After the harsh winter, it is wonderful to see the flowering trees and all the other flowers.
From the number of flowers on the apple trees, we will have a great crop. As the flowers fall off, the ground is white, as though with snow.
Lettuce and radishes are coming out in the garden and I have transplanted the tomatoes, peppers, basil, eggplant and so on, some into the garden and some into the earth boxes on the deck.
I spent last weekend in Maryland at Malice Domestic. This was my first Malice and I had a great time. I had planned to take lots of pictures but got caught up in the activity and only took two, of a fairly early panel.
At least this one was with Sara Paretsky.
I always find listening to other authors interesting as I discover how similar our experiences are.
I always go home with bags of books.
I am thrilled to announced that 880 people put their names in for “Death in Salem”. That is just about half the number in two weeks than “A Simple Murder” dd in four. Thanks everyone. Good luck!
I cracked the 500 level of requests. Yay! I am so close to 600 I am optimistic that I will cross that too. So, if you want a free book, put your name in. Reviews have been great.
Very excited to announce I have broken the 300 mark. Can I reach 400 requestors?
Well, there was no housework done in the Kuhns household this weekend. I left the house on Saturday at 7 am to attend the steering committee meeting for my sisters-in crime chapter. The regular meeting began at 10:30 and I left at 12:30, after a very fascinating talk by a Colonie policeman, for a talk at Cohoes Public library.
What a great talk it was too. And I met an old friend from my days working with the New York Library Association.
On Sunday I spoke at a meeting of the Arlington Women’s group to an assemblage of 78 people. Another great talk. And they fed me lunch.
Now I have to return to real life. Sigh.
So far about 275 people have requested a copy of my new book. I am surprised it isn’t more; for “A Simple Murder” there were many more requests. Of course it does mean that those who have put in their names have a better chance. But you can’t win it, if you aren’t in it.
I love the coming of spring but hate some of what I find. No, I don’t mean the sticks and all. I’m talking about all the plants that are winter killed.
Like my roses. I went into the winter with 11 bushes. I now have six and two of them do not look good.
I have two butterfly bushes. One is budding out very nicely. The other? Well, when the snow had melted I went out and found it lying flat on the ground. I replanted it but I doubt it will survive.
Thank goodness for the bulbs. Daffodils are blooming and now the tulips are coming up. I see the feathery spikes of the peonies and the first leaves of the daylilies. Did the azaleas survive? I don’t know. Stay tuned.
Well, I’m excited. After the first day of the giveaway, almost 200 people requested the book. Fantastic!
With the arrival of the first nice weekend in months, many many months, I began setting up my garden.
What is the hardware cloth doing around the base of the fence? Funny you should ask. Last year I got hardly any peas or broccoli because the baby rabbits got through the fence and ate the sprouts. Not this year they won’t. After this picture was taken, I put in radishes, carrots, beets and kale. All the cold hardy veggies. (I still have at least a month before tomatoes, cukes and peppers go in.) Next weekend, if it nice, I will start laying out the plastic mulch so I can get a jump on the weeds.
While I was working, my dog ran around looking for critters that might have gotten inside the fence without her knowing. She spent a lot of time inspecting the first and largest groundhog holes.
She goes all the way in, hoping, I think, that she will find another groundhog that moved in, and all we can see is her tail.
Although we have tried to fill in the hole, I think it goes to China. It is enormous, not just from the successive groundhogs but from Shelby digging.
Maybe I should plant a tree.
