![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOmNYWlcupCCkk-3dPhOpK0e4rP2aPjr679gxVU66J42eFlcFr4vcc2LJ0MGSfctfGieE6pFFcUetehIcwBssBKtGdtMcX_vlI7mLme0Y-vva1qDmLRHfT_iZeczeyQWq3pevIf7K-mU/s400/GR_The+Bird%27s+Nest.jpg)
Sometimes a birthday present is so unexpected
and yet so thoughtfully chosen
that you catch your breath
when you undo the wrapping.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyITw0dtqG05R9WGSzOIN2ql7uF5gRyuQUEHE_hUTyJ-BvMAJggjnvR92amMA5uG07Fim6Si1tstPYB3c1klB2cAO3CjS9mUA9jIH-crcTGZySEQJovQrqUShU9euJN-C0JaXOR4wBmc/s400/GR_The+Farmyard.jpg)
My father-in-law, Thomas, is a bibliophile
and gave me the tiniest slip of a book
wood engravings by Gwen Raverat
published by R.D. & J.M. Carr
The Quince Tree Press
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Y2zKKSEwgOhRcveGPfYlHBStxB22TVn5IuOJX1MHghUvsAg3jDEtKkiT7Hv_KHeaK9rFFpO_YtkmqvLtRBGkO5FmflCnYAhxeJLk-JQOOHCa10RvUn9EpSn4Hin73cEWoYKX3TfHeXk/s400/GR_Children.jpg)
Gwen Raverat was a granddaughter of Charles Darwin
and later in life published 'Period Piece',
a memoir of her Cambridge childhood,
one of my parents' favourite books.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFBmbSWT2V0kYKesgeX_wsK2a6xNBFc6AGI1UbHdV0Ktw1oKgMR7yudYw5YcffffZHj44OacW6U9gvFVQeKvYr8-esLeHRls2wBZzeQy0XBkT9eQF_MO0BfEqtWRoPtcrYneFqcaX5CA/s400/GR_April.jpg)
She was an exceptionally talented artist,
specialising in wood engraving,
who trained at the Slade
and then lived in France with her husband
until his early death in 1925.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqYYtvyEoAJ09rz-rPv2hiv8ZqQI7ZsjSpffaxfP1cckTLoSvtIJiSobNLAmG_GkF_k9IV02EV7Aatq_WWZBxl7dzjYDXyo8xdpXagsmQpDIIUye-LBX_uRx4Vy9p3sBobqtAxcSh9s0/s400/GR_The+Balcony.jpg)
The exquisite wood engravings featured
include examples from her time in France
and her later book illustrations.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvLlOjJeGzSMVsTRpmWlm5Wqqg00SOj57vPSsBiz7BP0f2K054I_8uRyTTmb0ahp3E9g6mkeSzzdLEE1SdwG7CdkNxqnDPLaNhpaEYD33eQxz3Jc3YaV0LfHpBRXrGKhu8JCTDflP33Y/s400/GR_In+the+Loft.jpg)
The ones I have selected remind m
of my family home in Cornwall.
There are days when I wish I could be closer.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuS27yvqdsMUnLfR1Hm9cnkAEIIpnrLeYSXxlrOp5WhGoYplnaWHqldaNuF7WA83bflMxKO0yqYHsG_8DNWjSw8fbiMlHTAn1DLAh_lsPpDTJoNU5Ua8t12mre1W1YUBbSBOaEPGXRwc/s400/GR_I+had+a+dove.jpg)
I had a dove
15 comments:
Alice - oh boy - they are absolutely gorgeous - they took MY breath away..
so beautiful, so english!
sometimes I imagine I live a life where I just sit quietly somewhere and make things like that.
i know JUST the person who would love to see these...
These are so sweet. Thank you for sharing. Did you have a dove?
These are really beautiful.
Oh Alice, such beautiful images, very inspiring.
They are so beautiful. What a wonderful thoughtful gift.
I am so glad you liked this little book (I seem to remember giving you Period Piece some years ago - also one of my favourites: I bought my copy on the day of publication over 50 years ago, I seem to remember!) I have some more of the little books printed by J L Carr which may wing their way to you eventually. There is a good biography of him called 'The last Englishman'by Byron Rogers who also wrote an excellent biography of teh poet R S Thomas 'The Man Who Went Into the West'.
I lost myself in some wonderful daydreams there...
Magical!
What a lovely gift to cherish always.
Truly exquisite - lucky you!
Those are so beautiful. If I could only swop your father in law for mine, because I keep getting really anonymous in-law gifts which make me seethe rather than catch my breath.
Maybe he could just have a word, father in law to father in law...
Those are just beautiful. They remind me of my grandparents house. I love wood engravings. Have you read Consequences by Penelope Lively?
Oh, Alice, these are beautiful. What a wonderful gift!
SO beautiful.
Thank you.
I love woodcuts. These are beautiful images.
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