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| Glastonbury Tor with The Quantocks in the distance |
Well, 'the season of
mists and mellow fruitfulness' is upon us once again, and the field
maples are vying with their Canadian cousins in the incredible
colours that they are bringing to the hedgerows. There was one
Saturday morning, about three weeks ago, when I had to travel through
patchy mist all the way down to the Country Market at Somerton – if
I looked up I could see blue sky but all around me was thick mist,
which didn't burn off until nearly midday. That was also the week, I
think, when the previous jam/preserve maker had decided to give up
providing her wares to the Market. Always up for a challenge (and I
like making preserves) I volunteered to give it a go and, on the
following day went off on a foraging expedition. Now, the biggest
buzz I get is from creating something from 'free' materials and I
already had some sloes in my sights for the obligatory sloe gin that
I make every year. I added an additional 'foraging bag' to my coat
pocket and decided to see what else was on offer. In the end I didn't
pick the sloes at that point because I ended up picking blackberries
and rosehips, instead. Mary has several elderly apple trees in the
garden that have been quite productive this year but only have small
fruit on them, so I combined them with what I had foraged and made
apple and rosehip jelly, blackberry and apple jelly and spiced
blackberry and apple jelly. The following week at the market someone
brought me in a box of quinces and so I made quince jelly, too. I've
also made tomato relish (from my own tomatoes!), apple chutney and I
am about to make some red onion marmalade, too. At least it's been
keeping me busy! I went back to the hedgerow where the sloes were,
the following weekend only to find that the farmer had cut the hedge
right back and there were no sloes or blackberries left! However, I
had a short farm sit booked for my friends at Dundry and I'd noticed
sloes in abundance there the last time I'd been. Having checked with
Sally that she didn't want any more, I picked a large bag full and
also some more blackberries, so the sloe gin is now quietly doing its
thing in a corner of the kitchen.
I also went and did a
dog/house sit for a lady about 5 minutes away from home. She and her
husband live in a bungalow next to their farm with amazing views
towards Glastonbury Tor and the Quantocks although, for the first few
days, I couldn't see the view because of the lowering skies and heavy
rain! Once the weather settled down a bit I took myself off for a
walk across the fields to the little hamlet of Cannards Grave. I've
driven past it frequently over the years, and more so recently, as it
is on my way to Shepton Mallet, and has almost become a suburb, since
they've built the huge new estate on the edge of town. There is a
pub/restaurant there called The Highwayman and, being intrigued by
its age (1675 above the archway leading to the rear) and the fact
that it was obviously a substantial coaching inn in the past, I
Googled for its history when I got back. Allegedly, the publican was
one Tom Kennard who either passed on information to the local 'bad
boys' about wealthy visitors to the inn, or was actually a highwayman
himself. Eventually, after many years, the law caught up with him and
he was strung up on the gibbet which happened to be just across the
road from the inn (where the Cannards Well Inn now stands). Over time
Kennard's Grave became corrupted to Cannard's Grave and that, my
friends, is the story! It was a very pleasant walk and I managed to
find some more rosehips so that I could make another batch of jelly,
when I got home.
The couple returned
from their few days away at about 2pm on Friday and I then dashed
home, unpacked, repacked and, with a brief stop in Wells to donate a
pint of blood (or whatever the metric equivalent is), I drove off to
Cheltenham. The reason for this Friday evening drive was that, on the
following morning, I was to attend my school reunion! I went to one
about thirteen years ago and met up with several people from my old
class, but this time, in addition to the girl's who started at the
Girls' Grammar School in 1965, there were also going to be the boys
who started at the Boys' Grammar School at the same time, as the two
schools have now merged. This meant that, potentially, I would meet
up with boys that I hadn't seen since leaving Junior School 50 years
ago! I was a bit nervous about going on my own as it was a in a
building I didn't know at all, in an area of Cheltenham that I also
didn't know very well. However, my friend Madeleine, who I last saw
at the previous reunion, but with whom I have become friends on
Facebook, offered to call for me as she and her husband were driving
past my mum's house on their way to pick up another former classmate
from the train station. I still felt as nervous as on Day 1 at 'big
school' (and so did several others, I found out later) but the nerves
soon disappeared as we laughed and chatted in the car.
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| Class of '65 |
It turned out to be
such a fun event and I met up with a couple of my friends that I'd
lost touch with once we left school and went our separate ways. There
were five 'boys' there from my class at junior school and, once I'd
read their name badges, it wasn't too difficult to recognise the boy
in the man, from face shape, mannerisms, etc. We had a nice buffet
lunch in the refectory, although I was chatting so much that I didn't
really notice what I was eating! I almost missed out on the fantastic
desserts because I was trying to talk to everyone – I reckon it was
probably a bit like speed-dating (although I hasten to say, that I
have never actually tried it!) and I came away feeling as though I
wanted it to go on for a lot longer. My English teacher was one of
the two members of staff who came along and it was good to see her
again, too, as she was definitely an inspirational part of my
education and gave me my love of words and books. One day, Miss
Smith, I may actually turn all of these ramblings into a book!
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| My inspirational English teacher - Miss Smith |
The next day I decided
to dash back to Somerset to catch up with my son, who was in Somerset
for the weekend, and also attend the Wells Food Festival. By doing
this I missed an opportunity to pick up some Lovett Pies from my
mum's friend but I knew they were going to be at the Festival so I
made a bee-line for their stall only to find an empty table –
they'd sold out! I shall have to wait for my next trip to Cheltenham
to pick up some pies now and that may not happen until December as I
am shortly travelling down to Cornwall to help on the farm. It's
nearly 'tupping time', when the ram is put in with the ewes, and they
have to have a pedicure and a bit of a tidy up before that
happens!I've missed my WWOOFing this year and wonder if there is some
way of re-balancing and re-jigging my life so that I can do a bit
more next year – I'll have to work on a plan during the winter.
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| Sunset over Somerset |
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