A rather beautiful vintage photo of a velvet gowned lady smelling a lily. Well lilies are also making a show in the garden, two pots of lemon coloured, another pink, and a less than pleasing orange. They are not allowed in the house because of their staining pollen so sit on the steps of the french doors. Which reminds me that it is Bastille Day, and that Trump is honouring the French show, he looks awkward amongst the civilising influence of the French culture.
Yesterday Peter called in, he must be getting on for 80 years and is a gentle soul, much given to talking but very welcome. He bought a little pot plant and we discussed how he had coped after his recent bout of pneumonia. He immediately got rid of his car, and looked round for transport elsewhere. He uses the buses that are run by the council three days a week. The only trouble though, after a beautiful drive through all the villages, is that you have three hours to kill in Kirkbymoorside, and there is not much to do in the town. He also stops off at the Ryedale Museum where he works in an old chemist shop, sometimes talking to the schoolchildren that arrive on a daily basis. You can also get a volunteer driver to take you to the hospital, dentist or opticians for the price of the petrol needed.
He was also happy with us new incomers to the village, our new stone built houses blending in with the rest of the village, our presence in the community had enlivened the social happenings.
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| The village seen from the south with Margaret's house next to the church |
Two of the houses were built on Margaret Woods garden and cottage, the old cottage having started to fall into disrepair and Margaret living in a caravan in a very overgrown garden until she died a few years back. But the new houses are always remembered by the link to 'Margaret Woods Cottage' around the district. Whilst she was still alive she had sold off land for the two bungalows and J and R', and Peter has one of the bungalows.
I have a feeling that she must have been quite a character, for she lives in the memory of many people.
It's always fascinating for me to be able to read blog posts such as this which give me a glimpse of the area others live in.
ReplyDeleteArilx
Hi Aril, thee village must only have less than 100/150 occupants, many incomers. What it does lack though is children, in the 'olden' days there was a schoolhouse just across the road and loads of alehouses, as the cattle were bought down on foot from the outlying district to Malton and presumably York markets.
DeleteAll lilies are a thing of beauty, except maybe the orange ones.
ReplyDeleteHow nice that Margret lives on in many people's memories. I hope it is for the good - or for the naughty.
The smell of a scented lily on a hot summer evening can be divine. I remember someone telling me about Margaret's cottage as the ceilings fell in, that a bucket of money fell from the bedroom downstairs.
DeleteThese old village characters live on in folk lore don't they? We have one or two like that in our village but I can't see anyone now who might fit into that role. Maybe it is because there is too much movement in the village whereas in the old days everyone stayed put. There are less than a dozen original inhabitants left here - and the farmer decreased that by one.
ReplyDeleteFamilies with roots in the land. That is the sad fact about our villages, the farms usually stay in the same families, though of course they can also amalgamate together to make larger units.
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