tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80566141991553178802024-03-17T12:50:37.102+00:00A Cotswold Poetacotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-90216088843502549712024-03-17T12:48:00.001+00:002024-03-17T12:50:03.903+00:00The Mind Cupboard<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspcCucB4CKwzWLXw1Vy1-fTblvREUh_lyUtA0sfgwcHP2s3mmr8wFptVz7sIJXI04coxaWEU5JC_zIADJyD47rtjnepD2h4wj38u6lIxMuF3IrRdPxZMsHOaU3SHG3SgXEktkRez0WCD_IRZDj_DUfJkB5_guBzwx1pIM0heH7susGWgCrkgVODQAA7U/s148/wasps%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="148" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspcCucB4CKwzWLXw1Vy1-fTblvREUh_lyUtA0sfgwcHP2s3mmr8wFptVz7sIJXI04coxaWEU5JC_zIADJyD47rtjnepD2h4wj38u6lIxMuF3IrRdPxZMsHOaU3SHG3SgXEktkRez0WCD_IRZDj_DUfJkB5_guBzwx1pIM0heH7susGWgCrkgVODQAA7U/s1600/wasps%201.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvYEOWss9rwJVyrN-P995v5JhH8jXPl2x8PrsRnaWOTrXizCAoSa1cBmZVBhsWBEZwjbVowtsw7bhF9LHSdPAKdqTO0ozJkIxiqUV8QpfV0JobykruanbL5XF2PTnfCAEaqFKqTE6N0qOTdyayGowZG4opZZcyxshSJSR-_7B1m4XKHGXqcE4RST1OU4/s219/wasps%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="219" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvYEOWss9rwJVyrN-P995v5JhH8jXPl2x8PrsRnaWOTrXizCAoSa1cBmZVBhsWBEZwjbVowtsw7bhF9LHSdPAKdqTO0ozJkIxiqUV8QpfV0JobykruanbL5XF2PTnfCAEaqFKqTE6N0qOTdyayGowZG4opZZcyxshSJSR-_7B1m4XKHGXqcE4RST1OU4/s1600/wasps%202.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzbX1CK-LrtlvrzwywjtfsPY4rrRE73E3MLpkABXLmklDS8FfCow6_N54-ibij3QDWI6jYYzVwVqL3G6J9pfKQcJtszEhi7wRI87VP5oMM1G-CinfCEubiv5RbklWKIyYCw8MwfqmDuFbF5DiTZnXqJYeCbBv3oqygcPrGYAM2OelWgTBr3xR_I8x6Ok/s267/wasps%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="267" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzbX1CK-LrtlvrzwywjtfsPY4rrRE73E3MLpkABXLmklDS8FfCow6_N54-ibij3QDWI6jYYzVwVqL3G6J9pfKQcJtszEhi7wRI87VP5oMM1G-CinfCEubiv5RbklWKIyYCw8MwfqmDuFbF5DiTZnXqJYeCbBv3oqygcPrGYAM2OelWgTBr3xR_I8x6Ok/s1600/wasps%203.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><p> Wasps<br /> </p><p> Dear Reader,</p><p>I am a little puzzled by last week's reaction to my blog. For instance over 2,000 hits have been recorded from Hong Kong. Thinking about it I can only assume that it was the poem : 'The Mind Cupboard' that attracted people, perhaps painting a picture of something they could relate to. So I have put it on again this week so anyone who didn't read it last week will now have a chance to see it. There is some reference to wasps in it and I thought I would learn something about them for myself and for the blog. </p><p>Wasps play a vital role as predators controlling the number of potential pests like greenfly and many caterpillars and protecting our crops and our gardens. But wasps are also now increasingly understood to be valuable pollinators, transferring pollen as they visit flowers to drink nectar.h</p><p>It seems that they don't live long. Adult worker wasps can live between 12-22 days while the queen will survive for the entire year until the cold causes the colony to die off. The common wasp is found throughout the UK in almost all habitats, including woodland and urban areas. </p><p>Unlike a bee, which can only sting once, the European wasp can sting repeatedly. Around one in 10 people who are stung two or more times become allergic, which means they will experience severe reactions to any subsequent stings. Wasps can become territorial if they feel their nests are threatened or when availability of food is low but most of them are not aggressive.</p><p> *</p><p><b>From John Ruskin March 19th 1807 in Surrey</b></p><p>'Desperately cold, with huge-flaked snow. The worst of January, November and March all in one.'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Richard Hayes March 21st 1762 in Kent</b></p><p>'This day I saw a yellow butterfly.....My rooks, by the cold weather and snows, did not begin building till last Sunday (14th).'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Gilbert White March 21st 1775 in Hampshire</b></p><p>'Earthworms lie out, and copulate.'</p><p> </p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth March 21st 1798 in Somerse</b>t</p><p>'We drank tea at Coleridge's. A quiet shower of snow was in the air during more than half our walk.'w</p><p> </p><p> * </p><p>
</p><address><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></b></address><address><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></b></address><address><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></b></address><address><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">The Mind Cupboard</span></span></b></address>
<address><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></b></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> My mind cupboard
overflows</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with unwanted debris.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">It needs a spring
clean.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will brush away the
cobwebs</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">of cheerless
thoughts.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Scrub out the stains
of childhood.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will replace the
brass hooks</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">corroded with salt
tears,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">empty all the screams</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">hoarded through the
years.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will replace the
accumulated ashes</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">from the worn
shelf-paper,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with virgin tissue.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will chase and
catch the wasps,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">relieve them of their
stings.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will refill this
cupboard</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with love, and
learnt, brighter things.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With best wishes, Patricia</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1342208091 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}address
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"z-Top of Form";
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
font-style:normal;}span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
mso-ansi-font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
display:none;
mso-hide:all;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><br /></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-87556061867698182322024-03-09T13:01:00.000+00:002024-03-09T13:01:16.432+00:00The Mind Cupboard<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCFu3e-cKiVjgAQmNiIroQzTU4EY8aNVnA8uyQaG1nv43wS83eHRVEswW0z0uVXjbNGr8emfVYF8oqAiMZRxl-uFAiZxcEeM1B_ZGj4nfQcgm1EiME0_32KY3MAh0SVBJ4nDAC9h0E5WGYv3pJJkgLarYTpYHUdxnBzrKaw-TMopIr9S9Pll5EpsUASk/s286/robin%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="286" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCFu3e-cKiVjgAQmNiIroQzTU4EY8aNVnA8uyQaG1nv43wS83eHRVEswW0z0uVXjbNGr8emfVYF8oqAiMZRxl-uFAiZxcEeM1B_ZGj4nfQcgm1EiME0_32KY3MAh0SVBJ4nDAC9h0E5WGYv3pJJkgLarYTpYHUdxnBzrKaw-TMopIr9S9Pll5EpsUASk/s1600/robin%201.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_qGuVrQp0EpD1lTNMaIc60gLcQs3fLCaETrbqUWTurr-chyc_Td_5TEwB4DkvMW0cIaus1NR_xeyNzu3rTY_e8eQ0-kzv8lLD0a7o1SCUeURInmjSyIiIDes7FoxFZvSfa2BO1z0z5yTMnLgliUnMdhyXmbCo5_765ncxRItrWh9CyCEgFObeebUo10/s259/robin%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_qGuVrQp0EpD1lTNMaIc60gLcQs3fLCaETrbqUWTurr-chyc_Td_5TEwB4DkvMW0cIaus1NR_xeyNzu3rTY_e8eQ0-kzv8lLD0a7o1SCUeURInmjSyIiIDes7FoxFZvSfa2BO1z0z5yTMnLgliUnMdhyXmbCo5_765ncxRItrWh9CyCEgFObeebUo10/s1600/robin%206.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoNOnd0hqVgKg4k1-72QWQmMBCUIE37-UchNnKnnaQmYfKURo-C3C3j1ufjExIPGExpLppY3nb4n0lQObTMjnJ2JbfQ8-1-eSx8b9fFENRvbs-tVQtGiuUwbgT4g2WshAINLAY4hdzYoOyqkBDY0gSszwZXFk86-tY_vsMM2VLb2icPJNYtUuDkfSPbw/s259/robin5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoNOnd0hqVgKg4k1-72QWQmMBCUIE37-UchNnKnnaQmYfKURo-C3C3j1ufjExIPGExpLppY3nb4n0lQObTMjnJ2JbfQ8-1-eSx8b9fFENRvbs-tVQtGiuUwbgT4g2WshAINLAY4hdzYoOyqkBDY0gSszwZXFk86-tY_vsMM2VLb2icPJNYtUuDkfSPbw/s1600/robin5.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /> Dear Reader,<p></p><p>I saw a beautiful robin yesterday in the garden and I felt overjoyed as I haven't seen one since Christmas. He was so sweet, looking around in such a cheerful manner, his bright little eyes sparkling. I have looked up about a robin's story and this is what I have found.</p><p>The tale goes that the robin felt Christ's agony during the Crucifixion and went to pull out a thorn from His brow. One version says that some of Christ's blood fell upon the birds breast, while another version says that the bird was wounded, both versions agree that the robin was blessed for the act of heroism. </p><p>Male and female robins look identical, young birds have no red breasts and are spotted with golden brown.They sing nearly all the year round and despite their pretty appearance, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. They will sing at night next to street lights.</p><p>A robin sighting may let you know that is time to let go of things that are holding you back, find inspiration in your life, find your creative side, and show it to the world.</p><p>For centuries this tiny bird has been the symbol of good luck, happiness, rebirth and sometimes even as a messenger for lost love ones. Robins defend their territory all the year round for breeding and feeding, they will fight to the death to protect their territory from other robins.</p><p><br /></p><p> *<br /></p><p> <b>From Richard Hayes March 9th 1766 in Kent</b></p><p><br /></p><p>'Very pleasant sunny warm day. My rooks for the week past have been very busy a building. And the butterflies have turned out. Crocuses and spring flowers appear. I now look upon this to be the pleasantest time of the year.'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert March 19th in Radnorshire</b></p><p>'The sun was almost overpowering. Heavy black clouds drove up and rolled round the sky without veiling the hot sunshine, black clouds with white edges they were, looking suspiciously like thunder clouds. Against these black clouds the sunshine showed the faint delicate green and pink of the trees thickening with bursting buds.'<br /></p><p> *</p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"><b>The Mind Cupboard</b></span></p>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"><span style="font-size: small;">My mind cupboard
overflows</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with unwanted debris.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">It needs a spring
clean.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will brush away the
cobwebs</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">of cheerless
thoughts.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Scrub out the stains
of childhood.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will replace the
brass hooks</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">corroded with salt
tears,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">empty all the screams</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">hoarded through the
years.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will replace the
accumulated ashes</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">from the worn
shelf-paper,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with virgin tissue.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will chase and
catch the wasps,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">relieve them of their
stings.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I will refill this
cupboard</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with love, and
learnt, brighter things.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *<br /></span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1342208091 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}address
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"z-Top of Form";
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
font-style:normal;}span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
mso-ansi-font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
display:none;
mso-hide:all;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-81103323026997814182024-03-03T13:02:00.004+00:002024-03-03T13:06:46.517+00:00Friendship <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBio2RcA_EOM-E0d9_BWekKB8kZYms9mYQYemSViNeWPQA5WA5GJ4P08COhw-xZDG57xhCW2gOPnMXR6lJFDgPXk0P4nwPitdcpQL8nsLwuzIRLcqIyxFwhbeCCHJHWbXi4Cd4MKXUBSpFHA5tspgmm2xybuCCeu1obxd6494g7ehexmhVg4Bp5LugeXA/s275/spring%20garden%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBio2RcA_EOM-E0d9_BWekKB8kZYms9mYQYemSViNeWPQA5WA5GJ4P08COhw-xZDG57xhCW2gOPnMXR6lJFDgPXk0P4nwPitdcpQL8nsLwuzIRLcqIyxFwhbeCCHJHWbXi4Cd4MKXUBSpFHA5tspgmm2xybuCCeu1obxd6494g7ehexmhVg4Bp5LugeXA/s1600/spring%20garden%203.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyIiIPFbvaSIk3QAvff8bPoxi0Esx4rDqVCpiAqZMQB3mqaPZfIRppVGMO44Ds8W_QrkUuyE9nlCyBFO6mrFqlOz_-K6P0d3N7H0tOLEWjdk7J_auCYCthGMMrS_7OHHQPnmC-vBQoY9F1zQ976Xhv6dpjJPuSCcjIQ1u_-lvrQrLbhbdvuOnLNq5no0/s282/spring%20garden%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="179" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyIiIPFbvaSIk3QAvff8bPoxi0Esx4rDqVCpiAqZMQB3mqaPZfIRppVGMO44Ds8W_QrkUuyE9nlCyBFO6mrFqlOz_-K6P0d3N7H0tOLEWjdk7J_auCYCthGMMrS_7OHHQPnmC-vBQoY9F1zQ976Xhv6dpjJPuSCcjIQ1u_-lvrQrLbhbdvuOnLNq5no0/s1600/spring%20garden%204.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_ZQ2tJckoyC8vcbnqZPCuCLdRHHB-E9On_kiburq6u4rGTqZjxx8eHkyxiwfogLHH23cnY4nlP0n_vydIhyphenhyphen8NIpYex-tT7pXOeT-iuqgsVVqF4VOxAeYdLnnc16W03I4QCSbX-XqSWrC9pcSdAyzGREVfj9iIdoF-hHxx2Gn1s0z-SqSLGqEw4JhiHs/s262/spring%20garden%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="262" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_ZQ2tJckoyC8vcbnqZPCuCLdRHHB-E9On_kiburq6u4rGTqZjxx8eHkyxiwfogLHH23cnY4nlP0n_vydIhyphenhyphen8NIpYex-tT7pXOeT-iuqgsVVqF4VOxAeYdLnnc16W03I4QCSbX-XqSWrC9pcSdAyzGREVfj9iIdoF-hHxx2Gn1s0z-SqSLGqEw4JhiHs/s1600/spring%20garden%205.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYhrVETqvGRBqdkYk2auvM8i6RuxZHfbEx7xntvhhcCSRaJ6aGxyK3L0A5OK0Ok-v9zwymlZHoCQV6WiFcTCsmWOXOJ03HIa_FgRmRG1UTSkKhlqi0vLSkbdDXnKlNTVMFVI42L4aorvJ1beKf_1nnHgOgTCfnG3KrPCz3p6wiWErtqYojjsTnGRe67Q/s275/spring%20garden%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYhrVETqvGRBqdkYk2auvM8i6RuxZHfbEx7xntvhhcCSRaJ6aGxyK3L0A5OK0Ok-v9zwymlZHoCQV6WiFcTCsmWOXOJ03HIa_FgRmRG1UTSkKhlqi0vLSkbdDXnKlNTVMFVI42L4aorvJ1beKf_1nnHgOgTCfnG3KrPCz3p6wiWErtqYojjsTnGRe67Q/s1600/spring%20garden%206.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHFK_aWte778OOY-JZgUSH_ndzjFtVKNy38-QyvRj2Ikhvh8wgzgTTVXExs-_gjONgPQrZ8lcqTJ82xYNHyPQZPjhvRtDwZq5PJnmoYGV2nY2WKzovdddkPDRTpdoTn5bw20c1kHU2i2dbvXV3a6WAx-Bk0ANEy25piNX55eDsasmdELDp5mr6skh-oQ/s282/spring%20garden%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="282" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHFK_aWte778OOY-JZgUSH_ndzjFtVKNy38-QyvRj2Ikhvh8wgzgTTVXExs-_gjONgPQrZ8lcqTJ82xYNHyPQZPjhvRtDwZq5PJnmoYGV2nY2WKzovdddkPDRTpdoTn5bw20c1kHU2i2dbvXV3a6WAx-Bk0ANEy25piNX55eDsasmdELDp5mr6skh-oQ/s1600/spring%20garden%207.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><p> Spring Gardens<br /> </p><p> </p><p>Dear reader,</p><p></p><p>I was thinking about friendship this week. When I went to live in Oxford in the early eighties, divorced, and living on my own I became friends with Katie Fforde, the well known novelist. We met at a Writers Week for those of us who wanted to become writers. It was residential and I shared a room with Katie. Obviously we talked about our ambitions and our life and from then on she was a good friend to me.</p><p>She told me she was going to be a writer of novels, that stories poured into her head and that is what she wanted to do with her life, write them down. Incidentally Katie was married with three children and a devoted and loving husband. I was trying my hand at poetry and since then I think I could say that I am a poet certainly not a novelist although I have written an autobiography: "Half a Pair of People". Do try it if you want something to laugh at in this rather miserable time of year. It is on Amazon.<br /></p><p>Over the ensuing years Katie did indeed become a well known novelist and sadly I lost touch with her, got married again and lived a rather reclusive life. But I spent a few weeks in hospital during 2019 and sent out for a few of her books to read. Her books are so delightful and I knew they would cheer me up. Well two weeks ago I saw she had written another novel and I sent for it. It was just as joyful as all the others I have read. </p><p>So I found her name on the internet and wrote to her. We have been emailing each other ever since, there is so much to reminisce about especially to tell her how much I loved her mother, Barbara. It has been a wonderful experience finding her again and would urge anyone reading this who has lost touch with an old friend to try and make contact. Lots of memories come up that you thought you had lost and can now share with the friend which is interesting and lots of fun. The old saying that there is nothing like old friends is so true, so true.</p><p> *</p><p><b>From Gilbert White 1783 March 8th, in Hampshire</b></p><p>The crocuses make a gaudy appearance, and bees gather on them. The air is soft. Violets blow. snow lies under hedges. Men plow.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From D.H.Lawrence 1916 March 9th in Cornwall</b></p><p>This morning, the world was white with snow. This evening the sunset is yellow, the birds are whistling, the gorse bushed are bristling with little winged suns....The new incoming days seem most wonderful, uncreated.</p><p><br /></p><p> *<br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Friendship
renewed</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">And there
she was</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">my friend
of many years ago</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a little
changed perhaps</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">did I see a
white hair</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">but it was
her alright</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the same
sweet smile</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the elegant
clothes</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the suede
boots</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">we spoke</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">tears
overtook me </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">we had aged
of course </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">but our
friendship revived</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">my heart
overflowing with</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">such an
intense feeling</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">of long-lost
love</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">long-lost affection</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">truly</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a feeling
like no other for</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a precious
friendship</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-24329686939432225942024-02-25T13:16:00.000+00:002024-02-25T13:16:11.105+00:00The Stranger<p></p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv2ExgqAvswvzANAA2w90ss9ft2H_PvCC0FI748RnvM7QIBJnAh5f40t3np6yeP2VkX1_kTlKRrgD0d33aDGrZ6Gsp57gwzoHqGmiAFfT0UU-wlgsPqGZLWCcXFvGCiGoKRfNs7Wi3a2tuenxoDXGaOLvRmdSuQwY4AygqhRMmo_M1zSoZbP6ISTitXI/s612/stranger%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="612" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv2ExgqAvswvzANAA2w90ss9ft2H_PvCC0FI748RnvM7QIBJnAh5f40t3np6yeP2VkX1_kTlKRrgD0d33aDGrZ6Gsp57gwzoHqGmiAFfT0UU-wlgsPqGZLWCcXFvGCiGoKRfNs7Wi3a2tuenxoDXGaOLvRmdSuQwY4AygqhRMmo_M1zSoZbP6ISTitXI/s320/stranger%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The Stranger<br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0FRc8rWvt5zv6ySUEze4KeDvN-UZg1vHXpn6fBeLlwfRArzpk21YnKrJou5UjJ3m3TlCjl8LURnxfYhvyv8lRSx3yRhN7S76VK0yoz3TsXLX1T_dooEOf7O9XyiXP-ZWfMny7h53dxSwYazL19Jl_xFoctDcFD-xUXiXmwsVf3JzVvrf1kvM8mTI-AE/s210/kookaburra%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="210" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0FRc8rWvt5zv6ySUEze4KeDvN-UZg1vHXpn6fBeLlwfRArzpk21YnKrJou5UjJ3m3TlCjl8LURnxfYhvyv8lRSx3yRhN7S76VK0yoz3TsXLX1T_dooEOf7O9XyiXP-ZWfMny7h53dxSwYazL19Jl_xFoctDcFD-xUXiXmwsVf3JzVvrf1kvM8mTI-AE/s1600/kookaburra%201.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><p> Kookaburra</p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p><br /></p><p>A kookaburra has been spotted living wild in the Suffolk countryside. The bird which is a member of the kingfisher family, is native to Australia and is an unusual sight in the UK. Apparently it has been here for about nine years and has made itself at home.<br /></p><p>In favourable conditions kookaburras can live for more than 20 years and have the same partner for life. As small carnivores, kookaburras play an integral role in the ecosystem by controlling small animal populations.</p><p>The kookaburra holds significant cultural and mythological importance particularly in indigenous Australian traditions. Revered as a sacred and powerful creature the kookaburra is often associated with creation stories and spiritual beliefs.</p><p> *</p><p>The poem today I wrote having visited my mother in hospital. I noticed the woman in the next bed was very ill, dying in fact, and not a person attending her. I held her hand until someone came but I was very shocked and upset. Gosh I hope my family will be with me when my turn comes.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert February 24th 1870 in Radnorshhire</b></p><p>'The Black Mountains lighted up grandly, all the furrows and watercourses clear and brilliant. People coming home from market, birds singing, buds bursting, and the spring air full of beauty, life and hope.'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From D.H.Lawrence February 24th 1916 in Cornwall</b></p><p>'Just at present it is very cold. It has been blowing here also, and a bit of snow. Till now the weather has been so mild. Primroses and violets are out, and the gorse is lovely. At Zennor one infinite Atlantic, all peacock-mingled colours, and the gorse is sunshine itself, already. But this cold wind is deadly.'</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>
</p><address><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Stranger<br /></span></b></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Who are you,
stranger,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">alone in the hospital
bed,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">lips blue and
pinched,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">hands wrinkled and
red?</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">You are dying, I
know,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">although nothing was
said.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Who were you,
stranger,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">alone in the hospital
bed,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">hair now sparse and
silver,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">but then - was it
black, or chestnut, or red,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">did it grow in
abundance to halo your head?</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">You are dying, I
know,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">although nothing was
said.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Who loved you,
stranger,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">alone in the hospital
bed,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">now fighting for
breath - but then</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">did children embrace
you</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">whom once you had
fed?</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Did you have
husbands, or daughters, or sons,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">or did you have
lovers instead?</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">You are dying, I
know,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">although nothing was
said.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I love you, stranger,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">alone in the hospital
bed,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I’m here watching you
dying,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">and holding your
hand,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I see angels flying,
coming for you,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">my stranger, no
longer alone</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">in the hospital bed.</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1342208091 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}address
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"z-Top of Form";
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-style:normal;}span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
mso-ansi-font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
display:none;
mso-hide:all;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-33304952708826304192024-02-20T11:38:00.001+00:002024-02-20T11:38:32.234+00:00Navalny<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaio9M-HBwsHDdf8tbNJcb7sGddSGf-sQ-M1_AXrAa21vCLz_ZSdOVd3Q91ECadsngozsxZuyYFNS8_d1lGz9mh6prQ32aNbNAYRIBWKRgWMFHa5IRozlFIvUq4NGmGA-fu498aPIjupkoC-fYcdxJhDNtXUYxdoZYHnPG9heP8jjxyVtFAoAc5Qo1MJQ/s200/red%20roses%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="200" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaio9M-HBwsHDdf8tbNJcb7sGddSGf-sQ-M1_AXrAa21vCLz_ZSdOVd3Q91ECadsngozsxZuyYFNS8_d1lGz9mh6prQ32aNbNAYRIBWKRgWMFHa5IRozlFIvUq4NGmGA-fu498aPIjupkoC-fYcdxJhDNtXUYxdoZYHnPG9heP8jjxyVtFAoAc5Qo1MJQ/s1600/red%20roses%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Dear Reader,<p></p><p> A mid week offering</p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Navalny</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You
preached freedom</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">spoke of
unity</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">told the
people</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">of a better
future</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You loved
your country</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">despised
the rulers</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">their
cruelty and lies</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">imagined
peace</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">worked hard
to </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">change the
order</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">but it was
not to be</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">they finished
you</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">murdered
you Navalny</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">tortured
you</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">poisoned
you</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">and with
you went</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">hope and
freedom</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">With best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-13739362847528957002024-02-18T12:59:00.001+00:002024-02-18T13:00:15.940+00:00Of Different Stuff<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25XUqP7OvaCMVdOl5drqQUUirDY6KZu7le9cTpiWRaZj760F6Rap1nJ9gGh4XtULZT97twFaUrT7HJQj7ZWxEYTptWrsoyuy3FioVVEQcRGVSI2PRM0spSs5qXamp5CN2NI3d3qfdf3-8e97rjigrsYoWRyelzCSM5WH2UMOrLSe_e7QiPYQhxx0pScc/s1400/cherry%20plum%20tree%203.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="1400" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25XUqP7OvaCMVdOl5drqQUUirDY6KZu7le9cTpiWRaZj760F6Rap1nJ9gGh4XtULZT97twFaUrT7HJQj7ZWxEYTptWrsoyuy3FioVVEQcRGVSI2PRM0spSs5qXamp5CN2NI3d3qfdf3-8e97rjigrsYoWRyelzCSM5WH2UMOrLSe_e7QiPYQhxx0pScc/s320/cherry%20plum%20tree%203.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiV8bOzNRgSWXZW3abafk7Rvvqs9HzrTb0e2XIukIRYs8bKHrKvA0f2UzA1_lbYXlDyMy0fJoBUFSZwhezeDKDAdCoflb2G-bv5JtrjY553_ERy2i8W4PQ4JAHaPzirPwfaJweK1CpEonK4mt7YhqYRJ87_WZv4OzlWVsjyZoSqiTfCdTCXKOnkB1CSQ/s247/cherry%20plum%20tree%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="247" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiV8bOzNRgSWXZW3abafk7Rvvqs9HzrTb0e2XIukIRYs8bKHrKvA0f2UzA1_lbYXlDyMy0fJoBUFSZwhezeDKDAdCoflb2G-bv5JtrjY553_ERy2i8W4PQ4JAHaPzirPwfaJweK1CpEonK4mt7YhqYRJ87_WZv4OzlWVsjyZoSqiTfCdTCXKOnkB1CSQ/s1600/cherry%20plum%20tree%204.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAy0A0URzv54WWMz_rdtmrts3hkGONHYH2dEydKVl7-1QoOyfVIdp36jZKJW1n0OVpyBRe9Jp-zsLvlVKXKkdmPYPdC7Huvoo24hs7838r0ApayT3XZyH4Bm5oPKbF5J58_GhyphenhyphenGl4ROlc9YMQksxCegJaR56YI1v4LO-3LJOBB7A-jD6GeLXg05_sx6JE/s264/cherry%20plum%20tree%20blossom%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="264" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAy0A0URzv54WWMz_rdtmrts3hkGONHYH2dEydKVl7-1QoOyfVIdp36jZKJW1n0OVpyBRe9Jp-zsLvlVKXKkdmPYPdC7Huvoo24hs7838r0ApayT3XZyH4Bm5oPKbF5J58_GhyphenhyphenGl4ROlc9YMQksxCegJaR56YI1v4LO-3LJOBB7A-jD6GeLXg05_sx6JE/s1600/cherry%20plum%20tree%20blossom%201.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><p><br /> Dear reader,</p><p>Prunus cerasifera is a species of plum known by the common names cherry plum and myrobalan plum. It is native to Southeast Europe and Western Asia, and is naturalized in the British Isles and scattered locations in North America.</p><p>The cherry plum is a popular ornamental tree for gardens and landscaping use, grown for its very early flowering. Cultivated cherry plums can have fruits, foliage, and flowers in any of several colours. Some varieties have sweet fruits that can be eaten fresh, while others are sour and better for making jam. It is a popular tree in Romania where its fruits are used for souring soups when immature, for eating raw when ripened and for making moonshine when over ripe because of their high sugar content.</p><p>There is one I can see from my sitting room window in someone else's garden and lovely it is too. I really feel that spring is unfolding, with daffodils and snowdrops in the flower beds. And crocuses on the lawn.</p><p> </p><p><b> *<br /></b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth February 14th 1798 in Somerset</b></p><p>Gathered sticks with William in the wood, he being unwell and not able to go further. The young birch trees of a bright red, through which gleams a shade of purple. Sat down in a thick part of the wood. The near trees still, ever to their topmost boughs, but a perpetual motion in those that skirt the wood. The breeze rose gently; its path distinctly marked, till it came to the very spot where we were. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Gilbert White February 18th 1786 in Hampshire</b></p><p>Pleasant season: paths dry. Men plough and sow. Large titmouse sings his three notes.</p><p> </p><p><b>From James Woodforde February 18th 1795 in Norfolk</b></p><p>Very hard frost with strong easterly winds, a black frost.....Had a fire again in my bedchamber to-night.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Of Different Stuff</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> The ATS, the WAAFS, the WRENS,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">rode in battleships,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">flew spitfires and mosquitoes,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">decoded enemy messages</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">nursed the wounded.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">They tilled the land</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">drove tractors, fed the pigs,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">birthed the lambs,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">rose with the dawn, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">went to bed late</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">exhausted and often hungry.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">They walked alone in London </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">late at night</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">in the dark and dangerous streets,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">they slept in freezing dormitories</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">shared a lavatory and basin</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">with twenty others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">These women were made </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">of different stuff.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">They were fearless,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>they were brave.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I am ashamed at my fearfulness</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">in the peace they fought for us,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">gave us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I am made, sadly, of different stuff.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><sup> *</sup></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><sup><br /></sup></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><sup>With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></sup></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:"MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-alt:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"\@MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><br /></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-63795136221597413062024-02-11T12:25:00.001+00:002024-02-11T12:25:56.753+00:00Revelation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZq2vt_2u7jXrpHCjyLCASRGP7coauDOc_JnZ-2z_sEtmpMOv7zE5xbzylUFq6iRgI_h3y6sOPIMt8lLnyWIrHbQyTg1SoxXLjh89oWjCgp8lyj48IIeqFp1AJGPMsAdsgELec68buAe9v7b2zzewj2UprqA8fryRyF74-aWSExIA2-GKbDpGHEnhikRo/s180/grave%20of%20Lewis%20Carroll%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="180" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZq2vt_2u7jXrpHCjyLCASRGP7coauDOc_JnZ-2z_sEtmpMOv7zE5xbzylUFq6iRgI_h3y6sOPIMt8lLnyWIrHbQyTg1SoxXLjh89oWjCgp8lyj48IIeqFp1AJGPMsAdsgELec68buAe9v7b2zzewj2UprqA8fryRyF74-aWSExIA2-GKbDpGHEnhikRo/s1600/grave%20of%20Lewis%20Carroll%201.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCT9ZQb0BJxhLrfUGR79phLdUHSDh07R73umW_ejtPa5Z6eS1_JHWH5scLpRl1PPtXJWoZMhxkXlDFSvac2R3CsmoVWRWoNgQTdHk22Qulc2dJWOrGNVt0nneUPhGWSFULXP6O_Jxll6-dhSZLXRchMyufqZma19VsjPjNvbpSVp3WGm1QYbbm2QiRqo/s205/old%20man%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="205" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCT9ZQb0BJxhLrfUGR79phLdUHSDh07R73umW_ejtPa5Z6eS1_JHWH5scLpRl1PPtXJWoZMhxkXlDFSvac2R3CsmoVWRWoNgQTdHk22Qulc2dJWOrGNVt0nneUPhGWSFULXP6O_Jxll6-dhSZLXRchMyufqZma19VsjPjNvbpSVp3WGm1QYbbm2QiRqo/s1600/old%20man%202.jpg" width="205" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSH2rUXoUc_4iHNGw-1fLMZHN4n8IqFy27wgIyPYpHwTY71-kfWemrbouuqOAVCepv9IesPl5wEx9Cr5QQZsR8K2vdxZbzH9JHWfwgP6XwHes7ywDfuzaeCwakqadD9orTyJzSo-xopOJn9Ri3iz8onQ3zBnVR0dXN2u_9fOedG6LotVxN3gjV-8PLaoE/s612/old%20man%20standing%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="444" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSH2rUXoUc_4iHNGw-1fLMZHN4n8IqFy27wgIyPYpHwTY71-kfWemrbouuqOAVCepv9IesPl5wEx9Cr5QQZsR8K2vdxZbzH9JHWfwgP6XwHes7ywDfuzaeCwakqadD9orTyJzSo-xopOJn9Ri3iz8onQ3zBnVR0dXN2u_9fOedG6LotVxN3gjV-8PLaoE/s320/old%20man%20standing%202.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><br /></div><br /> Dear Reader,<p></p><p>You are old, Father William,' the young man said<br />'And your hair has become very white;<br />and yet you incessantly stand on your head -<br />Do you think, at your age, it is right?'</p><p><b>Lewis Carroll 1832 - 1898</b><br /></p><p>Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll. He was an English author, poet, mathematician and photographer. His most notable works are <i>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</i> and its sequel, <i>Through the Looking Glass.</i> He was noted for his facility with word play, logic and fantasy. His poems <i>Jabberwoky, </i>and <i>Hunting the Snark </i>are classified in the genre of literary nonsense.</p><p>As a very young child he suffered a fever that left him deaf in one ear. At the age of 17 he suffered a severe attack of whooping cough which was probably responsible for his chronically weak chest in later life. In early childhood he acquired a stammer which he referred to as his "<i>hesitation", </i>it remained throughout his life.</p><p>Dodgson died of pneumonia following influenza on 14th January 1898. He is commemorated at All Saints Church, Daresbury, in its stained glass windows depicting characters from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland erected in 1935.</p><p> </p><p> *</p><p>F<b>rom D.H. Lawrence February 9th 1919 in Derbyshire</b></p><p>'It is marvelous weather - brilliant sunshine on the snow, clear as a summer, slightly golden sun, distnace it up. But it is immensely cold - everything frozen solid - milk, mustard, everything. Yesterday I went out for a real walk- the bare top of the hills. Wonderful it is to see the foot marks on the snow - beautiful ropes of rabbit prints, trailing away over the brows; heavy hare marks; a fox so sharp and dainty, going over the wall: birds with two feet that hop; very splendid straight advance of a pheasant; wood pigeons that are clumsy and move in flocks; splendid little leaping marks of weasels coming along like a necklace chain of berries; odd little filigree of the the field-mice; the trail of a mole - it is astonishing what a world of wild creatures one feels about one, on the hills in snow.' </p><p> *</p><p><b>Revelation</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Why didn't they tell us<br />that <br />it was going to be like this</p><p>this difficult</p><p>that old age<br />lurks<br /></p><p>thinking up something<br />to upset us<br /></p><p>something to pain us<br />reduce us to tears</p><p>it comes in the night<br />creeps up on us<br />unawares</p><p>we didn't know that this was<br />our fate<br />until its arrival</p><p> much too late<br /></p><p> *<br /></p><p>With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *<br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-71934431724521143162024-02-04T13:47:00.002+00:002024-02-04T13:47:41.883+00:00Betrayal<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Dear reader,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrskheJBL45-tURFGPCwZFepFDi40ETw754WUZsD4Z8SoaRi9J_WxH8JIJtx7IQFI_gqcVcsSi_MxTUI14-PzA1gO7KV7DxkBms8HUkJtvDRHukvEsbBX8HlutUlxCUQ03ZPleWK1S0UQnwAO4tP-urG9T2HbT0ukajxvaK2V7dtMx7njY4RReMywMGk/s265/western%20isles%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="265" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrskheJBL45-tURFGPCwZFepFDi40ETw754WUZsD4Z8SoaRi9J_WxH8JIJtx7IQFI_gqcVcsSi_MxTUI14-PzA1gO7KV7DxkBms8HUkJtvDRHukvEsbBX8HlutUlxCUQ03ZPleWK1S0UQnwAO4tP-urG9T2HbT0ukajxvaK2V7dtMx7njY4RReMywMGk/s1600/western%20isles%203.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi-wKp7kPkSP-bJqd7irdwl0eQtL7X4FW1ynn6Mdt0zWIJbXcXwfTA2lUckObnlY1HMJtim7LK9a1Dj-O2vumtZxnKUM7hu3o2w61_zF1pB7KWsbwEKlr1ibG0FCGGa-BynIKM5jNZXFd4LeWkK7lAjzK6I-n0f1VeOBDu4xZZSQ1BqfrYSgnK9Ua4jM/s275/western%20isles%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi-wKp7kPkSP-bJqd7irdwl0eQtL7X4FW1ynn6Mdt0zWIJbXcXwfTA2lUckObnlY1HMJtim7LK9a1Dj-O2vumtZxnKUM7hu3o2w61_zF1pB7KWsbwEKlr1ibG0FCGGa-BynIKM5jNZXFd4LeWkK7lAjzK6I-n0f1VeOBDu4xZZSQ1BqfrYSgnK9Ua4jM/s1600/western%20isles%202.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLiIxCE-gpVDKRHuwnIjsLSmHuTw7xIMoPv41WA2XH8RzZ1mZcKXv1xtkxVjz1ti2g1kETuZhaY4BnUdnvQeFhb0VlQpv73rY3wbeeYW0r06PFI_wb3ZUbYPDkLsgNFe2FQNtWsH66S8Or9wohfBnSmz2TdY_0CrRCUzXVEY6Z3AIBq0h5TqRNZMP778/s209/western%20isles%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="209" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLiIxCE-gpVDKRHuwnIjsLSmHuTw7xIMoPv41WA2XH8RzZ1mZcKXv1xtkxVjz1ti2g1kETuZhaY4BnUdnvQeFhb0VlQpv73rY3wbeeYW0r06PFI_wb3ZUbYPDkLsgNFe2FQNtWsH66S8Or9wohfBnSmz2TdY_0CrRCUzXVEY6Z3AIBq0h5TqRNZMP778/s1600/western%20isles%201.jpg" width="209" /></a></div> The western Isles<p></p><p><br />I visited Dove cottage in the Lake District several years ago and found it most interesting being the home to William Wordsworth, the poet, for eight years and where he wrote some of his most famous works.</p><p>Dove Cottage was originally purpose-built as a public house where it acquired the name "Dove and Olive". Trading ceased in 1793 and in l799 William and his sister, Dorothy, moved in. Like many buildings in the Lake district Dove Cottage is made from local stone with white lime washed walls to keep out the damp. The roof has slate tiles and chimneys have arrangements of slates on them to help prevent smoke blowing back down. There are four rooms downstairs and another four upstairs. The ground floor rooms retain the oak panels and slate floors often found in well built Lakeland houses of the period and appropriate to their original function as drinking rooms in a public house.</p><p>The kitchen was very primitive with just a tap over a stone basin. No wonder they didn't do much cooking and most of their meals were made up with oats for porridge. I bet the house was very cold when they lived there, I didn't see any radiators. I often wonder how people managed in those days with the cold damp houses they lived in. I wouldn't have survived a month of winter then.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth February 3rd 1798 in Somerset</b></p><p>Gathered sticks in the wood; a perfect stillness. the red-breasts sang upon the leafless boughs, Of a great number of sheep in the field, only one standing. Returned to dinner at five o'clock. The moonlight still and warm as a summer's night at nine o'clock.</p><p> </p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert February 6th 1874 in Wiltshire</b></p><p>Another fairy frost. The rime froze on the trees during the night and this morning every bough was bearded with the delicate frost work.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Betrayal</b></span><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">You were always there</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">for me, as I for you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">You read to me</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">you laughed with me</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">you told me stories</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">of magic and imagination.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">We travelled north and south</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">to Scotland and the Western Isles</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">enjoyed Dorset, Devon, Cornwall.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Went to see the Lakes</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">peeped into Beatrix Potter’s house</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">felt cold in Dove Cottage where</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">you put my hand in your pocket.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">We were one heart beat.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">But you have gone.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Now I have to try to live</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">another life</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">with you not there,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">with someone else perhaps,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">someone to fill the empty gap</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">you left me with. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span> </span>Please forgive me darling</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> *</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">With very best wishes, Patricia </span></span>
</p><p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:"MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-alt:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"\@MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-45501505139781832522024-01-28T14:07:00.003+00:002024-01-28T14:07:56.882+00:00Quickening<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn00QSkFYqjWaVsKl3d4oYtE4ViBCOhKkucRvVhXtMG1QDcag_Dwn5w1vYlYYWFx0RjGpZAAOO9qUKFfUfKj2Cy2yCNXhO3ZuCxpmoH9V78LatXBB6jspyQzMpayO79jElqs2ZogC3DS4P4drLg099eCBSIWBrY752q5hMbnKM_ktp7gmVDOQMepjAY84/s260/primroses%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="194" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn00QSkFYqjWaVsKl3d4oYtE4ViBCOhKkucRvVhXtMG1QDcag_Dwn5w1vYlYYWFx0RjGpZAAOO9qUKFfUfKj2Cy2yCNXhO3ZuCxpmoH9V78LatXBB6jspyQzMpayO79jElqs2ZogC3DS4P4drLg099eCBSIWBrY752q5hMbnKM_ktp7gmVDOQMepjAY84/s1600/primroses%204.jpg" width="194" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeb9Q1i5dLReJR-Ty9D_NIpK7sv7DevL-08K-jE8apa6IvP2fB5CKAMiLTfl0N3-JflkZ3Db2y9Ro8qsSSWubLeuT3Ykbtl_euXXca09jdpXhv9ynoTxxMqXVcl6tkKLR032KE50HKJt6lwCDddrOy87UzjCFR3ebFXbCeqwhI0A0aibDp1PizvWrixY/s259/primroses%2096.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeb9Q1i5dLReJR-Ty9D_NIpK7sv7DevL-08K-jE8apa6IvP2fB5CKAMiLTfl0N3-JflkZ3Db2y9Ro8qsSSWubLeuT3Ykbtl_euXXca09jdpXhv9ynoTxxMqXVcl6tkKLR032KE50HKJt6lwCDddrOy87UzjCFR3ebFXbCeqwhI0A0aibDp1PizvWrixY/s1600/primroses%2096.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><p><br /> Dear Reader,</p><p>Originally the primrose is native to the entire Northern Hemisphere. This very persistent wild and garden perennial, once planted out in the garden, blooms again the following year.</p><p><br /></p><p>The primrose, Primula Vulgaris, is one of the most familiar signs of spring. Typically found in woodlands and beneath hedgerows it thrives in damp shade in a variety of situations, It provides an early source of nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators, and is used as a caterpillar foodplant by several species of moth.<br /></p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p>My partner, Francis, has been in hospital this last week with an infection due to a biopsy for prostate cancer. He came home with a beastly cold and cough which I then caught. It is very difficult to sleep when coughing every twenty minutes and I have been feeling low. Fortunately Jessica went to a chemist who sold her Benelyn Cough mixture which seems to be working well. The cough hasn't gone but it is, thank God, better. Who ever said old age is not for sissies was so right. I wasn't prepared for all its machinations although, of course, Shakespeare does tell us in his sonnet, Seven Ages of Man, that all is not going to be rosy as we grow old. I just didn't believe him or take enough notice and now here I am in its midst, battling on. My poem this week says it all.<br /></p><p> *</p><p> </p><p><b>From Gilbert White January 14th 1776 in Hampshire</b></p><p>'Rugged, Siberian weather. the narrow lanes are full of snow in some places....the road-wagons are obliged to stop and the stage-coaches are much embarassed. I was obliged to be much abroad on this day, and scarce ever saw it fellow.'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From James Woodforde January 24th 1790 in Norfolk</b></p><p>'The season so remarkably mild and warm that my brother gathered this morning in my garden some full blown primroses.'</p><p> * <br /></p><p>
</p><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> <b>Quickening</b></span></span></address><address><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></b></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I
want the pulse of life that has been asleep</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">to
wake, embrace me, put on the light.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">To
hear the thrush, song-repeat, to keep</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">my
trust in God to hurry icy winter’s flight.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I
want to glimpse, under sodden leaves, green shoots</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">to
announce life’s circle, its beginnings, have begun.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I
want to run barefoot, abandon boots,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">to
walk through primrose paths, savour the sun.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I
want to take off winter’s dress, change its season,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">to
see the coloured petticoats of spring, bloom</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">and
show us mortals nature’s reason</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">to
start afresh, admire the peacock’s plume.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Cellar
the coal, brush the ashes from the fire,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I
want to intertwine, my love, quicken, feel desire.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With very best wishes, Patricia </span></span></address><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1342208091 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}address
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"z-Top of Form";
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-style:normal;}span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
mso-ansi-font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
display:none;
mso-hide:all;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-31390067606399710572024-01-20T17:11:00.001+00:002024-01-20T17:14:17.073+00:00Cardigan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NjP0rGXsgFIh-0w7AwxJjGq0_tO5yt8C8xhBcF66_LF49Diqvh_2ixD23A20ruYelMlpO40NPexQTrcXudq7gX1kcK5Fzyzx-HdkVCHl3OesKr0sXSBoRZfIg-NjTlFNgzIclIxsxjtjH9az1l_q9HdzZgvPWk9IS-ZimI2lzMjIpR7l2SV3x8jIFwo/s800/patchwork%20skirt%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NjP0rGXsgFIh-0w7AwxJjGq0_tO5yt8C8xhBcF66_LF49Diqvh_2ixD23A20ruYelMlpO40NPexQTrcXudq7gX1kcK5Fzyzx-HdkVCHl3OesKr0sXSBoRZfIg-NjTlFNgzIclIxsxjtjH9az1l_q9HdzZgvPWk9IS-ZimI2lzMjIpR7l2SV3x8jIFwo/s320/patchwork%20skirt%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ir95bsXZRu9OBOycX6rFXpVu1UsS-TZimB4sCfyRn-Dj4_jboVN423-D9iraeIldzPDz74YQ1vsCa9qyYA3KPML9cSmU24FCL3ol8LvyS8JmtqTO2htdM5rFa9xptB8EuQghSDp11VVc7vgsImpp4rGx_Z9TpyuNx4tXrQzkqVjz-jeg1DkO1qUWLXM/s400/patchwork%20skirt%204.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ir95bsXZRu9OBOycX6rFXpVu1UsS-TZimB4sCfyRn-Dj4_jboVN423-D9iraeIldzPDz74YQ1vsCa9qyYA3KPML9cSmU24FCL3ol8LvyS8JmtqTO2htdM5rFa9xptB8EuQghSDp11VVc7vgsImpp4rGx_Z9TpyuNx4tXrQzkqVjz-jeg1DkO1qUWLXM/s320/patchwork%20skirt%204.webp" width="253" /></a></div> Patchwork skirts<br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p><br /></p><p>It is funny, isn't it, how one gets attached to a certain piece of clothing and keeps it until it is so shabby that you have to let it go. With great sadness I finally put my patchwork skirt in the bin after it was long past its sell by date. This was years ago but I have had several garments since to which I have grown very fond and am very reluctant to put out. After all they live your life with you. They are round your shoulders, round your waist or covering your legs most of the day, they are part of you. </p><p>Although I am about to be 84 I still choose with great care what I wear each day. I like to put my ensemble together to introduce to the world who I am being that day, which persona. (Most of my clothes are over twenty years old, I very rarely buy anything new.) Could be a favourite pinafore dress with shirt and tie, so the school girl look perhaps, or long skirt, colourful scarf, big jersey, and brown boots so the hippy look. Or whatever, its all for fun. Well whatever style I choose it is with those much loved clothes that haunt my cupboards. My navy cardigan which the poem is about I will never discard, I simply couldn't.</p><p> </p><p> *</p><p><b>From Thomas Grey 1761 January 18th in Middlesex</b></p><p>'I took a walk to Kentish-Town, wind N.W., bright and frosty. Thermometer at Noon was at 42. The grass remarkably green and flourishing. I observed on dry banks facing the south that Chickweed, Dandelion, Groundsel, Red Archangel, and Shepherd's Purse were beginning to flower. This is all I know of the Country.' <br /></p><p> </p><p><b>From Katherine Mansfield 1915 January 20th in Buckinghamshire</b></p><p>'A man outside is breaking stones. The day is utterly quiet. Sometimes a leaf rustles and a strange puff of wind passes the window. The old man chops, chops, as though it were a heart beating out there.'</p><p> </p><p><b>From Richard Hayes 1762 January 21st in Kent</b></p><p>'As mild a day as though May. N.B. I saw a spotted butterfly - brown in colour.' <br /></p><p> </p><p> *</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cardigan</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Why is it that it makes</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">me feel safe?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I ease myself into it</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">do all the buttons up,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">am encased in warmth</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">and love and security,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">it envelops and hugs me,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">the cardigan is my shell.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">What is it about my cardigan</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">that makes me think of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">honey sandwiches,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">daisies in a china vase,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">a curled up dog in basket,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">doves cooing on the roof,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Ratty, Mole and Badger</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">and possibly Mr. Toad?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The cardigan is safety,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">reminds me of nanny,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her ponds face cream</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her lavender water</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her loving arms and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her kisses.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Cardigan, the forever garment of love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style> </p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-24052978540710187612024-01-14T13:37:00.001+00:002024-01-14T13:39:15.554+00:00Beach Mirror<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNxK3ynTPK6whsYAgizc9FfXu6mUaRGiyTIjUea6lysxLtKfDJWx3TkmfcWuxChYtbvgJ8PEAz3QXiciO7nHqgccWXT8D3wU9hh8Q9d7FZtaVWnIeEGjY7pOLxLXaskHwAY56ubv4QPuuBTe-Yq2vhMqt3_4XUgR9KmdpI8sYdisEuZCVKZtkpiIAbF8/s225/blonde%20woman%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNxK3ynTPK6whsYAgizc9FfXu6mUaRGiyTIjUea6lysxLtKfDJWx3TkmfcWuxChYtbvgJ8PEAz3QXiciO7nHqgccWXT8D3wU9hh8Q9d7FZtaVWnIeEGjY7pOLxLXaskHwAY56ubv4QPuuBTe-Yq2vhMqt3_4XUgR9KmdpI8sYdisEuZCVKZtkpiIAbF8/s1600/blonde%20woman%205.jpg" width="225" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyhS3eydxk18aigd-qM__Q08IubrGN83ByZchRE5u19SwlkcV0XpOEg6a0benQIiFn3Cdzy8ZyjhyphenhyphenejqgdK2GQeWCvt0tvHXJZTJRQ2YWE1Var9DzHRLE0CNQBxkI9ywCdBI9fU0vDu7Zc6M9DtBZojXGmcJmgHUEeAQBSnMycKAFJ8fBw3JsAzhqs7I/s192/blonde%20woman%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="192" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyhS3eydxk18aigd-qM__Q08IubrGN83ByZchRE5u19SwlkcV0XpOEg6a0benQIiFn3Cdzy8ZyjhyphenhyphenejqgdK2GQeWCvt0tvHXJZTJRQ2YWE1Var9DzHRLE0CNQBxkI9ywCdBI9fU0vDu7Zc6M9DtBZojXGmcJmgHUEeAQBSnMycKAFJ8fBw3JsAzhqs7I/s1600/blonde%20woman%202.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br /></div><p><br /> Dear reader,</p><p>I was about eighteen when I became aware of the hippie movement and joined it. Having been to strict boarding schools for my education I was very attracted to its message of : "Make love, not War", and permission to be less regimented in my behaviour. </p><p>The hippie movement in the United States began as a youth movement. Composed of mostly white teenagers and young adults between 15 and 25 years old, hippies inherited a tradition of cultural dissent from bohemians and beatniks in the Beat Generation in the late 1950s. The name derived from 'hip' a term applied to the Beats of the 1950s such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kermac who were generally considered to be precursors of hippies. </p><p>Although not as visible as it once was, hippie culture has never died out completely. Hippies and neo-hippies can still be found on college campuses, on communes and at gatherings and festivals.</p><p>Hippies advocated nonviolence and love, a popular phrase being : "Make love, not war", for which they were sometimes called "flower children'. They promoted openness and tolerance as alternatives to the restrictions and regimentation the saw in middle-class society.</p><p>I think, at heart, I am still a hippie and pleased to be so in my eighties. </p><p> *</p><p>F<b>rom John Clare 1884 January 30th in Coniston, Lancashire</b></p><p>'A yellow crocus and a bunch of single snowdrops in full flower - the mavis thrush has been singing all day long. Spring seems begun. The woodbines all over the wood are in full leaf.'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Samuel Pepys 1661 January 29th in Surrey</b></p><p>'To Southwark, and so over the fields to Lambeth, and there drank, it being the most glorious and warm day, even to amazement, for this time of the year.'</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span>Beach Mirror</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I
see myself, a young woman,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>recognize
the long skirt,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>the
three blonde children, </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>one
on her hip,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>two
holding her hands,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>all
laughing, hugging, arguing,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>her
hair dancing in the wind.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Swirling
thoughts about time past</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>consume
me.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I
kick at pebbles, </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>pick
up oyster shells, </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>gaze
at the everlasting point between sea and sky.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I
have aged, certainly,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>but,
feeling the warmth of the sun,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>watching
the sea and the tides,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>it
seems these things </span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>are
ever the same as they were,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>all
those years gone by.</span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4">@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> *</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-53002284383687551302024-01-07T13:10:00.001+00:002024-01-07T13:14:20.445+00:00A Curse<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSpfIND4T6zXgbWqg5Bo9cbTrIema3oO59LVDwGyz_FvWnmoSyQFssEZvNitfD92oCVU9sZE3UINCl7gTX9EEXmwGwMcEq9isEIP0rLkk8ctJ4LqCJY_vdBveh6mebiQiGG8-FCXYMf8MB-YF2XVlCWqKNQudmrleVKyc_JL8CHzjxpJxLEpjx8mAcT0/s238/daisies%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="238" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSpfIND4T6zXgbWqg5Bo9cbTrIema3oO59LVDwGyz_FvWnmoSyQFssEZvNitfD92oCVU9sZE3UINCl7gTX9EEXmwGwMcEq9isEIP0rLkk8ctJ4LqCJY_vdBveh6mebiQiGG8-FCXYMf8MB-YF2XVlCWqKNQudmrleVKyc_JL8CHzjxpJxLEpjx8mAcT0/s1600/daisies%201.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RhslsygTxNS96QLqCbXo4PYhxhAMLfE_aImYhUkwwPKKEG__ya4LaxPVPOpsvDZ32ZCucarManurXNpm5h5vVTh2YtJk9z5XA2urYQZmCR8Xy7gPOluwX0tLDDatqS-JLQxZ9CKigYiivyeNbBvjzHxtSCdu6WHw8YKtqvBo63b-91-JxdEDz8EvRF0/s270/wite%20daisies%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="270" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RhslsygTxNS96QLqCbXo4PYhxhAMLfE_aImYhUkwwPKKEG__ya4LaxPVPOpsvDZ32ZCucarManurXNpm5h5vVTh2YtJk9z5XA2urYQZmCR8Xy7gPOluwX0tLDDatqS-JLQxZ9CKigYiivyeNbBvjzHxtSCdu6WHw8YKtqvBo63b-91-JxdEDz8EvRF0/s1600/wite%20daisies%203.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /> Dear reader,<p></p><p>Do you remember me writing a little while ago about this tiresome chimp who lives in my head and protects me from any danger. He jumps about, warning me, when he thinks I might be in trouble or have some trouble with something and he makes me very anxious indeed. He comes in the guise of a friend to me but I get very tired of his antics.</p><p>This week he was hysterical. This is the story. </p><p>Every night about 3 am I go downstairs and make myself a cup of tea. In order to see the stairs I turn on the light at the top of the passage. I make myself a cup and walking back into the passage found the light had been put out. So obviously the chimp had a hay day. This was a poltergeist he said, haunting your house. I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night trying to work out what had happened. The next night still scared I followed my usual routine and discovered that a night light that Jessica (daughter) had given me for Christmas and which was being used in the passage turns itself off after a minute or two. So that is why the light had gone out as I hadn't put the light at the top of the passage on, I suppose? I am very sleepy at 3am. I gave the chimp a good talking to but he will, no doubt, take no notice.</p><p> *</p><p>One of the tricks of a poltergeist is known for <i>knocking</i> noises so it will come as no surprise that the word poltergeist translates literally from the German word for <i>spirit. </i>The English word <i>ghost </i>is also related, it descends from the same ancient root that led to <i>Geist. </i>Although ghost has been used in English since before the 12th century, poltergeist is a relative newcomer, first appearing as an English word in the middle of the 19th century. </p><p>Most claims or fictional descriptions of poltergeists show them a being capable of<i> pinching, biting and tripping people up</i>. They are also depicted as capable of the movement or levitation of objects such as furniture and cutlery, or noises such as knocking on doors.</p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From D.H. Lawrence January 5th 1916 in Cornwall</b></p><p>'There have been great winds, and the sea has been smoking white above the cliff - such a wind that it make one laugh with astonishment. Now it is still again, and the evening is very yellow'.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert January 6th 1879 in Herefordshire</b></p><p>'Old Christmas Day. Last night the slip of the Holy thorn ......grafted for me last spring in the vicarage lower garden blossomed in an intense frost.'<br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>
</p><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>A
Curse</b></span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">on
those who plunder the earth,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">and
violate sacred places......</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">A
curse on those who disturb</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">and
steal gently-bandaged skulls,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">legs,
arms, and finger-bones,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">jewels:
perhaps a pearl bracelet,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a
coral ring, hair pins, or a mosaic plate,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">set
out lovingly with food</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">for
the long journey home.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Who
have lain there, at peace,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">for
many thousand years,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the
sand, the desert winds, the rains,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">nature’s
bed.</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">A
curse on those whose</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">laughter
and excitement</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">fills
the air, stealing these remains,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">transporting
them to people</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">in
white coats,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">who
dissect their dignity,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">stick
labels on them,</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">give
them to museums</span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">to
enlighten an ice-cream licking public.</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *</span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address><address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}address
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"z-Top of Form";
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-style:normal;}span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
mso-ansi-font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
display:none;
mso-hide:all;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-43986261950696346442023-12-31T13:47:00.001+00:002023-12-31T13:53:37.372+00:00A Grimsby Fisherman's Wife Mrs Ethel Richardson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnDP2VPVbxk33L5H-sr9ea6wgf7BXzkKRyiRxdNjB-7sl1yudX2W5awv-qNeem6bGYCmEZKVEv9bkrmEw9AnAyD31TI65NefMXZP0yxnGIov8sX_GXYohJSytPYNVPK1dheP4gydJE0JjFTFKTSlkhmqPD8eZwq33-w64OAU5YZnsxpIN5d_VXcBiJKU/s195/fishermen%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="195" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnDP2VPVbxk33L5H-sr9ea6wgf7BXzkKRyiRxdNjB-7sl1yudX2W5awv-qNeem6bGYCmEZKVEv9bkrmEw9AnAyD31TI65NefMXZP0yxnGIov8sX_GXYohJSytPYNVPK1dheP4gydJE0JjFTFKTSlkhmqPD8eZwq33-w64OAU5YZnsxpIN5d_VXcBiJKU/s1600/fishermen%201.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmd5mAYqZsPHgckEWKYFIrZ8Ru8Et14s84uBB9-OzO7OWJRhxHeOsfjPi24HpvKF6zpIv6ipNcBCcVkHZZYz4EIKxaxVlD1-79hcKODMGErAfzYiiFtR-wqRgKdAMJzaAEKKPrn813cWYfTx8Zw2ky8kkGYlFO83vQylifA-WGPFt-oydBDCCRHD49Azk/s255/fishermen%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="255" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmd5mAYqZsPHgckEWKYFIrZ8Ru8Et14s84uBB9-OzO7OWJRhxHeOsfjPi24HpvKF6zpIv6ipNcBCcVkHZZYz4EIKxaxVlD1-79hcKODMGErAfzYiiFtR-wqRgKdAMJzaAEKKPrn813cWYfTx8Zw2ky8kkGYlFO83vQylifA-WGPFt-oydBDCCRHD49Azk/s1600/fishermen%202.jpg" width="255" /></a></div> <p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> Fishermen wearing the Guernsey sweater<br /> </p><p> </p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p>The dependable cable knit jumper is ever present with us unlike style trends which are ever-changing. </p><p>Boasting a rich, albeit elusive history in the 19th century Celtic and Gaelic fishing communities, the cable design has featured in the varying forms and in multiple materials yet has remained timeless nonetheless.</p><p>Legend has it that the design dates back to the 'Aran Sweater' of the 1800s with different Celtic clans having a unique cable pattern. This, in turn, was said to provide a way of identifying the bodies of fishermen who drowned at sea. And although this is romantic, it is now recognised as a mere tale.</p><p>The sweater was most likely crafted by a group of Aran women predominately for export purposes in the early 1900s, and has since become associated with Irish culture. In fact the cable design appears just as much in the Gansey jumper worn by fishermen on the east coast of England in the Victorian era.</p><p> </p><p> *</p><p><b>From Samuel Pepys 1667 January 1st in London</b></p><p>'Lay long, being a bitter, cold, frosty day, the frost being now grown old, and the Thames covered with ice'.</p><p>F<b>rom Thomas Hardy 1886 January 2nd in Dorset</b></p><p>'Cold weather brings out upon the faces of people the written marks of their habits, vices, passions, and memories, as warmth brings out on paper a writing in sympathetic ink.'</p><p><br /></p><p> *<br /></p><p>
</p><address><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">A Grimsby Fisherman’s Wife</span></b></address>
<address><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Mrs. Ethel Richardson</span></b></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">During the day she
knitted</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">her life into rough
wool sweaters.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Fear of north east
gales, </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">- more forecast -</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">fear of no return,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">and Friday night
beatings,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">were turned with a
collar,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">stitched with sober
wools.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Knit one, purl one.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Men known to her,
sea-taken; </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">the grief of loss for</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">a babe or two; and</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">winter storms and</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">treacherous rocks
that</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">albatrossed a
fisherman’s life,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">were knitted into
sleeves,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">into polo necks.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Knit one, purl one.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">At night from her
narrow bed,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">she knitted dreams of
exotic places</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">warm from the
southern sun.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">She danced on
beaches, cockle-free</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">and knitted love</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">into her dream
sweaters,</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">with wools, brightly
coloured;</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">corals, blues, pinks,
and red.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">By night she knitted
pumpkins.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;">Knit one, pearl one.</span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></address>
<address><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span></b></address>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;">A very happy New Year to you all,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-language: JA;">With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1342208091 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}address
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"z-Top of Form";
mso-style-link:"HTML Address Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
font-style:normal;}span.HTMLAddressChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Address Char";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"HTML Address";
mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}span.z-TopofFormChar
{mso-style-name:"z-Top of Form Char";
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"z-Top of Form";
mso-ansi-font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
display:none;
mso-hide:all;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-19463668713762148452023-12-24T12:52:00.001+00:002023-12-24T12:52:24.656+00:00Love Unlocked<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjhjzaLSCFE5IxHyIiPPbnyeLW_hdamjTihjGmN2m3qhP8hpB0TN4QDVguZWNKMiYcDLNNfmNHoQOuIUTBkf2eVW3Lp-epqwZzSBqsOah9c61KSzDLmjSMFE8MX9ZaGScO1fxdbAsdnrUiBcoYnUx6cpuqTLJRNPKCyyvdh7S81rIabfLnTDzWOfpXs8/s262/gold%20key%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="262" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjhjzaLSCFE5IxHyIiPPbnyeLW_hdamjTihjGmN2m3qhP8hpB0TN4QDVguZWNKMiYcDLNNfmNHoQOuIUTBkf2eVW3Lp-epqwZzSBqsOah9c61KSzDLmjSMFE8MX9ZaGScO1fxdbAsdnrUiBcoYnUx6cpuqTLJRNPKCyyvdh7S81rIabfLnTDzWOfpXs8/s1600/gold%20key%205.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn72RZwtRAdA9PIGSRwuhXQNZsnuuRi-HZDBmPNyASm-3-QeTVIQX_rrcNyGaL7dYMgNvJLZ6bN5mSXd12_zczp-vNEXpjz_jRell99aci5qWDqDB6dnnBVt7qO0XK00d7NZkOhT_gELsvY0xXntacYSJ18E7dso7omYxASszYUIFcAGs5Oj51riG5r2A/s275/gold%20key%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn72RZwtRAdA9PIGSRwuhXQNZsnuuRi-HZDBmPNyASm-3-QeTVIQX_rrcNyGaL7dYMgNvJLZ6bN5mSXd12_zczp-vNEXpjz_jRell99aci5qWDqDB6dnnBVt7qO0XK00d7NZkOhT_gELsvY0xXntacYSJ18E7dso7omYxASszYUIFcAGs5Oj51riG5r2A/s1600/gold%20key%204.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p>The Christian story is, I suppose, about love. Loving our family, loving our friends, loving ourselves. Jesus Christ taught us that the two greatest commandments were to: </p><p>"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" </p><p>and He said :</p><p>"Love your neighbour as yourself"</p><p>Love for all people was at the centre of Jesus' message: "Love one another as I have loved you".<br /></p><p> * <br /></p><p>I think the Beatles got it right with their wonderful song: "Love is all you need". And thinking today at Christmas time, if you know someone who could do with a loving word or gesture, someone lonely perhaps, go out and smile at them, knock on their door, telephone or email to make them feel loved. Being loved is happiness and love is what we all need in our lives. <br /></p><p> *</p><p><b>From James Woodforde 1790 25th December in Norfolk</b></p><p>"I lighted my large wax-candle being Xmas Day during teatime this afternoon for about an hour. It was very mild, thank God, to-day for this time of year, tho' wet and very dirty walking."</p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth 1802 25th December in Westmorland</b></p><p>"It is today Christmas Day, Saturday 25th December 1802. I am thirty one years of age. It is a dull, frosty day."</p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert 1873 27th December in Wiltshire</b></p><p>"Heavy rain in the night, but a lovely sunny warm morning. As I write a dew diamond is sparkling and flashing rainbows on a rose leaf outside the dining room window, a more superb diamond than any among the Crown jewels of England." <br /></p><p> *</p><p><i><b>Love Unlocked</b></i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i>What can I say about love<br />that has not been said?</i></p><p><i>I have little to add except<br />my sweetheart proffered<br />a unique key</i></p><p><i>to the door of possibilities<br />through loving me.</i></p><p><i> *</i></p><p><i> </i><b>A very happy Christmas to you,</b></p><p><b>With very best wishes, Patricia </b><br /></p><p> <br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-50898008167767100292023-12-17T14:05:00.002+00:002023-12-17T14:19:12.441+00:00Equality<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDN6uadPKZTRMMm67FdjmxlynHIUZGOiQEH1F-kOSzLw4zTUdrMSxkFKHtulwdagh7x7wIfIVQMDBhiaTZdLF1K_D3auQHFMMqq2STL-3Ge48US04LTWEcruQGSSQ0tja8mi7_MZQqyybGauc5huDwObqvsdsWf09p85lI6sntU1GOpU0scAgrY-58S6w/s196/turkey%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="196" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDN6uadPKZTRMMm67FdjmxlynHIUZGOiQEH1F-kOSzLw4zTUdrMSxkFKHtulwdagh7x7wIfIVQMDBhiaTZdLF1K_D3auQHFMMqq2STL-3Ge48US04LTWEcruQGSSQ0tja8mi7_MZQqyybGauc5huDwObqvsdsWf09p85lI6sntU1GOpU0scAgrY-58S6w/s1600/turkey%201.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><p> <br /></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPKXfpL6MucKbMYUPM0302Ciwp6Ww4YQT6QpDIZWhbDjUInv_gCyqM93nmLvAi_Vr3-vaWbH0cR6tKpwPh5deSEK4zTmdbBSSx8yu9DnjZW7UBpZMKfyiOf8wBecSCn-VB_ZPexJkBY0DpkUhhE8mD9enduLeV8yhL-A0o6XCkTnpJXf-ARpiTmFoE44U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPKXfpL6MucKbMYUPM0302Ciwp6Ww4YQT6QpDIZWhbDjUInv_gCyqM93nmLvAi_Vr3-vaWbH0cR6tKpwPh5deSEK4zTmdbBSSx8yu9DnjZW7UBpZMKfyiOf8wBecSCn-VB_ZPexJkBY0DpkUhhE8mD9enduLeV8yhL-A0o6XCkTnpJXf-ARpiTmFoE44U" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p> Happy Christmas<br /></p><p> </p><p> Dear Reader,</p><p>I don't think I am the only one who dreads Christmas. I have always been a hopeless packer of presents and have no notion of what my family would like to find wrapped. Nowadays, in fact, the grandchildren like to choose something themselves or welcome a little something from the Bank of Granny<br /></p><p><br />I believe and love the Christian story, of Jesus Christ being born in a manager, so my perfect Christmas Day would be a church service with lots of favourite carols to sing, then a turkey lunch with Christmas pudding and brandy butter followed by, what ever the weather, a bracing walk. And to watch in the evening anywhere in the series of Downtown Abbey.</p><p> *</p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert 1870 December 28th 1870</b></p><p>An inch of snow fell last night and as we walked to Draycot to skate the snow storm began again. As we passed Langley Burrell Church we heard the strains of the quadrille band on the ice at Draycot....The Lancers was beautifully skated. When it grew dark the ice was lighted with Chinese lanterns, and the intense glare of blue, green, and crimson lights and magnesium riband make the whole place as light as day. Then people skated with torches. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>From John Ruskin 1874 December 28th in Coniston, Lancashire</b></p><p>Yellowish haze polluting sunshine. Intense white fresh snow everywhere and sharp frost.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><b>Equality</b></p><p>Christmas Day.<br />The house fills with laughter, music<br />the tree sparkles, aglow with stars,<br />angels and white roses.<br />Under ribboned branches, a present pile,<br />exciting, enticing, the children<br />jump, squeal, and dance, eyes bright.<br />The turkey is succulent, the pudding sweet,<br />there are chocolates, crackers, jokes.<br />But a thought buzzes, wasp-like in my head:<br />while families reunite, reaffirm, love, smile, chat,<br />I think of those who have none of that.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-73776394654303326402023-12-10T12:32:00.001+00:002023-12-10T12:32:41.222+00:00Invocation to Iona<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwarcRw55q1DPhkUtpA3-3m7bp3FoWu2zZ4-EJoUT6v9QFd66QP1F5ihiKmySdcp38uNdL1viuLLNST1cjP2kroqZKexeDD7dD5FXFv-LhHbfIkV0r8AoNCzBFQBt64rAA_2GQkuX8iFOxsi_yITRAyIBojAc-httk3kGNhXdqN3Pd2pxdrSlhNZEHx4/s270/puffin%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="270" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwarcRw55q1DPhkUtpA3-3m7bp3FoWu2zZ4-EJoUT6v9QFd66QP1F5ihiKmySdcp38uNdL1viuLLNST1cjP2kroqZKexeDD7dD5FXFv-LhHbfIkV0r8AoNCzBFQBt64rAA_2GQkuX8iFOxsi_yITRAyIBojAc-httk3kGNhXdqN3Pd2pxdrSlhNZEHx4/s1600/puffin%201.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC1o3r9avjBAfTz6cPjy3fiKXtBneiDm0-6wQPINkfMhu20-m3LslvocSe2X0O5zWk0w6qMpP1mRrEHivz55ooZks5Wjgt8u_jcCkOelpxxtRVU5VNZwOHMVq-RgSVUasCDIX09inbH4Y84e6ybZH54FZElUkoCm5I80QLdNv9ETDR1DgG53cXGkaMdU/s270/puffin%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="270" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC1o3r9avjBAfTz6cPjy3fiKXtBneiDm0-6wQPINkfMhu20-m3LslvocSe2X0O5zWk0w6qMpP1mRrEHivz55ooZks5Wjgt8u_jcCkOelpxxtRVU5VNZwOHMVq-RgSVUasCDIX09inbH4Y84e6ybZH54FZElUkoCm5I80QLdNv9ETDR1DgG53cXGkaMdU/s1600/puffin%202.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p><br /> Dear reader, </p><p>The Atlantic puffin species that ranks among everyone's favourite seabirds includes an endearing story. How parents birds starve their single nearly grown chicks until hunger motivates the youngsters to leave the security of the clifftop burrows, and and in the dark of the night, leap to the pounding sea. </p><p>The puffin in folklore was able to predict stormy weather. The would fly to landwards two or three days in advance of a storm and fishermen observing them gather on the clifftops would pull their boats in until the tempest passed. They were regarded as a reliable guide to the location of fish shoals.</p><p>Puffins are one of the few birds that have the ability to hold several small fish in their bills at a time. Their raspy tongues and spiny palates allow them to firmly grasp 10 to 12 fish during one foraging trip.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>From Dorothy Wordsworth 1802 December 19th in Westmorland</p><p>......as mild a day as ever I remember. We all set out to walk ......There were flowers of various kinds - the top most bell of a foxglove, geraniums, daisies, a buttercup in the water....small yellow flowers (I do not know their name) in the turf, a large bunch of strawberry blossoms.</p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Invo<span>cation to Iona</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“Iona, sacred island, mother,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I honour you,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>who cradle the bones</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>of Scottish kings,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Who birthed coloured
gemstones</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>to enchant bleached beaches,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>who shelter puffins on your
rocks.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I wrap myself in your
history,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>and knot the garment with</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>machair rope-grass.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In the Port of Coracle</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>your southern bay,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I hear the wind-blown cormorants cry</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>and draw a breath.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I see Columba’s footsteps</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>in the sand, and weep.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Tears overflow,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I am spirit-engulfed.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>“I ask you, Iona,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>is this then, or now,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>what is, or what has been?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Does the rolling salt
sea-mist</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>cover the uncounted time
between?”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> *</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>With best wishes, Patricia<br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4">@font-face
{font-family:"MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-alt:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"\@MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-59819655566456377982023-11-26T13:28:00.001+00:002023-11-26T13:41:31.677+00:00Rooks<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAs6r8Jc06alV2qNF_SEiceNn3Z4Lo_egJXRZV6FG2go0vzCv1IU5HUJJAFEerzySxKZ3XEgcoCzTUcVz9x2TJcZL001AGcJKhxda9yfOWBJ2qQCVHncDTUttruytuo554aYNZkTlwxBZLl40QD0z25dNSuZxppcElNax-WGuqdlPdZJMrrNsf9CVaULs/s167/rooks%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="167" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAs6r8Jc06alV2qNF_SEiceNn3Z4Lo_egJXRZV6FG2go0vzCv1IU5HUJJAFEerzySxKZ3XEgcoCzTUcVz9x2TJcZL001AGcJKhxda9yfOWBJ2qQCVHncDTUttruytuo554aYNZkTlwxBZLl40QD0z25dNSuZxppcElNax-WGuqdlPdZJMrrNsf9CVaULs/s1600/rooks%201.jpg" width="167" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDmyfdgF_XqWHr4FSV-1oSbLA7sYonWjIUyCstq_qcjFX71S58xb227NFNOMEY8wq3tKIVT2etlP_2UOGbgHlrVg2Xb-An09TcD-nq6V5P1AOROJca_9r2jyvAl3FvVnI_B72msgPuJH9quK_R8EFyPa4qv6IIZhXu4nwIKD38Znbfkv_q_zUVyJLcRY/s262/rooks%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="262" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDmyfdgF_XqWHr4FSV-1oSbLA7sYonWjIUyCstq_qcjFX71S58xb227NFNOMEY8wq3tKIVT2etlP_2UOGbgHlrVg2Xb-An09TcD-nq6V5P1AOROJca_9r2jyvAl3FvVnI_B72msgPuJH9quK_R8EFyPa4qv6IIZhXu4nwIKD38Znbfkv_q_zUVyJLcRY/s1600/rooks%202.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><p><br /> Dear reader,</p><p> </p><p>The rook is a member of the family Corvidae in the passerine order of birds but the English name for a rook is ultimately derived from the birds harsh call. </p><p>The population of rooks has been increasing slightly year-on-year and seems to have adapted to the various changes in agriculture practices that many other species have been adversely affected by. </p><p>Rooks are similar in size to carrion crows although sometimes slightly smaller. It has black feathers which often show a blue or bluish-purple sheen in bright sunlight. The feathers on its neck and head are especially dense and silky.</p><p>Rooks nest in a colony called a rookery. The nest is built high in a tree close to other nests with previous years' nests even being reused. The nest is usually bulky and is and of twigs bound together with earth, lined with moss, leaves, grass, wool and even hair.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From George Sturt November 21st 1890 in Surrey</b></p><p>I noticed in the poplar above me two sorts of sound; the leaves pattering and rustling against one another, each with its separate chatter; and then as accompaniment and continuous ground-tone, the wind itself breathing audibly and caressingly between leave and round twigs and limbs.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth November 24th 1801 in Westmorland</b></p><p>'I read a little of Chaucer, prepared the goose for dinner, and then we walked out. I was obliged to return for my fur tippet and spencer, it was so cold...It was very windy, and we heard the wind everywhere about us as we went along the lane, but the walls sheltered us......'</p><p> *</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rooks</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was fourteen,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">when I first heard</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">the call of the rooks</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">caw-cawing</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">their eerie cries.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">From a Cornish cottage garden</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">I walked down through</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">dark woods to the beach,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">a remote place,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">just dunes, sand, the sea</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">and me, a confused, angry teenager,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">with the rooks caw-cawing in my ears</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">disturbing my thoughts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even now, in later years,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">whenever I hear whispers from the wind,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">or sea lapping over large grey stones</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">ever forward, ever backward,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">glimpse a faraway horizon</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">and see twilight descending</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">darkening the sky,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">the rooks in large black groups</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">flying high towards</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">their evening bed,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">cawing, cawing, cawing,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">my heart misses a beat</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">and an unexplained sadness </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">overcomes me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">With very best wishes, Patricia </span><br /></p><p><style><font size="4">@font-face
{font-family:"MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-alt:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"\@MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-34359700874524878502023-11-19T13:28:00.000+00:002023-11-19T13:28:04.355+00:00Plumage<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lxJPCIQUu_OtC2jWJS8Rlub3fKODZU3TKylpaMsft_R9wayppkLKvCUHW75Mqd23RRi0RMdPWh72pk3uQ2yUp83_M-wwSLfuF5wWssjrlD4Ye1R3bNtvPGleAbsQE7Dl-t8YQhq8qXm02WpO6N4KQlHD6Yx0EGV6OBy1WO8ACes4Z1OBEDVUMwZrFzY/s300/birds%20of%20Paradise%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lxJPCIQUu_OtC2jWJS8Rlub3fKODZU3TKylpaMsft_R9wayppkLKvCUHW75Mqd23RRi0RMdPWh72pk3uQ2yUp83_M-wwSLfuF5wWssjrlD4Ye1R3bNtvPGleAbsQE7Dl-t8YQhq8qXm02WpO6N4KQlHD6Yx0EGV6OBy1WO8ACes4Z1OBEDVUMwZrFzY/s1600/birds%20of%20Paradise%201.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtC5OJDo0d-j1NWnR6-zAjahdlgkKOL73rgM7MB3Cc0ixMz7_Ohpre6vgKcO5a6UxK_A4ERZtXg04qggOEKMhm1EyGUxlCK-n0ZEv6LkNsdXMKz1cuDM9Z0Vpt3nO-PZ60oBtTle3-J1lPOr6f7Eczxtlrizi7zd9m3pgykdK2xn19Kp0yfu7ls7Dt1M0/s267/Birds%20of%20Paradise%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="189" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtC5OJDo0d-j1NWnR6-zAjahdlgkKOL73rgM7MB3Cc0ixMz7_Ohpre6vgKcO5a6UxK_A4ERZtXg04qggOEKMhm1EyGUxlCK-n0ZEv6LkNsdXMKz1cuDM9Z0Vpt3nO-PZ60oBtTle3-J1lPOr6f7Eczxtlrizi7zd9m3pgykdK2xn19Kp0yfu7ls7Dt1M0/s1600/Birds%20of%20Paradise%202.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyL62pn0Z2FSjTPFPCWbDOnntPNNkBBB3JTTSiJZUnta_4dhoMFVU8BoRETjLFPPhyZCXBie-QTKjpZPp5DZ2goJ7Kk7mIjjTtzcQHhspvkhf5ipYAn8wNUAVeRxt4OIIGyr39xXoknOSp9M6uhu5TWM19OaAWU-H0Mgeqbhm-dw14RlgcagYZNPF7HI/s275/Birds%20of%20Paradise%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyL62pn0Z2FSjTPFPCWbDOnntPNNkBBB3JTTSiJZUnta_4dhoMFVU8BoRETjLFPPhyZCXBie-QTKjpZPp5DZ2goJ7Kk7mIjjTtzcQHhspvkhf5ipYAn8wNUAVeRxt4OIIGyr39xXoknOSp9M6uhu5TWM19OaAWU-H0Mgeqbhm-dw14RlgcagYZNPF7HI/s1600/Birds%20of%20Paradise%203.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNegNFeAYSBOQ3o-yfAR8cJ5r1yq-WFLD4VQglQOtTzuzRuKjT1gXMbYLMu0RI57_J9ZRQ1v6XNBbM63DIAlDrsnpz4PXIyaQH1F9wicuV-C3jAvAkDcKhTR2Y4PdzLctOscQWaVqNAcNqoA-7Sub8TZxCDYtj54LNuOY7z3K-bFMQpcnV_KxS1oeYXI/s299/Birds%20of%20Paradise%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNegNFeAYSBOQ3o-yfAR8cJ5r1yq-WFLD4VQglQOtTzuzRuKjT1gXMbYLMu0RI57_J9ZRQ1v6XNBbM63DIAlDrsnpz4PXIyaQH1F9wicuV-C3jAvAkDcKhTR2Y4PdzLctOscQWaVqNAcNqoA-7Sub8TZxCDYtj54LNuOY7z3K-bFMQpcnV_KxS1oeYXI/s1600/Birds%20of%20Paradise%204.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGGNtsszUy-plnAy3QonnyC1GCxDEiC9vviIY3Nt-ShujeoZFN6IrjPWvbXjpMiLB24Je3RUArEWEbMilOSQEM51tZsZmm4lByUsQoJRVTx7bVz-Zm7BnFzI63aixID6636nXP9rt69cPU2hf4eUo8o2DghkbQaiI78W6fj6EVukQTB48ykhyphenhyphenImRNJ3o/s403/Birds%20of%20Paradise%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGGNtsszUy-plnAy3QonnyC1GCxDEiC9vviIY3Nt-ShujeoZFN6IrjPWvbXjpMiLB24Je3RUArEWEbMilOSQEM51tZsZmm4lByUsQoJRVTx7bVz-Zm7BnFzI63aixID6636nXP9rt69cPU2hf4eUo8o2DghkbQaiI78W6fj6EVukQTB48ykhyphenhyphenImRNJ3o/s320/Birds%20of%20Paradise%205.jpg" width="320" /><br /></a></div><p> Birds of Paradise<br /> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p>Birds of Paradise are found in New Guinea and surrounding islands. They are so attractive that their appearance once made them the target of skin hunters who decimated some species. They are the most intelligent species in the animal kingdom and use tools to get food and branches to build their nests.</p><p>Another characteristic shared by all Birds of Paradise is their diet. These birds mainly eat fruit and insects such as grasshoppers and cicadas. A common misconception about male Birds of Paradise is that they come out of the egg ready to dance. But in fact it takes many years to learn and refine the dance steps that makes them attractive to females. It can take four or five years before young males get their incredibly ornamented feathers.</p><p>When I first watched a documentary about these beautiful birds I couldn't help feeling that they behave in exactly the same way as human males or females. Wanting to be attractive to the opposite sex, or the same sex, means dressing up in your best clothes, applying a little after shave or perfume, slicking down your hair or arranging it in a sexy way, then off to a dance hall or club to show off your wares. Sometimes you are lucky, as with the birds.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><b>From Gilbert White 1782 November 27th in Hampshire</b></p><p>'Fierce frost. Rime hangs all day on the hanger. the hares, pressed by hunger, haunt the gardens and devour the pinks, cabbages, parsley, etc. Cats catch the red-breasts. Timothy the tortoise sleeps in the fruit-border under the wall, covered with a hen-coop, in which is a good armfull of straw. Here he will like warm, secure, and dry. His back is partly covered with mould.'</p><p><b>From John Everett Millais 1851 November 29th in Surrey</b></p><p>'All painted after breakfast- Holman Hunt at grass; myself, having nearly finished the wall, went on to complete stalk and lower leaves of Canterbury-bell in the corner. Young, who was with Hunt, said he heard the stag-hounds out; went to discover and came running in in a state of frenzied excitement for us to see the hunt. Saw about fifty riders after the hounds, but missed seeing the stag, it having got some distance ahead. Moralised afterwards thinking it a savage and uncivilised sport.</p><p> *</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b> Plumage</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Deep in the humid forest</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Scenting strongly of rich
earth,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The bird of Paradise trips</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Backwards and forwards on a
tree branch,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Utters loud cries, jumps
small jumps, </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Dances the pas de deux,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Fans out his tail feathers,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Pink, aquamarine, blue and
red</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Yellow and green,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>To entice female birds</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>To fall in love with him.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>And sometimes they do.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The human male</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Getting ready for a date</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>might slick back his hair,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>smile at himself in the
mirror,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>put on a bright coloured
shirt</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>red silk tie, and yellow
waistcoat,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>pat on some after shave</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>hum a tune, dancer a step or
two,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>and sally forth,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>hoping some female will </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">fall in love with him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">And sometimes they do.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></p>
<p><style><font size="4">@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p> *<br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-62243180658432470932023-11-12T13:29:00.001+00:002023-11-12T13:29:52.705+00:00Thanks Private Norfolk<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7bMfq7RnwVAyvvnOer7Z64oY7O44fAyjdLi43D8o-ztscE5jY7gFLtii-XKK75FV23dlpc3xcs_6TfiGJ7-uFQ3YJWkjhSuilwOOfxt6tJT0fFrksF3BbzqUh3rp_PsB47xbkslv-BxKR8ej1nEryNdcrsTQbzWg4TdMmvcOtQDRhmIiDlQ1B84VvEQ/s318/poppies%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7bMfq7RnwVAyvvnOer7Z64oY7O44fAyjdLi43D8o-ztscE5jY7gFLtii-XKK75FV23dlpc3xcs_6TfiGJ7-uFQ3YJWkjhSuilwOOfxt6tJT0fFrksF3BbzqUh3rp_PsB47xbkslv-BxKR8ej1nEryNdcrsTQbzWg4TdMmvcOtQDRhmIiDlQ1B84VvEQ/s1600/poppies%201.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDP_hotvcHLRuUzx4Gw7bCnZbGEv78eCNYoJ6Dxu5EA4HvBtIPbNP5kqySjA1CDxiWHQuiPbIvl_jH-hfLEWF77Fvk2avVzfx4bw3R7nY9RcsSINOH798mz8BlIzPIkPjH4_9KPmhIhS_SPsGc6fTD2T_9BsbaYfD0hXHj7qph924FOdeE1TFVEDMZro/s253/poppies%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="253" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDP_hotvcHLRuUzx4Gw7bCnZbGEv78eCNYoJ6Dxu5EA4HvBtIPbNP5kqySjA1CDxiWHQuiPbIvl_jH-hfLEWF77Fvk2avVzfx4bw3R7nY9RcsSINOH798mz8BlIzPIkPjH4_9KPmhIhS_SPsGc6fTD2T_9BsbaYfD0hXHj7qph924FOdeE1TFVEDMZro/s1600/poppies%202.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><p><br /> Dear Reader,</p><p> </p><p>The destruction on all the First World War battlefields was total. Every account spoke of the sea of mud and the elimination of any distinguishing feature of the landscape. For troops in the trenches the only other living things they would encounter, apart from fellow soldiers, were rats, mice or lice.</p><p>But one miracle did survive. The conditions perfectly suited an annual herb called papaver rhoas, whose seeds can lie dormant in the soil for more than 80 years before germinating. The process is usually triggered by disturbance of the soil, which is why the plant better known as the 'common poppy' is often found beside ploughed fields. Now the so-called " war to end all wars" had served the same purpose.</p><p>This had been apparent since the unusually warm spring and early summer of 1915, when poppies had begun to grown in clusters on and around the battle zones.</p><p>This is from a poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.</p><p>"In Flanders fields, the poppies blow<br />Between the crosses, row on row".</p><p> *</p><p>The 11th of November seems to come round very quickly and as usual my
thoughts are with my dear father, Harold Huth, who was a soldier in this
terrible war. He served as a major with The Royal Army Service Corps
and was mentioned in Dispatches on three occasions. I have a letter
written in January 1916 congratulating my grandparents, from a Colonel
Harrison and his other officers, on their son's distinguished conduct
and gallantry. So today, Remembrance Sunday, I am thinking of you, Dad,
and thanking you for the part you played to give us all the freedoms we
now enjoy, and am sending you my love.</p><p> *</p><p> </p><p>From Thomas Hardy 1877 November 12th in Dorset</p><p>'A flooded river after the incessant rains of yesterday. Lumps of froth float down like swans in fron of our house. At the arches of the large stone bridge the froth has accumulated and lies like hillocks of salt against the bridge; then the arch chokes, and after a silence coughs out the air and froth, and gurgles on.'</p><p> </p><p> *</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Thanks, Private Norfolk</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yo</span><span style="font-size: medium;">u
left, singing, with your pals,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>marching
for good and glory.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>You
hadn’t yet dug a trench,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>killed
an unknown soldier,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>seen
dead bodies, smelt their stench,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>heard
comrades’ last sickening cries.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">You
gave your life with generous heart, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">believed
the lies </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">dispatched
by loftier ranks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And
so to you, dear Private Norfolk,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I
give salute, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">and
my deepest thanks</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">for
swapping your mauve rain-skies,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">your
white-breast beaches, and beckoning sea,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">your
level fields of ripening corn,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">to
fight in foreign fields, for us, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">for
me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style> <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-9748355746820366582023-11-05T14:04:00.002+00:002023-11-05T14:04:39.668+00:00Bridal red<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHK5fWECIBqsoZ0L8jdLbksfNYhwHiwzAJtsi33xoMkORlJxuu6c0kzbxOzxWEOWBkbl8Avas4FmW4oZmBsxU-nCvbaia9kgTJPyeyjT4VRlxBlvPuqwVEEgCCW9mPk_SO8dtPNXUsZzgierEChDBmHEPphTGf0FB9hP3JmFMq80dZq_wrO7PSX3f0u4/s259/kenian%20women%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="195" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHK5fWECIBqsoZ0L8jdLbksfNYhwHiwzAJtsi33xoMkORlJxuu6c0kzbxOzxWEOWBkbl8Avas4FmW4oZmBsxU-nCvbaia9kgTJPyeyjT4VRlxBlvPuqwVEEgCCW9mPk_SO8dtPNXUsZzgierEChDBmHEPphTGf0FB9hP3JmFMq80dZq_wrO7PSX3f0u4/s1600/kenian%20women%202.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWLjlJvSrqLt1Wi3Mya0nplvZ-EN14qclJSK9q53zPnQutyx-HtDF_aBCjjdl_2gFazjHLxgirX6VHDnpWiMSsNpHIVAQj4cGmDbfrCx8dvxuQnG7UJ1kkq_Gw7an1LYeqCeHZ33wnIfkNCepBFj40l8guTQVW4u-9Nchc0njhpMkM2Dkq3eqFumNTCA/s275/kenian%20women%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWLjlJvSrqLt1Wi3Mya0nplvZ-EN14qclJSK9q53zPnQutyx-HtDF_aBCjjdl_2gFazjHLxgirX6VHDnpWiMSsNpHIVAQj4cGmDbfrCx8dvxuQnG7UJ1kkq_Gw7an1LYeqCeHZ33wnIfkNCepBFj40l8guTQVW4u-9Nchc0njhpMkM2Dkq3eqFumNTCA/s1600/kenian%20women%203.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p><br /> Dear reader,</p><p> </p><p>Kenya is highly patriarchal in the rural areas of the country. Girls and boys will have fairly separate upbringings with each being taught the duties and obligations specific to their gender. Women are often expected to be obedient to their husbands as well as not to challenge or disagree with their views. </p><p>Women and adolescent girls are the most vulnerable group in Kenya. The are particularly vulnerable to poverty especially in the household and the community which is exacerbated by gender-base violence, harmful cultural attitudes and beliefs around roles, norms and female empowerment.</p><p>Gender based violence remains pervasive and women are still underrepresented in decision-making processes at al levels. Women and girls still spend long hours collecting water and firewood.<br /></p><p></p><p> *<br /></p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth November 8th 1800 in Westmorland</b><br /></p><p>'A rainy morning. A whirlwind came that tossed about the leaves , and tore off the still green leave of the ashes....the whole face of the country in a winter covering. We went early to bed.'</p><p><br /></p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth November 10th 1800 in Westmorland</b></p><p>'I baked bread. A fine clear frosty morning. We walked after dinner to Rydale village. Jupiter over the hilltops, the only star, like a sun, flashed out at intervals from behind a black cloud.' <br /></p><p><br /></p><p> * <br /></p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bridal Red</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> I saw</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">a young girl smiling, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">laughing, threading beads, minding goats,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">chasing chickens, pulling feathers from their tails,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">holding hands with sisters, friends,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">chattering, gossiping, rough and tumbling</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">in bright sunlight. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I saw</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">scrub-plains, white rocks and blue,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">blue mountains,<span> </span>straw
huts,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">men on haunches, chewing,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">and thin dogs, fat babies, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">loving families, happiness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I saw</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">men, suddenly, appear from a distant village, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">offering cows and sheep as an exchange </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">for a shepherd in need of a woman, a wife.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The girl was chosen,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">a bargain was struck</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I saw</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her stand silently, acquiescent,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">red ochre paste and mud </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">mixed in a wooden bucket,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">plastered on her shaven head,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">necklaces of golden wire</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">wound tightly round her neck,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">ankle bracelets in profusion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I saw</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her sisters, her friends, not laughing now,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">not smiling, offering presents,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">a carved stick,<span> </span>a
beaded purse.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">At dawn she would leave as the sun rose, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">to walk over the mountain pass</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">to an unknown bridegroom,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">an unknown life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I saw </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">as she left<span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">her grief, her tears trickling, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">then flooding through the paste and mud.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I saw her sorrow as the colour red,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">and a crown of thorns her maidenhead.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-39566588018838603612023-10-29T12:49:00.002+00:002023-10-29T12:49:44.885+00:00Going Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNVyEe6aMckmypNdBeaMaCgrxaFI2xB4cNpTEa98QG75AWUiTcZk52__VAwRIhZxceLJaLMOmJLw_85ooYbzSMmfyWwInY30Wl8z5XPRP9Xkt25OaMCd9HtakNkkfEmbWeubfScyoVjHMDOiH50cffnNSuD4HnrXOtPdgm5dFEJnCl9646hfnQBFSQj4/s612/ghost%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="612" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNVyEe6aMckmypNdBeaMaCgrxaFI2xB4cNpTEa98QG75AWUiTcZk52__VAwRIhZxceLJaLMOmJLw_85ooYbzSMmfyWwInY30Wl8z5XPRP9Xkt25OaMCd9HtakNkkfEmbWeubfScyoVjHMDOiH50cffnNSuD4HnrXOtPdgm5dFEJnCl9646hfnQBFSQj4/s320/ghost%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKkMsZ-MbMRiObqYqGCcK7l_YTrpV4ujNYHSPskrNEVm3L_ETUdNDUtbsxWsl8SrLFSZL8EfjltAfZsFJLDyyrr7nO9XC43qr1jhwucb48pjLZlmx2Guaec6glKQFbKf8sDnCWgcxriKagcse4TUMu0Wtx-1WIV4YHo02OV-B7CQKOgDU2ubqTj9WGOw/s612/ghost%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="612" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKkMsZ-MbMRiObqYqGCcK7l_YTrpV4ujNYHSPskrNEVm3L_ETUdNDUtbsxWsl8SrLFSZL8EfjltAfZsFJLDyyrr7nO9XC43qr1jhwucb48pjLZlmx2Guaec6glKQFbKf8sDnCWgcxriKagcse4TUMu0Wtx-1WIV4YHo02OV-B7CQKOgDU2ubqTj9WGOw/s320/ghost%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWtt6CXDuf0zACDZrhKYJf_zP-bXVaqcnygt16uCx6cugDMNg4rL9TZFl0iyGtQukL4shI49ChhZftByPBzQ5rnfiKch1F2ay5bRzdaFWs7YAEiutXlHHTLGFMNtk09aCpHXsUSR5ZxdRpqgNqZrn0r6yuSA_j3sAEJYE-7UDj-wmH8BVd7eEyVPCrUE/s290/eggs%20in%20basket%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWtt6CXDuf0zACDZrhKYJf_zP-bXVaqcnygt16uCx6cugDMNg4rL9TZFl0iyGtQukL4shI49ChhZftByPBzQ5rnfiKch1F2ay5bRzdaFWs7YAEiutXlHHTLGFMNtk09aCpHXsUSR5ZxdRpqgNqZrn0r6yuSA_j3sAEJYE-7UDj-wmH8BVd7eEyVPCrUE/s1600/eggs%20in%20basket%201.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3scKK87oo4oM0Uf6PeDKUTc4vEaGQWIEPuvur8Zkv9BQ7tV2Aml7va3D1HopFtasWBIxuMzjCUZOHpqwUndxjCZcsZ7_UAMvlcTFChT8bT0x-rX43OwGR-mz1NQMbNgFzvKnd4TMi7ElxoDxuVSnWwGjtk3tEN7kfj5oK6ehXhOHmleOY15bcVpPTOo/s275/eggs%20in%20basket%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3scKK87oo4oM0Uf6PeDKUTc4vEaGQWIEPuvur8Zkv9BQ7tV2Aml7va3D1HopFtasWBIxuMzjCUZOHpqwUndxjCZcsZ7_UAMvlcTFChT8bT0x-rX43OwGR-mz1NQMbNgFzvKnd4TMi7ElxoDxuVSnWwGjtk3tEN7kfj5oK6ehXhOHmleOY15bcVpPTOo/s1600/eggs%20in%20basket%202.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA63FovKv_s_K_hOvdJt7EO93w61kU-IHSTvjOpD3HGyyJxtNpzO51mQYNpHIAiOLruezcyYQvagND-RPTbJxVVR5LktdGAmUuW9qNoOvR_RQKGW5eaDPLp1cwl4_IIhsGqV-DlKRUUTTquA1Fog7-FSSFn2JTVteSHi_VoonMshns_SbRshvLjw8DfbY/s225/eggs%20in%20basket%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA63FovKv_s_K_hOvdJt7EO93w61kU-IHSTvjOpD3HGyyJxtNpzO51mQYNpHIAiOLruezcyYQvagND-RPTbJxVVR5LktdGAmUuW9qNoOvR_RQKGW5eaDPLp1cwl4_IIhsGqV-DlKRUUTTquA1Fog7-FSSFn2JTVteSHi_VoonMshns_SbRshvLjw8DfbY/s1600/eggs%20in%20basket%205.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><p><br /> Dear reader,</p><p>I had to go to the New Forest two weeks ago to read one of my poems and say a few words about my very dear friend, Lady Fiona Montagu, at her Memorial Service. In order to do this I had to stay close to where I had lived for nearly twenty years in my twenty's and thirty's. My daughter, Jessica and I decided it would be interesting to go back to the house I had lived in all those years. But it was a big mistake. When I lived there it was, at the end of the 1960s, and a dilapidated old farmhouse with masses of charm. The roof leaked, rats lived in the walls and it was cold but with a family growing up, three daughters, it was a solid and cosy home with lots to recommend it. The now grown up children remember it with affection.</p><p>I left the house and got divorced and my ex-husband sold it to a millionaire cattle farmer. It now looks completely different. A great deal of money must have been spent making it pristine. New walls, new staircases, panelled rooms and Italian type tiles in the old hall. And there were cameras in the grounds everywhere to detract uninvited guests. </p><p>Jessica and I did ring the bell and the owner answered, but was not very welcoming, however he gave me a piece he had written about Ipley Manor (the farmhouse) and its acres from Medieval times, which was very interesting. I asked him whether he saw the ghost and told him I had twice felt it and knew which room it appeared in. He didn't seem very interested but perhaps one doesn't want to know about ghosts in our houses. It wasn't at all like the house that I remember and know now that my memories will remain, in my mind, as it was.
</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> *<br /></span></p><br /><br />
<p><style>@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSectio</style>F<b>rom Gilbert White, October 25th 1784 in Hampshire</b></p><p>'Hard frost, thick ice. In my way to Newton I was covered with snow! Snow covers the ground and trees.'</p><p> </p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert, October 25th 1874 in Wiltshire</b></p><p>'A damp warm morning steaming with heat, the outer air like a hothouse, the inner air colder, and in consequence the old thick panelled walls of the front rooms streaming with the arm air condensed on the cold walls....The afternoon was so gloomy that I was obliged for the first time to have lights in the pulpit.'</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Going Back</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">The old
farmhouse,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">surrounded
by </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">rhododendron
bushes,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">was a funny
old place,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">full of
twists and turns</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">passages
and panelled rooms,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a large
sunny kitchen</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">with green lino
floor,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a dark
larder</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">full of
hams and baskets of eggs,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">while dogs slept
in the small</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">drying room
where it was warm.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">There was a
ghost, of course,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a smuggler
killed fighting another</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">over a
brandy run aborted.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I felt it,
twice, </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a middle of
the night experience, ice cold, terrifying.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">My dog
wouldn't go in there,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">just
growled.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Tadpoles
were caught in the streams,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">ponies were
ridden over the forest,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">lots of
apple crumble,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">toad in the
hole, beef stews,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">and
dumplings eaten</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">picnics on
the lawn,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">squirrels
watching, watching....</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">a cosy family
house</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the
children's home.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">But now?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Years later
it is reformed.<span> </span>It is a </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">mansion.<span> </span>Rebuilt with mega money.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">All the
farmyard magic gone,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the sun
that used to filter </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">through
dusty windows,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the back
door with never a key,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">the old farmhouse
destroyed,</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">no longer a
home but a fort.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">A prison.
Cameras everywhere</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">watching
watching......</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> *</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With very best wishes, Patricia <br /></span></span></p>
<p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-12603407139408762532023-10-22T13:52:00.004+01:002023-10-22T13:52:50.419+01:00Small Pleasures in Old Age<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pPcHJ5_DXrwjiJZrLKac_FP23vGn-aJPxQ0CLO9VkCwKdaKvIGhYpH77OseLN9bbz_VZjUapLppAV0lojiD8EcZmSRHt-40g6yTcnsDoXTXZI7FC-13tGFkT2fhMJQmCUCJX893GqsHRpBVNSUFMi2SdIL2dekhhY5yXdeIrYUBgiQjiM6gqC9LOl4Y/s168/Deer%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="168" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pPcHJ5_DXrwjiJZrLKac_FP23vGn-aJPxQ0CLO9VkCwKdaKvIGhYpH77OseLN9bbz_VZjUapLppAV0lojiD8EcZmSRHt-40g6yTcnsDoXTXZI7FC-13tGFkT2fhMJQmCUCJX893GqsHRpBVNSUFMi2SdIL2dekhhY5yXdeIrYUBgiQjiM6gqC9LOl4Y/s1600/Deer%201.jpg" width="168" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqCUj7V5SxVymSqwPexF-brgTpXHfKNNH4cBVg_FH0TJyqNTIyfMEgYtLIsQRBSjGPiKVvPUQifgVwwHUaown7Qt6zWI_yMNwD-_ikXzN1pZBxK868jMcFWsCNCit-v_HfuJwQMjwUmnbXPqQLPKw1a1pYVHYy2SNv7-0N_3PQIEJ-Ix4aUTv_1JEnvs/s255/deer%205%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="255" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqCUj7V5SxVymSqwPexF-brgTpXHfKNNH4cBVg_FH0TJyqNTIyfMEgYtLIsQRBSjGPiKVvPUQifgVwwHUaown7Qt6zWI_yMNwD-_ikXzN1pZBxK868jMcFWsCNCit-v_HfuJwQMjwUmnbXPqQLPKw1a1pYVHYy2SNv7-0N_3PQIEJ-Ix4aUTv_1JEnvs/s1600/deer%205%20.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br /><br /> <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7lnVK9ZKJZx0LMKiznS4L1ms-Rq0QThhfoL9QIMePUg1t9HafpRd3Ndr4owAEFWSsiM__5ljj64y2h1CrTyDwGwsaZOKYEb2KoZemubc4-5adXN3k4I_j34gLxPYe4QaUa5e47cYJDsv9IzAFLZw2aftMLEMCLecnKC4St4jzsk9f4xHMR4lKKV2wMc/s5515/deer%20in%20undergrowth%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3677" data-original-width="5515" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7lnVK9ZKJZx0LMKiznS4L1ms-Rq0QThhfoL9QIMePUg1t9HafpRd3Ndr4owAEFWSsiM__5ljj64y2h1CrTyDwGwsaZOKYEb2KoZemubc4-5adXN3k4I_j34gLxPYe4QaUa5e47cYJDsv9IzAFLZw2aftMLEMCLecnKC4St4jzsk9f4xHMR4lKKV2wMc/s320/deer%20in%20undergrowth%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbzcCLdzi8Rhyphenhyphen2ANOLjC887BkZqzIo2wnWxF8EXxcizbisfu-NeR07Ph7D34iJrlanoyvsFn3G-8-M4apqs4j0ilpWre3ZZGDxMFHnQrXeWb2FAwIHMple5Dcuh-G-247yB3mkaI0HWOpD7XmgfA66pKkluQNxQISkOLQVxE27-G0gDtOUqso-pFf3VI/s275/deer%20in%20undergrowth%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbzcCLdzi8Rhyphenhyphen2ANOLjC887BkZqzIo2wnWxF8EXxcizbisfu-NeR07Ph7D34iJrlanoyvsFn3G-8-M4apqs4j0ilpWre3ZZGDxMFHnQrXeWb2FAwIHMple5Dcuh-G-247yB3mkaI0HWOpD7XmgfA66pKkluQNxQISkOLQVxE27-G0gDtOUqso-pFf3VI/s1600/deer%20in%20undergrowth%202.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p>Dear Reader,</p><p>Of the wild UK deer species only the red deer and roe deer are truly indigenous. Fallow deer were almost certainly introduced by the Normans while three Asiatic specious Reeves muntjac, chinese water deer and Sika arrived in the last 19th and early 20th centuries.</p><p>Within properly functioning ecosystems deer play an important role by maintaining open arrears which can enhance biodiversity and habitat quality of a woodland. However without any predators large deer populations can have a devastating effect on their environment.</p><p> *</p><p>One of the pleasures I mention in today's poem is having time with the grandchildren. This week I was lucky and Mary, and her boyfriend Jamie, came to afternoon tea. And we had a great time. They told told of their aspirations for future life and how they were starting new jobs in November. And as, I think, a wise old woman, I propounded the theory that living in a frugal way was good for the soul. We only have one go in life and it is short and precious. Live together, with rules, I said, and happiness will surely ensue.</p><p> *</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>F<b>rom John Clare, October 31st, 1824 in Northants</b></p><p>'Took a walk, got some branches of the spindle tree with its pink-color'd berries that shine beautifully in the pale sun.'</p><p><b>From Dorothy Wordsworth, October 31st, 1800 in Grasmere, Westmorland</b></p><p>'A very fine moonlight night - The moon shone like herrings in the water.'<br /></p><p><b>From S.T. Coleridge, October 31st, 1803 in Cumberland</b></p><p>'The full moon glided on behind a black cloud. And what then? And who cared?.' <br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Small Pleasures in Old Age</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Listening to Mozart’s Andante</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">in front of a log fire</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">hearing the robin’s call </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">in early spring</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">spotting the first violets, first primroses,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">walking in the woods</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">sitting under the trees</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">whilst the bagpipes utter</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">their unique spiritual sounds</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">watching the deer hurrying</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">through the undergrowth</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">following the antics</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">of the Archer family</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">eating peanut butter sandwiches</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">watching the goldfinch spitting</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">out seeds, and laughing</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">at the absurdity of life itself</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">exchanging family news</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">proudly loving the grandchildren</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">and their stories</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">small away holidays</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">with Francis, by the sea</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">in Dorset</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">And, perhaps,<span> </span>best of
all, having the courage</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">to not say yes to things</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">when I mean no</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">With best wishes, Patricia<br /></span></p>
<p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:"MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-alt:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"\@MS Mincho";
panose-1:2 2 6 9 4 2 5 8 3 4;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 134217746 0 131231 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-60882490545542508962023-10-15T12:57:00.006+01:002023-10-15T13:52:55.463+01:00The Promised Land<p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaAgRWcRl7NDL9-RMzZQM0k-lnkqYZXH01KpKRfBcESg9Mfo-lVWYl9RQk1j-8VQUZIEwaOOb4TzxSBYnu20AA2h8RFZ-X2M7ifeqIEGykrBNBK7oZVK53TOWXFNWK1NGkhYlqUsXO0DbWlY8RHgLuxM8YHcjiWzG3ZrBdXHk7O_mxwc5Hd_8Svk3UDs/s225/heaven%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaAgRWcRl7NDL9-RMzZQM0k-lnkqYZXH01KpKRfBcESg9Mfo-lVWYl9RQk1j-8VQUZIEwaOOb4TzxSBYnu20AA2h8RFZ-X2M7ifeqIEGykrBNBK7oZVK53TOWXFNWK1NGkhYlqUsXO0DbWlY8RHgLuxM8YHcjiWzG3ZrBdXHk7O_mxwc5Hd_8Svk3UDs/s1600/heaven%207.jpg" width="225" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbkF_hnfezI1PW-Ej_1L75ixV5A4P0fB2Xkl-S_NBn7Ny92T2buHmuIzFOH9ZcQHSz-8e1z3n3264uwFgtWge4X1R05jaUNAqinXMcRl37daIYz8oyXOg52GRPphJfIX_EeuaHItATKFs4M3NhyklXmlNLy-iZhEb5m10LqkD1sp_yvnE8VRzsKVBL_k/s275/heaven%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbkF_hnfezI1PW-Ej_1L75ixV5A4P0fB2Xkl-S_NBn7Ny92T2buHmuIzFOH9ZcQHSz-8e1z3n3264uwFgtWge4X1R05jaUNAqinXMcRl37daIYz8oyXOg52GRPphJfIX_EeuaHItATKFs4M3NhyklXmlNLy-iZhEb5m10LqkD1sp_yvnE8VRzsKVBL_k/s1600/heaven%208.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ymBd6nS0PWnS0pClhpLbqLuoQUUwIaAxfSwur3q3lMXPx2UdL71-nOEcI7t9EwrI8XpXqFkO4bGTCXybuhT-9aWTaPVLVfDYTcrvjUKk6sFD58GbODKTyX8hkSO9vLUaeapfFby9UKr_GKMrfwRjRhPkigUtkt-QHo-3EWBi-Whyphenhyphen2zc7Jn1-onG53d4/s300/Heaven%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ymBd6nS0PWnS0pClhpLbqLuoQUUwIaAxfSwur3q3lMXPx2UdL71-nOEcI7t9EwrI8XpXqFkO4bGTCXybuhT-9aWTaPVLVfDYTcrvjUKk6sFD58GbODKTyX8hkSO9vLUaeapfFby9UKr_GKMrfwRjRhPkigUtkt-QHo-3EWBi-Whyphenhyphen2zc7Jn1-onG53d4/s1600/Heaven%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div> The way to heaven perhaps?<br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p><br /></p><p>A very dear friend of mine was dying but quite happy about it since she thought that being dead was a great big adventure that she would enjoy. A few days before she died a very strange thing happened to me. </p><p>In the middle of the night, at about 3 am, I was awakened by a voice in my head dictating the following prayer/poem. I stumbled into my study and managed to write the words down but the next morning I remembered very little of it. I was a bit shaken for a few days but thinking about it I am sure of one thing. This was the voice of Jesus Christ, or some Higher Being or perhaps a Guardian Angel. Certainly this sort of thing has never happened to me before or since.</p><p> I believe it is called channelling and has happened to various artists over the years. Rudyard Kipling thought that sometimes a voice told him what to write when working on his poems. This is quite different from thinking and telling yourself what to write.<br /></p><p>I telephoned my friend and read it out to her. She loved it and wept. </p><p>See what you think.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Promised Land</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot see the distant place</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s out of reach for me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot see the distant place,<span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">misting to the sea.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot hear the singing birds</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">or see the mountain range,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot speak my Christian name</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">since my body starts to change.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I will not know what happens next,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Or where I might be,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot see the distant place</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s out of reach for me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Lord and Saviour, hold my hand.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">As I drift into the Promised Land.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>From John Everett Millais October 16th 1851 in Surrey</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">'Worked on my picture; painted nasturtiums; saw a stoat run into a hole in the garden wall; went up to it and endeavoured to lure the little beast out by mimicking a rat's or mouse squeak...Succeeded, to my astonishment. He came half out of the hole and looked in my face, within easy reach.'<br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> F<b>rom Francis Kilvert October 18th 1878 in Gower Peninsula, Glamorgan</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">'St. Luke's Day. This week has indeed been the summer of St. Luke. Five of us drove in the waggonette to Oxwich Bay ....We had a merry windy luncheon on the bank near the churchyard gate, and great fun and famous laughing. An E. wind was blowing fresh and strong, the sea was rolling grey and yeasty, and in a splendid sunburst the white seagulls were running and feeding on the yellow sands. A wild merry happy day.'</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> *<br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>If you have time and the inclination do give me some feedback on the poem. I would love to know what you think. email address: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>patricia.huthellis@googlemail.com</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> *<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p><style><font size="3">@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman \(Body CS\)";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></style></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-85999838698685578782023-10-08T12:56:00.000+01:002023-10-08T12:56:15.927+01:00The Date Jar <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjdfiIfEusebY3dpxjmhz5gRJKWHNXyH10Sg_qKjuU_s5zgCsdjkHsITVDCm45qomkTj7g55QomvLb_7RSexnewY5YBe0o4HzIZC_nY3kaeZIP7Ri0mOOPILNwSGn7tqMrGI84XjdvqbNwcZDFUmVmKpGz7PzOGyazAqsTGmmc5AgSYRqsb3a4e7nPtw/s273/greyfriars%20bobby%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="185" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjdfiIfEusebY3dpxjmhz5gRJKWHNXyH10Sg_qKjuU_s5zgCsdjkHsITVDCm45qomkTj7g55QomvLb_7RSexnewY5YBe0o4HzIZC_nY3kaeZIP7Ri0mOOPILNwSGn7tqMrGI84XjdvqbNwcZDFUmVmKpGz7PzOGyazAqsTGmmc5AgSYRqsb3a4e7nPtw/s1600/greyfriars%20bobby%205.jpg" width="185" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGB7fWHgZJ5CAKtKcsFq9lbnsTa2raAeYv6E8CKNvP4PG_PgEEjjnktmFSjc0ZooXgI-k3s1xkqNlWe29hHuF-2h0ml25KFZvwX5S9uCILAdCFTYAqCBwGzRMM7KAJIQ-94vi-WU0Czg1vaMQ-uJpgVt5jJRKFknHFxOEKrNlhrWQ9YAlzAMWzlD45i7I/s309/greyfriars%20bobby%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="309" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGB7fWHgZJ5CAKtKcsFq9lbnsTa2raAeYv6E8CKNvP4PG_PgEEjjnktmFSjc0ZooXgI-k3s1xkqNlWe29hHuF-2h0ml25KFZvwX5S9uCILAdCFTYAqCBwGzRMM7KAJIQ-94vi-WU0Czg1vaMQ-uJpgVt5jJRKFknHFxOEKrNlhrWQ9YAlzAMWzlD45i7I/s1600/greyfriars%20bobby%207.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqthYwi3yXtRXo8OJDOpKNy87xbNZDfBXpwfPGaRp-2baj3HqVcho_aoDn4RmhrUx6t8VFw-QdOhRS0qJ7V_FrHy238slzVQCzntCJqP_-UlSKaOvp6fhXrO7hu52-EADeijNFcHRIylB_u9fKtUdh4nBZ6BwAcEYnCfaNQ6SzIovdqjH-eZGhszCH_V0/s259/greyfriars%20bobby%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="194" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqthYwi3yXtRXo8OJDOpKNy87xbNZDfBXpwfPGaRp-2baj3HqVcho_aoDn4RmhrUx6t8VFw-QdOhRS0qJ7V_FrHy238slzVQCzntCJqP_-UlSKaOvp6fhXrO7hu52-EADeijNFcHRIylB_u9fKtUdh4nBZ6BwAcEYnCfaNQ6SzIovdqjH-eZGhszCH_V0/s1600/greyfriars%20bobby%202.jpg" width="194" /></a></div><p>Dear Reader,<br /> </p><p> Do you know this lovely story? Here it is if you don't.</p><p><br /></p><p>Grayfriars Bobby (4th May 1855 - l4th January 1872) was a Skye terrier who became known in 19th Century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died.</p><p>Bobby belonged to John Gray who worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a nightwatchman. When John Gray died he was buried in Grayfriars Kirkyard in the Old Town of Edinburgh. Bobby then became known locally as he spent the rest of his life sitting on his master's grave.</p><p>Bobby is said to have sat by the grave for 14 years. He was buried just outside the gate of Grayfriars Kirkyard, not far from John Gray's grave.</p><p>A year later the English philanthropist Lady Burdett-Couts was charmed by the story and had a drinking fountain topped with Bobby's statue erected at the junction of George V1 Bridge and Candlemaker Row, opposite the entrance to the churchyard to commemorate him.</p><p> *</p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert 1871 October 9th in Radnorshire</b></p><p>'There was a frost in the night and this morning the tops of the poplar spires are touched, are turned to finest gold.'</p><p><b>From Gilbert White 1787 October 13th in Hampshire</b></p><p>'We saw several redwings among the bushes on the north side of the common. There were swallows about the village at the same time: so that summer and winter birds of passage were seen on the same day.'</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Date Jar (<i>after cancer operation)</i></b><br /></p><p>On the breakfast table I noticed<br />the date jar,<br />hiding a little behind the cereals,<br />the milk, the marmalade, the sugar bowl,<br />and a small jug full of early daffodils.</p><p>The date jar?</p><p>My throat constricted.<br />It was the thought he had had,<br />laying things out,<br />that I might like a date,<br />that touched the chord.</p><p><br /></p><p> *</p><p>With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056614199155317880.post-72028730541246377912023-10-01T12:13:00.000+01:002023-10-01T12:13:15.102+01:00Forever Love<p> Dear Reader,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoXj-EbLacI1I5LgrptzZtfRsKFfSyHF64cHmuH-4AK7DAeXLTn0rg0e1ErxNqyVL3d133XVHnw4Gs07jAOWxa6gqhLKcVtRb5603KTYNhYUv2WrJ84IjQmkeuMMOzB8vgt9A86aTo2RU05dzSv71KNreGP2uXRWgrbEiMWfS0XLnOpUe6DQCQV2BM44/s1440/Photo%20on%2001-10-2023%20at%2011.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoXj-EbLacI1I5LgrptzZtfRsKFfSyHF64cHmuH-4AK7DAeXLTn0rg0e1ErxNqyVL3d133XVHnw4Gs07jAOWxa6gqhLKcVtRb5603KTYNhYUv2WrJ84IjQmkeuMMOzB8vgt9A86aTo2RU05dzSv71KNreGP2uXRWgrbEiMWfS0XLnOpUe6DQCQV2BM44/s320/Photo%20on%2001-10-2023%20at%2011.25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Autumn Gear<p></p><p><br /></p><p>I haven't quite got to grips with this weather. I thought it was supposed to be autumnal now with the leaves starting to fall and cold or frosty nights starting to make themselves known. But no such thing has happened. I was so hot in bed two nights ago I threw off the blanket and just had one sheet over me. Then I went out to lunch with two of my grandchildren on Friday and was too hot in a cardigan and jacket. </p><p>So I assume all this warm air is the result of global warming. Gosh what are we all to do with global warming throughout the planet? Obviously everyone is worried about its consequences and I often wonder how it will all end as I am sure many people do. At 83 I haven't too long to worry about it but I do worry for my children and grandchildren. </p><p> *</p><p>The news this week about knife crimes all over England is pretty horrific. What on earth is going on? Why isn't the punishment for a knife crime more severe? I despair of British justice and am very glad that I am no longer a magistrate.</p><p> * <br /></p><p> <b>From Dorothy Wordsworth 1800 October 2nd in Westmorland</b></p><p>'A very rainy morning. We walked after dinner to observe the torrents....the lichens are now coming out afresh, I carried home a collection in the afternoon. We had a pleasant conversation about the manners of the rich - avarice, inordinate desires and the effeminacy, unnaturalness, and the unworthy objects of education....a showery evening. the moonlight lay upon the hills like snow.'</p><p> </p><p><b>From Francis Kilvert 1874 October 7th in Radnorshire</b></p><p>For some time I have been trying to find the right word for the shimmering glancing twinkling movement of the popular leaves in the sun and wind. This afternoon I saw the word written on the poplar leaves. It was 'dazzle'. The dazzle of the poplars. </p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Forever Love</b></p><p>They meet at church,<br />wander through cow parsley fields<br />red poppies, buttercups,<br />talk of life<br />hold hands<br />fall in love,<br />grow up together.</p><p>Then Josh goes to Uni,<br />Lola still at school<br />invites him to her Prom.</p><p>Too undermining<br />thinks Josh<br />and didn't go.<br />They part. </p><p>Both old now,<br />think of those days<br />of love, freedom and joy,<br />with regret,<br />with sadness.</p><p> *</p><p><br /></p><p>With very best wishes, Patricia<br /></p><p><br /></p>acotswoldpoet.blogspot.co.ukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042878989818050907noreply@blogger.com0