Blytons Imagination

I can, in an instant, take myself back to childhood, just by thinking of, or seeing an Enid Blyton book.

Of course, many writers made an impact on me as a child, from the very hungry caterpillar, to a favourite story my grandmother read me about the fisherman's wife, that taught me a lot about where greed will get you!

But Enid, she seemed to take me deep into her imaginary world, her words, my mothers voice, and my warm, comfortable bed all lulled me into a sleepy yet wildly imaginative state, ripe and ready for my own magical dreams!

I think, even as a child, I had an immense respect for good writing.

My mother, although more sensible than imaginative, would critique ones spelling or grammar in an instant, I would critique his or her lack of or abundance of imagination!

I am still a bad speller, my mother still corrects me, but the love of words and imagination has always stayed with me.

I started out as most children do, writing for my teachers at school, but soon took pen to paper at home in my free time. It started out as short stories, as young as grade one and two, then onto poetry, which I still have a love of, then back into short stories.

My writing seems to ebb and flow... I won't get the urge for months, sometimes years, then boom! something grabs my attention, something I may not be able to photograph, but something that needs to be explained in words, normally a bubble up of emotions and free writing sets me off again.

My Fathers side of the family had imagination overload!

My Uncle and Father where in a band, with my Father on guitar and my Uncle as the singer, my Grandmother and Grandpa had their own theatre company, and both may grandparents and Father where talented artists.

My uncle still sings to this day and so do many of my Father and Uncles good mates... music bonds them.

Unfortunately, I cannot paint or draw above a kindergarten level, but I did inherit a talent for Photography, and, if I haven't lost you yet, writing!

Its kind of a therapy, in a way, especially free writing!

Back to Enid, probably my favourite bedtime stories where the ones about the Faraway tree.

I loved the adventure and mystery...what magical land was going to be at the top of the tree this time, and who, if any of the characters where going to wear Dame Washalots dirty suds?

I loved the idea of Silkys honey cakes, and long wanted to know if such a luxury existed, and was saddened to find they where a Silky specialty, the recipie locked in Enids mind itself.

I did, however, once do to a Greek food festival, and tried, for the first time, Loukoumades, probably the closest thing to heaven and Silkys honey cakes combined! (I love how the first four letters spell part of my names-ment to be!)

They are a honey fritter, like a dough deep fried and coated with a beautiful honey syrup. Bliss!

I digress...but I bet you are all hungry now...look it up, they are easy to make!

The adventures of the whshibg chair was another favourite, and my grandmother had a chair that looked just like it, so i used to sit in it and imagine-play that i was off on a magical adventure too!

The twits and naughty Amelila Jane always gave me a giggle, so Mum would t read those at night time as i would go into giggle fits with their antics.

What where your favourite Enid Blyton books?