A HAMPSHIRE woman has published her first book exploring the changing seasons on the farm after she was forced to stop teaching when she became ill.
Gina Rees, from Hursley, is sharing her book My Special Place with children across the county, with the aim of teaching them what life on the farm is like.
The farmer's wife and trained marine biologist was inspired to start writing and drawing after her teaching career came to an end when she suffered from Lyme disease.
The mother of two’s first book revolves around her old spaniel Puddles who patiently waited through the seasons at the farm for the fields to become full of life again.
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Mrs Rees, 49, said: “Puddles was my angel and really looked after me in those difficult times. Every summer as the fields grew on the farm around us, to me it seemed like they would turn into an ocean.
“Puddles seemed to be waiting for this too and would jump into this ‘special place’ and go off on an adventure. When Rosie (another spaniel) came along, it was almost like Puddles was telling her to be patient through the seasons as the land was being worked on by the machinery until the field grew and the special place magically appeared.
"Then when the combine harvester came through and took away the field and the ocean it was like she was saying to Rosie its’s gone for now, but not forever and if you are very patient it will come back again.
“Puddles passed away last summer and so I decided to self-publish to get her story out there and so I could share her special place with others.
“I’m at this wonderful, exciting time where the kids have left home. I’ve started this lovely chapter from such a bad time and it’s given me a whole new start at the perfect time.
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“I launched the book at the Alresford Show which was the perfect place to do it as a lively agricultural show with lots of children. Someone told me it’s like Narnia but on a farm which I love.
“I was absolutely petrified about doing the shows. I felt like I was locked away for four years or so putting it together and now I’m suddenly putting myself out there and the feedback has been so lovely.
“It’s given me the confidence to keep going. With years of telling stories to young children, it just slotted together like a puzzle, it felt like it was meant to be.”
Starting this month, Mrs Rees will be visiting schools to share Puddles’ story. The new author taught on and off at schools including Twyford School from 1998 before becoming ill around eight years ago.
Mrs Rees is excited to get back into schools and has already started on the next book which will explore the tale of an octopus and how people are tackling climate change.
For more information go to ginarees.co.uk/ or @ginareesillustrator on Instragram.
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