Generations Reading

Longer term readers may recall that we, as children, had comics like

The Dandy and The Beano delivered weekly to our home. These were eagerly awaited, but Chris and I had to wait until Mum had read them before we could get our hands on them.

Here, at Old Post House the situation has been turned around. It is Ellie who opens Jackie’s monthly Gardeners’ World and will have read it several times before Great Granny has her turn.

First Ellie inspects the inserts, then the magazine, then she shows it to Granny. Before she did this today she had sat on the floor reading it to

herself, as she did later with one of her books. Notice how gentle she is with the pages. She can identify each animal in this one.

I made considerable progress on “Kristin Lavransdatter”, well exceeding my 50 pages per day target.

The 60+ m.p.h. winds that had roared throughout the night did not subside until early evening.

Our good friend David Firth sent me a couple of e-mails of damaged fencing between our gardens.

This evening we all dined on Jackie’s spicy chicken jalfrezi with a milder version including boiled eggs for Flo and Ellie; boiled rice with turmeric; fried paneer cheese and plain parathas, with which the Culinary Queen, Dillon, and I drank Kingfisher beer.

73 comments

  1. That pictures looks like more job security for Martin. I knew that Ellie was a bright little girl and she is proving me correct. Dinner sounds good.

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    1. Actually it is Aaron who will be doing the fencing – David has arranged it. Thank you very much, Pat

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  3. Ellie is so adorable! My grandparents used to use the word Dandy to describe something good or wonderful. I still use it here and there. You have those 60mph gusts too, they are potentially very damaging!

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  4. Such delightful photos of Ellie reading. She looks like she has some ideas for Jackie to consider in the garden. I hope that was the only damage with those strong winds.

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  10. Blessed is the child who has a mom or dad or grandparent who reads to him/her. And then, watch how they become readers themselves. In Ellie’s case, so quickly!! Amazing! What a bright and blessed child she is!!

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    1. I have two great-grandchildren from two granddaughters. One gets read to, the other not. The difference in their speech and development is remarkable! I was blessed with being a good reader before I started school at 4-and-half, and since we didn’t have television, went on with it throughout my life. The only downside is that I read so many classics at such an early age, I really need to read them again to remember the details. And there are so many books out there … and so little time …

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  11. My parents disapproved of comics and we were only allowed to read The Eagle at home. Of course we read the Beano and Dandy whenever we could find one.

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  12. Extra-fabulous Ellie! YAY! She is so sweet and wonderful! I love theses photos! Her interest and focus is superb! 🙂
    I spent my Kindergarten teacher-career teaching children how to read (etc.). I had kids reading as young as 2 years old and others mastering it between the ages of 3 – 5. So you know I am thrilled when I hear that parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents read to the children in their lives. 🙂
    I started reading to my own kids before they were even born…and, of course, have continued on reading with my grandkids. 🙂
    (((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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    1. Thank you so much, Carolyn. Ellie can already recognise Mama, Dada, Ellie, and Yayo (Na’vi flying bird) – so she uses bird for smaller birds and yayo for large ones flying. XX

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  13. We used to have the Dandy and Beano. As the youngest I had to wait my turn too.
    This beautiful great-grandchild has been here before… a garden designer perhaps 🙂

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  14. “She can identify each animal in this one.” Of course she could. She has parents and grandparents who invest time into her showing her things and letting her explore.

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  18. “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” – Albert Einstein
    “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

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  19. What fun! I love seeing Ellie’s curiosity. Brings back memories of my children reading the pictures at that age. I like her outfit, too with the sheep and ballerinas.

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  20. Ours were Little Lulu, Richie Rich and Archie and Veronica purchased at the drugstore..and funny papers delivered to our house––Li’l Abner and Dagwood and Blondie and Dennis the Menace.

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      1. At the time she told me that I was moaning that all I could get him to read were comic books (or graphic novels as they are now called, to make them sound respectable). Fifteen years later that’s still all he reads. 🙂

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  24. So wonderful to see the lovely young reader. That was some wind. You didn’t indicate that you lost your power. With winds like that, there would have been widespread power outages in Maine. Sorry about the fence.

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  25. You caught some precious expressions on Ellie’s face, Derrick! Those are lovely photos of her.

    I am sorry you had fence damage from the high winds. Your area seems to be getting hit with more than its share of wild weather days.

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  26. This is a lovely series of candid photos. I’ve revisited each one. It’s kind of Jackie to give Ellie first dibs on the gardening magazine, but then again, who could say no to that sweet face?

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