Cornflower Blue and Lavender Too

I've got the May blues. In my garden that is...cornflowers, bluebells, forget-me-nots and wild-flower.

Looking round the garden at all the hues of blue, reminded me of a nursery rhyme I once loved.  But can't now remember all the words. I had a book of rhymes, again where it is I have no idea. I remember it's pictures and it's pages that I glossed over through my childhood. This is the first line;

'Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green'

But no it's not blue or green. Lavender is purple blue, lilac and white in the garden centres and I'm sure I've seen a pinkie purple one too.

I don't have any lavender out at the moment - too early, but here's some from last year...

Lovely, lovely  lavender
Flower, scent - all parts
To bathe in your beauty,
Essential purity
To heal wounded hearts.

Books, books and more books... keeping them alive.

I wrote this poem last year. I like to get books from charity shops and also am a supporter of keeping our local libraries. Tradition is important to me and hopefully we can keep it going for generations to follow.

Bedside Table

Library and charity

Upon my bedside table;

Supporting

The community.

Keeping the library

Open for everyone

A British tradition.

Give your books to charity

For others to browse

Through; or buy if they 

Want to.

Recycling words

In paper form 

Before they're extinct.

~

National Libraries Day 2015 see here to support the library.

World Book Day  information at 
http://www.worldbookday.com/about

For great books see Oxfam Bookshops.

A Psychological Thriller

I have just finished reading Sophie Hannah's best (in my opinion) novel 'kind of cruel'.

To say that it is amazing and really quite scarily true to life in some places; would be understated. If you like books by James Herbert, Jodi Picoult or Stephen King I am sure you will love this. I first read 'little face' which began my love of Sophie's crime writing. All her stories link by using the same detectives - particularly following DC Simon Waterhouse; who has a special connection with the characters that always twists as it moves along the plot.

If you like a good crime novel - take a look at Sophie's other books. My previous post about Sophie Hannah's work refers to my favourite poem by Sophie and her website link.

Reading Poetry

I have always enjoyed reading poetry; especially to relax my mind. I have just picked up a first edition (Goodwin, 1999) - edited by Daisy Goodwin 101 POEMS THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE. I borrowed it a few times from our library but bought my copy for a bargain 99p at Oxfam Books, whilst on holiday.

After reading many Wendy Cope collections from the library over the Summer holidays - (to keep sanity at bay) and mainly as Wendy was judging the Mslexia Poetry competition - alas it did not help with my competition entry... The plus side being though; I really enjoyed Wendy's poems and shall be ordering Serious Concerns and more of Wendy's books for my Kindle too. My favourite poems by Wendy have to be 'New Season', 'Loss', 'Flowers' and 'The Orange'.

Here is a poem that I wrote a while ago for my life poetry page.

Love reading, love books - keep it going.

***

Bedside Table 

Library and charity

Upon my bedside table;

Supporting

The community

Keeping the library

Open for everyone

A British tradition.

Give your books to charity

For others to browse

Through; or buy if they

Want to.

Recycling words

In paper form

Before they're extinct.

Supporting local charities

Like many of us nowadays - things are a struggle. I have shopped at charity shops for years and have worked in one for a couple of years also. I have written about it in a short fiction story and used ideas for poetry too. Best of all is the fact that I find something I actually like. In general; when shopping with my daughter I get it wrong ... as all Mum's (I hope) do with a fourteen year old! I can never find anything I like in the shops but always find something great in charity shops.

Today I bought a baking book on cupcakes - the first in the Primrose Baking series and a DVD from yesteryear for my daughter - I believe we never grow too old for such things ( I will not publish the series but it involves ponies and being six) - I know I need to let her go and grow up but I am lucky and she still has that child in her (bit like her Mum). I also bought a white linen top, which I think will make me look very arty or is it thespian I am not sure... It is for the garden when too hot to sit in the sun - as it is getting to be here this week. It is good for us fairer skins to cover up - but I get so hot! Need to dig out the floppy hat next.

Anyhow getting back to why I'm posting. I went and bought the items and on the price label there was a beautiful wording; which I felt I should share here. The cause is 'Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice' and you can see more of their work at  http://www.pth.org.uk/.

It is local and supported with very generous donations and they now have a furniture shop too I believe, in the locality. The motto they use on their tag; which describes their work for our local sufferers of long standing and non-curable diseases says -

'... because every day is precious.'

Beautiful.

Books, sunshine and flowers...Summer.

Today we have been to Nymans and what a beautiful morning. Looking up ...

The sky was so blue you could be mistaken we were in England. Take a look at this tree below. It is called a Trachycarpus Fortunei and looks like one of those palm tree umbrellas I imagine on the beaches of the Caribbean. The trunk was almost furry but I expect if it was touched it would be spiky. A very unusual sight and one we had not noticed before. That's the beauty of these gardens here; they evolve.

The rock garden area has come on well since our visit earlier in the spring but the show-stopper as ever had to be the rose garden. In full bloom and inviting; I could sit there for hours in my imagination. So many species it is somewhat intoxicating. 

Another bonus today - two bookshops. The Potting Shed had been set aside today for donations for their bargain books, whilst the other little bookshop sells with a more eclectic collection of second hand books . We found a great little local history book and I got a great novel for a pound. There are even collectable editions there now. Take a look at their website page at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans/eating-and-shopping/. 

The gift shop has some lovely ideas - I got a few bits including two stones; one for me, one for my daughter. I chose 'Hope' and she chose 'Happy'. The stone attracted me by it's coolness and calming aura on such a hot day. I love it and it was a bargain for only two pounds. It's amazing what you can find at these places. Whatever you do if you visit - you must eat cake! I can highly recommend their scones, lemon drizzle and carrot cupcakes. 

I will post some more rose pictures later once I have decided which ones - so many to choose from. Sending more sunny days...

Reading Emma Donoghue

As I have said before I seem to have a thing for Irish (female) writers. One I have just finished is by Emma Donoghue. I read her first book Room a few years ago and it was amazing. Room was shortlisted for the Man Booker 2010 and Orange prize (Donoghue, 2010). It was so clever as it is narrated from the point of view of a five year old boy and at that time having a young nephew it really made sense language wise (another reason I loved it.) Room is a psychological setting of imprisonment. It is quite chilling and really scares at times but these things really do happen and that is what Emma captures in her writing.

Anyway back to the book in discussion. I finished The Sealed Letter  which was recommended by my library. I rushed it as I have been struggling with reading time; due to my studying deadlines (two assessments in one month)... Good luck by the way to any fellow 'A215'ers' reading this : D. It is due back to the library today; so writing this post while fresh in the memory!

Emma Donoghue is a very talented clever writer. She has a PhD in English (Donoghue, 2011,p.477). The Sealed Letter  discusses the issue of marriage in Victorian times, particularly regarding a specific divorce case of 'The Codrington's'; which was in all the papers in 1864. It focuses on a character Emily Faithful aka Fido, who was one of the first women's rights advocates and ran a newspaper/ magazine press. I studied the later Suffrage Movement in another previous course with the OU and also A150 just now regarding Victorian England and Dickens so I found this book even more educational.

At the back of her book Emma is interviewed by Chris Roulston about 'The M Word' (marriage that is) and reflects throughout on historical evidence and how fiction can be made from such writings (Roulston in Donoghue, 2011, pp. 477-482).  I found the discussion very conductive to the demise of modern day marriage and how things have changed so much since Victorian times under English law. Well worth a read if you like Dickens/ Victorian era and also enjoy the psychology of love and how it can ruin life. This story is told at times in a feminist view and at the time of the setting that was a dangerous thing to do - controversial and awful how the women's lives were decided and they lost more than just face. We have so much freedom nowadays as the law has dramatically changed on divorce. Not sure if that is a good or a bad thing? Anyway that's enough philosophising for one day...

You can see more about these books from Amazon here and view more about Emma on her website here.

Bibliography:

Donoghue, E. Room, 2010, London, Picador.
Donoghue, E. The Sealed Letter, 2011, London, Picador.