Wednesday 23 August 2017

Reading My Own Books and Other Stuff

 I'm getting through books at a great rate at the moment, there's nothing on TV in the evenings so I've had my nose in a book for hours, and ran out of library books 2 weeks before the van is round again but not a problem with all the books I own!

Here are four off my shelves
Left to right................. Chris Nickson - Modern Crimes. This man turns out lots of historical crime fiction and this is the first in a series set in 1924 about one of the first women PC's in Leeds. (Most of his books are set in Leeds). It was OK, not outstanding. The second in the series is due out next month but jumps forward 20 years to 1944.
Meg Elizabeth Atkins..........Death out of Season. Picked up off the library For Sale shelf ages ago,this is an ex-library book by an author I've never heard of. There are  couple of her other books in Large Print in the library stock and I've reserved them as it was a reasonably good read.
 I've enjoyed several of D.E Stevenson's books in the past but this one......Summerhills...... is dreadful. I didn't finish it............ It's tacky 1970's cover doesn't help.
Much better than all the others was Mary Wesley's book The Camomile Lawn. It's been reprinted many times since it was first published in 1984  and made for TV too. The Library summary says.....................
'The Camomile Lawn' presents a vivid and lively picture of wartime London and Cornwall as seen through the eyes of five cousins.
I really enjoyed this and will look out for more of her books from the library.

Four books now off to new homes via charity shops.......................making space for four more!

And the Other Stuff

 Our bird-feeders  are busy even though there are plenty of berries and seed-heads about. Col glanced out and said - 4 Long Tailed Tits - then a few seconds later after I picked up the camera there were even more


 We had the garage doors repaired yesterday, another thing we didn't know needed doing until we got here. They are up and over doors but wouldn't stay up which could be a problem! Now we'll be able to put the cars - or at least one of them away through the winter and both if we re-organise other things.

 Thank you for all the comments about flowers for cutting. Sarah suggested Bells of Ireland which was a new one to me - so I looked them up and Sarah Raven (expert on cut flowers) rates them so the seeds will go on my list. Although I don't want too many annuals. There are loads of paving slabs all over the place here so we've used 3 small ones to make a mini path to the centre of the bed to make it easier for weeding and picking.

Back Soon
Sue



14 comments:

  1. I had a Mary Wesley phase a few years ago, and read most of her books. My favourite is 'Harnessing Peacocks'. MW was an interesting character, she only began writing in later life when she was short of money.

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  2. It is good to get those books read and if no longer wanted to move them on isn't it. Enjoy planning for the new flower border!

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  3. Tv is rubbish at the moment, I don't even know why I bother buying a magazine, how wonderful to have all those long tail tits, now they know where you are they will be back.

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  4. What a great photo of the long tailed tits - we haven't ever seen them in our garden so it must be lovely to see so many sharing the food.

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  5. FAB photo of the Long Tailed Tits - I am envious as although I see them threading the hedgerows, and across the paddock, they don't come to our feeders. Enjoy your reading - I can't do much right now as Tam (eldest daughter) is home and last week it was my friend Gay.

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  6. I read a lot of Mary Wesley years ago, you have reminded me to take a look in the Library to see what I haven't read yet.
    Love the Long Tailed Tits, we don't get many of them here. Remember coming across one of their nests once, a beautiful ball in the hedgerow.
    Briony
    x

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  7. Lovely photo of the long tailed tits.. we have some visit the garden occasionally.. it's great when you get a good photo as they don't like sitting still for long do they.

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  8. At least it gives you a chance to get through a few on your shelves. I've always said, so many books and so little time... my book list is constantly growing xx

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  9. I am off to kent tomorrow with the new Patricia Cornwell

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  10. Yes, TV has been dire, with the exception of the delightful Normal for Norfolk (final part on Monday next at 10pm on BBC2). We love this series, so heart-warming and all about Desmlond McCarthy (and his mother of 101) trying to keep body and soul together in their large historic country house on the North Norfolk coast. If you've not seen it, then watch on Catch-up TV. It's a gem.
    As for the books, Sue, I'm so glad you enjoyed the Mary Wesley novel. I had the pleasure of interviewing her in her lovely cottage in Totnes (it was situated behind th High Street) just some months before she died. Her reputation had gone before her: that she didn't suffer fools gladly, and I was more than a little nervous as I arrived at her cottage. But I needn't have worried, she was lovely. When I arrived she was in her small garden with one of those large pump-action water pistols, the size of a rifle. She was aiming at cats as they destroyed the garden birds, and Mary loved birds. She didn't hurt the cats, of course, just sent them packing! It was lovely to see her, a tiny figure in a long blue denim skirt, firing her water pistol and maurauding moggies!
    Margaret P
    www.margaretpowling.com

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    1. And if you are in Norfolk near Wiveton, I can recommend the teas in the cafe. Lovely choice at a reasonable price. Cake slice was huge, enough for at least 2 people.

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    2. How lovely to be close enough to go there, Angela! We love the programme, what a character Desmond is, even our elder son said he could watch that programme all night if it were on long enough.
      Margaret P

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  11. I just might have to look out for a copy of the Camomile Lawn, I did enjoy reading that way back when.
    Love the photo of the birds on the feeder, what a treat to see.
    Lisa x

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  12. Something about The Chamomile Lawn intrigued me, so I checked with our library, in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. They don't have anything by her, but are requesting it from another library. Thank you for the recommendation.

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