Spring has been coming on for a while but only lately have I actually started to get my rear in gear and clean my place out. I spent a lot of time yesterday sorting and cleaning and it is very nice to get rid of the winter blues! Today’s sunshine has only helped the situation.
To symbolize the coming of spring, we’ve even started up the window herb garden with two purchases yesterday. I have the total opposite of a green thumb, as pretty much every plant I touch dies, but that hasn’t stopped me trying yet. Someday I will get it right. Anyway, we have lovely green basil and coriander plants just waiting to be used in cooking:
I have also been continuing with a little bloggy spring cleaning. I have decided to switch over to affiliate links from The Book Depository. I have placed an Amazon banner on the side for anyone who likes to get their books from Amazon, along with an IndieBound box on the left for anyone who likes indie bookstores, so I hope this will mean an option for everyone. I personally don’t mind where anyone buys books so long as they are buying them! I’ve chosen the UK version of TBD but they will ship almost anywhere in the world for free and should switch over automatically if you’re in the US. If you’d like to support my blogging endeavours and fuel the addiction by letting me pay for my site and possibly even more books, please use them to buy online!
Unfortunately there hasn’t been much reading happening around here. I have only managed two books this week, which is pretty far from my normal 4-5, but I’m not sure I’ll be reading more any time soon as I have quite a lot going on elsewhere. All good stuff, but not really conducive to reading a lot. I am also thinking about taking a blogging break while everyone else is off at BEA to control my jealousy and give myself a little recharge. I won’t decide that though until next Sunday when I see how many books I’ve read this week.
Still making an effort, though – this morning I managed to finish up The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed, a very interesting book with plenty of detail for my little brain to chew over. Now I am getting deep into Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick, due out in the UK in June and the US in September, about the Empress Matilda, Henry I’s daughter and Henry II’s mother, who was meant to be queen after his death and ended up fighting Stephen for the privilege. Very good so far, as I expected!
What are you up to this weekend? Any good books in your hands?
We are so in synch
I just finished clearing out the wardrobes and ditching anything that doesn’t fit instead of saying ‘maybe one day it will’. Very cathartic and helped me get over my ‘can’t shop’ blues 
Good luck with your plants. Herbs are hard to kill, especially basil, just don’t cut from it too often and if it gets too hot move it ou of the window. Fresh cut basil is so gorgeous.
Jodie´s last post …Red Riding Hood
I’ve killed various herbs multiple times, so let’s hope this one is hardy!
Can’t wait for your review on The Hemingses of Monticello! I got into spring cleaning a few weeks ago but right now my house is a mess. I need to get my butt in gear too!
I would squee if I read 2 books in one week. Tsk.
I’m moving this week, so there’s definitely some spring cleaning going on!
I also seem to have a black thumb, and will kill any plant that I get to close to, but my daughter is a great gardener. I just bought her several herb plants for her to cultivate in the front yard. She may even grow me some mint for my tea this summer!
zibilee´s last post …Wither by Lauren DeStefano — 256 pgs
We are almost in sync! I planted my herbs today, four green basils along with chives and sage. I love cooking with coriander but I can never stop mine from going to seed too quickly, so you’ll have to mention if you have any handy tips.
I have been desperately curious about the Gordon-Reed book and haven’t gotten a hold of it. Have you read her previous book also on the subject? I’m also interested to see what you have to say about the Chadwick novel. The Empress Mathilda is a bit of a secondary research interest of mine but I’ve made a point not to read any fiction on her since Ellen Jones’ The Fatal Crown soooo many years ago (which wasn’t a terrible book, but I now suffer from the I Know Too Much About This syndrome)
Kate´s last post …Whats up- buttercup
I have not but I intend to now! The review will be coming this week.
I know all too much about ‘I Know Too Much About This’ syndrome – I have to avoid Wars of the Roses books. I always find fault with them.
I need to get it in gear and do some cleaning too. I think my sister is going to bring my mother up to visit this week!
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last post …Author event and giveaway- Mary Alice Monroe
Yea, I get a little jealous during BEA as well. I’ll never be able to go unless I quit my job or they move the date to sometime other than the last week of school!
I love the plants. I used to grow basil, but since I moved into my new place, I hadn’t really gotten back into planting anything. Maybe I’ll have to change that after I get back from my spring trip there to the UK and France! Best wishes for this upcoming week and lots of reading!
Becky @ One Literature Nut´s last post …Sunday Blatherings- Utah Author Month
Love your basil and coriander! I want to get myself some herbs so badly, but like you I tend to kill everything I touch. My father is a big gardener and when I got some basil last year he told me the same as Jodie – that I shouldn’t worry because it was a pretty resilient herb. Yet somehow I still managed to murder it in a remarkably short amount of time
Nymeth´s last post …It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a post on Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
I’ve killed various basil plants at least three times myself, but I still keep trying.
I love growing herbs — inspiration for the kitchen! The Matilda book sounds wonderful!
Beth F´s last post …Review- Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Good luck with your gardening! I have the same brown thumb issue.
Amanda´s last post …Movie Review- Zombie Strippers 2008
Yay for herbs and The Book Depository! I’ve started purchasing most of my books through their site — they arrive quickly and are competitive with Amazon. Though I’m not on the “Amazon is evil” bandwagon, I do try to spend my money at smaller stores and sites when I can.
Meg´s last post …British escape- part II- Stratford-upon-Avon and York
I also purchase most of my online books from TBD. They’re similarly priced, have more US imports, and give me a free bookmark with each shipment, so I can’t complain.
I am also not on the hate-Amazon bandwagon but I do my best to spread my money around.