Ponies, Boats, and Books

As Lyle pointed out lo these many years ago ponies and boats are go together like love and marriage:


As Kenneth Gramham argued in The Wind in the Willows:

`Is it so nice as all that?' asked the Mole shyly, though he was quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.
`Nice? It's the ONLY thing,' said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. `Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing--about--in--boats; messing----'

Add in books to make the boat an earthly paradise:





Book barge via