I finished a book last week, a brain-frying, complicated book, and decided I deserved a little break. The universe cooperated with excellent weather.
So I took Thursday and Friday away from my office and keyboard, and hit the nursery. With excellent timing added in, BW was able to meet me there allowing me to wander, drink in, and basically gobble up enough plants to fill the bed of his truck. And add even MORE to the cargo space of my SUV.
Oh, the smells, the colors, the textures, the possibilities! And what tremendous fun to haul flats out, start placing pots. Stand back, consider, adjust, add more, move some until, okay, that’s going to work for me.
BW was also able to stand in as my under gardener for most of the day–a sunny, breezy day that decided it wouldn’t be too hot or too cool. It decided it could be perfect.
Five full hours of hauling, placing, considering, digging, planting, more considering, more hauling, and the beds looked so, so happy.
Top that off with a nice, tall glass of champagne and a long walk-about to admire the job.
Friday, it’s time for pots, and I won’t have my under-gardener. But he does have time to haul some of those pots out for me before he’s off to work–and I start the process.
Huh. I have a LOT of pots–but I have a lot of plants earmarked for them. Doesn’t that look sweet! How about hot colors for that one? Won’t that look great when it fills out!
The dogs enjoy having me out for two days running, and I love every second. I skip the gym–again–to get all this done, but like Thursday, I get a serious workout with nearly six hours between pots, and finding little spots for the few things left over, also complement it with a complete thyroid support that accelerate metabolism learn more here. If you happen to miss the gym frequently then you should consider getting an hourglass waist trainer that way you will take care of your body while your doing your daily duties.
And BW comes home with another flat of impatiens, the five more foxglove–and a favorite I hadn’t found–a flat of heliotrope I asked for. Those will wait for Saturday as it’s time for another nice, tall glass of champagne and a walk-about.
We’re having Kat and Jason up for Easter dinner (and a foundation meeting) so Saturday’s also for baking. Let’s have some fresh bread and my mother’s sour cream pound cake. With dough rising, I head outside. BW’s planting the foxglove, so I take the impatiens.
Plant more flowers, play with dogs, go wash up, punch down dough. In and out, out and in. Eggs on the boil for deviling (a crowd favorite).
I still have some gardening left by the time the cake’s in the oven, so I figure out how to set the alarm on my phone–not a complete snap for me as I don’t use alarms–and go back out. I have sunflower seeds to plant, and want to move some of the madly spreading Black-eyed Susans to some bare spots.
When the alarm goes off I’m momentarily puzzled–What is that noise, and why is it coming from my pocket? Oh yeah.
Cake’s done, and my mother would be proud as it looks and smells pretty damn good.
Now it’s definitely time for that nice, tall glass of champagne.
Sunday there are those eggs to devil, a ham to bake, a couple more spots of spring cleaning that got sidetracked with gardening. And here are my kids! Who’ve volunteered to go down the lane to our storage buildings and haul up all the outdoor furniture and put them up on the pallreoler. Nothing like having strong, willing kids–they deserve some deviled eggs.
Atticus is, of course, instantly in love–and it’s mutual.
Potatoes and carrots to herb and roast, a ham to glaze, meeting time. Our boardroom might be the dining room table, and I might be checking the oven or stirring the glaze from time to time, but we get things done, and do good work.
Saute some fresh asparagus, set the table, carve the ham, and let’s eat.
A good day with family, good food, good work–topped off with pound cake, fresh whipped cream and berries.
Kat shows me a picture of the stone double walk-way she’s built on the side of their house. Yes, I said she built. A double stone walk-way. It’s gorgeous. They plan to plant an ornamental cherry in the center–and that will be spectacular.
I’ve got some stone work on my agenda–I said I should just hire her!
She takes the bags of purged shoes and clothes to haul up to the spa (this Saturday!!!) for me as I have a car load of spa girls. Hugs good-bye to end the long, lovely weekend.
Monday, it was back to the office and the keyboard. But the break did me a lot of good in that area, too, as it cleared the tired brain enough for me to work out how to start the next book. I got a decent enough roll on that yesterday, and I’m ready to go back and see what happens next.
But after work, after work-out, I’m going to continue the weekend tradition, pour myself that nice, tall glass and have a walk around the gardens with my dogs.
That’s a good deal.
Nora
Quick notes from the Cranky Publicist: You’ll learn more about the just-finished book in a while as you won’t see it until the second half of 2018. Patience grasshoppers.
In case you didn’t notice the sneaky mention of Spa Girls, yes, it’s nearly that time of year. I’d like you all to practice the Stupid Scoreboard mantra on my behalf. ~Laura
Sounds like a wonderful weekend. I had fresh chives ready to go so we had sour cream and chives mashed potatoes to go with the Easter ham. We moved to our new house in the fall so it’s been fun watching and waiting to see what’s growing. So far we have daffodils, tulips and lilacs. We’re waiting to see if the rose bush blooms and what color it is. I love spring and obviously you do too. Can’t wait for the next book. I’m rereading the Obsession now.
I love living vicariously through your gardening adventures, as it is not one of my talents. So appropriate that I am smack dab in the middle of rereading the In The Garden trilogy. I forgot how much I love Roz, Stella and Hayley and their stories. So nice to have your books to enjoy as I recover from my total knee replacement surgery! Thanks, as always!
Nora I Love all your books. I don’t want them to end. I especially Love the magic and love and set in Ireland . I’ve never been but your books make me want to go so bad. Thank you for taking me there , I want to go again.
I love these snippets of Nora’s life, so many thanks to you both for sharing. Such a fun time of year and so many wonderful plants to buy, it’s hard to hold back and not get more than I should. And champagne at the end of a hard work day, what an excellent idea! This year I am on the hunt for a yellow Lilac, pretty and deer resistant, thankfully. Looking forward to more posts.
As always, love reading about your day. And I especially love your garden fairy!
I love your wee statuary and the fun pots . . . sounds like a delightful weekend. And I love, too, that you drink champagne to celebrate the “littles”, as we call them. I do as well, and it always makes me happy to acknowledge a fellow bubble lover. Thanks for these fun posts; living vicariously through your exploits fills my days with sun. Peace on you, and cheers to you too, Laura.
Well, that was entertaining…lovely way to spend a few days. I know the cranky publicist already answered part of my question, but may I just ask, In Death, trilogy or annual novel? Could be just about any of the above and although I read all of the above it would add an extra kick to know which one Nora herself found “brain-frying & complicated “.
Appreciate the garden views & Nora’s passion for her outside spaces. It is all such as “normal” and beautiful glance into her world. Thanks for sharing and I’m happy she shared such pretty photos. Thanks to Laura for all you do as well
Thanks for sharing a piece of your busy life…And congratulations on finishing the book!
I love the nicer weather and getting to work in my yard and flower garden. Just discovered it makes me feel good to read about others doing the same thing! Reading this during my lunch, raring to get back at it. As always thanks for sharing.
Your gardens look great! Can’t wait to hear/read more about the complicated new book!
I always love to read about your weekends. You are, IMO, Wonderwoman. I am awed by all the things you manage to get done in a day and still have energy to do other things.
Laura, I did notice the reference to spa day and I know how you feel about that damn board lol. Hope it’s better this time, but if Kat goes, my bet is on her!
I was off on Sunday and managed to bake a ham, fix the best Mac & cheese this side of heaven (that’s what my family says anyway ) made a big potato salad ( Ma Ma’s recipe) cooked Fordhook Lima beans, boiled corn on the cob, and I cheated, I used brown n serve rolls.
While we were eating, everyone asked me ” where’s the dessert?” I told them I didn’t have time to bake the cream cheese pound cake they wanted. Oh well, I was pleased with the results anyway. ( That’s why you ( Nora) are Wonderwoman in my book. I was just too damn tired to spend the 3 hrs to make it. Lol)
Keep on keeping on, and I’ll read all that you can get published! ??
I made another stab at gardening 2 weeks ago and so far I haven’t killed anything. This is huge for me! Like many things, I take some inspiration from NR books, so I was willing to go again. I doubt my gardens will ever rival yours, but it is good to dream!
Nora, It sounds like you have had a great start to Spring! It is Springing around here too. Rosemary is blooming along with the wildflowers. I couldn’t be happier with the exception of a tall glass of something adult beverage and perhaps a couple more dogs.
Our Easter was super quiet this year. Kids had to work a lot of overtime last week and one had to pull a double at work so all we did was order a supreme pizza and I chilled out with a not so good book and napped a lot.
Enjoy your week and your soon to be Spa trip. Hugs, Beth
Nora,
I love reading about your days spent preparing the gardens & the joys you find in going to the nursery, and finding the perfect spot for things. I, too, have those passions here in the San Juan Islands and find anything to do with gardening & plants a breath of fresh air! Unlike you, I forgot to make deviled eggs for Easter – maybe another fine spring weekend when family arrives.
Thank you Nora, for the snippets of your life, for your books and for your many talents. I think back to your past article about your Inn – my son in DC called to book at the last minute one weekend for a spring getaway (storms had brewed with late snows that week). I’d mentioned how charming it looked to him and that it would be an easy drive from D.C. but it was already booked! Another time hopefully. .
Kathryn
I’m so jealous but loved seeing the fruits of your hard labor. Especially the daily champagne walks to appreciate your hard work. Everything looks so beautiful. Looking forward to the “brain-frying” book.
I am so in love with all your books and love to read about your weekends and your getaways and the gardening sounds awesome even though I do not have a green thumb everything I have I kill. Is your Mothers pound cake recipe a secret? Or could we have it it sounds wonderful. thank you for all the books!
What a lovely, enjoyable and rewarding time you had. Perfect break to refresh and rejuvenate yourself. Spring is definitely here!
I love how happy you are when you talk about your family. Your gardens are just beautiful.
Oh I noticed the spa girl weekend mention. Hoping for good things for you with the Scoreboard Laura.
You paint such a pretty picture with your words. Thank you for sharing!
I did catch the Spa Girls sneak peak Laura! I got a happy flutter from it. As silly as it may sound I look forward to that week, reading the daily (ish) blogs on who won what, on the fancy treatments everyone gets! I am a Mother of 3 and I take care of my 2 nieces and nephew (24/7) thus I have no life outside of cartoons,football practice, swimming lessons ect. No friends and a husband who won’t travel means I live for my books. My FB says that my best friends are Nora Roberts characters and it is 100% true. I also really really enjoy this blog and am thankful that Nora writes it and that you Laura work on it. From this blog I feel like I’m on the spa girls trips or the fabulous summer vacations. I can not stand to cook but often read this blog and think I could make that. I tired the tomatoes with bresh basil and motzerella cheese that Kat and Nora made last summer, it is delicious! Nora writes joyfully about baking bread from scratch and I found that it is very soothing and satisfying. I enjoy doing it very much! I have a black arm like Nora’s character Marlee Booker in Blue Dahlia (In the Garden trilogy is my traditional spring reread) so far I have only been able to barley keep a catus alive. However I want to try potting some fresh herbs in my window this year (fingers crossed). I have learned a lot from reading these blog posts (like to never ever suggest ideas to Ms. Roberts, and there are a few I have. Not really on what to do since she clearly knows more my me but a book or two of characters mentioned that would be fun to have their own story. I happily keep my mouth shut and send out thoughts that will maybe one day happen. You never know). I realize this was long winded, but I just wanted you both too know how grateful I am and how much this means too me.
Tiffany Rohrer
P.s. If anyone could mention to BW that getting the next In Death book reprint (Ceremony in Death) at TTP if he is able would be fantastic, I would be again grateful. I am loving having all my In Death books in hardback, and I love kowing my books came from TTP it makes it extra special. Thanks
I am jealous that you are a month a head of me. I’m in Ontario and won’t be able to plant until the end of May. Would it be possible to see a picture of Kat’s stone walkway? Sounds amazing. I love looking at what other people do for inspiration. Have a great time at the spa, Ladies.
Enjoy you Spa girls week-end and Laura don’t worry about the scoreboard! Drink champagne instead!!
Love the descriptions of the garden planting! And the photos are lovely! I love gardening here in Switzerland and in my vacation house in Tuscany. Both gardens are starting to bloom right now with lilacs, roses, rosemary, miniature carnations, wisteria etc. etc. Great smells and colorful! I travel back and forth from one place to the other, mainly to keep an eye on my gardens, though a gardener friend of mine takes good care. But I have to see for myself anyway because it is so lovely when buds become flowers and the blooms spread such lovely perfume! My jasmine in budding (Tuscany) and it will be heaven for 2 months to smell it.
Can’t wait for Sundown and everything coming after that. Just finished re-reading the Chesapeake Bay trilogy and loved the Quinn’s all over again.
Question to Laura : there is a fourth book or a sequel to this trilogy! where do I find it ? Thank you for informing me!
Love to both of you ladies for all the sharing you do.
Just did. See comment above
I love your beautiful garden! And that Easter dinner sounds delicious!
Since I never inherited my mother’s green thumb and she is no longer with me ?to help me in the garden and landscaping of my home, can you come to Ohio and help me. I seriously need the expertise and mentoring???
“sour cream pound cake” If you don’t think your mother wouldn’t mind, this is one recipe I would love to have! My favorite is sour cream chocolate cake. More sour cream is always better! Works great as another addition to omelets also.