Recent Reading
First of all thank you all so much for your kind words and support over the horrors of rebuilding next door. It is very much appreciated.
Sorry for some reason I can't get the cover of the kindle book to show properly. This is the next book in the Cooper and Fry series. Very readable although I found the fox hunting fraternity a bit hard to cope with!
I am romping my way through the Miss Read Fairacre books. So annoyed with myself for getting rid of all my old paperbacks a few years ago. They really are a relaxing and lovely read.
I do enjoy the Anne Granger Mitchell and Markby books and read them pretty quickly!
I found the above booklet in my church guides storage box when I was looking for a guide to Hereford Cathedral. I bought it from Birmingham Cathedral which has several very lovely Burne-Jones windows and I don't think I read it at the time. An interesting booklet if you like stained glass and/or the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The above was a Christmas present from B and a surprise - he usually refuses to buy me books as I "already have too many"!!! You can never have enough books in my view! It is not a book I am reading from cover to cover but I am dipping into it regularly to read sections on counties I know well or have visited. It really is a superb book and highly recommended if you are interested in Pilgrim Places, Holy Wells, Churches etc. etc.
Two more Miss Read Fairacre books as you can see I am working my way rapidly through the series. Then I will move onto the Thrush Green books.
The above book is a new series I have discovered by the Joy Ellis (Jackman and Evans). This book was excellent and a clever plot and writing. I really enjoyed. I have also discovered there is a new Nikki Galena Fens story just come out which by a fluke I managed to buy for 99p.
Oh Joy! There is a new Jacqueline Winspear Maisie Dobbs book out. It was so good to return to Maisie's world.
Millisons Wood
I had promised D a trip out to Millisons Wood as it looked a good wood to walk round. It was probably a mistake to walk past that house I missed out on - in fact seeing it again from the exterior and location it would have been perfect and the interior was lovely too from the website. Anyway I have contacted estate agents to ask if they can let me know if by any chance it comes back on the market. Unlikely I know but worth a try and I have also registered with them to have details of new properties on the market sent to me. Although one piece of news I wasn't expecting was that your house has to be actually on the market before you can view a property :( So that means some hard decisions to make very soon. I suppose if I am honest I hadn't wanted to place our house for sale until I had found somewhere but it appears I have no choice. The thought of estate agents, surveyors and goodness knows who else visiting at the present time with the pandemic gives me the horrors and we shall have to do some rapid tidying up!
Anyway the wood was definitely worth a visit and we shall return perhaps when the bluebells are fully in flower. The wood was once part of the Forest of Arden and for that reason was awarded Local Nature Reserve Status in 2002. It was surprisingly quiet too - we only saw a couple of other people walking dogs and one of them was on a different path.
The wood covers 28.17 acres and we decided to take the signposted nature trail which was a circular walk round the edge of the wood.
A thicket of blackthorn in flower. I saw a Jay here. Birdwise we saw a Nuthatch, Blackbirds, Dunnock,Robin, Blue and Great Tits.
Wood Anemone - flowers closed as it was cloudy!
A few Bluebells were starting to flower. According to a sign they have native bluebells and the dreaded Spanish Bluebell.
Lesser Celandine
Wood Sorrel
Wild Arum Leaves
We walked for about an hour but we did dawdle along!
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330
Millisons Wood looks wonderful. I'm sure you will go back to visit in different seasons and perhaps the house you like will come back on the market or something similar can be found. It is such a big decision expecially in present times. I enjoy the Joy Ellis Jackman novels almost as much as the Galena ones and I like the way she uses the same people in both like the pathologist Rory who is a great character. I bought the new Maisie Dobbs book on a kindle gift card I was given at Christmas, I still have more money on it, but I'm struggling to read it as the print is so small and when I try to enarge the print the pages all go haywire and keep repeating themselves. I'm limited to a chapter a time as my eyes get tired and sore which is a shame as I want to keep reading more . Take care:)
ReplyDeleteI got rid of all my Miss Read books too - they were so comforting to read - and quick reading too.
ReplyDeleteI had a mad moment and bought several books to read on my Kindle recently, then received a pile from a friend, so I haven't even looked at them yet!
That Britain's Pilgrim Places looks my cup of tea. Will check that one out I think.
Yes, sadly you have to be on the market and some agents want you to be under offer, so that the sale can go swiftly and houses are selling like hot-cakes, so the sooner you are on the path, the better. Good luck! A shame that house was so perfect for you too, but if it's meant for you, it won't go past you, as they say.
Rosie - Thanks so much. The current situation makes the thought of house moves even more horrendous to be honest but the thought of banging and drilling and our roof exposed while they replace theirs is even worse. Wish I could show you the plans so you can see how extensive they are. I reckon it will take at least a year too :(
ReplyDeleteThat is such a shame about the Miss Read book and problems with print size. I know I occasionally have made it somewhat bigger on the kindle with some books and it didn't seem a problem.
Bovey Belle - Thank you so much. I hav a lot of books on kindle to read too although most of my proper books to be read pile has gone now as I haven't been nipping into Waterstones for a crafty buy.
Decision does have to be made and soon re: house move. I just don't want to be in situation of ex neighbour who sold hers and then couldn't find anything and ended up with a "second best" house which she I don't think took to.
I've just read the first inthe Wesley Peterson books from Kate Ellis after seeing them in your earlier post, I quite enjoyed it, I might see if I can pick up anymore from the charity shops!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that about viewing houses, it must be something new?! I suppose it forces your hand a little but it should be worth it in the end, even with all the additional stress.
At least you're able to escape to the woods, especially if it stays quiet!
I downloaded the Thrush Green novels, about a dozen or so, to my Kindle while on offer for £3.99 the lot! I haven't read the Fairacre books though. I imagine they will be very similar, gentle distractions. I, too, would enjoy the Burne Jones pamphlet. Enjoyed the little walk around Millsons Wood, and glad you got out this week too, as did I. A good idea to contact the estate agent, just in cases, and you never know, if it's meant to be, it will be.
ReplyDeletePam Thank you. I have enjoyed the WP books more and more as series progresses. Still haven't read Plague Maiden yet - started a year ago but too much about viruses and Black Death!
ReplyDeleteI think it is new - either to stop time wasters who view for sake of it or OH said perhaps to stop people travelling hundreds of miles using excuse of a house to view. It is a right pain tbh. But we have decided we really do have to move so perhaps now is the time to get our act together and put ours on the market.
Rustic Pumpkin - Thank you. That was a brilliant buy of Thrush Green novels - as Fairacre at least are not that cheap to buy individually! So glad you got out too. Yes I tell myself that if its meant to be it will be. Look at Tower House sale for some reason fell through then came back on market and we arranged a viewing but they weren't in and then when tried to re-arrange house taken off market. When I checked on market loads of times in a few years - something very strange going on there!!! Trouble is that locally the Tower House and the Millisons Wood one were the only two I have fancied in over 5 years!!!
Ooo yes that doesn't sound like a book for these times does it! That makes sense re the house viewing. Well good luck and i'll keep my fingers crossed fo you if you definitely go for it!
ReplyDeletePam Thanks. I only read the first few chapters and the present day story seemed to involve someone contaminating food in a supermarket with possibly a virus? and the storyline about the past was about Black Death so I abandoned book!!!
ReplyDeleteThe woodlands look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love project and premise that led to the Pilgrim Places book. Mine arrived after a holiday opportunity (and a trip down memory lane) during lockdowns in 2020.
http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2020/08/31/tyn-y-cornel-hotel-day-three/
CherryPie -Thank you and I will check out your blog post.
ReplyDeletehi RR
ReplyDeletethe woodland looks nice! worth more visits?
good luck
The Quacks of Life - Thanks Pete. Yes the house I liked which was sold before I found out next door's plans had been approved was ideally located for it. Entrance about 20 yards away! Yes we will go back - one of the closest woods we can walk round and it was surprisingly quiet there! :)
ReplyDeleteI love the information boards which are great for educating people. The wood looks a really interesting place to explore.
ReplyDeleteI still think you should wait a bit before putting your house on the market, unless you think after having your jabs you feel safe ( you should do!) enough to have people in your house. But will it be easy to sell your house when there is construction work going on next door? You might have people trying to knock you down in price... :-/
Millymollymandy - Thanks we missed such a good house for sale by that wood. Still annoyed. The moving thing is just a nightmare as there are very few localish houses I like all characterless and extortionate as you are paying for good schools etc. As you say don't want people traipsing round tbh our own house but if construction started may affect price. Whole thing a nightmare. If only we could move to another county where you can get a really lovely detached rural property MUCH cheaper than round here. Whole thing soul destroying tbh and we are dithering.
ReplyDelete