Books, Mud and Compost. And Horses.

Tax bill duly paid (and oh the pain of sending off that much money in one go, but at least it's done now), the Badger Exchequer felt it could handle Going Out.  I have reviewed War Horse - the book ; War Horse - the play and War Horse - the Exhibition , so felt duty bound to complete the set by reviewing the film. Actually getting to the film was the usual pell-mell rush, complicated by family taxi duties, and in the kerfuffle, forgot to ensure I had stuffed my pockets full of tissues. Bad move, I thought, as this movie has been billed as the ultimate weepie, and I am notorious in my family for crying at anything. I cry at happy; I cry at sad. Babies being born reduces me to floods every time. It is amazing that my copies of Black Beauty, The Ten Pound Pony and The Railway Children  are not warped and tear stained. Fortunately OH had an unused handkerchief he was prepared to hand over. Totally unnecessarily as it turned out. I remained stony hearted and dry-eyed throug...

Cast into transports of horror at the weekend when an email arrived from Books for Keeps, for whom I've written an article.  Can they have a photograph to illustrate the article, they say - of me. The only recent one involves a green, sparkly hat. Probably not quite the thing for a sensible author photo. There are no other photos, as I am generally behind the camera rather than in front of it and I loathe having my picture taken. When confronted with a camera my face seems to grow a thousand different muscles it didn't have before, and none of them want anything to do with the others. Discuss this with son, famed for years of having an ear or an elbow photographed as he fled the camera lens. "They take your soul, you know, photographs," he says. Agree, but reflect that going on his Facebook page, quite a lot of his soul must now be absent. Anyway, I have thought uneasily over the last few months that I would probably have to provide an author photo for my book, whe...

There's an extra 10% off the original price on my horse and pony sale stock , and now 30% off all non-pony children's books too. Challenge at the Chalet School - down to £24.50 from £36.00 A lovely Picture Puffin - Plant Life, now £3.50, down from £5.00.

Inspired by Susanna's comment on the last post on card horses - she'd bought the stuff but not actually made one yet - I give you the five minute peg horse. I have a fantasy world I inhabit from time to time where I waft about making stuff, without it going disastrously wrong; a dog running off with something or me getting bored. Getting over all of those problems, here is the ultimate in re-useable creativity. I may have more. The tea towels may not escape.

these ones are cardboard . Thanks to Val for this.

Why would the younger person have to be fond of children? Were they supposed to act as child-catcher for a skewbald who liked to eat them? From Riding, July-August, 1948

There's 30% off over 140 titles on my sales website, including Monica Edwards, Joanna Cannan and Primrose Cumming, and a whole variety of other stuff.  You can find the sale here . Caroline Akrill - Stars Don't Cry £3.50 £2.45 Joanna Cannan - London Pride £30.00 £21.00 Primrose Cumming - The Wednesday Pony £15.00 £10.50 Monica Edwards - Hidden in a Dream £20.00 £14.00

I wrote myself an enormous to-do list today, and having worked down a reasonable amount of it, stumped off downstairs to let the dogs out and have some lunch. No such luxury for the farm horseman in the 1700s, as these instructions to a farm foreman make clear: (the word cattle was used at the time to describe farm animals generally, or horses in particular, rather than just cows) He is to rise at four in the morning, feed his cattle and clean his stable. While the cattle are feeding he will get his harness ready, for which he will take two hours. For his breakfast you shall allow him half an hour.  Then thou shall watch him put the harness on his cattle and start by seven at his work and keep at it till three in the afternoon. He shall then bring his team home, clean them and give them their food, dine himself and at four go back to his cattle and give them more fodder, and getting into his barn, make ready their food for the morrow, and see the cattle again before going t...