I know jigsaws were a lockdown thing, but they weren’t something I was doing at the time. I loved them as a child but have only just rediscovered the calming effects of a jigsaw in recent weeks. For Christmas we were given a jigsaw featuring a photograph of us with our dearest friends all looking a little bedraggled after a windy walk in Devon earlier this year.
As soon as I began doing it, I was completely absorbed. There is something rather meditative about searching for, and finding the correct pieces and watching the image grow. Although, I have to say finding a piece which you recognise as a part of your own nose can be a little disconcerting. I spent many happy hours (some when I probably should have been doing other things) fitting it all together, and enjoyed it so much, I am tempted to buy another one. The finished puzzle with us all beaming out of it made me smile every time I looked at it, and it was a few days before I could bare to take it apart and put it back in the box.
Books have also been a huge part of my winter so far, and I have found myself lost in some wonderful stories in the last few weeks. I have read books by Tracy Chevalier and Marika Cobbold, both new authors to me, and both ones I want to read more from.
Reading seasonally is something I have become more attuned to and find very calming. It is always enjoyable to find books which match the month or time of year in which you are reading them. I have a few books which are written as diaries which I am reading through monthly this year.
I recently dedicated a whole Sunday afternoon to reading and read the whole of The Last Act of Love by Cathy Rentzenbrink in one sitting. The pleasure of being completely taken up by a book without any other distractions, other than when to make the next cup of tea was wonderful, and something I am going to try and do more of.
What are you reading at the moment? I’d love to know. Do let me know in the comments below. In the mean time I wish you a week filled with calm and gentle moments.
I’m currently reading French Rhapsody by Antoine Laurain. I love his little books – really easy reading and you know me, a sucker for anything French. Have a lovely week Angie xx
Author
Oh yes. I really enjoyed the book of his you chose for our book group x
I’m reading The Famous Five Go Camping with my 8 year old grandson, and The Faraway Tree series (all by Enid Blyton) with my 5 year old grandson. They haven’t lost their charm xx
Author
Brilliant! I absolutely loved the enid blyton books. Many happy hours spent lost in those stories
You have so many treats in store if you are just discovering Tracy Chevalier. My mom was president of the American Friends of Highgate Cemetery and gave tours there whenever she was in England. She was very impressed by the research Tracy Chevalier did for her book Falling Angels, which is set there.
Author
That’s amazing Ruth. I love Highgate cemetery, its fascinating. I just picked up The Girl with The Pearl Earring from my local second hand book store so I’m looking forward to that next. I will look out for Falling Angels too.