A couple of years ago I was talking to a friend about this blog, and she said “I sometimes read the posts – but usually only when there are lots of pictures.” That’s right up there with my brother telling me he “skips the bookish bits” – both of them would be pleased to see a post devoted mostly to photos. I’m no great photographer, but I thought you might like to see a few bits and pieces from the past fortnight or so. Those of you who know me on Facebook may already have seen most of them…
I went to buy delphiniums, and instead came home with a cat-covered cushion…
On my very indirect way to Hay-on-Wye, I popped back to my old village – I planted this tree with my Grandad (known as Grandad Tractor, because he worked on a farm) when it was a tiny sapling. Look at it now!
I am very impressed with the effort Blackwell’s have gone to – no ordinary scaffolding for them.
Surely this can’t possibly be true??
The quiz I attend every Sunday always has a cartoon round – this week’s challenge was ‘the landlord visiting a library’ and I won with this sketch! My team, Queen Equizabeth I, were rightfully proud – even if we only came mid-table for the rest of the quiz…
My housemate and I took some pirates – including Tompkins the Inconsiderate – to the woods, to find a very particular tree.
Hope all is well with you this Monday – have a great week!
1. You've been to Hay-on-Wye?? Jealous!
2. I have also noted both the Blackwell's scaffolding and the "anti-climbing paint" around Oxford. I have to say that the latter reminded me of something out of superhero comic =)
You went out to buy delphiniums?
And you came home with a cat cushion?
Such precision in your planned endeavours. You didn't go out for flowers. No. You went out in pursuit of delphiniums. I can't tell you how much that mission, and its precision, tickled me!
That is simply the most glorious proof of the imaginative mind as it wends it way through an otherwise average day.
Your blog cheers my soul. Keep on being yourself! Your words and opinions and reads and lists and recommendations and all else – each and all cheer me.
Great stuff,
Jane P
Unlike your brother I don't "skip the bookish bits" but today's blog post is most interesting to your faithful reader from the Antipodes. More of such would be welcome
I've always been a bit sceptical about "anti-climb" or "anti-vandal" paint. If the latter was truly effective then presumably graffiti would not be a problem?
I like the scaffold covering. Another idea for bookshops undergoing repair might be to promote lesser known titles deserving more attention. I suppose this might be too expensive. In the meantime,there's always Stuck in a Book to provide such promotion – not that I'm suggesting you're cheap, of course! (Laughs.)
A cat cushion! How lovely! What a great find!
And you've been to Hay-on-Wye? The nearest I've got is watching The Book Show from there. I'd love to visit sometime!
Wonderful to see your beautiful birch tree growing tall and strong. So many lovely birches were blown down fairly recently in the terrible winds we had, here in central Scotland.
Yes, I like that kind of scaffold covering. There's one like it in Glasgow, with all the sandstone pillars and carvings faithfully rendered. I admire it afresh every time I see it!
Ah, I love the bookish bits the most! The cat cushion is very cute, but the beautiful floor behind it kept stealing my eyes.
Given the textile elements of this post, I wonder if you have come across this item on Abebooks http://www.abebooks.co.uk/books/RareBooks/covers-stitched-sewn-thread/embroidered-books.shtml – lovely stuff. And in the unlikely event that you haven't come across Abe as a source for obscure second-hand books, sorry for helping feed the obsession!
Samara – I've been to Hay five or six times, I love it!
Jane P – aww, thanks for your lovely message! I share my silliness a little, but try and keep it under wraps a bit ;)
Margaret – thanks! I've taken lots more photos this year than usual (doing a photo-a-day project for myself) so these sorts of posts might crop up more often!
David – wouldn't that be a good idea! But it would end up being collages of Dan Brown titles… I was rather hpoing they'd have a view of Broad Street printed on the other side of the sheets, but sadly not.
Penny – I would happily live in Hay, if it didn't mean losing all my money to books. Which happens anyway, come to think of it, so… And yes, my birch keeps going! There was talk, years ago, of chopping the top off so it wouldn't bring down the telephone wires, but it seems to have artfully grown around them.
B T Hoskins – it is a lovely floor!