The Pastoral Read

During lockdown many people have spoken about discovering, or rekindling, their relationship with nature. This was very apparent during the first lockdown in March 2020 as spring was blooming and birds were singing and feathering their nests.

People were spending more time in their gardens and public green spaces. Online gardening shops were selling out and the air was so clean from the lack of traffic, it was a joy to be out in nature.

Now it is February and there are no blooms and blossoms to inspire hope so I am recommending a pastoral read! So put your feet up and make a cuppa and travel through beautiful countryside, relishing the smells and sights of the great outdoors.

Thomas Hardy’s Return of the Native has one of the best opening chapters ever written. His description of Egdon Heath is luscious, ambitious and sometimes terrifying. It poetically reminds us of our own inconsequential stature in the face of nature. The book also contains one of my favourite quotes: “How I have tried and tried to be a splendid woman and how destiny has been against me!”  

Creepie crawlies…. Uugghh! 

Whoever thought I would be hoarding leaf mounds and composting my kitchen waste to provide a snug little crib for these critters? With the Climate Crisis looming we have become very aware of how important insects are to our survival on this planet. A state of emergency was declared in 2019 regarding the survival of BioDiversity in Ireland. 

Extraordinary Insects is a real page turner, I couldn’t put it down. It is beautifully written, you can almost smell the oak tree and hear the busy beetles orchestrating their life cycle in an autumnal-coloured harmony.

Last but not least but maybe least expected is: The Wind In The Willows. I only read this in recent years as it is included in one of the best 100 books written in English by Robert McCrum. Even though it is widely known as a children's book you will be swept away by the exquisitely written pastoral prose and themes of kindness and friendship are really heart warming. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Music buffs will notice that Pink Floyd named an album after one of its chapters!

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Submitted by Eileen G. in Dolphin's Barn library.