(this book can be found here. All images are from the book) We have books in almost every room of our home. On my bedside table, on Mr Moo's bedside table and on a small table by the bedroom chair. On Miss Moo's bedroom shelf, on Spunky Monkey's bedroom shelf and in the playroom. On the coffee table, by the TV, on the dining room sideboard and in the kitchen. Then there is the wall of books in the lounge room and the shelf of children's books in the playroom. And lets not forget the car and my giant handbag. Clearly, I can not live without them. I am grateful to have stolen a few moments this week to explore the homes of Beatrix Potter. Through the pages of this beautiful book, I was able to wander, uninterrupted through her beautiful homes and gardens. I have fallen completely in love with the Lakes District. I loved Hill Top Farm, her first and most famous home. The Hall at Hill Top Farm is my favourite room. How lovely it would have been to taken afternoon tea in this room. It was like I was the only person visiting, as if they had opened the doors just for me. I was able to stare for long periods of time at the careful arrangement of furniture, paintings and collected objects. I could look closely at the decorative wallpaper that she had hung on the walls. I studied the fine porcelain pieces that had belonged to her father and the paintings painted by her brother, that hang in her writing room. I discovered her passion for beautiful furniture from the area and looked for a very long time at the detailed carving on each piece. I was able to truly appreciate her home, it's contents and what it meant to her. I loved the wallpapers that she used in Hill Top Farm. This one above, "Daisy" by William Morris was in her bedroom and a lovely floral wallpaper in similar colours, was used for the walls and ceiling in the Hall. I was able wander through her walled kitchen garden and her beautiful cottage garden that surrounds the house. I could almost smell the soft fragrance of the climbing roses. I wanted to pick huge bundles of hollyhocks and bunches of fresh carrots (for Peter, of course). It was so lovely to see Hill Top Farm as the settings for her stories. As seen above. I have been told Hill Top Farm can be a busy little tourist stop. Despite this, I am putting it on my list to visit one day, along with some other houses from this period that I have also seen in books. Charleston in Lewes, England and Lilla Hyttnas in Sundborn, Sweden. What beautiful coffee table books have you been reading lately? Go over to 'maxabella loves' for more gratitude posts. While we are on the subject of Beatrix Potter, actually, not really related. I saw the movie again recently. I love, love, love this song. I cry every time I hear it. I'm not sure why.
