Teachers World Letters 1943

[Kate Mary]

I had a kaleidoscope too, long since gone. Do children have them nowadays? I was amused to read Enid advising children to collect berries and seeds to put on their bird tables, I would have thought they were better left on the bushes and trees for the birds to find naturally, but at least the children could see the birds feeding I suppose.

[Courtenay]

I've occasionally seen kaleidoscopes in gift shops, so yes, they do still exist! I first encountered one when I was in Prep grade (first year of primary school in Australia) and one of the other kids brought a kaleidoscope in one day, probably for "show and tell". Our teacher passed it around so that everyone had a go at looking into it and turning it to make the patterns change. It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen and I was just fascinated!

[Boodi 2]

I had a kaleidoscope too, but to be honest, after the first few minutes of looking at the patterns I lost interest in it and did not rate it very highly.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Heh - I love the idea of Bobs thinking he's turning yellow because it's autumn!

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... perid=1976

I don't think the book reviews are anything to do with Enid Blyton but I enjoyed reading them, especially the remark concerning Dr. Strong's To-Day Through Yesterday: "It was a little unfortunate perhaps that in claiming the book to be 'up to date' the publishers did not foresee recent developments in Italy. The section on 'The Work of Benito Mussolini' reads somewhat strangely to-day."

Great stuff as always!

[Boodi 2]

I agree with what Enid says about planting fruit and vegetables as well as flowers in a garden, as we do that every year and have our own home-grown potatoes, tomatoes, various herbs, peppers, pumpkins/marrows, quince, red currants, blackcurrants, raspberries, gooseberries and blackberries. Perhaps I should try planting turnips next year!!!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

The weather is becoming too cold for Enid Blyton to write while sitting outside on the verandah. I like the quotation from Shelley: "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" but as we're only halfway through autumn it's a tad premature!

Ouch - the wasp sting sounds nasty!

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... perid=1977

[Anita Bensoussane]

Growing winter lettuces sounds fun.

Heh - Topsy is worried that planting bulbs will "spoil the black-out"! Bobs finds her confusion hilarious, even though he has made many a similar mistake!

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... perid=1978

[Anita Bensoussane]

Enid Blyton is thoroughly enjoying the delights of autumn, e.g. sweeping up leaves (and sorting out which ones are suitable for digging into the flowerbeds or for mixing with the potting mould), having bonfires, and watching the "spinners" whirling down from sycamore, ash and maple trees. I've enjoyed watching "spinning jennies" too (as I've always called them) and have also collected a few conkers. The conkers were very early this year. In the middle of September I had days out to Bradford-on-Avon and Southampton, and in both places ripe horse chestnuts were already falling from the trees (in a park in Southampton they were falling at such a rate that you had to be careful where you stood or sat!)

Again, we're reminded that it's wartime when Enid writes that it's no longer permitted to have a bonfire after dark, and that she has been unable to find anyone to mend her broken clocks. Nevertheless, she makes the whole clock saga sound rather amusing - and Bobs' input is most entertaining as always!

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... perid=1979

[Boodi 2]

What an entertaining account of autumn! I was interested to read that Enid mentions a yew tree, as we have a large one in our garden. The birds seem to love it and I suspect that they have a nest in it, but unfortunately it is right beside the path leading to the front door, thus I spend my time sweeping up the dead needles and red berries that the birds knock down. Despite my best efforts the path is always in such a mess that I have seriously considered having the tree cut down (as it is so large we probably could not manage it ourselves and would need professional help), but that would be a shame and I might feel guilty about depriving the birds of food and a nesting place!!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

It's interesting to hear about your yew tree, Boodi. Making a decision about something like that is difficult. Where I used to live, the garden backing onto ours was almost entirely filled by an enormous holly tree. I used to enjoy the shape of the tree (a massive cone the height of two houses), the bright berries and the many birds that visited it (including redwings and fieldfares on harsh winter days). Just a few weeks after I moved to a different part of the UK, I heard that the tree had been chopped down. I couldn't help feeling very sorry, even though I knew that if it had been in our garden rather than a neighbouring garden, we'd probably have cut it down too. It took up almost the entire plot and must have prevented light coming through the windows of the house, making the rooms at the back very dark.

[Boodi 2]

I have just been outdoors sweeping up the latest collection of yew tree needles and berries, much to the amusement of one of the neighbours! As our tree is between two houses (i.e. facing the gable walls) it does not block out any light and having examined it this morning we just might be able to reduce the height ourselves (we have a chain saw!!), but as the tree is over 50 years old (it was planted by my husband's parents) it would be a pity to disturb it, especially as the birds are so fond of it. We did have to chop down another yew tree about 25 years ago on the orders of the local council as our house and garden are on a corner and they claimed that our yew tree was blocking the view of oncoming traffic at the junction!!! The people who lived opposite us were also obliged to remove their hedge for the same reason and they employed a gardening firm to do so. At the same time they had the garden redesigned and several "dwarf" trees and shrubs were planted in it. However, the so-called "dwarf" trees and shrubs are now huge and the view at the junction is just as bad as it was when they had the hedge!!!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'm glad it looks as though your yew tree will be able to stay, Boodi - even though it means you have to keep sweeping the path!

[Kate Mary]

Enid had a very modern attitude to gardening, leaving weeds to grow on the rubbish heap because they were pretty. There are plenty of weeds in my garden too, but that's because I haven't got round to pulling them up!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Enid writes about having "just come back from a little holiday in Cornwall" but doesn't mention that the holiday was her honeymoon with her second husband, Kenneth. Their hotel was within walking distance of St. Ives.

Imogen has been given two white mice for her eighth birthday, Mr. Bubble and Mrs. Squeak (heh - if they're "married" you'd think they'd have the same surname! ) I find it sad that the mice can't be let out of their cage because of the cats.

Clever Bobs, compiling a quiz about evergreen trees!

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... perid=1980

[Boatbuilder]

Imogen has been given two white mice for her eighth birthday, Mr. Bubble and Mrs. Squeak (heh - if they're "married" you'd think they'd have the same surname! )

Maybe they were already married to Mrs Bubble & Mr Squeak and we’re co-habiting.