Bryony Hill
Bryony Hill was born and educated in Sussex and after a year at Brighton College of Art left for France in the early Seventies, where she lived for four and a half years. She has enjoyed painting since childhood and in recent years has experimented with different media and techniques including watercolour, acrylics, lino cuts and more recently, mono printing. When her late husband the television sports presenter Jimmy Hill was writing his autobiography, Bryony started to write her own book which was centred around gardening, cooking what she grew and illustrating it with her own watercolours. This led to a romantic novel which she entred in the inaugural Harry Bowling Competition for unpublished writers. She came runner-up, the book was published with the Book Guild and then having entered a second competition this time for first published authors, once again she was a runner-up. Other books followed namely recipe books, family history and biographical books . Robins in my Kitchen is Bryony's 11th book. Previous titles include A Compost Kind of Girl, Penalty Chick, Angel in an Apron, How I long to be with you - War Letters Home, Grow Happy, Cook Happy, Be Happy, Scotland to Shalmar - a family's life in India, An Indian Table - a family's recipes during the Raj and Bryony's Country Kitchen. She has also provided the illustrations for a children's book The Adventures of Silly Billy, the naughtiest boy in school and Now Who's Talking? Books 1 and 2 written by Des Lynam, an old friend and Jimmy's work colleague at the BBC. Apart from writing and painting, Bryony's interests include gardening and cooking what she grows in her garden in Sussex.
Bryony Hill's Books
£8.99
Robins in My Kitchen
28 Nov 2024It all began one late spring morning when a robin unexpectedly fluttered into Bryony’s bedroom. Unfazed, it perched on her dressing table briefly before flitting from room to room, eventually leaving through the kitchen window.
With each passing day, the visits of the robin grew more frequent, its boldness evident as it fearlessly explored its surroundings. Soon, it began bringing moss and leaves to the kitchen window. With each further visit, more nesting materials would appear on the work surfaces or dropped onto the kitchen tiles. Then, one morning, Bryony heard scuffling and rustling noises as the robin began building a nest in the kitchen on the shelf of a pine dresser.
Bryony found herself drawn into the remarkable journey of the robin. She witnessed the little bird’s unwavering dedication, and a few weeks later, four delicate eggs appeared. What followed was one of the most extraordinary experiences of Bryony’s life; as she observed the hatchlings grow under the vigilant care of their parents until one day, under the watchful eye of the father, Bryony released the fledglings into her garden.