This week there was a rumpus about the delivery of 22 million free ‘English’ editions of the Sun. What a waste of paper – I will post ours back using their Freepost if I can get round to it. However, it did make me think that for me, this has been a very English week – sun at the seaside, lush green countryside, strawberry sponge cake, roses in the garden and Women’s Institute goings-on.
I am also thinking English because in my personal identity I have been chosen to write a monthly post about our area for an American site for Anglophiles, ‘Smitten by Britain’. My first effort is only a gentle introduction….
However, none of this has nothing to do with the World Cup. I do like seeing talented persons with tanned thighs run about scoring goals, but watching England is too painful. It’s a bit like when friends or relatives are in amateur dramatic productions. Occasionally you are pleasantly surprised, but most of the time you just sit, cringing, peeping through your fingers, wishing they wouldn’t do it…..
The weather has been fabulous this week – real traditional Flaming June. The roses in Battleaxe’s garden are lovely right now. We have been living in this house for exactly two years now, and am even thinking of entering the front garden as a ‘new entrant’ in the local ‘Ore in Bloom’ competition.
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| Roses in our garden |
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| Front garden |
We are getting many birds coming to our feeders, and now have a metal cage on the lawn in the back garden which allows ground feeders in, but keeps Mr Seagull and his fat pigeon friends out.
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| Goldfinches on our feeders |
The seaside has been looking lovely too – we went down to Pett Level beach to collect pebbles to strew artistically round a new garden water feature we have just acquired. I took some pictures:
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| Beach at Pett Level |
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| View across the levels |
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| Cottage Garden |
Philosopher also wanted to photograph a field of poppies near Winchelsea Station – worth the detour.
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| Beautiful poppies near Winchelsea |
Earlier in the week I had a meeting of the Writers’ Group Committee and a meeting of the new Hastings poetry ‘Stanza’ group. These groups are run around the country by and for members of the Poetry Society. I think it is a bit advanced and challenging for Battleaxe, who is a beginner poet, but the people who set it up are very supportive, and so far I find it both useful and helpful.
At the Women’s Institute this month it was something called ‘Show and Tell’, where members are encouraged to share their interests, skills, life stories etc. We had lots of womanly crafts – quilts, embroidery, tapestry etc. I spoke about writing, because I seweth not, neither do I spin (the lilies of the field?). In addition, we had a coffee morning and a meeting of our reading group, where the strawberry sponge cake made an appearance.
To finish off, here are some more pictures of sunny Hastings. Who’d live anywhere else when it looks like this?
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| Blue sea, blue sky…. |
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| Early evening |
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| From the house – full moon rises over the Country Park |
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