The Red and the Green

The blind in the bedroom is temporarily stuck and this morning I woke up late, well past 8, with the sun shining in my face, needless to say I have no difficulty in adjusting to GMT.
A morning walk in Pollok Park before the weather deteriorated was called for. Today’s blip is the smaller of the two artificial ponds in the rock garden. Until a couple of weeks ago the lilies were still blooming, their contrasting colour now replaced by these gorgeous acer leaves – they are strewn all over the ivy as well. The ‘red and the green’ floated into my mind and it took a couple of minutes to make the connection with Iris Murdoch’s historical novel set in the week leading up to the Irish Easter Uprising in 1916. I’m sure the paper back copy we used to have had those colours on its front cover. I’ve downloaded a sample (it was not one of my favourites) and read Declan Kiberd’s excellent introduction to the 2001 edition. He makes the point that the timing – Easter, was to appeal to ancient poetic notions of sacrifice, redemption and renewal, and to invoke the power of spring with the idea of new life coming from a dead land. The 2014 Scottish Referendum took place in September, perhaps April might be a good month next time.
In other news I am thrilled that my pyjamas on eBay had several people bidding and they sold for just shy of £16. I think the autumn/winter tree pattern must have appealed to people. The right story at the right time really is everything.