Billy Young's Blog - Posts Tagged "herbs"

Work on Banshee has stalled in its forward push to finish it. So to find the track I had a restless night trying to find sleep earlier in the week. I was tracing backwards from the end that I envision and attempting to connect it to what I already have. As I lay awake I could see that I needed to edit what I have already written and so for the past few evenings I have been doing just that, adding more to the tale. Building up the storyline as well as building the characters more. I also hope that by doing this I will get the pace again, leading me through this darker spot in the story.
I usually leave changes till I have completed the first draft yet, this time I find that I need to do tings differently. I suppose that this shouldn’t really be a surprise as each tale you write is always a new adventure. When I begin I always think that I can see the full story in my head but as I write this soon falls short of what I thought I had and so that is when I to search for the path that leads to the end. After I have reached the end then I can edit to fill it out.
I have also been doing more gardening. I got some more seeds, this time herbs to plant in some more large tubs. One of them is American Cress, something I have never heard of but it said on the packet that it was good it salads. As a kid I had cress on egg sandwiches but the picture on the seed pack wasn’t the same thing so I will see how it is in the summer with any luck.
Many of the seeds I have already planted have started to sprout, while I still have about half to show signs that they will spring up. It’s hard not to worry a little when you have spent the time watering and checking each day. Is this one of those things we gardeners are prone to? Not normally but with the seedlings I started indoors fading fast for unknown reasons, I do feel a certain anxiousness about those I have planted outdoors. And now I have added to this by starting a herb tub. I must be a glutton for punishment. :D

Approved my new book for distribution through Lulu.com this week. Now the wait for it to appear on Amazon, B&N and other retailers. My sister claimed my proof-copy to read and others want to read it after her which is encouraging though I don’t get any sales out of it. I need to thing of promoting the book now. I have made a start by applying to LLBookreview.com and is now under consideration so fingers crossed. They have reviewed some of my previous books including Banshee Angel of Judgement, this makes me hopeful.
I’m planning to head to the garden centre this weekend. Yes it’s that time of year to start thinking of the garden again. I’m hoping to plant some peas or bean this year as well as some cauliflower and of course taties. I noticed that my fruit trees have started budding this week and my strawberries from last year are still doing well even though I don’t have them under a cold-frame. I’ll also need to look at what herbs I will grow this year though some have survived the cold weather. Already the thyme, oregano and American broadleaf cress is shooting up. The cress is even flowering which is a surprise. Not sure if I should nip the flowers? Whilst the thyme is not looking to healthy, hopefully it will pick up over the growing season. Yes my tubs will be busy again this year.

I washed my poetry note book on Tuesday. It was my fault, I forgot to take it out of my pocket when putting my jeans in the wash after a bath. Magz found the remains when she emptied the machine the next day. Most of the notes were lost though I did manage to save nine or ten pages. Not a lot I know but better than nothing I suppose. A lot of it wasn’t even typed into the computer so a lesson learned. I’ll get a replacement for it tomorrow as I have to go down town anyway as I’m going to see a work colleague doing a re-enactment cookery thing to do with the sixteenth century. It’s taking place at the Dick Institute in the town centre and my wife, and daughter are going as well. It should be interesting by the sounds of it. Richard, that’s my workmate, was talk today about it. He said that back in the sixteenth century that there were a lot of herbs that we don’t use today.
Talking of herbs mine are doing well though my mint is still not doing as good as I would like. My carrots still haven’t come to anything and something has been at my lettuce. Half of the lettuce has vanished in the last week or given up the ghost for greener pastures, hehehe. The joys of grown things.
My pet rat also did this week, Kismet or Kisy for short was almost four so not a bad age for a rat. Yes I know a lot of you might think of rats as dirty but pet ones are very clean and make great pets. Kisy was quite a little character as well as very shy. Or was the shyness just his excuse for being the laziest rat I’ve every known. He did give me a nip or two over the past few years though it was more my fault than his. He’ll be missed. Where his cage used to sit seems empty now.

I'm on holiday for the Easter break, yeah. A full week off and a chance to see to my garden. Today I was away buying some seeds, corn, basil, coriander, and parsnips to plant in the coming week. I also got lettuce, courgette, and tomatoes that were already started off. Those I will plant tomorrow as I heard there might be a frost tonight so want to spare them that. Sometimes we treat plants like they were children don't we. Forgetting that they are a lot tougher than we think. Mind it doesn't do any harm and unlike our kids they won't complain if we molly cuddle them. I still have to visit the garden centre at the bottom end of town in the coming week to get anything else that I need for the coming season. I will also need to decide what other greenery I wish to try to grow for the plate this year. I already have potatoes in their sack, carrot seeds in one pot and of course onions in their tubs in the veg. department. And thyme, rosemary, mint, and oregano in the herb. Then we have my apple trees, cherry trees (which I still have yet to get a crop from), gooseberry bush, blueberry bush, rhubarb, and strawberries. For such a small garden we do quite well in growing some crops for our enjoyment which isn't just in the eating, hehehe. Of course it ain't all joy as the war on local fauna has started all over again. Yes weeds as we gardeners call them are a very resilient lot forcing us into the never ending battle to protect our cherished gardens from their assault. We may never really win but still we shall battle to give out baby plants a chance to grow to full deliciousness.