Now that I'm entrenched in writing MURDER BY THE HOOK, I turned my attention to the pattern and recipe would be included. The idea is that both are part of the story. I had a vague idea of what kind of crochet project I wanted to include but after my experience of making the crochet tie which Adele is now wearing in the book, I decided to do something else.
The group is now going to make a granny square scarf similar to the one that a TV character wears. Adele is all a flutter that having this TV character wear a crocheted scarf is putting the craft in the spotlight it deserves. Elisbeth in the CBS show of the same name does wear a granny square scarf and since her clothes and accessories are an important part of her character, the scarf has gotten attention. It's similar to the way the granny square afghan was a prominent thing in the Roseanne show and is now in the Connors.
I read that the costume person got the actual scarf used in the show from Macy's. I have seen assorted versions showing up on crochet sites and will create my own one. I have already gotten the yarn and am looking forward to working on it.
I am still thinking about the recipe but it will probably be something that goes with what grows in the area..
Instead of having the main action take place in Ojai, I am making it all go down in a town in the Ojai Valley called Pixie (after the mandarins that grow only there). That way I can move things around to suit the story. I have been doing a lot of research about what grows there. Along with the pixies, there are avocado groves and olive groves. And I am adding my own touch with coffee plants.
As far as I know there aren't any there now, but there could be since coffee bushes can grown near avocado trees. There is some coffee growing going on in California on a small scale.
I have said before how sometimes things just happen when I'm writing. Characters show up and start talking. I thought Barry was gone, but then the homicide detective and Molly's ex showed up in Pixie.
9 comments:
Good morning -- I can just see Adele wearing that granny square tie -- the final accessory to one of her over-the-top outfits. I'm working on a big granny square blanket, making alternate rows of yellow and white -- makes a checkerboard pattern.
Have you ever grown an avocado plant from the pit? I've had very large plants grow in the past, but for some reason the pits just don't sprout like they used to. I'm trying another right now -- put it in water last Sunday and will give it six weeks to do something.
Have you made a mandarin orange cake -- one of my favorites -- so moist and good. The first time I had it was in a tiny Nebraska town -- my husband and I were looking for a place to have lunch and asked a woman who was working in her yard if there was a cafe. She said not one she'd recommend, but she'd love to have us join her in her kitchen for sandwiches. We had a great time, and dessert was the cake. She gave me her recipe -- I labelled it "Nebraska Orange Cake." I've had people say "I didn't know oranges grew in Nebraska." Yup, right out of the can!!
I hope Mason is still around for Molly -- he's my preference over Barry!!
Enjoy your day, your writing and your crocheting.
Patty, I will try to grow an avocado seed. Thanks for the idea. Such a nice story about the woman in Nebraska. I will keep a cake made with mandarins in mind.
Don't worry, Mason is absolutely in the book. Molly is working for him now as his private private detective.
This sounds like a wonderful book. I'm looking forward to it. I used to grow plants from avocado pits but I haven't tried that in a long time.
When I was a Blue Bird leader, we made what we called '"garbage gardens." Poked holes in the bottom of egg cartons for drainage, filled the cups with dirt and planted seeds from oranges, lemons, grapefruit, pumpkin seeds, the tops cut from carrots which make great little plants. If the plants did well and outgrew the little space, they would be transplanted to a pot. Some of the girls even had little pumpkins on their plants!! It was always fun for them.
Chkntza,
The way the manuscript is going is surprising even me. I have gotten away from gardening. This year I didn't even buy a tomato plant. There's a strawberry plant from last year that has gotten some fruit. I do want to try the avocado seed.
Patty, I think I mentioned that I was a Campfire Girl, but not a Bluebird first. I love that idea of using egg cartons and seeds from food. I was a co-Cub Scout leader and had the boys make rain ponchos out of trash bags. Max has never let me forget that I had made him one once when we got caught in a storm in Chicago. He was super embarrassed when we passed some kids his age.
I have two avocado pits I'm trying to get to sprout. One is submerged halfway in water, being held up with the three toothpick method. It's on my kitchen counter with the under-cabinet lights above it. The other was soaked in water for 24 hours, then wrapped in damp paper towels, sealed in a plastic bag and put in a warm, dark place -- the storage area in my breezeway. Towel needs to be kept damp. Both are said to need anywhere from two to six weeks to sprout -- I'll report results.
Sounds like your planning, and creating things in addition to your writing, are all going well, Betty! I like the name of Pixie for the town. Enjoy!
Linda, I thought calling the town Pixie was fun.
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