recovery.

Last week, just because I could and because I've meaning to do for a few years, I re-covered one of my favourite books, A City of Bells by Elizabeth Goudge. The copy we have (a three-in-one version) used to look like this:

Yikes. I do judge books by their covers. Most people do. It's hard not to. But (yes, yes) the cover can be misleading. I read A City of Bells quite a lot when I was younger, so if I'd payed too much attention to the (hideous) cover, I would probably be a completely different person. One who doesn't like Shelley's Ode to the West Wind, for example ('...Drive my dead thoughts over the universe...') Now it looks like this:

    

It is such a lovely story. Funny, and quaint, and beautiful (especially the parts about the missing poet and the play and the bookshop and the Grandfather and...)  

After covering it, I read the first chapter, planning on popping it back on its shelf... but I then remembered how much I liked it, and it had been so long, and I thought I'd just read it again.   

So I did! 

And it is just as good as I remembered it to be ...even if she does write quite and rather a lot about flowers. 

♥

a cup of spring.

♥

I am now officially finished second year. Halfway through university already – how bizarre. The second semester has been very interesting, especially Creative Writing and the philosophy-based class (Literature, Criticism, and Theory), and the Romantics ...but the exams at the end of the semester have made me relish* the thought of some time off. I am in the middle of compiling a list of things to do over the summer (books to read, things to write, places to visit, people to see). Making a list is always exciting, even if I know I’m not likely to stick to it.

I realise that none of this really fits under ‘something I noticed’. I don't want this blog to become an online-diary. The picture does, though. I was in the kitchen, drinking tea and chatting with my brother, when I saw it, and bounded** out the room to find my camera.(Sadly, the clematis is now flower-less due to this weekend’s wild west wind. It was so wild, in fact, that it trapped my mother and grandmother on an island for a day longer than planned because the ferry wouldn’t brave the waters.)  

♥

*That’s the first time I’ve ever used ‘relish’ in a sentence I think... or at least, the first time it hasn’t come affixed to ‘tomato’. The first time, and possibly the last. I’m not sure if I like it.

**Having been born with a natural lack of elegance, I can’t seem to walk from room to room: I gallop. Not very grown up. It’s something that I should really try and to stop before I’m twenty ...which gives me just over a month to break the habit. (Goodness! That’s quite frightening.)

How about a friar egg on toast?

We rediscovered this egg holder a few weeks ago at the back of a cupboard.

Most of the monks are a bit dopey or creepy looking...

...but this one at the back is my favourite:

He looks rather wise and knowing, in a gentle ‘I want to share my knowledge with you’ kind of way. Not like the one on the left (middle picture) who looks a bit arrogant and disapproving... or the one down at the front who looks like he could do with eating a few more vegetables.

I haven't been eaten by an aligator.

♥

I’m just about to go and read more about “free indirect discourse” in Sense and Sensibility (WONDERFUL! I hate exams with a passion, but I like studying for them – learning and remembering interesting ideas). I thought I’d pop on here first though just to say I’m still alive and I’ve not abandoned this blog. I’ve just been busy with studying and whatnot. ‘Whatnot’ includes: 

♥ sitting outside for lunch as much as possible, while the sun lasts

♥ watching the royal wedding (what a beautiful dress. Yes, a lot of hype and 'pomp' - what a funny word - but it's nice to see a celebration on the news for a change, and to have an opportunity to laugh at ridiculous hats)

♥ getting my hair cut (it was getting quite long – so long, in fact, that everyone very kindly took it upon themselves to remind me how much I suit short hair. My sister actually dialled the number of the hair dresser for me, so I decided to take the hint, ha ha. It does look less messy.)

♥ going to see the Alice in Wonderland ballet (by the Scottish ballet – it was quite dark and wonderfully bizarre.)

♥ working in the cafe at the weekends (busy, very busy)

♥ making up songs about vegetables with my brother while making the dinner (‘Carrots on the Floor’ and ‘Fruit Salad (Ba-na-na-na-na)’. Expect updates on the release date of our EP soon).

♥ listening to: this song (I love, love, love Mumford and Sons)

Back to studying now! I will write more soon. Promise.

Pictures from: here.