After at least a fortnight, today we have rain. Soft, gentle, Cornish rain which had obviously been with us for some hours before I smelt it through the open window. Isn’t the smell of rain wonderful? And the senses detect things differently. Sounds seem muted, yet colours are the opposite: many of the wild flowers seem at their brightest in the sullen light that accompanies rain.
My first response on smelling the rain was frustration: I’ve been lethargic and struggling for motivation all week, and then yesterday we acquired most of what I needed to push ahead with my two garden projects for this month. I was all fired up to make serious progress today and make up for the week’s apathy. And it’s raining.
Then I noticed the diaphanous light coming through the bathroom window and found myself anticipating my bath later. Baths on sunshine-filled days are not quite right: baths need a certain atmosphere to be really successful and today’s translucent light offers just that. A bath to look forward to after some progress on the gardening projects then… Gardening in this gentle rain would be no hardship… But fate has intervened.
Instead, I’ve been playing around with The Classics Club for pretty much most of the day. So much so that now I have no recollection of how I came across it. I’ve created my list of fifty classic books to be read over a maximum of 5 years and I’m itching to dive in. What is it about the thought of books that excites me? The response to reading a great book – to reading any book – is easy to understand perhaps, and the feel and smell of a book is understood by many people, especially so since the introduction of electronic readers.
But today I’ve scarcely touched a book. I’ve not read a single word of one but I’m as fired up as if I was at a fairground about to jump on a roller coaster ride. Well, maybe not a roller coaster since I’m frightened of heights and speed and loops-the-loops and just about everything associated with roller coasters. But it gives the general idea. Just thinking about books is exciting. And right now I’m wrapped in a blanket of anticipation and delight.
I’m also excited at the prospect of a bookish community. When we moved here, I lost my much-loved book group. We’re still in touch of course, and always will be, but the book element cannot be the same without the camaraderie and the meetings themselves, and our new locale doesn’t lend itself to a regular book group – at least, not yet. So perhaps an online umbrella group of book lovers and reviewers might help to fill the gap?
The big question is: do I start a whole new blog devoted to reading, or do I broaden out A Corner of Cornwall and include it here? CoC is intended to chronicle my experiences in this new chapter of life and in this new place. Books are a large part of my life and where we live has a wonderful literary heritage. It would be difficult, frankly, to separate CoC from books, but it’s getting the right balance that concerns. I don’t want to turn CoC into a book blog – much as I’m loving the book blogs I’m discovering.
I want to join The Classics Club and that requires me to blog about books. Maybe the book blogging belongs here…. Maybe ….
Addendum – written July 8th: It does. It’s simpler. And the list will appear here very soon because the longer I wait the more books I’m adding…
A Corner of Cornwall 
I do love your close observation of nature and light. And I look forward to seeing your Classic Club list and your thoughts on them as you read them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Marina. We’ve very recently relocated, just as you are about to do. It makes it all the easier to notice and appreciate things anew. The list will be up very soon!
LikeLike
Mm, mm, mmmmm…- salivating already, Sandra, on the prospect of your list.
I may have to live forever to read all of your’s AND all of mine, not to mention the not so classics.
And to joining in the blog!
xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know just what you mean, Pat! It would be wonderful if you decided to formally join in as well; the definition of a classic for this purpose is mercifully broad. Anything over 25 years old makes the cut. (One or two of mine are a touch iffy on that count.) And if you deem it to be a classic, then it’s acceptable on your list. The list will be up soon. (It’s now grown to 102 books and counting…. oh dear!)
LikeLike
I can’t wait to read your list. I know that smell of rain so well, and the smell of snow on the wind – an early warning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The smell of snow on the wind…. so evocative, Katrina! And sadly something I’m unlikely to experience down here. We get a great deal of rain but temperatures are unlikely to fall low enough for snow, much as I love it. (And it would be stunning here as well. I would have a field day trying to write about it!) The list is coming – hopefully this weekend.
LikeLike
I like rain in moderation – and as I’m a fair weather gardener it does mean I can read more! But too much sun is not good – I can’t stand the heat and it makes me fall asleep reading.
I’m looking forward to your list. I belong to a local book group and it is good to meet up and talk, and we have nibbles and wine – plus a bring and share summer feast where we watch a film of a book we’ve read. I also enjoy exchanging comments and reading other book blogs too – I wouldn’t be without that, like minded people from all over the country and abroad – it’s marvellous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a fair weather gardener too, Margaret, and also like you I can’t tolerate too much heat. Aren’t we particular! It’s a good thing we have to take what weather we get!
Your book club sounds a lot like my old one. We didn’t have the summer feast idea though – with a film as well. If ever I start up a book club locally here, I may suggest that idea!
The list will be posted as soon as I have internet enough to achieve it. It’s giving us grief at the moment!
LikeLike