Paradoxes and a New Book Love
Ahhh, the paradox of being a parent: that I can adore my children SO fiercely...yet feel such exhilaration when the door closes behind them, they head out for adventure, and I'm left alone to read and write to my heart's content!
Luckily, they're heading out with two loving relatives to look after them, and they're both excited about the prospect, so I don't have to feel guilty about my bliss today. ;)
Have I ever mentioned that my favorite cake shop in town (or, indeed, in the world) also has a massive set of bookcases lining one long wall, full of interesting secondhand books for sale? (It really is like heaven - delicious Lindt chocolate cake AND books!) Yesterday, when the two little boys and I visited the cake shop, as well as eating well, I bought myself a pre-loved copy of Katherine Swift's memoir-cum-gardening-cum-history book The Morville Hours, and ohhhh, it is so, so good. The gorgeous writing just sucks me in every single time I pick up the book.
If you love gardening or history or just beautiful, immersive writing, I highly recommend it! (Personally, I can appreciate and even love beautiful gardens that other people have created, but I've never enjoyed gardening myself. So the truth is, I felt slightly wary of this book when it first came out several years ago, because of its gardening focus...but the history angle was enough to make me pick it up anyway when I spotted it on the bookshelf by our table yesterday, and the writing is so luscious that I'm actually loving all the gardening details, too!)
It's been a great half-term, full of paper dragons and wizards and adventures...but this morning, while my boys are out having fun with other adult relatives, I'll be curling up to write, to catch up on overdue beta-reads and critiques for writer-friends...and to sink into The Morville Hours with total delight.
Happy Friday!
Luckily, they're heading out with two loving relatives to look after them, and they're both excited about the prospect, so I don't have to feel guilty about my bliss today. ;)
Have I ever mentioned that my favorite cake shop in town (or, indeed, in the world) also has a massive set of bookcases lining one long wall, full of interesting secondhand books for sale? (It really is like heaven - delicious Lindt chocolate cake AND books!) Yesterday, when the two little boys and I visited the cake shop, as well as eating well, I bought myself a pre-loved copy of Katherine Swift's memoir-cum-gardening-cum-history book The Morville Hours, and ohhhh, it is so, so good. The gorgeous writing just sucks me in every single time I pick up the book.
If you love gardening or history or just beautiful, immersive writing, I highly recommend it! (Personally, I can appreciate and even love beautiful gardens that other people have created, but I've never enjoyed gardening myself. So the truth is, I felt slightly wary of this book when it first came out several years ago, because of its gardening focus...but the history angle was enough to make me pick it up anyway when I spotted it on the bookshelf by our table yesterday, and the writing is so luscious that I'm actually loving all the gardening details, too!)
It's been a great half-term, full of paper dragons and wizards and adventures...but this morning, while my boys are out having fun with other adult relatives, I'll be curling up to write, to catch up on overdue beta-reads and critiques for writer-friends...and to sink into The Morville Hours with total delight.
Happy Friday!