Lessons from the garden

 I’m not the world’s greatest gardener but you would never know that from my photos. I tend to zoom in on the good bits, the pretty flowers, or a bowl of ripe home-grown strawberries.

There’s seems to be a lack of bright colours at the moment, just shades of green. Something has eaten the flowers I planted the other week.

But I did take a few photos yesterday and created a collage to share on Facebook.

My dwarf beans were beginning to flower – young plants full of potential.

Alas when I looked today, they are mostly covered in slug slime – not sure I’ll even have enough for one meal when they are ready to harvest.

Then there is my climbing rose by the back door. Perhaps it is past its best for this summer, strewn petals have littered the ground, dead heads have been plucked and binned. The solitary rose that is left looks magnificent and so is the delicate fragrance.

Sadly today it looks more forlorn and crispy round the edges. I’m glad I took a photo yesterday.

One thing is the same today as yesterday, not ravaged by heat or rain. The allium seed head is quite magnificent. It was even more spectacular covered in multitudes of deep purple flowers a month ago. Particularly when sprinkled with sparkling rain drops. However, it remains elegant in this final season. Worthy of being photographed.

 As I ponder the plants in my garden and the stages they are at, I compare them to my own life.

I am hardly a young bean anymore – a has-bean maybe?

I don’t think I’ve quite reached the seed head stage.

Perhaps I am most like the rose bush, still blooming, pushing out a burst of colour every now and then.

 

Then I remember the passage from Ecclesiastes chapter 3

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 … and I remember that Jesus told stories about seeds and plants and growing things.

As ever there is much to ponder in the garden, and maybe a few too many weeds to pull up. I grab a handful, throw them in the bin and come inside to write this, considering my words to be like rose petals, beautifully layered causing you to stop and wonder.

Waiting for the rain to fall

One of the best things about being part of Resolute Books is the camaraderie of working with others writers. We are a collective of authors with various talents who all publish under the Resolute logo.

As well as our differing experiences we write in different styles and genres.

We have only been up and running for just over a year and we already have 8 titles, crime, historical fiction, parts one and two of a Young Adult dystopian thriller, some poetry, Jane Austen inspired short stories and of course my memoir in flash.

They make a stunning display when we are selling them at events.

With Ruth Leigh, indoors at the Darsham Book Fair

We’ve done a few events now but this weekend was the first one outside at the Bury St Edmunds Makers Market.

“Let’s book a pitch in July!” said Ruth fully expecting wall to wall sunshine, the gazebo only needed for shade.

Alas the forecast was mixed, starting dry but with heavy thunderstorms expected by lunchtime.

All thoughts of wearing a floaty summer dress and looking the part of the elegant writer went out of the window as I opted for my winter sparkly jumper, skirt with sequins, accessorised with woolly tights and boots. When the sun shone, I felt over dressed but once the temperature dipped I was the only one who didn’t resort to throwing my raincoat on.

You see the expected rain never materialised. At least now where we were. I’m not sure how we missed it, some of the puddles when driving home stretched across the entire road.

All afternoon we waited and watched, checked our various weather apps, none of which seemed to get it right.

We discussed the colour of the clouds. Gun metal grey – too dark, elephant breath, silver frost, pearlescent dust, old man’s beard?

I’d fully expected the day to be a total wash out, with three ladies of a certain age wrapped up in raincoats, raindrops dripping off our noses trying to keep the stock dry. Reading books is the perfect pastime on a rainy day if you are inside, otherwise rain and paper don’t mix.

In the end the day surpassed our expectations, we sold several books and had some great conversations with those visiting the market.

With Ruth and Lesley - holding an array of cracking summer reads.

When I returned home the heavens opened and there was a terrific thunderstorm, but the sun made an appearance at the same time creating a double rainbow. I even managed to get a photo of rainbow and lightning in one shot.

Can you see the lightning? Underneath the rainbow.

It was a complete and utter fluke that I pressed the button at just the right time, but just like the British summer you have no idea what each day will bring. You might just catch the perfect moment.

So, roll on the next event, come rain or shine we will still be smiling 😊