My first attempts in OIL in 1991

   Developmental editors, line editors, copy editors, proofreaders: let's define! This is how I define them: Developmental editors: Comment on the story and how it is working (plot, characters, structure, theme). They may call out issues they see again and again (confusing dialogue, etc.). Usually their goal is not to turn a poorly written book into a bestseller; their goal is to help the writer make the book better depending upon that writer's current abilities. They do not rephrase language or fix grammar, but might call out patterns. They are story experts. Line editor: Will rephrase your sentences so they are clearer, more effective, and more consistent. Line editing a novel is a big job, and the editor must make choices about how far they are going to go. They might also correct grammar at the same time. Their changes, once approved by the author, still need to be copy edited and/or proofread. Copy editor: Assumes all of your language choices are deliberate, so does not m...

  Developmental editors, line editors, copy editors, proofreaders: let's define! This is how I define them: Developmental editors: Comment on the story and how it is working (plot, characters, structure, theme). They may call out issues they see again and again (confusing dialogue, etc.). Usually their goal is not to turn a poorly written book into a bestseller; their goal is to help the writer make the book better depending upon that writer's current abilities. They do not rephrase language or fix grammar, but might call out patterns. They are story experts. Line editor: Will rephrase your sentences so they are clearer, more effective, and more consistent. Line editing a novel is a big job, and the editor must make choices about how far they are going to go. They might also correct grammar at the same time. Their changes, once approved by the author, still need to be copy edited and/or proofread. Copy editor: Assumes all of your language choices are deliberate, so does not mak...

Theses are the Paintings I displayed at the Library on the open day.

I have wasted 2 hours thinking that it it would be easier and quicker to contact people by email than snail mail but not only has it taken me longer

I had a student staying en famille. He had lessons in the morning at The Pigeon House school

The last time I tried to upload photos to this blog it was impossible so I started a new blog. I thought I would try again as it is raining and I am reluctant to work in the garden.

I have just read my blog after some months. I enjoy reading my past successes and failures and find it useful. I wish it would continue to work. Here goes ---

J'ai pris des photos de ces sculptures dans le centre-ville de Crawley. Je me demande si ce sont des lettres d'un alphabet rare ou des symboles ayant une signification.

  Here's a collection of images of some paintings of flowers

  Framed Buttercup Framed lupins Framed clovers

  What an onlooker may see as an undistinguished agglomeration of plants is often to its creator- HER ENTRANCE TO THE HINTERLAND OF DREAMS. I did a painting of my garden with the above quote and hung it on the entrance gate to my garden. Extracts from my blog Living and Gardening in Brittany. Buttercups Bloody buttercups And loss of camera 859 Feb 14th 2013 I am continuing to write as the Winter has been foul as regards the garden and weather. Maybe if I talk to myself here I can alleviate my frustration at not being able to do all my winter projects. In the last couple of days I decided to give up on trying to remove the damned buttercups and get on with more rewarding jobs; So everyday I aim to tackle the following:- a) dig out for one flag (making a terrace) b) put one barrow load of manure on new flower bed c) Fill one plastic bag (large) with leaves d) remove dead reeds in the gravel garden I really wanted to take some photos of the progress...

  Gardening in Brittany How I became an obsessional gardener Six years ago I bought a house in Brittany. Yes a house. What I didn’t realise at the time was that I had bought a field. This house had the three most important things the TV programs advise us to look for, that is ..location, location, location! My house is the only one in the lane, has an unrestricted view down to the Rance and up to the village church. So it’s traffic free, noise free and absolutely paradisaical. The field is bordered by poplar trees to the south and west, two hundred year old oaks to the east and I have planted horn beams to the north. I had lived in an upstairs flat in England for twenty tears and didn’t even have a window box. I had no intention of gardening. I moved to France to spend my retirement writing and painting. So how did it happen that I now go to bed planning the next for months gardening, I wake up eager to get on with the daily sowing/ planting/weeding/mowing or pruning. ...

  Garden Party in Mérillac was a Great Success. We were blessed with fine weather and a good attendance who gave generously. There was music, there was dancing , there were games and competitions and lots of tea, coffee and cake. The cake competiton was won by Sylvie Fournier from Ereac. Charity events are not possible without the volunteers. They work tirelessly behind the scenes and are usually unseen and unappreciated. It is not possible to name all the people to whom I am grateful but they were many and I couldn't have done it on my own. 640 euros was raised at the Garden Party in Merillac to be shared by 2 associations - La ligue Contre le cancer and L'Association de Chalonn. Dans La Photo; Isabelle le Fras et Anne Savenay from the Association of Chalonn; Sylvie Huet, adjointe au maire ; Freda Bateman, owner of the garden ; Annie Perquis, adjointe au maire; et Chantel Blanchard, from the Ligue contre le cancer des Cotes-d'Armor. Fete au Jardin à M é rillac a é...

I can't continue with this blog because I don't live and garden in Brittany. I am too sad about the leaving so I feel I can't write about what it was like. The remembering is painful. For the time being this blog will be on hold. However, I shall attempt to continue on my other blog Wise Wild Women Writing. I have begun a new blog called Living Life in reverse and adapting to the Present and Looking to the Future.

I  suppose I should change the name of this blog since I no longer live in France. I can't call it Living and Gardening in England because although I live in England I have no garden.

I now have amazon Prime thanks to my grandson which means I can watch live tennis or even catch-up if I miss a match. I also have the internet and what's app on my smart phone. I don't think I mentioned the floods of yesterday but access to most of the town by foot was mostly flooded. However today it is sunny and warmer. Sunnier weather has been promised for most of the week. RESOLUTION- Must walk every day. Too much TV watching is no good for my health. Must begin gardening. I am waiting for my son to put down a base for a small shed. The cats refuse to use the cat flap as yet. Cheeky is happy but refuses to use the cat flap. This is my walk to Tesco. This is the view from my front door. I can't see it through the frosted glass window only when the door is open.

I bought window boxes and compost and daffodil bulbs and tulip bulbs. I can't relax until the starred items in the last post have been completed. I began to deal with the neighbour who has extended his garden into council land and around the back of my garden. He parks his lorry and trailer behind the house which fills all the space from the road up to the rear of my house. I have taken photos of it and visited a solicitor to see if there is anything I can do about it. The wall is my boundary. My neighbour has erected the fence behind the wall. The gate is the entrance to my garden. The fence erected by my neighbour extends into council land. This is the gate which the council has installed. It is frequently blocked by the neighbour's lorry and trailer. In fact, his lorry is so wide that it is impossible to squeeze past it to access my back gate.