five of the best

1) Dahlias

The flower of late summer and autumn for me. More so than chrysanthemums, even though the ones Mrs Miniver buys in the book do sound lovely. These are 'Bishop of Llandaff' with bright scarlet petals and dark, bronze leaves. They somehow survived the summer drought and are now looking quite lovely.

2) Poetry

I am enjoying Eireann's series of posts on poetry. I often almost forget to read poetry, and need to be reminded of the deep pleasures it can engender.

I was brought up on Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Christina Rossetti, the war poets, Byron, Donne, Robert Frost, Edward Thomas, Thom Gunn, Ted Hughes and many more. A pretty catholic bunch, really. And I can still remember the poem I had to memorise in order to win a scholarship to my senior school when I was 11. A group of candidates were invited to discuss it with the head-mistress (sonnet form, alliteration, derivation of old English words, punctuation - the usual stuff for young girls...) and then we were given 15 minutes to memorise it after which we had to write it down. I was so surprised when it all came flowing out of my ink-pen: semi-colons, correct spelling, the lot. I'm sure this feat was due to the wonderful quality of the poem itself.

It was 'Silver' by Walter de la Mare (1893-1956), and the opening lines, which still have the power to make me shiver, are:

Slowly, silently, now the moon

Walks the night in her silver shoon;

This way, and that, she peers, and sees

Silver fruit upon silver trees...

3) Martha Negley fabrics

I am childishly delighted by the new Martha N fabrics which arrived from glorious color this week. The cupcakes, tea cups, strawberries and icing, and ribbon designs are whimsical and witty. I had a quilt planned before I browsed and when I saw these I knew they would be just perfect.

4) Book pile

I have a new pile of books, ready and waiting for my undivided attention. These are the fruits of my second-hand book buying in Inverness, Oxfam and on the quite marvellous abebooks site. How I managed pre-abebooks, I don't know.

5) Bill Bryson

I am often late onto a bandwagon, but I have been listening to Bill Bryson read from his memoir of growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, in the 1950s called The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. Well, it just creased me up and I am hitching a lift with the rest of you who love him. And with the wonder that is the BBC Radio 4 'Listen Again' option, I was able to go back to the beginning of the week and start again. You should try it.

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PS the tea cosy pattern is mentioned in my posts of 8 May 06 and 24 July 06. When I write about my knitted items I always include details of the pattern & yarn in the post. I receive numerous emails asking me for information, so it saves time - I hate to appear rude, so have replied to each one to date - if you take my word for this and check in the archives. Thanks.

Comments

[sunshine]

beautiful flowers and fabric I hope you enjoy them.
sunshine
http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/

[Renata]

Your photographs and poetry inspire me. I've currently stacked Marlowe and Middleton by my bedside because there's a lyric in their plays.

[Ash]

I especially like Bill Bryson's 'Down Under'. Thank you for the tip about BBC4 - I always bemoaned that we couldn't get it here in Holland but I forgot all about the internet version!

[Dee]

I'm in the middle of Rose in Bloom at the moment, but I'm finding it hard going. It's a little too memories. Now the prequel, Eight Cousins I think it is, is excellent. Love Barbara Pym too. Ah, the trials of clergymens daughters...

[Jennifer]

Enjoying every moment of the Bill Bryson readings. Thank you. I love listening to books--and particularly enjoy memoirs.

[April]

Oh, I loved both 8 Cousins and Rose in Bloom =) - ah Louisa May Alcott - I need to read more.

[Juti]

A few years ago I heard Bill Bryson read his "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" on a book-on-tape. I never fully recovered. Wonderful stuff!

And oh those dahlias.

[eireann]

I love dahlias too. And zinnias. They are both so bold--but dahlias are elegant while being so, and zinnias are exuberant.

[Jennifer]

I didn't realize Bill Bryson had a new book coming out-thanks for cluing me in! It solves my husband gift quandry perfectly!

And those cupcake fabrics! Nummy!

[Bee]

I just love those fabrics they would look good as Persephone end papers. I'm looking forward to the September books!
I tried to read Precious Bane many years ago, I was (I think) too young, impatient, only read a few pages. I should try again.
Hope you enjoy B. Pym and E. Bowen. I'm tempted to track down the Louisa May Alcott.
The Listeners is my favourite Walter de la Mare.
Thank you Jane, your blog is such a joy to read.
Bee.

[Lori]

I am a huge fan of dahlias and have a Bishop of Landaff as well as its sport the Japanese Bishop... a more orangey version. Please keep posting your beautiful pictures. It is inspiring me to become more daring with my digital camera.
Lori

[Hildy]

Hooray for cupcake and teacup fabric!
Wonderful pile of books-love Barbara Pym.
Oh, the pitcher full of dahlias is beautiful.....

[mathea]

I love that poem! And those fabrics, yum! I can see that they will look great together in a quilt. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you do with them. The colours remind me of the 4-colour pictures in women's magazines from the fifties. (I'm not that ancient, but my grandmother had a pile of them in our country cottage when I was a child!)

[al]

oh, bill bryson wrote "The Mother Tongue," which is one of my favorite books of all time. i laughed so hard!

[Steph VW]

Wow. That cupcake material is amazing. It's almost as if the designer is a fan of your site!

[Dorothy B]

Love the fabrics you just got. So pretty and whimsical.
Your Dahlias are gorgeous.
I must go get my hands on a book by Bill Bryson. He sounds like an excellent writer.
Abebooks is the best thing ever. I'm compiling quite a wish list browsing around over there.

[justine]

just beatiful, and I love the fabric, it's so you! You have a great eye ;)

[HPNY Knits]

Dahlias were my grandfather's passion, he had many varieties in his garden and I grew up adoring them. your photograph against the turquoise background is ever so lovely!

[Aurora]

I believe that poem was easy for you to memorize due to subject content: women simply embody the moon.

[herhimnbryn]

Poems and books. Sigh! A woman after my own heart.
I know that Poem by Walter de la Mare. It has stayed with me since I learnt it at 12 years old.

[Jane]

Book Suggestion: 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson. It's a joy to read.

[Jill]

I've read an enjoyed both the Barbara Pym books on your pile, am sure you will too.

Sunday night on ITV the South Bank Show is 'doing' Bill Bryson, another one of my favourites.....

[sherry]

Bill Bryson is one of my absolute idols. I haven't read anything of his that wasn't worthwhile, and listening to audio versions of his books has improved several long family car trips.

[littlejennywren]

I saw the new Bill Bryson book in a shop yesterday and it had husband's Christmas present written all over it. I just hope it doesn't have too many quotable lines as we are still recovering from the last bout of Brysonitis

[Sarah]

The dahlias, oh the dahlias... I think I want to inhabit those photographs. So lovely. Thank you.