Moments of Calm: Children’s Books and Holland Park

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Illustrated children’s books and walks through London’s Holland Park have been the source of myuh calm and joy this week.

Wind in the Willows

If you subscribe to my newsletter you will have read about my recent purchase of a second hand copy of Wind in the Willows.  I  was thrilled to find a vintage copy of a book that was on my TBR list in a second hand bookshop in Bloomsbury.  As soon as I got home, I began reading it and enjoyed a few glorious days cosied up with Mole and laughing along to Toads preposterous escapades.  I never read Wind in the Willows as a child, I’m not sure why, it was just never one of my books.  It is now absolutely one of my books. It is charming and an absolute delight to read.  The copy I bought also is beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackhm.

This week I just happened to pop into my favourite Oxfam second hand book shop (it is pointless to pretend I can ever just walk past), and was delighted to find lurking on a top shelf, ‘The Willows in Winter’.  The first in a series of Win in the Willow sequels by William Horwood.  I didn’t even know here were sequels until very recently. It is a lovely hard back edition in really good condition and at the bargain price of £2.99, of course I had to have it.  The very sweet illustrations are by Patrick Benson who also illustrated  Fly Fishing by J. R. Hartley, from the well-known television commercial. I adore the illustrations in children’s books and when done well they really add to the story.  I only wish more adult literature contained illustrations!

Holland Park

Last week I met up with some lovely friends from a creative online group we had all previously belonged to.  Apart from a visit to the newly revitalised and refurbished Leighton House, and a very good set lunch at Herford Road, we also had a walk through Holland Park.  We wanted to meander through the tranquil Japanese inspired Kyoto and Fukushima Garden.  I hadn’t been into Holland Park recently and it was wonderful to be back in the calm of one of London’s smaller parks. The weak February sun shone brightly and the promise of spring felt tantalisingly close. This part of Holland Park with its waterfall and careful planting is especially lovely.  The sign at the entrance to the gardens requesting that visitors respect the gardens as a place of quiet reflection always makes me smile.

This week I am looking forward to the days getting ever so slightly longer and shall be willing the sleepy tulip bulbs in the pots I planted at the end of November to wake from their slumbers and put in an appearance.  I also hope to take a few hours away from work and the desk to get along to the Kaffee Fasset exhibition at The Fashion and Textiles Museum.

What ever you have planned this week, I hope you have some lovely moments of calm and joy.