Thursday 8 November 2012

Bits and pieces

A week or so ago I had a sudden urge to pack the girls children's books into storage tubs to go under the house (to await grandchildren) and put all my lovely pretty and interesting grown up books in the book case in their place.  I love books.   Even before I could read I remember looking through my Sooty Annual and being immersed in the smell of the pages and pouring over the pictures. 
 I mentioned in an earlier post that some of my favourite Little Golden Books were Thumper, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Kittens and Tootle.  After learning to read at school with Nip and Fluff, Dick and Dora, I moved onto The Secret Seven, The Famous Five, The Naughtiest Girl series, the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, the Little Women series, Tom Sawyer and the Anne of Green Gables series.  I distinctly remember reading my first "grown up" book which was These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer.  I loved it and it changed my reading world forever.  Shortly thereafter I read The Agony and the Ecstasy and the Lord of the Rings.  The Lord of the Rings I read in a week, I had plenty of time traveling on the school bus and reading passed the time.

The grown up and pretty books in the book case are all non fiction, and cover things like crochet, making bags, colour, home decorating, knitting, sewing, ceramics, welding, gardening, plants, such a wonderful variety of topics.  When I walk past the bookcase I just have to smile.






Also making me smile is this patch of garden.  Foxgloves, snapdragons and sage in flower.



I was very happy to have finished the task of propagating a number of cuttings my sister had given me on Cup Day.  I hope they take as there are a number of rather speccy plants in amongst them.


The cuttings have all been labelled other wise I'd never remember what they were. 

It's been a quiet week here as hubby and Charlotte are visiting my parents in Western Australia.  Hubby has been doing some odd jobs around their property such as leveling and straightening pavers so they don't trip up elderly parents.  It was a big job.  He has also made the floor of the outside laundry safer by filling in an uneven area with cement, another big job.  My hubby is an all round clever man.  He's not only smart, he is a brilliant handyman.  But best of all he's a gorgeous person and is married to me!  :)   Brag, brag!!  :)  Hubby mentioned that Dad has had a couple of better days while he has been visiting which is lovely to hear.


Anne  xx







13 comments:

  1. Hi Anne - lovely post.
    Made me all nostalgic about those little Golden Books. I looked back at your earlier post (glad you linked) as I don't remember reading that one. Oh - takes me back. I used to love Sooty too, and all those English pony books and annuals - but I guess that was further on.
    Looks like Spring Cleaning fever has hit you - your new book arrangement looks great.
    Good to hear your Dad is coping better, and nice for your hubby to be over there helping. Nice rave about hubby too, hope that he reads it! cheers Wendy

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  2. The first few sentences of your post could have been written by me... we read the same books as kids! I too have packed the girls books away in a stacker box, waiting for grand children to arrive - a long way off yet! I also have added to it - we have a book club that places books at our dealership so I pick up beautiful nursery rhyme books and I have the complete set of Beatrix Potter stories on CD for 'cuddle-time' listening with grandies, one day! All my childhood books are long gone unfortunately but I do remember getting a large picture story book of Aesop's Fables and used to love reading them aloud to my mum. Ah, the memories!

    Glad you hear your Dad is having some good days, it's nice your hubby has been able to help out a bit.

    Cheers - Joolz

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  3. It's nice to hear that your dad is a little better at the moment and good that hubby is able to help out. It must be lovely for your parents to see Charlotte again too.

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  4. It's so good to have a wonderful hubby :) I loved The Little Red Hen and many of the other books you mentioned. I've always hoped my love of reading would be shared by one of my children, but neither seem to love to read the way I do, oh well. Your book selections look very interesting, just my cup of tea. :) x

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  5. Glad to hear your dad has had a couple of better days. I love all your books and the colourful flowers in the garden ;-)

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  6. Oh - I do hope the plants all take. How excitement.

    Glad your Dad is OK.

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  7. Looks like we had the same books when we were young. I have a box of my boys' books which I've kept. I know they will come in handy one day!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  8. Love books and flowers!

    I am glad to hear that your Dad is having some good days!

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  9. I was an avid reader too and just today thinking I'd display my Enid Blytons & Beatrix Potters on my lovely book shelves which currently house ornaments !!!

    I'm sure your Dad is enjoying the company & good to hear how he's doing from your hubby right there.

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  10. My DH is also a real handyman (as well as being smart and clever!). Your reading material has been similar to mine with The Secret Seven and the Famous Five. I went on to Just William and Black Beauty. So glad your Dad is staying well.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  11. I too love books, what would we do without them! I am so glad my mother was a reader and so I had this wonderful example of always having a nanna nap, even a mother nap after lunch most days SO WE COULD READ!! Not necessarily that we needed a nap!
    I am so sorry your father has been so sick and hope he has many more days, good ones too. Parents are so precious, just to let you know I am thinking of you and sending love. Aubrey

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  12. Hey Anne, so good Charlotte and hubby could head over to the west for a visit. I'm sure your parents would appreciate all those jobs being done and ticked off the list and no doubt Charlotte would be able to help out in lots of ways too......

    Love the flower pics, I have a couple of Foxgloves flowering for the first time in this garden. They are only small but I am thrilled with them. I hope all your cuttings take. It's lovely to walk around your garden and be reminded of people by the plants they've given you.
    Nice lot of books on your shelf too. I love childrens' books and along with my own, I have some belonging to my mum and Rich, so a nice little stash for further use........one day!!
    Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weekend after all the rain...

    CLaire x

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  13. I think a good book sort out should be recommended as a restorative ... it certainly always makes me feel good!

    As a historian I'm forced to wonder how long before our shelving dilemmas are a thing of the past, all texts are digitised, and posts like this constitute important historical evidence from the dying age of print!

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