World Book Day

 Today is World Book Day.  I can't imagine being without books.  I have to be reading a book and have books around me.  It's good to escape into the pages of a book especially in troubled times.  By books I mean any means of reading them.  On line, on an e-reader, cloud library, audio book or a physical book from the library or book shop.  I do struggle with font size nowadays so some of the favourite books I've pulled off our bookshelves would probably not now be read as they stand but I still have them and wouldn't want to be without them.

I've read lots of wonderful books over the years but the ones I've photographed are enduring favourites.  

In the centre my very favourite book, read many times 'A Month in the Country' by J L Carr.  Also re-read many times are 'The Enchanted April' by Elizabeth Von Arnim and 'The Daughter of Time' by Josephine Tey.  

 

I read 'A Child in the Forest' by Winifred Foley when I found out that one of my ancestors my 4xgreat-grandfather came to Derbyshire from the Forest of Dean in the 1780s.

Two other favourite books I can't find at the moment, perhaps they are in a box somewhere or maybe I loaned them to someone and they never came back. Anyway they are 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain and 'Katherine' by Anya Seaton.  Winifred Holtby who wrote South Riding was a friend of Vera Brittain and the preface of my copy was written by Vera's daughter Shirley Williams.

I did find both copies of a book that introduced me to Georgette Heyer whilst I was still at school in the 1960s.  I read the older version from 1946 from my Mum and Dad's bookshelves and then must have later bought a copy for myself.  It cost three shillings and sixpence.

Many of these books are old, much faded with browned pages but somehow I can't part with them, they are old friends. 

 I haven't even touched on favourite classics or non-fiction.  Perhaps they will be for another day.

Right, I'm off to sit in my comfy chair, with a mug of tea and a good book.  Do share your favourites, it would be lovely to hear your choices.  I expect they will all be very different.

Take care.

It's Friday

It's been a busy week.  Medical appointments Monday and Wednesday for me.  A Geological group meeting on Thursday for Paul.  

Whilst out for walks over the last week or two we've spotted some bright and cheerful things.

A Snoopy Trail is coming to Trentham Gardens in March.  That will be fun.  Love Snoopy.  Many years ago I had a yellow Woodstock (Snoopy's little bird friend) I wonder what happened to it? I probably gave it away.

There is another outdoor art exhibition in the City Centre in the Bethesda Chapel Gardens opposite the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.  The Museum building is closed at the moment for refurbishment.

Charles William Brown (1882-1961) was born on Biddulph Moor* and worked in both the farming and mining industries.  He took up painting on his retirement.  Here is a -link- to more information from the Barewall Gallery in Burslem.  * The source of the River Trent is on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor where it rises as a small stream making its way through Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire across country until it meets the River Ouse and the North Sea between Kingston-upon-Hull and Immingham.

The paintings are of local places and happenings.  All painted in the early 1950s.  The three below caught my eye.

Landscape with bus 1955.  I'm guessing a day trip into the Staffordshire Moorlands or the Peak District., mainly because of the stone walls around the fields.

Shelton Bar from the Allotments 1950.  Shelton Bar was a major steel works in the city.  Closed now, of course as are the coal mines and many of the pottery works too.  

Washing Line 1952.  A riot of colour.  It looks like a warm Summer day.

A red squirrel at the Peak Wildlife Park.  He had a damp tail but was enjoying tucking into his breakfast hazelnut.

Snowdrops at Wolseley Bridge nature reserve.

My photos don't do the carpets of white under the trees justice.  There were a few daffodils dotted around amongst them.

A trip to the Library this morning to take books back and seek something new to read.  I took ages to find books to bring home but three came with me.  All authors I've read before.

Bad news this morning when we learned that a friend had fallen and broken her ankle and leg.  We will go to visit next week hopefully.  She and her husband spent most the the Summer and Autumn last year helping a neighbour who had fallen and broken her ankle quite badly now our friend has done the same.  

All for now.

February Days

February weather has been grey and damp so far.  Local walks have lifted spirits a little even if we have to zig-zag and slalom around the rain filled pot holes and continual roadworks to get there.

Some encouraging signs of Spring at Trentham this week.

Witch hazel  

Daphne - the scent was wonderful, soft and sweet.  

Snowdrops, flowering on either side of the pathways, glowing in the dull air like little nightlights.

Little Egret - we hadn't seen one for a while but two were spotted on this visit.  Lots of Herons too.

Cooking in a warm kitchen.  Paul made Leek and Potato Soup and I made cheese scones to go with it.

Just the thing to liven up dull, grey days.  Not the most attractive scones I've ever made but tasty nonetheless.

Evening visitor to the garden.  I could just about snap this photo with the outside lights on, he or she wasn't at all bothered as it tucked into the fox's food.

Books from the library and one loaned from a friend.  Lots of interesting reading to write about possibly in a later post.

It's raining again today we managed a walk before the heavy rain started.  Now it's time for lunch and some of the soup left over from yesterday.

All for now.

Birds, Blooms, Beavers and Bookshops

 Walking around Trentham Estate yesterday morning we discovered two new things.

In the retail village was a new bookshop in a horsebox.  According to their sign it is the smallest bookshop in the world.  I've been on a book barge on the canal, seen small libraries in telephone boxes but never a bookshop in a horsebox.   Unfortunately it closes on Mondays so we didn't get to peek inside.

In the gardens close to the education Tipi there is a new sculpture of a Beaver.

It was carved with a chainsaw from a dead cedar stump by Simon O'Rourke.

The real Beavers live on an island in the middle of the lake.  They have recently built a dam closer to the lakeside path.

It's that time of year when British blooms are back in the shops.

 Daffodils and Tulips both bringing colour to a dull day,  brightening up windowsills and table centres.  I can't resist buying a bunch every so often.

We took part in the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch over the weekend.  The weather wasn't great, we had a large group of Rock Doves (feral pigeons) appear and towards the end of the count a female Sparrowhawk flew like an arrow from the side fence around the hanging feeders and up into the tree at the top of the garden.  She didn't catch anything. All went silent, the count was over.  

Final total - 3 blackbirds, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Robins, 1 Magpie, 1 Great Tit, 10 Goldfinches, 19 Rock Doves and 1 Sparrowhawk.

All for now.

Small Things

I've been looking for small things to bring colour and cheer to these dull, grey and damp days.  In the garden things are happening.

Winter Aconite

Snowdrop buds

Damp misty walks by the lake can be quite atmospheric.

There's always a robin to say hello.

Baking.  We bought lemons to put with honey to sooth coughs.  I made a blueberry and lemon tray bake.  It's in a pot dish as we didn't have a big enough tin.  Half has been frozen.  I saw the recipe in a free magazine from the supermarket.  I also made a lemon cake from the Cranks recipe book.  Both very tasty.

Post box topper in the supermarket.  The little creatures look as if they are off on holiday.

We popped into the Brampton Museum to have a cup of coffee and a look at the latest exhibition.

You will notice that there are some empty frames.  This is because they are ready and waiting for their works of art to be displayed.  Local artist Rob Pointon -link- is making a painting each day of January.

We will make a return visit to see what he has produced over the last few days.  There is also an area for works done by local artists who come to join him on Saturdays to sit and paint around the Brampton no matter the weather.

It's a great idea.

A Little Bit Icy

 Yesterday we decided to walk at Westport Lake to blow away the cobwebs after  having been indoors for a couple of days.  The roads were clear but both the canal and the lakes were still icy.

It was cold, very cold but there were lots of people out and about.  Dog walkers, a large walking group and quite a few photographers too.

When I saw the Moorhen walking on the ice I was reminded of one of my favourite paintings.

It's usually known as The Skating Minister. It depicts the Reverend Robert Walker skating on Duddingston Loch and is by Scottish artist Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).  I remember seeing it at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh many years ago.  Here is a - link - to their website which tells you more about it.