Monday 9 May 2011

An Award and Some News as Well

Thank you Suzy Doodling at http://susanjanejones.blogspot.com/ for this award.

I'm supposed to tell you seven things about me. Well, I only did that a couple of posts ago and I'm not sure I can come up with seven more.
I could start with the News, though.

I've just had another short story accepted by People's Friend.
I once won first prize in a Fancy Dress, I was a Teddy Boy.
My auntie took me to have my hair done teddy boy style and the barber (yes, really) burned my neck with the waving tongs.
I love making chocolate cakes and chocolate mousse.
I have been known to eat a whole (small) jar of nutella off a spoon.
Numbers 6 and 7 are a cheat:    
I'm meant to name seven more bloggers for this award.
I don't want to put anyone on the spot. So...
If any of you who read my blog would like the award, it's yours as long as you follow the rules.

Sunday 1 May 2011

Did You Know...?

May 3rd is Rowan Tree Day.  This was when country folk used to take a sprig of rowan indoors to protect the building and its occupants against witches and disease! People also carried sprigs of rowan to ease rheumatism (hmm, might try that).

OK, so what has that got to do with writing? Well... I woke up this morning wearing my 'other' hat - the one that puts itself on my head when the muse thinks it's time to write a short story for a woman's magazine - and there was this character saying, "Rowan". I didn't know if she was telling me that was her name so I looked in one of my books of country lore and that's when I learned about May 3rd.
Rowan as a girl's name means red-haired one but the character talking to me didn't have red hair.
So, I suspect she either has a Rowan tree in her garden, or she'll be going somewhere there's a Rowan tree. Either way, the tree (or its flowers, berries or bark) obviously plays a big part in her story.
I guess I'll be spending the May Bank Holiday finding out why.
What will you be doing?