We could no longer plan visits to the public gardens we’ve known and loved—from Longwood near Philadelphia to Versailles and the Vatican Gardens. Worse, we had no way  to visit ones still on our bucket list, such as Kew. All we could do is stare at our own piece of earth. Perhaps that was a blessing.

The plantings across the front had to go first. At the very beginning of the pandemic, we hired a crew (masked and outside) to remove ugly yew bushes and plant flower beds. We thoroughly enjoyed the sequence of blooms all spring and summer. Four little plants, short and unassuming in the very back puzzled me. I didn’t recognize them and worried they were unrecognized weeds. They weren’t. Imagine my  delight this spring when they shot up  into glorious bloom—Foxgloves.

We spent weeks staring at sprawling patch of grass out back. We removed the dead and dying pines that lined the back lane, and planted four trees.

Charging into the second spring, we raised the vegetable patch three inches and  filled it with mushroom compost.

Then  we plunged into a tougher project, a flower border along our back patio. Removing sod  to create a new bed exhausted us, particularly when we realized the spot was heavily  clay. We learned about the uses of gypsum and hard work, but we did it. We used the rest of the compost, and lined the patio with  bee balm and other hummingbird-friendly flowering plants. I’m rather proud of it!

By then restrictions were lifting and a visit from a friend gave me an excuse to visit Longwood Gardens again. Next year it will be back to visits to great public gardens, but our own ground will be much the better for our year of Covid.

Book Two of The Ashmead Heirs has a pivotal scene in a rose garden… but that is a story for another time.

About  the Writer/Gardener:

Award winning author Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.

Connect with Caroline on her Website and Blog   Facebook    Twitter   YouTube                                            

The Ahsmead Heirs

About the Series

When the old Earl of Clarion leaves a will with bequests for all his children, legitimate and not, listing each and their mothers by name, he complicates the lives of many in the village of Ashmead. One of them grew believing he was the innkeeper’s son. He is the first of The Ashmead Heirs.

Book One: The Wayward Son

Sir Robert Benson’s life is in London. He fled Ashmead the day he discovered the man he thought was his father had lied to him, and the girl he loved was beyond his reach. Only a nameless plea from his sister—his half-sister—brings him back. He will not allow a ludicrous bequest from the earl who sired him turn him into a mockery of landed gentry. When a feisty little termagant with flashing eyes—and a musket—tries to turn Rob off the land—his land—he’s too amused and intrigued to turn away. But the longer he stays, the tighter the bonds that tie him to Ashmead become, strengthened by the powerful draw of the woman rooted on land he’s determined to sell.

Lucy Whitaker’s life is Willowbrook, its land, its tenants, its prosperity—and her precious  apiary—but she always knew it wasn’t hers, knew the missing heir would come eventually. When a powerful man with military bearing rides up looking as if he wants to come in and count the silver, she turns him away, but her heart sinks. She can’t deny Rob Benson his property; she can only try to make him love the place as she does, for her peoples’ sake. A traitorous corner of her heart wishes Rob would love it for her sake.

His life is London; hers is Ashmead. How can they forge something lasting when they are torn in two directions?

Available on Kindle Unlimited or for purchase: 

A Writer’s Garden–Herbs, Berries and God’s Grace by Tema Banner

Tags

A Writer's Garden, berries, Garden blog, Garden devotion, Herbs, Tema Banner

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 Tema Banner who will be sharing her herb garden with us. Welcome, Tema!

Lavender

Herbs are probably one of the first plants that a new gardener gravitates to, they are easy to grow and can be used on so many of the dishes we enjoy. Oddly enough, despite being raised by parents who had a large garden, the only herb I remember in our yard was mint. My father and mother would crush a few leaves and put it in their iced tea. Consequently, it was the first herb I ever planted. I listened to a wise gardener who told me to plant it in a pot so that it would not take over my garden or yard.  My favorite herb is Rosemary. I have seen it planted as a shrub in landscaping designs and thought it a smart move, it provides an evergreen presence and a clean, refreshing scent.

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  lavender and mint

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  lamb’s ear and rosemary

Several years ago, my husband and son made me lovely, raised garden beds and the herb garden was the first I put in. The nearest to my back door, it is a joy to walk out and snip basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and chives. Mint dominates two pots and last year I decided to try my hand at mint jelly. As an adult I rarely eat mint jelly but as a child I remember eating more than my share. One usually thinks of berries when making jelly and over the past several years I have canned strawberry jelly and last July added blueberry conserve and pie filling to the list. Why not try mint? It was a little time consuming, but how delightful to taste that first spoonful. I made more than we will ever eat. I expect it will make its’ way into Christmas gift packages.

Blueberries

I would like to say that the blueberries that I made into pie filling and conserve came from my own garden. Alas, of the four bushes I planted last year, two did not survive and it was determined that the soil was too alkaline. We are taking steps to save the two which remain by addition of peat moss, fertilizer, and coffee grounds. We hope to add blackberries to the berry garden as well as everbearing strawberries – you may be sure we have checked the soil to prevent further loss.

oregano

The joy and sorrow of gardening, always I am learning and growing. The plants show me what they like and do not like. Doesn’t that remind you of how we learn and grow as believers? We many times believe we know what is best for our lives and march right along and do as we please. Like me planting the blueberries in a spot I was sure would be perfect. I did not take the simple step to check the soil. We do not check with God or His word to see if indeed we are doing what is best, thinking we know. In my life, this has taken me to places of sorrow, loss, and regret. But God, our Father, Creator, lover of our souls, grows our roots into rich soil, even in the midst of our bad choices. He tends us with His grace and mercy, His truth and guidance the fertilizer we need to grow and flourish and reflect how great He is.

About the Author:

Outside of writing, gardening is my greatest pleasure. Planting, watching the metamorphosis of the plant from seed to fruit, it is a wonderful picture of how God works in our lives. I write Biblical and historical romance and am currently working on a Biblical fiction series, Daughters of the King. My website is www.temabannerauthor.com and I may be followed at Facebook or Instagram

A Writer’s Garden—A Spring Harbinger Garden by Carole Brown

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A Writer's Garden, books, Carole Brown, garden pictures, romantic mysteries, Spring garden. flowers, The Golden Touch

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 author Carole Brown, who has loads of spring garden pictures to share with us today! Welcome, Carol!

Let me be honest. I love flowers and gardens. All kinds, all shapes and sizes. They make me happy, infuse peacefulness in our busy lives and encourage me to relax and enjoy the life around me. I have a lot of Spring-type plants, and today I want to share with you a few that are Spring’s harbingers.

But they do take work. Plus we have lots and lots of trees around us, so I have to make sure to find the right spots for the plants. Right now, we’re remodeling several parts of our land and property. Our gardens will get some make-overs, and I plan on adding a few more.

Here are a few of my favorite late, late winter, early spring flowers and trees that never fail to give us a bit of sunshine even though the cold lingers.

The first one is an Irish Lenten Rose. Loves the shade and is always the first to bloom!

The second ones to burst into bloom, as if they can hardly wait, are the Ornamental Pear Trees and the Redbud Trees. Some of my favorites! It’s almost as if they’re promising that better (warmer) days are coming.

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Soon after, the Lily of the Valleys show their stuff, shyly, of course, along with our Bleeding hearts.  They’re such a “hanging back” type of plant that you almost have to search them out amidst all the other more showy plants.

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I’ve babied a rhododendrum that FINALLY bloomed this year. The blossoms are outstanding, and I’m so happy I finally was able to see it bloom so beautifully! I’ve bragged on it quite a bit because I want it to continue to do well, year after year! 🙂 

Finally, I’ll share a couple of pictures of things that give these flowers an extra touch of specialness. One is of an old wishing well that I inherited from my aunt. It sits comfortably among the overgrown Snow on the Mountain vines, never asking for much, but a reminder of how fragile life is and to enjoy every moment. 

Last is a sweet little girl sitting on a bench with her little basket. She’s adorable, and I love glancing at her when I pass by. A reminder that there’s always hope.

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As Spring flows into summer, these flowers will be gone, but there’s a promise in them. That there will be another Spring, another year, if all goes well. Hold tight to that promise.

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

The Golden Touch

By Carole Brown

Not again… Ryle Sadler stared down at the financial statement lying on his desk. His investment firm had just sent him another record of overwhelming success. Time to sell his share in this stock. Ryle came from the poor side of the tracks, but that had no bearing on his success in life—which he keeps hidden from everyone, especially those in Appleton. But when he buys the local, rundown bed and breakfast, mysterious revelations from beneath the site are suddenly threatening to ruin his good standing with the citizens. Then along comes Jazzi Sanderson. Jazzi has a reputation of being wild, but Ryle sees more than is on the top layer of this woman. Beneath that tough, wild streak lurks a woman who wants to be loved by the right person, a woman who is tender-hearted and who is just finding out that God is real. Are Ryle and Jazzi’s worlds too far apart or can their differences help them solve the mystery that lies beneath Ryle’s bed and breakfast? Will the evil person behind it all be able to silence them, or can Ryle’s golden touch prevail in this endeavor too?

Want to read more? You can find’s Carole’ Romantic Mystery The Golden Touch on Amazon