Author: Tish Farrell

Skew-Whiff And Time-Slipped In Much Wenlock’s Square

We have three tea rooms and a smoothie bar in Much Wenlock. Also two old pubs and three hotels, a Chinese Take-Away and an Indian restaurant. We’re well served all round.

Here’s more of the Square – on the right is the sixteenth century timbered Guild Hall where Town Council meetings are still held upstairs once a month and Rod and Viv’s vegetable market features downstairs several days a week. The parish church behind dates from the early Middle Ages. The Museum on the left used to be a market, and then it was the town cinema. Now it tells of Wenlock’s glorious past as the origin and the source of the modern Olympic Games.

The Wenlock Olympian Games began in 1852, founded by the town’s physician Doctor William Penny Brookes. He inspired Pierre de Courbetin who visited him here to pick his brains on who to run the games, and then went on to found the International Olympic Committee. One of the events in Penny Brookes Olympics included races on penny farthing bicycles. This chap (below) turned up at one of our Christmas Fairs a few years ago, and was attempting to mount his vehicle in a high wind. He never quite managed it, at least not while I was watching. But I did appreciate his fine bicycling costume.

All this squares in squares and circles in squares shenanigans is down to Becky. Here’s the place to find out more: March Square

#MarchSquare

A Bucket Full Of Blue ~ Mad March Square 10

This was a heartening find outside our High Street florists on Wednesday. I love the blue of hyacinths, though their scent can be overpowering indoors. Anyway, it made me think how lucky we are in our very small and ancient town to have so many independent shops. As I may well have mentioned before, our traders’ roll call even includes two book stores. Also extraordinarily, we have a vicars’ outfitters where men of the cloth can have their cloth, well, customized. Who’d’ve thought…

I’m thinking I may feature more of Wenlock in squares over the next few days. I shall have to schedule same as we’re about to go to the dark side. That is to say, changing our internet provider. The last time we did that we were worldwidewebless for nearly a fortnight. So if you don’t hear from me over the next few days, do not be surprised.

March Square Pop over to Becky’s to get square with this squares and circles lark.

#MarchSquare

It’s Been A Long Winter ~ Thursday’s Special

At least this morning we have bright sunshine, although even before I looked out of the window I could tell from the clarity of light there would be frost too. There is. Indoors, I keep peering at my tomato seedlings and thinking, ‘why did I start you off so soon?’ They say they don’t know either. Ah well, when it comes to gardening, as with much else, all one can do is travel hopefully. Meanwhile, fingers crossed, we’ve seen the back of these wintry scenes. You can click on an image to also see these in carousel format.

Thursday’s Special: Wintry

Round And Round The Circle In Bishops Castle With A Few Squares And A Steam Roller Thrown In

Bishops Castle is another favourite Farrell destination – a sleepy rural town in the Shropshire-Welsh borderland. It is full of quirky and ancient houses, though this one at the top of the town must surely take the prize for being the most smile-inducing. I thought this pared down photo would tick all Becky’s boxes (square ones naturally).

But I was sure you would like to see the full picture too:

And the houses at the bottom of the town, sporting their Michaelmas Fair-Steam Rally banners:

And a taste of the Steam Rally:

You can see more about Bishops Castle at Summer Came Back On Saturday And Took Us To The Fair

March Square 8

Not Something You Often See ~ Tongue Of Rook

#WordlessWednesday

Reflections Of Ludlow ~ March Squares

Ludlow is probably the most handsome of Shropshire’s ancient market towns, and one of our favourite places for a day out. It is also the region’s foodie capital so you can usually be sure of something delicious to eat at one of its many inns and restaurants. And it has shops as they used to be – proper butchers, green grocers and bakers. Then there is this place on Corve Street – a magical emporium of light fittings and fixtures. They are all rather expensive so we usually just look in for the show, or press or noses to the window.

March Squares This month Becky wants squares in squares or squared circles.

Winter On The Menai Strait ~ Soulful Sunday

I’m posting this photo, taken one December morning on the North Wales island of Anglesey (Ynys Mon) to remind myself that winter in the British Isles can sometimes be blissful. In fact we have experienced perfect winter weather days on this island on several occasions – cold certainly, but utterly still and dazzlingly bright with hardly a cloud in the sky, only the calls of seabirds and waders echoing over the water.

Ynys Mon is of course an island brimming with spirits. It was the last stand of the Celtic Druids against the Romans (see Island of Old Ghosts); there are the cells and wells of early Christian hermits, and many a prehistoric chambered tomb dating from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. There are also all manner of mythical connotations too. In the centre of this shot you can see the Great Orme across the Menai Strait at Llandudno. It was named by the Vikings, the word orme deriving from the old Norse for a sea serpent. In this view you can well see why they came up with it.

All in all, then, I thought this view added up to a suitable contribution for Ali’s new meme: Soulful Sunday. Please visit her blog The Mindful Gardener – a must-go-to spot for anyone who loves gardens or gardening or marmalade flapjacks. There are also some glorious pictures of the Kent countryside in yesterday’s snow

The Mindful Gardener: Soulful Sunday

Nothing More Cheering Than A Marigold

This marigold had its photo taken on 22nd January. She was growing in my strawberry bed, one of several plants that have spread themselves hither and thither on my allotment plots and been quietly flowering all winter. They make their own sunshine, don’t they. Though I think even they will have been defeated by the current Siberian onslaught. I have not ventured over the field to see.

For hundreds of years the marigold has been much loved by herbalists. Its properties comprise a complete pharmacy – from healing skin conditions to boosting the immune system and many disorders in between. I usually just add the petals to salads, or as a garnish to rice dishes. The colour alone is enough to lift the spirits.

I’m also hoping that Debbie and Becky won’t mind my killing two challenges with one marigold:

Six Word Saturday Please visit Debbie to see a very shaggy sheep.

March Squares For this month Becky has set us the daily challenge of posting square photos featuring either squares or circles. You may post as inclination strikes.

Watching Snow Blow ~ The Bedroom Movie

March first and the Snow Dragons of Winter were unleashed over Shropshire – huffing and puffing great gusts of iciness over the land. Oddly, there wasn’t a heavy fall, and the flakes were very dry, but they did a lot of travelling. In the night the dragons racketed and roared over the roof and blew all the field snow into heaps behind the house.

This movie of blowing snow was shot from the bedroom window yesterday afternoon. Today we have slushy roads and biting winds. Who let Siberia in?

“Just Make Sure You Get My Best Side” ~ Ovine Vanity On This Week’s Thursday’s Special

Sheep posing in Much Wenlock’s former Priory parkland

Thursday’s Special: Pick A Word in March Ovine is only one of Paula’s word prompts this month. Pop over to her place to see the rest and be inspired. You have a week to post your own interpretations.