Photo: Betsy Bray

Dear Beatrix Potter Admirers, The Beatrix Potter After the previous pair of overloaded newsletter issues, you Society will find this one on the lighter side but heavy on colour and fun. Perfect for those of us facing dark and dreary November Interested in learning more days - and for those far to the south in Australia and New about Beatrix Potter? Zealand, wanting to get out into your springtime gardens Consider joining the Society. (you lucky things!). Meet others who are Thanks to Betsy Bray for the remarkable photo of passionate about Beatrix Potter, her life and works. Herdwicks, above. You can just about feel the wool. Has it You will also receive the got the knitters reaching for their needles? quarterly Journal and Newsletter, full of interesting articles about Miss Potter and Society News the Society's efforts and events. After reporting in the last issue that the Patricia Routledge documentary ("Beatrix Potter with Patricia Routledge") Find the Membership form would be aired in the US in November, it was suddenly for download, and more televised in October! PBS stations were showing it, so keep information about the an eye on your local listings in case it runs again - better yet, Society here. contact the station to request it, as suggested in this article from The British TV Place. Save the Date: In Other News: March 4, 2017: 's Royal Clarence , reputed to be the oldest AGM and Linder Memorial hotel in (the first to use the term "hotel", rather than Lecture, Sloane Club, "inn"), was destroyed by fire on October 28. Thankfully there London. have been no injuries reported - see articles in and the BBC. Among many notable guests over the years, May 20, 2017: BBC TV news singled out Beatrix Potter - though the Spring Meeting, Sloane Club, presenter mistakenly referred to her as "he". Oops. (Blooper London. clip on YouTube.)

June 9-11, 2017: One more article, from mid-October, on the controversy US Symposium, "Beatrix surrounding the sale of Thorneythwaite Farm, land only, to Potter in the Natural World - the National Trust. This one, in The Spectator, also frowns on in New London on the the actions of the Trust, though one or two of the comments Thames River", at the Linda give arguments in its favour. Lear Center for Special

Collections and Archives, at A reminder for anyone planning a trip to Cumbria that Hill Connecticut College, New Top closed its doors for the season at the end of October. London, CT. Time for a rest and a good clean. Hill Top opens for 2017 visits on February 18. September 9-10, 2017: Autumn Meeting, Lake District, UK.

December 2, 2017: Festive Gathering, Sloane Club, London.

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Pottering About Editors:

A dedicated volunteer hunting dust bunnies under Beatrix's Janet Sullivan bed. Photo: Laura, Hill Top Carolyn Schaeffer

Recently:

In the Netherlands, BPS Member Angela Rijks-Bettink has been nominated for the Collector of the Year Award. For twenty-five years, Angela has searched out books, china, toys - everything with a Potter character - and the resulting collection is extensive. Watch this brief interview with Angela on Dutch television to see some of what she has. Angela is using her moment of fame to talk about Beatrix and the 150th anniversary. The award ceremony will be November 12 - best of luck to you, Angela!

The octagonal walled garden at Lingholm has been completed and is open to visitors daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The garden has an outdoor gallery dedicated to the works Beatrix did while staying at Lingholm, a Potter holiday home between

1885 and

1907. The Photo: The Lingholm Estate original garden that Beatrix knew and sketched (the inspiration for Mr McGregor's garden) was changed completely before the first world war. David Seymour, the new owner of the estate, researched the history of the property in Beatrix's time and has gone to great lengths to put it back as it was.

Photo: The Lingholm Estate

The "Beatrix Potter Reimagined" contest, organized by the Lakes International Comic Art Festival as part of their summer event, has named Beatriz Lostalé Seijo (a student at Anglia Ruskin University) winner of the competition. Her work, "Fooled" was based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck and attempted to capture the spirit of the book in one piece of art. The winner's name couldn't be more appropriate. (Full article here.)

"Fooled" by Beatriz Lostalé Seijo Image: Cambridge Network

Coming Up: In the US:

November 6 and 7, New York, NY, A Celebration of Beatrix Potter's 150th birthday This was mentioned in the last newsletter, but there is additional information and a registration form in this document. At this late date, if interested and you haven't already been in touch, email Kathy Cole immediately!

Until March 5, 2017, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (Amherst, MA) "A Keen Sense of Wonder: Reality and Fantasy in the Art of Beatrix Potter". This exhibition of digital reproductions explores how Beatrix's unpublished scientific studies influenced and enhanced her picture book illustrations.

In the UK:

Now, until January 8, 2017, Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children's Books, Newcastle upon Tyne "Beatrix Potter: Tales of Mischief", an exhibition featuring original illustrations to fit the theme.

Fridays, to December 16, Allan Bank, Cumbria, 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. "A Meeting of Minds - Live Letter Reading": Listen as Beatrix Potter and Canon Rawnsley (portrayed by actors, with a narrator) read letters they wrote to each other.

November 11, 2016 to January 2, 2017 Rounding out the year of celebration, Longleat (Wiltshire) sends word of their "Festival of Light", which will combine the Potter anniversary with their own 50th anniversary of the

Safari Park.

The Longleat estate Photo: Longleat will be transformed with illuminated lantern displays, recreating scenes from the little books, along with depictions of the Safari's lions and monkeys. Indoors, the Great Hall has a special exhibition to celebrate 150 years since the birth of Beatrix Potter; a collection of costumes from The Royal Ballet's production of Frederick Ashton's 'Tales of Beatrix Potter'. In the Lower Servery Passage an almost complete collection of first editions of the Tales from the Longleat Library will also be on display. Open weekends in November, daily through December, see the website to book.

Photos: Longleat

December 3, 2016 to January 2, 2017, A Tale of Christmas at Leeds Castle For the delight of children, there will be miniature displays throughout the Castle and Peter Rabbit's 'muddy' footprints will form a trail across the estate.

Image: Leeds Castle

Now, until April 23, 2017, "Game Plan: Board Games Rediscovered", V&A Museum of Childhood. This exhibit includes Beatrix's handmade Peter Rabbit game - made years before Warne came out with "The Peter Rabbit Race Game". The Telegraph's article on the exhibit focuses on Beatrix's board game and her merchandising efforts, and Linda Lear's Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature covers the evolution of the games on pages 174 and 289.

Beatrix's game design Photo: V&A

At the Theatre:

Photo: Enchantment Theatre

Enchantment Theatre's production, "Peter Rabbit Tales", has a few Canadian (Ontario) dates approaching: Guelph, November 6 Burlington, November 8 Richmond Hill, November 9

Then, back to the US: Jasper, IN, November 14 Somerset, KY, November 15 Staten Island, NY, November 19 Fairfield, CT, November 20 - 21 Burlington, VT, November 29

Books:

Over the Hills and Far Away, Matthew Dennison's recent biography of Beatrix, is going over rather well, going by comments we've heard from a number of our readers. The book was Country Life's "Book of the Week" at the beginning of October and received good reviews in The Guardian and The Irish Times. A review in The Times (UK), focuses on Dennison's observation that "Beatrix Potter was a stranger to wilderness". Jack Malvern writes, "Beatrix Potter's ability to capture the poise of woodland animals has given her a reputation for portraying the essence of wild English countryside. In fact, according to her biographer, Potter's formative experiences of rural vistas were rooted in artificially landscaped locations rather than in anything approaching wilderness." We sense some raised eyebrows out there. Watch for the Society's review in the January Journal and Newsletter.

On the same subject, we also recommend, "Bunny Business" from The Times Literary Supplement, an entertaining read that is part review of the Dennison book (among others), part overview of the Tales.

Spotted in a bookshop in teeny tiny Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (Canada):

Photo: J. Sullivan

We hope some of you have been able to attend one of the talks by James Rebanks on his all-too-brief book tour in the US. Let us know if you did and send a photo, if you managed to take one.

Tidbits:

Thanks to Amanda Carson and the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association for permission to add the above photo of a page from the Association's minute books. You'll notice Mrs. Heelis listed as president-elect for 1944.

Photo: Meredith McClung

BPS Member Meredith McClung has spent months creating a miniature room to resemble the front room at Hill Top for her mouse to enjoy in the style of the two bad mice. We think you'll agree the photos of Norah are priceless (yes, she is a live mouse!). In addition to knocking over the spinning wheel and broom, she had been gnawing on the woodbox. We look forward to more of Norah's adventures!

Photo: Meredith McClung

For interest: a blog essay on Anne Carroll Moore, one of Beatrix's American friends. Superintendent of the Department of Work with Children at the New York Public Library from 1906 to 1941, she also wrote for the Horn Book and was a formidable presence who greatly influenced the world of children's literature.

Speaking of the Horn Book, Connie Neumann noticed an update to that publication's online biographical information about Beatrix. They now have links to three letters, written by Beatrix to Bertha Mahony Miller, editor of the Horn Book.

A happy group at the Brewster Ladies' Library in Brewster, MA. Left to right: Barb Gibson, Suzanne Terry, Betsy Bray, Kathy Cole and Marta McDowell (Marta was presenting her talk, "Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life".)

Andrew Wiltshire's grandsons visited the Essex Wildlife Trust's Peter Rabbit Trail at Langdon, near Basildon, opened earlier this year. The boys give the trail their hearty approval and were planning a return visit.

Harry, age 2 and Noah, age 5 Photo: Sarah Wiltshire

BPS Member Donna Priesmeyer wrote a short article about Beatrix Potter that has been published online by Victoria magazine. It can be found here - be sure to admire the photographs used to illustrate the piece, also Donna's work.

After opening with Betsy Bray's image of Herdwick sheep, it seems fitting to close with Laura Jackson's photo of Glencoyne Farm's flock.

Photo: Laura Jackson

In Closing: Thank you for reading - all the way to the bottom! Please continue to send news of upcoming events, stories, photos and items of interest on all things Potter-related (in 100 to 150 words). The next issue of "Pottering About" is scheduled for the middle of December. Please send submissions by December 7.

Copyright 2016, The Beatrix Potter Society All rights reserved, UK Registered Charity No. 281198

The Beatrix Potter Society, c/o 9 Villiers Court, Helmsley, Yorkshire YO62 5AX United Kingdom

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