festivals – don't confuse the narrator

family Christmas

I know I am not alone when I look back to my childhood and remember the seasons clearly defined, not just by weather, but by the produce and products available in the shops. But now hot cross buns are on sale at Christmas, and mincemeat and Christmas puddings reach the supermarket shelves at August Bank Holiday.

As I remember it, in our house, although we didn’t really celebrate them all, there was a clear progression from Hallowe’en to Guy Fawkes Night to Remembrance Day. Then there was a bit of a lull, as Christmas wasn’t to be mentioned until December.
Continue reading “family Christmas”

parked

This weekend has been far too hot and far too busy, which is my excuse for not posting on the blog yesterday and almost failing to post today.

I’ve spent far too long on my feet in the sunshine and am exhausted. But I resisted the temptation to jump in the river and cool off, however green and cool and tempting it looked.
Continue reading “parked”

running late

It’s been a beautiful day and, for once, I’ve spent very little time at my computer.

It’s the local folk festival this weekend and there has been music and a general festive air throughout the town. At the end of the road, groups played Led Zeppelin and David Bowie covers, neither of which count as folk to me, though I admit I enjoyed them rather more than I did the Morris dancing.
Continue reading “running late”

summer

It’s that time of year: we’ve had the solstice and we’ve had Midsummer; at Glastonbury the festival continues until Sunday; there are concerts of music and “performance” in the nearby city and, in the town, four generations of women have silk flowers threaded through their hair…
Continue reading “summer”

where angels fear to tread

Adeje street 'carpets', Corpus Christi 2012, Tenerife

As part of the Corpus Christi celebrations, the town of Adeje in Tenerife decorates the streets with ‘carpets’ made from salt along the procession route.

I think the carpets are made using salt tinted with powder paint, which is spread over a big outline of the picture taped to the street.

Between the carpets are plainer stretches with stencilled patterns.
Continue reading “where angels fear to tread”