Oh! To Be In England

I've been dipping into the Darling Buds of May series over the last few weeks.  I'm currently reading Oh!  To Be In England.  There is something hugely comforting about the stories of family, friends and the countryside as described in the H.E. Bates' stories.

Spring and early summer are filled with memories of primroses, bluebell woods and the early morning dawn chorus, which sounds completely different here.  The rhythm of the seasons is missing for me and with it the traditions of May Day celebrations, harvest festivals and the usual calendar of events.  Even once in a lifetime celebrations like the Queen's Diamond Jubilee of 2012 and more recently, her 90th birthday celebrations.  It is at times like these of national celebration when I feel most out of place.

The H.E. Bates novels are full of love, laughter, pride at being English and a sense of place, which is what I love about them.  I know that it is not possible to recapture the England of a bygone age, but I hope that it will be possible to find my way home.

I'm taking a blogging break now, so I won't be around for a while.