A day of delights

Our Spring Walking Festival started today. As you know I can't join in the actual walking so I took Mum to the Hexham Book Festival instead.

First we heard Mona Siddiqui talking about her book "My Way" which is about her life as a Muslim woman. She told us that she did not want this title but the publisher insisted because it was "catchy". 

She talked a lot about how Islam is perceived in the Western world and about the repression of women in many societies (not just Muslem). 


Sadly the acoustics in the venue were poor and Mum could not hear what she said, although we were in the front row. She was not alone in that.

After lunch it was the New Fiction afternoon which was excellent. I'd managed to read 5 of the 6 books on the list. One author was unable to come, so we heard:
Bea Davenport - The Little Piggy
Gavin Extence - The Mirror World of Melody Black
John Ironmonger - Not Forgetting the Whale
Kay Langdale - Away from You
Tim Leach - The Last King of Lydia

We arrived home at 4.15pm and I realised that I might just manage to see the walkers as they arrived at Brocolitia at the end of today's "All Quiet in the East".  It was great to see them and I was glad that the sun was shining. They had wind, rain, mist, sleet and snow today!


In the extra pictures, you can see Hilary, who works on the book stall at the festival and who was a reluctant model. John and Angela will marry in July. They met at a Walking Festival.

I have posted a few extra on yesterday's blip from Howick Gardens if you would care to look.