The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space

A sleeping life

Photo: Sleeping Hare copyright Celia Hart

Photo: Sleeping Hare copyright Celia Hart

A year or so ago I visited Celia Hart’s Open Studio – the one and only Magic Cochin of Purple Podded Peas. There on the wall was a wonderful print of a hare asleep in a burrow.
“I know that I would sleep so soundly with that hanging beside the bed.”
But I was skint and couldn’t afford the print.

I often thought about that print. Especially when I couldn’t sleep. Just thinking about it helped me drift off.

A few weeks ago a mysterious parcel dropped through the letterbox. Celia had sent me a book and a card. It was a card of the sleeping hare print that I had fallen in love with. Within minutes I’d framed the card and propped it on the bookshelves beside my bed. The book – The Road Home by Rose Tremain kept me up late, fighting sleep. I fact I was anchored to my bed until it was finished. A wonderful, shocking and absorbing book.

There was nearly a disaster with the precious card. I had put it on the garden table for Seraphina to see went she dropped by. After she’d gone I went upstairs for a rest and was woken with the sound of heavy rain. I rushed into the garden and grabbed the frame. Back in the kitchen I examined the damage, water was just beginning to soak the edges of the card. The paper was such good quality that I could just wipe the water away.

Since then the framed card has remained in the bedroom. A comforting and magical sleeping draft.


  Leave a reply

5 Comments

  1. I never thanked you for this post and the lovely
    print I get to look at everyday.

    Thank you!

  2. Fiona Nevile

    Hi Cathy

    It has given me so much during the past few weeks.

    Hello Jane

    Yes I was so lucky that it didn’t get ruined. Thanks for dropping by.

    Hi Casalba

    Celia is so talented. I love her work.

  3. casalba

    Just love it! What a talent. (Nearly risked sounding pretentious by going into some amateur art appreciation spiel – but decided against it. I will say again, though: love it, love it.)

  4. Jane aka:aromatic

    Its beautiful. Thank goodness it didn’t get ruined in the rain.
    Love Jane xxx

  5. That print is heartbreakingly wonderful. I can understand how you carried it in your heart and remembered it as you did.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags are not allowed.

2,261,877 Spambots Blocked by Simple Comments


Copyright © 2006-2024 Cottage Smallholder      Our Privacy Policy      Advertise on Cottage Smallholder


Skip to toolbar
HG