Why did Catherine select a hedgerow as the symbol of the dissension between the two families?
“As a child, I visited the British Isles with my family and fell in love with the hedgerows there,” she explains. “One morning in Ireland, I took a walk and came across a hedgerow filled with millions of dewdrop-laced cobwebs. In the early morning light, the entire hedgerow shimmered like glittering lace. It was a breathtaking sight. Later I learned that hedgerows teem with animal life, such as butterflies, birds, toads, and hedgehogs — an entire world in microcosm. I placed the image of the hedgerow at the center of WILD HEATHER: strong branches supporting all kinds of life, roots extending deep into the soil, withstanding centuries of storms and strife. Just like the church, when the church is doing what God intends.” And when the church does not operate as God intends? “In the book, the hedgerow is in danger of being chopped down,” says Catherine. “This thing that was planted to be a source of great beauty has become a source of bitterness instead.” “A major theme of the Scripture
