Since childhood this illustration has been the essence of November for me. It's the weather we woke up to this morning, and it's this dark, dripping chill of November days that would prevent me ever emigrating to year-round sunshine.
Charles Tunnicliffe's illustrations for the Ladybird series 'What to Look For' (in Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer) are a double delight for me today. They're a link with the turning seasons, from which I feel cut off in the city. They also show British farming as I remember it as a child - open tractors with metal seats, potatoes picked by hand, stooks of oats and barley dotting the fields rather than huge circular bales encased in black polythene.
(illustration copyright Ladybird Books. I requested permission from Ladybird to reproduce the illustration but haven't had a reply.)
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10 comments:
Yes, at the expense of seeming ancient (I know I am a grandfather, but I don't actually feel all that old just yet) I can remember seeing fields being ploughed with horse-drawn ploughs.
Beautiful illustration, Linda, and looks a bit like what we see most mornings.. lots of fog among the trees.
I woke up to a similar day here today too. It's dog training at 9am on a Sunday morning so we were out in it bright and early.
you're right the picture shows much really the month of November
I just found your blog - thank you for that wonderful picture - I remember the books! I'm going to follow along if that is OK - we got our garlic too - but mine will have to stay in the bottom of the fridge before I can plant it in late Feb/March - too wet here I'm afraid for 'normal' winter gardening but we manage......
I recognised that image right away - they are such beautiful books. I used to spend all my pocket money on ladybird books at our local bookshop when I was a child, and still have most of them. They are not even close to being the same now. xx
Year-around sunshine....now that's a boring thought. It was cool (okay, cold) and raining here today and also a few snow flurries.
What a beautiful illustration you've shared with us. I'm always learning something new from you.
donna
I can't look at that picture without thinking of the song from Steeleye Span that starts out One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather, I met with an old man a-clothèd all in leather...
Essence of November, indeed. It's getting cold here in the desert and today we actually had gray skies! Lovely post.
I recognised it right away too ... I had a massive library of Ladybird books, some of which my parents kept for me and I read to my 7 year old boy. I remember the "What to Look For" series but I don't think that one survived in my collection - will check tonight though. :)
Very beautifully done...
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