Today I did not wear a coat as I ventured into the city centre to visit two bookshops. I was looking for any novel by James Kelman having enjoyed "Dirt Road" so much. Though this mission was unsuccessful I did manage to buy four other books - "Cuddy" by Benjamin Myers, "The Stone Diaries" by Carol Shields, "Walking the Rivelin" by Sue Shaw and Keith Kendall and "BOSH! More Plants" by my only born son and his old school friend Henry Firth.
Two books were liberated from the Oxfam book shop on Glossop Road and two from the Orchard Square branch of "Waterstones".
How lovely it was to be out there in the sunshine and people's hearts seemed to be lifted. You could sense it in the air.
As I am always looking out for striking photo opportunities, I regret not stopping on Surrey Street to pull my camera out of my backpack. There was a street musician sitting in the sunshine with The Central Library behind him. He was playing his shiny saxophone with his eyes closed, lost in the music, lost in the springtime air. Silly old me.
After the appointment, I walked down to Ecclesall Road via The Botanical Gardens. On this particular passing visit, I noticed that the dormant crocuses had now burst through. Some people were sitting on the grass, talking or reading or just enjoying being outside under a blue sky. I think this activity is called "chillaxing".
The same reader
Carol Shields is a giant of CanLit and lived and wrote for much of her adult life in Winnipeg, Manitoba where I used to live. I hope you enjoy her award winning novel! I wrote about her here:
ReplyDeletehttps://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/2012/09/carol-shields-memorial-labyrinth.html
"a giant"! How tall was she?
DeleteThanks for that cheer Debra.
Ahhhh... sunshine and crocuses. Or should it be croci? No green showing here in SA Ontario yet, just solid piles of white stuff. But there were a few raindrops today instead of snowflakes so perhaps Spring might yet appear. I'll make a note of your books. I just finished reading "You Will be Safe Here" by Damian Barr. Wow, disturbing.
ReplyDeleteCrocuses or croci - both are acceptable but the second is used less and less. I had not heard of that book or that writer. Thanks.
DeleteThat crocus field is amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see it had not been trampled.
DeleteWe have had a couple of gloriously warm days with deep blue sky and a yellow thing up there which I think might be called 'the sun'. It certainly does lift spirits with the thought that spring is just around the corner.
ReplyDeleteThose gloomy days of January and February saw most people closing their curtains and waiting for the weeks to pass by.
DeleteAh, signs of Spring are happening everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI bet it makes you skip like a lamb through the mean streets of Camden as you whistle your way to work.
DeleteAwww, not a spare new Bosh book for his old dad, so dad had to pay retail.
ReplyDeleteThe crocus look lovely.
Ian gave us all seven of the other books but this one is from a different publisher so he didn't have any spares.
DeleteThat's a spectacular library you've got.
ReplyDeleteIf you are referring to the building Red - that is our main hospital!
DeleteThe crocuses are gorgeous.That building looks good against the blue sky too. Are you sure that rice crispie spot isn't an actual rice crispie from falling asleep in your breakfast?
ReplyDeleteHa-ha! Nice one Elsie! I told Phoebe I could glue a rice krispie onto her forehead but she declined.
DeleteLike you, I have noticed how people appear to be uplifted by a beautiful sunny day and the signs of spring everywhere. When I was walking to Benningen the other day on a path where I usually only encounter the odd cyclist or dog walker, suddenly there were entire families out, and couples holding hands as well as several joggers, all of them smiling and nodding or saying hello.
ReplyDeleteThat crocus field is wonderful!
And I am glad to read that your krispie is benign and will soon be dealt with.
I suppose it is a downside of good weather when all the amateur walkers emerge.
DeleteBenjamin Myers 'Cuddy' book looks interesting. I found "Gallows Pole" scary rather too deep for me. But the Northumbrian saint Cuthbert traced through different people sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteRecently I read "The Offing" - also by Benjamin Myers. I like his style.
DeleteGood book choices. I enjoyed Cuddy and think Carol Shields deserves more recognition on this side of the pond. Myers’ book from last year, Seascraper, is wonderful. If you haven’t read it I think you might enjoy it. Too many books and not enough time to read.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Traveller..."Too many books and not enough time to read". They should chisel that on to our gravestones.
DeleteIf you come across Happenstance by Ms Shields it is well worth a read. Two novels in one. One is told from the husband’s perspective and the other from the wife’s. You can choose which to read first. She died too young
DeleteThe crocuses are a glorious sight on a sunny day. People react very positively to sun and warmth.
ReplyDeleteI bet that you and Barry cast off your clouts and skipped along the winding lanes of Berkshire, holding hands together.
DeleteHow lovely to see the daffodils and crocus in the spring sunshine.
ReplyDeleteHere it's been grey skies, rain and high winds for some time - no sign of spring at all.
And how lovely to see Senora Carol once again. I was starting to think I had offended you somehow.
DeleteNo, I've been keeping up with your blog but Google decided to stop me commenting!
DeleteSpring brings hope for the future, something encoded deep in our DNA.
ReplyDeleteI know I read The Stone Diaries eons ago but I can't remember a thing about it. I do recall that I really liked it though.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful day! I have to say the reader's hair is as glorious as the spring flowers.
The Stone Diaries deserves a second reading.
ReplyDeleteIt was ingenious of Carol Shields to insert photographs of her characters.
There was even a sketch of a nude lady by Carl Larsson (unattributed).
Readers of good fiction miss the people in the story.
As Anne Tyler said, *How do these little paper people get so much power ? *
Haggerty wishes a Glorious Spring to you and all your faithful readers.
Also to Kelly, Nina, Indira, Little Miss Curious, and the young woman
reading on the grass in the Botanic Gardens.
The intent reader in the sunshine reminds me of Randall Jarrell's poem,
A Girl In A Library. ( tumblr )
1989 to 1990 I spent 18 months on the top floor of that building learning to be a general nurse
ReplyDeleteI love this point of the year. When life returns to the landscape.
ReplyDelete