Hastings bonkers and beautiful. Thoughts on wild boar.

I am in the middle of writing a post about Ore Village, just up the road from us, but it is taking longer than I thought.  So here’s a  few bonkers pictures from our wanderings round the Old Town, some random thoughts, and a very beautiful picture from Philosopher.
     So, where to start?  We were having coffee in our favourite Hanushka’s this morning, sitting at the window, watching the world go by. By the way, they do a brilliant range of unusual fruit teas. I had quince and something-or-other this morning, and it was excellent.

Hanushka Coffee house – great for people watching

     Opposite is a shop called  ‘The Glass Sculptress’, that sells reproduction weapons and armour. Yes, I know. It is the first day of Hastings Week today (battle anniversaries, bonfires etc.) and all the retailers are getting their goods in tip-top order.  Here is the bloke arranging arrows on the chain mail display – spooky, no?

Then on to the Stade, and today we find it full of classic cars – scarcely a week passes here without some happening or another.
     I do like vintage American cars. Here are two great examples, and a Bond Bug.

    There were lots of Morris Minors. I passed my driving test in one, the 1956 vintage Doris. No, fools, I am not that old. Doris was an elderly lady when we got her, and I passed my test in 1986, when I was in my thirties.  I was an absolute wimp about driving and did everything to get out of doing it. I said I would drive if I got a Doris, so we got one, and I did. Fortunately, I have never looked back. That car was a great character.
    Next, this wild boar hat stand has been on sale in the junk yard in Courthouse Street for months. They appear to want £495 for it. It is truly horrible. In your dreams, guys…. I like the way it is going ‘Up yours’ with its trotters. Do wild boars have trotters? It sounds a bit domestic.

Horrible wild boar coat hooks

    My next big nature wish is to see a wild boar in the wild. First it was badgers – we have plenty of those here. Then it was dolphins, and we saw those in Turkey last year. Apparently there are numbers of wild boar in Sussex and Kent woodlands. It is horrible to look up wild boar on Google and find nasty shooting sites. Here is one about Beckley Woods, not far from here. How can people be so stupidly barbaric?  Apparently the wild boar population is plummeting due to the disgusting yobs who think this is a good way to spend their time…. I’m not particularly sentimental about animals but this type of shooting for sport really gets to me…

Wild boar in an East Sussex woodland

I see Rye has a Wild Boar week, coming up quite soon…
    So, to finish, here is a lovely photo Philosopher took in the last days of the Indian Summer. Gone now – it’s autumn and the heating is on.

How sparkly is this….