Tove

I have just ordered The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, beloved author of the Moomintroll books. There is a wonderful piece about Jansson here at The Girl Who Married a Bear, (I've added this to the blog roll, it's so lovely.)

Tove Jansson (with flowers in her hair) reminds me of my grandmother, after whom I was named. The book is about a six year old girl who spends a summer with her grandmother on a little island in Finland.

My own grandmother, Tove, was fond of picking wild flowers, raspberries for jam, chantarelles. Her wardrobe was similar to that of Little Edie in Grey Gardens, but that was purely for the summer house. In Oslo, her clothes were immaculate.