"Jeani"

Lost one of our greyhounds last week in what appeared to be a massive heart attack - she was only eight years old. It affected all of us more than we ever thought possible. Never barked or whined, she had the most gentle and subtle manners, always considerate and patient. Here's a drawing I did of her a couple of years ago trying to capture one of her reflective moods. May you rest in peace, Jeani, your spirit will always be with us...Rabbits in the garden and chicken roasts unattended in the kitchen are quite safe now...

"Mr McGee And The Blackberry Jam" By Pamela Allen (Hamish Hamilton Ltd, 1993)

Pamela Allen (born in New Zealand, 1934) is the writer and illustrator of this delightful book. Simple drawings with strong shapes, carefully designed to enhance the text in each scene. I love the subtle humor and playfulness both in the pictures and the story - I wish I could have scanned the full double page spreads to show how well the text and pictures work together but my scanner is not big enough. The story is about a man who is not happy with his possessions (ie having only marmalade for breakfast) and goes searching for something different. After a dangerous encounter with some farm animals though, he decides that marmalade is not such a bad deal after all - a moral lesson for all of us!