This is just a short blog - just two things I enjoyed very much recently and thought I would pass them on.
The first was Guy Fawkes Night - November 5th every year. When we were kids this was a massive night - although we did not call it Guy Fawkes Night - we called it Bonfire Night. Last weekend I enjoyed a very lovely bonfire night and it brought back to mind some very deep lying and warm (no pun) memories. Guy Fawkes Night - Bonfire Night - is often referred to as "firework night". I remember fireworks of course. Our parents would buy a box - our grand parents would too. My dad would let them off in the garden while we stayed safely back out of the way. Modest by today's standards - but thrilling! However what I remember more is making a guy for "penny for the guy" and particularly building and setting alight our bonfire. The guy - old trousers and jumper tied up at the ends with string and stuffed with rolled up newspaper - with a stuffed bag for a head and a cardboard mask - we were often very proud of our efforts - and pushed him around in an old pushchair to collect pennies for the guy with which to buy sweets - ah!
The bonfire itself is what I particularly remember. It made bonfire night last for a week because we used to collect stuff for the fire and gradually build it up after establishing a "centre pole" to build it around. It was a real activity. Dragging wood from the dyke to Nan and Granddad Shoulder's back garden at Binford Close to ruin there lawn at the end of their garden!.
Building bonfires on Guy Fawkes night is something largely lost nowadays. They can be dangerous I suppose - they are of course messy and where they happen now they tend to be on a community basis but with emphasis on the fireworks. Last weekend we did have our own small bonfire. It was a beautiful still and clear night. The bonfire was built of wood. It smelled fantastic. It was soothing and special to be around - to set alight - to build up - to prod - watch the flames - smell the smoke - hear the crackle. Add in some beer and wine and some hot dogs and burgers - really great stuff. Very happy memories were there and I am reminded what our grandparents and parents did for us. I definitely want to build a bonfire with my two beautiful little grand daughters as they get older (and providing Guy Fawkes Night has not been swept away by the Americanised (but I have to admit - great fun) Halloween Night a few days earlier.)
On the Sunday we rode our bikes into Salisbury - mainly to have a look at Salisbury Cathedral. This is what wiki says about it :
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and one of the leading examples of Early English architecture.[1] The main body of the cathedral was completed in only 38 years, from 1220 to 1258.
The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom (123m/404 ft). Visitors can take the "Tower Tour" where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wood scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral also has the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain (80 acres (32 ha)).[1] It contains the world's oldest working clock (from AD 1386) and has the best surviving of the four original copies of Magna Carta (all four original copies are in England).[1] In 2008, the cathedral celebrated the 750th anniversary of its consecration.
The cathedral sits in a beautiful close - surrounded by many attractive buildings - including Ted heath's old house - Arundels. Of course the cathedral dominates with the tallest spire in the UK. It was a really nice way to spend a cold crisp clear Sunday afternoon.
Here are a few mob photos :
The first was Guy Fawkes Night - November 5th every year. When we were kids this was a massive night - although we did not call it Guy Fawkes Night - we called it Bonfire Night. Last weekend I enjoyed a very lovely bonfire night and it brought back to mind some very deep lying and warm (no pun) memories. Guy Fawkes Night - Bonfire Night - is often referred to as "firework night". I remember fireworks of course. Our parents would buy a box - our grand parents would too. My dad would let them off in the garden while we stayed safely back out of the way. Modest by today's standards - but thrilling! However what I remember more is making a guy for "penny for the guy" and particularly building and setting alight our bonfire. The guy - old trousers and jumper tied up at the ends with string and stuffed with rolled up newspaper - with a stuffed bag for a head and a cardboard mask - we were often very proud of our efforts - and pushed him around in an old pushchair to collect pennies for the guy with which to buy sweets - ah!
The bonfire itself is what I particularly remember. It made bonfire night last for a week because we used to collect stuff for the fire and gradually build it up after establishing a "centre pole" to build it around. It was a real activity. Dragging wood from the dyke to Nan and Granddad Shoulder's back garden at Binford Close to ruin there lawn at the end of their garden!.
Building bonfires on Guy Fawkes night is something largely lost nowadays. They can be dangerous I suppose - they are of course messy and where they happen now they tend to be on a community basis but with emphasis on the fireworks. Last weekend we did have our own small bonfire. It was a beautiful still and clear night. The bonfire was built of wood. It smelled fantastic. It was soothing and special to be around - to set alight - to build up - to prod - watch the flames - smell the smoke - hear the crackle. Add in some beer and wine and some hot dogs and burgers - really great stuff. Very happy memories were there and I am reminded what our grandparents and parents did for us. I definitely want to build a bonfire with my two beautiful little grand daughters as they get older (and providing Guy Fawkes Night has not been swept away by the Americanised (but I have to admit - great fun) Halloween Night a few days earlier.)
On the Sunday we rode our bikes into Salisbury - mainly to have a look at Salisbury Cathedral. This is what wiki says about it :
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and one of the leading examples of Early English architecture.[1] The main body of the cathedral was completed in only 38 years, from 1220 to 1258.
The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom (123m/404 ft). Visitors can take the "Tower Tour" where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wood scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral also has the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain (80 acres (32 ha)).[1] It contains the world's oldest working clock (from AD 1386) and has the best surviving of the four original copies of Magna Carta (all four original copies are in England).[1] In 2008, the cathedral celebrated the 750th anniversary of its consecration.
The cathedral sits in a beautiful close - surrounded by many attractive buildings - including Ted heath's old house - Arundels. Of course the cathedral dominates with the tallest spire in the UK. It was a really nice way to spend a cold crisp clear Sunday afternoon.
Here are a few mob photos :
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