WIND IN THE ASH TREE: More Tales of My Small Country Living

by Jeanine McMullen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 3, 1988

Further engaging and often uproariously funny stories about life on a small farm in the Welsh countryside--a follow-up to My Small Country Living (1984). A former Londoner and British broadcaster who settles wholly into country life, McMullen is barely managing financially until she gets the go-ahead for a radio series she calls, aptly, ""A Small Country Living."" Her trips to interview those wise in country ways--an old-world herb gatherer, an importer of Icelandic sheep, to name a few--make up the basis for just a part of McMullen's witty and warm anecdotage. ""It's hard to do a sensible interview when a llama suddenly thrusts its supercilious face up against yours and breathes heavily down your nostrils. . . And you don't even try to stop screeching with laughter when a Golden Guernsey goat reaches over and snatches the piece of paper, from which her owner has been reading a classical quote about such golden goats, and munches it up loudly."" The remainder of the tales are drawn from her life at home, which she shares with her strong-willed Australian mother, Mrs. P., and her numerous animal charges. There's Doll, a horse who's diagnosed by veterinarian Bertie as being a hypochondriac; two overly amorous goats, Dolores and Minnie; a motherless pig who dotes on baby lambs; a pigeon rescued in London who ""caused untold marital dramas by trying to elope with every female pigeon on the place""; and every manner of chicken, duck, cat, and dog. For animal buffs, this one is not to be missed.

Pub Date: Oct. 3, 1988

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Norton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1988

Categories: NONFICTION