Feeling Groggy

 I've not been at my best today, so have done the bare minimum, including perching up on top of the worktop in the Utility to scrub the windows clean, and wipe down fly-spit and dried up flies, cobwebs etc.  You can tell I don't often clean the Utility window can't you?  It killed my knees, so I had to have a wrapped up towel beneath them.

My Hollyhocks have just come into bloom - nothing like as impressive height-wise as some I saw on the way back from Hereford last week - those must have been 10 feet tall - but they will have been watered, unlike mine, which just got a splash now and then.

I had a short walk the other afternoon, and took a photo of the out-of-town parking for motorhomes/caravans - not sure if these are for people helping in the show itself or who they belong to.  The transport coaches and big red bus park here too, when not in use.  Parking for the many MANY thousands of people attending the show is on farmland out of town, and people are ferried in by the coaches.

This is the view from the end of our track - same as the view from inside my bottom triangle of garden.  Masses of caravans and some tents too - some souls who like their own space right under the treeline in their tents or like the bell-tent on the far right, in the middle of the next field!  These are for stockmen I assume, people who have trade stands, etc etc.,  who need to be near their stands/animals. There are what I imagine are solar lights which light up the pathways after dark. The Young Farmers village, with HUGE music marquee (it's like a mini Glastonbury) is further along the Newbridge-on-Wye road.  There are also hundreds of caravans in fields the other side of the road from the showground.

I managed to get into town early this morning, to get my paper and go to the butchers.  I bought their top quality bacon - just 4 really thick slices (1/4") best bacon, 4 sausages and 6 Free Range quality eggs - just under £10.  A bit Eek pricewise, but ONE slice of the bacon is a meal though!  A little indulgence I don't often have.

 I had an unwanted visitor in the night - these shoes were in the kitchen - a good 15 feet from the front door!  Scubbing off definitely needed and lord knows where the offender has slugged off to.

Alfie doing "relaxed".  Just shows you how "off" the colour perception is on my phone camera - those are bright pink flowers, not purple.

Well, I have done a few jobs today.  Two lots of washing out and most of it dried.  Spare bed stripped and remade, with some help from Lulu.  Utility windows washed and cleaned and polished.  A little shopping done, paper bought and read.  Ooh err about the Durrells, who'd have thought it?  Not quite the happy family they were shown to be in the books or tv series.

Tam still knocked out by this bug, Rosie a bit better but not back to normal appetite/drinking yet but sleeping better (through being poorly, bless her).  She and Tam had a good long sleep together this afternoon whilst Jon, no. 1 carer, went to the shops and got stuff to try and tempt Rosie with.  Rosie it would seem, has my caring gene.  Seeing that Tam wasn't able to eat much last night (they had got a bag of chips as they were late leaving the hospital), she was trying to shove chips in Tam's mouth, bless her.  Just like Tam did with a banana when Keith and I both had bad flu in 1990.  She was then 4 yrs old - Rosie will be 16 mths on Friday - but very aware and concerned and knowing people have to eat.  Amazing for one so young.

Right, nearly time to watch Foyle's War again.

  

A Worrying Day

 My neighbour is lending a hand with the painting, and got the guest bedroom window done today.  What a difference it makes.  Only trouble is, as he pointed out, the interior wood is also dark brown so I will have to get going on that next . . .  Ditto the French windows and the front door . . .

I painted most of the Georgian side door before S needed the blue paint.  I will finish it tomorrow and paint the Utility room window (also brown on the interior for the moment).  I cleaned the windows and paintwork on all the ground floor windows too.  Then I went upstairs and scrubbed all the soap off the shower glass as it was a job I had put off too long.  

I have had to keep busy today as Rosie hasn't been able to drink much and Tam and Jon had to take her to A&E, where they've been most of the day.  Rosie seems to be recovering from the sickness and diarrhoea but doesn't want to drink, but she did eat at lunchtime, so let's hope she's on the mend.  However, she is now sleeping (they are in a side room as if she doesn't down all the Dioralyte, she will have to go on a drip.)  She had half of the 70ml (syringed) before falling into an exhausted sleep.  She needs to drink it all and then I think they might be able to go home.  Tam on worst day of HER S&D and is feeling ghastly and just wants to sleep, after so many disturbed nights with Rosie.  I wish I could help them.  

I've just heard (7 p.m. ish) that they have seen the Dr and been discharged.  I bet they were blardy glad to hear that.  I now hope that Tam soon recovers too - it's been a dreadful day for her (and Jon).

Keeping busy - and Update (Rosie)

 

It really ISN'T turquoise like this.  Imagine a deep sky blue with a hint of lavender.  Ah well, I know what colour it is and is is SUCH an improvement on that ghastly chocolate brown.  Need to mask up the letterbox and door handle before I undercoat the door. It looks so much more cheerful already.  

Kitchen table before and after.  I will give it a polish after lunch, now it is cleared.  I have put all the books, bar the Jo Nesbo which I'm reading, back in the bookcase.  

I've just been down to town, to put two adverts in the Co-op for Keith's nearly-new all-terrain wheelchair, his mobility scooter, and both the sets of ramps (one for the m. scooter loading into the car and the others used in the house for the wheelchair.)  I put the same adverts in the newsagents for a month too.  Let's hope there's buyers out there.  There are certainly more people in town this week for the show, so a wider audience even if the majority ARE Young Farmers!

It was absolutely heaving, with the pubs doing a roaring trade and belching beer and cider fumes out the door as you passed.  Mostly young farmers, but "travellers" too - with half a dozen ponies and the little driving sulkies they pull, tied up outside the entrance to St Mary's church and graveyard.  There was a post on the town Facebook page talking about some of these poor ponies being whipped and abused and one lad just repeatedly hitting his pony in the face - why?  A psychopath in the making . . .Of course, the RSPCA turn a blind eye because it's travellers.  These poor ponies get hammered along the roads too, especially when the pubs kick out - I hate to see it.

Well, I shall enjoy my tidier kitchen whilst I can.  The table will doubtless soon get covered in stuff again but at least I went through all the "useful notes to self" and binned most of them.

Babysitting tomorrow so had best go and fossick in the freezer for something to defrost to eat on my (late) return.

Update: Rosie poorly - sickness and diarrhea, and may have to go to A&E in morning if not enough wet nappies.  Needless to say I shan't be sleeping well tonight.  Poor little one.

Clutter . . .

You walk past it a dozen times a day.  Yes, it's a mess but you are busy doing other things.  You don't have places for some things . . .  Then Sue from Eating and Living Well on a Small Budget put up some lovely photos-for-the-weekend and one lovely kitchen took my eye.  I have a lovely kitchen but bits of it are an untidy MESS.  Five minutes work and this eyesore was improved.

OK, I should move the trays at the side too, but need to find a home for them.  Flowers courtesy of my garden.  Doulton mug from my collection of jugs and stuff on top of the white dresser.  The old gas stove is not connected to a cylinder and has never been used since we moved in as it is too dangerous to use (seals leak). I suppose I should get rid of it and put something else in its place but its not been top of my list of priorities, mainly because I don't know how to dispose of it.  

This is the taller view of the old fireplace.  The little door above it opens  into the chimney, which hasn't been one for many a long year as it has a window in the back!  I keep oils and vinegar and pickles in there, but need to tidy up as there was also a Very Dead Bat when I opened it yesterday . . .

Later:

Before and after for the cupboard next to the fireplace.  OK, stuff has been put away/moved elsewhere but it is stuff in use so can't be chucked.

I have had an at-home day today.  I didn't go to the auction at Pontrilas as it began at 9 a.m. and I woke up groggy and hot at 5.45 a.m. and had to have a kip later on.  Town was  gridlocked with traffic making its way to the Royal Welsh - it doesn't start until Monday but lots of Young Farmers and exhibitors heading into town.  I managed to get into the right hand lane so I could go through town and up to Co-Op - all thoughts of going to Jewsons for white undercoat rapidly abandoned.

I have kept my nose to the grindstone after lunch though, and masked, and put undercoat on the Georgian side door and finished the door frame at the front.  I had to give up on that as it was in full sun and I was melting - hence going round to the side of the house.

I have just forced myself to take photos of Keith's mobility scooter, so I can advertise it in town - lots of extra people about in Royal Welsh week so it gives it a wider audience.  Ditto the ramps and ditto his barely-used-outside wheelchair.  I have internal folding ramps too which I will put a card up for.  It's been hard to bite the bullet - I've put it off nearly a year now and it's stupid just letting things sit gathering dust when someone else could have the use of them and I need some cash to go towards my NZ trip.  

In case you are wondering about that letter - the recipient chose not to open it.  So, I will just have to give myself a shake and move on from that situation.  I still having a loving son.

Right, now to tidy up the next messy work surface!  It's Malvern tomorrow but I'm not going as the forecast is steady rain, and much as I would love a day out, it won't be much fun.  I am baby sitting Rosie on Monday too, so don't want two really early mornings in a row.

Butterflies

 

Aren't I lucky?  I have a pair of Dark Green Fritillaries visiting my garden.  They are not common at the best of times.

 

Plus lots of Peacocks and Red Admirals, Large and Small Whites (always the most common), a Comma, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, and in greater numbers than the last couple of summers.  It is a joy to watch them.

With the advent of the cooler weather and rain, a pair of my desperate House Martins were finally able to quickly cobble together a nest and have their first brood.  The Swallows too, are back on the nest and on another brood - they had disappeared when they had fledged one or two nestfuls and it had gotten so hot.  I did wonder if they had left for Africa already.

There were so many happy birds on the wing on Tuesday, the Blue and Great Tits, Warblers, Goldfinches - swooping around in joy again.  It would seem it had been Too Hot for them too.

I got a tray of mince yesterday when I was out and turned it into 2 x 3 portions of two different meals, one including rice and veg and a bit of curry powder, and the other just mince/onions/courgettes which I had a portion of with some wild/red rice, which went down well.  All the rest has been frozen for quick evening meals when I am busy.  So £4.25 worth of mince (it was reduced by 70p I think) made 6 meals, which isn't bad going.

Today I had a short walk up the valley side a little way, but it was quite sultry so I didn't go far.   Then I began preparing the two downstairs doors (one is permanently shut) for painting.  I washed them both off and removed all the cobwebs and dug out the spider egg nests in the corners.  What fun!  Then I masked up the windows (there are four in the front door and then 3 over-the-door ones from when it was the entrance to the stables.  The Georgian door at the side (fixed shut) has 6 slimmer upright panes, and a long narrow one over.  Lots of masking tape.  I put a coat of white undercoat on the door surround at the front, and that seemed to take forever.  I will need more white undercoat though, as the brown takes some covering.  I put a dab of blue up and it is a great improvement though still comes up in a photo looking more turquoise than it is to the eye.  I think Keith would approve.

I've picked my first cucumber and have 6 or 7 others nearly ready to pick - can't have too many!  It tastes lovely.

I have been out and locked up the stables overnight, and shut the gate as there have been thefts already from "out of town" visitors.  I hate to see lads hammering young ponies up and down the town, especially on the hills.  The two I saw being driven this week couldn't have been more than 16 or 18 months old and that's being generous.   Slightly distressing to see a pony-shaped or large-person shaped shattered lump in the reinforced glass of the barber's shop though . . .

I am trying to keep super busy in this week running up to Keith's death last year - so many sad memories.

Have a lovely weekend all.

Boring . . . more Green Men

You will probably all be saying, but before leaving the subject altogether, I hope that Ragged Robin doesn't mind me sharing her comment, before making my own: 

A very interesting carving. I've looked at my latest edition of Pevsner to see what he says as to me it does not look like a "Green Man" or as they are called these days a foliated head. Pevsner calls it "a grotesque feline head with two dragons emanating from the mouth" which "is related to the Herefordshire School". Malcolm Thurlby, expert on the School says it is "a feline head with two dragons spewing from the mouth to either side of the head". He compares it to one of the dragons at Shobdon Arches. He also says that "The Bridge Sollers sculpture is not of the same high quality as Shobdon and Kilpeck and probably represents the work of a lesser hand, possibly an apprentice from the cathedral workshop". Hope this information is of use.

Now this is my "Green Man" - the nearest I can get to it is something similar carved into a cupboard that belonged to Ann of Cleves, at her home in Kent.  Nothing human in that head at all - but you can just see there are oak leaves around its mouth, close up below:

You can just make out the similarity to the carving in the cupboard.

Having done a little research, I am inclined to think that this carving may in a way have been a prototype for the foliated head which we now associate with the title Green Man. 

This is the one at Garway, which I believe has several similarities to the Bridge Sollars carving below, except here we have more than a step towards "foliation".    The two churches are about twenty miles apart so it is possible/likely that the same mason may have been involved, or one inspired the other.  Note, this doesn't look very leafy . . .  Thanks to Herefordshire Travel Guide for the photograph, though I hope to get there this weekend.

Above - here is another chap with ears, and more of a foliate sprouting from the mouth.  This is a tympanum at Dumbleton, Gloucestershire - heavily restored in the 19th C - but showing those ears again. Note also the lightly drawn border to this, reminiscent of the lightly drawn dog's tooth pattern at Bridge Sollers.  Thank you Creative Commons for allowing me to share.  

Thanks to DG Hoosen, at Flickr.com

At Kilpeck, whilst the face doesn't have ears, it is quite a bestial face, and very similar to the one at Leominster Priory.  Reminds me of a fish with Dennis Healey's eyebrows!

There are other animals from which spew forth branches - the Tree of Life one wonders - and the tympanum at Llanbadarn Fawr (which I so NEARLY went in search of yesterday but didn't because I had daps on and not trainers) shows the tree sprouting out of a "cat's" head as well as emanating from/being attacked by monsters - some 34 miles between that church and Bridge Sollers, by modern road. 

At Lullington in Somerset the 12th C font has a feline head again, with foliage sprouting from its mouth.

At Sampford Courtenay in Devon, there is a dragon devouring its own tail, which has developed into a vine.

Perhaps the earlier carvings had a more animal basis, which gradually in the later Medieval became a human face.  We know that there was influence from Oliver de Merlimond, who worked extensively at Shobdon, and who was influenced by his visit to Santiago de Compostella and the iconography there.  Who can say where else ideas came from?

Right, I'll shut up now. 

St Andrew's Church, Bridge Sollars

 The name Bridge Sollars derives from Simon de Brugge (b. 1272) who married Mary Solers (c.1297).  St Andrew is a reasonably common dedication in this area of Herefordshire.  The church dates from the mid-12th C, with later 12th C extensions, and 13th and 14th C additions.  The nave is 12th C, the tower late 12th C, and the north aisle and chancel 13th C.  It was (heavily one imagines) restored in 1889.

As you can see, the yellow meadow ants have taken over the churchyard and have humps of their nests in many places.

I'm not sure if this is St Andrew or not.  

These turn out to be the  forerunners of the Herefordshire school of  Romanesque Architecture, which excited me.  In doing some research at bedtime last night, I discovered that a very similar cat-headed Green Man is to be found at the Templar church at Garway.  Until I do some more research, this green man with dragons may well be unique.  I wonder was the Mason told to make the carving like this or did he have a degree of artistic licence.  Was he paid a set amount for so many hours?  I ask because, 4 photos down, the Norman dogtooth motif seems to have been a little modified!

The Garway example has definite foliage though.

"So, you want the door arch to have a zig-zag round it?  Yeah, no trouble.  I can do that mate, but it might cost ya . . ."  "Oh, the money for the carvings includes this too? "  "Never mind, I'll do my best . . ."  I have to say, this rather tickled me, and no, I have never seen this elsewhere!

The Victorian rafter roof, with the glass window over the ledger slab, and a fairly plain wooden reredos behind the altar table.

A fairly unremarkable stained glass window.  Perhaps this was part of the Victorian restoration.

I was so distracted by this abomination stuck behind the Medieval arches, I didn't notice the memorial on the left hand arch.  This is a Grade I listed building - aesthetically this is a disaster.  I don't even know what it is for, but it would seem this half of the church is the community centre area, so perhaps it is a kitchen.  The memorial is to husband and wife, Eliza and William Meats, of The Marsh.  The left hand pillar looks a little squiff, judging by the new flooring around it. They aren't a pair so perhaps this one is a replacement.

The Marsh was clearly the local Big House, as this memorial is to its earlier occupants the Makeams.

One of several ledger stones, but more were beneath the modern flooring.  One had a little window over it:

A plain-as-a-pikestaff brick and slab chest tomb.

An old church this, which I have driven past many times, thinking, I must stop and look at that sometime.  As I intended to visit Madley, and this was right on the corner of the Madley turning, yesterday was the day.