Flutterby Patch

Summer passes

Greetings friends as another British summer draws to a close. August was mainly wet here in our north west corner but we've had quite a few days of golden sunshine to be grateful for.

My daughter's birthday in July always coincided with the start of her long school holidays (happy memories). She's grown now and we still have little family tea parties to celebrate.

So it's been a mixed sort of summer. On warm days the garden beckoned and we all had fun outside.

I received a nasty sting from an angry wasp (you might remember me complaining about that!)

Strong breezes have sent clouds scudding across the sky ....

............ which brought good days for 'solar drying'.

As always the birds have stolen much of the ripe fruit from the trees in our little orchard. There seems to be no solution to this annual problem and we've tried many types of deterrent in the past with little success.

And so we simply wave our fists at the feathered thieves.

Children are back at school now and our Lakeland area, so busy in August with summer visitors, is slowing down for its winter break.

For me those 'back to school' days seem a long way off.

Meanwhile our son has delighted us with his recent engagement to his sweetheart.

The two of them have spent much of the summer tramping round the countryside looking for just the right house to settle down in.

And what a nice little dwelling they eventually found.

Its a cute little place in a pretty village right in the heart of the countryside . I have a feeling they will be very happy there.

The sweet illustrations I've used for this post are from a book entitled 'Bunnikins'. It was mine when I was a tiny tot and I've always loved it.

Until next time
Eli

Scene from the car

I feel as if I've spent much of the week sitting in the car watching scenery and traffic flash past and I'm afraid that pictures taken through the car window is all I can show you this week. On Tuesday we drove 250 miles south to visit  family and friends who live 30 miles west of London in the county of Buckinghamshire (often referred to as Bucks County).

If you live in Pennsylvania USA you might also be familiar with Bucks County situated on your side of the Atlantic. The link is William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. He spent much time in Bucks County (England) and many of the place names in PA are from England.

This is an old picture of Bury Farm in the town of Amersham (Bucks, England) where William Penn visited his future wife. It dates from the sixteenth century and on Tuesday I passed it (in the car of course). I think William Penn might still recognise the house and if you read on you can see if you agree.

After 4 hours travelling from my home in the mountainous Lake District I can at last see the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire rising in the distance. This is where I once lived and although the hills are nowhere near as grand as the Lakeland mountains where I live now I'm very fond of the area as many generations of my family have raised families here.

The Chiltern Hills are made from chalk and the motorway cuts right through them.

If I stay on the motorway I will soon reach London but I'm heading for High Wycombe a town I know very well.

Perhaps I should say 'I thought I knew well'. I moved away over 20 years ago and during that time many of the traditional old buildings I remember have been demolished to make way for modern architecture. This is the Marks and Spencer store.

And here is Sainsbury's. I'm afraid I'm not a lover of these monsters. After driving through High Wycombe we head for the old town of Amersham.

I was relieved to see the old high street had scarcely changed. The buildings date back many hundreds of years and the wide streets that once carried stage coaches are now lined with parked cars. William Penn would have been familiar with many of these buildings and would probably remember a few of them.

And here is Bury farm at the far end of the old street. Today the house peers over its wall at the never ending stream of traffic passing by. I wonder if William Penn would recognise it and what he would think to the changes that have taken place in the 300 years since he stayed here. I'm not sure he would approve!

William Penn 1644 - 1718

Blue sky back to school days

How well I remember those 'back to school' September days. After a damp August holiday September would usually mellow to become golden and warm with blue skies tempting us all to leave the classroom and go outside to play.

If this rings a bell with you then do read the following verse that I found in one of my vintage books; its absolutely charming. The verse and accompanying pictures are from 'The Infants Magazine' dated 1918. I love the title 'A Very Hard Sum'. How I can sympathise with that!

 A VERY HARD SUM

Oh, isn't it a trouble when the dreadful lesson hours
Get mixed up with the sunshine and the summer and the flowers,
And every little number on the slate will seem to say:
"Oh, won't it be delightful when it's time to run and play."

Now here are five young scholars, very clever very wise,
But through the schoolroom windows they keep looking at the skies.
It's: Two and four make seven. Yes; that's right. Now add a three.
Hullo! Outside the window I can hear a humming bee.

Nell, I know had nearly finished; but away the answer flies
Just because a breeze of mischief fans the hair about her eyes.

Jack felt sure he knew the answer, and was writing it at last,
When a swallow by the window gave a twitter as it passed.

Agnes cried "I must be careful. Now I'll have another try"
All in vain; her glance would wander to a white cloud in the sky.
And that sum's most tiresome answer (though they sought it long and late)
Flitting through each dreamy fancy, never settled on the slate.

Then the teacher whispered kindly:
"Work is hard when days are warm.
You may go."
And five slates quickly took their places on the form.

**********

Until next time
Eli