March winds! Storm force, constantly barrelling in and dumping biblical amounts of rain soaking everything and everyone. There is no place to hide, you just need to get indoors. Fast.

I was planting the new honeysuckles and poppies in the sun when I noticed the signs of the storm coming. It starts with a stiff cold breeze, then the sky darkens and you see the white caps picking up on the water. That’s when you drop everything and run.

It takes moments to go from rough waters in the bay to broiling, highly energised sea that is unforgiving as it throws everything at you.

All that salt-blasting and water is very corrosive but some plants love the stuff. The rosemary waterfalls and hellebores in the front terraces guzzle it up.

We are still repairing last season’s storm damage and building new terraces over in the garden’s west end. Despite the inclement weather, Jason and Lazlo have been converting rather unpromising sand, cement and stone into beautiful walls, new paths and steps.

While watching the storm from indoors, a strange bird flew by…..

…well someone was enjoying the weather.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE. It’s a bit early for us gardeners but the chocolate eggs are very welcome.

Come back next time to see the spring planting, and get news of my next book about gang warfare at a big teaching hospital.

Rain, loads of it, every day, soaking wet everywhere. Howling high winds, rolling sea mists and icy wild water, constantly. But on Chinese New Year Day, the sun came out for us.

Despite the weather, the spring garden is firing up: hellebores, daffodils and primroses:

And for Chinese New Year, the camellias came early giving a lovely pop of brilliant red.

Nian nian kuai le!  and welcome to the year of the dragon.

A break in the storms barrelling in off the ocean gives clear skies as the sun goes down resulting in freezing cold nights. Ships’ lights start to appear on the horizon as they wait to come into port in the next bay and as it gets darker, the night sky show begins. A zillion stars shine like a spray of diamonds in the inky black sky. It is worth braving the intense cold to go out and watch the display.

The days are icy cold too making it hard to work outdoors so reading is the order for most days. But out on the water, some hardy souls swim and canoe.

Despite the wintery temperatures, there are the first signs of spring: daffodils with a pop of pink from a sole primrose. The heathers have survived and are trying while the agapanthuses down in the secret garden look very healthy despite the constant salt blasting and the frost.

The storm damage repairs are ongoing, but take a look at these new steps and pathway to the upper terraces. That golden stone exudes warmth in the watery sunshine.

My next book on medical politics and research fraud is coming along and I have been on a screenplay writer’s course to prepare for the movie work of LOUISA’S LAMENT.
Jump into patoakleypublishing.london to get a copy and let me know what you think about who should play which of the four women’s roles in the story.

And come back next time for a burst of spring and more news of the new book.

Season’s Greetings Kind People

It has been a busy year with the launch of my book LOUISA’S LAMENT in the spring. A Big Thank You to all who have purchased a copy and contributed to the fundraisers. We made enough money in the first six months to donate £7,000.00 to this year’s charity, Birkbeck College’s Student Support Fund.

I attended the College’s 200^th Anniversary Dinner at Mansion House recently where Princess Anne, who is the Chancellor of London University, gave the oration. The history of Birkbeck supporting working people is legend and you can see a clip made by the College and a pic of Princess Anne cutting the College’s birthday cake on my publishing website – jump into patoakleypublishing.london and click the ‘news’ tab.

Have a Happy New Year with lots of Tunnock’s and I’ll update you on the new book at the end of January.

The storm season has arrived. High winds churn the water, the drenching rain is constant and rolling sea mists obscure the view. Best to stay indoors on such days; but for the hardy, it is time to surf!

And we had a visitor on the balcony not seen much down here by the sea.

A Pheasant!

Time for one last look at the garden’s autumnal colours before the winter comes.

Season’s Greetings to all and many thanks for the book sales and donations which will be given to charity next week.

Merry Christmas…

… and please come back next month to hear about the Big Donation and plans for next year.

From my room with a view, time to enjoy the last of the warm sunny days before the clocks turn back and the storm season gets going.

The low sun plays tricks on the water turning it from hues of blue to sparkling silver and sombre grey. Walking along the water’s edge, you can feel the chill in the air as the sea breeze stings your face.

The garden, in contrast, is full of autumnal russet sedums and skimia, and fading hydrangeas and roses.

It will all be gone soon as we start the annual clearance to get the garden ready for winter. Then it will be time for reading and writing. I am working on a new novel for publication next spring hopefully. In the meantime, I will be giving talks at book clubs and gatherings of friends who want to know more about LOUISA’S LAMENT and the pioneering women of Guy’s Hospital whose lives were crushed in 1880 because they challenged the traditional orthodoxy.  

You can order a copy from patoakleypublishing.London where you can also book a talk for your gathering of friends.

Come back next time for more news of the charitable donation arising from the first six month’s sales.

Our fleeting summer is over. There is the last of the rock pooling to be done while we still have some warmth before the storm season begins with ‘Agnes’ about to barrel in from the ocean.

At low tide, while it is still calm, there is much life in amongst the rocks. You can see why this was a wreckers’ beach in days gone by. Those jagged rocks are lethal when covered at high tide as they wait to hull any boat that comes in too close.

Back in the garden, there is a last hurrah with a blast of pink to echo the ‘Barbie’ vibe we have had over the summer.

And I’ve been to another book club meeting to launch LOUISA’S LAMENT.

The lovely residents of Austin Heath near Warwick hosted an evening’s discussion about the dispute and the role of the press; the plotters and their motives; and the plight of educated women in the late 19^th century as they sought to better themselves.

In addition to the individual purchases, I received a generous contribution to the charity we are supporting with the book’s sales. Thankyou Austin Heath residents for your kind generosity.

You can book your meeting, including local history clubs, on our website: patoakleypublishing.london

Come back next time for more news of autumn’s arrival and the new book which is now in preparation.

HIPS HIPS HOORAY!

The summer is over before it began. We have had a few sunny days but it is very autumnal despite it being August. Storms Antoni and Betty have already been and we have not had the Harvest Festival yet. Time to take pleasure in small things like these glorious reds hips from the Rosa Ragusa. They are very abundant this year and they remind me of a favourite cough syrup when I was a child-Rose Hip Syrup.

The summer’s rain has been very good for the plants which are overflowing their banks – just look at the terraces going down to the house, especially the blue-tipped white agapanthuses poking out of the rosemary waterfalls and the healthy buxuses.

Down in the secret garden and along the stone river facing the sea, the last of the blue agapanthuses and the abelia are still on show. And the self-seeded apple tree is full of fruit.

There is more! The chardonnay grape vines have for the first time ever produced some grapes, and the lovely brass bird tap has been restored to its original glory.

Come back next time for more news of autumn’s arrival and another book club meeting in Warwick.