2025/Boerenwormkruid Nieuws - 3

 

Het heeft even geduurd, ik moest heel veel geduld oefenen (niet meer mijn sterkste punt sinds ik besef dat de tijd als zand door mijn vingers glipt), maar eindelijk kan ik mijn boek vasthouden. Maar wat véél belangrijker is: jij kunt het óók vasthouden en lezen!

Onlangs kon ik in Donner met heel veel plezier (en toch ook wel trots) een exemplaar overhandigen aan mijn Eerste Lezer Cindy (zij is de knappe blonde).

Dat blijkt dus best een 'ding' te zijn, je Eerste Lezer (net als een schrijvershuisje in je tuin, trouwens. Oeps, past niet op mijn balkon!). 

Op 14 februari hoorde ik 4 Nederlandse bestseller thrillerschrijvers nadrukkelijk beweren dat een schrijver absoluut niet zonder kan! Liefst tientallen, als ik het goed begrepen heb. Nu moet iedereen doen wat zij/hij/het wil uiteraard, maar ik had er gewoon eentje en die zei "top, hartstikke leuk, leest lekker weg, uitgeven!" En daar heb ik naar geluisterd.

Op 21 maart a.s. zal ik mijn boek in de namiddag signeren bij boekhandel Hoofdstuk Een, in de Nobelstraat 16 te Brielle.

Uiteraard hoop ik dat jij, nu je de moeite hebt genomen om dit stukje te lezen, ook denkt top! Dat boek wil ik ook lezen.

Mocht je niet in de gelegenheid zijn om naar Brielle te komen, dan kan je mijn boek bij iedere boekhandel bestellen, maar de snelste manier is via deze link naar Webshop Trichis

Heel veel leesplezier!

Renée Grashoff 

2025/10 - Raisin' the Canopy

 It would make a good song title! Especially when sang with an American twang.

The before photo.

Yes folks, there was sunshine! But at home, on the balcony, it was 5°C, so I had my winter coat and hat on...Boy, was that a mistake, I was sweltering within 5 minutes!

But I battled on valiantly, quite in tune with that twang. "I'm gonna raise that canopy and have myself a glass of Tangeray before I throw an elk on the barbecue" sort a thang.

I swear all rabbits that heard me did a runner, just in case.

And after.

Hm. Not quite the romantic picture I had pictured, but never mind. Those branches will thicken out over time. And at least I can now take that path again without my head getting tangled up in that shrub, and mow that grass.

Apart from my olijfwilg, I tidied up the border next to the greenhouse, where the tulips, narcissi, lilies and primulas are showing themselves. In summer there are masses of gladioli (in a hideous mauve colour) of my predecessor there, which produce masses of leaves which then die back like straw. I pulled them out, but left the bulbs. Somehow I cannot bring myself to dig them up, they try their best to grow and can't help that someone thought that colour would be fun. I compromise by cutting off the flower stems and putting the flowers in a vase.

Yes, yes, definitely further along than a week ago!

And so are these, aren't they sweet?

I hesitated about cutting down the spent stems of the artichokes, but decided to leave them for a bit. There might be insects overwintering.

Tadaaa! One of my favourite plants in spring. It brightens up the entire corner next to the frog pond, love it.

Good times ahead!

Apart from that, I could not do much else. I was the only one there, the soil is far too cold still.

Book news

There will be a 'meet-and-greet' in my local bookshop Hoofdstuk Een by the end of March. I don't know the exact date (yet).

But I am extremely chuffed and pleased to be able to report that the people that have read it so far and made the effort to tell me, really enjoyed 'Boerenwormkruid'. Hurray!

So if you are curious, follow this link to Trichis webshop or contact me at dutchdeltagardener@gmail.com 

Have a lovely weekend!

Renée 

2025/8 - And there it is!

 It is such a cliché: my 'baby' has arrived.

But clichés have become themselves for a reason: they are truth.

When I opened that box from the publishers yesterday, it felt as if the baby of my leap of faith had finally arrived. I had worked hard for a year and then practised being patient for a year and a half, and there it was. 

Colourful. 

New. 

Mine.

Doing it all yourself certainly has its drawbacks (uncertainty about my investment, to name but one), but it has so many advantages too! I can do with it what I like now. 

I don't want to jinx things, so I'll keep my plans to myself for just a little while longer, but I do have plans, and they are (mostly) fun. And no-one is going to stop me, or demand 80% of the income of MY creativity and hard work.

And let me tell you, that is a wonderful feeling.

So. The only way is up! When doubt is creeping up on me (am I an old fool to start this at my advanced age?), I always remember a quote by Mark Twain:

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. 

If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

There is a lot of life in this old biddy, I tell you! Besides, there is no fool like an old fool, right? Here's to all old fools!

Renée 

2025/7 - 💥 Fame at last!💥 Boerenwormkruid and Gig.

 Totally off-topic, not a plant in sight (except on my photos), but it is my philosophy that if I'd like to Celebrate Life, I need to hang up the bunting myself! (That is a very useful practise by the way, at least you know there IS bunting).

In the webshop!

Update Boerenwormkruid

Another titillating titbit of news about the anticipated launch of my book: 

IT IS HERE!!!😊🇱🇺

You can order it through this link to the webshop  

https://www.trichisboeken.nl/product/boerenwormkruid

From today on you can also put your name forward to receive a regular Newsletter about my writing activities, by sending an e-mail to dutchdeltagardener@gmail.com leaving your name and e-mail address.

Yes, this blog is in English and the book is in Dutch, so this seems counter-productive, but I know my blog is read on a weekly basis by my fellow countrymen and Belgians both (in English, the clever clogs!). And they certainly are my 'target' (my apologies about that word, my Dutch and Flemmish friends, I totally appreciate you!)

Right, let me tell you about our gig last Sunday afternoon.

After a new bass player and drummer joined, and with an almost entirely new repertoire, Dusting Diamonds had practised for a year and a half before we thought to be ready. Our lead guitarist is a stickler for perfection you see, and rightly so, I see too many 'just for fun' bands perform (even charging money) that are not up to par. And I certainly do not want to make a fool of myself on a stage (unless I WANT to). 

Exactly

   

   So, there we were, Sunday afternoon, the music venue happily buzzing with those friends, family members and other folks that were not in bed with the flu. Trust me to organise a concert during an epidemic...

   Now do not think we sold out the Amsterdam Ziggo Dome; first of all it was a free concert and second muziekcafé MACH doesn't pack more than 80 or so. But enthusiastic people are wonderful! Especially when they sing, dance and sway along to your music.

   We all five brought in our darlings (and saw many fall along the way), so we play an eclectic mix of country-rock, blues, jazz and folk. 

   My personal preference is slow, steaming, swampy blues. I couldn't tell you why, as I have never visited the Mississippi area, and probably never will. But it resonates deep within me, if it were possible I would tell you it is in my blood. Hm. Probably from some past life (or utter bollocks). If you'd like an example of what I mean, please listen to the intro of Led Zeppelin's 'When the Levee Breaks', until Robert Plant changes pitch. No? Not your thing? Then try Buffalo Nichols 'Lost & Lonesome'. Still No? All right, good old Muddy Waters then: 'Mannish Boy'. I heard this at age 13, listening secretly under the covers in my bed, and was utterly blown away by it. That song was the start of a life-long love affair with the blues.

Anyway, a fellow musician from another band made my day by declaring he'd experienced goosebumps (from emotion, not horror) when I sang Lovin' Whiskey by Rory Block. Wonderful! That is exactly the reaction I like.

Have a great end of the week and weekend, won't you?

Love, 

Renée 

2025 -5 Patience, patience, patience! (Boerenwormkruid)

 Not my thing, to be patient... Especially when I feel passionately about something, like my garden, OR my writing. So perhaps you can imagine my restlessness now that I have to wait for my gardens to wake up, for our gig with the band, and for my novel to be published all during the same month. I am like a cat on a hot tin roof. Or like my darling Puck when she notices I am getting her bowl, but am not slicing her doggie sausage just yet.

My 'historical' map of Den Briel

   Anyway, the good news is all is in hand.🤗

   The gig is happening on Feb.9th, the gardens are weathering the windy wetness and I have checked the 3rd printing proof for Boerenwormkruid (Tansy) and returned it to the publishers.

And exhale.

I realise that I am writing about a novel that most of you (3/4 of my readers are from 'foreign' countries) will not be able to read (yet?). But I will explain. There's nothing doing in my gardens right now anyway.

That woman you see speeding on her bycicle is Noor, my protagonist. Noor loves two things: her allotment and detectives. She's a pensioner now, but was a hippy in her youth, is rather eccentric, and extremely stubborn.

When she discovers a dead man in a clump of tansy on her compost heap, she decides it would be such fun to find out who murdered him.

 The second narrative in the story is that of Agnieken, a young woman in 1572, who has to deal with being a roman-catholic carer for the sick in a rapidly changing environment which is evolving to a protestant country, and thus is at war with Spain. 

At first glance the two stories have nothing in common, but as they unfold, you'll realise that there may be 450 years between Noor and Agnieken, but shockingly little has changed, at many levels.

Civilisation...Such a baffling concept. 

Just one example: there IS a medicine against AIDS, but financial motives of a xenophobic country stop this medicine from reaching people who suffer from this horrendous virus.

The Year of the Snake

    If only 'civilisation' was as warm as the drawing on the left. I have no idea what the characters beneath it spell out, but I expect they say something like 'may you have a very prosperous, healthy, happy new year, amongst your loved ones'.

   If only...As if those poor ill AIDS sufferers have no loved ones, and should simply perish.

   It makes me furious.

   But let's keep it light, right? You do not read this blog to be ranted at.

Here you are, a lovely, hopeful sign that this cold, wet, windy season too shall pass. My wallflower on the balcony is telling me it is looking forward to spring. And so am I!

If you are on the Asian side of our planet, may you enjoy your holiday week, and if you are on that other side, please remember those historical words by The Beatles: "All you need is love, love is all you need!"

Renée 

   

   

Boerenwormkruid - update!

 Scroll even naar beneden naar blogpost 173, die ik geupdate heb met het laatste nieuws over Boerenwormkruid.

Groetjes,

Renée 

181 - Bijna herfst, hoor, wat ze ook beweren.

 Terwijl het in mijn huiskamer 27°C is (ik schrijf dit op woensdag), merk ik aan alles dat de zomer van 2024 langzaamaan overgaat in de herfst. Vind ik het erg? Neu, eigenlijk niet. Want we mogen uiteindelijk niet klagen over de zomer die we gehad hebben. 

Beetje laat, maar toch erg welkom!

   Hij begon te laat, te koud en te nat, maar vanaf de 2e week van juli werd het opeens lekker weer. Mijn achterlopende planten haalden hun achterstand pijlsnel in. Op de Canna na dan...Maar die doet nu heel erg haar best om dat goed te maken, vindt je niet?

   Waaraan ik heel erg merk dat hoogzomer voorbij is, is in de vroege ochtend. Niet alleen is het om 06.00 nu nog zo donker dat de straatlantaarns nog branden, maar ik moet ineens weer een jas aan!

   Ook de bomen in mijn wijk, voornamelijk zomereiken, (knot-)wilgen en lindebomen, worden al behoorlijk geel en ze laten al blad vallen. 

Het balkon bloeit vrolijk door.

   Vanochtend spotte ik de eerste paddestoel in het gras...

   Okay, het is onvermijdelijk: we gaan richting herfst.

   In Hunky Dory is dat ook goed te zien. De asters gaan nu voluit en ook de roze zomerbollen laten zich vrolijk zien. 

Ik kwam er trouwens achter dat de Ixia die ik ook geplant had (in een pot op mijn balkon) helemaal niets gedaan heeft. Grom!

Mijn breiwerkje.

Bollen die niet opkomen; het moest verboden worden.

Zoals je rechts ziet, heb ik de verdroogde wilgentenen bak gerepareerd. Mag ik heel brutaal een raad geven? Begin er niet aan. Binnen twee jaar is de boel verdroogd en stort het ding in elkaar. 

Wat er in staat, dáár ben ik wel heel blij mee. Mijn zoon had me een gele framboos gegeven, die nu vrucht draagt. Yippie!

De rode aalbes die in de achterste bak staat, doet nog niet zo veel. Misschien volgend jaar, nu hij organische mest heeft gekregen, ik hoop het. Aalbessen zijn mijn favoriete bessen.

De gele framboos.

   Even heel wat anders

  Zoals je misschien nog weet (anders weet je het nu), ben ik bezig met het uitgeven van een boek. Het zou 'Moord op Rust Roest' gaan heten, maar laat er nou onlangs een boek uitgekomen zijn dat 'Rust Roest' heet? Ik kon mijn ogen niet geloven. Snel even gecheckt of ik niet bestolen was (noem me gerust wantrouwig), maar dat was niet zo, gewoon stom toeval. Met de nadruk op stom, hoeveel kans, etc.

Afijn. Mijn boek heeft nu dus een nieuwe titel. 'Boerenwormkruid' gaat het heten. Jullie zijn hier nu getuige van. Het uitgeefproces gaat ook niet allemaal van een leien dakje tot nu toe, maar dat verhaal zal ik je besparen. Misschien verwerk ik het in een volgend boek.

Ik wens je een heel fijn weekend.

Renée