This book was a wonderful read on a snowy April day. The garden was devastated by the fall of snow overnight. The daffodils are flat. Some of the blossom is off the pear tree. The net of the fruit cage was lying desperately low when Dr Anne went up. She shook it and the snow landed on her head and down her back.
Sheldrick, D. (2012). An African Love Story. London: Penguin.
Dr Anne bought this book to accompany Frances Osborne's 'The Bolter' after seeing Daphne Sheldrick on the Book Programme.
Dr Anne has no particular affinity with animals. She had a cat called Toodles brought home as a kitten from Mrs Clark, the Station Hotel. Dr Anne's mum was not happy saying animals were not for houses and should be kept in the barn or the byre. At first Dr Anne's mum tried to give the cat to other people but she gave in eventually and Toodles stayed at East Neuk for 15 years. Dr Anne remembers Toodles affectionately. His favourite place was Dr Anne's dolls' bed next to the open fire. He loved a nice bit of liver from Petrie the Butcher. When Dr Anne went to Canada Toodles missed her and he sensed when she was due home. That day, he sat at the end of the pavement waiting for her to arrive back.
This book was about elephants, rhinos, antelopes, warthogs etc etc orphaned and reared by Daphne and her family. They slept in her bed, they stole off her table, they messed up her garden, they went out for walks together, they kissed her, they cuddled her. It is a story about someone whose first love is the elephant then the rhino, quite a fascinating read but certainly not how Dr Anne would have wanted to do with her life.
Beautiful but unseasonal snow picture.
ReplyDeleteAll things will pass....