animals, books, women

February 04, 2026

animals, books, women

Maybe it’s Winter, maybe my age, an embracing of true Self, a combination of all of the above perhaps. Whatever the case may be I find Self more or less cocooning at home. Looking inwards, finding immense pleasure in small household tasks, fixing stuff that was left neglected for far too long. When the temperature outdoors permits I’m busy in the garden, cutting back shrubs to let the sun light up certain areas where I wish to grow a small plot of flax this year, clearing out brambles and pulling up nettles, we definitely have enough of both. The cold dark days see me working in the studio, where the many worlds in my mind become visible on paper, cloth and in The Dwelling! The mind lets loose words, the body the images. I often have a sense that the images appearing are not mine but run through my hand and paintbrush. It doesn't make sense I know, but I have read other artists can feel the same way about their work.

Spending so much time on my own means thought trails are followed up by actions in the studio. Lots of trial and error, practice is the only way. One finds one's rhythm through daily routine.

Together with my recently retired husband, we share our daily afternoon walk with Viggo. Drifting apart into our own worlds the rest of the time we are usually able to catch up during evening meals. It’s not that I don’t meet up with friends, I do, but far less than I used to. It also feels like I've gathered so much to chew on, to digest that I don't need more input for the output, for the time being.....at least.

Reading continues, recent personally recommended titles include:

'The Surreal Life of Leonora Carrington.' by Joanna Moorhead

(took me years to get round to reading it, I remember buying it in 2017 in The CookBook St. Just, Cornwall, thinking it was about Dora Carrington whose work I love, I mixed up names duh; loved Leonora's biography as it turned out)

'The Nightingale; Notes on a Songbird.' by Sam Lee I've been a fan of his music for several years now and was delighted to read this book, learnt a lot about this tiny bird.

'Wat Taal Verraadt een kleine geschiedenis van brein tot beschaving.' (What Language Betrays; a small history from brains to civilisation) Freek van der Velde A raving review in the newspaper had me ordering this one, it was entertaining, educational, thoroughly enjoyable.

'Desert Queen; The Extraordinary life of Gertrude Bell, Adventurer, Advisor to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia.'

a biography by Janet Wallach

This is one of the many books I kept from my parents' library. It looked unread, so I think it was one my mum fancied she might one day get round to. I had never heard of Gertrude Bell, but was intrigued by the subtitles. Lawrence of Arabia is mentioned (probably to promote sales as he hardly plays a part in her life, history is more often than not about men). His name remains famous thanks to the film and book upon which the film was loosely based (as far as I know). She was completely uninterested in world renown, never one to seek fame for herself. She wanted to be a Person.

Gertrude Bell was by all accounts a remarkable woman, living in Victorian times she forged her way ahead, studied at Oxford, travelled through the desert in the Middle East, lived on and off in Baghdad, was fluent in Arabic, met with countless sheikhs, held in high esteem by these Arab leaders. Despite their religion's view of women being second rate human beings. Victorians viewed women in much the same way..... Also a lonely woman I gather from what I read about her: she had wanted marriage and a family. She committed suicide a few days before her 58th birthday, an overdose of sleeping pills. What a sad end to such a glorious and rich life. The obituaries in newspapers worldwide praised her for the unique being she was. If only she had known...

I realise I enjoy time alone because there is someone in my life. This February sees our youngest son in our midst: he and the husband are pollarding the willows in our willow groves, chopping down & cutting back overgrowth, hauling up fallen trees from the canals that run past our plot of land. Maintenance. Hard work they both enjoy, they are a good team. I, meanwhile prepare hearty meals, lots of 'home-grown' game: goose, deer, wild boar and the likes. My husband and our eldest son are hunters. It's wonderful to cook for hungry diners.

Have now embarked on 'Lucy's Legacy; Sex and Intelligence in Human Evolution.' by biologist Alison Jolly. Again another one from my mother's huge collection! I am looking forward to this woman's view on us humans. So far it has not disappointed: within the first chapter I've already had a crash course on Darwin's Theory of Evolution!