Old and wonderful things

Frequently over the years, but particularly the over the last few months, I kept finding myself thinking about a particular book I had as a young child. Of course, my story and picture books hold a special place in my heart and I started reading novels quite early, but one of my favourite books was Linnea's Windowsill Garden by Christina Björk and Lena Anderson. My grandmother found me an English translation and I am grateful to this day as my Swedish reading abilities leave much to be desired are dismal (I am practicing though, since it is quite embarrassing when you are talking with someone who then hands you an magazine article written in the same language you have been speaking and you are unable to read it properly).  To come to the point, as I thought about this book I was regretting that it had likely disappeared into the abyss of the many children who came after me but yesterday afternoon I stumbled upon it next to The Wind in the Willows. 

 Thumbing through the pages I was a bit surprised; while I had remembered much of the content very clearly I was amazed by how much it was either suited to or influenced me, that is, how much I loved it. Everything about it really still seems perfect to me, from the sketch illustrations with green added alone, to the hand-written page titles with printed notes and amendments (just like a little journal), right down to Linnea’s outfit.

Her neighbor, Mr. Bloom (a wonderful name for a retired gardener she notes) likes to draw her pictures to explain how the seeds germinate and grow, how the water cycle works and how people, plants, the sun and air all interact.  Mr. Bloom is apparently a very patient and friendly retiree because he usually follows these explanations with a "why don't we try..." that results in making garden cress cheese or a terrarium.

In many ways, this book is a scrapbook, a project journal where she records her experiences and saves Mr. Bloom's pictures. With this curiousity and particular interest, Linnea brings the mori girl very much to mind. She loves plants and that she is named after a flower but she summarizes her relationship with nature like this:

"I'm no woodland flower (even if my name is Linnea). I'm an asphalt flower. I live in the city where there are no forests or fields, but I am surrounded with green things anyway. All over my apartment- in flowerpots and boxes and cans, things are growing!"

She is very fond of her plants, naming many of them, and also of information. She is lucky to have a friend like Mr. Bloom with the time and knowledge to encourage her curiousity.  She also  has a propensity for growing kitchen foods, like garlic and cress to make cheese, and creating and growing things. She likes to incorporate her plants into miniature scenes with animal figurines and pieces of mirror (to make a lake) too! I like to do this with my figurines too.  

It is sunny today and spring is coming and I am looking forward to cleaning winter out of my garden.  Reading this book again brought me home in a way. I had not realized how unsettled I had been feeling until I was where I belonged again.

There was a fair bit of nostalgia. I also found my garden girl paper dolls, but those will be for another day.