Bedtime Reading

EDITED VERSION: Apologies for sending again: typos sorted! Sorry for the spam!

Hi all!

Hope you’ve had a lovely couple of weeks. Our garden has played host these past couple of weeks to many fledgling sparrows, starlings, and even a goldfinch! Have you seen any newly out-of-the-nest birds where you are?

This week, are cozing up with night-time reading, something I haven’t done in too long. We also have a fun novel recommendation and a wonderful fact about swifts.

Let’s grab a cuppa and take 5 minutes to focus on the little things! ☕☕

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Bedtime Reading

The bedside light glows. It’s a warmer light than the main bedroom one, welcoming me like an extra blanket.

I feel amongst the book sleeve on the bedside table (a piece of fabric that keeps any books safe when on the go) and pull out a childhood classic. I’m reading something else the rest of the time, but at night, I want to read something different.

I adored The Famous Five growing up. It was always one of my favourites, and we had a whole set of them, some new, some a bit older and passed down.

I tuck in under the duvet, open the book, and begin to read. Being back amongst the stories of some of the fictional children I grew up with feels like a hug. I’m there with them as they eat their picnics on the beach, or explore the castle on Kirrin Island. That childhood wonder never went away, but it feels even closer holding a book like this.

I don’t read for long, just enough to get ready for bed. It’s only five minutes or so, but in something like an old Enid Blyton book, that’s a couple of pages or even a chapter. Wherever I leave it, I know I can pick up on it again tomorrow, being whisked off to the seaside once more.

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What little things are you enjoying?

I want to hear from you!

It could be anything, from something you saw on a walk, to that great cake you had, to that amazing book you need to tell everyone about!

If you’d like to share yours, then comment below or send me a message!

Can’t wait to see what you all are enjoying!

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What I’ve been reading

The Shelf by Holly Acton

Amy is preparing to go on a mystery holiday, convinced her boyfriend is going to propose to her. Sure, he has faults, but Amy is ready for the next stage.

But, rather than the airport, the taxi takes her somewhere very different, being broken up in front of a nation on The Shelf, a new reality TV show. This new show follows a group of women who have just been dumped, with the show aiming to make them better girlfriends in the future.

But, through a series of humiliating challenges, Amy also comes to a realisation: is being ‘left on the shelf’ as bad as she once thought?

I listened to this book on audio, and loved it from start to finish. This book is full of wonderfully imperfect women you fall in love with, and pokes a satirical finger at the joys of reality TV.

Perfect for fans of:

📚 Reality TV
📚 Female Friendships
📚 Light hearted reads

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And finally….a weird animal fact!

Did you know that swifts do press ups!

I think I did a swift fact last year, but when a species is so fascinating, how could I not talk about them more!

Swifts are wonderful birds that live all of their life in the air, except when nesting. This means that, unlike when normal fledglings leave the nest and hop about for awhile, swifts will be straight up into the air, not landing until they have their own nests.

So, to prepare themselves for being airbourne, from one month old, baby swifts start doing press-ups on their wings! This helps develop their muscles and strength to be the best swifts they can be.

Alas, I did not take this. Photo Credit: Phil Savoie-Naturepl.com via The Woodland Trust

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed-let me know what you think, and what you’d like to see in future editions. If you know someone else who would like it, please share and let’s grow the newsletter!

Can’t wait to hear from you, and have a great day! ☀️