07 December 2009

Winter tales

The dark days don't ask for much, just a rocking chair, a hot beverage, a purring cat and a good book...




I was lucky to find a 2nd hand copy of The armless maiden, a book I've been searching for a long time! One of the authors signed it for its previous owner, who also scribbled across the margins here and there. I don't mind at all -I love these little messages in 2nd hand books!



 When I was ten, I discovered a library book with messages in it; a previous reader had commented on the story and was reaching out to the next reader(s)... of course I didn't dare to write in a library book (yeah, like I was such an angel, LOL), but I was extremely tempted to do so! Imagine a secret circle of kids communicating through scribbles in library books... I even suspected the librarian didn't erase the notes because she silently approved of it! ;-)

What would our own books be without those little notes? It makes them ours, doesn't it? I am a fervent scribbler myself, though just in my own, deemed "work" books. And actually, the oldest piece of Dutch is one of those scribbles in a 10th century manuscript.

Also reading: The forest in folklore and mythology by Alexander Porteous and Warming the stone child, an audiobook by Clarissa Pinkola Estés on my I-pod. These are my winter tales...