Walking Your Garden Path

Short reads on friendship and retirement - Fiction and Essays

Our paths in life can take many turns, some more difficult than others. I feel they all have their purpose. I am a true believer in fate and that we end up where we are from the choices and opportunities presented to us.

Now, in my seventh decade, I am fortunate that I can choose my paths. ~ Note the plural use of paths~ I was once accused of being a kid in a candy shop, and as an adult, I embrace and own this accusation. That said, I am following many paths. Continuing work versus retirement, golf versus gardening, being homebodies versus traveling.

I sold my business after 30 years of creating and caring for container gardens in their desert homes and teaching gardeners to do this for themselves. I published my first book, Getting Potted in the Desert, A Month-by-Month Guide to Successful Desert Container Gardening.

Seeing a need for a more complete how-to guide, I set out to write The Ultimate Guide. However, I was bored with technical writing and decided to try a creative nonfiction “story” where people are entertained while learning how to create their pots. “Riley’s Garden Oasis” was published in September 2023. I experienced much joy writing the fictional parts of the book.

Today, I’m writing contemporary women’s fiction in a series of books about five strong, successful women who are looking to discover purpose in their later life. Each book focuses on one of the women, her friendship with the others and overcoming the challenge she faces while rediscovering her true self in her later years.

Please enjoy, comment, and follow as you wish. My characters will share their life experiences with friendship, retirement, and connections with their gardens.

I invite you to subscribe and join me on this journey. ~ Marylee