Long Walks, Slow Flowers, and Art Worth Protecting

I Just Found This Sketchbook From the Before Times

I found this sketchbook today and it was so wild to flip through it and look back at my travels in 2019. So much flying around the country! So much enjoying pretty places! A sketchbook can take you back to a particular moment in time in a way that scrolling through the camera roll on your phone never will.

If you've been thinking you'd like to give this a go, it's never too late, you're never too old, and you do not need anything called "talent" or "an artistic side" or any of that nonsense. Drawing is a technical skill. Anyone can learn it. Get some art supplies! Have some fun!

I do teach a lot of art classes online but so do a lot of other people. Take a look around at Skillshare, Creativebug, Domestika, and EtchrStudio and see if anything appeals to you.

This Month's Question:
How Wicked Are Those Plants?

This month's question comes from Sharon in Milwaukie, OR, who asks,

I have read almost all of your books and most recently read “Wicked Plants”. I am in spring planting thought processes and realized I had not read this garden book of yours. I keep thinking about this question, what do I do with all of the information? How can I be careful but go ahead with all my gardening? One thing I learned was to wear gloves when working in the garden. I admit, I don’t do this as I like the feel of dirt. But, after reading your book, I will wear gloves. How will having the knowledge help me go forth with my gardening without fear of touching one of the wicked plants?

I wrote Wicked Plants purely for entertainment, really--entertainment for me, and entertainment for you. It's filled with dark and dreadful stories of plants gone wrong, of people poisoned or intoxicated or injured or maimed because they tussled with the wrong plant. It is, in a way, a little collection of horticultural murder mysteries.

But in terms of its practical use: what we should all remember about plants is that they are living, green, chemical factories, pumping out all sorts of crazy chemicals entirely for their own purposes, without ever giving a thought to us. So of course they make poisons to defend themselves. It's not their fault if we eat them and get sick. That was rather their point.

So just remember: just because it's green and growing out of the ground doesn't mean it's a salad ingredient. Plants have their own agendas. They are not catering to us. If you have small children or pets who indiscriminately eat whatever's in front of them, you might want to take a look at your houseplants or garden plants and maybe remove anything too deadly and tempting. But honestly, our homes are full of things we shouldn't eat! Don't eat the shaving cream! Don't eat the dishwashing liquid! Use a little common sense and you'll be OK.

Oh, and about the gloves: there actually are some plant saps, as well as soil-borne fungi or pathogens that live on rose thorns, that could cause you a little trouble if you got a cut in the garden. Some plants can give you a rash. I think garden gloves are a good idea, but you do you!

Please send me your questions!

Would you like to win a free book? Do you also like to ask nosy questions? Then please enter my "Ask Me Anything" giveaway. Here's how it works:

Go here to ask me a question. Could be anything at all! Questions about art, writing, my favorite brand of socks...it's up to you!

And if you've asked a question before & I haven't answered it, ask me again! I love all your questions and I'm happy to see repeat entries.

If I choose your question to answer in the next newsletter, I'll send you the book of your choice.

Only 32 people entered last month! Your chances are good!  Get over there and pick out your book.

BLACK FLORA is Beautiful

My friend Debra Prinzing has founded a very small publishing house called Bloom Imprint  to publish beautiful books that celebrate the Slow Flowers movement. Her newest book, Black Flora, is an absolutely gorgeous celebration of Black florists, farmers, and designers, written by the amazing Teresa Speight of Cottage in the Court. If anyone you know is interested in local, sustainable flowers, lavish design, and inspiring stories, this book is for you.

Have You Ever Wanted to Go on a LOOOOONG Walk?

I've always wanted to go on one of those long vacations where you trek across England or follow the Camino de Santiago route, except that I don't want to carry my whole kit on my back (and I'm a very light packer), and I don't want to have to figure out where to stay each night.

So one day, during these last couple of years of lockdown and loneliness, I thought, "Surely someone organizes these sorts of trips." And sure enough, someone does! I'm more eager than ever to book one of these Natural Adventure walking tours.

You're not with a group and you're not with a guide. Instead, you're given a map, an itinerary, reservations for each night's stay along your route, and (THIS IS THE BEST PART) somebody drives your luggage from one stop to the next! That's right, you can stroll along with your hands in your pockets, entirely unencumbered by your worldly possessions. (except a sketchbook, of course!)

So what's it going to be? The Salzburg Lake District? Durrell's Corfu? The Isle of Skye?

Take a Virtual Tour of a Ukranian Fine Art Museum

I hope this place is still standing by the time you read this. What an absolute treasure the Ukrainians have in the Odessa Fine Arts Museum. The virtual tour is well worth a look. Much of this art is not on the walls right now: it's being hidden in the basement.

I donated to the United Nations refugee agency, and there are many other lists floating around of good places to send a little support if you're so inclined.

I Teach Lots of Writing
and Art Classes Online

I'm in a busy, hunkered-down period as I'm working on my next book, but I'm happy to have this whole roster of art and writing classes that are always available should you be interested.

I Can Send (Some) Signed Books to You

Would you like a signed Kopp novel? I have small quantities of a few titles...or rather, my husband does. Supplies are limited, so get them while they last, and thank you sincerely for your patronage. Go here to browse and order.

What Are You Reading?

Somehow I missed my friend Elly Griffiths' thirteenth Ruth Galloway novel, about an archaeologist who sometimes helps the police solve a murder. The next one, The Locked Room, will be out in June, so now's a good time to get caught up if you're not already.