Details of Country Life

In a house heated only by a coal stove and wood fire, surrounded by acres of woodland and rolling farmland, where the only sounds are of logs being split or frost underfoot, and the only movement is that of passing pheasants, a cat’s languid stretch, or the turn of a book’s page, you begin to notice details. An old book resting on a windowsill, a teacup on the table, or a lantern lit at night become scenes of profound beauty as your gaze grows attune to minutiae. The simple act of making tea or taking a bath takes on a ritualistic significance, and a mere country walk is transformed into a journey of epic proportions.