Nature books and my English childhood -

 

A few years back I discovered British author John Lewis-Stempel. 

His amazing book titled MEADOWLAND had won the annual

 British Wainwright Prize for nature writing back in 2015. 

I didn't even know that then, but the book called to me and I purchased it.

I fell deeply in love with that book and it rests on my 'favorites shelf' and

 will be re-read many times in the years to come. 

Since then I have collected more of his books, most recently this one, 

THE WOOD. I am enjoying it as I have the others.

Since reading Meadowland I have come to love many other

 books about nature, especially those focusing on the British countryside. 

This is really not surprising as I grew up there and spent much of

my childhood and teen years wandering the lanes and fields of Devon.

With a bicycle and a book bag, I covered a lot of ground. In summer, 

with a sketch pad, a somewhat soggy tomato and cheese sandwich, 

and a Thermos flask, my days were filled. Many starting early

 mornings gathering mushrooms with my mother, afternoons 

often with my best friend in tow. We cycled off to farms, 

fields and villages, my little 'nature books' such as Warne's Observer

 Series at the ready to identify flowers, trees, leaves, fruits, nuts, birds, 

insects whatever - nature was entertainment and I loved it all.

I just wish I still had those books. Instead I'm reading new writers of

wonderful nature notes books. Much of life has changed since I was

 out there, roaming free in fresh air, in exquisite landscapes so close

 to my home. Fields, woods and farmland within walking distance, 

historic, brooding Dartmoor just a short car ride away.

It was also only a short hike, bus journey, or bike ride to the shore. 

My parents never owned a car, but we could soon be swimming in the

 ocean, discovering sea creatures along the beach and in the rock

 pools - yes there were several coastline Observer's Books too - picnicking

 on the rocks, discovering caves in the cliffs etc. It was truly a wonderful 

life. . . . . .and nature books made it even more exciting.

The Observer's Books were a series of small, pocket-sized books, published by Frederick Warne & Co in the United Kingdom from 1937 to 2003. They covered a variety of topics including hobbies, art, history and wildlife. The aim of these books was to interest the observer and they have also been popular amongst children. Some of them have become collector's items. For the dedicated collector this could be a lifetime's work as there are over 800 variations, some of which are now rare. The values of the books can vary from 50 pence to hundreds of pounds........Wikipedia

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Photos of amazing women during my visit to India.

While on the pleasing subject of reading a good, sometimes very good,

book, I am also about a third the way through this one and finding it 

really superb. 

Although my only visit to India - Mumbai and Cochin - was a much too

 quick stop in 2012 as part of Cunard's Queen Elizabeth cruise from

 Singapore to Dubai, memories of that country have always stayed with me. 

Since then I've read many novels set in India and found them interesting, 

sometimes disturbing, but always enlightening, and they have taught me

 so much more about the vast differences in daily life in other countries.

Are you reading anything marvelous right now?

With the arrival of October I'm feeling happier - it's my favorite 

month, my birthday month. Today I started it well with coffee on the

 front porch in sunshine, a slight breeze, and a feeling that perhaps

 this will be the beginning of better days ahead. . . . . . .days such as

 these described in my favorite October quote by the great 

Canadian author of "Anne of Green Gables. . . . . . . .

Now if only I could run through those rustling leaves, 

little nature book in hand, and spy the "amethyst, pearl, 

silver, rose and smoke-blue" colors of the valleys.

Happy October days everyone.