HELENE'S COUNTRY JOURNAL
May 07
I can’t believe it’s nearly 6 months since my last entry. A mild winter turned into a dry spring and soon it’s time to return to Crete for some Mediterranean sunshine. I blame our recent bad weather on the fact that we purchased some proper garden furniture at long last and, of course, it lies unused, soaking on the patio, a spring board for the birds in their frenzy of spring feeding from the bird station.
The reason for the silence is a simple one. In February I became an all too common statistic when I found a dreaded lump…An operation followed swiftly and now I am re claiming my life back, building up fitness but the cancer eye sees things differently. Some things have had to be ditched in the short term, some activities curtailed but it is good to be alive and with a good prognosis.
It is going to be a good summer as we have another grandchild to look forward to, a long holiday soon and then back to smarten up the garden for an open day. When you’re asked to take part in a charity event in the winter, you think, well why not?
Then the weeds start up and you see how the scruffy corners show up the rest of the garden. Time to buy in some help but even that means everyone has to be out there planting up, trimming, clearing out rubbish and praying for a lovely summer day for the whole place to shine. We return only 10 days before the event too.
At least if all else fails the view up the fell side is spectacular and the roses should be at their best.
There’s a lot happening in my writing life too. I have a new book out soon but more of that later. After a quiet patch I am being launched by Harper Avon in the autumn . The title of the book is “The Girl From World’s End”
It is set on a farm in the high Yorkshire Dales around W War 2 and is the story of a farming girl and her family. I have long been fascinated by the old ways of farming in the Dales and how they survived the blizzards of 1947. There was a lot to research and details to be checked.
For many reasons, I’m writing this under another name so look out for: Leah Fleming. Fleming has a good literary pedigree. Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond and I probably share a very distant ancestor in common, having Scottish roots in the same area. It is all very exciting!
There is something special about the greenness of an English spring, the lush growth in the hedgerows; dandelions, cow parsley, bluebells, sweet rocket, sweet cicely perfume the air and the chatter of nesting birds. We have a poor demented chaffinch who has called for weeks for a mate. He flings himself at windows and car mirrors at his own reflection scaring off imaginary rivals but he’s missed the boat this year. Still his bird song is loud and pure if desperate. I wish he’d shut up sometimes.
Nice to be back.
Helene