The Gardener's Nightcap by Muriel Stuart July 08, 2015 10:20
The recent warm summer evenings have provided a great opportunity to grab a cushion or deckchair and head outside for a glass of something in one hand, and a good book in the other.
And while sitting outside, what better book to read than the 'Gardener's Nightcap', but Muriel Stuart.
The short, bitesize sections are great for a 'pick up and put down' read. The author's personality weaves in and out of the words on every page.
I rather think I would have liked Muriel Stuart. She reminds me of a lovely old lady called Rachel that used to live down the road from us. Even in her nineties, Rachel had sharp, blue eyes, crisp diction with a tendency to say words like 'wizard' on a regular basis. She missed nothing. She was smart, funny, disarmingly niave in some ways, incredibly astute in others.
And I have no doubt that if, during her long, happy life, Rachel had met Muriel Stuart, they would have been the best of friends.
Reading the Gardener's Nightcap is a wonderful reminder of Rachel. It is also a great book in it's own right.
The title doesn't disappoint - the book is the perfect nightcap before bed. And while it is clearly a product of it's era, it also has a time travelling quality, making it a wonderful place in which to escape, just before lights out.