More Flowerpot Men

Bill and Ben, the Flowerpot Men have a comfy bench to sit on in Baildon's Community Garden, where they can watch the small children at play. Their friend Little Weed has also popped up to say hello. I'm not sure if anyone much younger than me or living elsewhere than Britain will know these characters. They were the stars of a children's TV programme that aired in the 1950s and 60s (see HERE), one of the series called 'Watch with Mother' that showed a different programme each weekday. The characters talked in a funny language and said 'flobadob' quite a lot. At the end they always said 'Babap, Ickle Weed!' and Weed would reply, in a very high pitched voice: 'Weeeeeeeeeed'!  The tortoise, is, I think, a character called Slowcoach who used to amble into the scene periodically. Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday!

In another part of the garden there is another flowerpot creation - perhaps their grandad with his dog, though I don't recall them in the TV programme. He is leaning against a rather elaborate 'bug hotel', quite a work of art.

My grand-girls would have been delighted to search for the fairies, hiding in the foliage. 

Flowerpots and face masks

I grew up watching 'The Flowerpot Men' on TV in the 1950s - but they didn't look like this! Isn't it amazing what lengths people will go to to decorate their gardens? In a sign of the times, even the cows are wearing face masks. (I don't think any real, scarce PPE was harmed in the making of this tableau.) In actual fact, most people in the UK don't seem to be wearing face masks when out and about, even during this coronavirus pandemic. Looking at TV coverage, the habit seems much more widespread in other countries, particularly in the Far East. Their efficacy has been subject to much discussion in our media. It now seems, however, that masks will be mandatory on public transport from next week. I've tried wearing mine in the supermarket but, even with the flexible wires to mould around my nose, I still can't stop my glasses fogging up, which is really annoying.

Howzat!

The cricket season would normally be in full swing by now, the sound of leather striking willow and the shouts of 'howzat' ringing out - but because of the lockdown the pitches are standing idle. Not quite 'abandoned' though... The grass remains mown, though the playing crease here appears to be artificial turf (or maybe that is a practice area?)  One day I walked past Saltaire Cricket Club in Roberts Park and the roller machine was outside. I was amused to see its various decorations - especially the arms with painted nails! I assume it has been decorated by the same hands that tend the flowerbed I showed a while ago (HERE). 

See saw?

I spotted this gravestone in Bingley Cemetery. I know I shouldn't laugh... but I did. Humour is so important in these precarious times. I don't know what Marjorie's maiden name was but maybe she should have retained it?
Now I've got the nursery rhyme in my head!

A girl inspiring the world

Hebden Bridge and the Calder valley are so prone to flooding that the people who live and work there are perhaps closer than some to the reality of climate change. It was no surprise then that the children at the primary school my granddaughters attend voted for Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish climate activist, as the woman who has most inspired them. To mark International Womens' Day, they worked with local artists 'Sand in Your Eye' to create a giant portrait of her on their school playing field. Painted in the kind of paint used for sports field markings, it will fade and wash away within a few days but it has created quite a stir, even being shown on the local TV news.

I think it's great that the school's pupils have such awareness and are inspired. My own granddaughters, even at five and eight, are able to have a sensible conversation about the issues. I was, therefore, sad and shocked to read the vitriolic comments that have been posted on social media in response to the news items. It seems many people still don't believe climate change is a reality, nor do they think primary school pupils are old enough to make their own minds up about todays' issues. The level of venom directed at Greta Thunberg herself is unbelievable. It is very sad that people seem increasingly to feel that it's OK to direct such fierce hate at those with whom they disagree.

My daughter took the photo above when she was walking their dog up the steep hillside, and she's kindly allowed me to share it here. I took the one below, from the roadside. You can't see the picture so well from that angle but it does show the scale of the work.

Incidentally, there's a fair chance I might one day in the future end my days in the buildings behind! It is a development of flats for older people and a residential care home. Being quite near my daughter's home, it would save her a lot of trouble if I moved there! I'm not nearly at that stage yet so I have no plans to move. It's just something we joke about... for the moment!

Still in a jokey frame of mind - I was amused to see a mannequin dressed in scuba diving equipment outside a shop in the town. I know they've had horrendous flooding several times in recent years but even so...  Actually, it is advertising a Dive School. I don't think they are seriously trying to get the locals to stock up on wetsuits.

Be my Valentine

I suppose there was a time when Valentine's Day was something to take a little bit seriously, and I think I've received a few cards in my time, some welcome and some not so... There were a few years, in between those when my mum used to send me a Valentine card and these latter years when I couldn't care less! Cynicism aside, I was nevertheless amused by this Valentine window display in an animal charity shop. Cute, I thought. I have to confess that I don't think I've ever watched 'Lady and the Tramp'. I think it has just been remade? One of these days I'm going to sit and watch all these movies that I never saw yet.

Three little pigs and other stories

Every now and again I realise I've amassed a few photos that, for one reason or another, I quite like but that don't really 'fit in' anywhere. Like the three sleepy pigs that I spotted in Wales....

and the other one with a hat on...

Or the litter shouting out from the side of the footpath...

And this is somewhere I've always wanted to visit, ever since I came to live in Bradford.... Idle is a district in the city and lends its name to many things that end up being mildly amusing. I was invited by some friends to a function in the church, followed by a reception at the Working Men's Club. I did notice that the list of past vicars at the church was entitled 'Vicars of Idle' rather than 'Idle Vicars'!

It puts me in mind of one of my favourite quotes:

'How beautiful it is to do nothing and then rest afterwards.'

Have a good day! 

The Saltaire monster

Is it a dragon? Or perhaps even an alpaca? Saltaire's ivy-covered street light monster amuses passers-by. I imagine it looks quite eerie at night when the light is on.

London oddments

After my day in London, I ended up with a series of oddments: photos that defy categorisation and even, in some cases, explanation. Just for the fun of it, I've included some here.

I called the one below Legless in London :

My collage below has an alpaca (that wouldn't lookout of place in Saltaire), a bizarre warning sign painted on the road (look out for low flying pigeons?), an old and elaborate door-knocker and some graffiti that was sprayed on to a van. 'I shoot humans' might be a good strapline for a photographer...

 or maybe I'll adopt this as my motto:

Keep smiling!

It took me a while....

I was a bit flummoxed by this sign outside the Old Glen Tea Rooms up on Shipley Glen. 'Surely', I thought, 'that's a bit of an odd thing to say if you're advertising your wares....' 'There are better home made cakes than the Glen Tea Rooms.' Doesn't it need a 'no' in there somewhere? It was only after a minute or two that I twigged that the little chap illustrated is Pinocchio, famed for telling lies... Doh! I'm a bit slow! I guess the advert worked, up to a point, as I certainly took notice of it. I didn't try the cakes though, so I can't say one way or another whether the claim is true or not.

R.I.P

'Ello, I wish to register a complaint. 'My perfect tree' is dead!'

'No, no, it's.. er... it's just resting.'

'Look matey, I know a dead tree when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.'

'No, no, it's just resting. Beautiful tree, innit? Such a lovely shape.'

'It's not resting. This tree is DEAD. It is no more. It's (not even) pushing up the daisies. It's kicked the bucket, shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain! This is an EX-TREE!'


Yes, folks, sadly, 'my perfect tree' is no longer perfect. I am not sure what has happened to kill it. They trimmed some of the lower branches a couple of years ago, which ruined its shape, but I doubt that was what killed it.  The stone pavement slabs at its base were removed recently (as they'd been disturbed by its roots) and tarmac was laid around its trunk. I wonder if that has poisoned it? Anyway, it has produced no leaves or blossom this year. It's as dead as a dead parrot. What a shame.

For remembrance sake, this is what is used to look like in its glory (or click the 'perfect tree' label below to see all my photos of it over the years).

Harbour life

Bridlington still has a busy, working harbour. The traditional fishing boats, however, are outnumbered by leisure craft and tourist boats. Oh, and beware the brash, fearless herring gulls... they are partial to a sandwich or a chip, snatched in a trice from a careless hand.

'Ahoy, me hearties! Ready yer sea legs and leave the landlubbers behind'
with a ride round the bay on a pirate ship. Supply your own eye patch and make sure you've mastered the lingo. There are plenty of guides to 'pirate talk' online! He's quite handsome, don't you think?

If a pirate ship doesn't appeal, how about a speedboat? Hang on tight! 

The harbour side has souvenir shops selling postcards, silly hats, buckets and spades, shrimp nets and kitsch with a nautical flavour. There are plenty of cafés for coffee/ice cream whilst you try to warm up/cool down (depending on the infinite variety of British seaside weather) and there are traditional seafood stalls. You know, for the seafood diet we're all on... See food and eat it!

Here's a quiz question... Of all the shrimp nets in my photo, which one do you think my granddaughters would like best? Yes, you guessed!

Advent windows 3

Saltaire Living Advent Calendar 2018

Saltaire's United Reformed Church have unveiled an Advent window every year since the beginning of the tradition, quite a record. Their artwork is always bold and graphic, and usually very photo friendly. This year is no exception. The window is right above the main church door, and visible from the end of the drive.

Surely it was a little 'tongue in cheek' this year? Who can ever forget that 'Two Ronnies' sketch: Four Candles ... although it was in 1976, and presumably some of you weren't even born then. See it HERE. It's still funny, I think.

Christmas shopping?

I had to move fast to catch him, and it's only a phone pic, but look who was at the Peace and Crafts Fair at Saltaire's Victoria Hall. (Clue: It's not Sir Titus Salt, despite the luxuriant beard.) Do you think he was doing some last-minute Christmas shopping?

Looking sheepish

I spotted these two characters, looking rather sheepish, in a window of an apparently empty block in Bradford. I've no idea what they are, what they were doing there or why. But anyway, they come with love from me to ewe. (I'll get my coat...)

Drainpipes

My camera club held a light-hearted competition over the summer called 'Drainpipes'. It's amazing how many you can spot when you start looking, and how different they all are. Here's my selection. The two below look like alien creatures to me!

The last one I have shared already, as I spotted it when on holiday and visiting Forde Abbey, and it's by far the most ornate I've ever seen.

The circus comes to town

Bradford City Park hosted a Mela day, a 'South Asian experience to inspire the future and celebrate diversity'. There was music, dancing and a wonderfully colourful Grand Indian Circus. The lady (above) managed to hold all those pots gracefully on her head whilst walking barefoot on the blades of ceremonial swords and on a bed of nails (below). And all done with a beautiful smile. Impressive.

There were acrobats and jugglers, a tightrope walker and a stilt 'horse', as well as music and general fooling around. It was a lot of fun.

Devon: Quizzes in the Valley of the Rocks

The area on the North Devon coast between Lynton and Lee Abbey is known as The Valley of the Rocks - for obvious reasons. There's an exhilarating walk round the coastal path.

Most of the time I was at Lee Abbey, the valley was full of film vans as they were making a movie, a Games of Thrones type thing, I believe. It is a bit wild and bleak and has often been used in film and TV series as well as providing poets, painters and writers down the years with inspiration. I had a walk there on one of the days when there was a sea fret, so it was very atmospheric.

It is also noted for a herd of feral goats that live there, which some people love and some hate. They are very smelly if you have a close encounter with them! See how many you can spot in the photo below. 

There are, of course, many myths and legends associated with the valley. One is the White Lady. Can you see her in the photo below, standing on Castle Rock, in the swirling mist? 

For a long time, I assumed she was the face I can see in profile on the left below... I can also see a Yorkshire man with a jutting chin and a flat cap, again in profile, on top of the outcrop on the photo below right. What fun you can have with pareidolia!