It flourished for years in a large concrete pot, which was refreshed with a new coat of white paint whenever it looked dowdy. The pot rested on a couple of bricks to help with drainage. There were actually two of these pots, placed either side of a short path that led to the clothesline. In […]
Welcome
Hello! I’m Erica Spinks and I’m glad you are here. I write mostly about gardening, reading, writing, quilt making and creativity.
Check out my ABOUT page to find out more.
I’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment on any of my posts if anything resonates with you.
Newsletter: daphne and quilts
Hello! I’ll be sending these newsletters at irregular intervals from now on. Some weeks I’ve simply run out of words while, at other times, different activities call me away from my computer. You may not even notice; I doubt you wait each Sunday for my missive to drop into your inbox! 😀 I’ve read two […]
Book review: Making it Write
Why do I often discover a new-to-me series in book three? I guess it’s a test of the story, that it can be read as a stand-alone rather than needing to start at the beginning of the series so I understand the backstory. Veronica Blackstone is a writer for hire. She writes advertising copy, love […]
Newsletter: frost and sun
The wind is filling the winter bed sheets as they spin around on the clothesline, making them look like spinnakers attempting to take the line on a journey. So far, the many pegs I used are holding but I suspect the 69 km/h gusts we are experiencing may test that. However, the glorious sun is […]
Celebrating hellebores
One of the delights of gardening in a cool climate is that we can grow hellebores. Or rather, they can grow themselves and flower prolifically, with little human interference. Hellebores are perennial ground-covering plants that enjoy shaded areas. The back corner of one of my garden beds has been colonised by these independent plants. Their […]
Book review: Daughters of Eve
Detective Emilia Hart becomes involved in a case where a high-profile man is shot. When more bodies of men continue to turn up murdered in a similar style, she identifies a link between the victims: they had all been perpetrators of violence against women or children. While working the case and juggling her complex personal […]
Newsletter: memoirs and lettuce
Hello! We enjoyed one lovely (cold) sunny day his week. That’s better than none, right? It’s not today, though, so I’ll ignore the rain outside, the lake that has re-formed in my back yard and the plants that are drowning… I’m not doing well ignoring it, am I? 😊 Two weeks ago, I planted some […]
Pretty polyanthus
The showers are only lightly falling now so I went outside and inspected the garden. I wish I hadn’t. As I took steps across the grass, I could feel myself sinking into the sodden ground. That’s enough, I thought, go back inside and focus on pretty things. So, I’m going to write about polyanthus instead. […]
Newsletter: legs and lichen
Hello creative dabblers! Have you enjoyed your week? We went on a last-minute tour of Retford Park last Sunday (we rarely do spontaneous – so out of character) so I missed sending a newsletter to you. The house tour was interesting but went too long. I recommend a wander around the gardens if you are […]
Keep your cyclamens flowering
Do you have a potted cyclamen? It’s not too late to purchase one, since they are still available in garden centres. If you’ve succumbed to their stunning blooms, I’m sure you want to keep enjoying the flowers as long as possible. Cyclamens grown as indoor potted plants are known as Persian or florist’s cyclamen, Cyclamen […]