I twisted Mr GBT's arm to take a couple of hours off from his furniture making and join me over at Nymans as my regular client was away last week. We struck gold as it was another of those bitterly cold, but clear, bright Winter days that I love so much.
As ever the National Trust know how to do a highly original Christmas with a dash of class with just the right level of whimsy. This year Nymans has based the garden and house around Beatrix Potter's charming "The Tailor of Gloucester" and effortlessly carried the display through from the outdoors to inside. It was a favourite tale of mine as a child, but I haven't read it for many years and so it reminded me of the detail of the story. It has inspired me to add more children's fiction into my reading mix in the New Year [it's good to take your adult head off once in a while I find] and I intend to reread some old stories and find some new ones. I have already been lent "Dark is Rising" by Susan Cooper so my campaign is underway! Anyway enough of my waffle...let's get back to huge cotton reels and teeny mice shall we🐁🐭
Arilx
I was mad on Beatrix Potter as a child! I love the Tailor of Gloucester's frock coat , the scissors and the clever use of the spools of thread, the mice are very sweet, too! xxx
ReplyDeleteThat coat is gorgeous isn't it! Arilx
DeleteI'm glad you had a companion to explore. The whimsy is clever.
ReplyDeleteMr GBT was just glad to be out I think. Arilx
DeleteVery topical as I have literally just found a rather dead mouse shut in our back doors...hopefully it was dead before the door squished it. A large mouse it had been too...I wonder if one of the cats had something to do with it or it just fancied coming in? x
ReplyDeleteWe have found the occasional mummified one under the bookcase courtesy of Humphrey! Arilx
DeleteI love all the details! The Tailor of Gloucester was one of my favourites when I was younger - and a story I had forgotten xx
ReplyDeleteHer body of work is utterly charming. I always loved Pigling Bland and Mrs Tiggywinkle too. Arilx
DeleteAh!!! I love the decorations! When you reread The Dark is Rising, please, for me, listen to Shostakovitch Symphony no9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qynu8yNiTrY from 5:23 as you read the beginning part in the snow with Will finding out about his powers.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read this book, I was rehearsing this movement and it TOTALLY suited the mood of what was going on.
The weird thing was, the next time I reread this book, totally coincidentally, I was playing this Symphony again! It's the soundtrack for the story for me!
x
I will definitely check it out! Arilx
ReplyDelete