(achillea yarrow)
beloved by butterfies and bees, this flower is named for the great greek warrior achilles. according to myth, this yarrow grew from the rust achilles scraped from his own spear, and he used it to heal his soldiers' wounds. in love charms, it allows the harvester to glow like a star through the darkness. strewn across a threshold, it keeps out evil. covered with fluffy white or brilliant yellow foliage, it is stronger than it looks.
hot cinammon muffins, breakfast tea and a good book on a rainy morning, knowing that all the difficult work is over for the year is a wonderful feeling. i thought i would talk about the book i am reading at the moment as i am enjoying it alot. it is 'be with you' by takuji ichikawa and it is about a man whose wife dies and returns as a ghost a year later, but she isn't transparent or scary she is just as she was before she died, except she has forgotten everything about her life and does not know that she has died. so her husband has to teach her the story of their lives and their son's life and the fall in love all over again all the while the husband knowing that she might leave again at any time. i am only 137 pages in but it is the best book i've read in quite a long time. i was talking to my friend the other day about how japanese fiction has something that other fiction doesn't. everything i have read by a japanese writer has a really beautiful, magical feel to it but whereas western writers tend to dramatise magic and surrealism, japanese writers seem to do it in such a clean, simple and believable way. banana yoshimoto's books have the same appeal as this book, in that magical things happen and the senses are delighted, but you don't have to try too hard to imagine them. it's nice to use your imagination when reading sometimes, but i think that books involving magic and spirits are more satisfying when you can link it into every day life. so i very much recommend this book and any of banana yoshimoto's books (kitchen or asleep are good starters).
my mama, auntie, little brother rowan and cousin zoe have been visiting today and it has been lovely. i came back with my bag full of fresh fruit from the market and a beautiful old book about butterflies, although i won't show you it as i think i might have bored you with all my new books.
itsssssssssss bedtime xxxxxxxxx.x.
glassy little eyes
