Every school holidays, for me, was spent doing the same things..... reading & re-reading my favourite two books in the whole wide world!
I grew up in the country, in a small place called Myalla. The local town was 20 minute drive away and back then, you didn't drive to town unless you had to do the fortnightly grocery shopping!
So during school holidays, there wasn't much to do and I relied on the one constant thing that there was - reading. And delving into the bookshelf were the classics of all time: The 101 Dalmations and Wizard of Oz.
So during school holidays, there wasn't much to do and I relied on the one constant thing that there was - reading. And delving into the bookshelf were the classics of all time: The 101 Dalmations and Wizard of Oz.
Now, these books weren't bought especially for me, they were hand-me-downs as was everything else - but I never cared about that, because as soon as I had opened them & started to read them - they were my world!
The Hundred & One Dalmations, looking at this book now as an adult with the worn front cover and sketched drawings on the inside - I see myself curled up on the bed reading it on a summers day. Opening the front cover, I realise that it was printed in 1975, hey, it's a year younger than me!
I loved the sketched drawings so much, here are a few below....
And there has never been a more hated character than Cruella de Vil.
And you just can't go past the back cover without wanting a dalmation puppy of your very own!
The Wizard of Oz took me off to a fantasy place that I couldn't ever imagine existed.
This book actually belonged to my brother! I just checked the inside cover - it has his name plastered all over it - but he's not getting it back! The book doesn't tell me when it was printed - I'll have to guess it was before 1974 going my brother's childish handwriting.
It is also full of adorable sketches too!
I also started to learn craft from my mother - she started a love that would last a life time.
I learnt to knit, crochet, spin, dye wool, macrame (well for me, a knotted mess), weaving and lots of new barbie doll dresses were made too!
From my dad, I learnt woodwork - many an hour spent in his shed carving timber into odd shapes!
I also grew up in the country, about 20 mins from the nearest village. I read a lot of books growing up. I loved Enid Blyton, particularly the Magic Faraway Tree.
ReplyDeleteMy mum taught me how to knit, sew, spin, weave and crochet. I also liked drawing and made many things out of cardboard. Weetbix boxes were made into many things!
Hi , what a lovely post and a lovely blog , thankyou .
ReplyDeleteHello, you have the most fabulously wonderful site here and I had to leave this comment for you ! Your posts are beautifully written, creative and original too, and you have interesting pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt's all perfect !
Thank you for sharing your site and best wishes.... 'Happy September'....
great post! i wish i had learned to knit when i was young- i´ve tried to start (with disastrous results) so many times and i´ve come to the conclusion i´m too old to learn...
ReplyDeleteHi Rie,
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky that these books didn't end up at the local bookfair or garage sale as most of mine did.
My grandmother always entered crafts in the agricultural shows. When I was about 7 I enter my first one too! She showed me how to do a flower arrangement on a plate. I did win but the category was sponsored by her!