The forest in spring

And now to spring in Russia.

"He reflected again that he thought of history, of what is called the course of history, not in the accepted way, but in the form of images taken from the vegetable kingdom. In winter, under the snow, the deciduous wood are thin and poor... But in only a few days in spring the forest is transformed, it reaches the clouds and you can hide or lose yourself in a leafy maze. During this transformation the forest moves with a speed greater than that of animals, for animals do not grow as fast as plants; yet this movement can be observed. The forest does not change its place, cannot lie in wait for it and catch it in the act of moving. However much we look at it we see it as motionless. And such is the immobility to our eyes of the eternally growing, ceaselessly changing life of society, of history moving as invisibly in its incessant transformation as the forest in spring." Boris Pasternak Dr. Zhivago

forest


This passage is almost poetry in the way I don't quite understand it but feel it.

Old-fashioned, fragrant flowers

Now to America and as it's the month of March it had to be from the March family.

'As spring came on, a new set of amusements became the fashion, and the lengthening days gave long afternoons for work and play of all sorts. The garden had to be put in order, and each sister had a quarter of the little plot to do what she liked with... Meg had roses and heliotrope, myrtle, and a little orange-tree in it. Jo's bed was never alike two seasons, for she was always trying experiments; this year it was to be a plantation of sunflowers... Beth had old-fashioned, fragrant flowers in her garden; sweet peas and mignonette, larkspur, pinks, pansies... Amy had a bower in hers... very pretty to look at, - with honeysuckles and morning-glories hanging their coloured horns and graceful wreaths all over it; tall white lilies, delicate ferns, and as many brilliant, picturesque plants as would consent to blossom there." L.M Alcott Little Women

garden

Which sister's garden would yours be most like?

 Mine would, or will hopefully have Jo's experiments, Meg's roses, Beth's sweet-peas and Amy's honeysuckle.

Soft grey sky

I have a whole collection of quotes on spring and what's wonderful is they are all from different countries. At the beginning of the month we had France and today it's England.

"Spring in the English country, there's absolutely nothing like it, that soft grey sky and the primroses." F.M. Mayor The Rector's Daughter

view

I can think of nothing sweeter than contemplating spring from this vantage point.  

Where would you like to be?

International Women's Day

It's International Women's Day today and I'd been thinking of what to post from what I've read this year. It came down to either L.M. Alcott or Winifred Holtby and her protagonist Sarah Burton in South Riding.

"But I tell you what is my business, and that's the kind of woman you are and the teacher you will be. Up till lately you've always been pretty successful, haven't you? Scholarships, honours, promotions. You're good-looking in a queer sort of way. You're attractive. You're young for your age, and strong, and confident. And you did your work well - up to a point, I think. You were good with the bright ones, Lydia Holly and Biddy Peckover, and the scholarship girls... But what about the stupid and dull and ineffective? The rather dreamy sort of defeated women? You hadn't much use for the defeated, had you? Not much patience with failure. Well, now at last you know what it is to be defeated." Winifred Holtby South Riding

reading

Maybe not the most uplifting but in context I think it is. I like that South Riding celebrates strong female friendships that aren't bound by being the same age, friendships that help us learn from each other, about each other and about ourselves.

A change for you

I found this poem in amongst all the letters I was sorting through in the autumn. It's another one sent to me from my mother and fits with Friday's quote.

Black March by Stevie Smith

I have a friend

At the end 

Of the world,

His name is a breath

Of fresh air.

He is dressed in 

Grey chiffon. At least

I think it is chiffon.

It has a 

Peculiar look, like smoke.

It wraps him around

It blows out of place

It conceals him

I have not seen his face,

But I have seen his eyes, they are

As pretty and bright

As raindrops on black twigs

In March, and heard him say.

I am a breath

Of fresh air for you, a change

By and by.

Black March I call him

Because of his eyes

Being like March raindrops

On black twigs

(such a pretty time when the sky

Behind black twigs can be seen

Stretched out in one

Uninterrupted

Cambridge blue as cold as snow.)

But this friend

Whatever his new names I give him

Is an old friend. He says:

Whatever names you give me

I am

A breath of fresh air,

A change for you.

Stevie Smith

A good month

Sunday, 2nd March
March has brought an end to the rain, the sky is raw now, a screeching blue between fast-moving clouds, and a sharpening wind has risen during the night, gusting in corners, rattling windows.
......... 
March wind's an ill wind, my mother used to say. But in spite of that it feels good, smelling of sap and ozone and the salt of the distant sea. A good month, March, with February blowing out of the back door and spring waiting at the front. A good month for change. Joanne Harris Chocolat

waiting

I can't wait for spring.
Wishing you all a good month x

The Month of February

Finally February arrived.
A weekend of entertaining my parents. The first time they've stayed in our home. It was lovely. We wandered into our town centre, watched the fireworks to celebrate Greenwich becoming a Royal Borough and then the snow fell. After a cooked breakfast off to Oxlea Woods. So lovely to see the snow - the beauty of the trees, the shrill of the sledges.
Thursday night a little more snow fell.
A quiet weekend. Collecting our wallpaper, a hair cut, mooch along Northcote Road and then to Warmth's parent's.
A day trip to Cambridge to visit dear friends.
Spending Valentine's together. The bus to Greenwich, a walk through Greenwich Park up on Blackheath and then down through the village.
Visiting Granny Warmth in Worthing and then along the coast for an afternoon in Brighton.
An early wake up and a return to Portobello Market on a Friday. For nine years this was where I worked and so the Friday market was part of the rhythm of my week. I miss it and feel quite emotional returning, A favourite croissant from Gail's. A return to my market stall, and yes they remembered me. A pleasing purchase of two cashmere cardigans, a Persephone and a nail paint. Then a hop on the tube and I made it on the 11.30am train to Berkhamsted for lunch with dear university friends.
An expensive visit to the optician for new glasses. Ouch but I have had my last pair for nearly 10 years. So price per wear they're actually quite cheap, well that's what I'm telling myself.
A planned mooch along Marylebone High Street was rather cut short due to the rain. A meet up with Warmth's brother and wife. A pub for the boys and then to The London Cocktail Club for the girls and supper at DimT to satisfy all our stomachs.
A Sunday of productive jobs around the house. Arranging with a neighbour to prune our apple tree and then a paint of our laundry room. (A smart name for the cupboard that houses our washing machine.)
The end of a lovely half term.
Meeting a dear friend for cake and cocktails at Drink,Shop, Do.
Friday night cocktails with the best girls and then for supper. So lovely to catch up and a warm fuzzy glow of love as we laughed, listened and sipped the night away.
Picking up my new glasses. Thankfully I like them, as does Warmth, which is good as he sees them more than me!
Ma and Pa Warmth for Sunday lunch. The last entertaining before our dining room is redecorated - starting the very next day.
Hoping I've managed to stop word verification for posting. Please let me know. Next step ability to reply to individual comments.
Restarted baking. Nigella's Supper onion tart for lunch with butternut squash and stilton soup. Bea's of Bloomsbury's Snickerdoodle biscuits for afternoon tea. A beef stew for supper and Jamie Oliver's Plum and almond tart. Note - half the filling as we had an additional small pudding made from the left over filling. Bill Granger Little Lemon Puddings after a delicious roast pork.
Finished Hostages to Fortune by Elizabeth Cambridge and then braced myself for Ian McEwan's The Comfort of Strangers.With a story line like that I was glad it was a very short story, not sure I could have managed a full length book of that story. Then my first Elizabeth Taylor - A view from the harbour. Just in time to join in with Stuck in a Book's hosting of this Taylor. Finishing the month with my third Elizabeth - Elizabeth Bowen.

I'm now itching for full blown beautiful spring to blossom and bloom.

Crooked, twisted, blasted

Rachel at Booksnob  hosted a gentle re read of Sense &Sensibility. I re read it recently for book club so it wasn't the right time for another re read. Here's Edward speaking, or perhaps one should say waffling.

"I like a fine prospect, but not on picturesque principles. I do not like crooked, twisted, blasted trees. I admire them much more if they are tall. straight, and flourishing. I do not like ruined, tattered cottages. I am not fond of nettles, or thistles, or heath blossoms. I have more pleasure in a snug farm-house than a watch-tower..." Jane Austen Sense & Sensibility

cottages

How do you like your trees and houses?

Gentle Rain

"The quality of mercy is not strained,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest,

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."

William Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice

rain

Thank you Bellezza for hosting Venice in February.
Now where to holiday next?

Pointed Stares

"Made a noise in the back of her mouth and then sat saying nothing, but looking the way women do when they have an opinion they are not going to express openly. I don't know what they think those pointed stares are if not opinions deprived of words?" Salley Vickers Miss Garnet's Angel

stare

I don't think it's just women who have this look though, maybe it's more to do with the personality or situation. What do you think?