Scarecrow Bookmark

For today's countdown to Halloween post, I wanted to blog about one essential item of my spooky season: the bookmark. I try as much as possible to read the scary stories (or cute Halloween stories, because I read those too) I read this time of year with selected Halloween bookmarks. I buy them in bulk, sometimes I use leaflets and similar things as makeshift bookmarks for the season. So yes, among the one I have been using this Halloween, the bookmark here might be my favourite. I just love a Jack O'Lantern as the head of a scarecrow, they just go so well together. This is a perfectly seasonal Halloween image. Beautifully macabre and atmospheric. So yeah, I wanted to share it today. And you, do you have special bookmarks for Halloween? Tell me in the comments.

A Bookmark from Warwick Castle

Some people buy collect stamps, spoons, wine bottles, dolls, sports cards, cars, etc. I collect bookmarks. Not only because I am a hopeless bookwork with more books on my TBR list than I have time to read, but because bookmarks are a really, really, really useful thing to collect. They always come in handy. When you have books, that is. Anyway, we recently had a short but very fun stay at Warwick Castle. So of course, I bought a bookmark as my personal souvenir from the place. It cost £2.50 I think. I might blog more about our stay, I'm conscious that the picture of a bookmark is not exactly the most exciting thing to see after spending some time in a important historical setting, but all the same, it's a nice looking bookmark and I like to blog about the little trivial things that make life.

Can't. Talk. Now. Reading.

A couple of months ago, we went to High Wycombe. Not something I enjoy, but I digress. At least, they have a Waterstone's, so we stopped there. And boy do I love stopping in a Waterstone's. Anyway, at my wife's insistence, I behaved, mostly: I did not buy new books, however I did purchase a few bookmarks. One of them being this one. I have not used it yet. I don't only hoard books, I also collect bookmarks (as you probably know if you have been following this blog for a while). I have my favourite ones, as well as a number of makeshift ones I use just for kicks. I have not used this one yet, but it's both funny and true. I think it might come in particularly handy, especially in a busy household.

Des livres et des roses

Je suis un peu tard à donner la nouvelle, mais bon, mieux vaut tard que jamais. J'ai donc appris sur la page Facebook des Bouquinistes qu'ils offrent une rose avec chaque achat de livre, pour célébrer La Journée mondiale du livre et du droit d'auteur... qui était le 23 avril. La rose est disponible jusqu'à épuisement des stocks. Je doute qu'il en reste, mais je voulais souligner que c'était une charmante initiative. Ah oui, ils ont aussi de nouveaux marque-pages. Il faudra que je m'en prenne quelques-uns.

Autre marque-page des Bouquinistes

J'ai blogué jeudi dernier sur un signet de la librairie Les Bouquinistes, à Chicoutimi. La librairie où j'ai passé bien des après-midis pendant des années, avant de quitter la région. J'essaie de le revisiter aussi longtemps que possible. Lors de mon dernier séjour, je n'ai pas eu le temps d'y aller, hélas. Enfin bref, je partage cet autre marque-page, plus récent: on voit le sigle de Facebook et Twitter, dans le temps où ça s'appelait Twitter. Le signet date donc quand même de quelques années déjà. Je pense que c'est le marque-page des Bouquinistes que j'aime le plus, je trouve qu'il est sobrement élégant.

Marque-page des Bouquinistes

 Des fois, quand je suis chez mes parents, je tombe sur des vieux marques-pages. C'est ce qui m'est arrivé lors de mon dernier séjour. J'ai donc trouvé dans un de mes tiroirs ce signet des Bouquinistes.Il est assez vieux: dans le temps, ils mettaient des locutions latines en haut de la page: "Nulle dies sine linea" (pas un jour sans une ligne). J'essaie de respecter cette perle de sagesse, tant pour lire que pour écrire. Mais enfin bref, ça m'a donné un coup de nostalgie.

The Flying Scotsman's Bookmark

As you may know, I collect bookmarks. I buy them, I get them as freebies, I am always on the lookout for new bookmarks. It's a hobby like any other, but it's a practical one: it means there is always a bookmark available when I open a new book. Well always... Let's say most of the time. You can never have enough bookmarks, because too often you can end up short of bookmarks. They may be plain, they may be elegant, bookmarks are always useful. And of course, I have my favourite bookmarks. My all-time favourite, as you may remember, I bought it at the National Railway Museum in York. So when I got back there this year, I made sure to see if they had new ones in their souvenir shop. I found this one, another piece to celebrate the Flying Scotsman. I love it. So yeah,long story short, I have a new bookmark and I regret nothing.

Bookmark Shortage

It happens from time to time (read this post from 2022), a strange and, frankly, baffling phenomenon: I always appear short of bookmarks. Ironic, since I kind of collect them. Every time I stop at the local bookshop and buy a book, I receive a free one. I buy bookmarks whenever I see them in libraries, or in in souvenirs shops when I travel. Or indeed wherever I can find one. I receive them as presents sometimes. I should therefore have more bookmarks than books. Apparently not. Apart from the favourite ones I have which are already assigned to specific books, the others seem to disappear. Or the same monster who eats socks is eating bookmarks too. Who knows. But whatever the reason, every time I need one, I cannot find any. Am I the only one with the same problem?

The Marlow Christmas/Winter Bookmark

As you may know, I sort of collect bookmarks. I collect books too, of course. But anyway, I love buying or finding bookmarks (as they are often free) for different occasions and use them for different occasions too. So last time we went to Marlow, a picturesque little town, I found this seasonal bookmark, which I bought immediately. It's rare to see a single English town that looks that snowy during Christmastime, but if there was snow over Marlow, it would very likely look like this. It just puts you in the mood for the season. I haven't decided yet of the first book I will use it on (your suggestions are welcome). But all the same, I have a cool new bookmark for Christmas.

Marque-page gratos

Lors du début de notre séjour à Montréal, j'ai acheté quelques magazines et bouquins dans un Multimags, celui sur Mont-Royal. J'ai demandé s'ils avaient un marque-page, ils en avaient un, qu'ils m'ont donné gratuitement. Un marque-page Daniel Pennac, avec des illustrations de Jacques Tardi, si je ne trompre pas. Il est charmant. On m'a dit que le marque-page est devenu un artéfact rare, autant dire sur le point de devenir une antiquité. C'est triste, car j'aime bien les signets.

The Notting Hill Bookmark

 I blogged on Friday about the Notting Hill Bookshop. Made famour because of, well, this. My wife has always been curious about it, so we visited it yesterday. I will tell you about my experience one day in another post. Suffice to say for now that a quaint little English bookshop was spoiled forever by a Hollywood romcom, and so was my shopping experience. Maybe it was because of this, but I surprised myself behaving in there. Well, sort of behaving: I bought four books, but all of them were for Wolfie, none was for me. I did, however, buy a bookmark. Because if you buy books, you need more bookmarks. And because I collect them. It's a good hobby to have, it's fairly cheap and it is useful. I love the green colour on it. They were available in red and blue as well, but I preferred green. So does Wolfie. I guess it is now his bookmark.

The Summertime Bookmark

As you may know, if you have read this blog for long enough, I collect bookmarks. It is an easy enough hobby to have, it is a cheap one, they make for nice souvenirs when you are on holiday and also, as we have an indie bookshop that sells many, one easy way to support a local business. Furthermore, it takes far less rooms than buying new books (which I do anyway, but I digress). Every time I go there, I try to buy a new bookmark. Last time, I got this one. Not really my favourite, I must say, but kinda cute with its swimmer. It is a very summery bookmark. Now on to find a fitting book for it.

Viking Bookmark

No, no, I do not have a bookmark from the Viking Age. Actually, I don't think Vikings had bookmarks back in the days. I bought this bookmark at the JORVIK Viking Centre in York. Not the most educational place, to be honest, as the term Viking does not describe a people or an ehtnic group, but a trade, that said it was entertaining all the same. When I visit a place, whether it is a museum or a historical building or a landmark open for tourists, I often buy a bookmark as a souvenir, if there are any available in the gift shop. Some people collect spoons, others collect stamps, I collect bookmarks. So I bought this one, which I found uber cool, nice and sober as well as elegant. I use it when I read any book on Norse mythology. Thus it is already worn out. At the moment I am reading this one, so of course the JORVIK bookmark, or Viking Bookmark as I call it, is the one I use.

Amazon World's Bookmark

 During our time in the Isle of Wight, we went to Amazon World, where we all had a lovely time (read this post for instance). We bought a few souvenirs of course, we always do when we enjoy a place. And we try to buy practical things, not merely things that look cute. But they do look cute all the same. Anyway, you know I am always on the lookout for new bookmarks, especially when I visit a place, for the reasons I mentioned a few days ago: we never have enough of them, they're always very useful and they are easy to carry back home as they don't take much room. And this is not counting their sentimental values. So I bought this new bookmark in Amazon World. I cannot remember if it was my wife or Wolfie who found it. But it made perfect sense for all of us to buy it, because among all the animals you see on it, there is a lemur, Wolfie's favourite animal (and green is his favourite colour on top of that). In fact, this is as much Wolfie's bookmark as it is mine.

A new bookmark

We buy all sorts of things when we visit places on holiday (or just on special days out). When we stop at the souvenirs shop, I often buy bookmarks. It might not be as complex as collecting stamps or butterflies, but bookmarks are very useful and from experience, one can never have enough (not in this household anyway). It also makes for nice souvenirs: every time you use the bookmark, you take a moment to remember your visit and unlike many other souvenirs, it barely take any space at all. So when we went to Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight, I bought myself this bookmark. I love the lush dark green colour with the gold lettering. Oh yes, and if you cannot see it: on top there is a heart and a lion. Very fitting because, you know, it's from Wildheart. Anyway, I lov my new bookmark. Now I need to find a book for it. If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

Un marque-page des Bouquinistes

Il y a quelques jours, je cherchais un livre à commencer bientôt, quand je suis tombé sur un marque-page de la librairie Les Bouquinistes. Il était dans l'un des bouquins. Je crois qu'il date de 2016. C'est une heureuse (re)trouvaille que celle-ci. Pas que j'aie vraiment besoin de marque-pages, j'en ai en masse, cela dit on n'en a jamais assez. Mais parce que c'est un marque-page de notre librairie indépendante régionale. Une librairie qui demeure l'une de mes préférées. Et aussi parce que je collectionne officieusement les marque-pages. Les Bouquinistes ont produit beaucoup de signets depuis leur ouverture en 1979, vous pouvez voir l'éventail ici. Celui-ci est mon préféré, parce c'est le plus élégant, enfin je trouve.

Summer Reading Challenge

Wolfie once got back from school with this new bookmark, advertising the Summer Reading Challenge. i love it, for two reasons: 1)it's a new bookmark and we never have enough of those, 2)it is promoting education and literacy. Regarding the challenge, we of course accept it and I am proud to say that our son is an avid reader.

Souvenir de Brocéliande

En faisant du ménage dans les bouquins (oui, ça m'arrive), je suis retombé sur un marque-page que j'avais oublié, achetéen Bretagne. Jolie allusion à la légende arthurienne, même si c'est inexact: l'épée dans le roc (qui n'est pas Excalibur) n'était bien évidemment pas en Brocéliande. Depuis que mes beaux-parents sont revenus en Angleterre, nous n'avons plus vraiment l'occasion de retourner en Bretagne, ce qui est dommage. J'ai l'impression que l'on n'a pas fait le meilleur usage de notre temps là-bas, surtout en ce qui concerne Brocéliande justement. Mais au moins, j'ai un joli marque-page.

Jubilee Bookmark

We went to downtown yesterday and... in the bookshop. My wife was hesitant, because she feared that I would buy books, which I did. Books and one bookmark: this one. It was only £3.00. It is a special bookmark to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The Brits are getting crazy about it. I am not a monarchist, you will not see this house covered with Union jacks or see portraits of ol' Betty hanging on these walls. That said, I am a collector of bookmarks and I love to encourage local businesses, especially bookshops. So I bought this bookmark. I will give it to my wife, it looks very feminine anyway. When in Rome, and all that.

Ukrainian Bookmark

Today when we went to take Wolfie from school, there was a table selling cakes for charity, to help Ukraine. Cakes and also handmade bookmarks with the colours of Ukraine. I bought cakes for Wolfie and a bookmark for, well, for the family I guess. We never have enough bookmarks in this household, they tend to disappear. And I kind of officiously collect them.  It's an obsession I share with my son. Be that as it may, it's also for a good cause, and we cannot send enough to Ukraine at the moment. It also looks lovely.