The Dutch title is Het Vogelhuis: “The Birdhouse” , which has the same meaning in Dutch as in English.

we always think there’s a goal, a reason, that somehow or another everything is for the best, that there’s some kind of point. Come and enjoy this characterful seaside cottage, centrally located in the coastal village of Weybourne, and enjoy a peaceful retreat. Bird Cottage has been translated from the original Dutch by Antoinette Fawcett, and is printed in its English edition by Pushkin Press, a publishing house which I always gravitate toward. I’ve noticed that the accent of Great Tits of UK differs greatly from the accent of Great Tits of Estonia (and Latvia, for that matter - I’m not sure everyone knows that for summer time Estonian Great Tits cross the sea to Finland, and Latvian Great Tits replace them).Home to some of the UK’s most loved Victorian seaside towns, the South Coast promises perfect family memories full of fish and chips and ice cream! The two books that Howard wrote about the birds became bestsellers and were translated into many languages. The standard of the cottage would be four star rating but for the lack of a washing machine (limited space and not on mains water). The original barn has been converted into a wonderful open plan living space with seating around the modern wood burning stove, a dining area, and well-equipped kitchen with great views.

Eva Meijer’s debut novel is based on the life of Len Howard whose work Meijer first encountered when she was writing her dissertation. Eva is working on a PhD project in philosophy, titled 'Political Animal Voices', at the University of Amsterdam. Howard was part of this caring routine and had a crow, Charles, who would come into her room and exchange musings or play. She grew up in a bird-loving, artistic family–her father was a poet and dramatist–and became a violist with an orchestra in London. She lets him stay a couple of days but quickly sends him on his way: the birds must not be inconvenienced.This gorgeous novel tells the story of Len Howard, the incredible woman who defied convention and chose to dedicate much of her life to her studies at Bird Cottage, where she forms fascinating interspecies bonds with the local avians. She wrote articles for countryside magazines eventually winning a degree of celebrity as the author of several books filled with anecdotes derived from her observations. A convincing account of total dedication and self-belief, and there's beauty and joy in Len's strange life. Get lost in the stunning countryside, explore cultural cities, market towns and picture-perfect villages. Her entire family suffers from it, and she finds a first escape into music; and a second escape by forsaking most human company altogether and devoting herself to the study of the birds she loves.

Readers will also meet Star, Howard’s favourite Great Tit, who learns to count and is generally very intelligent; Jane, who sings better than the males; Inkey; Smoke; Monocle; and of course Baldhead, who taught all his children to trust Howard, and came to see her every day, until his very last.

Taking in Suffolk, Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, you can also enjoy stunning countryside, cultural cities, historic castles and several Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Hot water was ‘on demand’ but our demands were often ignored, particularly at the bathroom wash basin and the shower controls were aging and rather . Or in my case, a blog, which morphed into a weekly column for Lush Times – though that column has now come to an end. In haar vogelhuis bestudeert ze de vogels in hun natuurlijke habitat en ze publiceert zelfs 2 boeken.

The novel is a testament to the willpower of a woman who wanted to teach the world about the dangers of ignoring nature, much like Rachel Carson.The inner life is not one of fluid struggling, as in Virginia Woolf or James Joyce, but closer to the emotionally-charged rational conflicts of later Henry James. From the huge open skies and vast beaches in Norfolk to the traditional seaside charm in Essex, the East of England is a varied holiday destination.