Dear friends,
Spring is nearly here, but in true British form, the weather is throwing a few curveballs as we enter the last lap of winter. Yesterday there were hail showers here in Devon and there have been some very hard frosts in the last week. Earlier today, by happy accident, I ended up on Wind Tor on Dartmoor - a place I haven't been before, despite it being only a few miles from home.
Not for nothing is it called Wind Tor. Tarka the dog and I were almost blown off our feet. There wasn't a soul around as we trudged through the gale to find the Tor which is on a high plateau, completely exposed to the weather. Many of the rocks are covered in a beautiful kaleidoscope of lichens and mosses. I find the seeming permanence and immovability of the granite reassuring amidst everything that life throws at us.
Today we've published another short extract from the book on the website, in which I describe visiting Snowdonia just a couple of months after Felix died. It is a place I love, which was introduced to me by a dear friend years and years ago when we were young women at university. In the last few years I have really come to appreciate what certain places mean and the influence they can have on our lives. Also, how they can provide comfort. The picture below shows Llyn Y Gadair below the summit of Cadair Idris, one of the many places I swam on this visit. You can read the extract by clicking on the "About the Book" tab on the website.
Thank you so much for your support. The book is now 70% funded so we are well on the way, if there's anyone you know who you think might be interested in pledging, do please spread the word!
Sophie