Tag: England

January Small Stone# Twenty Five

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Two hundred years ago on Monday, one of my all time favourite novels was first published. Over the course of the day the whole novel will be read in Bath by a group of fans, experts and writers. They are hoping to find an internationally famous actress to read the first chapter – no doubt in period costume and the event, lasting twelve hours, will be broadcast on the internet! Isn’t that wonderful? I so wish I could be there.

If you didn’t already know, have you guessed yet?

It’s Miss Austen of course, Pride and Prejudice was published on January 28th 1813! I hope to catch some of the broadcast even though Emma is my real favourite. Lots of you probably think I’m crazy, but I can’t be the only one with bosom heaving at the thought of Mr D emerging from the lake? Can I? Come on ‘fess up.

January Small Stone# Twenty Two

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Do you know what? Despite the small stones, I’m really fed up with January. Fed up with walking to and fro to work in snow, sleet and sideways rain, only catching twenty minutes of daylight at lunchtime and getting cold all over again.
So, today my stone is looking forward to spring.
In February there will be Daphne, with its fragrance so strong that it reaches me way before I see it.

Daphne

In March, I’d like to walk on Dartmoor on a clear day and listen to the hum of bees, awake and busy on the bright golden gorse.

Gorse

March, what could be lovelier than a Dog’s Tooth Violet, the ballerina of the spring garden? I can hardly wait.

Dog's Tooth Violet

These have cheered me up, I hope you like them too!

January Small Stone# Twenty

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I’ve been ranting today. For the first time ever I wrote to the local newspaper. I’m not a write to the paper type and in fact it isn’t a letter. Since the newspaper became weekly instead of daily, it’s main focus has shifted to the website, where there is the opportunity to submit an article. I doubted that they would publish it. I don’tknow their criteria but lo and behold they did – complete with typos. In fact it’s visible twice because I thought it had disappeared and so I posted it a second time, with most mistakes corrected. One lingers though, the very first word!http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/City-s-Shame/story-17911321-detail/story.html

January Small Stone# Nineteen

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Today began cold, I seriously considered a duvet day and would have liked a share of http://dadirridreaming.wordpress.com/ ‘s scorching heat! I forced myself to move and made some butternut squash and pepper soup before venturing out. I had to top up the fruit bowl and the girls wanted to walk, so we set off to the green grocers close to the river.

The Mill On the Exe
The Mill On the Exe

The river was just returning to normal winter levels but now there must be melt water from Exmoor topping it up again. In the far right of the photo is the Mill on the Exe pub, they regularly get flooded and can no longer get insurance.
Grafitti
Grafitti

The dogs had a god run, I saw cormorants on the weir and then turned back to the bridge where the graffiti is vibrant.
Topped up!
Topped up!

This will last a couple of days! After healthy soup, I settled on the sofa with the new book that arrived this morning, all wrapped in a blankie! DSC_0110
But I’m still cold 😦