May in the Vale of Belvoir again

May 1^st and I'm working at the Bull Inn here in Bottesford. A glorious sunny day and I stand in the bay window awhile. This is where Laurel and Hardy stood and waved to the crowd more than 50 years ago. See photographs of the Bull Inn.

Many cowslips this year, not just all along the hedgerows, but in my neighbour's front lawn. She doesn't want to mow them out. Another near neighbour has cowslips in the patio between the gaps of the concrete slabs. Harby, and the lanes and streets have names such as The Red Causeway. Along Boyer's Orchard, near Gas Walk there is a front lawn covered in cowslips.

On to the T Junction Cafe which is by the petrol station next the T junction. Good meals to be had there. But don't just believe me. As usual there is a fire engine parked up nearby and the crew is in the cafe.

Bank Holiday Monday and I'm off to Saint Mary's as they'll be throwing teddy bears of the church tower. Hold the tears. Their owners have made parachutes for them. While we're waiting, I see motorcyclists, white crosses on the backs of their leather jackets. They're from the Christian Biker's Association. One raises his visor and it's Father Stuart, who is the Rector. They trundle off.

Now the teddies are coming down from the tower. One parachute fails to open, but the bear survives.

Myself, Howard and Bruno the English Springer Spaniel are off to Denton Street Market. Now then, I like the street markets we have in the Vale as there's always a wooden village hall. They're just cosy. Better still you can get tea, sandwiches and real cakes and buns. Home made pastry, it's just so moreish and just kind of meaty. Not like factory stuff with their powdery claggy pastry that sticks to your teeth like glue. Corporate boredom is not allowed in these places.

We meet the owl man. He has an awning to shade the owls from the glare of the sun. It's the only opportunity we have to meet owls so close to you. A very knowledgeable man indeed, he's from the Exotic Pet Refuge.

May in the Vale of Belvoir

May in our Vale is a magic time, so I went of on my cycle to find things to write of. Well now there's flowers everywhere and the cowslips are coming out on the lane. Ducklings are tearing about on the canal just bobbing about like oversized corks. On to Terrace Hills Woods, the ridge by Belvoir, taking the track to Stathern. Past Monkey Puzzle trees and a single Giant Redwood. I smell garlic, and ahead of me by the wet ground are star shaped flowers, white, and it's wild garlic. By a huge lime right on the edge of the slope I pass the badger setts and at the bottom the glade is just bluebells all over.

May is the time to see Geoff Donger's Site of Special Scientific Interest at Muston Meadows. Walking cross the field I see a hen pheasant and it was no more than a step away. I didn't know it was there till it fluttered off. A hare sits by the track just watching me. Maybe it's eaten all Geoff's Green-winged Orchids. Hundreds of purple flowered plants that look as if they might possibly be orchids. A swallow flies low and languid, I get browned off and go home. I decide to look them up on the Internet. Oh what a chump I must be. I never bothered to think that Green-winged Orchids are purple.

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Sunday 20^th August 2006

We went for a walk through Easthorpe, crossed the A52 and along to Muston. It must be about 2 miles in all. We were looking for a fête but we didn't really find what we were looking for, but, what we did find was the “The Forge”. A wonderfully restored thatched cottage which is now a tearoom selling sandwiches and cream teas. We met the owner there and in conversation we discovered that he had put his heart and soul into the restoration of this old cottage. It is gorgeously appointed and it is just like walking into a well kept sitting room and garden. So, having eaten heartily and still looking for a fête we travelled up to Eastwell via Muston and inside Eastwell Hall we found what we were looking for and more. Here was our fête featuring an expert display of sword and dagger fighting, stalls and an exploding maypole no less. Gavin sampled the delights of maypole dancing. There they also served a wonderful selection of home-made cakes and tea which we duly tried. Afterwards we stopped on Stathern Hill at the crossing point to admire the view across Belvoir Vale. It was three o'clock by then and our day seemed full but we still had Bernard's 65^th birthday BBQ to attend.

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Sunday 13 August

This evening we went to Donald and Maria's for dinner where we met Tom and his wife Pat. You'd guess Tom's age as at 60, but in fact he's 82. Tom is a very interesting chap and an excellent jazz pianist. Tommy Saville as he his known in the music trade was called up for the army in 1943, but they lost his papers and never contacted him again. He didn't bother to correct their mistake. Through meeting Ted Heath (who later had his own band but at that time he was with a band called Geraldo), Tommy joined Harry Leader at the Astoria, on Charing Cross Road. in London. He then moved to work with Oscar Rabin, and the then singer Bernard Manning, (who was at that time slim and good looking). Tom told us that when televised with Harry Leader after the war they had their faces painted faces in a pale green colour to prevent them looking deathly pale. Tom's first record was produced in January 1945 by Regal Zonophone, a subsidiary of EMI. Around that time he recorded “Southpaw Special” in a freezing cold studio using a Bosendorfer Grand piano, no less. There were only two such pianos in the UK at that time and they were owned by EMI and the BBC. Tommy remarked on how warm the piano seat was and they told him that Dame Myra Hess had played just before him. Tom now hosts his own radio programme on radio Nottingham You can find more information about Tom's program on the BBC here.

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Isabelle's flat 9.20 pm Wednesday 9 August.

We're overlooking the barley field which was mown today. The view is to the east. She said that the sun was setting. In fact it was the moon rising atop the hills before Grantham. Now we have kissed under the rising moon.

Thursday 11^th August 9.20pm

What an adventure! We went to Geoff Donger's farm for a ride on his combine harvester. It was great being high above the wheat in an air conditioned cab. Gavin could see the ears of wheat waving in the wind and the stalks being swept to the centre by the augers to be drawn into the machine. Geoff's son Leigh Donger gave a guided tour of the equipment in the cab and explained that it was laser technology that aligned the threshers as it carved through the wheat. We thought it would be like being in a Russian propaganda film for the collective workers but in fact it was more like riding on a deluxe tractor. The machine sowed rape as it beat down and threshed the wheat turning it into grain. Thank you Geoff we think that it was an experience many would envy. Whatever next! Watch this space.