Springtime with its familiarity
Last time I was writing here I was nose down working on the first draft of my next book. It was an immersion in jostling with words in order to get the skeleton in place. Now it’s Spring and feels all different. I managed to meet my self-imposed deadline at the end of February albeit with a draft several thousand words short. Not to worry, it is just that, a draft and has been put aside for a few weeks. This blog was neglected by the intensity of work and I didn’t feel like writing for a while. My mind needed to settle. I’ll be getting back to the book in April, refreshed with new ideas and with guidance from Marnie, my writing mentor.
The temporary writing break is giving me time to be outside a lot. There’s always plenty to do in the garden at this time of year. The weeds for a start are appearing in alarming numbers. We take a relaxed view of most weeds but if we let them get too wild early in Spring, we quickly regret it by May when they’re taking over. But, the early pollinators need our millions of bright and cheery dandelion flowers and that’s my excuse for going light on the weeding for now. Instead I’m planning the summer planting, tidying up winter’s mess and enjoying the spring bulbs.

There’s a bit of the garden which we close off during the winter months. We were tidying there at the weekend, preparing for summer. It’s a haven and where we spend most time when it’s hot and sunny. My thoughts were back and forth as I worked away, thinking ahead to warmer days and backwards to Renae. Renae always loved being there. As soon we’d open the path to it she’d shoot up the steps to enjoy all it offered her. The rawness of her loss stung hard and sharp on Sunday. My memories of her looking out across the valley, how many times we’d find her perched on the wall for a better view. The memories come when least expected, and are comforting and sad all at once.

Our daily walks are getting longer as the weather is perfect for our wanderings. I’m keen to make the most of this time of year before the summer heat curtails our morning walks.


The winter has been quite benign for us in south-west France, no extremes of lasting rain, storms or cold. Spring is so far so good and I’m hopeful summer will do the same. Life is so much easier when seasons hold off on the dramas.
