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Bambi
Slowly Learning Gardener
Kent, England
9 Nov '06 5:56 am
Dear, sweet Liza, I am not surprised that you have not encountered this sort of fantasy in your own reading - you are too gentle and kind for this rough side of literature.
I, on the other hand, have grown up with two elder brothers and socialised almost exclusively with them and their friends when I was in my teens, so I have a bit of a boy-ish side (I can hold my own in a conversation about rugby, football, basketball and a little of American football). Although I like to think that my gentler side is prevalent! 
My love of fantasy was inherited from my eldest brother - although both brothers and my sister like it, it is really myself and the eldest who really have a passion for these stories - if it's any indication, I am in fact, at the moment, reading The Lord of the Rings for the sixth time!
I agree that there is a lot that is frightening and evil, but I find that it is the fact that good people put such a high value on peace that they will do all they can to defeat evil, and The Lord of the Rings strikes such a chord inside me that I lose myself in it completely.
Anna's avatar is a picture by an artist I admire a lot, called Paul Kidby, and the Nac Mac Feegle are a creation of an author who I also admire, Terry Pratchett, whose stories are very funny and original. 
PS Your son, Dinos, is very handsome - I'm sure he inherits his friendly face from his mother
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Anna
Gone to seed
Hamilton, New Zealand
10 Nov '06 9:02 am
Yes I agree, Liza's son is very handsome.
Thank you Bambi. I'm glad you like my Nac Mac Feegle. I'm a big Terry Pratchett fan. I don't have all his books as yet, but I'm working on it. 
Liza, just to let you know... Terry's books are humourous and intended to bring a little (well, a lot actually...) of joy into our otherwise busy, frantic and sometimes less than happy lives.
Real life seems to be about pressure and monetary 'things' and we rush around trying to fit into a mold that others have set for us.
My favourite way to relax and unwind is to read. And if a book makes me laugh so hard that the tears run down my face that's a wonderful wonderful bonus.
'The Wee Free Men' is aimed at a reading level of I'd guess about 10 and upwards. It's definitely a children's book.
I was describing it to an e-friend just today and this is how I described the book to her:
| Quote: | The Wee Free Men is set in the Discworld like his adult series. We have a young lassie of 9 called Tiffany Aching. She appears to be following her Grandmother's footsteps and showing a talent for being a witch, but she's had no training as yet.
Her brother has been taken by the Queen of the Fairies and it's up to Tiffany to get him back.
Helping her are the Nac Mac Feegle. A fightin', swearin' (kiddies swearing btw, like 'Crivens' and 'Big Job'. No really rude stuff) bunch of pictsies, who were thrown out of Fairyland for drinking and also disagreeing with the Queen's policies of robbing even poor people.
They only take from those who won't miss it.
Really, really funny and well worth a read.
Probably aimed at a 'Harry Potter' reading level so it's still worthwhile for adults to read. |
Liza, if you can get hold of a copy at your local library then you might like to try it. You may be plesantly surprised.
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goose
Weekend Gardener
Coatesville , Auckland
More flowers'n'things10 Nov '06 9:13 pm
Friday at Last.  ( long time coming for a weekend gardener). Out on my usual Friday walk I took some more pics I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
We had a bad storm yesterday so my first weekend job is to clean up all the mess from that,branches and leaves everywhere, broken rose bushes & some other shrubs have suffered as well. But from what I hear this is only minor damage so it could have been a lot worse, some people in Auckland lost their roofs and really large trees fell & took power lines down as well.
So I think I have been lucky with just a few broken roses and shrubs.
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Remember this little climber.It has shot up recently and now I think I will not need to plant any other climber on this side of the archway.
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Another wonderful Apricot rose I can't remember the name of.
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This climber has the most wonderful perfume.Does anyone recognise it..I'm sorry I cant remember its name.
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Liza
gardening consultant
Waterloo, Belgium
10 Nov '06 10:10 pm
Serenity, harmony, pure beauty, and peace! Magnificent!
Thank you Goose!
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Bambi
Slowly Learning Gardener
Kent, England
11 Nov '06 12:43 am
Beutiful roses, and such a peaceful, lovely lake with the lilies and ducks - I can just imagine sitting on the shore and whiling away the hours
And may I add my hurrahs for Friday (fellow weekend gardeners unite!! )
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moosey
head gardener
Great pictures, Goose11 Nov '06 7:12 am
I'd hate not to have days of the week - they all feel different! Then over Christmas-New Year they all blur together and who knows what day it is! I actually love Mondays, but it's because I remind myself that this time last year I'd have been racing around to go to work.
I love your pond pictures. Beautiful. And the Molneux rose - I must check on mine, he (he?) hasn't started flowering yet. Enjoy this pre-summer season, Goose, and sorry about the storm!
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GardenGnome
Happily Toiling Away
Regina, Saskatchewan
Magic in the making11 Nov '06 7:58 am
How wonderful your garden is, goose. I especially like the strong trellis. I think next year i will make one like that for my climbing rose. Your pond is looking lovely as well. Makes me want to let loose with a radio controlled boat, not to disturb the birds mind you. Just to go skimming across the surface.
Christopher
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Anna
Gone to seed
Hamilton, New Zealand
11 Nov '06 7:59 am
Georgeous roses! I'm glad the storm didn't do too much damage. We didn't have any major storm as such down our way but it has been pretty blustery. I've lost a few blossoms. 
I do love the look of your pond. It looks to be humungous! Just lovely!
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jacqueline
Thankful Gardener
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
12 Nov '06 8:15 pm
Thanks for sharing such lovely garden pictures, dear Goose! Beautiful roses and pond sceneries are amazing!
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goose
Weekend Gardener
Coatesville , Auckland
Its Friday again24 Nov '06 9:21 pm
Hope you guys dont get sick of me and my Fridays.
Friday to me is the best day of the week and I just love my Friday walk around the garden and I luv sharing it with all my forum friends. Here is a sample of flowers that really cheered me up after a very long week at work...
I hope you enjoy I have not named these photos as I thought you might all enjoy trying to guess what they are, some of them I have names for but there are some I don't so it will be interesting to see what you come up with. 
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