I've already booked my tickets for this exciting weekend in November- it's the week before my birthday, so it's an early present to myself. :-)
This year's Festival of Romance is taking place in Bedford between Friday evening on the 8th and Sunday the 10th November- finishing mid-afternoon.
The Saturday is busy from morning until night. See the programme here.
I've booked to go to the Irresistible Heroes Workshop in the Central Library, led by Sue Moorcroft and Christina Courtney.
And I couldn't resist booking a ticket for the Festival of Romance Ball. I have the shoes, the make-up and the jewellery, I just need to find a suitable dress... :D
You can do as much or as little as you want. There are a few free events, but you still need to get the ticket from the bookings page. It is sent to your e-mail address...
Now if you would like to enter to win tickets for two, courtesy of the Romantic Novelists Association, pop over to this page, fill in the form and keep your fingers crossed. And enter by the 30th September. You will find all the details of what the prize covers on that page too.
Good luck.
Carol Bevitt's blog on her writing and inspirations, along with occasional literature related news...
Saturday 17 August 2013
Thursday 15 August 2013
Butterflies...
This time I'm talking about the real type Butterflies, not the tummy type...
My office window looks out onto the side of the house and over the years a buddleia bush has grown. Every spring it gets cut back, and each summer it grows huge and produces long purple flower spikes.
The last few summers there have been very few butterflies to use it, but this year WOW.
I've seen anything from 7-10 of them on the flowers at the same time- all bar one, are Peacock's.
Now it's also started to get a few bees feeding on the flowers too.
So I took a few pictures. Surprisingly I was able to get quite close up to them, but they were so intent on feeding that I think they weren't bothered I was there.
The one on the right kept folding it's wings up as it moved around, and it took a couple of attempts to get it with its wings open.
The second picture required some contortion, ducking under the branches to get in the right position...
Some of the flowers had two or three butterflies on them at a time. This one had had a third one, but it flew up onto one of the other flowers just as I got into position for the picture, so I only got two of them together...
It's been fascinating to look up and see them climbing around, folding their wings together against a rush of wind that has the flower spikes bobbing up and down as they hold on...
Hopefully the good summer will ensure we have plenty of butterflies next year.
Have you noticed an increase in butterflies where you live, or any colourful insects?
My office window looks out onto the side of the house and over the years a buddleia bush has grown. Every spring it gets cut back, and each summer it grows huge and produces long purple flower spikes.
The last few summers there have been very few butterflies to use it, but this year WOW.
I've seen anything from 7-10 of them on the flowers at the same time- all bar one, are Peacock's.
Now it's also started to get a few bees feeding on the flowers too.
So I took a few pictures. Surprisingly I was able to get quite close up to them, but they were so intent on feeding that I think they weren't bothered I was there.
It's been fascinating to look up and see them climbing around, folding their wings together against a rush of wind that has the flower spikes bobbing up and down as they hold on...
Hopefully the good summer will ensure we have plenty of butterflies next year.
Have you noticed an increase in butterflies where you live, or any colourful insects?
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