I work for a physician who used to be a farmer, and often our conversations revolve around chicken breeds, electric cars, and squash. He recently sent me this book as a gift, and I devoured it in two days. Such a delight! This author perfectly captures the drama and joy of backyard gardening. I kept laughing aloud, hugging the book to my chest, and punching the air with my fist crying, "Yes! Exactly! She gets me!"
She knows the humiliation of having to buy zucchini from the store, the yearning for self-sufficiency, the danger of drool-inducing seed catalogues, the inordinate pride at harvesting three whole blueberries, the hopeless desire to taste every single variety of apple, the envy of those who have stone walls and ponds and vistas and willow trees and ha-has. I no longer feel so embarrassed about the tablespoon of oats (the entire harvest) carefully put in a jar in the cupboard. Or the green beans currently growing up the walls of my dining room (I've picked four so far. A burst of flavour in winter). This writer has been there before me.
I am going to check out Charlotte's (may I call her Charlotte? I feel like we're friends) other books. I love it when I discover a new, fun author, and finding a book like this is like...well, finding a delicious green bean hiding behind the curtains.
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