A HAPPY MAY DAY TO YOU ALL

HAL AN TOW, JOLLY RUMBLE O

FOR WE WERE UP LONG BEFORE THE DAY O

TO WELCOME IN THE SUMMER O

WELCOME IN THE MAY O

FOR SUMMER IS A-COMIN' IN

AND WINTER IS A GONE

May Morning has dawned bright and sunny, it seems so long since we had a true sunny MayDay. I hope you are all getting up early and washing your face in the May Day dew, then scouring the woods for sticks and flowers to make Kissing Balls. By breakfast we will have made the Kissing Balls and the food will be being made for the May Day feast. We must put our finest dresses on and help each other decorate our hair with spring blooms, because we are off to dance round the maypole on the village green before choosing the May Queen and her attendents. We shall watch a Mumming Play, concerning St George and the Dragon performed by travelling players. Then there will be feasting and dancing taking us up to the moment when the beacon on the far hillside will be lit as day ends and the bonfire on village green will echo it. Late in the evening we may be blessed by a fleeting visit by the Green Man and his Lady, before young village couples slyly sneak away to leafy bowers. There will probably one or two hasty weddings in the next couple of months. I hope you have enjoyed your visit to a traditional English May Day.

I was pleased with the Local History Exhibition, it was never crowded but we had a steady stream of visitors, of which the best thing was that I noticed all that came seem to spend over an hour looking at the photographs and reading the text and documents. We also made a pleasing amount in our Donations Box. One man, who came lives in two old cottages he knocked together, when he was renovating and knocked down a wall there in a little niche he found this tiny brown leather shoe from the late 1700's. It was exquisite workmanship, I thought it was too tiny to have been worn, except for a very young baby, but couldn't see a young baby wearing shoes. It could have been specially made or perhaps very young babies wore such shoes. There is a tradition of building a niche in walls and hiding a shoe in it for luck for the houses. People brought me old photographs to look at and copy, and one man even gave us some old local postcards to keep. Everyone said how enjoyable it was and I was interviewed for the Parish Council magazine LOL!

One man at the exhibition can read houses, by that I mean nothing psychic, he is a retired builder who has always dealt in renovations and he knows what property originally looked like, apparently there are clues in homes. I know from what he has told me before that upstairs my bathroom and one bedroom are a lot more modern built than the rest of the cottage and my dining room and kitchen used to be a single story with just my living room and morning room, where the stairs are having an upper floor, and my upstairs corridor is also a more modern division.

The man that reads houses made me think that I don't think I have ever mentioned the underground stream in my back garden. Before our next door neighbour's moved their son was talking to me about our two gardens, and he told me about when they were digging a trench to make a new bed and to build a wall that deep underneath the soil there is an underground stream, he said that it followed on in our garden. Where it followed on in our garden is on the shady side and it is where I plant my irises which always flourish and I know some types of Iris do like damp conditions.

I bought a pair of dowsing rods, this was about two years ago, and dowsed my garden with them. I was really excited when they started to cross where the underground stream was supposed to be and I could follow the crossing of them across the garden. Then my other half started to look at maps and eventually, with looking at maps and walking the land he found the tiny stream. It breaks away from the main beck and runs down the edge of a couple of fields in the open then after the last field it disappears into an open green space planted with trees oppposite some pensioners' bungalows, it then runs underground through our gardens and we even found where it joins up with the beck again. After it goes through about four gardens it goes under the road and across to where the bridge over the beck is. I find this absolutely fascinating.

One serious thing to think about. My other half showed this article he had been reading about mobile phone masts and honey bees. Apparently scientists think that the rays being emitted from these masts are confusing the navigational system of bees, who are becoming confused and unable to find their hives, also they are becoming confused in their collection of pollen. The article spoke to bee keepers who live beside these masts and they were losing colonies of bees. One man had lost eighty per cent of them. These masts are everywhere in the countryside. Please keep a watch out for bees, I know it is early in our part of England but I have not seen many bees, can we all watch throughout the summer and see if bees are as plentiful as usual or not.

If we lose the bees nature will be in a dreadful state and so will the human race, no one should under estimate the job bees do, they are our chief pollinators, plants will not exist without them. If these rays are affecting the bees, please just stop and think what are they doing to us? I think I might have mentioned in an earlier posting that I was having really bad sleep patterns, and was told to remove my mobile phone from the bedside table as it was too near my head and its rays could interfere with my brain's sleep pattern. I did that and since then, it may be co-incidental, but I have slept soundly. So many people seem to be at a low ebb at the moment it does make you wonder if some modern day appliances are causing some sort of energy waves that are detrimental to certain people.

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY......BUT DAISY STOLE SOME LOST HOURS

My favourite small bird the European Goldfinch. I love to watch them play on thistle heads in the common land at the back of my cottage.

This is turning out to be a really busy week with everything geared towards the Local History Exhibtion on Saturday. Naturally, the sunny weather has returned, so yesterday I downed tools regarding the exhibition to spend a few hours in my garden potting on some plants that I have been hardening off.

More birds from the family of finches, such colourful cheerful looking birds, flashes of pure colour as they fly by you.

I did something this year about plants that I will never do again, unless someone in England can recommend a better supplier. Last year I bought my plants from a garden centre and my children bought me some lovely perennials for Mother's Day from a supplier called Crocus. They were really good plants. This year I bought a few more perennials by post and then decided to buy my bedding plants that way, although they come as plug plants you seemed to get a good quantity of them. Once again my children said they would buy me some for Mother's Day, so with their order and me ordering as well the firm J. Parker's has had a substantial order from us.

The Blue tit, I love watching them crawl up the wall of my barn and swing from its gutters, such entertaining acrobats.

I have not been at all happy with the way the plants are arriving, obviously they send them out as they are ready, but this means they come in small dribs and drabs, my bigger complaint is the state of some of these plants. They come in plugs of 66, which as soon as I get I have been opening and potting on before putting their permanent homes. I am beginning to notice the plants that are slightly more mature and are sent out in slightly larger cases, such as the Geraniums and ground cover plants are all doing well, but I have lost half of my petunias, and nearly all my trailing geraniums. I am feeling very disgruntled about these as I not used to plants dying on me. I think I have learnt my lesson with bedding plants, back to the garden centre.


The Mistle or Missel Thrush, they are becoming rare in England, but not if you know where to find them. There is a beautiful one visits my garden.

After doing some gardening yesterday, I sat in the garden, watching the birds, there is a tremendous amount of bird activity at the moment. Just sitting in my garden chair, I watched different types of the tit and finch family, plus of course, common or garden sparrows, blackbirds and thrushes, including the beautiful mistle thrush, my crows, who don't wish to be photographed, plus the collared doves and wood pigeons. I counted eighteen varieties of bird life in one half hour. Whilst I was sitting there drinking a cup of coffee, Mr Heron flew over my garden and I was fascinated to see he was carrying quite a large fish in his claws, he must have been taking it home to the heronry. A Rook was chasing him as he had flown too near the rookery, though, the rook seemed to think he was chasing the heron, I could see Mr. Heron, was treating the rook with distain. The Heron is marvellous to watch, those great wings that seem to go so far without flapping, he is a silent flyer. Magic.!

The wonderful mystical Mr. Heron, to see him fly across an early moon at twilight is an uplifting magical experience.

All my other endeavours are now geared towards my exhibition, I have had a constant stream of visitors from outlying hamlets and villages, asking if the History Lady lives here, and dropping off old photographs and old documents. I am scanning and reprinting a lot of the old photographs, for two reasons, one I wouldn't like anything to happen to someone's personal belongings, and two, you can clean up the quality slightly of the photographs and make them clearer, the same goes for the documents. I have had other members distributing flyers but there is just me and someone assisting me, very ably, organising everything. The manpower of the group will be put to use early tomorrow morning when the display boards arrive and need to be assembled and the tables and chairs set out. I also have got a tea rota going, and have made ID badges for the actual Group so visitors will know the people to ask questions of. I hope the weather says good, because if people are going out for the day, they probably could pop into the exhibition first. Keep your fingers crossed that it is a success and think of me and my modest exhibition tomorrow.

This is a painting of Sir Philip Howard, of Corby Castle, sitting very elegantly surveying his land. Great Corby is one of our next villages and that is my local river that is the backdrop to the painting. The Howards did own most of our village at one time. You can see their coat of arms and insignia on some of the houses in the village.

I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS I WANT TO SHOOT THE WHOLE DAY DOWN - [courtesy of Boomtown Rats]

These are the stained glass panels in St Martin's church in Brampton, my nearest small market town. These images were designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, the Pre-Raphaelite artist.


Oh dear, that is exactly how I felt yesterday. I awoke to a gloomy grey day complete with drizzle of rain, too many deadlines looming in my head. I definitely got out of the wrong side of the bed and I grumped around growling to myself as I went downstairs to make the breakfast. Too wet for the garden and plants waiting patiently to be planted before they give up hope and wither. My energy levels were plummeting as the day got greyer. Ready to pick a fight with myself, and here was the final blow, I had stupidly let myself run out of a couple of household items I needed. No way, could I face going into the town, then inspiration struck, I would go the other way to my nearest little market town Brampton. Then another light bulb in my head lit up, I had been thinking that I needed to do a tour of the small surrounding villages before the Local History Exhibition on Saturday, to note the differences to the old photos, on a rainy day what better way to do it than to catch the twisty turning backwards and forwards country bus that takes over an hour to take me what normally takes ten minutes.

This is the Market Square in Brampton, looking towards the Moot Hall.

Off I went and caught the direct bus to Brampton, this would give me half and hour or so before having to catch the slow-mo bus back. Off I went to the Post Office, the Baker's and the lovely local Butcher's. Then there was just time to visit two charity shops and the local Moot Hall which is the tourist information centre. Luck was with me, I bought a beautiful foot high bluestoneware flagon, with a stopper cork and a wooden tap, which will look beautiful in my kitchen. Only £1 incredible. Inside the tourist information office was a sale of bargain books, selling wonderfully cheaply, just found time to purchase three of them before heading back to the bus stop.

This is looking from the Moot Hall down the other way towards St Martin's church.

The little bus turned up and I was the only passenger, these little buses only have six double seats on each side, a long back seat and a space at the front for pushchairs and parcels. I was already a bit more cheerful with my unexpected purchases. Well that was the most wonderful hour's journey, up and down hill, turns to the left then back out again turns to the right and back out again, almost doing complete circles from where we had started until I was set down just over one hour later two door away from my front door. I had seen pheasants a plenty, some strange type of wild geese, a crow and a bird of prey fighting, tiny lambs tottering around and some beautiful leggy foals in the fields with their mothers. Not to mention some wonderful old building and countryside. The blues had been blown away and the grumpiness shaken and rattled out of me by the twisty roads, and as a plus some locally made Cumberland Sausages to make a casserole with for dinner.

A close up of the Moot Hall, which is the tourist information centre.

Today I had to go into town, to the library to do some extra large photocopying for the exhibition on Saturday. On my way to the library I noticed that a new remainder bookshop had opened this week all books £2. What! I checked that out twice, in I went like pooh bear to a honey pot. Unbelievable books all at £2, I was spoilt for choice, I picked a wonderful book all about jade, another one quilting round the world and a beautiful book full of botanical illustrations through the ages. Some of these books had been over £30. Added a few fiction, rushed to the till and paid, and got out the shop pronto before I was tempted to buy more. I did manage ascertain that the shop will be there for six months, ummmm I'll definitely be back if books stay at that price and it was just not an opening offer.


I must show you this cute little woodland sprite I received from Lila of Indigo Pears as part of the ongoing Hello Dolly swap. She is called Fern and she is carefully carrying a nest of eggs. Isn't she just delicious?
St Martin's church Brampton

Dear Mrs Nesbitt, has tagged me with the following 40 questions, so here goes, deep breath and off I go:-

1. What is your occupation? My degree is in History, I don't want to sound stuffy and say I am a Historian, so perhaps, Researcher of Social History might be better. I can also complicate the matter by admitting I have a Dip AD in art and design as well.

2. What color are your socks right now? Bare feet.

3. What are you listening to right now? Chopin's Nocturnes, though I love a varied selection of music, especially old hippie stuff.

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Spring Vegetable Rolls

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Not quite sure what this means? Is it something to do with motorbikes?

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Purple Haze.

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My daughter, Sweetpea.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes, or I wouldn't be doing it.

9. How old are you today? About seven

10. Favorite drink? Wine, red, white or rose.

11. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hah you know about me and sport!

12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, I'm not a true blonde.

13. Pets? Always, cats

14. Favorite food? At the moment, celery,nut and apple salad.

15. What was the last movie you watched? Howard's End.

16. What was the last book you read? Spirits in the Wires Charles de Lint.

17. What do you do to vent anger? Growl!

18. What was your favourite toy as a child? My doll's house.

19. What is your favourite, fall or spring? Spring because after that it's Summer and I have my garden.

20. Hugs or kisses? Depends who's doing the giving.

The interior of St Martin's Church Brampton showing the stained glass in situ.


21. Cherries or blueberries? Cherries.

22. Do you want your friends to leave you comments? Well that's what blogs are about.

23. Who is the most likely to comment? My little circle of regulars.

24. Who is least likely to comment? These people that visit everyday and just lurk, please try saying hello. I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, I could list you!

25. Living arrangements? An empty nest just my other half and I.

26. When was the last time you cried? Monday, just felt overwhelmed, see above.

27. What's on the floor of your closet? Handbags, shoes and of course, books.

28. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Pam

29. What did you do last night? Mounted photographs and cut out printed captions for them.

30. Favorite smells? Vanilla and Floral smells such as jasmine, lotus or rose.

Another of the stained glass panels designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones.

31. What inspires you? The countryside and books.

32. What are you afraid of? Heights, mainly, I was terrified crossing the railway bridge in the wind at Thirsk and didn't want to sound a wimp by saying I was scared of heights. I won't even climb a ladder.

33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Don't like hamburgers.

34. Favourite dog breed? greyhounds.

35. Number of keys on your key ring? Never carry a key ring or keys, I have ways and means.

36. Number of years at current job? Doesn't work like that, it's sporadic.

37. Favourite day of the week? Sunday for chilling.

38. How many states/countries have you lived in? One country, two counties.

39. Favourite holidays? Where else but Cornwall.

40. Ever driven a Motorcycle or heavy machinery? I can just see my other half shaking his head and he is now bend double with laughter!

COME INTO THE GARDEN MAUDE

I have been busy over the last couple of weeks, sorting out maps, photographs, and writings about my village and its environs. This is because a week tomorrow, my Local History Group is having a drop in event at the local community hall. People can either bring any documents etc they would like to show us or just come and have a look at the display boards to see what we have found out so far. It's free and you get a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits, so we are hoping it will be a success. This gave me the idea that it would be nice to share with you some of the old photographs I have found and tell you all about them.

The first photograph above, is my very favourite, it is taken in the next village to us about 2miles away. The road leads down to the river and there used to be a ferry there that would take you across the river. What fascinates me about this photograph is the lady standing outside her rather impressive ivy covered house. She is wearing an amazingly large crinoline, and has obviously just come out to see what is going on, another member of the household leans out of an upstairs window to watch the photographer. I love the fact it is not a posed family photograph but just someone standing in the type of clothing they wore everyday. The photo just has 1870 on it. I am not sure if this is correct due to the size of the crinoline. I think it is either slightly earlier or prehaps, fashions took a long time to reach our neck of the woods.



This photograph shows the same view, except it is further down the road, and we have moved into Edwardian times. The river and the woods of this village, Wetheral, were a Sunday or day off destination for people in this area. You could walk in the woods or take a picnic by the side of the river. Children would be taken there with their pace eggs at Easter for a treat. It was also a popular spot with the middle classes and their Botanical Societies etc, searching for plant specimens in the woods.



This is the other end of that village, note the unmade road, today this is a busy tarmac road. It looks so idyllic with all the hedges and bushes, you could wander down that road in quite a daydream, not likely to be able to do that with the cars that go hurtling through today.



This is the Wheatsheaf Inn, it is at the top left on the previous photograph, just before the road bends, hidden by greenery. This is also an Edwardian photograph. The Wheatsheaf is still there today, though that is now a busy traffic bend in the road. I love the staff standing outside the door and the man on horseback watching the photo being taken. I wonder who he is?



This engraving is from 1837 showing the large railway bridge over the river. What a wonderful feat of engineering. The Victorians certainly could build. The railway station at Wetheral is still open and trains do stop there. I love crossing this river in a train, on a return journey, to me it is always a sign that I am nearly home. You can walk across the railway bridge, there is a fenced off pathway along side the railway track and this leads you into the village of Great Corby. This is where years ago the ferry from Wetheral used to take you across to.



This tinted photograph is of the next village after Wetheral, Heads Nook. These are Railway Villas, someone did tell me that they used to belong to the railway and managers and clerical workers from the railway lived in them. They are very substantially built properties. Alas, the railway station at Heads Nook is no longer open.



Yesterday and today, I have had a stream of small white boxes containing my summer bedding plants through the post. It is total chaos, I am finding it hard to understand why these boxes are coming through individually when I put one order in. Yes, I understand they send the plants off when ready, but it looks like a certain amount of them must have been ready at the same time, why not put them in one container. There are nicely and safely packaged, one problem, though. The small perennials little plastic homes are labelled with names of plants inside but the trays of 66 plug plants give no indication of variety! hummm! Well some I could recognise by leaf, although they are still small plants, I could see which were going to be geraniums and which were petunias but one or two at the moment it's anybodies guess what they will become.

It is still slightly early to plant outside, although the days are warm, we are still experiencing ground frost at night occasionally. So, my day has been spent sitting in the kitchen potting on, goodness knows how many small plants, I lost count. Suffice to say that every windowsill in the cottage has been taken over by trays of young plants. Never mind that will give them a good start and they can go outside at the end of the month. It's certainly kept me busy today, but I got them all potted on, mainly because I know there is still a batch of them to arrive. Fortitious as well that they came just as the moon began to wax again.

APRIL COME SHE WILL WHEN STREAMS ARE RIPE AND SWELLED WITH RAIN

April, above, in the words of Paul Simon. We have had a beautiful start to April, unseasonably warm sunny days without any wind, but still getting a strong frost at night. You really have to temper your planting of young plants, the warm days beguile you into thinking how much they will love to be planted out in the fresh air, then the cold night hits. I planted out some trailing verbena, which I have never tried before, yesterday and woke up this morning to see the frost on the grass. With heavy heart I made my way to the garden and looked, oh dear I thought I had lost them, but tonight after a good few hours soaking up the sunshine they look as though they have perked up. I do hope so, I must restrain from too much planting.



We have had wonderful Moons since the beginning of April, waxing, full and now waning, but brilliantly clear and a fantastic cool icy lemon colour, one night, in particular it had a wonderful hazy aura round it for part of the night. So four wonderful nights of sleep for me with the Moon shining in my bedroom window, and as Spring has arrived and the bedroom winter is open wider the night breeze was making the mirrored discs on my hanging window ornaments chase around the bedroom, a wonderful free light show. I love an ice cold bedroom, I usually have the radiator knocked off at night, and to be toasty and warm under a really thick duvet. It's the mixing of cold and hot, bliss, sort of like a sauna and cold plunges I suppose.



Speaking of the Moon, the photograph above is of the Moon Goddess doll that Robyn made for me as part of the Hello Dolly Swap. This is not a very good photo of it, and I will have to take some proper ones, but at least you can see it. She is all white with golden eyes and some glittery moon net. Her hands are above her head holding up a Full Moon. She is adorned with objects with meaning in moonlore. In her little bag she carries a silver coin, crystals and precious stones. She also carries a little scroll telling lots of things that are connected to the Moon, such as colours, herbs, flowers jewels etc. I just love her, she obviously sits in my bedroom window with my moonstones at Full Moon. Thank you Robyn.



Does anyone else smudge, or clear their house with incense. I am a great believer in it. I usually get my special incense from a little shop that does postal order in Glastonbury. They do two lovely ones, one for house protection and one for clearing away bad energy. Sometimes I think if unhappy things have been happening or you have a lot of unhappiness or sorrow it can cling to the atomsphere of the house sort of multiplying until you are caught in a spiral of unhappiness that, for want of a better word, 'feeds' upon the negativity creating more of the same. To get rid of it you need to open all the windows, light the incense in every room or alternatively go through the rooms with a smudge stick letting the bad vibes fly out through the window. Try doing this and at the same time thinking a happy thought or singing a happy song even. Spring, even if your house doesn't feel negative, is a great time to clear the house for the year like this. Sort of like mental, or mind spring cleaning.



I have been running my Local History Group tonight and I am pleased to report that it really is going from strength to strength, the idea of an illustrated lecture with a speaker one month and a meeting to discuss items the next seems to be bringing people in. Every time I learn something I didn't know, and someone usually tells me a snippet of history of the village history. We are having an open day at the end of the month, where people can come and see us informally, they can look at what we have researched and found and bring items to show us that could be of interest. It's free and there are coffee and biscuits, so I'm sure people will pop in and out.

Time now to start relaxing for Easter, forget about sorting, serious gardening, housework, just have an indulgent few days doing whatever takes my fancy, I mean if that happens to be gardening thats fine. Really though, I have got a pile of books that are just about tippling over that are waiting to be read, I really could do with sitting in the garden reading and whittling that pile down a bit.

A HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL AND DON'T EAT TOO MUCH CHOCOLATE. WELL GO ON THEN YOU CAN IT IS EASTER!

TREEHUGGER

I’ll come right out and say it, I am a tree hugger, there is nothing like throwing your arms round a tree or pressing your face gently against the bark and inhaling the wonderful smell of it. In Autumn you can feel the tree quietly preparing for its winter sleep and in Spring you can share the exhilaration of the juicy and zesty sap.

My daughter once told me that my son and her were talking about their names, luckily both are satisfied with them, but my son pointed out to her that they were lucky to have regular names, saying you know what Mum and Dad were like, we could have ended up Treehugger and Starshine. Sometimes to tease, I call this giant over six foot, hulking man Treehugger and visualise him hugging a tree.



My favourite tree of all is the Silver Birch, there is one just outside my back garden on the piece of common land, I love to watch the leaves appear in the spring and the wind rustling through its leaves on a Summer’s day. It bows and sweeps its leaves so majestically like a fine lady dancing a very intricate medieval court dance. In fact, another name in mythology for the Silver Birch is Lady of the Woods, which I think just fits exactly. The Silver Birch protects from evil and a broom made of birch twigs will sweep negative forces from your house. A few birch twigs in a vase at your door will invite healing spirits into your house. It also is a useful tree to take a tiny twig of in your pocket as another aspect is protection whilst on a journey.



The Silver Birch also represents and works with the Moon. Once every so often I am lucky enough to be able to watch the full moon through or over the branches of the Silver birch tree. Adjacent to the silver birch is a rown tree which compliments the silver birch, I feel so lucky to have both so near to me.



The Fungus Fly Agaric [other wise known as the Magic Mushroom] has a symbiotiac relationship with the silver birch as it merges with the roots of the tree and help it to absorb minerals in exchange for sugars from the tree. This is the mushroom beloved of illustrators of fairy stories from which we usually see fairies peering round or sitting on top of. I must admit I have never seen any of these around my Silver Birch, though I have been told it is only about ten years old, I have noticed how much it has grown in the time we have lived in the cottage, they are very fast growing trees.



This young man, my son, is 29 years old today. Wasn't he a sweetie? [Sorry mummyitis!] He looks as good as gold, as though he could never get into mischief, sitting on the chair with the statue he won for playing cricket. How deceptive a photograph can be, he was a cheeky cheerful little boy, that people would forgive anything, his fun and cheekiness were never malicious just natural boyish fun. He is still full of fun and can always make me laugh with his hilarious comments and stories. He will be spending his birthday evening DJing at a local club. Happy Birthday TREEHUGGER! [It could have been your name couldn't it?]

So this is my lazy weekend, I am just taking a break from being lazy by getting this posting done. We intend to settle in tonight to watch a dvd, have a drink or two and maybe even some chocolates. After the house returns to just the two of us tomorrow afternoon, I am going to pack up, ready to post, any projects that need to be sent and sort out some bits and pieces to do with admin for Daisy Lupin Designs, then another slothful evening ready for a good full week of creating.



As some of you probably know from Kai's blog, the first international meeting of the GPS will take place in Yorkshire, whilst Kai is in England. I am travelling over from Cumbria and Mrs Nesbitt is travelling from Whitby and we are meeting in Thirsk. Do you think the world can stand this moment? So if on 19th March you feel a jolt or suddenly for a few seconds that time stops, a sort of hiccup in time, it could be the four [Kai is bringing her sister] of us meeting each other. We will be sending out some pretty poweful vibes, maybe a good time to try and heal the Earth.
Will we recogise each other? What will we sound like to each other? Should we sprinkle glitter all over ourselves so we know each other? This is a very exciting occasion, and I hope the first of many for meeting my friends from cyberspace.

The other event I have been involved in since I last posted was an open meeting of my Local History Group for which I had engaged a speaker to give an illustrated slide show on our village and its immediate surroundings. It was a fascinating talk, and I think even people who have lived here all their lives found at least one new fact about our village. I was especially pleased as despite it being a cold night sixty three people turned up for this evening event. I am so glad that people are showing so much interest.

INSPIRATION EXPLOSION

By nine thirty this morning I was on planet bliss, why? I have just received through the post some issues of Cloth Paper Scissors. At last I have found somewhere in the UK that will send me this magazine. I ordered the current issue and the previous issue. I have been sitting with a cup of coffee, turning over the pages, colours and forms whirling round in my brain, I haven't even began to read the text yet. I just can't get enough of the images. You don't know how lucky you are you gals over the pond to be able to have magazines of this calibre. We have nothing like it, just twee card making magazines which usually are just step by step instructions to making, not juicy inspiring journals such as this. I have now ordered a Stampington magazine, but there are many others listed, unfortunately, I can't buy them all, but I would be grateful if any of you have any recommendations for favourites. I did not believe magazines could be so inspiring.




On Wednesday, I had a lovely surprise when I received a piece of Guerilla Art from Mis Judie Macawhead, [see above], it certainly made my day, which I knew was going to be a very stressful one. This piece of work with its delicious cats is now framed and hanging above my work desk, where it makes me smile each time I look up at it. The envelope made me chuckle too, there was a fairy with a magnifying glass flying over a map of Cumbria looking for me, collaged on it. Delightful! Thank you Judie.


Wednesday was a stressful day as out of the blue I received a phone call saying there was a flat in shetlered accommodation about to become available for my Mum if she wanted it. I had to go and view it that morning, the occupant is in the middle of moving to be nearer her children so the flat was half empty. I thought it looked fine, said so, so when the lady hands in her keys, my mother must view it and then sign the tenancy agreement. I then had to go to see my Mum and explain about the flat, that took four hours of exhausting talk. She does want to move, but she, naturally enough, lives life in the slow lane and the speed of all this has left her somewhat confused, she is no longer good at making sudden decisions and becomes very indecisive. I have told her many times that when she eventually found new accommdation everything would happen with great speed. I would imagine she will be in there within six weeks. So everything is about to become very very hectic indeed.




When I arrived home that night, the stress was already telling on me, I sank into a chair still in my outdoor coat and just burst into tears, for no reason I could think of. Luckily husband was on hand to make me a soothing drink, coffee my favourite way, light my candles and incense and let me slowly chill out. I must remember in all the sorting etc that will be happening in the next few weeks to keep some small spaces of time for metime, when I can relax and indulge in pleasant things.

So, all small plans I had for rejigging rooms of my cottage, have taken on a larger frame with my Mum moving as the plan works like this. Four lists, one for items, my Mum is taking with her, the second for items to be stored in the interim in my barn, the third for items I am lucky enough to be inheriting from her and the fourth charity shop items or complete throw away items. This sounds organised but believe me it is mammoth, a whole lifetime's accumulations to be gone through. My cupboards, niches and storage space must be emptied to enable them to be repacked with extra boxes. I see a shoppping expedition for vacuum storage packages to enable more storage, plastic storage boxes etc. Once I get the word the flat is empty I am going to have a seriously frantic few weeks.



It was my Local History Group meeting last night, I am so glad I started this group, I love to hear the members of varying ages talk about how the village used to be. I am organising a summer schedule of illustrated talks from various local historians, to which anyone in the village can attend for the princely sum of £1, I just want enough to pay for the hall hire and the speaker, it is not a profit making group.

We have also decided to have what I call a Show and Tell, one Saturday morning after Easter. This is where we put up photos past and present of the village, newspaper cuttings about it, maps, and various bits and pieces, people can pop in to look at these and also bring any photographs, house deeds, clippings, artifacts, even memories to show us. We have a strong basic group but the feedback I am getting is that there are many more people out there that are interested in the group but do not want to committ to joining yet, so lectures and the Show and Tell are the ideal way of reaching them. I had someone in to give a lecture in November and it was a great success.




Also when the Spring arrives, we are going to do a group walk around the village and the parish churches nosing about here and there and taking photos. I think people become so used to their surroundings and think they are familiar with them, but to walk around looking at details in a group will give them a fresh appreciation of the village.

This posting was slightly longer but, thank you Mr. B***** Blogger, for somehow managing to lose a saved draft in cyberspace, I have had to write it all again