For a long while now I've been unable to read works of fiction. This is peculiar for me as I've always been a voracious bookworm. The last novel I read was 'The Time Traveller's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger and I read it avidly, but since then, not a thing! My theory is that I used to read to escape and now that my life is just how I want it, I have no need of other lives to live through and no 'otherworlds' other than my own.
Poetry books
Now I find great pleasure in poetry. My life is made brighter and richer and even more joyful by Wendy Cope and John Hegley.
Sanity books
Then there are the books which I dip into every day. These are my sanity books, my printed support and my cheerleaders, the books I'm forever reading and sharing and marvelling at.
Creativity books
I'm fascinated by books that explore creativity. I've gleaned something from every single one on this shelf and of course they've been inspiring, but perhaps not in the obvious way.
There is one book that is missing from this section of my bookshelf and it's because it never leaves my side when I'm at home. It's Quinn McDonald's 'Raw Art Journaling' and it's the best creative book I've discovered so far. Her blog is also wonderful and guess what? I read that every day, too!
Ingredients
Coffee in my favourite mug.
An ultra sweet smackerel that is too sweet to eat on its own but is beautifully tempered by coffee.
A poetry book.
Method
Cup hands around mug, inhaling the fragrant steam.
Alternate sips of coffee with nibbles of the sweet something, sometimes combining both at once.
Delve into a poetry book and let yourself be wooed by words.
When I went to the stitching group this afternoon, my friend gave me this bag she had made!
It's so cheerful, bright and summery, a perfect size for essentials and I love it!
It uses a technique called crazy patchwork and is made from tiny scraps of material.
Curiously, these colours and patterns are not ones I would choose if I was making something for myself, but my friend has a superb way of putting fabrics together so that the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts.
It's beautiful and makes me smile just to look at it.
Today I visited a very good friend of mine which is always a treat, not just because she is wonderful (and always has something scrumptious for elevenses!) but because she has filled her house with beautiful, interesting and eye-catching things.
Aren't these colours stunning together? They make me smile, lift my spirits and I can happily surrender to their effect on me.
This kind of soul food inspires me and enriches my life and my friend has created a home that's full of it, and I'm very grateful to her for sharing such nourishment with me.
RSS Feed
