Thrush Green

What better way than to spend a very cold January day in Thrush Green!

My idea of heaven would be to live and teach in this idyllic village....

...except that it doesn’t actually exist.

Thrush Green ( as well as Fairacre) is a fictitious village created by ‘ Miss Read’.

‘Miss Read’ wasn’t the real name of the writer; in fact she was called Dora Saint.

(Many years ago, I met her and I recall that she signed a book for me.)

However, the original Miss Read books, published by Michael Joseph,

were very, extra special! They were illustrated by John S Goodall, a famous

English illustrator.

I love the illustrations of John S Goodall.  Characterisation was his talent, 

that’s for sure. Oozing charm as well as wit, they perfectly matched 

Miss Read’s writing. Whether it was Mr Piggott, described by Miss Read 

as ‘ The gloomy sexton’...

Or  Paul Young and his ‘crony’ Chris Mullins...

Harold Shoosmith...

And one must not forget Mrs Pringle of Fairacre...

 

This time of year always shouts out to me, ‘Miss Read’ books. And even though

I’ve read them again and again, I love to say, ‘ Hello’ to these delightful characters

and then jump into the village of Thrush Green. 

Much comfort is gained and a warm feeling takes over.

 Pure bliss!

Fair maids...

 

The Snowdrop Fairy

by Cecily Mary Barker

Deep sleeps the Winter,
Cold, wet, and grey;
Surely all the world is dead;
Spring is far away.
Wait! the world shall waken;
It is not dead, for lo,
The Fair Maids of February
Stand in the snow!

Cecile Mary Barker was an English illustrator best

known for her delightful flower fairy art work.

Seeing as we have the most lovely

bank of Snowdrops in flower right now,

I thought it apt to include her work...

Although our Snowdrops are really the 

fair maids of January!

A place where it all happens...!

      I have to admit that I’m somewhat proud of my potting place! 😊

      It oozes character ( not forgetting that vintage style.)

      But, at the end of the day, it is very much a working space and one where I 

      really enjoy planning, pottering..and potting.

        

And thus, on Monday, out I went...to give my favourite place a good ‘spruce up’.

My ‘other half’ also  helped with blowing out all the leaves, dust and debris;

 in no time at all all was ‘shipshape and Bristol fashion’! 

      I’m lucky. This undercover area was already in situ when we moved here.

      In fact, it wasn’t a potting area at all...just a place to sit and relax. 

      Over the years, I’ve had various places in the garden in which to 

      propagate, pot and prick out but this is truly my favourite. 

     Of course a potting place is not a potting place if it hasn’t got the added extras...

      

      And I have company...although, this year, I’ve noticed the moss growing on him.

 

      I have a ‘thing’ about moss...I think it’s delightful! 

      Moss seems to grow easily here.

      

       Talking of moss, reminds me...we do have a beautiful, mossy wall not far away...

        it’s  lovely to touch!

     And I’ve been nurturing this mossy pot over the last couple of years...

     

     I mean, how beautiful is this...?

      But I digress. Mole lives here, at the end of the potting area;

      

      ..he keeps watch over everything when I’m not around.

      I have all sorts of nonsense scattered around this place. For instance,

      we once brought back these trugs from Winchester market...on the train. 😂🤣😂

And should the birds wish to find somewhere to nest...

I can accommodate them so very easily.

Take your pick, feathered friends!

      The birds do visit, frequently...and on most days, a Wren can be seen enjoying itself.

 

        

               It’s a happy place, that’s for certain! 😁

Little jewels....

 

The garden is wet and the weather is dull; 

we’ve had a huge amount of rain 

over the last few months.

Yet, taking a walk around, yesterday,

I felt quite upbeat. Small patches of red jewels, dotted around

here and there in containers, greeted me.

There was something joyful about the sight.

                  The name of this plant is Gaultheria and it’s well worth investing 

                  in a few of these cheeky, cheery plants.

                  A native plant of the U.S. it’s quite versatile but does prefer partial shade.

        

         And although these plants are a welcome sight at this time of the year, 

         they also produce white to pale pink flowers in the summer.

    

       Evergreen, hardy, easy...what more could you want as a garden staple?

 

     

     And, of course, they love containers!

     I’ve rather taken to them...hope you have too!

Winter Hare

‘Winter Hare’ by Bruno Liljefors...a Swedish wildlife painter (1860-1939)

      Hares are like buses. You see one ....

      and then a whole load more attract your attention!

      I had the pleasure of seeing a hare ( after many years) on Christmas Eve, 

     during a trip to the cemetery, to put flowers on my mum and dad’s grave.

      (See here )

      Since then, I have seen hares featured ....everywhere!

      But the best, I think, is the beautiful and charming painting, above.

      Delightful!

      

     

The life of a wall...

       It always amazes me that there is far more to an old wall then you realise.

       Take, for instance, the wall in the churchyard near to where I live...

        ‘a stone’s throw’ as they say!

 It’s fascinating.

     Passing it daily, I always notice something different...

     Whether it is moss, lichen, Ivy leaved Toadflax, a wild Strawberry plant, 

     Sedum, Ivy...or even Yew!

        In the summer months, the Toadflax will flower, bringing a lovely

        purple tinge to the wall, adding contrast to the mustard coloured lichen.

        Nature just has this way of knowing exactly what will work!

     I wonder...what grows in or on a wall near you?