Flowers in the desert.

"Flowers" and "desert" aren't two words you might expect to see in the same sentence. However, at Dungeness, Britain's only designated desert, you can see below that this was very much the case. It was an unexpected bonus on our recent trip over there.

Sea Kale

A yellow thingy [😊] and Viper's Bugloss. There was masses of the latter stretching as far as the eye could see.

Common Poppy.

Yellow Horned Poppy. This grows in coastal areas and gets its name from its horn shaped spurs,

Common restharrow[possibly?]

And definitely the most exciting for me....the rather rare Nottingham Catchfly. I was delighted to discover that's what we had seen once I'd had a chance to look at the photos and identify it correctly.

I'll share some more photos tomorrow of what else we saw.

Arilx

A lighter touch.

One of my top reading genres is crime fiction. I love nothing better than settling down with a scandi noir filled with depraved psychopaths and brutal plot lines. However, sometimes I fancy something a little less dark. This author, Elly Griffiths, was mentioned in passing by a lady in my reading group several months ago. At long last I got my act together and borrowed one from the library to give it a whirl.

I have to say I really enjoyed it. It's set in the 1950s and the writer has managed to achieve a balance between the cosiness of an Agatha Christie feel with a full bodied story that takes some unpredictable turns. It lacks the blood thirsty descriptions, but the characters and plots/subplots dovetail well into a decent and unpredictable ending. Methinks a return visit to the library to borrow more titles by her is definitely on the cards.

Arilx

Frou Frou Friday

Hope you all have a smashing weekend!

Arilx

Wry Rye Reboot

Back in 2017 https://gnatbottomedtowers.blogspot.com/search?q=rye I wrote about how I had been a little underwhelmed by Rye. I did finish by wondering if I might change my mind should I ever revisit the town with more time to spare. That time has now come! Did I find what I was looking for...why indeed I did. So do please come and join me on my alternative wanderings unearthing the more unusual.

This was the one that got away last time.....I found out about this carving in the church subsequently. Obviously it was essential to a grotesque addict like me to rectify this situation.

For those of us who enjoy an alcholic tipple [me!!] Rye has a mighty fine selection of watering holes. There's the Pipemakers Arms and The Runcible Spoon along with the Waterworks. It will come as no surprise that the latter is housed in the former waterworks building then. Then there's probably Rye's most famous and oldest pub The Mermaid Inn. It's over 600 years old and is known for its hauntings and association with the nefarious Hawkhurst smuggling gang. I had also heard that it has a wooden chair with a goat carved on the back which reputedly once belonged to a witch's coven. Unfortunately I couldn't spot it, but there's picture of it on the link https://bjournal.co/judith-blincow/

This just jumped out at me as I was walking past. The middle plank comes from the 15th century prison door apparently. It's now been incorporated into somebody's gate.

This plank is hidden up the side of the cottage Hucksteps Row cottage. It's covered in ancient ship graffiti. This type of thing is not uncommon in coastal places, but I've only encountered them before in churches rather than on domestic dwellings. It is opposite St Mary's though.

Let's finish with a gruesome tale of mistaken identity from 1742. One butcher by the name of John Breads didn't take kindly to the mayor, James Lamb [his house is now owned by the NT] fining him for selling his meat at inflated prices. He decided to wreak his revenge and do away with Lamb. On the night in question and in his capacity as mayor, Lamb was due to attend a banquet for which he would be wearing his distinctive red cloak. However, he was ill that night so sent his brother-in-law, Alan Grebell, to represent him and it was he who was fatally stabbed by Breads. Breads was executed and his skull remains within its original gibbet which is now housed in the town hall. It is not on view to the public.

Perhaps not your typical tourist review!

Arilx 

AV System

[Image from Pixabay]

Perhaps you vaguely remember the referendum [not That One!] back in 2011 when we were asked if we wanted to change the way we elect our leaders. The result was to leave the current voting system in place. However, with the current rumblings at Westminster and the rumours of a possible snap election, the pro reform lobby have reopened the debate.

Well if the whole issue is up for discussion once again I thought I might add my two penneth worth. The villagers of Audlem in Cheshire used to elect their village mayor based on the first man to get drunk on the Audlem Wakes Sunday. I think as an idea it's definitely got legs as it seems no madder than the political climate in which we currently live👿

Arilx

Shiny Things

Sometimes I do wonder if I wasn't a magpie in a previous life....I do rather have a penchant for shiny things. Thankfully I don't hoard too many [says she with her collection of beaded bags!], but I do take photos regularly. Sparkles, bright colours, eyecatching patterns...I'm there like a shot snapping away. As you might imagine I was a happy bunny at Small Hythe Place, the former home of Dame Ellen Terry.

It may be small, but there is much to admire. One of the most touching items was the friendship necklace which Dame Ellen had made up from the beads different friends had given her. Unfortunately my photo was awfully blurred so not worth sharing. She lived her life on her own terms by turning her back on the constraints placed upon women by society at the time.

Arilx

Whatchamacallit.

I read a blog about a fascinating fellow in Canada who earns his living by removing items from the black bags of rubbish people put out for the binmen and then selling it. As you might imagine the range of objects he comes across is a constant surprise. Every once in a while he labels something a doohickey and puts out a plea for its correct identification.

It got me wondering about the words we use as a family when we either don't know or can't remember the correct name of. Mr GBT refers to thingys, thingummajigs and thingummys, whilst I'm definitely in the doofer camp. Other ones I've heard are whatits, gizmos and whatchamallits. When TYM was a kinderling my Dad used to answer his seemingly endless "what's that?"  with a neat "that's a whim-wham for a goose's bridle" which would satisfy him for a short while. Do you have any different ones you use?

Arilx

PS This particular thingy is a Japanese acupuncture doll made from papier mache and can be seen at the Wellcome Collection in London.