Warmer days;
Social events; We had been out to coffee at a neighbour's house earlier on this week, even Lucy had been invited. J is a marvellous storyteller, a retired tax man, he sits amongst his paintings and books well satisfied with life. His wife E, though rather deaf lip reads very well and she has offered to look after my hens if we go away which is very kind of her,
Yesterday was a carvery at the pub next door and a good half of the village went, we all seem to sit in the same place as the last event. It is very noisy, lots of laughter but Harriet (the licensee) had the meal beautifully organised. Everyone came back to their tables with enormous plates of food and it was good, I had vegetarian sausages with lots of vegetables. Our table was the 'newbies' there are three couples, and the next table was also a newbie builder who had arrived nearly at the same time as us and who thought the village was wonderful. Raffle draw produced a bottle of wine for me, and there was a 'tips' collection. I think making the pub the social hub of the village is a good idea. We had had a couple of villagers for coffee the week before, LS is fascinated by how the land is owned round here, and P can give all the history of the church and its role in the village.
The next gathering apparently is a leaving party for the vicar at another village hall, there is of course only a Sunday service at the church every fortnight and the vicar perambulate around the churches, not sure how many churches this vicar has.
Next on the social calendar is a gardening quiz down at Marton village hall next Tuesday for a fiver a year and a yellow card which gives you 10% discount at all the local nurseries, you get talks, etc and days out of course.
I must take some photos of the pub, there is an untidy air to it but there are many local characters that live within its vicinity.
And what is Yorkshire famous for at the moment; Forced rhubarb, those delicate pink spears that lay as the base for rhubarb crumble, watch the video! As a child a stick of raw rhubarb and a bowl of sugar to dip it in was delicious, not sure I could do it now though.
I'm sure you could still eat the raw rhubarb, but would your tummy every forgive you?!
ReplyDeleteGood time at the pub by the sound of things.
No Jennie the acidity would kill me! Remember also when we podded peas, eating the raw peas, and nibbling the inside of the pea pod for its sweetness.
DeleteIt does sound a good and friendly village Thelma. I have always felt very welcome in our village, particularly in the days when my previous husband and I first moved up here almost thirty years ago. When I nursed him at home through his final illness, the villagers were marvellous at helping me out - sitting with him to give me a break, doing the washing when he became incontinent, cooking me meals etc. Now that I am remarried to a local farmer I live just outside the village but I go to village events to keep in touch with them all.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful Pat, the help given. I think village life is good if it is centered on friendliness (and not too much gossip;).
DeleteThat's something to be treasured Thelma I to live in a village and its taken me nearly thirty years to feel at home! But I would not live anywhere else..
ReplyDeleteAna you have two homes I think, a foot at least in two countries. And many wonderful friends in both, your photos on F/B look marvellous of Madeira.
DeleteSounds perfect Thelma. You'll be jam making and LS bee-keeping next :-)
ReplyDeleteI have been jam making for years Roy, can't see LS with bees, though he has taken to chickens and Lucy....
DeleteWhat an idyllic and enviable lifestyle. I've always wanted to live in a small village with a proper village pub, pubs with character like that do not exist in my neighbourhood.
ReplyDeletePubs of course are disappearing weekly. This one run by young Harriet and her siblings seems to thrive because of the local support. There are farmer 'dos' as well, LS once went in and had to sit by everyone's guns, which rather put him on his guard.
DeleteFantastic, how I envy such a place.
ReplyDeleteHi Derek
ReplyDeleteIf you get the chance to move to a village with a pub take it! I’ve lived in cities most of my life so moving to this little village (where the nearest shop is nearly five miles away) was a real step in the dark. We’ve been here six months now and I haven’t regretted a single thing. We’ve been into more people's houses (and they into ours) in those six months than all the thirty years I lived in the last place.
Roy, I’ve had a beekeeping kit for years but never used it :-) There’s still time though - once I’ve got the dog under control and stopped the hens from flying into the graveyard next-door (don’t really want to clip their wings because they obviously enjoy using them). You should see them come flying over whenever Thelma steps outside!
LS