You know that business about buses all coming along at once? Well, just last week we took in a lovely little book, full of superb, rich watercolours of the Cotswolds. And this week? We’ve just accepted a lovely little book, full of superb, rich watercolours of the Cotswolds!

The first, Little Green Shoots’, is subtitled ‘Tales from a Cotswold Teacher’. It is illustrated by Jenny Henderson, though the author’s name is with-held. In a memoir that could have been written by Gervase Phinn, she describes her early experiences when she first taught at a little village school in the days before too many rules were inflicted on teaching staff. Indeed, in her forward, she bemoans the loss of some of the old ways and concocts the perfect title to her book, ‘Little Green Shoots’. At only £10.00, this charming and amusing little book will be equally welcomed by our visitors as a momento and our locals as a trip down memory lane.

The second, by self-taught artist Bob Gilhooley, is called ‘The Picturesque Cotswolds’ and is sub titled ‘A Souvenir in Beautiful Paintings’. However, like ‘Little Green Shoots’, though it will be perfect for visitors, I’m sure it will also sell as a gift for locals. It is packed with fine watercolours of nearly forty villages and towns across the North Cotswolds and is laid out almost as a walking tour. (Yes, Moreton-in-Marsh is there on a sunny market day) This is a hardback and yet is only priced at £17.99.

Do call in and ask to see them. They are both well worth a look.