had together one sunny winter
in the far South.
CONTENTS
JANUARY
PAGE
A day in the heart of winter—I lie in bed—My books, my dogs—My daughter Bess—Flowers from Mentone—Cromwell’s cabinet—My dog Mouse—The feeding of the birds—The recollection of the beautiful garden at La Mortola—The violets there—The Wenlock chimes—My curtain, its strange devices—Colouring borrowed from the macaws—All flowers not only have different shades but many colours—Mouse runs downstairs—Visitors call—The children get wet—The German governess’s indignation—Bess offers to pay—Hals is carried off in Henry’s dressing-gown—The next day—My friend Constance comes down and embroiders with me—Billy Buttons the robin—Bess and I visit the gardens—A word about canaries in an aviary—Discussion with Bess on saints—Auguste has cleaned Hals’ suit—Burbidge walks with us—A talk about gardening—An old gardener’s view of dogs—Constance has a chat with me—We talk on matters relating to the kitchen garden—Vegetables, and how to cook them—Constance’s future quilt, designs from Gerard’s flowers to be worked on old Shropshire hand-made linen—The servant problem—Bess’s request—Nana on dogs—Alone in the chapel hall—Thomas à Kempis’s book—The stone altar—The next day—The seed list—My future borders—Bess and I go sledging—Bess tries to understand what real poverty is—How to be happy a hard matter—Bess’s offer of toys