This week mostly

I'm reading.....

Eve Green by Susan Fletcher. This was a freebie in a magazine I saw recently, only after I had paid full price for my copy. It won the 2004 Whitbread First Novel award and I can see why. Two stories go side by side, the story of the main character awaiting the birth of her first child and the same person as a young girl being sent to live with elderly relatives after the death of her mother. I can relate to some of the early life stuff as it was set in Birmingham where I was brought up. The stern grandmother too, was like my own mother was in the same era and about the same age, she kept secrets too, just as my own mother did. It's a subtle tale and full of beautiful writing.

I'm listening.....

to yet another CD from Hayseed Dixie. You must be fed up of me mentioning them by now. This time it's an older one: Let There Be Rockgrass. Just be careful who you play it in front of, some of those lyrics are quite explicit! Nothing subtle about this lot.

I'm watching.....

the leaves emerging on the two old oak trees opposite the front of my house, remnants of an ancient Devon hedge. Just now they are a coppery bronze colour and will be turning greener by the day. Misty and Nelson play in these trees and shortly they will disappear from view until the leaves all fall again at the end of November.