Katie B's Blog. www.kbmorgan.co.uk

Wool in Winchcombe

2012-03-02T16:23:00.003-08:00

Spring really feels like it's arrived, Sheep ae back in the field next to Sudeley and the lambs are already skipping about the fields around Postlip.To see the lambs this year must be an extra delight to the farmers because of an illness that is affecting pregnant ewes and so causing a lot of still births.In my probable ignorance, I do believe that a lot of these horrible animal diseases are due to the pressures of people always having to make huge profits on everything....but then that's me just wishing for a simple life. One day I'll have a couple of geese and some chickens again..and perhaps a sheep for milk, then a little Dexter cow..oh and a donkey would be nice..yes I'm a dreamer but dreams can always become reality....Right I've stepped back down from my soap box..

Our Jane at The Winds of Change Gallery in Winchcombe came up with the idea of celebrating Wool in Winchcome. 14th April to the 5th May 2012
From a little idea in her Gallery 'Hub' sprang a community event as well as a gallery exhibition. The lovely thing about it is that you don't have to be an 'artist' to participate...all you need to be is any of the following- a knitter, be able to crochet, love wool, spinner, weaver, producer,shepherd or just love sheep ,lambs and woolly jumpers ! Jane has invited Gretel Parker a childrens illustrator to give a workshop in the art of felting. She makes beautiful felt characters. Do look on Janes website to find more details of the artists and knitters, spinners etc. One novel event is a group of local singers putting on a show of local songs with a sheepy twist...bring your knitting while you enjoy the show !
Shop keepers in the town are embracing the idea,-Sue Ryder will have lots of knitting on display, The Old Tea House is having a learn to knit session and The new cake shop 'Cake and Sugar craft Boutique' is going to do a sheep related window. and Country Keepsakes has special sheep cards. A7lb bronze weight will be on display at Sudeley Castle. It was used by buyers as they collected wool on packhorse's in the middle ages .Only 135 are known to exist!

Pardon the quality but it's in a case.

The history of wool in Winchcombe goes back a long way. It was first mentioned in 796 when Charles the Great wrote to Offa, king of Mercia: ''Our subjects make request concerning the size of the cloaks; that you will have them made of the same pattern as used to come to us in old times '' With Winchcombe at one time being the capital of Mercia it must have been a very early centre for the wool trade. St Peters Church is an old Wool Church.
Elizabeth 1 made lots of acts to protect the wool trade, one was that everyone had to wear a woolly hat (Horrid Histories) and another that every corpse should wear British wool! If you were not buried in wool then there was a fine of £5, half paid to the poor of the parish and half to the person who informed them..One pamphlet read ' both living and dead must be wrapped in woollen,indeed no other law is wanted but only one, that our perukes ( wigs ) should be made of wool.
The Cotswold folk wanted to keep to hand work,and piece work rather than using machines so the cloth industry moved to Yorkshire and the north of England. Shearers, clothworkers and weavers lived in Winchcombe, brode weavers from the Forest of dean and felt makers in Tewkesbury are mentioned as stating their trade in 1608. Times don't change Winchcombe is still full of individual craftspeople and artists ! Imagine if we had said yes to the spinning Jenny, and The Forest of Dean had said yes to the steel industry...blimey, the area would look different !
When Elizabeth 1 visited Sudeley it was a shepherd that read out a welcome to her '''this lock of wool, Cotswold's best fruits and my poor gift. I offer to your Highness: in which nothing is to be esteemed but the whiteness, virginity's colour, nor to be expected but duty, shepherd's religion.''
I'm sure I will probably add more information to this blog but it's late so I'll press the button and get it published...I hope you can come over the hill to enjoy our town....don't forget to bring your knitting !
Writing about wool and sheep I have to mention my lovely friends Julian and Polly .Julian is the shepherd out of story books, black curly hair, bright blue eyes, a laughing face with a paint brush in one hand and a fiddle in the other. Polly is also very lovelyand she plays guitar ,sings and spins wool. We all used to play in a band called 'The Mothy Band' years ago. I've just returned from a weekend in Dorset visiting them both...and Polly has given me a beautiful pair of hand knitted gloves, made from wool that she had spun...lucky old me !
http://www.winchcombe.co.uk/home/item/194-wool-in-winchcombe-from-14-april-till-5-may
I gleaned some of the historical facts from ' Winchcombe Cavalcade' by Eleanor Adlard.
Note: Any underlined words are linked to their web pages.

Waste not , Want not.

2012-02-26T14:32:00.001-08:00

I've been reading a little book from the library called 'A Cotswold Rag-Bag' by Bert Butler.The book is full of small stories and reminiscence's of Winchcombe around 1920. One story talks of the Rag Bag, String Bag and the paper bag. All were saved for future use, clothes had patches upon patches. Emma Dent who lived at Sudeley Castle liked to see her Gardner's with patched clothes,it was a sign of ''thrifty wives,ragbag owners,worthy women indeed''. In my eyes it was more a case of them not having ''two shillings to rub together''....I'm sure Mrs Dent must have realised. I was talking to my Mum about it and she laughed saying that she once got a job because her jodphurs had patches on the knees. Mum looked a hard worker..which indeed she still is. When I first started in business people used to say you can't turn up for jobs in that old moggy (morris van) ,you should have something smart. I haven't changed I still drive old bangers..as long as they go and pass their MOT then I'm fine.

Another saying is 'As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined' in other words if you are brought up being thrifty then you carry on being so.
The story also tells of the men walking to work always carrying a 'frail'. This was a bag made of woven rushes in which they carried their dinner. On the way back home they would fill it with seasonal food such as mushrooms, apples, turnip tops,rabbits and kindling wood for the fire. The families could ' make a pound do the work of thirty shillings'.
The wives would do 'sides to middles' to make the sheets last longer and would sun bake brussel sprout stems to fuel the copper. Near my parents house there used to be a beautiful old forest stone cottage, it was a two up two down with a lean to laundry room with a copper. Down the garden was the piggery. I would have loved that house just as it was but it was pulled down and replaced with a large brick house and plastic conservatory.

The opposite saying was ' if they had five pounds of wick they'd still be in trouble'
I do love some of the old simple ways, life seems so complicated these days. I put a little range into my living room. In the winter it is gorgeous,not madly hot but the kettles boiling and there is food cooking in the oven....lovely.
Thank you Bert for your stories.

The following links are to two books, the first 'Emma Dent' and the second to a book my parents gave me when i started college...I've still got it and it's full of information from upholstery to indoor plants.
A very good read is 'the lady of Sudeley' written by our own lovely Jean Bray.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Sudeley-Jean-Bray/dp/0750937203

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3712005-emma-dent
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paupers-Homemaking-Book-Penguin-Handbooks/dp/0140462244

Books

2012-02-19T03:29:00.000-08:00

The question is...Should I really be collecting books because I like their spines ?

but I also love the illustrations inside....

Their contents...

The smell of the pages...

The old fashioned English....

The funny titles...

If it wasn't for running around,family,having friends,music, art, work, computers, TVs, and a need for more hours in the day.....I'd read them all !

And while I have space I'll continue enjoying them.

Snowdrops

2012-02-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

Driving back from Malmesbury yesterday it was lovely to see copses and woods carpeted in snowdrops. I think they are lovely but because of supersitions they are not always liked. When you see them in woods they can be a sign of an old dwelling ,mainly because they are not native and are thought to have been brought over by Italian monks in the 15th century. This could be why they are often in churchyards and why snowdrops are thought to be unlucky if cut and brought into the house. Although at the same time some people believe they purify the home.

Back at my home I only have a few in my garden, I'm sure I had a lot more but I may have disturbed them last year. Hopefully because my garden gets the cold winds most of them have decided it's not warm enough !Their roots stay alive all year so they can be damaged so It's advisable to move them when they are still in the green. Last year a rare bulb was sold on Ebay for £37 !
One story associated with them is that an angel wanting to give Adam and Eve hope after being sent out of the garden of Eden, turned snowflakes into snowdrops ,a sign that Spring will come.
Their latin name Galanthus means 'milk flower' but they are also known as dewdrops, death flower, drooping bells, Mary's tapers, Candlemass bells , Eves tears, snow piercers and my favourite 'the fair maid of February.'
Linking with Candlemass and my middle name, is the 2nd February St Brigid;s day, the gaelic goddess of poetry, healing and smithcrafts,.The lighting of candles representing the coming of the sun. In the southern hemisphere modern pagans celebrate it on the 1st August,my Birthday.The following link tells you how to make St Brigids cross. http://www.irelandseye.com/irish/people/saints/brigid_cross.shtm

Sudeley Castle

Wisley is the home of more than 350 species and cultivars-The National collection of Galanthus.(milk Flower ) . Locally as well as in the wild they can be seen at Painswick Rococco gardens and Colesbourne. At the moment there is a video on the Painswick site but it is very wobbly and might make you feel a bit odd ! If you'd like to buy snowdrops in the green, here are a few links for you...I haven't bought any from these sites but I'm sure they will be fine.
http://www.naturescape.co.uk/acatalog/Spring_Bulbs.html?gclid=CMzFlJHBp64CFQQKfAodFB_Y_A#a472

http://lockerz.com/s/187325193 Photo by Quinny

http://www.judyssnowdrops.co.uk/

Gloucestershire Giants and serpents

2012-02-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

Photo by David Ross

A long, long time ago the villagers of Deerhurst lived alongside a huge serpent that poisoned the men and cattle.They asked for help from the King who said that he would give land on Walton Hill to the person who could slay the beast. A labourer called Smith heard the story came to the rescue. He placed a trough of milk near the serpents lair and waited. After a while the serpent drank the milk and fell asleep under the midday sun.Quickly Smith picked up an axe and sliced off the serpents head. The Smiths owned the land until the 16th century. In the 18th century a Mr Lane married one of Smiths descendants and said that he family still owned the axe...I wonder where it is now ?
If you are passing the Saxon church at Deerhurst is worth a visit.

In Prestbury there is a field called Giants grave. In it was the remains of a Long barrow. I imagine at some time someone imagined that it was where a giant was buried.

Near the Teddington Roundabout is the Tibblestone. Once upon a time there was a Giant who lived nearby. One day he stood on Dixon Hill throwing stones at the ships sailing down the River Severn, when he slipped .The tibblestone is his stone that landed short of the river. Alfred Watkins wrote another story in a book called ''The old straight track''.

Dixton Hill.

A long time ago, a giant lived in these parts,and he went up the hill (Dixton Hill ) to fetch a large stone to destroy his enemy's house. When he was carrying it down, his foot slipped, and his heel made a great furrow in the hillside, and you can See it to this day, and he had to drop the stone just where you see it. It is quite true because you can see for yourself he holes where the giant's fingers had hold of it !'
When my son was little we used to invent lots of stories. One was about a giant that lived and hid in Stancombe wood. Very early each morning he'd walk down into Winchcombe to collect an egg for his breakfast from the top of the tower of St Peters Church.....I know its a cockerel........but its a story !

St Peters Church by Katie Morgan

.http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146412334

Cotswold mounds and tumps

2012-02-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

I was surprised to find that locally many chambered burial mounds and standing stones have either been destroyed or moved over the last 100 years.

© Copyright andy dolman and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

From rossmythwiki.

Our most famous mound 'Belas Knap' is luckily still in good order and is well worth a visit. ( excuse the music on the link). It's name comes from the Old English 'bel-cnaepp' meaning beacon mound,or some say 'beautiful mound'..Bel can also mean 'God' and in Celtic means 'shining'. Some people think it is linked to Belenus a Celtic God known as the 'shining one'.The following link is to a little video of Belas Knap..please excuse the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTbbtkWSJC8
It is a Severn-Cotswold type and was built around 4000 BC. At the same time around he world, Arithmetic was being used by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, Apples were being cultivated in Central Asia, Bridges were being built in Africa, Fragrances were being made in Egypt, Horses were being domesticated in Europe and popcorn was being eaten in North America...now New Mexico.!
A man called John Hurman found that the skulls of remains found in long barrows often had elongated skulls while in round barrows they had round skulls. Just to be awkward most of the skulls are elongated but one was round and placed at the false entrance.

Some of the barrows that have disappeared or can only just be seen are :
A burial chamber at Notgrove that was back filled after excavation and now is just a lump of a mound.
Slade barn chambered mound destroyed by ploughing.
Hazleton, another that was excavated then destroyed by ploughing.
No signs of the three barrows at Southam.
Leygore manor near Northleach. In 1883 there were three barrows but are now almost gone.
Lineover near Dowdeswell, another barrow in a forlorn state...but there is a lovely wood worth visiting.
Near Spoonley Wood ,Winchcombe there is a long barrow bank near the saltway. I haven't walked over there yet but I can't see anything on the aerial photo.
Very little remains of the longbarrow near Pinnock Wood Farm, Winchcombe, near the Gloucestershire way.
There also used to be a chambered cairn in a field called Giant's grove in Prestbury.
A round barrow on Cleeve hill has also disappeared.
Long barrow in centre of Cheltenham, St James.
The question for me is should they be saved, rescued, signposted etc ? I certainly think they should be protected from any more damage .
Luckily here are still remains of others but none quite as splendid as Belas Knap although there is supposed to be a very good one at Lodge Park near Northleach.
Locally the ones that can be seen are :
Round barrows at Guiting Power,
Sales lot a chambered cairn near Withington. 18 bodies were found here in an excavation in 1963.
The following link is to a really interesting website. You can find details and links to aerial maps of lots of ancient monuments.I think I will make up my own walks to try and find some of them, a great excuse to get out walking..
http://www.pastscape.org.uk
A gentleman called Tom Brooks has spent a long time researching into the linked geometry of tumps and mounds...please click on link for more details.
http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/column.php?id=176544#Scene_1
Liz Poraj-Wilczynsky -Sensing the Past. Liz is an artist and a sensory archaeologist. She has an amazing amount of stories and information about Belas Knap and local history.
http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/belasknap.htm

Walk to work

2012-02-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

Hello, this is a very short blog showing my walk to work. I don't always work at Sudeley Castle but I've been busy painting murals etc for the last few weeks. Today was cold and grey but very pretty..

Up the bank and across the estate fields...

wooden snail, going my way but I was faster !

Past the cute children's play house...

..and up to the Castle....up lots of stairs, back down another set, along a corridor...

and back up another set of stairs to Katherine Parr's nursery...sorry can't show you what I'm painting but here's the view out of the window.

Thank you to everyone who reads my posts.

Apple Tree Wassail !

2012-01-29T04:02:00.000-08:00

'Wes hal' Saxon for be Hale and in good health' - Our Winchcombe Morris Happenstance organised a traditional Wassail again this year and its getting bigger and better each year.

The apple tree wassail is a toast to the tree , wishing for a good harvest of fruit in the autumn. Years ago labourers were paid partly in cider so it encouraged labourers to want to work at the farm with the best cider.

Part of the tradition is to crown a King and Queen who lead the procession to a chosen tree.

Everyone forms a ring around the tree and makes lots of noise including a gun shot into its boughs to wake the tree spirit up. I the old days a shot into the top boughs of a tree would also break off dead branches.

You can see one ofthe tree spirits..if you look !

The King and Queen are the first to dip toast into cider and hang on the tree...

"Here's to thee, old apple tree, That blooms well, bears well. Hats full, caps full, Three bushel bags full, An' all under one tree. Hurrah! Hurrah"

...then everyone joins in doing the same....Flo the young whippet was being fed toast by some of the children....I bet she had a hangover this morning especially when it was dipped in 'Badgers Bottom' Cider !

Bob holding the Wassail Bowl.

The Wassail bowl is filled with a special spiced apple drink which is tasted then the green man pours it around the trunk of the chosen tree.

Old apple tree, we'll wassail thee,
And hoping thou wilt bear.
The Lord does know where we shall be
To be merry anither year.
To blow well and to bear well,
And so merry let us be;
Let ev'ry man drink up his cup
And health to the apple tree

Bob, Cressida and the Green man

"Here's to thee, old apple tree, That blooms well, bears well. Hats full, caps full, Three bushel bags full, An' all under one tree. Hurrah! Hurrah"

Apple-tree, apple-tree,
Bear good fruit,
Or down with your top
And up with your root.-19th century

Bud well, bear well
God send you fare well;
Every sprig and every spray
A bushel of apples next New Year Day.-19th century Worcestershire

Blowe, blowe, bear well,
Spring well in April,
Every sprig and every spray
Bear a bushel of apples against
Next new year’s day -Painswick in Gloucestershire

The torchlit procession back up to Hayles Tea Shop for warm apple juice, tea and cake !

Albion Band singing Wassail

If you fancy a day out why not visit Hailes Abbey, Hailes Church then have Lunch or Tea at Hayles Fruit Farm..and don't forget to visit Winchcombe !

Skulls and Morris

2012-01-22T03:16:00.000-08:00

Today is the 21st of January and we joined in the celebrations of Hen Galan.,the end of the old year and the start of the new. ( Normally the13th January according to the Julian calender www.timeanddate.com/calendar/julian-calendar.html ).In 1752 everyone moved to the Gregorian calender, except for a small community in Pembrokshire, Cwm Gwaum. Here it is celebrated with children singing traditional songs trying to get money or sweets from house to house. ..along with the Mari Lwyd.Its an old Welsh tradition that has had a revival here in Chepstow.

There were a lot of men and women dressed in multicoloured ragged jackets, fancy hats and blacked faces..Border Morris - mainly dance teams using sticks from along the welsh English borders.
I remember in the past seeing them burn the end of a cork to wipe their faces with...probably not pc now so have to use face paint !. The event is organised by Widder Morris www.thewidders.co.uk/widders_wassail.htm .

Later in the early evening the sides from Wales meet the wassailers and hankerchief morris dancers from England half way across the bridge. (One side of the bridge is in England the other in Wales.) Wassailing is a tradition from the south of England...and guess what they were from Winchcombe !
.
Later in the early evening the sides from Wales meet the wassailers and hankerchief morris dancers from England half way across the bridge. (One side of the bridge is in England the other in Wales.) Wassailing is a tradition from the south of England...and guess what they were from Winchcombe ! The Mari Lwyd also shows his bony whiteface...The Mari Lwyd The Grey Mare...or even night mare! It is unique to this part of Wales and is used to celebrate the passing of Midwinter . The revellers knock on doors singing as they go. The occupants of the houses can either answer the door with drink and food,or they can challenge the revellers to a singing competition. The following links to a great BBC black and white film of the knocking on doors and singing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_xFo6Hifzk

Ice cream music

2012-01-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Tonight the local ice cream van came down the road, I'm not sure how good their business is...most of us have freezers but I do love hearing its chimes. I have an awful thing to admit though...I am one of those Mothers who used to tell their child that if you can hear the music then the van has run out of ice cream....the shame of it ! We can all have ice cream in the freezer but you can't beat a '99'
Charles II started the rage for Ice cream in this country but the hey day of the van was in the 1950's. The earliest vans had a hand bell but the motorised vans could use the vans electrical system to power a type of Swiss musical box. It was designed by Ray Harris and Bob Vickers for the Toni Bell Organisation in 1954. The traditional loudspeaker a ' Grampion horn' was pointed down to the road so that the sound would surround the van evenly. Favourite tunes were and still are 'Greensleeves', 'Teddy Bears picnic ' and our local one ' The merry widow '. If you click on the following link there are a selection of tunes to hear-
.http://menmedia.co.uk/tamesideadvertiser/news/s/1060219_does_this_chime_with_you

The 'mobilers' as the ice cream people call them can now play all sorts of tunes, with crystal clear clarity all on a chip...as long as the tune is out of copyright. One manufacturer is having talks with a record producer so who knows what the future holds !
The following link is to an ice cream van orchestra ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2009/may/04/whitechapel-ice-cream

In Belfast the police while trying to stop a crowd of teenagers decided to broadcast ice cream music through their tannoys ! Apparently the teenagers stopped throwing and began laughing...
http://www.policespecials.com/forum/index.php?/topic/107973-police-cool-belfast-trouble-with-ice-cream-van-music/

No photos today ,I didn't get out fast enough with my camera but if you are into old time music you might like to listen to the following link...Flory FForde singing 'Oh, Oh Antonio ' kindly shared by Gramaphoneshane.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdaXZEbHi88

In quaint native dress an Italian maid
Was seeping distress as the streets she strayed
Searching in every part for her bold sweetheart
And his ice-cream cart
Her English was bad It cannot be denied
And so to herself In Italian she cried
Oh! Oh! Antonio, he's gone away Left me alone-ee-o,
all on my own-ee-o
I want to meet him with his new sweetheart
Then up will go Antonio and his ice-cream cart
Oh! Oh! Antonio, he's gone away Left me alone-ee-o,
all on my own-ee-o
I want to meet him with his new sweetheart
Then up will go Antonio and his ice-cream cart

Oh Francis Rossi fro Status Quo isfrom an old Ice Cream Family...perhaps their song ' Whatever you want ' is actualy about ice cream !

Picture from Zacek Perri-Corgi photos

Old Knockers !

2011-12-31T08:24:00.000-08:00

The other day I went fora walk around Chepstow. It was a grey day but it was good to walk down Bridge Street, stand on the bridge over the River Wye and look back to the Castle.

Bridge Street has a really nice feel to it and Castle Terrace looks a great place to live. Its a Georgian terrace of ice cream colours with their rear windows looking at the Castle. There are a few pubs two advertising live music which is always a good sign of a buzzing community.

As I walked back up to town I noticed that nearly every house had a different door knocker...which got me thinking about the history and meanings of the different types. I suppose knockers have been around for as long as there has been doors...but it was in medieval times that various decorations were used, dogs, lions and gargoyles to scare away evil spirits. They later became more decorative following the fashions of the time. Forged iron and cast iron were mainly used but polished brass later became a sign of status and wealth.The lion a sign of courage,strength and bravery is seen on the knocker of No.10 Downing street, London.

The Fir cone- a sign of clear vision of what is beyond and yet to come. It also opens when sunny and closes when wet. The following link is to an old story about a mouse and a fir cone.

http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/dougfir.htm
Modern Woodpecker...keen ornithologist ?

Victorian Gothic by A.Kendrick & Sons. It has a bat perching on the top of the knocker. Bats area symbol of rebirth and of being very aware of your surroundings.

Dragon- to see clearly and a protector of the home.

Doctor's Knocker- Early Georgian and was designed to identify the Doctor's House.

Victorian Hand 1890's.

Looking through the prices and designs of knockers I found that one old knocker that I gave to a friend 20years ago as a house warming present is now worth £600 ! I wonder if they still have it ?
There are quite a few sites for knockers on the web but this appears to be a good one...

http://www.antiquedoorknockers.co.uk/index.php

A Clapper Bridge

2011-12-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

Today I went for a walk to see the newly restored 'Mickla Bridge'. It is a grade 11 listed clapper bridge made from large slabs of stone resting on a single pillar. The bridge goes across Cone brook between Alvington and Woolaston, near Lydney in the Forest of Dean.

The design of the bridge is thought to date back to prehistoric times but most surviving bridges are medieval.

In 2009 heavy rains caused a lot of damage. Luckily recently it was fully restored with help from a grant from Gloucestershire Environmental Trust and English Heritage.

It looks very new but soon it will blend and soften with mosses and lichens. ...great that someone thought enough of it to get it repaired. It was very muddy...more boggy ! and the start of my walk followed a wall of green lichen covered tyres....

..... but Mickla Bridge is worth walking to and is used..not by packhorses but by a lot of locals using 'shanks pony' !

In the bleak midwinter

2011-12-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

Gustav Holst wrote the music for 'In the bleak midwinter' and named it after the town in which he lived 'Cranham'. Cranham is out on the road to Painswick from Cheltenham. It is a beautiful wood to walk through with magnificent beech trees...my favourite tree of 2011 !http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/670375
The poem ' In the Bleak midwinter 'was written by Christina Rossetti (1830-18940) ,sister of the famous artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti . She modelled for some of his most famous paintings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXgoyKdsAD4&feature=related Click to hear Annie Lennox sing in the Bleak midwinter'.
Talking of famous woods apparently Humblebee Woods above Winchcombe were the inspiration for 'The Hobbit' by Tolkien and The Lampposts leading to Malvern in Worcestershire were the inspiration
the lamppost in the snow when the children enter Narnia through the wardrobe !Apparently C.S.Lewis ,Tolkien and George Sayer were walking home one evening when Lewis saw one of the posts shining out in the snow and said ''that would make a very nice opening line for a book''

The Lion Sleeps tonight

2011-12-14T15:37:00.000-08:00

Last week my son and myself popped over to Compton Verney http://www.comptonverney.org.uk/ to see my work that was in the Folk art Exhibition there. Walking from the car park we noticed a shed with a large silver ball on the top of it. As we got nearer we realised that it was a camera Obscurer. Once inside the shed our heads were inside the ball...good landscape but even better... brilliant acoustics. My son started singing 'Wimoweh' because he thought I'd know it ! We sang and sang ..loudly...and I don't have the greatest singing voice..but it was great fun !
Later I told a very musical friend of mine and he told me the story behind the song...after hearing it I thought I'd blog about it
.It was originally recorded by Solomon Linda and The Evening Birds in 1939 for the Gallo Record Co. in South Africa and was called 'Mbube'. He was paid a very small price and the record company kept all the royalties from the sales. It became a great hit , Linda was famous but still poor.
Years later in 1951 Pete Seeger heard the song, believed it to be an old folk song and recorded a version with the 'Weavers'...calling the song 'Wimoweh'. Since then over 73 artists have recorded the song and nearly every time it has been a hit. When Pete Seeger discovered that Linda had written the song he sent 1000 dollars to him and instructed that all of his share of the earnings should be sent to Linda. Unfortunately he only saw the 1000 dollars in his lifetime,dying in 1962 in poverty. Eighteen years later his family were able to afford a gravestone.

In 2000 after the Disney 'Lion King' a filmmaker called Francois Verster made a documentary called 'A lion's trail' telling the story of Solomon Linda.This raised awareness of copyrights etc and the family prepared to go to court.
In 2004 after a lawsuit, the family of Linda agreed a Licence with Disney and the earnings were put in trust . Apparently the Richmond Record co. that had produced the Pete Seeger version also agreed to send 3000 dollars a year to the family. It was estimated that Disney owed 1.6 million in royalties alone!
...So if you aren't humming the song yet have a look at these videos !
The first is Solomon Linda
http://vodpod.com/watch/1252112-solomon-lindathe-evening-the-first-version-mbube

The second is Pete Seeger and The Weavers
www .bing.com/videos/search?q=the+lion+sleeps+tonight+pete+seeger&mid=C7DC640A61734D87EAF7C7DC640A61734D87EAF7&FORM=LKVR10#eger

And the last is a Hippo singing
http://vodpod.com/watch/15299633-the-lion-sleeps-tonight

An Elephants Home in Leamington Spa.

2011-12-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

Today I went for a trip to The Elephant House Auctions in Leamington Spa. The building in Moreton Street used to be the home for performing Elephants. As far as I can gather initially Heiglers Equestrian Circus first kept elephants there ,followed by a famous Elephant trainer called Samuel Lockhart ( 1851-1933). (There appears to be a bit of a discrepancy about Morrell Street and Moreton street but they do join into each other.) Samuel worked in Sri Lanka on Tea plantations where he learnt how to train elephants. He bought some and ended up travelling all over the U.K. performing for Queen Victoria and working with the Ringling Brothers. While they were in Leamington Spa the Elephants were walked through the town down to the river to wash and water. The slipway called 'The Elephants Walk is still there. It used to be nearer the Parish church but was moved near Mill Bridge because the noise of the elephants upset the church goers !

The Elephant House

He had a brother called George William Lockhart who also trained elephants. He was unfortunately killed when two of his elephants, Salt and Sauce stampeded. Salt and Sauce continued to be worked by various people including Dudley Zoo, The Fossetts and Billy Butlin.

They were also featured in the old film 'Elephant Boy'.

Ringling Brothers Circus

His son George Claude Lockhart was the first Circus Ring master to wear 'Pink'tails and a top hat !
Apparently the owners of the Elephant House still have the right to walk Elephants down The Parade and to wash them in the River.
By the way, Royal Leamington Spa is well worth a visit..lovely architecture, even a Landsdowne Crescent like Cheltenhams. Next time we will find the slipway and visit the local museum, galleries and shops !
More information about Sam Lockhart in link_http://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=730

Ghosts in Bourton on the Water

2011-12-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight We popped over to the Christmas late night shopping in Bourton on the Water. One of the stalls was run by Bloody Bourton...a couple of chaps that do guided tours of Bourton.

http://thebloodybourtontour.jimdo.com/ I have looked on line but could only find two ghost stories.The first I could find was the following.. In 1997 three men in a car were followed by a motorbike and sidecar..when the bike vanished...it didn't say if the men stopped to have a look..just in case ! The second which is amusing is a ghost of a brick...yes you read this correctly..a brick ! In one of the Teahouses people have been known to stubb their toes on it and trip over it....I am slightly wondering about what they put in their coffee. I'm afraid I don't know which shop it is though. The tours cover legends, witches, superstitons and all sorts. One of tthe shops in the town had a Witchcraft museum, the building is known locally as Witches Mill. I know the owners of the building and the shop couldnt be further away than the idea of witchcraft. Locally Charles Paget Wade[ who owned Snowshill Manor ]owned a collection of objects linked with magic and alchemy which he stored lots of the objects to do with witchcraft in the 'Witch's Garret' up the top of the manor house. This collection found its way into the Museum of Witchcraft in Bourton on the Water.Apparently in 1954 there used to be a museum of Witchcraft but locals painted signs, hung dead cats from trees and eventually caused arson. The Museum is now at Boscastle. Unfortunately some of the objects including a great magicians chest were badly damaged in the floods in 2004. www.museumofwitchcraft.com/displayrecord_mow.php?ObjectNumber=281
While looking for stories I accidentaly came across the origins of Tom,Dick and Harry..they were three brothers near Burford who were Highwaymen. http://www.burfordpostoffice.co.uk/Tom-Dick--and--Harry.php
I think Winchcombe should have its own tours, we have ghosts, ley lines, murder alleys, strange carved stones ,witches marks, sites of whipping posts and ducking stools ..even a poem about the devil trying to visit !
''Old Nick went out upon a prowl'
An'cumed to Winchcombe, thuck dark 'ole.
But A got stuck fast in Sudeley Lane,
So swore as 'e'd never cum thur agyain !'
Anyone who knows Winchcombe will know exactly which road ! Why not come over on Tuesday 6th December for Winchcombe Christmas Late Night Shopping and see if you can find It.

A crocodile in the Cotswolds !

2011-11-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

Today on my way to deliver some painted chairs I passed through Compton Abdale. I've driven the same way quite a few times but today I saw something ......a wonderful face of a crocodile with water coming from his mouth.

The crocodile's head was carved by George Curtis of Hazleton in the mid C19th. The spring water comes through Great Oolitic limestone and flows into the River Coln, a tributary of the River Thames.

Isn't he..or she lovely. Next time I'm taking a bottle to fill.

The Beech Tree - Uses and Folklore.

2011-11-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks I've been driving past beautiful beech woods...today in the rain ...I decided to stop and go for a walk. Right now they are my favourite trees, looking wonderful with their fiery leaves. Tonight, I thought I'd write a blog about them...and it gave me a good excuse on a dark wet evening to get some books out, look on the Internet .and see what I could find. It's a bit of a list...and not really in any order...but I've learnt quite a bit.

Beech leaves used to be used to fill mattresses as an alternative to straw. In France these beds were known as 'lilts de parlement'- speaking beds.

Beech wood is god for making cogs for waterwheels, chairs, keels for ships, clogs, bowls and furniture.

The baskets made for collecting strawberries called a 'pottle' used to be made of woven strips of bark wood.

It is thought that piles of beechwood were driven into peaty marsh to make the foundations for Winchester Cathedral.The wood is used to smoke Herrings.

The nuts are sometimes used as a Coffee substitute.

Oil from the nuts used to be used for cooking and lighting.

Cresoline comes from the wood and used to be used as an antiseptic.

Beech leaves mixed with gin made a drink called 'beech-leaf noyau'.

The Druids thought the tree symbolised ancient knowledge and wisdom. Henwen the great white ancient sow, was said to posses great wisdom from eating nuts from the sacred tree.

The Beech is known as the 'Beech Queen' as consort to the 'Oak King'.

Helen of Troy was said to have carved her lovers initials onto the trunk of a beech tree.

This link is to a poem written on a beech tree trunk. http://berkshirehistory.com/odds/poem_tree.

Jason built the Argo out of beech.

Ogham, an Irish god, was credited with having written the Ogham Alphabet onto Beech wood tablets. http://ogham.lyberty.com/otable.html

Beech was cut into thin slices and was used to create the first books. The anglo-saxon called it 'Bok' and the Swedish word 'Bok' means both book and beech.

Beech roots often look like snakes. Snakes in Celtic Mythology are a symbol of wisdom and rebirth.

In Celtic tree mythology, it is known as the 'tree of wishes'. A fallen beech branch was known as an invitation from the wishing fairies. People would write on the branch and push the stick into the earth where the wish would be taken to he underworld for the Fairy Queen to consider.

You can make a diviner for water out of a y shaped beech stick. It's also know as a wishing rod. http://www.ehow.com/how_2068140_make-divining-rod.

Beech is the sacred wood of the summer solstice....and is a favourite for yule logs at Xmas.

The marks on beech trees where the old growth has stopped is known as the evil eye.

The Beech tree was revered by ancient Romans, because it was sacred to Diana, goddess of the moon, birth,woodland and wild animals.

Famous Trees

The caged Beech,Burnham Beeches, Bucks - seen in a scene in the film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

Beech Avenue, Kingston Lacy, Wimbourne, Dorset.

The Meikleour Beech Hedge,planted in 1745, North of Perth.
http://woodlandtrustshop.com/large-trees/common-beech

The Winchcombe Harp

2011-11-01T02:44:00.000-07:00

In 798 Coenwulf The King of Mercia began to build a great Abbey in Winchcombe. The Church was dedicated by Wulfred, archbishop of Canterbury in 811.
In 821 Coenwulf died and his Son the young Kenelm was killed in a wood in Clent. ( see my blog http://thelimehouse.blogspot.com/2010/07/stkenelms-day.html )Kenelm was buried at the Abbey and became it's Saint. One of the stone coffins in St Peter's Church is beleived to be Kenelms. In 969 during the Benedictine revival Germanus, Dan of Ramsey was made the abbot of Winchcombe.In 1068 William the Conquerer entrusted Athelwig a Norman monk, to look after the Abbey.On the 15th October 1091 lightening struck causing a great fire at the Abbey many chronicles and Psalters were destroyed.
During The Wars of the Roses ,in 1468 the present Parish Church of St Peters was built.

The Zodiac-In The Winchcombe Chronicles

In 1539 the Abbey buildings were destroyed by Henry VIII.
Now this is where I get confused about which Psalters and Chronicles are about and where they are kept. St Peters Church has a few books in the church which give far more detail but I must admit I haven't had the chance to read through them....but I wanted to tell you about The Winchcombe Harp. In 'The Winchcombe Psalter ' there is a picture of King David playing a harp.

King David playing the harp and other Musicians from the Winchcombe psalter. They are playing a crwth, rote, nakers and a pipe.

The Winchcombe Psalter,which is now kept at Cambridge University was written in Latin and Anglo- Saxon between 1025 and 1050 for the new Abbey and contains The book of Psalms. A few people See links, have made a copy of this harp, wouldn't it be great to have someone play one at the next Winchcombe Music and Arts Festival...I mean it's not many towns that can say they have a musical instrument named after them !
Out of interest, there used to be a very old Cello in the corner of St Peters Church, It has now moved back to its original home in Gretton ...not sure if it's in Stanley Pontlarge or the old Church Tower.
http://www.simonchadwick.net/asmus/harp.html This site has a little link to hear him playing...I have to admit it sounds blooming awful, luckily he's not playing 'our' Harp !

http://www.busymolemusic.co.uk/product.php?id=728

Automata Street Clock in Gloucester

2011-10-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I called into Gloucester after spending the weekend in The Forest of Dean. In Southgate Street is a lovely Victorian Jewellers shop with an amazing Automata above the shop windows. It was installed by GABaker the first owner of the shop in 1904. It was made by Messrs Niehus Brothers of Bristol.

The life size figures or Jacks are a girl representing Ireland, a Man John Bull representing England, A man playing pipes for Scotland and a Welsh girl. In the centre is Old Father Time. The chimes are in the notes of A,B,D and G with Father Time string the hours in D. The striking bells ring on the hours and quarters.

I've been trying to find out more about the brothers.....which is proving blooming difficult. So far I've found that they were called William and Edward. I have two volumes of Watchmakers and clock makers of the world and I can't find them. They must have been well respected and good makers applying for a patent in 1907 for improvements in chiming and striking clocks. It's a shame to find it difficult to find them when they were building such brilliant clocks. I wonder that the carved figures were made by a Bristol ships figurehead carver, even Anderson, who made fabulous Fairground horses in 3 Commercial Row, Hotwell Road Bristol.. I think I'll have to call the shop to see if they know more.

Forest slag in my Garden

2011-10-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today while doing a bit of clearing in my rather wild garden I found this lovely block.....in fact a block of real History ! After a quick call to my Dad I was told that it is a brick cast from the molten material that was removed as waste from the process of copper smelting, in the Forest of Dean. It's about 9"x9" and about two hundred years old !
In the 1680's there were two copper smelting works one in Bristol the other at Upper Redbrook in the Forest of Dean. A lot of the slag waste was dumped in the River Avon, used on railway tracks and on roads. After causing problems with navigation it was banned from being dumped in the river. Someone had a bright idea to make bricks out of the slag. It can be seen in buildings and walls around the Severn and the Wye and in my garden.

The River Severn at Newnham.

It's not a Grandfather Clock ?

2011-10-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

Today I popped over to Cirencester with Jane, my good mate who owns and runs 'The Winds of Change Gallery' in Winchcombe. http://www.windsofchangegallery.co.uk/ We had two reasons for going over there, well perhaps three, one to pick up some lovely craft work for Jane's next Exhibition the second for me to drop a restored dial off to Johnathon Beech, and the third for a bit of a jolly. www.kbmorgan.co.uk/Page9.html

While we were there Jane commented on one of the 'Grandfather Clocks', and Johnathon said that they were really called Long case Clocks . He said that people call them Grandfather clocks after an old song, he's a fountain of knowledge.
In 1876 a song called 'My Grandfathers Clock' was written by Henry Clay Work. The song became so popular that all long case clocks became known as Grandfather clocks, and the shorter clocks were called Grand mother clocks. The story for the song originated in the George Hotel, Piercebridge , Yorkshire. The Hotel was run by two brothers by the name of Jenkins. They owned a long case clock that kept perfect time until one of the brothers died. It then began to lose time. When the other brother died the clock stopped..never to go again. It is thought that Henry Clay Work visited the Inn and learnt of the story, then wrote the song. For the song and picture of the original clock please click on the following link. http://georgeontees.co.uk/?page_id=10 Apologies for the song, you might not be able to stop singing it when you hear it !

Long case Clocks in Johnathon Beech's Shop

The original Long case ,floor clock or coffin clock first arrived on the scene around 1670. It had a long pendulum drop which made it more accurate ,thus the case became tall and narrow.
You might also be interested to know that the correct name for a clock face is a clock dial. I've been restoring these dials for many years now,keeping as much of the original as possible. Sometimes I recognise the style of a painter but their names are not recorded. I'm always constantly amazed at how many there are out there ..I keep thinking I'll have one of my restored dials back again but I never have.
Please have a look at Johnathon's website http://www.jonathanbeechclocks.com/

If you want work done well, select a busy man-the other has no time. Elbert Hubbard.

What does a clock do when it's hungry ?
It goes back 4 seconds!

Blackberry Whiskey and Sloe Gin

2011-10-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

This evening we went for a balmy evening walk to pick Blackberries. It felt odd it being so warm, but it was lovely. I'm usually in wellies not sandals....I only got stung a few times by the nettles !
The reason for picking is Blackberry whiskey. A lovely winter drink almost like Port and very easy to make, much easier than wine.

I use a very simple recipe where you don't need to weigh anything. First take a sterilised bottle, plastic milk bottle or screw top jar. Fill a 1/3 with sugar, a 1/3 with blackberries and top up with whiskey.(so it looks like a 1/3 of whiskey showing on top of fruit and sugar )...cheap whiskey will be great. Keep in a cool dark place and shake occasionally. After straining it will be ready to drink in a month...so put into pretty bottles it makes a brilliant Christmas Present. I also have Raspberry Vodka and Plum Vodka on the go.
Sloe Gin is made in the same way but by using sloes. I prefer to pick them after the first frosts but you can pick them now and freeze them first . The sloes need to be pricked with a fork before using them and you can add a few drops of Almond Essence if you like the taste.
Another good recipe is Vanilla Vodka using the same method, a 1/3 of sugar but replace fruit with a whole vanilla pod.
After filling a pot with fruit ,enough for my first bottle ... we set off back home, it was starting to get dark..

but as we turned round we were treated to two deer bounding across the field in front of us,
Cheers !

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop Little shop selling postcards of my paintings.

The Wall of Death..Fairground Motorcycle Show

2011-10-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today we drove over to Prescott Hill Climb for their last main show of the Season. It was a great day ,Hot rods, Bikes and of course the Famous Hill Climb races. In one corner was The Demon Drome...The Wall of Death.

You first walk up some wooden steps and enter a circular show, you are basically stood on a wooden ledge at the top of a large 32ft approx wooden barrel. When the show starts motor bikes are ridden up the wall,not only do you find yourself inches away from the wheels of the bikes with the noise and fumes but to add to the excitement the whole walls move !

The first Motordrome was built in 1911 at Luna Park in Coney Island. It was a board track quite long with sloping wooden sides. Unfortunately as the bikes became more powerful terrible accidents happened. The races also became more predictable with the first bike to lead often being the winner. With this motordromes became less popular..But the riders found that with increased speed ,centrifugal force made it possible for them to ride sideways on a vertical wall. By 1915 the walls had become vertical and were initially known as silodromes, later to become known as The Wall of Death. The first silodrome was based on the dimensions of the diameter of a grain silo which was approx.20 to 36feet at the time.
The Indian and BSA Motorbike Companies realised that the shows were great advertisements for their bikes, and as you can see The Indian is still used today...a favourite of mine.

George 'Tornado'Smith is credited to have brought the Wall of Death to England from America. ''Fearless Egbert'' was also one of the earliest riders working in ''Collins Famous Death Riders and Racing Lion'' in the 1920,s and 30's. The tame lions rode alongside the drivers of racing cars...and apparently one lion in particular used to roar if the rider didn't keep going !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G31ARrWLJQ4 An old film of a Wall of Death

Margaret Gast was one of the earliest female stunt riders and was known as the 'Mile a Minute Girl' after a world record in 1900 travelling 1000 miles in 120 hours.

This Demon Drome was believed to have been built in 1927 and was originally ran by Pat Collins Funfairs. There were no lions today but there was a girl rider . The Demon Drome is run by a few families who all 'live' the 1950's

If I heard correctly the one chap bought the bikes first and then bought the show, almost as a paid hobby. The whole set up is great, from the outfits to their outside airstream catering, stall selling shirts etc and their cars. If you are ever near a show then its well worth visiting. Years ago after seeing Alan Fords show I'd said I'd love to sit pillion, I almost had the chance but I can't remember why it didn't happen, a bit like when I was asked if I'd be interested in being a Rat Girl at a circus sideshow...I'd have had to sit in a large cage letting rats run about...I seem to remember that I had to get on with a painting job, but sometimes now I'm older I wish I had given them a go. There is a link to the Demon Drome below.
http://www.demondrome.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop My little shop selling postcards of my paintings.

Day Five -Nottingham

2011-09-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

At last I'm back writing about my trip. We woke to a sunny morning on the Service Station Car park, (hence I accidentally left my lovely umbrella there..it opens to look like a giant sunflower,) so it was a short drive into Nottingham to find 'Warhammer World' Unfortunately not important enough to have its own road signs, and the directions were under a pile of soggy tents and sleeping bags...but we found it..a big building with there logo of a winged something or another...my son was both excited and relieved that the old banger had made it...this time I mean me not the car!
Walking in we were faced with a huge model 7 or 8 feet high, of course my son new its name, tactics, regiment etc etc. http://www.games-workshop.com/

Upstairs we walked into a large room looking like a theatrical castle filled with gaming tables. Up the next stairs was a museum of Warhammer..I have to say that the models were quite brilliant.

Back downstairs the shop had opened and the games tables were operating....four hours later I dragged him out of the building ,off to a park and ride and onto a bus full of very jolly people,all of us heading for the city centre

Not the prettiest of places but the people more than made up for it, really friendly and helpful. At this stage I was running out of clothes and looked like I'd walked off a pantomime set...yes I looked remarkably like a younger version of widow twanky ..but I was on holiday, I was happy and I was enjoying myself.
We aimed for the target of Nottingham Castle...Robin Hood etc...not really a castle but great views, nice gardens and a lovely Museum and Art Gallery. http://www.robinhood.org.uk/castle.htm

There were works by one of my favourite artists, Dame Laura Knighthttp www.damelauraknight.com/
Unfortunately most were under glass ,but the staff said that for them it was a necessary evil,protecting the paintings and saving their money not having to do much restoration. My son was happy with an exhibition on Wall art with prints from lots of artists including Banksey. http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=14850 Downstairs was a childrens exhibition about Robin Hood, really nice displays and comfy sofa !

We were almost the last people ushered from the castle at closing time, the sun was still shining so armed with Ice creams we followed the Robin Hood trail back into the town, back to the bus stop. I'd had a very funny trip to Nottingham Goose Fair many years ago, but that's another story !

Back in the car we set off for Shrewsbury and the Onslow Steam Rally. It didn't look that far on the map but I hadn't been ready for Telford. It didn't matter how many times I drove on the one road into Telford I always managed to find myself exciting the town on exactly the same road. I could have found Ketley and Whitchurch lots of times but the nearest major town..not a chance. Eventually as it was getting dark and I'd passed the zig zag patterned cliff for the umpteenth time I escaped , bolted out ( oops back to Robin Hood ) and got to the Rally. Luckily the security let us park up and we fell asleep in the car to the lights and sounds of various tractors and engines arriving for the fair.

I now have a small Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Our Katie - Queen Katherine Parr

2011-09-24T02:02:00.000-07:00

next year, 2012 Sudeley Castle will be hosting a Quincentenary celebration of the life of Queen Katherine Parr, The sixth wife of HenryVIII.

Sudeley Castle and St Marys Chapel

There will be an exhibition of her keepsakes , including a Love letter to Sir Thomas Seymour, a lock of her hair and a tooth !

One of my paintings of The Queens Garden at Sudeley

Queen Katherine Parr in St Mary's Chapel, Sudeley.

There will also be trails and lots of events throughout the year with a Tudor flavour both at the Castle and in the lovely Cotswold town of Winchcombe. Jane at The Winds of Change Gallery will be having a lovely Exhibition, she's planning it already! http://www.windsofchangegallery.co.uk/
Most of the Kings and Queens of England are buried at Westminster Abbey in London so it is unusual for us to have a Queen buried in the Grounds of Sudeley. She can be seen in St Mary's Chapel ( Mary was the name of her daughter.) We also have two Kings, Kenelm and Kenulf, they can be found in St Peters Church, Winchcombe.

One of my Pen and Ink drawings of St Peters Church.

If you are interested in ghosts then the following two links to videos will be of interest to you. The first is from a website called The Tudor Trail and has an interesting film with Robert Hardy narrating. The second is from a website called Ghostwatching and is more spooky , but both tell the story of Katherine Parr.
http://onthetudortrail.com/Blog/resources/historical-hauntings/the-ghost-of-catherine-parr/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXiW6qO154k

With Halloween on its way perhaps you should fly over and visit Sudeley and the haunted town of Winchcombe, the castle is open daily through to the 6th November.
http://www.winchcombe.co.uk/
http://www.sudeleycastle.co.uk/
I have a new etsy shop - http://thelimehouse.blogspot.com/2011/09/day-five-nottingham.html

Day Four: York

2011-09-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Hooray It's the weekend and I have time to write my next blog. The morning in Whitby started wet...very wet...torrential in fact. The brilliant and still cheery chaps looking after the campsite made me a lovely morning cuppa while I waited for my son to wake up! Once he did it was a case of throwing the wet tent, son and me into the car and off to Robin Hoods Bay

http://www.robin-hoods-bay.co.uk/html/photo_gallery.htm

I really wanted to see it but I was just too wet so I took a very quick photo, and off to York. After finding that I had a Norwegian great grandfather I wanted to visit the Jorvik Viking centre. The park and ride was easy dropping us off not far from the Jorvik centre http://www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/. Grabbing a couple of pasties we stood back in the rain in the queue. Once through it wasn't as I expected,we walked into a dimly lit room with a glass floor and lots of computer style screens all showing different aspects of life and excavation...very disorientating....lots of people with no obvious place to go. Seeing another Queue we joined it to quickly find a funny little vehicle suspended from the ceiling...we got on ..pushed a button and off we set. To be honest it reminded me of being in a Ghost train at a fair..and it wasn't much bigger! The car took us through a theatrical stage set of life in Viking times,with voices of children coming out of speakers on our headrests,explaining what we were looking at. We went around a second time an adult voice with far better information.The rest of the exhibition was also dark and crampt, too many people really. I noticed on one board it said that cowrie shells had been found so they must have traded with people the south seas. I pointed out to one of the chaps working there that there was a cowrie beach on the west coast of the Hebrides...smaller shells but they might find bigger ones occasionally. He said he had never heard that and was going to research into it. After squeezing through the shop we were glad to be out into the rain. On a sunny day York must be beautiful but when the little streets are running like rivers and old drainpipes have holes that spray water sideways up into the faces of pedestrians...well it was just too wet. We bobbed along to York Minster, walking up the steps to face a wedding party blocking the entrance.With more than the usual amount of persuasion they eventually shifted out of the way to let us through.Inside the little bit we saw looked magnificent but then they wanted about £9 to get in, more to see the crypt and more o view the tower...as you can imagine I made my views heard. www.yorkminster.org/visiting/opening-times-prices/
Back into the rain we squelched our way to the Gladiator Exhibition..I think it had been on TimeTeam on the telly. www.visityork.org/media/factsheets/archaeological-york.aspx A weird experience looking at a row of glass boxes with the seven skeletons of seven different types of gladiator. Trying to stay out of the rain we sat at a kids table with wooden towers, and plastic gladiators, horses and lions. Amazing how much fun you can have with lions riding the horses, and gladiators jumping around like ninja turtles mixed with a bit of James Bond. www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8295903.New_Roman_Gladiator_exhibtion_opens_at_DIG_in_York
It was gone four and we had had enough so got back onto a bus only to find a leaflet telling us about the Railway Museum that looked amazing and was FREE! Botheration's I said quietly under my breath..or something similar. http://www.nrm.org.uk/
It stopped raining ! a bit late but it made driving easier. A quick look at the map and off we set for Nottingham , Why Nottingham I hear you ask...well we were going to visit one of my sons dreams. The Warhammer World...I have to admit I wasn't that excited but he was, I'd already had a few days of 'How many days is it before we get to Nottingham '.
Stopping in the dark at a service station just outside Nottingham we popped in had a hot meal , got back into the car, pushed the seats back ..got into our sleeping bags ..and fell asleep.
I have opened a shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Day Three : Whitby

2011-09-02T04:32:00.000-07:00

With a sigh of relief we handed back our cards to the staff of Bobby Shafto Campsite and were handed back £20 cash..and we were away....off to the delights of Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay. The journey to Whitby took us over The North York Moors, beautiful carpeted for miles in purple Heather. Daftly the only place I managed to stop only had a bit of Heather but you can still see how wild and gorgeous it is.

In my mind I had thought that we would try and camp near Robin Hoods Bay, but we came across a sign saying 'Whitby Folk Festival, alternative Camping' so we popped in. The two chaps on the gate were great, full of banter and smiles and said that it was fine for us to camp. The school field was fully booked for the weekend but there was space for us on the Thursday.

After a quick tent erection...getting faster....we walked down the 'Cinder Path ' down into Whitby. www.eskvalleyrailway.co.uk/stations/whitby.html

What a lovely town, full of bustle, lovely harbour, pretty cottages and houses climbing up the hillsides...and Ice Cream ! Whitby has a daily steam bus service and a steam railway taking trips into the north york moors....didn't have time to go but next time.... www.whitbysteambusandcharabanc.co.uk/

We had to book a boat trip on the old Lifeboat..out we went to sea ..around a buoy a long way out ..the captain started playing a mouth organ and acted the fool..very funny. What luck ..there was a seal bobbing up and down ,so he cut the engine for us all to look...luckily there wasn't a mad dash of everyone rushing to one side and the boat capsizing. It was a good feeling sailing out of the Harbour, my Great Granddad had lived in Whitby and must have done the same many times. I've only seen a couple of photos of him but yes he looked like Captain Birdseye!

Getting back we went down to the Beach on the old Town side of the harbour, built sandcastles and looked for Whitby Jet. Jet is a fossilised wood from The Monkey Puzzle Tree. Whitby is famous for the making of jet Jewellery which became very popular after the Death of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. 10,000 years ago Jet was being used for jewelry and trading with people giving it special powers. St Hilda was supposed to have driven out all the snakes from Whitby turning them into stone..coiled ammonites. St Hilda was the first Abbess of Whitby Abbey that was founded by Oswy, a Christian King of Northumbria. Jet is found in the same layer as ammonites,so people thought that the jet would deter snakes. 'As black as jet' was coined by Shakespeare. http://www.jmfelton.com/jetid2.htm - Look at link for How to identify Jet and pictures of Jewelry.There were lots of black pebbles and stones in the sand, but jet will leave a brown mark when rubbed onto paper or white china. I think the varying shades of brown denote the quality, although Whitby Jet is widely believed to be the best in the Worldhttp: www.dracula-in-whitby.com/

After the beach we walked up the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey.... famous for being the influence for the writing of ' Dracula'. Bram Stoker stayed in the Royal Hotel on the western side of Whitby while writing his famous novel Dracula and had views over to the Abbey perched high on the cliff.. In the book a ship called Demeter crashed into the pier with its dead captain lashed to the mast...a dog leapt out onto the eastern side and ran up into the darkness. Dracula the most famous Vampire had arrived. Eerily when we climbed up again at dusk one solitary bat flew out of the abbey and across the grass towards the churchyard...... http://www.literature.org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/

Back down in the town we walked along the Western side and found the memorial to Captain cook and the arch made from the jaw of a whale. http://www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk/ Captain Cook trained as a seaman in Whitby before starting his great travels of discovery on the ship Endeavour that was built in Whitby.

Small version of The Endeavour built for tourist boat trips.

Eating chips and mushy peas was lovely but I wish I'd tried Whitby Lemon Buns made by an old local firm called Botham's http://www.menugourmet.com/en/address/le-panier-de-la-ferme,8560

We had a lovely walk back down all the steps and through all the little streets even bumping into a well known musical travelling couple, Mick and Suzie Darling who were there for the music sessions. It was lovely to see them and catch up, I hadn't seen them for years.

We carried on walking through the pretty streets hearing English folk music from one bar and singing in another before finding my favourite an Irish music session in a bar on the harbour. I had my bones on me so I joined in for an hour or so before walking back through the town and up the Cinder path to bed.
I have a new shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Day Two :The Angel of the North and Beamish

2011-09-01T01:14:00.000-07:00

Day two was a bright morning so dry for taking the old tent down. We were soon packed so set off up the road past the Dovecot and up onto the road south towards Beamish,a few miles out of Newcastle upon Tyne. I wish I'd had more time to draw and paint pictures but I'd set a tight schedule so not enough time.

Driving near Gateshead I suddenly remembered The Angel Of The North by Antony Gormley http://www.angelofthenorth.org.uk/ we started looking out for it. ...Then there it was up on the hillside looking magnificent. Of course we had to follow the signs and park up in a car park built near it and take a short walk up to it. Brilliant, quite brilliant, it made me feel quite dizzy looking up at it.

We were back driving and soon past the entrance for Beamish ,passing a pub with lovely carved figures above its door,on our way to the nearest campsite.

Bobby Shafto Caravan park (http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=3831 ) was rather sterile and the opposite to Budle bay. The staff were more like jobsworths saying that due o a government ruling all pitches have to be supplied with electricity so they had to charge for the electricity even though quite a lot of the tent pitches including ours had NO electricity ! Also had to deposit £20 for two electronic tags one for opening gate and one for getting into loos...it didn't make them any cleaner. After saying we were going to Beamish it was on the following morning that a fellow camper said that you get money off the Beamish ticket from the campsite shop if you stay on their site. I don't remember seeing a single smile from staff or campers,so I was glad to get going the next day,two nights would be too much !

Beamish was great..we were lucky and had a sunny day, theres a lot of walking between the pit village and little town which is nice to do,and there are lots of trams and buses with facilities for the disabled so no need to walk if you don't want too

Personally for visiting reconstructed old buildings I prefer St Fagans near Cardiff http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/ )( , and The Black Country Museum ( http://www.bclm.co.uk/ ) but there were a fair few that I would happily have moved in to.

Years ago when I worked for Relic Antiques in Wiltshire we had an auction every year and the people from Beamish bought a lot of things, so it was good to at last visit. http://www.beamish.org.uk/

Proggy mat in front of The Range.

One of the local crafts was the craft of making Proggy mats. Rough Hessian mats were turned into beautiful coloured and patterned rugs,often by families working in dimly lit one up one down homes during the winter months.

Most working families used mats because they were easy to shake and beat unlike expensive fitted carpets. The family often bathed in a tin bath in front of an open fire so mats were again much easier to look after but still be warm on the feet.

The backing of the mat needed to be a large tightly woven hessian sack that would have been used for wheat and oats. The bags would be opened out,shaken and washed before starting. The design would be drawn onto the fabric with ink. Designs often used straight lines, diamonds and triangles, and circles because you could draw around plates and bowls. If someone was artistic they would draw favourites such as cats and flowers or subjects such as ships taken from newspapers ,advertising or postcards.

Next was the making of 'clippings'. These were strips of cloth about an inch wide taken from worn out clothes preferably of hardwearing fabrics such as tweeds or wolen cloth. The brighter colours often came from worn out sunday best or jumble sales. Some mills would sell off cuts. The long lengths could be wrapped around a matchbox then with one cut a few clippings could be made about three inches long.

Once the hessian was fixed onto a frame the decoration could begin. A progger ( a pointed pices of wood or bone) was used to make a hole in the hessian and to push one end of a clipping through the hole half way. Another hole a few threads away would then be made and the remaining pice of clipping would e pushed through. The proggy mats were made working from the back but hooky mats were made from the front using uncut long clippings, making holes and hooking loops through to the front of the Hessian.

I have opened a shop on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Northumberland..Great Casles,Great Beaches and Great Chips!

2011-08-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

Leaving Edinburgh I decided to drive down to Berwick upon Tweed for first camp. Berwick had always looked lovely from the train but driving through,although pretty it was full of the usual shops,and I'm really not a shopping sort of person. We passed a Haven site then quickly drove past another that was in the middle of a housing estate. ..so off we travelled south. http://www.exploreberwick.co.uk/

Following a side road we arrived at the causeway over to the Holy Island, where a film crew were reporting on the amount of tourists that had driven across paying no heed to the tide times. Like a lemming I followed all the other cars across, also not knowing the tide timetables...thinking that perhaps everyone else had looked. http://www.lindisfarne.org.uk/

. I didn't mind the thought of getting stuck over near Lindisfarne because it was very beautiful and I had a tent, juice and bread and butter ! The car park was packed so having set off knowing that we were going to move everyday we set off back towards Bamburgh.

What luck, we found a lovely friendly, pretty campsite with simple ammenities, perfect http://www.budlebaycampsite.co.uk/ The chap running the site was happy , helpful and told us that we should visit Bamburgh, we will be blown away !..I also found that everyone camping were also friendly, it makes such a difference. After setting up the tent we set off to Bamburgh, not knowing quite and what to expect.

Bamburgh is famous for being the Home of Grace Darling, The famous Victorian Heroine. In 1838 Grace Darling and her father a lighthouse keeper on the Farne Islands rowed out in their small open boat into raging seas to rescue nine men from the wreck of the SS Forfarshire.There is a memorial to her in the local churchyard. www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/the_heritage_trust/grace-darling-museum

We walked around the corner and Wow! blooming amazing.. Bamborough Castle rises into the clouds above the little town. in spectacular fashion...we had to visit The Royal Seat of the Kings of Northumbria http://www.bamburghcastle.com/ Well worth the visit we were not disappointed...to be honest my photos don't do The Castle justice.!

Wow! blooming amazing Bamburgh Castle rises into the clouds above the little town...we had to visit The Royal Seat of the Kings of Northumbria http://www.bamburghcastle.com/

Alongside The castle are big sand dunes and a wonderful sandy beach...bit bracing but great....working up an appetite it was soon time for a visit to a chip shop.

Cottages on road between Bamburgh and Seahouses..I love them.

Seahouses wasn't the prettiest of places .probably looks better in the sunshine..but it had a big selection of chippers...at least five within a minutes walk of each other. www.seahouses.org/heritage.php

We eventually chose the shop that was a favourite of one of The Hairy Bikers...a couple of bearded chaps that are very interested in food off the telly. http://www.hairybikers.com/

Full of chips we set off back for camp... ending a lovely day by having a little walk along Budle bay listening to the curlews.

After a good nights kip falling asleep to the sound of the small stream next to the tent we packed up and set off for our next port of call......Beamish.
I have opened a shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

David Mach and Elizabeth Blackadder

2011-08-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

During my visit to Edinburgh I visited quite a few Exhibitions, one of which was David Mach: Precious Light at The City Art Gallery. I really enjoyed it. David Mach is a Scottish artist who makes large scale collages and sculptures. He was born in Fife and trained in Dundee and London.This Exhibition was based on the Anniversary and Celebration of The King James Bible. There were five floors of his work including a studio where you could watch his team making a huge collage called the Last Supper, complete with flowered tablecloth. He has moved his London Studio to Edinburgh for the duration of the Exhibition.

His large sculptures are made from metal coat hangers and show men in pain on large crosses. Upstairs there were two heads one of the Devil and one of Jesus all made of coloured matches

www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-features/8252250/David-Mach-Why-I-turned-the-Crucifixion-into-coat-hangers.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-14312200

I now want to have a go myself but probably not to such a large scale ! One tip I learnt about doing Collage or Decoupage was to lightly sand the edges of the cut paper on the back before gluing down. It gives a much smoother surface.

Another Exhibition I visited was Elizabeth Blackadder at the National Gallery in Edinburgh. To be honest I'm not really her greatest fan but I was interested in seeing her actual work as apposed to the printed variety. I prefer her watercolours to her oils but I was surprised at how smudgy her paper was around her pictures. I'd imagined that they would have been very clean .

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/academicians/painters/elizabeth-blackadder-ra,163,AR.html

Years ago when I worked at Beckford Silk Mill I helped work on a colour separation of one of her Iris pictures for a silk scarf. I worked in the top studio with a friend Carolyn Morgan. She now produces lovely leaded glass ornaments, selling them in Cirencester and Ledbury. http://cotswoldcraftmarket.co.uk/content/carolyn-morgan

While I worked there we worked on many designs for Buckingham Palace, Guinness, Famous Grouse, Imperial War Museum and many others. When the building was first opened I painted lots of signs for their interior. http://www.beckfordsilk.co.uk/

cafe sign and print room sign

Anyway, back to Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, It was a good show and I'm pleased I saw it..I think you can always come away having been inspired in one way or another even just by the way colours are put together or even the framing !
I have opened a shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

The Braid Burn

2011-08-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went for a lovely walk along the Braid Burn and then climbed Blackford Hill for some magnificent panoramic views over the city. The De Brad family lived in the area around 1080 till 1300 and that may be where the name Braid came from. There also used to be a castle.

The first building I came across was the lovely Dovecote. I'm not sure where the burn starts but it finally goes into the Firth at Forth at Portobello. On its western boundary there is a walk called the Fly walk. It was the route that Robert Louis Stevenson used when he walked from his home in Swanston into Edinburgh. www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/edinburgh

The Dovecote, built in the late C17th with 1965 nest holes.. It used to have five stone urns decorating it.. I carried on walking along the left of the river and saw some little buildings in the distance.

Out in the open and there was The braid Hermitage, it was finished by architect Robert Burn.

The following is an old description of the Hermitage. Braid House "Plantations also ornament the eminences which rise at each side of it; while the naked rocks, which pep in different places through the trees, certainly add considerably to the romantic nature of the scenery. These works of nature far transcend those of art; the artificial plots and little niceties of botanical ingenuity dwindle into nothing and and insignificance before them. The walk along the Braid is romantic in the highest degree.

The admirer of nature's work will find many things justly worthy of his contemplation. Blackford Hill rises near it on one side,Pentland Heights overhang it at a small distance on the other. On the south west are Braid Crrags, and a tract of open pasture grounds.

(Ref. Edinburgh Public Library. Accession 42374 )

The Gate into the Ice House, a circular well with a domed ceiling.

Finally a steep walk up a wooded bank and out into the sunshine, the summit and the great views of Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills.

Yarrow

Up on the Blackford Hills were Thistles, Yarrow and Harebells. Yarrow used to be known as 'devils plaything', Itit was dedicated to the 'evil one' and was used in many spells. It can also be used to both suppress and cause nosebleeds.

Harebell was called this because of the belief that witches used juices squeezed from the flowers to tun themselves into Hares. Its also known as the Scottish Bluebell, and Goblins, Witches or Puck's thimble.

Harebell

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/10593

http://www.scotiaseeds.co.uk/seedpackets.php

Witches

2011-08-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Today I came across The Witches Fountain. It is very near the Castle walls in Edinburgh on an area called Castlehill. Near this site over 2000 witches were burnt at the stake. More witches were burnt on Castlehill in the C16th than almost anywhere in Europe.

The fountain was designed by John Duncan R.S.A.,There are two heads one looking wicked the other serene.They are Hygeia The Goddess of Health and Aesculapius The God of Medicine. The Serpent and a Foxglove show the two sides of the story , Good and bad.

The North Berwick Witches sparked the start of witch hunting in Scotland. Over 3800 people were accused of being a witch with over 2000 of them being put to death. Mary Queen of Scots brought the Witchcraft Act from Europe which meant that witches would be strangled ( 'werrit' ) first before being burnt. Many were also tortured in the most horrid of ways. They were also thrown into The Nor'Loch, now Princes Street Gardens. In the well known way if they floated then they were guilty ,if they drowned they were Innocent. This is known as 'Dooking' in Scotland.The North Berwick Witches with the help of 'Ould Clootie' the Devil at Halloween, confessed under torture of causing hurricanes off the coast, trying to prevent Anne ,Princess of Denmark, King James V1's future wife,from reaching Scotland. Dame Euphane MaCalzean accused of being one of the witches.

Men were burnt too. In 1702 James Reid of Mussellburgh was burnt alive on Castlehill. He was accused of throwing enchanted stones into a field farmed by David Libberton,thus destroying his crops and by making a wax image,melting it in the fire and causing the death of the farmer.Janet Home was the last person to be executed as a witch in 1722. The law was abolished in 1736.

I was in for a witchy day,The National Museum had a small section on charms which include a few stones with natural holes in and a witches rope. The Holey stones were used as charms against witches and elves. They were often threaded with red wool or ribbon and hung over stables and cattle byres to protect the animals. Traditionally after seven years the stones were taken down and thrown into a river or running water before being replaced with a newly found stone. Whatever badness the stone had gathered in the seven years would be washed away.

By the late afternoon I went for a walk through the Braids and there was some Enchanters Nightshade. The Enchanter was Circe the Witch whose spells turned the shipmates of Ulysses into pigs. This was the plant that was thought to have been used and its botanical name is Circaea.

Olympic Torch

2011-08-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

Today we visited Queensbury to see The Forth Railway Bridge. A local said that you could walk along it but after ascending goodness knows how many steps then walking along a forested path we found ourselves on Platform 1. A railway worker then told us its the road bridge that you walk along ,only workers and 'jumpers' walk along the Forth Bridge. So we descended and walked along the pier to take photos of the Lifeboat that was moored up along the Pier.

I suddenly realised that the small group of people by the Lifeboat were carrying the Olympic Torch...I didn't think we would ever see it. I asked if Johnjo could hold it and the Chap said Yes but I couldn't take a photograph...Brilliant. It did look like it was made of sequin waste but heavier. The 8000 holes represent the amount of people that have held the torch..we were very lucky ,what chance and good timing on our part!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13685787

Please have a look at Flicr for more photos of Queensbury and the Forth Bridge.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katiebridgetmorgan

Marvelous mechanical clocks

2011-08-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today I had a great day walking around The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. In the discovery section is an amazing ten metre high clock tower. It shows the best and worst of the twentieth century, rather more of the worst but quite amazing. It has four sections, The Crypt, The Nave, The Belfry and The Spire. The Crypt shows an ancient spirit and an Egyptian monkey. The nave has the figures of Lenin, Hitler and Stalin. The belfry has Twelve figures each showing the months of the year but also showing the hardship and human tragedy. The Spire has a female figure holding a dead man in her arms. It is the Pieta from the Italian for compassion and pity.

It was made by the Millennium Clock makers Trust.

Annica Sandstrom- Glass Artist

Tim Stead- Furniture maker

Eduard Bersudsky-Kinetic carved figures www.sharmanka.co.uk

Jurgen Tubbecke-Clock maker

Maggy Lenert- Ilustrator

Tatyana Jakovskaya- Artistic direction and the Coordinator of the Project.

Trip to Edinburgh

2011-08-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

My morning started at 8.30, it was a grey start but the Malverns were bathed in a golden light.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malvern_Hills .In the first 50 miles as I overtook a car I smelt burning rubber, I quickly went into the slow lane and found that luckily it wasn't me. Then lots of pieces of metal bounced onto the road from under a coach just before it pulled over to join quite a few other cars on the hard shoulder. Initially I wanted to stop at a few places on route but decided I had better keep moving!..with fingers crossed. I'm afraid the landscape from the road doesn't do much for me until just after Preston., but there are little pockets a great little sawmill on the left, a strange yard with a huge painted signboard with a mobile number on the right. Then I start seeing places that bring back all sorts of memories.

Knutsford-Where I worked with Miles painting many fine and fancy houses. Lymn where I buy a lot of my paint and gold leaf www.stonehouses.co.uk ..

.Over The Manchester Ship Canal where we used to keep horses,Golbourne where there was a Horse drawn Rag and bone yard....his horse used to kick over cement mixers and sit on the bonnets of cars !,

Wigan its Pier and the saying I kept hearing people say...it's pigging this and pigging that...not a favourite of mine.

Past Chorley and it's lovely Chorley cakes..a bit like Eccles cakes ..The following link has a recipe for them http://www.greenchronicle.com/regional_recipes/chorley_cakes.htm

Whittle le Woods where there used to be carriage sales, I remember a lovely journey to it on the back of a dray in the sunshine. Bamber bridge and Blackpool...too many stories !

Garstang where there is a great team of cloggers, breeches and huge hats full of flowers.

Then past Scorton church a regular stopping place on the way to and from Appleby Horse Fair. www.applebyfair.org . Kirby Lonsdale, Sedbergh all Wagon stopping places. Over The River Lune where I used to do my washing before hanging it on the hedges to dry...everyone else travelling would know I wouldn't be moving that day.

As the journey goes on the landscape is beautiful, beautiful cottages and farms with smoke coming out of their chimneys...it's the middle of August !

Tebay services, time for a stop and petrol top up..as services go it's really lovely..actually a tourist attraction http://westmorland.com/tebay-services It was warm in Winchcombe when I left a bit of a shock getting out at Tebay, I must have been the only one in a skirt and short sleeved blouse ! Then back on the road before turning off at Moffat, by the way the road surface on the motorways around here are amazing, so smooth and new looking . Moffat was packed maybe everyone was queuing up to buy Moffat balls ! www.mofattoffeeshop.com

One place worth stopping at for the view is the Devil's Beef tub http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil's_Beef_Tub

Theres a feel of Spain going through Romanno Bridge and passing a heavy plant company called Rose of Lamancho !

If you are a fan of corrugated iron like me then on the right was an amazing farm full of very tall barns all made of corrugated iron, sheets and sheets of it..I wish I'd stopped and taken a photo of it but I was so close to Edinburgh I felt I should keep the engine moving. Finally reaching the city, Ikea and asda...etc then the road leading me to Morningside ( where they filmed The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie ) and a lovely cup of tea...and an eccles cake all the way from Coleford in The Forest of Dean.

Fred Fowle 'The Master' Fairground Artist

2011-07-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is the wonderful painter 'The Master' Fred Fowle. Years ago I kept seeing a particular style of painting at all the fairs and I loved it...It was always signed by Fred Fowle. At college I mentioned Fred's name to one of my tutors Mike McInnery, I was as pleased as punch when he said that he had met Fred, that Fred was still about and that he could give me Fred's telephone number and address! I wrote to him and got a reply saying that I would be welcome if I thought it was worth it.

The original letter that Fred sent to me that kicked everything off for me.

I visited Fred and found him very friendly and approachable, and it was definitely a very rewarding visit. He was happy to explain in detail how to do the painting techniques and answer all my questions. I tried to visit as often as I could and was lucky to meet Mark Gill another fabulous painter now working in Australia, I believe...he had a very cheeky and contagious smile. I also met Roger Vinney a champion woodgrainer and cartoonist..he had a woodgrained fridge in his kitchen along with grained glass milk bottles! I wrote my degree thesis all about Fred.

They were all a total inspiration to me and that is why I do what I do now.

George Codona's Waltzer..Side of a waltzer car being decorated by Fred Fowle.

Self portrait of Roger Vinney from a Ghost Ride.

Gypsy Lee boards in background painted by Mark Gill..At least I'm pretty sure they were his.

A daft thing happened due to the top Black and White photograph. One day I noticed it being used on a fairground website, I was pleased and surprised and asked if they could just add a caption saying that I had taken the photograph...well talk about a misunderstanding another ladies name was mentioned and they said that they would remove it completely because of goodness knows what...very silly so I thought I would share it with everyone again plus some other pictures because Fred was 'MAGIC' and I was extremely privileged to meet him and see him at work.

An interesting website with photographs of the completed waltzercan be found at http://www.fairart.co.uk/

Gypsy Petulengro travelling through Lancashire.

2011-07-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I delivered a restored clock dial to a lovely couple in Cheltenham. Previously we had chattered about car boot sales, he said he'd look out for gypsy things for me and I'd look out for fishing flies for him.He had mentioned this to his wife so this time she handed me an envelope with a couple of photos showing Gypsy Petulengro and his family travelling through Hindley, near Wigan , Lancashire.Her father Mr Harry Gregory a fruit and Veg Merchant regularly lent his horse 'Tommy' to the family to help them move.

The wagon's are both different and aren't the usual you get to expect. The top one looks like either a Brayshaw or a Thomas, I can't be sure ..I'll be talking to Peter Ingram and John Pocket.

The Brayshaw business started in Lancashire in 1882 and they built farm wagons and repaired vehicles for Gypsies and Showfolk. The rail vans were very heavy and could be the lower photo. The early ones were built for horse drawing but later made for traction. After WW1 heavy duty lorries were bought from the government and converted into trailers. They were 26ft long and had rounded corners and often had round windows. Thomas Wagons from Chertsey Surrey also had round windows. Apparently the last wagon they built was in 1939 for a Mrs Swallow. It cost £850 ,when locally new semi detached houses cost £350 !

Out of interest Petul in Romany means Horseshoe so Petulengro means Blacksmith. Please look at www.petulengro.com for more information.

I have copies of ' Romany Herbal remedies and recipes, The open road to Health' by Gypsy Petulengro books for sale , limited number but I'm hoping to have a payal page very soon.keep looking !

Snow and Balloons

2011-07-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

At the weekend I was lucky enough to go to a wonderful Party. It was hosted by Darcey an old friend who runs Snowbusiness. www.snowbusiness.com/ We had snowball fights, stood around snow tables complete with penguin, and had trips up in a tethered balloon....fantastic. Funny thing is that Darcey really loves heat ! I remember years ago going to a Christmas party in the middle of the summer. Personally I would love to visit the Ice Hotel in Iceland, quite amazing. www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/ I also met an old friend from the mid 80's John Alderslade. We both worked at Relic Antiques when it was at Brillscote Farm, Lea near Malmesbury. John is a great childrens entertainer, magician and Punch and Judy Man. http://www.alderslade.com/ telephone 07757471447 The Mr Cameron was there, a very pleasant chap, only turns out that my younger sister knows his daughter !. http://www.cameronballoons.co.uk/ Well I won't go into too many details I'll just add photos.

St Kenelms Day again !

2011-07-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

The year seems to be flying, not helped tonight by it starting to go dark before 9 o'clock ! It's just a minor blip there 's lots more sun to come. This weekend is The Medieval Battle at Tewkesbury. The site opens at eleven . There is a charge for car parking but the event is free but they do ask for donations. Have a look at their website http://www.tewkesburymedievalfestival.org/ Years ago I was asked by a friend who played fiddle Pat Heslop if I fancied playing some music at a do in Tewkesbury and if I did I should be in fancy dress. Well we turned up to find the field full of people in Medieval costume...well I wore a flapper dress and Pat wore top hat and tails ! I don't think we could have looked dafter !
It is on all weekend but the St. Kenelm play will be performed near the beer tent at around eleven.
Sunday 17th is St Kenelms Day and the play will start at St Kenelms Well , up Sudeley Hill and to the left. At 3.30pm there will be a well blessing then the play should start approximately at 3.45pm.There isn't any car parking I'm afraid but cars can be left in the car park by the Visitor Centre at Sudeley Castle. The play is in three acts and is performed by Winchcombe people. After St Kenelms well there is a walk down to Sudeley for the second act then another walk to St Peters Church for the final act. Refreshments are available at The visitor centre and at the end at St Peters Church, Winchcombe. For more details please call Winchcombe tourist Information Centre 01242 602925. See you there !

Lovely Jane from The Winds of Change Gallery with Griff Rhys ... on Twitpic

2011-07-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Lovely Jane from The Winds of Change Gallery with Griff Rhys ... on Twitpic

Griff Rhys Jones at Sudeley Castle

2011-07-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Early on Friday morning, my mate Jane from Winds of Change Gallery, Jean Bray (sudeley's historian and all round lovely lady) and myself went up to the castle to make sound effects for a Tudor meal. It wasn't long before we found that we were going to be on film and we were staying in the clothes we had arrived in. Not even enough time to look in a mirror ! You'll have to see the programme next May to see what it was all about but basically Griff Rhys Jones and a Historian called Alison (sorry can't remember her surname but she has worked on telly programmes before) talked about what it would have been like if we had all been at the meal hosted by Sudeley Castle for Elizabeth 1. We had a great time and lots of laughs. Griff Rhys Jones was a very lovely chap and was asking all about us and Winchcombe ..he was also very knowledgeable on the subject.
I'll try and write a brief history now.. Thomas Seymour owned Sudeley Castle and Katherine Parr married and lived with him there in the same year that Henry V111 died.. They had been in love before then Henry V111 decided that he wanted her first. Elizabeth came to Sudeley to live after her father died. Katherine Parr was already pregnant and ended up sending Elizabeth away because Thomas Seymour had been flirting with Elizabeth and 'had passed the bands of propriety'. Unfortunately Katherine died a few days after giving birth to a daughter called Mary. Her funeral, the first royal protestant funeral was at Sudeley and her chief mourner was Lady Jane Grey. A few years later Thomas Seymour was executed 1549 after being indicted on 33 counts of treason and other misdemeanors against the king and Crown.

Above is a painting I did of the ruined banqueting hall and The Queens Garden.

Above me in the process of painting rooms and mural showing the arrival of Henry V111 and Anne Boleyn at Sudeley Castle.

The Queens Garden at Sudeley is named after the four Queens who have walked there, Queen Katherine Parr, Queen Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Queen Elizabeth 1. There are also two Kings buried in Winchcombe of a much older date, King Kenulf and Saint Kenelm.

Concorde

2011-07-02T00:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a a group of boys to the WW2 Camp at Ashdown near Badsey, Worcestershire for their Wartime in the Vale Weekend....great but So hot! Later in the afternoon when the boys really wanted to go home I found myself saying we have to wait. So under umbrellas we waited for the flypast of The Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire. Unfortunately the Lancaster had engine problems so no flypast, I was really disappointed! http://www.freewebs.com/ashdowncamp/ww2camp.htm.
I'm not an anorak as far as aeroplanes but I love being in the air. Years ago I spent some time in Sweden with a group of people that were working out there. Most go an early flight back to England on the previous day so they could watch the Robins play football in Cheltenham. The next day we arrived to find that Concorde had been put on our flight !!!! I think it was the first time that it had been allowed to land in Sweden so there were thousands of people, army, TV crews etc. We all had to walk across the tarmac to Concorde and climb the steps...somewhere there must be some photos or film of it but I've never seen any. Once we were flying a Stewardess announced that if anyone wanted they could go into the cockpit with the pilots. Would you believe it I was the only one that went everyone else were all in suits and acted as if they travelled on Concorde everyday...daft beggars ! a chance of a lifetime. www.concordeatfilton.org.uk...I must visit Filton one day maybe the Concorde I flew on is there.

It,s amazing the way you just don't know whats waiting around the corner, amazing opportunities,events and new Friends can be there waiting for you....at least that's what I think.

green paint and arsenic!

2011-06-28T01:31:00.000-07:00

Hello, It's been a while since I last blogged but i was inspired to write about Farrow and Balls paint colour 'Arsenic green.In the past many paints were poisonous due to the way they were made, darker colours used a red lead base and lighter colours used a white lead base. Nowadays most emulsion paints are also slightly poisonous due to their VOC's. Natural paints are often classed as so because they are derived from an organic materials used in the petrochemical business. Only ecological paints are Ok because they are free from chemicals such as polymers and are non toxic .( http://www.nutshellpaints.co.uk/ )
Scheele's Green was a pigment that was used in fabrics, wallpapers and paints since 1770. The colour was bright green and was easy to make, but was based on copper arsenite.
If wallpaper got damp and mouldy the mould would get rid of the arsenite by creating a very poisonous vapour arsenite. When Napoleon was living at St Helena he had gold and green star wallpaper. In 2008 it was discovered that Napolean may have died of 'Gosio's disease, he died not because of the British Authorities but by the British Wallpaper manufacturers. The wallpaper would make healthy people sick but once Napoleon was ill with a stomach ulcer the arsenic would have made him worse.
Apparently William Morris was a director of a company producing arsenic. It was a bi product of the smelting industry and was big business. Of course a huge amount of William Morris's designs used green. Unfortunately later when it was widely known that arsenic was poisonous William Morris continued to use it. http://www.william-morris.co.uk/
In 1879 a visiting dignitary was ill one morning after staying the night in one of the bedrooms of Buckingham Palace, and blamed his illness on the wallpaper. Queen Victoria had all the green wallpaper in the Palace removed 'so as to suppress decorations calculated to ensure a torturing death'
As far as fabrics a doctor found enough arsenic in a Society Ladies Ballgown to kill 12 people! The dye was so loosely bound that it gave of a cloud of arsenic dust into the air. 'Well may the wearer of such a gown be called drop-dead gorgeous' he said 'she carries in her skirts poison enough to slay the whole of the admirers she may meet within half a dozen ballrooms'.
Oscar Wilde on his death bed in the L'hotel said 'My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death.One or other of us has to go'. The room was green and I'm sure he would have been aware of it's history. L'Hotel is also owned by The Cowley Manor Hotel, near me. http://www.l-hotel.com/ look at History/ about.

Paint and more paint!

2011-05-28T03:26:00.000-07:00

Deary me it's a while since I blogged...actually I haven't even managed to look at my computer all week. This week is The Winchcombe Festival of Music and Arts. http://www.winchcombe.co.uk/I spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday working with the whole local school..210 pupils aged between 5 and eleven.and all working on the same project. I had four 4ft x 7ft cut out butterflies and twenty cutout slot together pieces of ply that made a long Caterpillar ! A lot of fun but very tiring. I had a class at a time and they decorated the pieces..the next class following on filling in the spaces. It was really hard not to join in but I did help with mixing colours, opposite colours that clash and how to hold a paintbrush. Tuesday night was the Launch party at St Peters Church. Jane http://www.windsofchangegallery.co.uk/ organised a great Sculpture show there featuring Rupert Tills life sized sculpture of a child on a pony ! http://www.ruperttill.com
I also illustrated and helped produce a booklet of Poems by Helena Cavan. http://www.helenacavan.com/Our local composer and Poet. Helena and Marcel Zidani http://www.marcelzidani.co.uk/ performed a cocert of piano and poetry yesterday...all went very well ..standing ovation...wish I could have been there but I was painting a Georgian dresser and doing some restoration on some pieces by Walter Crane. Last night was Ceroc night and tonight is Blues and Jazz. The sculpture exhibition is on till Monday I believe and there are open st. Please look at the Winchcombe website for more details.

gypsy dogs (Jukels)

2011-05-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

I'm half way through reading 'Smoke in the Lanes' by Dominic Reeve. It's one of those books that I have owned for a long time but daftly had never read. It's a great book telling of his time travelling in a wagon with Beshlie in Wiltshire in the 50's. Some of the descriptions remind me of my time although short in a wagon..horses rearing in the shafts, the daily chores ,the fairs and many more events. I wish I had spent a lot more time in wagons and maybe I will again..The story also mentions the dogs they had, Dominic favouring great Danes of all dogs ! I had the good fortune of meeting both Dominic and Beshlie last year. Beshlie does the most lovely illustrations .

I had a beautiful lurcher called Megan..missed it meg (mystic meg )..because she often missed the rabbits but she was my shadow and I miss her still and although I'd love another dog I still can't think of replacing her. Somehow when you get a good dog you want them to live for as long as you do. She died a few years ago at the grand old age of fourteen. A couple of years ago I was working just outside Stow, during the morning I had to go out to my van to get some more paint. As I looked down the road a couple had parked and were walking across the road with a lurcher..just like my old Meg. I rushed down to them and asked if I could say hello, one look in the dogs eyes and I knew it was related to Meg. It turned out that the lady had been a vet down in Barnstaple when a chap living in a flat dropped some dogs off because he couldn't look after them and was moving. Well, I had got Meg from such a chap in Ilfracombe just down the road ! so I was more than likely right.

I've opened a shop on Etsy seling postcards of my paintings og gypsy scenes- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Wagons and Selbourne

2011-05-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

I Popped down to Selbourne Hampshire last weekend to see Peter Ingram. He is a brilliant wagon painter but has now mainly hung up his brushes . He used to have a Romany Museum but this has now been dismantled. I've known Peter for many years and have always admired his painting. He has a free yet accurate style of painting tied with a huge knowledge, skill using brushes and a natural design flair. Some wagons are over fussy and can look like they are stiff and stencilled but never one of Peter's.
Anyway, I am writing a little illustrated book and needed help with my Romany words , and he was able to help..and also commented that my book was charming !..Its not going to be a best seller but hopefully people will enjoy it...when I get it to the printers !

Thank you Peter for being such a great host and for helping me with my words !

Selbourne is very pretty, and is well known for the book 'The natural history of Selbourne, written by Gilbert White. Gilbert White is now regarded as Britain's first Ecologist.There is a museum there but I didn't have time to visit it..next time. I wish I had had time because the weather was beautiful and I'm sure the gardens they have there were beautiful.I did walk through the fields behind the church. I also walked up the zig zag steps before walking three times anti clockwise around the sarson stone at the top..and wish !.Of course Peter might have made that bit up..he is a great teller of old Gypsy stories. There was also an exhibition about Captain Lawrence Oates who was with Scott in the South Pole. He is the one unfortunately remembered as saying " I an just going outside...I may be some time ". Sadly he never came back.

Today I've been finishing aged white furniture for a ladies holiday cottage in Cornwall..old white is very popular these days..couldn't be more opposite to the fairground and wagon painting !
I have opened a shop on Etsy selling postcards of my paintings of gypsy scenes- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Stow Fair

2011-04-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

On my way back from work I came through Bourton on the Water and noticed that the King Family are back.looking extremely scenic with their wagon with carved lurchers on the side, three fortune telling boards.....a bit like the swallows they are a sign that Stow Horse Fair will soon be here. Thursday 12th May and the town will be buzzing. Its not the same as it used to be and a lot of my old friends don't go anymore..but if you have never been it's worth going...not the same as the old days but life moves on. On the Wednesday afternoon the field is often busy so if you can't make Thursday pop over. The fair was initially granted by Edward 111 as a seven day fair in 1330, then it changed in 1476 to two fairs one in May and the other in October . Originally it was probably more of a sheep fair with other produce but now it really is a gypsy fair with market stalls, wagons and horses. When I first went it used to be in a field and lane on the other side of town with a few wagons and a auction, and a small fair in the market square.
I stopped to take a couple of photos of the oil seed rape..personally I don't like it but it is an amazing colour. I also don't like the smell and especially don't like honey tasting of it. When I was on the road with wagons there seemed to be a generally noticed that horses kept next to oil seed rape fields seemed to get brain tumours. I don't want to start a mass hysteria because since then I have never heard that view...It is probably more likely to have been the pesticide used, and maybe if the horse was tethered next t the field rather than being loose...I don't know maybe you do. Later I sometimes see fields of linseed plants, with a breeze they look like moving water . The next field I saw was full of left over forlorn stalks of brussel sprouts...don't forget sprouts aren't just for Christmas...

Then I passed Jim Henson's...I mean Adam Henson's farm sign...is it just me or do you think it is rather naff ?.( by the Way apparently it is said that Ronnie Barker invented the word Naff !I thought it was a military word...anyway I mean naff to mean tacky rather than any other meanings. )..oh dear I am having a little gripe...only a tiny one..probably because I'm trying to knuckle down when I'd rather be walking in my favourite woods !
Well my painting work went well today, and I got paid so I am smiling really !

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blog to show a beautiful bluebell wood in The Forest of Dean....wonderful scent too !

The meaning of flowers

2011-04-23T00:35:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful morning, I've been sat on the doorstep sitting in the first rays of the sun as it rises over Stancombe Hill....drinking Chai from a new pale blue and white spotty Cath Kidston mug that a friend gave me yesterday. Idyllic sounds of morning birds, geese flying over and the cuckoo ! Theres certain things I have to do through the seasons, for example find a carpet of snowdrops, or celandine...see the bluebells in the woods, find banks of primroses and cowslips...and of course later walk through fields of poppies..it just has to be done. So if I don't hear a cuckoo in the spring then it doesn't seem right...blimey I'm a right old romantic..but most of us love the sights and smells that are free . The pictures are a couple of the shields that I painted on a lovely juvenile roundabout owned by John Barker. I decided that all the images would have secret meanings...so each of the shields have flowers say something. Pansies mean loving thoughts,and the bluebells mean constancy and campion is love.
The colours also have different meaning
Red-love and emotions
Pink-Admiration rather than passion
White- Peace and innocence
Yellow- Both friendship and Jealousy
Lavender-pride, admiration and refinement

It's fun putting secret meanings into my paintings, but I'm sure not many people realise..but a few might recognise the painted lady butterfly that I try to sneak in.

Bluebells and asbestos !

2011-04-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

One of my pastel drawings of the woods.

After a few days in the Forest of Dean I came back to see masses of bluebells in my garden. The front garden is pretty wild but its so full of flowers ...and I like it.Of course I'd love to live in an idyllic cottage in the woods or a bothy in the Hebrides ..but right now a 1930's house with chain link fencing and old render will be fine. Luckily for me the previous owners hadn't done much so it still has victorian fireplaces, picture rails, and old doors. I would love to take the plastic double glazing out and put the original windows in but right now I can think of better ways of spending what money I have...like blooming MOT's ! There are also masses of acquilega , iris and roses are getting ready to flower. I think i may have the Spanish bluebell because there are white and pink ones as well...so I have been told by some people that I should dig them all up and kill them off ...personally I like them and I hope my garden flowers aren't endangering the native species. If you know more please let me know.

This is someones workshop at Parkend in the Forest of Dean...great aren't they ..wish I could have them in my garden...but perhaps not the asbestos if that is what it is.Talking of Asbestos reminds me... Years ago I worked in a horrible packaging factory called Giltspur on the Kingsditch estate in Cheltenham....funding college etc. At one point we had to pack brake shoes, and they wouldn't supply any masks..and there we were working in an un ventilated horrible unit with no windows to the outside world with clocking in and clocking out machines....Still theres one thing I learnt and that is I would try my hardest never to have to work there again !

Standing stones

2011-04-18T03:20:00.000-07:00

Last night I went out to Monmouth and saw a singer musician play called James Hollingsworth. He was really good and obviously loved playing and I think he would have carried on playing till morning. http://www.jameshollingsworth.com/ . I drove back with a fabulous full moon at around midnight, following the road to Coleford, when to my left reared a large dark figure ! It was the The Staunton Longstone. A seven foot tall bronze age stone. Apparently if you prick the stone at midnight on Midsummer's Eve it will bleed. The photo is from the following website, that lists lots of other standing stones in Gloucestershire.http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/standing%20stones/gloucestershire.html

blogging

2011-04-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

Hi, I've been trying to redesign my websites but I've managed to make them both go pear shaped! Apparently if you don't have the font papyrus on your computer then it automatically puts in times roman which looks totally lop sided....so when I have a spare five minutes I'll be working on it again..or put the design that my sister did for me back up !..I thought I'd really achieved something....oh well I've learnt something else...big learning curve for me with computers...but hey the suns shining who wants to be sat in front of a screen anyway...I'm off into the woods...yippee!
Ps Theres a history event at Tintern Railway Station this Sunday that sounds good...hopefully I'll get to carboot then whizz over.

Forest of Dean Blacksmith

2011-04-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Coleford was celebrating the life of Robert Mushet, ( 200 years since he was born) ,. Robert and his father perfected the Bessemer process of self-hardening steel, which made it possible to create strong railway tracks leading the boom in trains and the industrial Revolution. He was born in Coleford, worked in Whitecliff and then built Dark Hill Ironworks.You can find more information by clicking on the following link. www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/Uk4Kvb6CTDa3kuQd1bfa1A

Unfortunately I missed the celebrations but my Dad and myself did visit Gareth Thomas a very good local Blacksmith working in Longhope near Mitcheldean. He produces beautiful traditional hand-forged ironwork and is passionate about his craft and it's history . We first met him at an event at Soudley Heritage Centre...he had to leave because they needed the space for storage or something like that...very shortsighted of Soudley, I think...Craftsmen like Gareth that are skilled, knowledgeable and are happy to talk about history are hard to come by The photos show examples of his gates...if you are interested in buying them or commissioning him his email address is forest.iron@yahoo.co.uk Between him and my Dad we talked all about the Forest industries including Horlicks ...Horlicks malted milk was also born in the Forest of dean. James and William Horlick came up with the recipe at their parents home in Ruadean. They then took their recipe to Chicago where it was produced and eventually sent back to England. The Malthouse in Ruadean is still there. Apparently Horlicks is very fashionable now and can be ordered in the Private bar of the Embassy Club...if you're into that sort of place !...guess what Ribena is bottled in Coleford Too !
I have opened a shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

T.N.Lawrence

2011-04-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

On the 16th April The Winds of Change Gallery will be starting It's Wood Engraving Exhibition. ( Wood engraving is produced by cutting a design into the end grain of a tightly grained wood such as Box. Wood cuts are usually cut designs into the length of the grain.)

Years ago while I was at college I decided to have a go at Wood engraving. A friend had a good friend called Kathy Lindsay, still a very good engraver....and I was inspired. I was told to go to T.N.Lawrence in Bleeding Heart Yard, London.T.N.Lawrence were manufacturers of Boxwood printing blocks and also supplied other equipment...In Dickens's Day Bleeding Heart yard was a court made up of factories and overcrowded dwellings for struggling working class families. It features in Little Dorrit as the home of the Plornish Family. Greville Street links the yard to Another street and Saffron Hill the home of Fagin.

Anyway, i was told that it was quite hard to get in so as I was looking a postman came out of the door so I shot in and went up the wooden stairs. At the top of the stairs was a little room and there was Stanley Lawrence. An elderly man with a big smile. He was so helpful to me telling me which tools I needed and showing me pictures. In the end he gave me some extra tools , some box wood and a couple of little books featuring well known wood engravers!I still have the tools, books and a couple of the blocks that he gave me. ( the picture above is only 3inches high.) I feel guilty that I only did a few but there's still time for me to try again.

One coincidence was a man in the street where I lived in Cheltenham produced the lead type at The Whittington Press, just up the road towards Andoversford. I went over to watch..wish I had had a digital camera then....not..don't wear open toed sandals while watching hot lead being poured ! The next coincidence was that Mr Lawrences grandson had a book published by the Whittington press as a present for his eightieth birthday. It is called 'Tales of Bleeding Heart Yard' stories about Stanley Lawrence, written by Simon Lawrence. I'd love to see it one day .

Swedish folk art for sale in Winchcombe

2011-04-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Two of the antique shops in Winchcombe both have lovely pieces of Swedish Folk art. Mark Newsum ( http://www.newsumantiques.co.uk/ )has a beautiful old 'Bonad' a decorative wall hanging. They were painted by itinerant artists and often commemorated a birth or marriage. A lot of them feature scenes from the bible. They were originally attached to the wall of the main room and were very highly prized. Now they are rarely found outside Swedish museums ..but Mark has one for sale,so please call him if you are interested in buying it.

Over the road and up near the T junction is Antique Interiors owned by Bruce. http://www.antiqueinterior.co.uk/ He has two Swedish trunks, one very large pine trunk with very nice iron strapping and handles. The other is a 'Hope' chest, also known as a wedding dowry trunk. They were often made by a member of the family or local carpenter and were painted by itinerant professional artists. Inside the lid is a lovely circle of leaves and flowers with (probably) the initials of the bride and the year of her marriage which in this case is 1813. http://www.antonandk.co.uk/ mainly deal in french furniture but they sometimes have more folky decorative furniture from Norway and Poland.

In 1985 I was lucky enough to stay in Sweden for a couple of months...a great and very beautiful country. One of my favourite places was The Skansen Museum. http://www.skansen.se/ ..I spent days and days drawing, and have lots of good memories. I'll dig out my sketch book from then and post a few drawings from it tomorrow.....I even came back on Concorde ! But that's another story !

I have opened a shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Colour superstitions

2011-04-07T23:42:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, This is the boat that I've been asked to letter, not traditional colours but throughout time people have always either used the company's colours, their own favourite or whatever paint they could get their hands on. Reminds me of a hamlet in Lancashire where a friend used to live. All the houses were suddenly sandy yellow,it was around the time of another of England's blooming awful wars ...(they seem never ending) and someone had got hold of an excess of army sand paint !

It is interesting which colours are thought to be lucky and others unlucky. Green is fine on gypsy wagons but not on boats. On land people thought it was unlucky to wear green because it was the colour of the fairy folk. At sea ,I was told, that men used to be wrapped in a green cloth before having a burial at sea...so that's why they didn't like it. In the Theatre it used to be unlucky to wear green but when plays were performed like Robin Hood the actors performed on a large green cloth, perhaps thinking of the village green where plays would originally have been performed.And of course a lot of people don't like green cars but bright apple green seems pretty popular these days...personally I don't care as long as it goes and doesn't cost too much to run !

Blue is unlucky for wagons but is fine on a boat. Years ago ballerinas wouldn't wear blue unless there was a bit of silver on the costume. Burgundy and red seems to be a favourite for boats, wagons and farm carts. But Black is a no-no for wagons and Boats. There is a designer that does have a gloss black showman's wagon with a black and white interior but give me bright colours, gold scrolls and flowers any day!

twitter

2011-04-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

I've just joined Twitter www.twitter.com/katieBmorgan . Hey! and in less than twenty mins I already have a follower..Broadway Manor..How does that work ? It's all magic to me and still fun ! Jane from the Winds of Change has been telling me about it for ages ..so now I'm tweeting. Not quite sure how to tweet others yet or send messages but It'll all dawn on me eventually. The box office for the Winchcombe festival of music and arts opens tomorrow in Jane's Gallery.To see whats on please click on http://www.winchcombe.co.uk/festival/events-diary to see whats happening. Jane is soon to be hosting one of my favourite exhibitions. It is the Society of wood engravers 73rd annual exhibition. It starts on the 16th April Monday to Saturday. All the prints are done by the best engravers in the country...including Kathy Lindsay from Skye. I haven't seen her for years..in fact the last time was at The Falkland Arms in Great Tew where I was playing in a band called the Mothy Band, with great friends Polly and Julian. That night the chap running the pub a northern irish man had run off with the takings leaving a huge plugged in ghetto blaster attached to some cigarette papers on the bar...we were all daft and most thought it was a bomb. If I remember correctly most of us went into the next room behind an old thick stone wall while one chap unplugged it..saying well, we have two chances !

cutlery overboard!

2011-04-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

I've just watched another of Guy Martins boat programmes ,and they make me smile..This one was about beans on toast which involved making a tin can, making the beans, making cutlery at Sheffield and baking a Hovis loaf. I made me think of washing up on the boats...years ago no one really thought anything of tipping the bowl overboard...and I'm sure every bowl still had a teaspoon in it ! Goodness knows how many are lining the cut. When I was in a wagon countless teaspoons ended up in hedges or down storm drains. Now I'm in a house I'm still seem to lose them !
There is a lovely lady called Dorothy in Winchcombe , 99 this year and full of great stories and knowledge of the countryside. She used to own a mixed farm in Warwickshire with her husband. During the war her farm was chosen to have a canning machine...to store all the local fruit etc...and a relative of hers went out to America prior to the war to help with the designing of canning machines. Dorothy also used to work at Atherstone Hat factory. The coincidence was that years ago while on the boats we could stop near the factory and get a new felt hat for free..as far as I know it was an old custom that bargees could always have a new hat. Funny how you can watch a programme and it brings lots of memories back.

Blackpool lads on their way back from Appelby, mid 1990's. Would you believe of all the really stunning wagons going up and down that road, most people loved this one...It certainly has character. The horses pulled Landau's on Blackpool Prom. Most of the Landau owners and drivers used to drive up and back to Appleby with all sorts of wagons and carts..I'm sure they still do.

Narrowboats

2011-04-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

I've just sat and watched a couple of catch up programmes on BBCiplayer..'The boat that Guy built '..By 'eck, blooming brilliant. Guy is so full of enthusiasm and has a huge love of British heritage but doesn't try to know it all...and is really impressed by all the knowledge that others have. The first programme shows his boat and sets the tone. He decides he wants to have tea in mugs he ended up making at The Wedgwood factory, Stoke on Trent and made his own cast iron cauldron at The Black Country Museum, Birmingham. It was funny seeing him bumping his way on his first outings. Years ago I had friends who worked the coal boats out of Gas Street Birmingham and the Coventry Ring. In the summer the boats were filled with bunk beds and did holiday trips, if you were the first out you sometimes woke with coal dust on your face. The canals or 'cut' had their own 'jungle grapevine' so I remember news of a friends first trip out got back very quickly...which bridges had got bashed etc. The painting is one I did as a Christmas card and is based on The Black Country Museum..They have a shed with a porch made up of an upturned boat..I love it...so much character. It would always make you happy if you had one. The stools are money box stools that I painted a few years ago. Anyway, time for bed although I could easily sit up and watch all Guys other programmes...they make you smile.

Puppets

2011-03-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hello, you may remember ages ago I wrote about Ireland and said about a puppet I'd made for Terry Wogan....well I found a couple of pictures. One of a musician puppet and one of Sir Terry.
Last night I started redesigning my kbmorgan website...why oh why I start at about 10 o'clock on these projects, I'll never know ! The last job I started was taking up lino and trying to level the floor in my kitchen...that was at about the same time but on a Friday ..oh well. My sister Yael had designed my last version ..which I really liked but I found myself adding more and more pages so I've gone minimal...well for a while .

Gypsy Baskets

2011-03-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Today I dropped by to have a cuppa with Rob...on his porch was a couple of lovely stick baskets that he had made. They look beautiful with a pot of primroses in them. Rob makes and sells them from his workshop, The Old Sawmill, Stanway Estate Yard, Stanway Glos. They are £15 each and will last years if treated during the winter if used outside but longer if kept inside. He makes furniture and decorative items with locally found wood, in fact mainly between his home and workshop which is only a couple of miles so very sound on the old Eco front. His telephone number is..07854199914....Rob doesn't have a website yet but I'm pushing him to have one !
The illustration is one of a set that I have been doing recently..I'm aiming to produce a small book of Gypsy life so fingers crossed it will be out before too long. Apparently the raditional baskets are made from 20 sticks so my illustration isn't as accurate as perhaps it should be..oops
I've opened a shop on Etsy selling postcards of gypsy scenes...more to come www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Brock

2011-03-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hello, Sudeley is open and up and running. The exhibition was finished on time..a lot due to Ryan and Will who do all sorts of structural work as well as locking up! The photo is a fun cut out of Brock in the bath, complete with a little shelf with 197o's toiletries..all I could think of was Old Spice, Camay soap and Colgate toothpaste....it was funny trying to remember the favourites of the time.

This was the scene from the Castle as I left...beautiful.

India and elephants

2011-03-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

One of the things I really like about blogging is being able to look up statistics and find out where in the world people are viewing my blog from. This week I have had two firsts, India and Brazil...quite amazing..

A few months ago a chap came round to read my electric meter. As he came in he pointed out a metal elephant I had in the window..its more of an heraldic device and probably was originally fitted into a piece of furniture. He smiled and laughed saying I must go to India , the best place for being close to elephants. I showed him my front room because I have an amazing light in the shape of an elephant. I've had him since I was thirteen when I persuaded Mum to buy him for my Birthday . The Meter man positively squealed with joy saying my living room looked just like his mother's in Goa ! Well I've never been to India but it sounds like I'd feel at home.

Upstairs Downstairs

2011-03-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've just spent the last couple of days finishing the Brock exhibition at Sudeley and painting a couple of murals. I have done then in quite a loose style, mainly due to time restraints! Yesterday Lady Ashcombe told me that there would be a sound tape linked with the set....the sounds included a maid mixing ,Mrs Bridges shouting orders and a butler taking a tray of tea things upstairs. Luckily for me I had already painted a maid with a mixing bowl and a butler going upstairs. I only had to add Mrs Bridges and a dog running out of the kitchen. For good measure I also painted a cat knocking a plate off the table and a mouse hiding. I haven't quite got the perspective right and I will probably alter the stairs but at least it gives the jist of the idea... It was fun painting something different ...back to some clock dials that are in need of restoration now !

Cotswold Life

2011-03-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

Last week a friend said " You've got a mention in The Cotswold Life Magazine"..so I popped out and bought a copy. To be honest it's not a magazine I buy normally..I'm more of The World of Interiors and Country Living and The odd gardening Magazine. The article was written by Lady Ashcombe and is promoting Sudeley Castles latest exhibition all about Badgers...well one particular Badger called Brock. He was a member of Lady Ashcombes family in the late 1960's. Her husband Mark Dent Brocklehurst brought one back to their Kensington home as a youngster. In the article Lady Ashcombe says 'The exhibition is the story I wrote of Brock's life which has humorously illustrated by local artist Katie Morgan and accompanies the portraits, photographs and other badger mementos which were amassed by his doting owner Mark.' Which is very nice..for me...unfortunately for me the article doesn't show one of my pictures and it also doesn't have a link to The Castle Website but not to worry. As well as the illustrations I've also painted a life size cutout of a badger in a bath and today I've been gluing up an old papier mache' badgers backside! Which reminds me if you like local farmhouse cider try Hailes Fruit Farms 'Badgers bottom'.
The Castle opens this weekend, please have a look at their website for more information. www.sudeleycastle.co.uk www.cotswold.greatbritishlife.co.uk

Compton Verney

2011-03-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

A friend told me that she had seen an advert looking for images of Folk art...well that's right up my street.so I took a look. It was an exhibition at Compton Verney in Warwickshire and they were looking for anyone to email pictures of folk art...so I sent a few in. Last week I had an email from them asking if they could have one of my pieces for their display, it was a moon dial...so of course I said yes.
The last time I had visited Compton Verney was with John Pocket and we had gone over to see the marvellous folk art collection of Enid Marx. She and her friend Margaret Lambert were both influenced by Folk art in their own work and had made a collection and had written books. It was great and still is!
Last Monday Jane from The Winds of Change Gallery and myself decided to have a bit of a 'jolly' and deliver the moon dial. It was good to meet the curators and have a chat. I'm looking forward to seeing the full exhibition. There is a big contemporary exhibition by artists who have been influenced by folk art, such as Peter Blake. I'm very traditional in my work and I did ask if they would ever involve an exhibition of traditional folk artists that are alive and kicking but they didn't seem to think that there were many about....Anyway I am very pleased to have a tiny bit of my work on display , and I'm looking forward to going and seeing the full show.

If you click on the link it takes you straight to the Folk art section of The Compton Verney website.http://www.comptonverney.org.uk/modules/events/event.aspx?e=70&title=what_the_folk_say__contemporary_artist_interventions

My suprise present

2011-03-12T01:32:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my sister Yael gave me this lovely paint brush roll.....I love it...almost too good to use!...being a bit slow on the uptake I initially thought she had bought it...then recognised the designs as my drawings...!

Yael had machine embroidered and made it...apparently she had bought a massive blind in the sales and had chopped it up to make all sorts of goodies...

The pictures were from the sketch book that I had sent to America. I scanned it before sending and uploaded them onto Flicr.com. If you go to www.flickr.com/photos/katiebridgetmorgan/ / then photos and Katiebridgetmorgan ..you should find them.

My journey to work

2011-03-11T13:23:00.000-08:00

Past Bruce's Antique shop and Anton and K, then past Jane's Gallery, and Mark and Pete's antique shops....

Then the Winchcombe pottery,...then Nigel's Furniture shop and near Lees framing studio...

Up Stanway Hill..past Robs Rustic furniture workshop and Richards stone workshop...

past The Plough at Ford.....Great Food but will be packed during next weeks Gold Cup ....

Past The stone Quarry and right towards Bourton on the Water....

...Past a gentleman stonewalling....

...and into Bourton on the Water....

Quick stop at the Hardware shop for a tin of varnish...

....up the Hill into Little Rissington...Last week the banks up to this village were covered in a blanket of snowdrops....

...then through the glorious countryside of Oxfordshire....

....left turn off the road to Burford.....

......a Buzzard flew out and must have been only 10 feet away from me ...

...past Fiefield Village Church...

..Almost There !

I do feel lucky to have such a lovely drive to work.....and quiet roads.

http://www.antiqueinterior.co.uk/

http://www.windsofchangegallery.co.uk/

http://www.winchcombepottery.co.uk/

http://www.antonandk.co.uk/

Sketch book tour

2011-03-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

Last year I discovered a Sketch book tour in America. Initially I had to sign in with The art House Coop and send £25. I then received a sketchbook in the post. The idea is that people from all over the world can send for a sketcbook, fill it and send it back to Brooklyn by a specified date. Your book then joins a library of nearly 10,000 books that tours America.. Apparently 28,000 people sent for books but didn't send them back. The people organising it give each book a bar code and digitally scans each book. Soon anyone will be able to type in my name and view all my sketches.

The travelling library only lets people view the actual books within the gallery space but each book is scanned on its own individual bar code so I will know how many people looked at my book...fun isn't it. I'll never get my book back but I feel that the organisers of the tour do a lot for my £25 and I hope that I will get some creative comments ! A lot of the books look more illustrative and some are quite wacky...mine looks rather old fashioned but hey ho that's me!If you would like to look at their website please click on the following link http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject?utm_source=Art+House+Co-op+List&utm_campaign=6fd1fe9d15-Sketchbook_tour1&utm_medium=email On the art house coop page you can view lots of artists biographies with gallery...mines under Katie Morgan.

Sketching

2011-02-21T03:41:00.000-08:00

In my previous blog I mentioned the Cricket Pavilion at Stanway. My Friend has done a lovely sketch of it. You can find it on http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiohyde/5458892907
I'm up in the glorious Forest of Dean ,a great place for walks whatever the weather....today being dull, grey and wet! The forest has a great Sculpture Trail which is good to see and also for getting children to walk further...can you find the next sculpture etc etc. http://www.forestofdean-sculpture.org.uk/ There are a couple of sculptures by David Nash, Deer by Sophie Ryder and a stained glass window by Kevin Atherton. Unfortunately the latest sculpture by David Cotterrell is collapsing and is now fenced off. It is an 11 metre high giant pyramid made from metal baskets filled with spoil. After being unveiled in the Autumn it began to twist and lean. The artist said it is deliberately designed to change and be reclaimed by the Forest to show how human manipulation of the landscape is temporary. He also said ' It was never my intention it would stay like that forever, It is not a static structure made of stone. In time it will be covered in bluebells and look like a hill rather than a pyramid and find it's natural position in the landscape' . By the looks of it that will be a flat horizontal hill rather than a vertical one. My thoughts are that it was commissioned to be situated where families walk and should never have been commissioned in the first place if someone knew that it would fall over. I do think that it is bonkers these days because no one will accept responsibility for their own actions. Even when it is obviously their fault . A well known decorator apparently won't prime or prepare the surfaces to be painted and won't varnish. Is this a get out so that if the decoration cracks or falls off he can blame whoever prepared or did the finishing? Surely as an artist you want your artwork to be as sturdy and long lasting...if you build a pyramid shape, surely you expect it to remain in that shape ? What do you think ?

My Workshop

2011-02-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Yes this really is my workshop. It's called The Limehouse, hence the limehouse blog. My rents due so my next trip is to see Lord Wemys in his office at Stanway House. He is quite an amazing man, constantly on the go up and down to his estate in Scotland etc but always remembers who you are and asks whats going on and is very genuine.Stanway House is a beautiful Jacobean Manor house with a fantastic gravity fed fountain that rises to 300feet...the tallest in Britain. There is more information at www.stanwayfountain.co.uk
The nearby thatched cricket pavilion was donated by J.M.Barrie author of Peter Pan . In fact I was told that Tinkerbell was born at Stanway! At the front of Stanway House is a beautiful large bay window made with an old yellow glass. Apparently J M Barrie was inside when he noticed a dot of light prancing across the wall, it was the sun catching on the Golden Cockerel on the church tower and reflecting through the window onto the wall....Tinkerbell was Born ! Some say that this isn't correct but I think it's such a nice story that I want to believe it.
The Limehouse is next to another old building where Richard Podd a stonemason works. Next To Richard is a beautiful mill pond and the old Mill. The Mill has been through many uses including a fulling mill and Saw mill. It has now been restored to being a flour mill and is due to be open to the public this year.www.nationalmillweekend.co.uk Initially a lovely and very clever man called Christopher Wallis was restoring the mill and wheel but unfortunately died. His Father ,Barnes Wallis was a pioneer in many engineering works as well as the design of the bouncing bomb. Christopher was such a peaceful man and he told me that his father didn't like being remembered for this.His father was grieved at the loss of so many airmen in the Dambusters raid. Barnes Wallis designed geodesic frames for planes, wings and for the frame work of the R100 Vickers airship. Christopher was a very inspiring ,friendly and an interesting man and I'm sorry that he isn't still around and that I can't have more conversations with him.

Art Galleries

2011-02-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

My sister sent me a fantastic link http://www.googleartproject.com/

It's brilliant. You can take a 3d tour of worldwide famous museums and each museum has a list of paintings and artifacts that you can zoom right into the paintings and see the cracks. At the Metropolitan Museum, New York there is a painting called the Harvesters by Bruegel. If you zoom right into the landscape in the distance you can find a few people having a swim !..I know very childish ...but I could spend hours looking at all the galleries. When I've visited some galleries I've often wanted to get my paints out and try to copy a style or colour..and now I can.

It's really quite mind boggling what's available now. I went to Bath Academy of Art when it was at Corsham. What a lovely place but there was only one computer...I'm sure the London colleges were way more advanced than we were. I studied Visual communication, which covered Typography..yes using lead type..Book binding...printing, litho , silkscreen ,etching and engraving....photography, colour and black and white printing and developing..and it was only in the 80's not the 1880's I hasten to add. I am glad I learnt all these techniques but it does mean that you are constantly niggled by the letter spacing produced by computers..but I suppose not many people notice any more. My sister probably thinks I should have learnt English, she's always copy reading my writing and correcting it!

Right I'm off for a cuppa, as you can see from the tins on my shelf I have quite a collection ! and yes I painted them to look old and bashed.

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-13T05:24:00.000-08:00

A day early but according to the Pagan calender I'm two days early. On February 15th the celebrations of Lupercalia began,the festival of Faunus the Roman God of agriculture and fertility. It also honoured the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. On this day the men would sacrifice a goat, wear its skin and run around hitting women with small whips!. They also had a holiday on the 14th to honour Juno Fructifer, Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses and the Goddess of Marriage.

The name Valentine may have come from this story.During the reign of Claudius 11 Valentine went against the Emperor and secretly performed wedding ceremonies. He was put to death on February 14th.

I also wondered why a heart is heart shaped. The most interesting story that I found was that the seeds of the now extinct silphium plant had heart shaped seeds. The plant was widely used in ancient times as a herbal contraceptive. The design is used in many european folk art such as n traditional narrow boats rudders and sliding cabin hatches, Farm carts, playing cards, Welsh love spoons, tattoos...the list is endless. Funnily enough it's not a design that's used on Gypsy wagons, at least I've not seen any. If you take a look at http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/08/heart-shaped-things/ you will find aerial photographs of heart shaped things.

The picture on the left is a set of money box stools that I painted in canal style. The other is a hole in some corrugated sheeting that I saw while out on a walk.

Fabulous Prefabs !

2011-02-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

I've been looking into the possibility of having a shed/gardenroom built in my garden. My neighbour told me that originally there were prefabs at the bottom of our gardens separated by a stream. These houses were removed once more houses were built and the space was added onto our gardens. I've been trying to find more local information and photographs but no luck so far. I really like the idea of rebuilding a prefab and kitting it out in 1940's style. It would make a great little museum, mind you I'd probably prefer living in that than my house!

A short Rhyme by Charlie Chester ;

'Down in the jungle'

Living in a tent:

Better than a prefab,

No rent!

Prefabs were originally built as temporary accommodation for post war families. Many people loved them because they had a garden, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. There were many different designs including The Portal, Arcon, Uni-Secco, Tarran and Airoh.The photograph is of one in St Fagans Museum, Cardiff...a really brilliant place to go. http://www.museumwales.ac.uk./I remember passing an estate of prefabs near Hatherley, Cheltenham when I was little and loving them then. If I remember correctly I believe there was an allotment area on the other side of the concrete road I must pop over and see if they are still there. . Many are being demolished but in South London there are some being given Grade 11 listing on the Catford Estate. These were built by German and Italian prisoners of war.

I'm torn between a shed in a 30's style or a rustic one with a turf roof. The sketch is a building I saw in the Skansen Museum, Sweden. I also have a love of corrugated iron, My Mum would probably say I can blame your Dad for liking corrugated iron. There used to be a lot of sheds and house extensions made of it ! Those great black Nissen Huts.they are good too...blimey what a choice....well whatever I decide it will be great to have a bigger shed by the end of the year.

A gypsy Wagon and the Kent WI

2011-02-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

In January the local church had a book sale with lots of books lining the pews. I hadn't realised so only got there in it's last few days. I still managed to leave with a pile of books, I just can't resist them. One of them was called 'For Home and Country' WI magazines 1919 to 1959, compiled by Penny Kitchen. One article was great and I've used a picture from it which I hope is allowed.
In 1921 The 'East Kent Caravan Exhibition ' took to the road. Two ladies travelled for seven weeks touring the smaller hamlets and villages of East Kent. A night was spent at each Institute and an exhibition was held showing needlework, fur craft, toy making and booklets. Villagers were admitted into the vardo at 6d a head. A horse and man was supplied by each Institute to take the caravan onto it's next venue. Although it was successful, it was decided that ' it was too unwieldy and slow, especially where long distances and hills were concerned !.
I wonder if anyone has though of recreating the journey, I'd love to do it but I don't imagine for any moment that there would be a man and horse available in each village !
I think the wagon in the photograph is a Dunton Reading, but the mollycroft ( the raised central roof with small windows along it ) looks more basic than the norm, so I could be wrong. In 1889 Dunton & Sons were Coach and Wheelwrights working from Crane Wharf, Kings Road, Reading. Dunton Reading wagons were approximately 12' from ground to the roof,the rear wheel were 5' in diameter and the front 3'6. It's funny to think that the wagon in the picture would have been almost new at the time.If anyone out there knows of any more information about the WI and the wagon tour I'd love to hear from you.
I have a shop on Etsy selling postcards of my paintings showing Gypsy scenes http://www.etsy.com/shop/KushtiBok?ref=si_shop

Thankyou

2011-01-31T09:56:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to Louise a lovely proffessional photographer from Sussex. She sent me a cd today full of pictures of our time as gypsies at Goodwood revival. Her brother Paul has a company called http://www.roundhillshepherdhuts.co.uk/ . Louise takes the photos for his website and business cards. I've used one of her pictures to update my profile, ...more flattering than my last one!

Did you know that Shepherds huts on wheels date back to at least the 16th century.

A few years ago there was a gorgeous one in a small market garden. On the Friday I asked if they would sell it but they needed to think about it over the weekend. It had been used locally for many years and they had owned it for 40 years. Well unfortunately for me over the weekend a company was advertising their shepherd hut company and the local owner rang them up. By the time I went to see them on the Monday the newspaper chap had been up and shook on it offering a £1000....boy was I fed up...not only had he sold it for less than I thought it was worth it had also left the Cotswold's for good. I bet it was tarted up and for sale a few months later for at least £5000. Oh well, not too many sour grapes !I'm not too sure where I would have put it anyway. I must say at this point that Paul from round hill shepherdhuts was NOT the chap I'm talking about. Paul is a very nice bloke and would be a very good and decent man to deal with-if you are ever thinking of buying or hiring one.

Our Woods and Forests

2011-01-31T09:19:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note. In 48 hours the Government decides what it is going to do with OUR forests. The website http://www.38degrees.org.uk/ has a sample letter that you can customise to send to your local MP. It has a search so that you can find out who they are and a letter that you can either just add your own name and your Mps or you can add more. Please give it ago, every letter helps.

I personally have spent many happy days walking , cycling and picnicking in various woodlands and Forests, especially The Forest of Dean. I can't imagine not being able to walk through

them just because someone with wealth has decided to own it just for themselves...or big companies owning them to balance their carbon emissions. We are lucky to have these wild spaces and I'd like us to be able to keep having pleasure from them and help with the care of them.

Views

2011-01-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

Hello, I've had a few friends asking me what I think of 'My big fat gypsy wedding' well apart from not liking the title, it's not really for me to judge, but of course this is the sort of programme that lots of people will watch and discuss. I think that producers focus on certain parts to make 'good telly' without giving the full story. Of course the full story wouldn't be of interest to a lot of viewers, but I am more interested in what they don't say as opposed to what they do say. Every family everywhere is different and they all have a story to tell. Personally I don't like seeing little girls dressing and dancing the way they do on the programme, but it isn't just traveller girls, its everywhere. I think it's up to each individual to take responsibility for their own actions and perhaps we should celebrate our differences...but theres a little bit in all of us that likes being a fly on the wall . Anyway I'm getting off my little soap box .

I've a busy week ahead of me, finishing clock dials and painting boards with samples of woodgraining and stoneblocking. I'm also finishing the roughs of a set of cartoons for a new exhibition at Sudeley Castle. Years ago Lady Ashcombe and her family owned an orphaned badger. They looked after it at their home in Kensington and at the castle before Brock disappeared back into the wild. The cartoons follow Brocks Story.

Now that I have Broadband I'm enjoying being able to easily upload new blogs etc. Although I don't have huge quantities of readers I am finding it amazing to be able to view statistics. There have been people from Russia, Alaska, Norway, Slovenia as well as GB ,America and New Zealand. If anyone would like to I'd love anyone to contact me. If you don't want your comments to be shown to everyone then that is fine, just say and I won't press the publish button.

Ireland

2011-01-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

The other evening I found myself watching a programme about Terry Wogan in Ireland. It was one of those easy to watch programmes with lovely scenery..but not madly exciting. It reminded me about a dancing puppet I made of Terry Wogan. It was commissioned by Pebble Mill as a birthday present. At that time I made a good few dolls ...unfortunately I can't find any photographs. They were basically a wooden jointed puppet about twelve inches high with a stick or length of dowling coming at right angles out of their back. You then needed a piece of thin ply about ten inches by two foot. You'd then sit on a stool with the end of the board under your left cheek. The puppet would be held in the right hand with it's feet touching the board...when the music starts you would bang the board with the left hand causing the puppet to dance. Perhaps I'll make some more one day.

My Mums family ,The Phelans originally came from Ireland. Years ago I was asked to paint some 'old' signs for an Irish theme pub. I got on and painted them...see photos of a couple above....while the designer set off to Ireland to buy props. He rang in a panic saying that he had found a good amount all from the same shop, so could I use the name Phelan on the signs....he was quite surprised when I told him that I already had!

Wassail !

2011-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

Here's to thee, old apple tree,

Long may you bear.

Hats full, caps full,

Three bushel bags full,

And a little heap under the stairs.

This afternoon I went out with friends to Hayles Fruit Farm to join in with the Wassail. Lots of people were there, including our local Morris team Happenstance and a local Community choir. The children were given cup cakes, two of which had a coin inside them...the cupcakes not the children!. One for the girls red wrapped cakes and one in the boys green wrapped cakes. Whoever found the coins were crowned The Wassail King and Queen. They then led a procession to the oldest part of the orchards. Everyone circled a beautiful old Blenheim Orange. The Wassail Bowl was filled with 'Badgers Bottom' Cider, and everyone could take a piece of toast dip it into the cider and place it into the branches of the old tree. After The Gloucestershire Wassail was sung a gun was fired into the tree.The gun shot is to wake the tree and the toast is to promote a good harvest .

The procession then reformed by us all parading around the tree with lit lanterns. We were all offered hot apple punch...non alcoholic...,there was more dancing with the crowd joining in and more cheers. The event is organised jointly by 'Marking the Year' and Hayles Fruit Farm.

The songs were handed out on printed sheets so that we could all join in. I appreciated the mention on the sheet that I had painted their signs...If the event carries on getting bigger I expect they will need some more signs !

The afternoon was a great communal event and a new revival of a very old traditional festival. Of late the people of Winchcombe seem to be really getting together. Shopkeepers are working on special opening events such as the recent Art and Antiques weekend. Our Country Fair is getting bigger and bigger each year, and more community events such as The Arts and Music Festival in May are being organised. It's good seeing a good local community get even better.

http://www.markingtheyear.vpweb.co.uk/ and http://www.hayles-fruit-farm.co.uk/

Wassail

2011-01-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

Hello, A very quick message to say that the Wassail at Hayles Fruit Farm, starts at around 2 o'clock on Saturday 15th. There will be some dancing, singing and the crowning of the Wassail King and Queen.