Devil's Work

Old Scratch has played merry hell in different parts of Sussex with all his shenanigans👿 This time his handiwork can be seen on the South Downs. In his infinite wisdom he decided that he would rather like to flood all the churches in the Weald. To achieve his aim he started dig a great ditch through the hills towards the sea, but because he was making such a rumpus an old woman lit a candle to find out what all the fuss was about. Panicking he thought it was daybreak and fled before he had completed his task and thus we are left with Devil's Dyke.

If you so desire you can pay your own personal visit to The Horned One and his Missus because they are apparently buried in these two long barrows. Should you actually fancy a natter with the nefarious old devil then it's simply a matter of running seven times backwards round the grave holding your breath....

I decided to pass up on this opportunity and chose to watch the mesmerising antics of a stoat. I've never seen one in the wild before and was amazed at the speed and the fluidity with which it moved. What a privilege. No chance of a photo I'm afraid.

John Constable apparently claimed that it was "the grandest view in the world" from the top of the Dyke. Clearly he didn't experience the same weather conditions as us then...I'm sure that there is a fabulous view, but the mist remained constant up high and we couldn't see any of it!

However, further down we were able to enjoy the warm Spring sunshine and the banks of wildflowers. I'll leave you with the delicate Hawthorn arch we stumbled across during our gentle three mile pootle.

Arilx

Old Snout

With lots of lovely volunteers stepping forwards to help with the recycling I am beginning to feel a lot more in balance again. Once this happens I begin to really notice and appreciate the magic of my everyday life. Yesterday I found my very own dragon. I know not why, but I simply immediately sensed he was to be known as Old Snout.

When I moved in closer to get a better look I discovered that he had the most intricate carvings on his belly. These are not the work of a human hand, but some other wee beastie. Something I think I might have seen before, but I cannot for the life of me recall what was behind it. Perhaps a beetle of some sort. Whatever it was the marks it leaves behind are very beautiful.

Old Snout lives in the South Downs.

Arilx

Common[s] Humour

It appears politicians carping at one another is nothing new. Here is a fine example of a rather vitriolic exchange between Gladstone and Disraeli.

G to D " Sir, you will probably die by the hangman's noose or a vile disease."

In response D to G " Sir, that depends whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."

Miaow!! Have a good weekend one and all.

Arilx

Same old same old.

There's not been a lot to write about this past few weeks as I've been tied up with paid work and spending increasingly large amounts of my spare time dealing with the recycling schemes. Neither provide me with any blogging material, but keep me very busy. We have more new volunteers starting this month, so I have been training them too which is more evenings taken up. Thankfully I am scaling back and reducing what I do back to more manageable levels where I can keep a good work life/balance. I had to take a reality check and ask for more help....not easy when you pride yourself on working hard. However,it's simply not sustainable at this level long term and this has been my quiet time of year. It all starts to go bonkers soon with us being away a lot, so I would have struggled even more. After a period of heightened anxiety it feels like a load being lifted from my shoulders if I'm honest.

Our latest show last weekend was a good 'un and takings were about where we would expect. Not exceptional, but frankly with the maelstrom of events going on at the moment nationally I wasn't that confident of people buying. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that at times of stress or uncertainty people concentrate and spend on their hobbies to escape and do something over which they have control. That certainly seems to have been the case thankfully.

I didn't go wild and just bought the couple of pieces below, as I really want to finish repainting the outside of my house and then give the inside a proper clean. Hopefully that will remind me what I've got and I shall have a better understanding of where there are gaps. However, rest assured I did choose some items which will come as birthday and festive gifts later in the year! I have already arranged a date with my fellow miniaturing and dancing chum, Ice Badger, for next week so we can resume our small scale shenanigans. Am looking forwards to it already.

Arilx

Oat Cakes

The latest make on my make, bake and create challenge. I have been thinking about making these on and off for ages. Rummaging through my book looking for something else I came upon a recipe for them. With everything already in store I took the hint. They tasted quite moreish [very peppery], but needed a lot more water to bring the dough together than the instructions said. Ah well I shall know for next time. Another thing for me to make rather than buy in a packet.

Arilx

Round the block

A quick walk round the block in the late afternoon sunshine and new things to discover on my local patch.....the flowers are Anemone Blanda and the ducks are the tufted ones. I just put it out there on our local FB group and others kindly filled in the gaps for me!

A most excellent way to spend an unplanned fifteen minutes of my day.

Arilx

Crisply

TYM was a stubborn little boy with some very definite ideas about things. As he approached the end of his first year of school we chatted about what he thought he might like to give his teacher as a present. Many might have gone down the route of chocolates, smellies or candles...no not this one. "Crisps!" was his answer and he wasn't one for turning. Feeling slightly embarrassed I duly handed over the said wrapped present.  At the end of the afternoon Mrs S thanked us and said that she had really enjoyed the novelty of it and was looking forwards to sharing them with her family.

This is my Mother's day gift from TYM.  If I tell you that I have dispatched 6000 empty packets of crisps in the last three months for the recycling scheme via my local green group it's quite put me off buying crisps, but oh how I do so love them. This will be a real and fairly rare treat for me. Some 15 years later he's spot on once again in his choice!

Arilx