Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said "Bother!" and "O Blow!" and also "Hang spring-cleaning!" and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat.
Something up above with calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gravelled drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air. So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged, and then he scrooged again and scrabbled and scratched and scraped, working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself, "Up we go! Up we go!" till at last, pop! his snout came out into the sunlight, and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow.
"This is fine!' he said to himself. "This is better than whitewashing!" The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow, and after the seclusion of the cellarage he had lived in so long the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout. Jumping off all his four legs at once, in the joy of living and the delight of spring without its cleaning, he pursued his way across the meadow till he reached the hedge on the further side."
~ from 'The Wind in The Willows' ~ Kenneth Grahame.
Illustration ~ Inga Moore.
Spring is definitely"moving in the air above and the earth below and around" here too. It's not arrived quite yet but the first of March means that it's tantalisingly near. Time for me to very belatedly start my spring-cleaning in the greenhouse before another growing season really kicks in. Have you completed all your preparations?
Love this! A little late in emerging from hibernation here as our weather is still cooler than normal for this time of year and very wet. However, the first blooms in the garden are telling us it's time to start dusting and cleaning.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter. On the cool side here and definitely a very damp interlude. It's good to come out of hibernation slowly though :)
DeleteThis week's vase was delightful and so well composed, Anna, and I also love your spring clean story which reminds me of what still lies ahead. But first I'll take a few days off and head for the mountains. After that I shall hopefully have the energy for the spring clean in house and garden. Best wishes, Annette
ReplyDeleteI think that you've made a most wise decision Annette!
DeleteNo, but I've chosen Wind in the Willows as a Lent book - there's a lot to ponder as well as simply enjoying the story!
ReplyDeleteThank you for an excellent suggestion Kirsten :) I must confess that it's years since I've read 'Wind In The Willows'. I took it out of my bookshelf to read over Christmas but sadly wasn't able to do much in the way of reading then. I will make a start on it as soon as I've finished the book I'm reading now.
DeleteOh I had to laugh at this, Anna, as for me it was so apt - with all that scraping and scratching and scrabbling and scrooging I was doing when I wanted so much to be out doing jobs in the garden instead of decorating the bedroom I wonder if Mole had painted woodchip on his ceiling too... ps Blogspot is not letting me leave the comment as a WordPress user today
ReplyDeleteOh I'm pleased to hear that you were laughing Cathy. I do hope that you are done with with all that rather monotonous scraping, scratching, scrabbling and scrooging and trust that you're now having fun in the garden. Thanks for persisting with making a comment. I'm getting most fed up with Blogger which not only seems reluctant at times to allow people to comment but is also thwarting me from replying to them- grrrrrr. That's on top of the loading issues. There will definitely be some spring-cleaning going on here too shortly!
DeleteI must remember to say "O Bother" and "Blow" when I tire of Spring Cleaning. Anything else would be unseemly.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you won't find that too difficult Jessica :)
Deleteit was this book that made me think badgers were the size of a bear.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteWonderful, thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Christina :)
DeleteSome of that warm sunshine would be welcome here. I am of course fully prepared, efficient and ready to go!!😇
ReplyDeleteI will just have to send you some Brasso for that halo Brian :) What's your secret?
DeleteGood old Moley. I wish he would stick to whitewashing and stop digging up my lawn.
ReplyDeleteNo, my greenhouse is a shameful mess. Any day now...