On July 28th in 1866 Helen Beatrix Potter was born. She lived to be 77 years old.
Here is my collection of Beatrix Potter figurines to date in the following collages…
I bought most of the figurines in England in 1973 and 1974.
This little rabbit made her famous with The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
“I don’t know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter….”
“And that – a letter to a small boy called Noel- was the beginning of the Beatrix Potter Books.”
I started my Beatrix Potter Collection in the summer of 1973 while touring England. I bought the Biography The Tale of Beatrix Potter by Margaret Lane in Oxford July of 1974.
Dear and I bought two full sets of Beatrix Potter Story Collection at Foyle’s in London and had them shipped home to us. One set for us and one set for our first niece born in 1973, Jenna. I suppose technically she wasn’t my niece until Dear and I were married in December of 1974. You can see our set is well used and loved.
The fun story behind The Tale of Little Pig Robinson revolves around our firstborn son, Josh. We would let him pick a bedtime story for us to read to him each night and he caught on real quick that The Tale of Little Pig Robinson is one of the longest tales in the Beatrix Potter collection. He’d request it each night to extend the time before bedtime! Each of our three children are brilliant in their own way…
In the summer of 2014, Dear and I made a 40th anniversary trip to England and on this trip we spent an afternoon in Gloucester and of course had to visit this sweet shop close to Gloucester Cathedral.
We knew about this shop in Gloucester and were determined to visit it while we were in Gloucester 41 years after I started my collection. 
There are lots of shops relating to Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit in England.
This shop had a lot of fun displays filled with memorabilia.
I’ve enjoyed all these books about Beatrix Potter. The latest book I received was from Josh and Laura, Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life. The book on Beatrix Potter’s Derwentwater was a great resource for a walking trip we took with good friends in 2006 staying at a farm on the Derwentwater for a few days during our time in Great Britain. So sad that while we were in the Lake District we didn’t visit Hilltop! Maybe on a future trip we’ll take the time to visit.
This was a sweet surprise from my mother when they sorted through my dear Babushka’s apartment after she died. I sent her this postcard trying my best to communicate in Russian from England in 1973. In 1973 and 1974 Dear and I toured England and beyond singing with a Christian Rock Band. I share this here even though it’s not directly linked to Beatrix Potter but it was during the summer where my love for all things Beatrix Potter started!
Hard to believe we are in the last full week of July. Our July has been a wonderful mix of things at this old house. Our last weekend will be full of time with our three brilliant children and their fabulous spouses. Oh and there will be a first at this old house because our kids from Eastern Washington are bringing their dog along with them to our pet free home.
She’s a sweet dog and we are flexible. There will be work, food and sports involved this weekend.
I’m linking up to Foodie Friday and Everything Else at Rattlebridge Farm.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 