The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse - Alexander McCall Smith

An interesting tale of life in WW2.  Pleased I read it.  Telling us what it was like to be a landgirl, an American Pilot in Europe, and a wanted man hidden in a Dutch farmhouse, all linked nicely together.  There is no awful violence here, but some wonderful pen-pictures of people.  The farmer who employs the landgirl, the landgirl who falls in love with the pilot, the pilot who is flying missions over Europe - and then there is the slow but enthusiastic lad who cannot join up but can be a farm hand, and of course, the dog Peter Wodhouse.  I like some of McCall Smith's work but not all, but I did particularly like this short and very readable little novel. 

The joy of having a garden....

... and it is a joy, believe me.  This is an iris siberica (sorry no name) which I planted three years ago.  It has taken three years to bloom - and what a reward!  Outer petals very long and just like velvet.   I did think, this year, about digging it up and moving it, but obviously it took it's own sweet time to settle in and here's my reward.  I think I'll get ten blooms this year, and hopefully more next.  

I have sibericas elsewhere in the garden; one a pale yellow and and brown, and one a blue and white mottled which might be "Flock of Butterflies".  Some, like this one, not in a border but next to a stone sink, filled with water for the birds to  bathe in.  I am widening that border sometime this year so they will  then be in the company of other plants, but they will stay next to the sink

Every day something else to delight, some roses have bloomed and gone already, some are in full bloom, and some still in bud.  All have their own character and colour, some have a glorious smell, and some have been bred just to stand up to attacks of all kinds including weather.  But - you pays your money and takes your choice.

The day lilies have started!  A little early, but the first one is blooming - an apricot colour with a cream stripe through the petal.  The rest are full of bud and I can't wait for my Blousy Ladies to come out and play!

Mrs Mac Suggests - what to read in June 2020

Perhaps you thought I had disappeared into the good weather?  No, no no.... I just caught up in little jobs and long telephone conversations, and some lovely Zoom get-togethers, too!  We've had ever more lunches in the garden during lock-down in this lovely Spring weather, and I for one don't want it to go - but what I do want is rain at night (and so do the farmers!).  It's due tomorrow but it looks blue-skied and delicious outside still, so let's see shall we?

I wonder if you have any  Small Hardbacks around the place (bottom shelf of bookshelf, under the coffee table or wherever?  Because that's my suggestion to you for June.

So I am going to read a wartime romance - or that's what it says on the cover of 

The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse

by

Alexander McCall Smith 

which has not been in the house very long but has such a lovely cover it called out to me to take it up for reading in the garden!  Not too hard to do that, is it?  Have a good month, and stay safe.