— Rose Bay Willow Herb

Late July on the journey from Stavanger to Kristiansand the rose bay willow herb was growing and waving with unrestrained joy. After Kristiansand the roads along the south coast were decorated with great swathes of colour. It creeps down the hillsides and forms itself into violet margins along the strips of tarmac.

Each plant is intensely competitive and sacrifices individual bulk for the advantages of height. But when collected together they tend to allow their colour to leak into the spaces between them, forming a mass of pigment which collects and reflects the light.

It is strange to see that the brief lives of these petals have blown and ended by the time we make our return journey the following month.

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my RSS feed

— Organising Books

This photograph, taken by chotda, made me think about reorganising my current book collection. What the hell, I can, anyway, never find it when I want it.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my RSS feed

— Astonishing Splashes of Colour

Kitty Wellington, the depressed and unhinged narrator of Clare Morrall’s novel, has a strong and compelling voice. She is a woman pursued by demons, fuelled by the loss of her mother and her own baby. She inhabits a reality which most of us are spared but which, nevertheless, is instantly and unmistakably, recognisable.
As she [...]