Sharon Lovejoy writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Entirely Happy Under the Sun

2012-05-22T23:26:00.000-07:00

This is my new, little book (front and back covers)

You get the first peek of my new bird book, My First Bird Book and Bird Feeder, for children (regardless of age). See how it is packed inside a neat, window-mount feeder? The back of the feeder has a round porthole so kids can look through it and watch the birds in action. Ask for it in October 2012 or order now.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for writing and sharing all the adventures that you're having in your lives. I want to answer all your letters, but the new children's novel and some other projects (not to mention the garden) are stealing every waking (and some sleeping) hours.

Jump on by and visit the Imagine Childhood blog, which features a fun and personal interview with me. Please leave a comment, and you'll be eligible for their great give-aways. You can choose any one of my books AND a pottery toad cottage for your garden. Enjoy!

Carla and others who have written to ask for another video–here it is. I'm not great at this though, so forgive me for the shaking hands and moving too fast. Just as you look I am already moving on to something else. This video features half of my garden.

"I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins, and I did not want to be anything more. I was entirely happy."

My Antonia (1918)

by Willa Cather

I'll do another video in a week or two. I am more myself, whatever that self is, when I am working in my garden. Whether I am weeding or just sitting, watching, and listening to the life of a garden, I am happy.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

p.s. Come visit me on Saturday, June 2, at the Curious Cup Bookstore in Carpinteria (near Santa Barbara), California, at 2 p.m. for a free garden talk and Q and A about publishing.

My Version of the Chaos Theory

2012-05-14T22:32:00.004-07:00

Do you want a simple (and not totally scientific) definition of the Chaos Theory? Well, I can reduce it down to one word. SPRING. Spring hit my garden, and it exploded with growth, seedlings, climbing vines, wildflowers, weeds, ...you name it; I've got it, and it is out of control here.

Section of our front yard. Zillions of peaches and nectarines.

Each corner of the front beds boast handsome spears of silver artichokes (some of them are 6 feet tall)

Ten tall artichokes are producing like crazy. I can't get enough of them, and Jeff doesn't like them. Says they are too much work for too little food. I like the whole, satisfying act of scraping the leaf and eating the heart.

I run around at about 80 miles per hour. Don't do that because you'll soon find out (as I did) that you'll trip and do all sorts of horrible things to your body. The roses will bite you, the stone steps will remove your toenails, the hollyhocks will make a rash pop out on your sunburned arms, the stairs will trip you, and the constant lifting and bending will make you take to your bed with an ice pack and Ibuprofen. What a hobby.

Let's talk about weeds– you'll work on a patch, think it is totally clear, then turn around and find more sow thistle and dandelions that you somehow just didn't see the first time. And watch out; those over exuberant self sowing flowers that you thought you couldn't get enough of? YOU CAN get enough of them when they take over your carefully planned, mixed borders and turn them into a sea of love-in-a-mist (or? pick your plant) that tower over and shade everything.

They ARE glorious though.

Griping, no not really. Just stating facts, but I must also admit to loving every second of work. (I'll have to check and see if Jeff feels the same way. He helps me with all the heavy stuff.)

This pomegranate is blooming like crazy. I have high hopes for lots of fruit this year. This was the first fruit tree I planted here six years ago. Now there are 66. Jeff keeps saying that we don't have room for more, but I usually find another few inches of sunny space for ones I can't live without.

Ok, I'm a permissive parent. Hollyhocks are coming up everywhere...

...as is borage, but who can get enough of this? It is popping up in containers too. Green lacewings deposit their eggs on borage, and the voracious young (aphid lions) of the lacewings love to eat aphids.

The delicious kitchen garden with a peek of my studio doors in back.

The borders around the kitchen garden entice children and birds. I am accustomed to Robins taking these berries, but lately the Scrub Jays have really been chowing down on them. These are delightful little fraises des bois.

Delicious and easy-to-grow chives are always a part of my borders.

Edible Sweet William flowers in the kitchen garden (aka potager) .

I plant Cecile Brunner roses wherever I garden. These sweet, thumb-sized flowers fill the air with their scent.

The back yard is crowded with figs, grapes, apples, apricots, kumquats, Mandarin orange, Washington navel orange, loquat, strawberries, nepeta, poppies, blanket flower, salvia, red osier dogwood and more. Heaven for me.

Sorry I've been away so long, but too much has been going on. I finished my article for Country Gardens magazine, and I just finished writing all the captions for the photos. I think the piece will be coming out in the Fall issue. I'll let you know as soon as I know. The piece is fun and shows a bit of the inside of our home. The bad is that I had just been in the hospital with a drug reaction to sulphur and my face literally looks like a pink pumpkin. I could barely open my eyes in the photo, so please excuse the way I look. Yikes.

If you'd like to see me with my normal face, please join me at the Curious Cup Bookstore, a wonderful, independent book store in Carpinteria, California, on Saturday, June 2 at 2:00 p.m. for a demo and booksigning. (Click here for more upcoming appearances.)

I've also been working on other assignments, reviewing books for a university to help them decide if they want to publish the book, and finishing my middle grade novel. I have about 10,000 words to go.

My granddaughter Sara has been totally involved in the process of my writing this and listens to every word, then adds comments, asks salient questions, and really helps me write from the viewpoint and with the voice of an eleven year old. I love the process of writing; it is similar to the process of gardening.

One of my favorite writing quotes is:

"Better to write for yourself and have no public,

than to write for the public and have no self."

Cyril Connolly (1903-1974)

Our WINNER of the fantastic antique quilted cow pillow is Julie Marie of Idyllhours.blogspot.com. Congratulations, Julie Marie. (e-mail us your mailing address) Julie Marie is a member of the Grimy Hands Girls (and Men's) Club so she'll receive a bonus gift.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

P.S. Please visit my newest Lowe's Creative Ideas blog posting. Also visit Dee Nash's great posts, well heck, visit them all. They're filled with great ideas and inspiration.

P.P.S. I just attended the Cayucos Street flea market. We arrived late because I have this feeling that if something is meant for me, it will be there. And it was! This mid-1800 paint box if filled with raw minerals, a glass mortar, the slab of Stoke-on-Trent ceramic tile for mixing paints, a bottle of gold dust, and a slate pencil. I feel so lucky to have found it.

Look at the lovely writing and the beautiful blue pigment. Amazing.

NeedleThread Quilt* Bliss

2012-04-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

This quilt, which combines the traditional lone star pattern with applique borders and surrounding appliqued design, greeted us in the entry hall of my girlfriend's home. I think (judging by the fabrics) that it may be from the third quarter of the 19th century. Let me know what you think.

Dear friends,

Twice a year six lifelong girlfriends gather for a long weekend. And I mean long. We talk, eat, explore, stay up too late, laugh, cry, gripe, create new memories, and remember back to when we were kids in grammar school, middle school, high school, and beyond. These women know my worst faults and foibles, yet they still love me as I do them.

This spring's meeting was in San Diego at the home of a friend who is a quilter. One of our major outings planned was to the Visions Art Museum, which is a non-profit, international organization "dedicated to the promotion and appreciation of the quilt as fine art." It fulfills its promise beautifully. I hope that you will take time to visit this magnificent little gem of a museum the next time you are in the San Diego area.

The museum presents four major exhibitions a year. We were fortunate to see "Art Meets Science-A traveling exhibition from Studio Art Quilt Associates." My girlfriends and I spent time studying the quilts closely (they provide you with white cotton gloves so you can turn the quilts over and examine them). We were all so inspired by the creativity and craftsmanship evident in each quilt. I only wish I could share all of them, but at least here you can see some of my favorites, which I was allowed to photograph (without a flash) so that I could share them with all of you.

FYI, the museum has an impressive schedule of workshops, lectures, and other activities at its location in the fun NTC (the old Naval Training Center) Promenade in Point Loma, the arts and culture district of Liberty Station in San Diego, California. Surrounding this small museum are many others, also shopping and great restaurants. We feasted at Tender Greens and sat outdoors on the patio.

Entry hall, gift shop to left (they have an impressive collection of quilting books), gallery to the right.

Girlfriends Kim and Kathie study the quilts. You can see how small they are (the quilts, not necessarily Kim and Kathie)

A Space Odyssey

Sally Wright

2009

Global Warming 1: Greenfields

Lili Christensen

Cells Dreaming

R. Kwong

Nature's Fractal

Frankie Kohler

Southern Hospitality

Nancy Cook

Virus H5N1

Anita Welty

Glial Neuron Conversations

Susan Jackan

Beyond Imagination

Cecile Trentini

I have to comment that if you could see the tiny stitches and detail in the black, well, you'd be humbled by the talent and skill.

Beautiful Worms (of course I LOVE the subject)

Aileyn Renli Ecob

Wood Cells

Deborah Weir

Primordial Soup

Carol Churchill

Close-up of detail work

In the Beginning

Rebecca Kemble

High Water

Suzanne Mouton Riggio

Lipid Cells

Virginia Abrams

Lepidoptera

Susan Brubaker Knapp

Blue Boobs are Best

Sara Kelly

What's this all about? Blue boobs? Huh? This is a copy of a mammogram and the blue signifies healthy, non-cancerous breasts. Hurrah!

We all picked our favorites and Kim chose

Archeology Fragments

Kevan Lunney

The Sierpinski Triangle Interpreted

Rebecca Kemble

Look at some of the delicious fabrics and the use of beads

I came home feeling refreshed, excited, and enthusiastic about a list of projects I want to tackle now that I'm finished with my book (this one at least). Trips like this are a necessity. Soul food. Sometimes girls just need to be girls, and that's what we were (and are). We had a ball.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

P.S. The winner of the Gardener's Supply bird feeder is: Priscilla Palmer. Priscilla, please e-mail me your shipping address.

P.P.S. As a quilt inspired give-away, I will draw a name for this wonderful, easy-to-care-for cow, complete with quilted udders. She is fashioned from a late 19th century quilt that was in tatters and beyond saving. Leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing of this sweet quilted cow.

Three Speckled Hens

2012-04-16T15:28:00.001-07:00

I couldn't pass up this big platter, which is a sea-foam green/blue that is my weakness (one of them)

Three Speckled Hens

Just for fun

Last Saturday, I put aside my brushes, pens, and paper and headed to the wonderful antique/flea market put on by three talented women, Carrie Millan, Susi Fuller, and Kathy Marquart, who call themselves Three Speckled Hens.

The ladies are great business women, motivated, high energy souls who wanted to create an antique show for lovers of all things country. Their strong personalities and work ethics have turned this event into one of the most anticipated events along the California coastline. It was so much FUN!

The day was perfect, and for the first time in awhile, I was free-as-and-free-of-the-birds.

Normally, I am out of town this time of year, but this spring has been devoted to my book, so no scheduling has been made. I finally got to enjoy an afternoon at the Paso Robles MidState Fairgrounds in the company of some dynamic and lively folks.

One of my favorite tents (below) was Atelier de Campagne. Everyone loved this show of French home and garden antiques.

The funky tin buckets, which I loved, are used for washing olives. I can think of lots of ways to use them in a home. I also love the bottle drying rack to the left of them. Wouldn't this be great holding terra cotta pots of all sizes?

Shopping with husbands is the pits. "Where are you going to use that?" is a familiar refrain.

The tin, house-shaped thing in the middle is...

...a GREAT, old-fashioned dehydrator from Gray Duck Antiques. Solar style. What could be more classic? I wanted it, but to tell the truth, I don't know WHERE I would put it. I guess I need a big barn.

For some reason, I love dust pans. Jeff says it is because I am so danged focused on keeping things neat and clean. Anyhow, he totally got why I bought this oversized dust pan. It is hand-made of tin and wood. I left it twice, returned, carried it around, and finally gave in and bought it (from Gray Duck).

Bulb baskets from Holland (Atelier de Campagne)

I was happy to see Karrie Machado's Serendipity at the show. They have one of my favorite shops along the Central Coast. Located in historic old-town Arroyo Grande. You'll have happy browsing there!

A great, never-been-used, vintage California tablecloth in the booth of Barbara Grigg (she also had the platter that I bought. LORI ANN, you would've LOVED this day!

Meet the Three Hens and the little chickie holding the copy of Flea Market Style magazine is the editor-in-chief Ki Nassauer. She has a creative eye that turns what is overlooked into a highlight of a home.

I'm going to end this posting with a short video, but first let me announce the winner of The Birding Life, published by Clarkson Potter.

CONGRATULATIONS to KJ, Options for a Better World

NEXT GIVEAWAY

Thanks to all of you who participated! Leave a comment on this posting, and you're eligible for a give-away of a blue Moon Birdfeeder from Gardener's Supply Company of Burlington, Vermont.

****************

Paso Robles is not only a wine and olive oil region, but also a horse lover's paradise. We have cowboys and round-ups happening around us all the time.

We had an unexpected musical treat in the booth of Barbara Grigg. We met Cow Bop performer Pamela Forman, who serenaded us with a good, old-time yodel. She is also a great singer and performs with her group throughout the country.

Also, please stop by my recent Lowe's Creative Ideas blog (top row) and leave a valued comment.

Joys to you all,

Sharon

Feather Your Nest

2012-04-11T00:22:00.000-07:00

Bird's nest cookies simple enough for a four year old to create

Dear Friends,

Spring, birdsong, nest building, hidden eggs, and the magic of newborn birds. How could anyone not love this time of year?

A real bird's nest, which is NOT simple in any way!

To celebrate the season, we make simple bird's nests for our special family gatherings. These nests are easy enough for a four year old (with grown-up help) to make. They're featured in the cooking section of my book Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars.

If you're like me, you do not feed your children much sugar, but I believe that "everything in moderation" is a good adage. Sometimes the forbidden becomes the desired. So, remember moderation and have fun making these sweet little nests.

Sometimes (it depends on the children) I add a bit of toasted coconut to the freshly formed nests. The coconut looks very twiggy and natural.

By necessity, this is a short, short posting. A big schedule crunch has me on the run, but I think things will return to normal by next week.

I'm happy to announce a series of winners of the give-aways I posted last week. The winner of the Gardener's Supply kneeler is: Dee Nash, Red Dirt Ramblings.

The five winners of the Peaceful Valley Farm Supply tins of seeds are: Jeri Landers (Hopalong Hollow Gazette), Martha Ellen (Anonymous), Donna Conghaile (Conghaile Cottage), Clarice (Storybook Woods), and (Bees, Birds, Berrries and Blooms). Winners, send us your mailing addresses. Please.

Last week, I received a FABULOUS book, The Birding Life-A Passion for Birds at Home and Afield from Clarkson Potter (this is a colorful, coffee table sized book). I literally lost myself in the glorious pages, which are filled with history, decorating, and the homes and studios of great bird artists like Audubon, Charley Harper, Kenn Kaufman, David Sibley, Julie Zickefoose, and others. I loved the profiles of irreplaceable ornithologists, such as Stephen Kress, who reestablished the puffins on Egg Island in Maine, and the personal collections of antique and contemporary carved birds featured in the homes of passionate and dedicated bird lovers. You will want to feather your nest after reading this book!

One of the treats in this book was seeing photos of Hog Island, Maine, which is where you can go to an old-fashioned camp to learn about the magical and amazing lives of birds. Years ago, I received a scholarship to Hog Island Ornithology Camp from the Audubon Society. Jeff and I spent a week studying birds outdoors, catching and banding them, and studying specimens in the lab and on the land and sea.

If you're a bird lover, you will treasure this book. If you're just beginning to appreciate birds, well, this book could send you into the stratosphere. TO WIN THIS BOOK, simply leave a short comment on my blog about what birds mean to you and how they enrich your life. The winner be chosen next week by a random drawing. I feel so happy to pass this on to YOU.

All joys,

Sharon

Forgive Me My Clay Feet

2012-04-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

Borage in bloom in the pocket-sized kitchen garden. Scientists have found that Green Lacewings often lay their eggs on the stems of borage when given the chance. Could it be because of the hairy stems, which would be a great protection for eggs?

What would I do without my garden?

What would I BE without my garden?

Dear Friends,

As many of you have reminded me, I DID promise to pull the give-away winners out of the hat on March 25th–and I DID. I just haven't had the time to post a blog. Chalk it up to my clay feet, which is truer than true. This garden of mine is mired in a gooey clay after the wonderful and welcome rains we just had. No matter that I've been feeding and topping the soil for six years; it still hasn't succumbed to my coddling.

Looking from Mockingbird Studio toward the kitchen garden (tin tubs are filled with mini-gardens planted by grands). Spring glints off every shimmering new leaf.

I am painting some final illustrations for My First Bird Book and Feeder, which will be released this fall, and I had to write a Lowe's blog article, and finish an upcoming personal article for Country Gardens magazine. The article was fairly lengthy, and it took me a bit longer than expected, but it is in the hands of James Baggett (editor of CG), and he will prune it as necessary.

Artichokes, rhubarb, arugula, chives, calendula, and so much more in this little pocket paradise.

Please check the end of this entry for the winners and for the upcoming give-away for this new posting. Remember, members of my Grimy Hands Girls' Club will receive a bonus give-away if drawn as the winner.

Ok, now it is time for me to admit that I am CRAZY about scented Pelargoniums (often called Geraniums) and have collected them for too many years to mention. I think I was a teenager when I bought my first, which was an Attar of Rose. You will become addicted to these easy-to-grow and little plants. When you look at some of their blooms, you'll swear they are as glorious as orchids (my humble opinion).

Peppermint scented Pelargonium is famous not only for its scent, but also for the big (sometimes five inches across), softly furred leaves. This thrives in the shade here in San Luis Obispo. I have had this plant in all my gardens since my son Noah bought it for me for Mother's Day decades ago. This one is about five feet wide and three feet tall. I take starts to grow indoors, too. This produces a tiny, white flower, which I add to fruit salads and cold summer drinks.

What a sweetheart. This is Apple, scented like its namesake, and the flowers are about the size of a dime. These flowers, mixed with others more colorful, look lovely sprinkled over custards, salads, cheesecake, homemade ricotta or yogurt cheese. Both the apple and nutmeg are great diminutive plants for containers.

Nutmeg looks similar to apple, but the scent is very different. Though I must admit that if you've ever grated fresh nutmeg, this doesn't really smell like it. Use these flowers as above.

Oh, that garish Mrs. Taylor. She always was a show-off (in the world of scenteds). Lipstick red and proud of it.

This Coconut is the tiniest, with blooms smaller than my baby fingernail. This actually does smell a bit like coconut. I have only been able to grow this from seed. It self sows prolifically.

Village Hill Oak scented gets large. I cut these for floral arrangements, and they last for a week. Look at those dear, splotched faces. I love them. The leaves have a dark center splotch.

Lime. The name says it all.

Lemon crispum (aka fingerbowl because it was once floated in fingerbowls at fine feasts). This photo belies the small size. This little charmer looks great in a pot. Mine has been in a big terra cotta container for a dozen years. I constantly cut this for bouquets and cooking. Yummy.

Skeleton Rose, with its finely cut, rose scented leaves, is delightful. I use this bloom in my homemade yogurt cheeses. It is lovely.

Ok, remember that I have clay feet. I might have gotten some of these names wrong, but I'm fairly sure that things are correct. I labeled them as soon as they were planted.

I could show you about another 30 of these scenteds, from apricot to ginger to cinnamon, mint to Lemon Balm, but I think you get the picture that I love these members of my garden family. If you're thinking you might be hooked on scented Pelargoniums, let me recommend the FABULOUS catalog and web-site of Mountain Valley Growers, which is the nations' largest provider of certified organic herbs, perennials, and veggies. I have dealt with them for many years, and they never let me down. The way they ship their plants guarantees that there won't be any fatalities.

Part of a large order of plants I received from Mountain Valley Growers. These arrived in compartmentalized cardboard boxes and not one was damaged. Fabulous!

My pal Karen Weir-Jimerson's book So Much Sky goes to Jeri Landers of Hopalong Hollow Gazette. This seems very fitting since Jeri leads the same sort of life as Karen. Congratulations, dear Jeri! We will send out your book this week.

Congratulations to Laura from Cottage and Broom. You've won the fabulous kneeler from Gardener's Supply Company in Burlington, Vermont. They'll ship the kneeler directly to you.

Good-bye for now and enjoy every minute of your spring. Remember to be kind and don't let anyone get your goat.

All joys,

Sharon

P.S. Because of the enthusiastic response to my last postings, Gardener's Supply Company is donating ANOTHER fabulous kneeler for another give-away. Leave a comment on this posting. Gardener's Supply will ship your kneeler directly to you. This is a great, 100 percent employee owned company.

Also, the wonderful folks at Peaceful Valley Farm Supply are offering FIVE of their tin seed collections as give-aways to five of you who comment on this blog. Peaceful Valley will ship directly to you and will include an up to date catalog of their great offerings.

Drawing for both the kneeler and the five seed tins will be the day of my next posting. Notice I'm not giving you a date so you can't chide me about being late.

Spring Harvest of Ideas

2012-03-22T14:33:00.002-07:00

This display garden by Jason Hamon, EcoSystems Landscape Solutions, is filled with repurposed and rethought articles used in whimsical ways in the garden. His garden was called "A Breath of Fresh Air," and it won the prestigious silver medal for design. Jason's attitude is "get outside and play in your garden." Shouldn't your garden be playful, too?

Dear Friends,

This is an extra post for the week because I just returned from the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. If you are anywhere near the show and you're looking for inspiration, rare plants, garden furniture, garden art, books, seeds galore, and more, well, you MUST take time and treat yourself to a day at the show.

Any comments you leave will be added to the hat for my double-doozie drawing this Sunday. You may win a kneeler from Gardener's Supply Company or my friend Karen Weir-Jimerson's wonderful new book So Much Sky.

Here are a few highlights and some of my favorite products and ideas:

Jason used old magazines as placemats

Jason's patio features this circa 1950ish kitchen cart, which he uses as a serving area, game holder, and cookbook storage.

Another idea from Jason, and who'd a thunk?

Another repurposing by Jason. I actually feature this idea in my book Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots. Don't you have an old wagon sitting around somewhere? I grew miniature pumpkins in my son's old wagon. A great part of growing in this is that you can follow the sun.

Handmade, glass stars dangle and dazzle from the trees in Jason's garden. The stars were crafted by Tandem Glass of Maine.

Landscape Restoration Dan Pozzi's "Timeless Peace" won a Silver medal

An old clawfoot bathtub and shower for a water element in his garden

Dan's gardener's shed nestles among trees

Love modern and chic? These stainless steel clad planters, all in varying sizes and heights, seem to float above the ground. They highlight the sculptural form of the plants featured.

Modern, minimalist (not enough plants for me, but perfect for others). I like the simple double rusted iron fire rings. This would be simple to do in any garden EXCEPT a California forest or chaparral lands. I liked the rectangular, shallow pool, and fountain to the left, too.

I've been drooling over one of these huge galvanized containers at our local Farm Supply in San Luis Obispo. I wanted to use it for a water element (not bad at $195.00), but the folks at Star Apple Edible Gardens, a fabulous, young company that designs and installs edible gardens, used this tub for a series of pie-shaped gardens. One is for tea plants, one for a variety of mustards, and one for tomatoes. The plant in the middle is a Yuzu, which is a citrus. Fred Hempel, breeder and farmer at Baia Nicchia Farm & Nursery, uses all the plants featured AND the Yuzu. They use both the leaves and the rinds of the fruits.

I'll let the Baia Nicchia folks speak for themselves. They've got great ideas and great products.

A close up of the mini-garden with Yuzu in center

Patricia "Pattie" Boudier, who owns one of my favorite garden and seed supply businesses, interviews me in the Star Apple garden for a segment they filmed for their on-line Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply web-site. This video should be up in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know.

Raised planters were constructed of recycled wood. I like how they've planted herbs with a repeat pattern of succulents between the varieties.

Even a tiny patio could accommodate a recycled wood unit like this. If these were all at the same level, there wouldn't be the great design wow factor.

A great use for old windows. Start your tender seedlings inside this. Ok, Lili (Fearless Nesting), now you can go look for windows and have Henri build you one of these. Or Grace Peterson, how about you and your dh? I loved these so much.

An outdoor dining table made from recycled wood and planted in the center with...

...an array of handsome succulents

I can't shower Star Apple with enough kudos.

Star Apple used recycled wood for these restaurant planters. They lined the sides of the planters with burlap from food bags, filled them with great soil, and planted them with goodies.

Star Apples salad garden. The wooden salad fork is a garden marker.

You probably know that I have worked toward a garden in every school for two decades. Well, I have long been an admirer of Ben Eichorn, famed for his school gardens projects. Here is his "Grow Your Lunch" garden for kids. Look at some of his playful solutions for small school gardens.

Color, innovation, and organic practices inform Ben's garden designs for kids

Some products I loved (and bought)

Handmade copper gardening tools at Harley Farms. THESE ARE GORGEOUS and usable. I couldn't resist and treated myself to a weeder.

Every morning I spend time sweeping and raking my patios, stone walkways, and decomposed granite pathways. The broom doesn't quite cut it, and the rake stirs up the decomposed granite. I found my solution yesterday with this wonderful, handmade garden broom. It is lightweight and made from coconut palm leaves that have withered and fallen off the tree. I used it for half an hour and managed to do a job that normally takes twice as much time. I love it. The Original Garden Broom, gardenbroom@gmail.com, 604 724-0872.

I could not resist these tin boxes of seeds that come from Peaceful Valley (oh yes, and that is my copper weeder and cultivator from Harley Farm). The seeds are so wonderful, they have nine different collections available. I'm especially tickled by the "Crafter's Delight" autumn decor mix, which includes gourds, broom corn, blue corn, and more. Soon I will be offering NINE of these to lucky winners in upcoming drawings. If you are a follower and a member of my Grimy Hands Girls' Club, one of these could be in YOUR future.

I hope that this posting has given you a few ideas for your own garden. Be sure to leave a comment to be eligible for the Sunday drawing of a kneeler and the new book by Karen Weir-Jimerson.

Love and peace,

Still going after all these months!

Sharon

The Sweet Song of Rain

2012-03-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

Old Mr. Crow ALWAYS thinks he knows the answer to every question, but here he is arguing with a Purple Finch. Yes, I know the finch isn't purple, but I am not the person who gave it that name. Nineteenth century naturalist John Burroughs first described this finch as being dipped in poke juice.

Naturalist Roger Tory Peterson described this finch as looking like he had been dipped in raspberry juice. For those of you who confuse this bird with the House Finch, you'll find that the colors are different and the HF has a darkly streaked belly.

Dear Friends,

I've been away for so long because I have been spending my daylight hours drawing and painting and talking for hours at a time with my editor at Workman Publishing. Workman is one of the most amazing companies for making books. They care about every step of the process, examine illustrations, text, and everything that goes into a book. I know that when I work for them they will promote my book for many years to come, so it is not only an investment in time, but also an investment in the future for the new bird lovers I hope to reach.

All the hours I've spent watching Eastern Towhees and Northern Flickers paid off when I picked up my pencil and brushes, and started to draw and paint them. The strip of paper to the right is where I test colors for the feathers.

The beginning drawing of a kestrel, a finished painting of a Western Bluebird, and a feisty little House Wren building her nest in one of our birdhouses.

Our dear friends the Bassettis threw a small dinner party at their ranch and vineyard in honor of the finish of my finished (almost) bird book.

My grandson helped me prepare our potluck offering of homemade floral cheese. Mo went out to my little kitchen garden, harvested edible flowers, then made a confetti of them for the cheese. Yummy. See my posting on how to do this simple cheese. It is simple enough for a five year old to concoct!

Mo's creation

Mo's floral cheese in a bowl wearing a collar of fragrant scented Pelargonium leaves

My dear friends Marilyn and Libby compare notes about life

Finally, after a scary drought, a big rainstorm has hit the central coast of California. I am overjoyed by the sweet song the rain plays on my roof and into the buckets and barrels I have throughout the yard. Plink, plink, plunk, plunk, plink, it was a concert out there last night. My garden already looks more vibrant and all the fruit trees are flaunting their colorful blossoms.

This post will be short, but I do have TWO wonderful give-aways. One is donated by Gardener's Supply Company in Burlington, Vermont–a 100% employee owned, green company from the green state. They've offered a $44.95 Deep-Seat Garden Kneeler. Give your tired knees a break and visit their wonder site to learn more about them.

Leave a comment, and I will pull a name out of a hat for the drawing on March 25th. Good luck!

Also, my friend and author Karen Weir-Jimerson has written a wonderful book called So Much Sky. If you've been a fan of Karen's writings (I know I always read her column in Country Home BEFORE anything else) or if you're just learning of her, you'll love this book. She now writes for Country Gardens magazine, a Meredith publication.

Karen has donated an autographed copy of this book of country life that will be loved and treasured by farm folk to wannabe farmers (like me). Karen and her husband live on a small farm with an historic home that they've renovated and filled with antiques, extensive gardens, a fabulous pond, and a circus trainload of animals. Cats (11 at last count), three adorable donkeys, horses, dogs galore, you name it and they have them in their menagerie. Oh, and lest I forget it, two handsome and accomplished sons.

I'll pull a second name on the 25th for this book give-away.

Karen's book will touch your heart and kindle (or rekindle) your love for country life. Speaking of Kindle, it will also soon be available on Kindle if that is what you're hankering for.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I've been away from blogs and blogging for a few weeks now, but I will soon get back into gear and try to keep up.

All joys across the countryside tilting toward spring,

Sharon

Some P.S. "Thank you"s:

Carol S. Y. THANK YOU for the fabulous old book on the islands of Maine. I love it and I love reading about places that are so much a part of our life now. One of the islands is featured in my first novel. I found facts in the book that I had never heard of before. Your gift is a joy as are YOU.

Mary Rae, your rainbow of handmade cotton dishcloths brightened my day. When I opened that envelope full of goodies, I let out a hoot of joy. Thank you so much, dear.

Karen Weir-Jimerson, a big thank you for the donation of the autographed book AND my personal copy. Jeff will read it to me every night after my weary eyes give out. I already read some of the stories and love them.

Homemade Handmade Happiness

2012-02-29T21:01:00.000-08:00

A stack of old quilts are on stand-by for winter guests

Dear Friends,

Gentle rains are falling on my thirsty garden, and I can hear the trees and seedlings humming contentedly. I feel so happy when Mother Nature gives a deep, healthy drink to the earth.

Can you see the tiny buds of this happy plum tree?

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the electronic gadgets in your life? I sure do, and when I am feeling this, I step back, switch off the computer, build a fire, make soup, garden, draw, or do other handwork. I also take pains to surround myself with one-of-a-kind, handmade, homemade things. Lately, I've vowed to always purchase handmade, recycled, repurposed, and antique products whenever possible.

Picking up a pencil and brush makes me feel connected to my world. I never feel better than when I am making something, whether it is food, a garden, or a book.

I found this in England, and it is unsigned. I wish I could locate the artist.

My Quaker grandmother Abigail Baker of Chester County, Pennsylvania, made this in 1852...

...and her mother Mary Ann Mitchell made this in the 1820s.

Handmade

A hand-me-down chair reupholstered (what was I thinking doing white?) and draped with one of my favorite quilts, a 1920's sampler made into a pillow, and a flower basket pillow made and embroidered by artist Julie Whitmore.

I don't know, but I think that my childhood was greatly influenced by friends who had an old house with wing chairs. This is an old wing chair, reupholstered and draped with a soft and cozy handwoven throw by artist Stephanie Arehart of Cambria, California.

A covered faience vegetable dish by artist Julie Whitmore. Most of my favorite pottery was broken during the 2003 earthquake, which rocked our old cottage in Cambria. Somehow (luckily) this survived.

Faretheewell and good-night!

Love,

Sharon

P.S. Congratulations to Lili of Fearless Nesting (Maine blog) who is the winner of the wonderful gardening book The Complete Kitchen Garden by my friend Ellen Ecker Ogden. Lili, I know you'll get lots of ideas and use from this book. We will ship it out next week. Lili will also receive an extra surprise since she is a charter member of the Grimy Hands Girls' Club. Hurrah!

P.P.S. Visit my Lowe's blog "All Gardens Begin with Dreams" and please leave a comment.

Awakenings

2012-02-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

My Baltimore Oriole on one of his favorite snacks.

Stoop, kneel, tug weeds, plop them into an old tin bucket, scoot onward, ever onward. I've been smiling at the lengthening days, the awakenings in my garden, the near completion of my book, and the arrival of family and friends for my grandson Moses' fifth birthday. On Saturday night, we had 18 people crammed into our little house for dinner and celebration. Phew, what a crush.

Although we still have chilly nights, the days feel silky, warm, and filled with bursting life. As I walk my garden paths, I am amazed by the brilliant oranges shining from so many pots and plots. And then, to add to the plethora of oranges, as I worked in my studio, this flaming orange Baltimore Oriole appeared on my new pages of paintings. It felt like the easiest drawing I've ever done, and it seemed to flow off my brush and onto the page. Why couldn't every illustration be this easy?

Won't you join me on a short walk through the gardens? We'll stop and look closely at some of the magical unfoldings. Spring is careening toward us.

The aloes provide welcome nectar for hummers, orioles, and the warblers who hover in front of the long, tubular blooms and sip.

The little kumquats, which are the size of my thumb, are all ripening, which makes my grandson so happy. He is a fruitaholic and loves picking fruit fresh from the garden.

I have a small crop of blood oranges, which are almost ripe. I love using these in salads. Their deep red flesh is always a surprise for my guests.

This small Washington navel is loaded this year.

Yum, it will be time for my Grandmother Lovejoy's California orange marmalade. Her recipe came from my Great Grandmother Abigail, who was born and lived in Pasadena, California.

The old-fashioned Calendulas are in full bloom now. I pick them every few days and dry the petals for my salad mix toppings, but I also love them fresh and scattered in rice dishes, custards, and on salads.

My potted and in-ground Meyer lemons are producing like crazy. Wow, these Meyers are the best. Zest them and put on a parchment covered cookie sheet; bake at 250 degrees until they're dry. They have a hint of vanilla taste to them and are great on desserts.

Ok, I know these are humble flowers, but I adore them. These nasturtium (called Lark's Heel in olden days for the spurs on the backside of the flower) are ubiquitous in coastal California, but I never take them for granted. I know it is old hat to use them in cooking, but I do it. I cut the petals and confetti them over salads, stuff the whole blossoms with my homemade cheese mixture, and plant them in pots for my beloved hummingbirds.

I am not a great photographer (where is Carol Duke of Flower Hill Farm when I need her? ) Here are the hummingbirds who bring so much life to my garden.

I photographed these three (one behind one on right) through my bedroom window. At dusk, there will sometimes be 5 hummingbirds feeding here. I keep two feeders filled and hanging close by so I can always watch them. They give me so much joy, and they love all my Salvias and the pots of colorful nasturtiums.

I mix fresh syrup for the hummingbirds every day. I scour the feeder with a bottle brush, and clean it with hot, hot water.

Many of you have asked what I feed them. It's simple. 1/4 cup of pure granulated sugar (NEVER use sugar substitutes or honey), and 1 cup of water. I mix the sugar and water and microwave it for about a minute and thirty seconds, then let the syrup cool thoroughly. I keep a jar of prepared syrup ever-ready in my fridge so I never run out.

Hummer syrup

Every morning when I feed the Scrub Jays and Mockingbirds, I stick a small fruit atop a birdhouse. The birds love the fruits and now someone (maybe a little woodpecker?) is working at opening a larger entry hole in the birdhouse.

I must return to my work table now to finish some illustrations of Pine Siskins. Before I leave though, I wanted to offer my readers a chance to win a wonderful and colorful gardening book, The Complete Kitchen Garden, written by my friend Ellen Ecker Ogden, who is the co-founder of The Cook's Garden. This special book, published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, will give you a wheelbarrow load of ideas. The plans, plant lists, and 100 recipes are great. Good luck to you. Be sure to leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing to be held on the last day of this month.

Next month, I'll begin my spring give-aways of goodies from Gardener's Supply Company. Check back in March thru May.

Here is a delicious little tidbit from one of the pages of this inspirational AND useful book.

What gardener could resist this???

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

P.S. I want to thank one of Indiana's BEST teachers for her thoughtfulness. Thank you Lori Hibbard for the antique bird book AND for the faerie doll for Sara May. It even looks like her, and she loves it. You're a peach!

Happy Birthday from my Little House to Laura Ingalls Wilder

2012-02-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

Laura's simple kitchen

Happy birthday, dear Laura Ingalls Wilder. You are such an inspiration to me and to millions of others who love your life and your writing. Imagine this–Laura did not begin to write until she was in her sixties. I find that both amazing and an impetus to myself and so many others to get out and just DO IT. Write, create, celebrate the beauty in the commonplace, which is what Laura did in her works.

Jeff and I drove waaaay off our normal route to visit Rocky Ridge Farm, the home of Laura and Almanzo, which is located near Mansfield, Missouri. The home's simplicity is stunning. Laura designed the farmhouse and most of it is built from the raw materials found on this beautiful Missouri farmland. It rests there easily, like a cat curled up on a sunny windowsill. I adored the kitchen with its vintage stove, the short countertops for tiny, five foot Laura, and the wavery view out the window and across the property. Just think–Laura looked out at this same view.

When researching Laura and Almanzo's life, I found that Laura had designed the sunny, little kitchen, and she and Almanzo, between bouts of working the farm, built it for under just under $50.00. Amazing.

Laura was quite a good cook. She had to be because her cooking helped earn their livelihood. She and Almanzo welcomed paying guests to their ten room home. The guests, who were summer boarders trying to escape the heat of the cities, enjoyed Laura's plain and wholesome offerings. Imagine being fed by Laura and sharing a table with both of them.

"There's chicken and dumplings for dinner;

With salads and vegetables fine

And fruits just fresh from the orchard

Oh who wouldn't love to dine!"

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Jeff and I wandered Laura and Almanzo's property, went on the small tour of the little house, and visited the museum dedicated to her and her works. We've stopped at some of their other homesites, one is Pepin, Wisconsin, another along the shore of Plum Creek in Minnesota (watch the videos at this link), but this was our favorite. You really can feel the strength and beliefs of this remarkable couple.

That is me on the left in the red jacket. I am absorbing every sight, sound, view

Tonight I am going to bake Laura's famous (and one of her favorite recipes) gingerbread, stick a candle in the center of it, and sing a hearty happy birthday song.

Laura's Gingerbread

a cup brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup molasses

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup boiling water (measured in a 2 cup or larger measuring cup because you'll be adding baking soda)

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and ground cloves (Laura used a teaspoon each, but it is overpowering)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, well beaten

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9X9 baking pan (I use a square iron skillet)

Blend the sugar and the shortening and slowly add the molasses

Add the baking soda to the cup of boiling water and mix well

Combine the flour and the spices and sift. Combine the sugar-molasses mix with the flour and the baking soda/water.

Add the well-beaten eggs. Mix ingredients well and pour into greased skillet.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

I make homemade whipping cream, but use your imagination. I think Laura would approve.

Happy day to you all!

Sharon

P.S. Here is some of my recent work for the bird book, which is deliciously close to its finish.

Birds on a wire to teach kids comparative sizes

Side portrait of a Barred Owl so kids can see the powerful, flesh-tearing beak

So this is not my normal blog posting, but I really wanted to share this with you.

Downstream like a Leaf Boat

2012-01-31T17:33:00.000-08:00

My granddaughter Sara inspired me to draw a scarecrow that tends the birds instead of scaring them. So I sketched and painted this scruffy guy with a bird's nest in his pocket, a Downy woodpecker feeding at the bucket dangling from his arm, a wren feeding at a bowl, a Hermit Thrush on a glove, and a Mourning Dove nesting in his hat. Oh, and did I fail to mention the hard-to-overlook crow?

Dear Friends,

The strong current of 2012 has washed me downstream like a leaf boat. My sweet husband Jeff had surgery last week and I have been busy tending him. My friend Ginny drove up to help me and between the two of us, we could move him, feed him, and keep him entertained. Thanks Gin! You saved me.

I love all the letters, e-mails, and cards I've received from you in the past few weeks. Thanks also to Diane Peterson for the gift of the children's garden book written by her friend Paula Frechette. Paula (like Diane) is a person who gardens with her heart and soul and that is evident in her book "Gardening with Leo and Bill."

Every time I sit down to scribble a note, write a card, or draw a garden plan, birds escape from my pencil and wing their way onto a page. Then, they beg for a splash of water, a dab of color, and a dash of fine-tipped black pen so they can come to life on a page.

This will be a shortie today. First, let me congratulate dear Pondside for winning the Timber Press, Marty Wingate book, Landscaping for Privacy, give-away, which was chosen by the random number generator. Since Pondside is a member of my Grimy Hands Girls Club, she'll receive a bonus gift.

Thanks Timber Press for sending me such a great book to share with readers.

In my last posting before my memorial tribute to my dear friend Marge, I showed a photo of my Molten Lava dessert. A few of you wrote and asked for my recipe, which I am happy to share. It was a great and easy dessert with some little tweaks I added for a contrasting salty/sweet taste.

I made the Molten Lava before a dinner date with friends. When we returned to our home, I popped the desserts into the pre-heated oven and the house instantly smelled like heaven. And, if you don't mind me saying so, the dessert was fabulous.

I dare you to keep your fingers out of this

Molten Lava Cakes

Prep time 25 minutes

Cooking time 14 minutes

6 (1 ounce squares semi-sweet chocolate)

2 (1 ounce squares bittersweet chocolate)

10 TBSP unsalted butter (MUST be unsalted)

1/2 tsp sea salt (choose the flaky sea salt)

1/2 cup Soft-as-Silk cake flour

1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

3 large eggs

3 egg yolks (large eggs)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 TBSP orange liqueur (I used Grand Marnier)

Note: I add the flaky sea salt AFTER I mix in the butter. The sea salt won't dissolve, and when you bite into the warm, delicious cake, you will be able to taste a hit of salt contrasted with the deep sweetness.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Grease 6 (six ounce) custard cups or ramekins. Melt the chocolates and butter in a double boiler. Add the flour and sugar to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and yolks until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and orange liqueur. Ladle the batter into the custard cups, which, for the sake of your oven, should sit on a cookie sheet. Clean the sides of your ramekins so they look neater than mine. Bake for 14 minutes. The edges will feel fudgey, but the center will be thick and gooey.

I topped these little gems with fresh-whipped, heavy cream laced with vanilla, 2 teaspoons of confectioner's sugar, and a light dusting of finely grated orange peel. You and yours will LOVE this dessert.

In between working and tending Jeff, I've been loving every second in the garden. Many of my terra cotta pots are filled with herbs, lettuce, and edible flowers. I call these pots, which are just steps from my kitchen, my "Fingertip Gardens."

One of my favorite greens in the garden is "Miner's lettuce," so named because the 1849 miners depended on this early spring green. This is a California native plant that is succulent, delicious, and easy to grow. It is great in green drinks and salads. I bought seeds for my California garden from Larner's Seeds, but Johnny's Seeds and Territorial Seeds also carry them. Like many of our plants, these are called many other names besides Miner's lettuce. Some refer to this as Indian lettuce, winter purslane, and penny lettuce, but the correct genus and species is Claytonia perfoliata.

Back to work now. So wonderful visiting with you. I love reading your comments. Keep in touch!

All joys,

Sharon

Marjorie McClure Carnes-One in a zillion

2012-01-24T13:19:00.000-08:00

Margie and Bill smooching in a tree when they visited us on Orcas Island

That laugh, that smile, that twinkle in her eyes. The love she had for family, friends, and the passion of her life, her husband Bill Carnes.We were friends for 30 years and we NEVER ran out of things to talk about, argue about (politics), and agree on. She shared her opinions freely, sometimes when I didn't even want them, and was always there to talk about the vagaries of life.

Within the past month she talked to me of friendship and how we must not try to blame another for the failure of a relationship. At age 89 she still had a great sense of humor and wisdom. She encouraged me to work, work, work, and she said, "I wish I hadn't given up painting." She was a wonderful painter.

I will always miss you dear Margie.

Please, no comments. I just wanted to say good-bye to a cherished friend.

What happiness is...

2012-01-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

It makes me happy to spend time on an illustration. I try to think of the children and what will intrigue them when they look through a book. My granddaughter Sara May gave this her thumbs up endorsement. Then she sat down at her drafting table in the studio, and as I worked on a new scarecrow painting, she did her own rendition of a scarecrow.

Watching Sara work on her illustration made me completely happy.

Dear friends,

I am overwhelmed by your many kindnesses. Your daily doses of e-mails, letters, cards, and gifts have cheered and strengthened me beyond measure. No thank you is enough, but please KNOW that these things all helped beyond the ken and made me realize the power of a simple card or get well wish.

I want to clarify some confusion from my last posting. Believe me, I was out of it when I wrote it and maybe I did not express myself properly. The bump on my forehead did NOT cause my major problem. The bump actually led me to the problem, which was a skin cancer that had grown and turned into the worst one I've ever had. The surgery was to remove a large tumor, and it was successful. I am thankful, but now know that when a wound doesn't heal that is a warning sign of cancer. Take care of yourselves and don't let what could be a minor problem turn into a major one. I had two friends who died of this same skin cancer, so don't think that a skin cancer is nothing to worry about. Tend to them immediately! Please.

What happiness is to me? Being with friends and family. Cooking. Pottering amongst my plants and

hearing from you.

Feeling strong enough to work on a molten lava dessert for friends makes me happy.

Pottering around in my garden with some of my favorite succulents makes me happy.

Watching Ginny, one of my dearest friends, commune with the GIRLS and a rooster.

Seeing Uncle Bruce and the boys sneak away from a party (and all the boring grown-ups) for an adventure.

Ambling along the boardwalk at Moonstone Beach–pure joy.

Susie and Ellis Bassetti (Bassetti Vineyards) made this wonderful olive branch wreath and gave it to us. I think it looks great above the small mantel that Jeff made for me for Christmas. The Bassettis are our dear friends. Some of you may remember the classes I co-taught with Susie at the ranch their family has owned for over 100 years. Susie and I are discussing doing some more classes together in the future. Makes me happy just thinking of the possibilities. (I'll be posting more about the Bassettis in the near future.)

I'm happy that Jeff and I were able to pull it together for a photo shoot here last week. Ed Gohlich, who works with Meredith Publishing, and Matt, his assistant, spent an intense day with us. I won't divulge about what the upcoming COUNTRY GARDENS article is going to be, but it will probably appear in the fall issue of the magazine. Maybe this article will lead you down yet another garden pathway. I'll let you know when the piece will be published as soon as I find out the details.

My writing friend Sharon Christian Aderman of Topeka, Kansas, and Damariscotta, Maine, (she is a food/lifestyle columnist) sent me a journal to start my new year properly. I loved this little tag that she glued inside the cover. I've been writing my lists of five things to be thankful for each week.

What a wonderful exercise. Try doing it yourself and let me know what you think of it. Thanks, dear Sharon, for your thoughtful and heartfelt gift.

A Gardener's Give-Away

Timber Press sent me this copy of garden writer Marty Wingate's newest book, Landscaping for Privacy. Yum. I found some great ideas and inspirational photos and writing that tweaked my imagination and my green thumb. You'll enjoy it too...I promise. So, just leave a comment on my blog and next Tuesday I'll draw a lucky winner.

A view of a couple of pages of this delicious book. Who wouldn't love to own this?

Now it is time for me to get back to my drawing board. Again, I thank you for everything.

Lovingly,

Sharon

Fresh and Eager Eyes (albeit swollen shut)

2012-01-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

Tap lightly at my kitchen door...

Dear Friends,

So much time has passed since I last wrote or answered your e-mails, but I have been tucked away in bed and recuperating for the past few days. I am just sitting up and checking e-mails and a stack of real mails, and for the first time in nearly a week I just padded outside to visit my sweet little garden.

I remember that when I gave birth to my son Noah I experienced the same kind of fresh awakening that I felt today. I had been in the hospital for a few days...and we all know how dull a hospital room can be. When I got home and walked into my garden and colorful house I felt like I was seeing things for the first time. That is how I felt today. Fresh-eyed, although they're still swollen almost shut, but eyes that really saw all the life and color everywhere.

This day reminded me of a portion of a Theodore Roethke poem I have treasured for many years.

The Manifestation

Many arrivals make us live; the tree becoming
Green, a bird tipping the topmost bough,
A seed pushing itself beyond itself,
The mole making its way through darkest ground...

My garden greeted and reassured me with its powerful and comforting thrust of life. Even though yours may be sleeping beneath a mantle of snow, it is there, awaiting the first warmth of spring sunlight, and the touch of your gardener-hand.

The hollyhocks dance on their stems.

Uh oh, what's going on here? My young 'Tropic Beauty' peach tree is blooming months early.

My fuchsia flowered gooseberry is in bloom and the hummers love it. They not only like the nectar, but they often build their nests on the spiny branches, perhaps these spines deter some of their predators.

A long hedge of jade plant is in full bloom and thronged with bees. These flowers are tiny stars, just slightly larger than a honeybee.

I haven't been able to bend over for days, so when I knelt over this patch of dianthus I was shocked by their vibrant color and their piercing clove aroma. Delicious.

The hummingbirds are fighting over the blooms of our native columbines...they've never bloomed this early in my garden.

My first sweet peas. Aren't their tendrils amazing? See the blur of kumquat in background?

I think this stellar pelargonium is 'Fandango," but I'm not sure. The cutting was given to me by my oldest gardening buddy. I love this and he keeps it in his dining room indoors throughout the winter. It just shines in the New Mexico sunlight, but it is happy on the patio here at our house.

These dependable white roses bloom almost continuously. I like to tuck them into tussie mussies of scented pelargoniums.

A big box arrived outside our gate just before Christmas...

and inside was this wonderful bee skep sent from my dear (and opinionated) girlfriend Susan Branch. I used to sell these at my herb and garden shop Heart's Ease many years ago, but never kept one for myself. So now I have one that was a gift and will always think of sweet Sue when I look at it.

Let me end this day of fresh and eager eyes with a cautionary tale. I am usually very private about personal issues, but I think my oversight may somehow help you in the future.

In October I bumped my head on the brass bell outside our Maine cottage. When I lifted my bangs I saw a sore, washed it, added some neosporin and ignored it. The sore persisted. I kept ignoring it. By the first week of December the spot was about the size of a dime. I went to my dermatologist and he said, "this is a bad one."

Last week in a prolonged surgery he removed the tumor and had to make an elliptical incision to sew me back together. Now I have four inches of railroad track stitches on my forehead, and beneath that a row of subcutaneous stitches. The surgery went well, but it was extremely painful afterward. On Saturday, when the big pressure dressing was removed, Jeff discovered an infection. My doctor opened his office for me and did a culture and sent us to the pharmacy. By that night, New Year's eve, my face had swollen until my eyes closed. Jeff took me to the hospital and we found out that I am allergic to sulphur-based antibiotics. The rest is just boring medical information, but what I want to say is that YOU must be pro-active about any abnormalities. If I had let this go another month? Who knows the end of that story? So take good care of yourself. Celebrate life, friends, nature, family, and the miracle that is your own precious body.

Sending love and thanks to all of you who have taken me into your lives-and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2012 is going to be a great one.

Sharon

P.S. The winner of the hardcover (twenty year old) edition of Sunflower Houses and my latest book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars is Vee of a Haven for Vee. Congratulations dear blogging friend.

Take Peace–Take Joy

2011-12-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

In unison, my grandchildren and I choose one special ornament to begin the decorating of the tree. This year my granddaughter Sara May chose the Christmas tree angel made by artist Julie Whitmore about 15 years ago. Sara cradled it in her arms then reached up and placed her as Asher, Ilyahna, and I hung our favorite things too.

Dear Friends,

"I salute You! There is nothing I can give you which you have not; but there is much, that, while I cannot give, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take Heaven. No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant. Take Peace. The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take Joy. And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away."

Fra Giovanni (from a letter written in 1513)

This was sent to us by our friend Marilyn. I keep it inside one of my Mary Oliver books right by my bedside. I think it is wonderful.

Out came the boxes of ornaments...the dog and badger are bread dough by Julie Whitmore.

This is such an emotional time of the year for many of us. I can't help thinking of friends and family no longer with us, but as we hang their ornaments on the tree and talk about them with the younger members of our family, I can feel that invisible thread of tradition and love continuing, unbroken, into our futures.

The days will be at the shortest this week, but I don't dwell on the darkness. I think of the fact that from December 21st onward, the days will begin to lengthen. I am living in the scents of this season, but almost smelling the sea-scented air of summer time.

This thumb-sized snowman is an antique. I love him and look forward to nestling him into the branches every year.

Finally, after years of not being able to locate it (since we moved from Cambria), Jeff found the old Christmas tree fence for the base of our tree.

Last week a small package arrived from our dear friend Marilyn Brewer of Maine. Inside it were some old-fashioned clip on Christmas ornaments and this small stocking with the work "READ," worked into the knitting. This is a handmade piece from Christmas Cove Designs of Maine. Doesn't every author, librarian, and book lover need one of these?

This year when Jeff asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I said, "Nothing," but then I amended my words, "except I would really LOVE to have a fireplace mantel again." My wish came true. I found a four foot piece of virgin redwood in a dumpster outside an 1890 building renovation downtown. Think of it; they threw out a piece of redwood that was probably 3,000 years old when it was harvested in the 1890s. Jeff milled it, stained it, made the supports, and now I have it...and a place for my beloved German stick sheep that always graced my mantel in Cambria. My grands were so happy to have them back..."just like old times," my 13 year old said.

The fabulous wreath above the mantel is a gift from my talented friend Carol Umbarger of Creekside Farms, who supplies many famous retail companies with her handmade wreaths.

I know this is corny, but I love having the lights reflected against my pots and pans.

Tomorrow evening, eight special people in our lives will gather around the old farm table for a feast. Here is the wonderful thing, my friends know that I'll be working straight through the day for a deadline, and also getting ready for a small surgery, and so they are bringing the entire dinner. All Jeff and I have to supply is seating, etc.. So I just finished setting the table and will deck the center with fresh pine and cedar boughs tomorrow before they all arrive. What a great gift–friendship, a meal shared with people we love, candles flickering, a glowing fireplace, and the sweet scent of evergreen.

Above is my wish for you. Heaven give you many, many merry days!

Love,

Sharon

P.S. Lowe's posted two of my blogs...one on indoor plants, one on gifts for Christmas. Stop by the posting for a quick peek.

"What's new pussycat?"

2011-12-04T10:27:00.001-08:00

What a glorious surprise to find an envelope of handmade Christmas ornaments made and sent by my friend Suzanne Lamprecht (Down in the Meadow) of South Africa. Her card touched me deeply. Sometimes it is hard to imagine the deep and meaningful friendships we form with bloggers all over the world. Thank you, dear Suzanne, for the beauty you create for your family and friends. My family will treasure these for years to come.

Even the envelope is gorgeous!

Dear Friends,

Your sweet e-mails and gifts continue to fill my life with light and love, but the recent e-mail from my long time girlfriend Susan Branch made me realize that just dropping out of blog world isn't an option.

Sue's e mail (received last night) said, "I just went to your blog to see what you've been up to. So now I'm worried. What are you doing? Are you traveling?? Hope everything is OK and you're just having too much fun!!! Let me know, what's new pussycat? Love you, Sue"

Ok Sue. I'm a flake. I have been wanting to write a post, but my life has been boring. Nothing but work and tending to some medical conditions. And about the holidays? YIKES! How will I ever do all the things that need doing, especially for the young ones in my life who expect a fairyland holiday?

My little bird book is time consuming, but lucky for me, my husband Jeff, who has the eye of an eagle and the grammatical finesse of his tough parochial school English teachers, is giving me some much needed help. In the next two weeks, I'll be finished, the book will be in the copy editor's hands, all art will be in the art and production department, and I will collapse and ask the next day, "I wonder who will buy my next book?" Which, by the way, I am working on in the wee hours of the morning and night.

Jeff talks with my editor.

What would I do without dozens of yellow legal pads?

The kitchen table is our command center now.

Lists, lists, check lists, compare, make sure everything is covered.

Catalog all the tiny bits of art and tell the art department where they belong in the text.

We drink lots of water. To jazz up the taste, I slice lemon and lime and add spearmint. This container of water lasts a couple of days. I empty the container, rinse it, and add fresh lemon, lime, and mint. It is wonderful!

To keep myself sane, I stop working, run out to the garden and pick fruit and herbs, make arrangements, pick up fallen leaves to press...and then the voice bellows, "SHARON, where are you? Get in here and let's finish." He always gets me back on track.

My 'Bonanza' peach lost all its leaves last week. I wanted to save all of them, but settled on three!

The little niche in our hallway is where I do a daily display of beautiful bits of nature.

Okay, I got off track here. What I want to say is that I haven't had time to visit many of you, but that doesn't mean I don't care...or that I don't want to. So please bear with me and know that when my time is again my time I will be back on track.

Please take a moment to view my TV interview that aired last month on Central Texas Gardener on KLRU. Watch the complete children's gardening segment, edited by the amazing Linda Lehmusvirta. Linda did a job above and beyond. It's a must watch if you are interested in school gardening. THANK YOU, LINDA.

Sending love across the miles and stay tuned. My first book Sunflower Houses is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this month. I will be doing a give-away after the holidays that includes an original, hard cover copy of SFH and some of my other books.

The original, hardcover, 1st printing in 1991
A true collector's item

The "new" 2001, paperback version now in its 13th printing on its 20th anniversary

Love,

Sharon

The River of Life

2011-11-12T15:34:00.001-08:00

The bounty and beauty of autumn.

Celebrate nature by doing this simple daily ritual: collect natural things you love and arrange them on a saucer. This seasonal saucer has lichens, haws, acorns, oak leaves, a sprig of thyme, and an oak gall, which is also know as an oak apple.

The river of life swept me away the past few weeks. I have a dear friend who is ill and in an assisted living home, friends passing through town and stopping for dinner, family (grands) who are with me all day a few days a week, and when night comes, I collapse. But, I am filled with joy to have so much life around us.

The kitchen has overflowed into the dining room where I am storing the bounty until it is cooked. Gosh, I love some of these so much I don't even want to cook them.

Who wouldn't love the beauty of this Blue of Hungaria...

...or...

the gorgeous Berentina Piacentina?

And personally, although I usually want heirloom varieties...

This beauty, called "One more Time," has become one of my beloveds.

I've been working, trying to catch up with my garden, taking care of my grands, traveling, and writing and rewriting two manuscripts. Now it is time to get ready for my twice a year get together with dear friends, some of whom have been in my life since fourth grade and Brownies. Also, there is the push of the holidays now. Aren't you feeling it? I am trying to do small chores every morning so that I am not slammed to the ground when Thanksgiving arrives.

I'll keep this posting short and sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup (Maine Grade B, of course). Here is a wonderful, stuffed, baked pumpkin recipe that you must try. Our friend Jane Taylor of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, served it up to a bunch of foodies in October, and it was the hit of the day. I'm doing it for my friends. Now, I just have to decide which pumpkin/squash will be the one?

Stuffed Pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1 pumpkin (about three pounds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 pound cheese (try Gruyere, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 to 4 garlic cloves (I go for the 4)
4 strips bacon (I like pancetta)
About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
About 1/3 cup heavy cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

These are Jane's words and thoughts:

"Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment, or find a Dutch oven with a diameter that's just a tiny bit larger than your pumpkin. If you bake the pumpkins in a casserole, it will keep its shape, but it might stick to the casserole, so you'll have to serve it from the pot–which is an appealingly homey way to serve it. If you bake it on a sheet, you can present it freestanding, but maneuvering a heavy stuffed pumpkins with a softened shell isn't so easy. However, since I love the way the unencumbered pumpkin looks in the center of the table, I've always taken my chances with the baked-on-a-sheet-method, and so far, I've been lucky)."

"Using a very sturdy knife–and caution–cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween jack-o'-lantern. It's easiest to work your knife around the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. You want to cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkins generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the baking sheet or in the pot. Toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper–you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure–and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkins should be well filled–you might have a little too much filling, or you might need to add to it. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour it into the pumpkin. Again, you might have too much or too little–you don't want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want them nicely moistened. (But it's hard to go wrong here.)"

"Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours–check after 90 minutes–or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Because the pumpkin will have exuded liquid, I like to remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little."

Ok friends, there you have it...one of the most delicious baked pumpkin recipes ever. I hope you'll try it and that you are the hit of the Thanksgiving circuit.

Sending love across the miles to you (Ok, Chris, is this posting what you've been checking for?). Sorry to take so long.

Sharon

P.S. The winner (chosen by the random number generator) of the fabulous Hales book of gardens is Grace Peterson of Gardening With Grace. Hey honey, we'll mail it out to you this week. It weighs a ton, better work on those biceps some more.

I love these books (Earth From Above and others) because every day you turn the page to a new discovery.

P.P.S.

Oh, and if you haven't had the chance, please visit my new Lowe's blog posting about attracting birds to your garden. Don't just read my posting; the others are filled with information that you can harvest and use in your own gardens.

Don't Blame Me

2011-11-01T12:19:00.001-07:00

Don't Blame Me!

2011-11-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

Don't blame me...I must pick the hips of my California wild roses and scrape out the seeds for planting...

California wild rose

Don't blame me for being away so long...it's the garden! The garden entices me outside every morning and I don't come inside until my nightgown is caked with mud and my body is permanently kinked over in a weeder's crouch.

Don't blame me...the 'Painted Lady' runner beans need to be harvested...

Plants need trimming and feeding...

and blossoms gathered...

Edible flowers must be dried...

Bronze fennel seed heads must be capped with paper bags and processed into herbs de Provence...

The Feijoas (aka pineapple guava) must be made into jelly...

Straw must be spread on the beds of artichokes and herbs (and soon chard)...

My crop of sunflowers must be bundled for the birds...

Tiny clumps of "faerie berries" must be separated and planted...

I'll be pressing the borage flowers for cards and Midsummer Night's blend...

and potting up the Calandrinia...

Harvesting the last of the apples...

and pomegranates (did you know that you can cut them underwater and remove the seeds? Much cleaner and simpler than staining everything)...

and a bumper crop of figs...These are so great cut in half and topped with a triple cream brie...

Oh, and did I mention that whenever I climb into my car I am lured up the canyons to hunt for chanterelles and to pick up yet another variety of apple?

picking apples at a friend's home (isn't the apple ladder great?)...

and foraging for Chanterelles in hidden spots among the hills...

and cooking for friends and family...

Here is a simple recipe that will use some of your supply of sage leaves.

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and roll a cold block of cream cheese until a thin layer.

Top cream cheese with leaves. Use the plastic wrap to tightly roll the cream cheese. Store in the fridge for a few house till thoroughly chilled. Cut the roll into thin pinwheels. These are great on crostini or crackers.

So there you have it. I have been trying to catch up with life.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

P.S. Please leave a comment to be eligible for a give-away of this fabulous big book. You'll open a page every day of the year and become acquainted with a new and wonderful garden.

I'll do a random drawing next Sunday (November 6th). Good luck!

2011-11-01T11:28:00.001-07:00

"An Enormous Suitcase full of Magic"

2011-10-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

C*R*E*A*T*I*V*I*T*Y

"It's like you're around with this enormous suitcase full of magic and you are never allowed to open it because the rules say that the things in that suitcase are not worthy of artistic consideration.

Worlds, childhood memories, pretend, fantasy, archaeology–all that. And so, until I could open that suitcase, I didn't really have anything to work with. It was like trying to paint with your hands tied behind your back."

Melissa Zink

Melissa Zink was a New Mexico artists who thought of artists as "miners and explorers," which is so true. Her work was fantastic. I enjoyed some of it in galleries and some at the Museum of Art in Albuquerque. Her words about the "enormous magical suitcase" were printed on a small card that hung near her creation.

Hello dear friends,

I am home in California and have worn myself to a frazzle working in the garden (what joy!). Topping beds, spreading manure, planting, watering, fertilizing, and just plain enjoying the beauty, the butterflies, and the birds...oh, and a troupe of new baby alligator lizards. Fabulous!

Jeff is helping me weed and top all the beds with mulch and straw (not hay). Next week I'll plant chard, broccoli, cabbage, and lots of herbs. This little birdbath belonged to my Gramma Nonie Clarke. I treasure it as do the Hermit thrushes who visit late in the afternoon

My grands visited, tugged rainbow carrots out of a tin washtub and declared, "Ummm, these are candy." They harvested tomatoes, thyme, guavas, and Pink Lady apples. They sat around our candlelit table and shared an "unbirthday" surprise party with their Grandpa Jeff, and they filled our home with laughter and the simple discoveries of childhood. Hurrah!

This is really a post about creativity. I always love to visit artists in their studios and see if they live their lives creatively, not only in their works, but in all aspects of life.

Fat pieces of chalk are kept nearby for those fleeting moments of inspiration.

Recently we got a peek into the home of two creative people. Their kitchen was my favorite place. Let me share their very un-kitcheny great wall of art. All it took was a can of blackboard paint, some fat, colorful chalks, and creativity. I have one small wall in the kids' room that I could use. I think they'd love it.

Nobody can walk by without stopping to enjoy (or add to) this dynamic wall. Love the calendar.

A rainbow zebra

A close-up

The "Great Wall" of Damariscotta, Maine

This is a short one, but I have so much happening here it is a wonder that I could sit down and do this today. The garden calls...

Love,

Sharon

P.S. Bird lovers come visit the new blog posting on Lowe's Creative Ideas. I'd love to hear from you.

Morning Tea with the Loons

2011-10-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

A few mornings ago the soft tremolo of loons woke me. I sat up in bed, saw the most amazing sunrise, and ran out to the porch to take a photo. The loons called, I called back, they called again, I made my attempt to call just as they did, and they paddled in close to the rocks and woof, woof, woofed quietly to me.

The loons leave the inland fresh water lakes and arrive in John's Bay during September. They usually arrive in pairs (they mate for life), but this year a group of three showed up and they stay very close together. When one paddles too far away, or disappears in the trough of a wave, they begin their soft woofing and looking for the missing bird. I never tire of watching them scull through the water, sometimes with their heads submerged, and then they disappear in a wave and bounce back up hundreds of feet from where they dived.

Jeff and I always eat our breakfast on the porch unless driving winds, salt spray, and rain keep us indoors. This time of year, as our days edge closer to leaving, we make our meals last longer and longer. We take such joy from talking with the loons and seeing how curious they are about us.

Tea for us, coffee for Virginia, toast and cereal with a helping of leftovers for the squirrels, chipmunks, Blue jays, crows, and chickadees.

This morning, after two days of heavy rain and winds, our dear friend Ginny dropped by and ate with us. None of us could believe the size of the waves, the warmth, the beauty. Ginny said, "I am so grateful to be here." We feel the same way.

The Pumpkinfest in Damariscotta was a HOOT! Here are some of my favorite pumpkins, but I am missing some. The one carved by the DeLisle family is great, but when I went to photograph it the mold (from all our rain) had started to form all over it.

Wedding cake pumpkins (see the cake topper?) with books of love sonnets around base.

Outside the bookstore

Debra Arter's teapot.

The little tag on the map says, "you are here."

This is one panel from the pumpkin above.

Another side of the one above.

Humpty Dumpty Pumpkin from artist Susan Bartlett Rice.

Outside Skidompha Library

Inside Porter Hall the contenders are lined up and ready to go. Ginny and Michael are two of the judges.

The four judges pondering the choices (did we ever get sugar highs!)

The cake won first prize of $150.00 and a trophy. I would love to share the recipes, but the contestants did not want to give up their secrets.

The winner of the giant pumpkin contest is smaller than the winner last year, but we had strange weather here all summer and many pumpkins rotted on the vine.

I can't describe the wonderful community spirit of the festival. We had a pumpkin regatta (giant pumpkins hollowed out and were used as boats), we had a pumpkin drop, a pie eating contest, and a parade. On a side street volunteers had pumpkin activities for kids. This small town life is a joy.

I have been out of touch lately and I apologize. So much going on here and now we are packing up for the season. I do not want to leave here and am trying to absorb as much of this beauty as possible. I will try to catch up when we return to California. Promise.

The winner of the Grimy Hands Girls' Club Give-Away of Planting the Dry Shade Garden by Graham Rice (Timber Press) is Lemon Verbena Lady, Nancy Heraud. Congrats dear Nancy!!!

Although I normally only post once weekly I plan to post an amazing art wall I saw in a home in Damariscotta. It is do-able, fun, and creative. I'll post it the day before we leave here.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

The Harvest Moon rising over the Eastern Gap in South Bristol, Maine.

Pickles and Publishing

2011-10-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

First thing in the morning and the last thing at night...my books, my friends.

Dear Friends,

We are back from our trip to Florida where I gave a short course at the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association's "Landscape Show." The event was wonderful and filled with great displays, products, and classes. Best of all though was getting a chance to visit with old friends landscape designers and authors Kristin and Stephen Pategas, ASLA. What a treat to wander their gardens, visit their personal nursery, explore the garden room, and linger over one of Kristin's great meals. Check them out on Hortus Oasis and you'll get a taste of their style.

I am bundled up to my earlobes although I am sitting INSIDE our cottage in front of a roaring fire. The skies are clear and star flecked, the moon is waxing, and the temperature is going to drop into the low 30s tonight. Not bad you say?? Well, this old cottage is not insulated and is often colder inside than out. We still eat breakfast and lunch on the porch, but I am usually wrapped in blankets when we're out there.

Low tide seen through our friend's windows.

We were so happy to attend the annual Pickle Contest and Judging at the River Grille in Damariscotta.
After the judging, the attendees were allowed to sample everything. Wonderful.

Activities like this are some of the true joys of living in a small town.

On Risk and Writing and Being Courageous About Putting Yourself Out There

"How quickly the minutes fly when you are writing to please your heart. I pity those who write for money or for fame. Money is debasing, and fame transitory and exacting. But for your own heart...Oh, what a difference!"

The Early Diaries of Anaïs Nin

by Anaïs Nin

Entry dated October 1921

My last posting about risk and writing has generated so many e-mails and questions. Since I haven't been home, I have not had the chance to answer everything, so allow me to post some answers here that may help you a bit.

Re: Writing Groups and Critiques

We do have rules, and then we also have simple rules of etiquette. Be kind, but be truthful. If you're not, the editors will be, and you will feel like someone ran you through a shredder. It is essential that you submit a polished piece. Don't expect the editors to clean up your grammar or figure out what is wrong with your plot.

Keep the size of your group small enough to allow at least 10 minutes of uninterrupted reading and 10 minutes of critiquing per person.

Choose a moderator for the meeting (usually the person hosting the meeting is the moderator). The moderator will keep the meeting on schedule and will time readings and ask for comments.

Provide hard copies of what you will be reading. Fellow members will be able to jot notes and suggestions on your copy. If you do not have the ability to make copies of your manuscript for everyone, then provide notepaper for critique notes.

Never interrupt a reader. Wait till the last word is uttered and the moderator asks for critique.

Stick with business. You're there to read from your work-in-progress, NOT to discuss personal problems.

Provide guidance, not personal opinions, about plot, characters, etc. You're acting as a friendly critic who wants to help a hopeful fellow writer get published.

Allow time in the middle of the meeting for refreshments, announcements about rejections and acceptance of manuscripts, and for marketing news and updates on the publishing industry.

When a member attends a writing conference, set aside some time to find out what was of most value to the attendee. What one learns will benefit you all.

Sign up for Publisher's Weekly Daily and Publisher's Lunch on the internet. They're invaluable sources of publishing information.

Join SCBWI if you are interested in writing for children. They're great and nationwide. You can attend conferences, network, meet editors, marketers, public relations people, and fellow authors and illustrators.

Those are the answers to some of the questions you've asked, but feel free to write if you have more.

THE LUCKY WINNER of The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life is Suzanne of Privet and Holly! Hurrah! She really wanted to win this. Suzanne dear, Sellers Publishing will ship this directly to you.

The next few days will be consumed by the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest, which I shared with you last year. I'll write about it and post photos next week. This year I will again be a judge at the pumpkin dessert contest. Just what I need! It is so much fun and the desserts are beautiful. See my old posting about the Pumpkinfest and contest to get a sample of its flavor.

Please stop by my newest Lowe's blog posting for a glimpse into my garden. I love your comments and appreciate your input. (P.S. I just checked my Lowe's blog and it still has my ideas for landscaping around hardscapes. They have just hired someone new to manage the blog and will post my newest writing on landscaping for BIRDS next week).

Thanks for the visit. This was a short one, but life is speeding past, and I am running to keep up. Our days are dwindling here, and I try to extract an hour and ten minutes out of every hour that passes.

Sending love and the image of some Maine grown Jacob's Cattle beans.

Sharon

P.S. ESPECIALLY FOR GRIMY HANDS GIRLS' CLUB MEMBERS.

Leave one of your comments on this posting before October 15 and you will be eligible to win the new book, Planting the Dry Shade Garden (Timber Press), by great writer Graham Rice. It is a wonderful book and for those of you faced with the problem of dry shade gardening. You'll find lots of solutions in Graham's book. Grimy Hands members only.

A huge thank you to my dear friend Susan at My Mother's Apron Strings

My chickadee apron is PERFECT. I am such a slob when I cook...I promise to try and keep it clean. Susan dear, I will be thinking of you and your sweet Kelly on the 8th.

Risk is Essential

2011-09-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

"Risk is essential. It's scary. Every time I sit down and start the first page of a novel I am risking failure...We are encouraged only to do that which we can be successful in. But things are accomplished only by our risk of failure."

Madeleine L'Engle {Herself}: Reflections on a Writing Life, 2001

compiled by Carole F. Chase

Face it. When you put your words on paper or offer them to the world on your blog, you're taking a risk. Will people like your thoughts? Scoff at you? Close the book or click through without giving you a chance to touch them? That's the risk you must take when you are compelled (and it is a compulsion) to communicate.

Writing is my life, but it is scary. I never know how people will react, but I write from my heart, re-write, trim, add, trim again, and finally, I turn to my fellow writers for their sometimes painful assessment of my work.

I miss my Kiddie Writers group the most when I am in Maine. I wrote about them in my blog posting in January 2010. They are my dear friends, confidantes, and know the best and the worst about what I try to do.

When my dear friend Stephanie Roth-Sisson (she is a fabulous illustrator) suggested that we video conference the next meeting of Kiddie Writers with Skype, I was ecstatic. So Jeff set up an account (it is FREE), Stephanie included me on her Skype account, and we tested out the method.

On Thursday afternoon, the computer "rang" and I answered to the hellos of the dear writers who paraded past the screen and greeted me.

For the next three hours, we listened to new stories and re-writes, talked about our goals, and celebrated the work of Juddi Morris who is leaving us and moving to Texas. Give-and-take in equal measure.

When the Skype call began, it was day, albeit a stormy, gray one. When I finally hung up, it was night and I was elated. Here was the solution to the problem of missing my essential group of writing friends who help critique my work until it is ready to go out to the world and face the big RISK.

Here's a peek into our group. I hope you enjoy the video.

"One of the greatest necessities in America (or anywhere) is to discover creative solitude."

Carl Sandburg

A GREAT give-away for a lucky reader:

I keep this inspirational book by my bed. I read it last thing at night and drop off to sleep with hope and a feeling of camaraderie.

Every week I receive e-mails from writers who want to be published, who are facing a creative "block," or who do not know what to do with their passion for writing. I found some of the answers to those questions recently when I discovered the book The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing: Inspiration and Advice from Celebrated Women Authors Who Paved the Way (Sellers Publishing) by author Nava Atlas.

I copied the title of the book and ordered it from our local Maine Coast Bookshop when we arrived. From the moment I opened the first page, I was enchanted. Here, in personal account after personal account, I found the inspirational and practical words of Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Willa Cather, Edna Ferber, Madelein L'Engle, Lucy Maude Montgomery, Anais Nin, George Sand, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edith Wharton, and Virginia Woolf. This book is not only about the creative process, but also matters of business. I loved every insight, every hurdle the authors faced. I felt this humanized writers in a way I have never experienced. You will love it too, and I am excited to hear what you think of it.

I think this is a MUST read for those of you who want to write. I am happy, thanks to the generosity of Sellers Publishing of South Portland, Maine, to be able to offer one copy in a give-away. For those of you who don't win, you can order it directly from Sellers, your local bookstore, or Amazon. To enter the random drawing, leave a comment on this post before Tuesday, October 4.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

P.S. Perhaps I will get to meet some of you in person this week (September 30) when I give a talk in Orlando, Florida, at The Landscape Show, the southeast's premier landscape and horticulture conference and trade event, sponsored by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association.

P.P.S. Grimy Hands Girls' Club members. Stay tuned. I will have a give-away especially for you when I return from Florida. The give-away is a new Timber Press book, Planting a Dry Shade Garden by Graham Rice. It is wonderful. I adore his fresh and knowledgeable writing style.

Sharon Lovejoy writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Entirely Happy Under the Sun

My Version of the Chaos Theory

Needle*Thread* Quilt* Bliss

Three Speckled Hens

Feather Your Nest

Forgive Me My Clay Feet

Spring Harvest of Ideas

The Sweet Song of Rain

Homemade Handmade Happiness

Awakenings

Happy Birthday from my Little House to Laura Ingalls Wilder

Downstream like a Leaf Boat

Marjorie McClure Carnes-One in a zillion

What happiness is...

Fresh and Eager Eyes (albeit swollen shut)

Take Peace–Take Joy

"What's new pussycat?"

The River of Life

Don't Blame Me

Don't Blame Me!

"An Enormous Suitcase full of Magic"

Morning Tea with the Loons

Pickles and Publishing

Risk is Essential

NeedleThread Quilt* Bliss