Found a froginkangaroo paws. [When I get organised, I’ll post a photo or three of kangaroo paws in the garden. I love the green and red flowers with their lovely furry surface. Or maybe scanning a sketch would be better? They are great flowers to draw–lovely lines, like irises.]

Reading Terry Pratchett’s The Fifth Elephant, yesterday, it struck me that I’m old. I remember when we thought, when we believed, in a different reality. Pratchett uses his Discworld to show up the thinking and behaviour of our world. In The Fifth Elephant one of his characters muses that in future wars will be fought…

I haven’t studied this site Charter for Compassion or signed up yet, but I’m encouraged that people across the world are talking and thinking about a forgotten word–compassion. Not pity (which sighs and walks by), but a genuine sharing of self with others, compassion.

Angela Thirkell wrote a number of county chronicles–1930s/40s English country life from the upper classes perspective. They’re a bit snobby, but they’re also charming with a thread of sly humour. In many ways, the books repeat each other with themes of youth, unreasonable romances, tangled love affairs, social-political genteel bickering, but that’s part of their…

I started reading the Annie Darling series by Carolyn Hart many years ago. As it went on and on, I admit I lost interest. But Hart is a good writer, so I included the first book in her latest series on my Christmas reading list, and I’m glad I did. Bailey Ruth is a heavenly…