Further to my interview with Jacci Gooding last week which focused on her adventures in self publishing, this post now looks at Jacci’s writing life.
She also reveals what she looks for in a good story as she prepares to launch her own short story collection, A Collection of Unsettling Short Stories. The anthology will be available as an ebook, as a paperback and in audio formats. [Read more…] about Interview: Jacci Gooding – The Writing Life
One of the things I love about writing for Chandler’s Ford Today has been the chance to interview fellow authors, to share news from the publishing world and so on.
Today I talk to Jacci Gooding, who I met at the Winchester Writers’ Festival. As well as learning a great deal from talks at conferences like this one, the other big joy has been making friends with other writers and knowing you are not alone out there. Mike Sedgwick touched on this theme recently with his post about the Secret Lives of Chandler’s Ford anthology. [Read more…] about Interview: Jacci Gooding – Adventures in Self Publishing
Everything in the garden is in full swing now. Dead head spent flowers so that the plants don’t use all their energy into making seedheads, rather they can produce more blooms instead.
Carry on cutting the lawns regularly, mow in different directions to prevent wear patterns and to encourage upright growth. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for June by Wellie
I was on board Lord Nelson ship at the Seed2Sailing – the launch party for this year’s Jubilee Sailing Trust Autumn Pumpkin Festival and Scarecrow Avenue, which will take place on Saturday 8th Oct 2016.
“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;”
Sea Fever by John Masefield
[Read more…] about Life aboard a Tall Ship: Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Ship Lord Nelson
Summer is approaching but don’t be tempted to put out summer bedding until the risk of frosts are over, and make sure they have been hardened off before planting out.
Dahlia plants can be planted out at the end of the month. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for May by Wellie
Hydrangea flower heads left for winter protection can be cut off now. Shorten any thin or older shoots of mop head and lace cap hydrangeas to their lowest bud.
Prune Chaenomeles (ornamental quince) and Forsythia after they have finished flowering. Check roses for black spot, remove any infected leaves and treat with a fungicide. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for April by Wellie
In the age of steam every boy wanted to be an engine driver. In my boyhood this desire became a fighter pilot and in modern times it might be an astronaut or a pop star. The nearest I got to being a fighter pilot was to sit in the cockpit of a spitfire and press the firing button. Then came the jet age and we aspired to becoming test pilots.
Then, seventy years later, I was to be a test pilot. A group of us had bought a new glider, a top of the range Duo Discus XLT with a 20 M wingspan. [Read more…] about Maiden Flight
Lift and divide overgrown clumps of herbaceous perennials that were not split in the Autumn.
Overcrowded clumps of snowdrops and winter aconites can be lifted and divided after they have finished flowering.
Shrubs can be moved now and should re-establish quickly.
Now is an ideal time to feed plants with a balanced fertiliser such as fish, blood and bone or Growmore. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for March from Wellie
Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year 2016.
It’s the Year of the Monkey, my Zodiac Year of Birth, which is known as 本命年 (Běn mìng nián).
Traditionally a lot of Chinese believe that your zodiac year (12 years as a cycle) will bring danger and misfortune, so you need to wear something red.
To ward off evil spirits, apparently one has to wear red underwear too. [Read more…] about Welcoming Year of Monkey: 8 February 2016
Sweet peas are wonderfully cheery flowers to have.
They are beautiful as cut flowers with a heavenly scent. You can sow them in March but you’ll have better plants, with longer flowering stems, if you sow them now. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for February from Wellie
This is a great time to plan what you would like to do in the garden for the rest of the year, take a note book and walk around the garden.
Look at seed catalogues for ideas of what to sow.
Midwinter can be a tough time for wildlife in the garden. Make sure there is a continuous supply of food and fresh water. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for January from Wellie
*** Please note that information in this article was correct at date of first publication (December 2015), but may have changed subsequently. Please use more up to date sources for the most recent information on emergency numbers ***
It used to be just 999 for the emergency services, but now there is a whole host of numbers we can use to summon help. But which is which, and when should we use them?
This is the emergency number for police, ambulance, fire brigade, coastguard, cliff rescue, mountain rescue, cave rescue, etc. Note the important word ‘EMERGENCY’. This number should be used only when urgent attendance by the emergency services is required – for example someone is seriously ill or injured, or a crime is in progress.
Calls are free, and 999 can be dialled from a locked mobile phone. [Read more…] about 999, 111, 101, 112? Emergency Numbers You Must Know
Keep raking up those leaves from the lawn and borders.
From now until the end of March is the time to plant any bare rooted trees, shrubs and roses.
Check stored fruit, throw out any that are rotten.
Reduce watering on houseplants. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for December from Wellie
The Sorting Office in Eastleigh will open for its annual Winter Open Studios this weekend (21st and 22nd November 2015).
Now in its third year, the Winter Open Studios will run over two days, opening on Saturday November 21 from 11am to 5pm, and on Sunday November 22 from 11am to 4pm. [Read more…] about Don’t Forget: Winter Open Studios This Weekend at the Sorting Office Eastleigh
(Editor’s note: Welcome to our new gardening series written by Wellie. Her gardening tips will appear monthly on Chandler’s Ford Today.)
Jobs to do as winter approaches and the garden quietens. [Read more…] about Gardening Tips for November from Wellie
In this tutorial post, I’ll be showing you step-by-step how to create an image with text.
On Chandler’s Ford Today, all images with added text are created on a free photo editor called PicMonkey.
For each post, I also create a Featured Image measuring 240 x 240 pixels.
You can see all Featured Images to the left of the published posts on the Chandler’s Ford Today Blog page. [Read more…] about Easy Steps to Create Images with Text Using PicMonkey
Don’t miss The Sorting Office’s annual Summer Open Studios on June 13 and 14 (Saturday and Sunday) in Eastleigh town centre.
This is a fantastic opportunity to see behind the scenes of thriving designer-maker studios. You’ll meet 16 artists, watch them at work, take part in demonstrations, and shop for exquisite handcrafted goods and designs. [Read more…] about The Sorting Office: Summer Open Studios: 13 -14 June 2015
Raffles are a useful source of extra income for an event. They might raise enough to cover the costs of the venue. And they allow people who would have been willing to pay more for an event ticket to spend that extra few pounds.
But there are some holes that people fall into when organising a raffle. Here are (in my opinion) some of the more common. [Read more…] about Running a Raffle? Read This.
Our gliding flights in the Pyrenees were going well. A friendly rivalry arose with the two pilots of another glider and we were determined to outdo one another.
Today was my turn as pilot in command of our 2 seater, Whisky Bravo. The tug plane took us from Santa Cilia airfield on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees towards the local hill where there was some rising air. [Read more…] about Forced Landing
The plan was to get to the Gliding Club early and fly the Falke motor glider at first light.
I met my pilot friend in the dim light of dawn and we got the aircraft out of its hangar. After an inspection and a short taxi round to the refuelling bunker we added 25 litre of mogas. [Read more…] about Dawn Patrol That Wasn’t
