Peony Paradise

Sometimes my life feels like a gift, especially when I have meetings - like yesterday's - which take place in gardens just when the peonies are in full perfect bloom.



I wish I could transport you all to Penshurst Place for a picnic with me today.



We'd sit on benches, drinking elderflower champagne and nibbling on cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off.



We'd have to stop talking sometimes because the bird song is so beautiful, and the bees so busy, and the smell so heavenly. And afterwards, when we've finished our slices of lemon cake, we can throw ourselves - rock star crowd-surfing style - on top of this peony bed. Just for fun.**



(**Don't worry, Penshurst Place police, we wouldn't really. Please don't bar me for life! It was those naughty blog readers who had the idea, not me. I promise. I tried to persuade them otherwise .... )

My Writer's Animal is ... a porcupine!

I went to visit Penshurst Place last week. It's the home of Philip Sidney,



the poet and courier of the Elizabethan age. Anyway, apart from being beautiful, I was excited to see porcupines everywhere I looked ...





Now it struck me immediately that the porcupine is the perfect symbolic animal for us writers.



Several reasons:

1. The name "porcupine" comes from Middle French porc d'épine which could be translated as "thorny", "spined", or "quilled"

2. A group of porcupines is called a 'prickle'

3. From ancient times it was believed that porcupines can throw their quills at an enemy.

Also one of the few jokes I remember is about porcupines - how do porcupines make love?

Answer - very carefully.

OK admittedly that joke has nothing to do with writing whatsoever but it makes me laugh every time. Hmmm, anyway, moving swiftly on, I think we should all start wearing porcupines on our heads proudly when write, as on the helmet above. In fact, the first person to send me a photograph of themselves with a porcupine on their head will win a HUGE prize. They will deserve it.

Although if you're not quite up to that, you might think about visiting the 100 yard peony border, which is just getting ready for its big moment in June. Apparently it's breathtaking, filling up every sense. I can't wait. And in the meantime, try not to throw your quills at anyone.