Monday, September 7, 2015

Taking a Break by Barbara Edwards #MFRWAuthor #ahashare

Barbara Edwards
Writing is work. I know some authors claim its also fun, but i find the work part overwhelms the fun. So I need to find ways to energize myself. Change with the seasons. 

In the winter we’re near the beach so a walk in the sand is wonderful. My husband won’t believe it, but I also like
Niagara Falls
walking in new-fallen snow.


Writing a book takes time. Lots of time to finish seventy or eighty thousand words. i’ve spent a year writing, polishing, editing a manuscript. And I envy authors who write faster. I’ve learned to take a break, only it has to help me concentrate on what I’m doing.
This year I finally succeeded in getting my perennial garden to bloom. It’s been five long
years since planted a rose bush at each corner. Then day lilies, oriental lilies and foxglove. I planted daffodils and tulips for early color.
Plants are weird. Unless you want to spend more money and time, the plant needs to like where you place it. 


My husband suggested mulching the first year. my marigolds topped out at three inches tall. I know they’re annuals, but I wanted to fill in the blank spots. 
I tried different plants. Hollyhocks didn’t come back. 
Gerbera daisies sent up one measly shot with no flowers. The oriental daisies had babies and looked beautiful.
I can only show you my pictures and hope you enjoy their color as much as I do.

Coming soon  a holiday story from the Wild Rose Press, Dixie's Gift.  
Dixie's ghost brings hope and love to a lost puppy, a lonely widow and a single man In a new England blizzard. 
It's dedicated to Dixie, my Belgian Malinois.
Dixie was a Belgian Malinois and my best friend for years. She died of cancer and I miss her every day. This story is in her memory.
Belgian Malinois are wonderful dogs, loyal, intelligent and protective. Their only flaw is they need to be with their owner, not in a dog cage or kennel. 
They are used by police departments, the Federal government, and the military for everything from drug dogs to bomb detection. They have saved lives across the world. 
Many are available for adoption. I follow American Malinois Rescue on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389286684645077/


Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.




Amazon Author’s Page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003F6ZK1A




8 comments:

Margo Hoornstra said...

Plants simply need to like where you put them well, that explains a lot about my many gardening failures. So noted. Dixie is absolutely beautiful. I've been blessed with a few beautiful souled dogs, mostly German Shepherds, over the years. Nothing better. Can't wait to read your story.

Jannine Gallant said...

Your yard looks spectacular. My "breaks" from writing are walks in the woods with my dog every day. Keeps me energized and focused. Dixie was a beauty!

Brenda Whiteside said...

Love the pictures. Wish I had the time to spend on my flowers. Looks like a great place to take those much needed walks. Dixie was special. We just lost our Rusty to cancer so I know how you feel.

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

With our yard being a highway for deer, Calvin would rather I not go outside to plant or weed flowers. We hire a guy for that. Meanwhile, I have a few deer who stomp through my bushes to look at me through the living room window. If I feel like I'm being watched, I glance over to the window beside my writing chair and a pair of doe brown eyes. I honestly caught myself waving one day. *slaps forehead* Dixie was beautiful. No wonder you miss her.

Alison Henderson said...

You are so right about plants needing to like the place you put them. I have several examples of two of the same species planted ten feet apart where one is three times the size of the other. Who knows what the difference is? Sun? Soil quality? Love your garden, and I also love that you wrote a Christmas story for Dixie.

Leah St. James said...

What a gorgeous yard, Barbara! I do nothing, and my yard reflects it. :-) I keep hoping some day I might have the time and/or energy. Your story for Dixie sounds wonderful.

Rolynn Anderson said...

Barbara, your house is as colorful as your flower bed...wonderful. Something soothing about plants and animals amidst the intangibles and angsts around writing. They all play well together (and, as you are exhibiting, the plants and animals make good subject matter in our stories)!

Diane Burton said...

That explains why the knockout roses (the ones I couldn't kill, according to my sisters) aren't doing well at our new house. They don't like where they are. Hmmm.

Dixie was beautiful. So sorry for your loss.