Friday Ditty Pt 2

Think pink!

I know, a profusion of blossom related posts of late, but you have to make hay while the sun shines! I couldn't resist this lovely pink blossom (Pink flowering Hawthorn) down by the river. Whilst I was staring at it an old boy came by and said "lovely, the pink May ain't it?" - I have to agree with him. Like clusters of little roses. My awful pictures do not do it justice. It was so colourful on an overcast day.......it would have looked lovely beside the cream which I posted the other day. I've never made hawthorn berry jelly, but I'm now really tempted to give it a go later in the year.

Where green roads meet

The Captain says I don't need any encouragement these days to open a bottle of beer. I do try to put a celebratory slant to it, but sometimes it is just a fitting way to close a day.

This weekend has been highly enjoyable and I am not ashamed to say a few splendid ales sampled , not just because it is an extra long one and there is the exciting prospect of additional days off with the nippers this week due to half-term, but it has been one of those weekends where all green roads meet.

The commute home on Friday was tortuous, so I decided to divert along my most favourite route which wends its way from the Upper Stour valley across the finest hills that West Dorset has to offer and back down into the valley of the Brit. The weather was foul, but on reaching Eggardon the odd crack in the clouds made for a splendid moment to stop, get out of the car and breath. I could just make out Golden Cap to the far west and Pilsdon to the north with Yellowhammers the only sound to accompany the wind.

The May blossom is so fine this year. Up on the high road it is like a carpet of snow. The cow parsley and early elderflower that compliment the blossom makes the whole scene almost dairy like - I think of scones and jam to go with the cream it is so vivid.

I did the same route again the day after - en route to one of the most enjoyable Golden Scale Club AGM's for a long time. Each year is enjoyable, but this year it just hit the spot. Fine friends and fine beer. I just had to have another when I got home and I am ashamed to say it was another that I bought just for the label!

A lively little number as you can see, refreshing and sweet with citrus notes. Humpty Dumpty Brewery (Reedham, Norfolk), Reedcutter Ale - it is in fact the last of my Norfolk brews that filled the car on our return from Summer hols last year. A fitting end to a golden day!     

Friday Ditty Pt 1

I have run out of faces for Friday, so lets have a change of direction for a while. A ditty on a Friday to ease you into the weekend. Some obscure and some well known, hope you enjoy them - all from the vinyl vault! 

Ouses, ouses, ouses

Grace and beauty in these chalk hills

Sometimes I think it's just meant to be. A rummage through an interesting box on a market stall sometimes unearths treasure. It did the other week. A set of War Office and Air Ministry OS sheets of the South Coast, some covering my most favourite folds of coast and countryside. 

The lovely curl of the Downs

Look at some of the locations here in darkest East Sussex so favoured by Ravilious and if you look closer you may find more..............Iv'e given you a soundtrack too while you explore the lovely curl of the Downs.  

O Lucky Man!

Not only a great film, but an even greater soundtrack. My gatefold sleeved LP is well warn, but still gives off that nice 1973 crackle - magic! Enjoy! 

You can judge a beer by its label

I admit, on this occasion, I did buy this beer because of the label. It's so simple and the colouring is superb - blue on yellow and uncluttered. Simply states: Contains malted barley! A lovely light snifter at 3.2% ABV from our local brewery. Nice yellow cap too. Would go very nicely with a bag of chips I thought - wrapped in newspaper of course. I make no apologies for the glass.

Talking of beer labels, I have been searching for the labels created by Edward Bawden for an age. He did them in the 1950's I think. The brewery was Walkers of Warrington who brewed a lovely sounding Brown Peter Ale. Anyhow, with the wonders of modern technology I have unearthed them here along with some other quite lovely EB items for your edification.

Hatful of hollow pt 2

I've written previously about my liking for dark lanes, harrowed paths or deep lanes. A slippery walk up one near home and not visited for a while did much to re-ignite my interest. Quite by chance I even found one in North Norfolk last year which was a real surprise. I may have to re-visit some old haunts in the next few weeks before they become completely impenetrable. After these showers the vegetational growth even twenty feet in a hollow is quite remarkable. At the moment though they are a delight to visit with the scent and sight of wild ramsons (wood garlic) and bluebell.

Merry month of May

Miss Pressland - 1913

AA Moore - 1932 

Irene Fawkes - 1928

Yachi da!

JR Hart - 1953

What a nice surprise and treat for an exiled South Walian to wake and see this out of my window in deepest West Dorset. Even though I consider myself an honorary man of Dorset I walk with a spring in my step on each St Davids Day when Bridport Town Hall fly a huge Y Ddraig Goch. I wonder why it is up this tree today though in May? 

That's why they're special

Looking forward to the next classic diesel gala and beer festival in Dorset at the Swanage Railway later this week. It's a perfect day out for chaps who are still little boys at heart and you get to drink beer too!

As a child I was fascinated by the huge English Electric locomotives, in particular the Deltic. Living in the BR Western Region we never saw them, only on special trips along the east coast, Kings Cross or York. They were rumoured to be so huge that they were unable to go under our bridges! This was a time when we had locomotives, remember those? A rare sight to actually see a real train these days and if you do it will be one shipped to this country from the USA. How times change. 

This 1980's footage from ITN News is priceless........as a treat in the New Year I was taken to Kings Cross and watched all this unfold......I was there! Check out the driver, Leonard Smith, after 33 secs and the chap calling "Len, Len" and quickly realising he is being filmed. The young lad at 40 secs...............spot me if you can!