Hello there Spring is here again and very welcome it is too. In between everything I have been watching a couple of old films "The Go-Between" and "The Hireling" both based on books by L.P.Hartley, I must say the books are far better than the films - rather flat endings to both I thought. And nowhere near as brilliant as anything H.E.Bates ever wrote.
In fact I have just read by him "The Feast of July" by Bates and then found the dvd on Amazon - I realise they are adaptations i.e. "based on" the novels but huge changes to the story are annoying - the ending of the book was far and away better than the film version. I won't spell it out here in case you read the book.
Have been out for an early walk today with Little Bess and the woods are thick with wild garlic (or ransoms), beautiful green glossy leaves and creamy fat flowers filling the air with the pungent scent. Must dig out Monty Don's recipe for nettle soup which is always to be accompanied by some ransoms. If you would like the recipe let me know and I can pop it on here,

Kindest wishes for a bright albeit still chilly springtime! Angela x

Spring ( or W E I L & F P T )

"Oh To be in England, now that spring is here!"
And at last I am going to write about books. I have had a little sojourn into the green and pleasant land that is H.E.Bates.  If you haven't read it then you must find a copy of "love for Lydia" and settle down. It is so very poignant and another one of those I think you can read again and find more and more in it.
Also I have it on DVD and have watched that also - you may wonder where I get the time - well I am blessed with insomnia!  That's the truth and how I choose to see it - always look on the positive side if possible.
The serialisation was so true to the book and the words changed hardly at all. How it should be, shouldn't try to  improve on perfection. I have two copies of the book - the one in the middle was bought last and probably because it showed the actors from the series and the DVD wasn't out then. It was 1977 and I would have been thirteen - an impressionable age for a young girl.

If you have read it let me know what you think - take care - Angela x