Ragged Victorians

 Today the Ragged Victorians were in town so we walked down the hill to find them. 

 They were at the Gladstone Pottery Museum where a Victorian Day was being held.

We could hear the music from the barrel organ as we entered the museum.  

The Ragged Victorians are a living history group re-enacting the lower classes of England in 1851 and very good they are too.  So many different characters.  The sober shepherd, the rat catcher, the fish wife, the policeman, the wounded soldier and many more.

I took loads of photos so I'll share a few now and perhaps do something later with more of them.  I might try to sepia tone some of them or perhaps monochrome.

The Fisherman's wife making nets.

Lavender seller

The Rat Catcher

In the Doctor's waiting room

A friendly hug

The sober shepherd seeking work

Policeman.  

The costumes were wonderful, suitably grubby and well worn, roughly mended shoes clattered on the cobbles.

All for now.

Into July

 Moving gently into July with a few photos of the wildflower beds at Trentham Gardens.

After getting my blood tested at a local clinic ready for my hospital appointment later this week we popped into the gardens for a coffee and a walk around.  The wildflowers are looking wonderful at the moment.  

I'm hoping that the dosage of medication I am taking can be reduced if the results of the blood test are better.  I was diagnosed with PV (Polycythemia Vera) in August last year,  I know I have to take the medication indefinitely but I would like to taker fewer of them if possible.  

A dear friend of our who has pulmonary fibrosis  says he has become a half day person over the last few years and sometimes I feel the same.  Fatigue overtakes me in the afternoons especially in the hot weather.

Anyway, time to get moving as I have that appointment this morning.  We need to leave earlier than normal to allow for road works and also finding parking at the hospital which is usually quite stressful. All for now.

Art on your Doorstep

At the moment there is a travelling exhibition from the National Gallery on display in the city centre. 

It's an outdoor exhibition sited in the gardens of the old Bethesda Chapel opposite the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.  Stoke-on-Trent was chosen as their first venue so the exhibition could be part of the 100 years celebration of Stoke becoming a city.

Entitled 'Art on your Doorstep' it comprises fifteen life size facsimiles of works of art chosen by the gallery.  As it is Friday I've picked out five to highlight.  Some remembered from the Art History A level I did many years ago.

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)   'A Wheatfield with Cypresses' painted in 1889.

Joseph Mallard William Turner (1775-1851) 'Rain, Steam and Speed - The Great Western Railway' 1844.

Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797) 'An Experiment on a bird in an air pump' 1768

Georges Seurat (1859-1891) 'Bathers at Asnières' 1884

Henri Rousseau (Le Douanier) (1844-1910)  'Surprised' 1891

Across the road at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery are two interesting exhibitions.

A Century of Collecting 1925-2025

and

'Arthur Berry 100 - A celebration of a cultural icon, poet, painter and playwright.'

All for now.

In the Garden

This Summer three Great Mullein plants have taken over one of the raised beds at the top of the garden.  

 Two plants appeared in the same bed a couple of years ago, last year they disappeared but this year there are three of the them.  

According to the RHS website Verbascum thrapsus or Great Mullein is a tall grey or white woolly biennial and grows up to 2 metres in height.  Well it being a biennial explains why we didn't see one last year.  It is also known as Aaron's Rod but has many other names including Beggar's blanket, Common Mullein, Adams's flannel, and Woollens.  

Also in the garden both Philadelphus shrubs are flowering.  One at the top of the garden.

The other in a pot until we decide where to place it.  It's my favourite mock orange - Belle Etoile.

Two different poppies have appeared

 both self-seeded.

Below 

Blue Borage

Common Chamomile

Yellow Loosestrife has returned in a different part of the garden. When we first came here the garden was full of it but we have gradually thinned it out.

Sweet Peas

Hardy Geranium

I've been picking both Sweet peas and Pinks for the house.  The scent of both is lovely.  It's been cooler today and the garden has benefitted from overnight rain.

Including the pond.  The newts are happy as well.

Borth-y-Gest

Before the town of Porthmadog was built Borth-y-Gest was the place where the sea pilots could look out along the Glaslyn Estuary for vessels needing help and guidance to cross the often treacherous waters.

The pilot house was stationed here and several pilot cottages still survive at the front of the harbour.

Photo taken on one of our visits in June 2011

The peaceful beach area used to be a vibrant shipyard with a couple of companies building wooden vessels.

Below a photo of ship building at Borth-y-Gest which is on display in the Porthmadog Maritime Museum.

Borth-y-Gest is on the Wales Coast Path and we always stroll along part of it.  There are a few sets of steps down to the beach.

On the beach a man with an excitable black Labrador dog began to talk to us.  He told us about his childhood, growing up across the estuary near Harlech and told us Welsh folk tales from the 9th and 10th centuries connected with the area.  A fascinating man.  We saw him later at the Seaview café where we had a Coronation Chickpea sandwich for lunch.

More photos of the beach below

All for now.  Take care in the warm weather.