I am the type of person that the Waterstones 2 for 1 deal was made for, I do so love books. It is one of my favourite pastimes to wander round a book shop, allowing myself to be drawn to a cover that jumps out and seeing if am intrigued by the synopsis (though I try to resist buying at the moment as I have far too many to read!)
Of late the novels I've read haven't fallen into the 'really good book' category which is disappointing and there have been at least two that I've skim read just to find out what happens in the end but I haven't been swept away into another world by them.
However, this changed with the book I'm just about to finish, Alice Hoffman's, The Third Angel. I read a review a long time ago and finally obtained a copy from the excellent Read it, Swap it site.
It's utterly brilliant, beautifully written, just enough mystery to intice you to read on without the annoyance of being kept in the dark.
Alice is an author that I will definitely an author whose books I will devour in future - a lovely discovery.
Though the above sounds like the name for a pub, I am actually referring to a real pheasant who likes to nibble away at the seeds discarded by the smaller birds under the bird feeder. He is usually accompanied by a female and though they are possibily the daftest birds in the world, they are fun to watch. I don't even mind the loud squawk that announces their arrival.
I finally managed to get a decent picture of the male - the colour of his plummage up close is really amazing. The picture taking involved crawling along and hiding behind a shrub and though Purde also joined me (cats do so like to see what you are doing) the pheasant wasn't put off. I'm sure I can get a better picture, soI'll keep trying - a more powerful zoom lens would be a boon - reducing the commando style stalking immensely!
At Greenbelt last year I was fortunate enough to attend a question and answer session with Rob Bell. I remember it being very interesting with some real gems but it not being an official 'talk' didn't take any notes.
Greenbelt have just released the session as a free download on their blog. I listened to it again over the last couple of days and have scribbled down a few things. As always with Rob I find that afterwards my head is buzzing with illumninating thoughts and creative ideas so despair that I actually have to work and can't just sit with pen in hand and scribble it all down!
Having turned 37 and pondering about what it means to grow older, one comment struck me. Rob had done a talk that weekend entitled Two kinds of New, one of the central themes being flexible as we grow older. This prompted a question as to how we can stop ourselves becoming inflexible and old.
'When something makes you feel old, move towards it with a sense of expectant discovery'
I shall be pondering that amongst other things in my struggle with not necessarily being bothered about getting older but more the lack of progress I sense in key areas of my life.
However for now, I shall kick against that cultural conclusion that there is nothing good about getting older and delight in all the new discoveries I make.
