Thursday 27 March 2008

Full House!



In my last post I said that it felt more like Christmas than Easter at the weekend and I wasn't wrong. The postman seems to be delivering new goodies to me on almost daily basis this past week! This lovely hare was sent to me by the very kind Lynne who won my giveaway the other week. I had commented on her wonderful blog just how beautiful they were and lo and behold as a "thank you" for my goodies Lynne sent me this gem! Lynne was slightly concerned that I wouldn't be able to control his springiness but, rest assured Lynne, he's settled in very well and has only hopped off his cupboard top twice. Keeping him company on the fireplace is this lovely hare tag that Lynne also sent. My bunnies have taken a while to adjust but they all seem to be getting along nicely.



I sold lots of my spring bunnies on Etsy recently and somebody who bought a bunny bundle was Coralie. It's great to find out where things end up so I was very pleased to receive an email from Coralie thanking me and asking me to take at her blog. There was Mr Bunny showing himself off to some new found French friends, all set to go off on some major Easter egg hunts at the weekend. It was lovely for me to discover a new blog and for all you francophiles out there, it's in French too! Great for polishing up my shamefully rusty French and lots of lovely photos to savour. Coralie also thought she would like to send me a little something and look what I got from her yesterday:



beautiful stamps of the Eiffel Tower. Thanks so much Coralie, "merci beaucoup" - I love Paris and have very fond memories of it. I am still marvelling at the sheer power of blogging to surprise us with its twists and turns and unpredictability. I have come into contact with so many lovely people and followed so many blog trails.



I'm sure that most of you would have read Michele's
lovely blog before and I'm sure most of you would have gathered by now what a warm, humourous and kind person she is. Oh and very talented too. Just before Easter Michele sent the Ragged Roses household a little Easter parcel. A chocolate bunny for me, most importantly, some gifts for the girls, some more of her wonderful badges, Easter decorations and these delightful cards (you see now why I said it's been feeling like Christmas!). Thank you Michele it was such a kind thing to do and we were all really touched that you thought of us. (You may need to click on the photo of Michele's cards to see the badges a little better)



But that's not all! I finished my last Persephone book last week and have been in serious withdrawal ever since. This has been remedied by the arrival this morning of my three new books, all of which, curiously enough, have very similar titles.



"House-bound" by Winifred Peck, a story showing the impact of the war on a household where a woman decides to do without her maid and manage her own house. "A House in the Country" by Jocelyn Playfair, again set during the Second World War but played out in a rural country idyll. "The New House" by Lettice Cooper, set in pre-war Britain and over one day tells the story of a family moving from a large house to a much smaller one. They all sound great and very domestic, don't know where to start.



Of the three previous books I bought from Persephone, the book that, understandably, moved me the most was Cicely Hamilton's "William - An Englishman". Written by Cicely Hamilton while she was working at a hospital and organising concerts at the Front during WW1, this book is one of the most moving I have read in a long time. Two young people, both political activists and idealists, marry and go on honeymoon in 1914 to a remote cottage in Belgium. Secluded from the world for three weeks they emerge one day from a walk in the countryside and literally stumble into the horrors of WW1. This scene has been haunting me since I read it last week. I won't spoil the book for you but by the end of the story William learns that reality has no place for his former idealistic beliefs. William was like so many thousands of men during the war, quiet, without a voice, struggling to make sense of it all. The other day whilst sorting through my old postcard collection I read on the back of one of them a pencil written message from a soldier to his wife, he longs desperately for one of her letters and complains only of the mud that seems to be all around him. When Big Sister went to Ypres the other week I found myself visiting lots of websites to find out more, trying to make sense of it all myself. "William" is a great book.
Anyway my three new books all promise to be of a lighter mood and I'm looking forward to letting you all know how I get on with them. The film of "Miss Pettigrew" seems to be getting great reviews in USA so I'm very excited about seeing that when it opens here.
What a long post, sorry I've been rambling again.

32 comments:

Sal said...

They sound really good books!
I am always pleased to hear about books that anybody has enjoyed as my mum is an avid reader and I can pass on the titles to her.Thanks;-)

Heidi said...

I ordered Miss Pettigrew and still have not been able to move it up in my stack of books to be read. I am reading some that I will pass on to my mother and my online friends who are coming over in May. I do hope to get to it soon. How fun that it will be a movie too. I have to read it first though. I am funny now about reading a book before I see a film. Are your books from them hardback or paperback? I ordered it thinking it would be hardback but it was not.

You have had some lovely gifts lately. It is so fun to have generous online friends isn't it? I have a table full of packages to send to online friends and a niece. The post office is going to love me. :)

I have heard our weather is going to take a major change after this coming weekend. It might be gardening time soon...

Hugs ~
Heidi

julia said...

I've only hear about Persephone books through blogs, must learn more about them. Thanks for the info about the one you read, think I might give it a read.
Lovely gifts, no wonder it feels like Christmas!
Julia x
ps. Can I have my mini-eggs back please!!

Country Cottage Chic said...

What lovely packages you have received lately! The Persephone books look wonderful - I am going to have to get some for myself!

Emma Herian said...

Oh you lucky girl, all those beautiful gifts!
I must say that I have been and still very tempted by your new books - I often ponder on what it was like to run a house during hard times, all those recipes, make do and mending. I like a challenge like that.
It was great to have a sniff of snow - shame we did'nt get to go Wheeeeee! down that hill!
xEm

Lucy Bloom said...

Hi Kim, oh poor postie, he can't have known what hit him, can't imagine what it'll be like at Christmas! The hares are lovely - really unusual.
Lucy x

Greentwinsmummy said...

You are absolutely most definately a bad bad woman :o)

Having just browsed Persephones site I can now expect Housebound also
The Home-Maker
by Dorothy Canfield Fisher..... I shall have to now spend the evening pondering where on EARTH in a Dollshouse I can hide 2 more books so hubby doesnt roll his eyes & go arggg!
I must say the Home Makeer sounds wonderful,right up my street regarding smalls(the fathers view,not the mothers eeeek!)

hahahahahha
GTM
x

Thimbleanna said...

What a delightful post Kim! You've sure received some wonderful goodies -- aren't blog surprises wonderful? And I always enjoy your book reviews!

Anonymous said...

All those books sound good! I *finally* got a copy of I Capture the Castle from the library today ... I can't wait to start reading it this evening!
xo,
Lynda

Helen T said...

I love the Persephone books, and trying to not buy too many!

Sea Angels said...

Hello Kim...you are so spoiling that Hare. I see he has put on weight and developed a tummy and a smile..must be the chocolate.
I shall go and look at Persephone books the minute I write this. I was as you know so very thrilled with 'I capture the Castle' it was the best 'social history' book set in a divine story, I have ever read. I just wanted to be part of that wonderful family, still do!!
Have a smashing weekend, enjoy some reading.
Hugs Lynn xx

Pondside said...

Now you have made me curious about those books - I love to get a good recommendation - I'll look for them. Lovely gifts you've received, and you've displayed them very sweetly!

Gill said...

You've been a lucky girl this week Kim! It's great receiving parcels through the post, especially when they contain lovely goodies as yours did.
Thanks for the book recommendations,I like the sound of all of them and might have to treat myself soon! I don't have anything very interesting to read at the moment and want to get my teeth into a good book.Plus the Persephone books would look good on my bookshelf :)

meghs said...

I was delighted to read your previous post about the British Museum and Persephone - we spent a few wonderful hours at the Museum when we were in the UK in 2005 but didn't know Persephone existed. After that blog, I requested Miss Pettigrew from our local library and, lo, it turned out to be a Persephone copy! We are hoping to visit the UK again later this year or next so Persephone is definitely on my list.I'm sure I can toss out clothes to make the weight limits!

Ally Jay said...

The books sound fantastic. it's great when a book actually touches you in some way. That's how I felt about A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Sian said...

That William book sounds very good. I wish I had more time to read. And hurrah for blogging and online friends and long posts that are good to read :)

Elizabethd said...

Persephone is not one I had heard of, but will go and look! Your books make me slightly envious, living in France it is hard to find English language books, and I am a serious reader!

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Hello Kim
So much to see and so much I want to read thanks to your wonderful bibliography..
The books you mention sound just the kind of read I enjoy.. one that moves me! They have the added bonus of beautiful bindings which always appeal to me.
I shall go seek them out!
Love your Hare.. he is so original and has found a good home.
With love
Michelex
P.s Glad you liked the Easter gifts..

Anonymous said...

Oooooh! have you started bthe books yet? I've just had house bound and new house but don't know which one to start with!

Niki Fretwell said...

Hi Kim,
What a lucky lady you are to receive so many lovely gifts - and so well deserved of course.
The hare's that Lynn makes are wonderful (I entered her give-away too and hoped...)
And what a kind lady Michele is - I've been touched by her generosity in the past too.

Enjoy your books and have a fab weekend,
Niki x

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

what a lovely post, so much going on....

Jennie said...

I love persephone books! I don't have any apart from Miss Pettigrew lives for a day, but I intend to remedy that some day!
I didn't even know there was a film of Miss Pettigrew, until I read Posy gets Cosy. I was really excited to learn about it and watch the trailer!!

cd&m said...

Oh ramble away it's lovely to catch up with all your doings. Looks like you've got some delicios reading there and as for all those lovely gifts, well you are a very lucky Ragged Rose!

Carol said...

Hi Kim, so many lovely Easter gifts...lucky girl!
I have cheated! I have just received a dvd of 'I Capture The Castle' that I ordered from Amazon.
I am looking forward to seeing it. I must visit the local secondhand book shops and find these books that you talk about. I always go to bed with a book and good intentions....but I seem to fall alseep to quickly!
Carol x

dottycookie said...

What a lovely post. I really must go and have a look at Persephone books one day - I've read lots of people posting about how lovely they are and the bonus of the beautiful binding. William does sound worth a look ...

Anonymous said...

Hi, what interesting books...I will have to look them up. Maybe Noreeen knows them.
Beautiful gifts...love the hare!
Margaret (and Noreen)

Pam said...

Ah, but rambling so interestingly as usual.

kari and kijsa said...

Just fell in love with the hares from Lynn!! Had to hop over and tell her so!! Everything looks wonderful, and the books are a treasure!

blessings,
kari & kijsa

April said...

I have tagged you as one of my favourite blogs - please stop by and have a look

April xx

Solange said...

Hello, This is my first visit on your blog, I came here through Lynn's site. I absolutely love your pictures and you are a very lucky with the easter hares!
I will visit again, wish you a wonderful week, with lots of sunshine,

Solange

Tracy said...

Such fun to come back from holiday and catch up with you here...lovely to read you posts, and see your serene photos. You new reading looks a treat! Happy Days, my friend ((HUGS))

Louise said...

Hi Kim, your link to Coralie won't let me get in, I would love to see her spring bunny in situ, my very pretty floral one is very happy living here with me, she is still sitting on the mantelpiece, I don't think she realises that Easter has been and gone! Is it me, or is the bunny from Lynne a different colour both sides, if so, two bunnies in one, what a great idea. Reading through your whole post, aren't blog friends just the best. x