Monday, August 17, 2015

Monday Miscellany

I thought I just show you a few photos of things that have interested, amused or delighted me over the last few days so here is my Monday Miscellany.

The lovely dress above was in the National Trust's shop at Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Cheshire when we visited last week. I think it was made from fabric woven at the mill. 

A complete contrast to the display of clothes worn by the factory girls for the television series The Mill.

The poor little sparrows who live in our hedges were visited by the Sparrowhawk (aka the grim reaper earlier this week, he did fly off empty clawed though so they did live to chirrup for another day.

This is a neighbour's cat who regularly visits our garden and house.  He comes in through the cat flap and steals our cats' food. They rarely challenge him so he gets away with it. I like him though because he is such a lovely cat.


One of several horse statues outside Lichfield Cathedral.

A face in a window at Erasmus Darwin's House in Lichfield

Large artichokes in the kitchen garden at Quarry Bank Mill

Squirrel on the fence between us and next door - he has a large nut between his paws and is dropping bits all over the place as he chews it.

Display of T G Green Cornishware at Sharpe's Pottery Museum, Swadlincote.  I used to love visiting the factory shop at nearby Church Gresley but it closed down a few years ago.  Upstairs in the museum is The Magic Attic full of information for local and family historians.  They have helped me find out a couple of things for my family history research in the area as most of my paternal side of the family come from Swadlincote, Midway, Church Gresley and Newhall.

This little robin came to join us as we sat drinking coffee at the lakeside cafe at Trentham one morning this week.  I think he was hoping in vain for crumbs but he posed for quite a few photos before he flew off. 

 Some of the signs and notices around and about on our visit to Quarry Bank Mill.  There was a trail of paw prints for the children (and adults!) to follow to seek out the cat hidden in the mill.  I did spot it but won't say where it is here just in case someone reading this wants to visit and follow the trail.

22 comments:

  1. I always love a visit to Quarry Bank Mill. It's a fabulous place. I love your selection of photo's. I've never been to Swadlincote - what a fantastic name for a place. (and I've popped it on my list!) Have a great week xxxx

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    1. The locals and some of my relatives who now live away call it Swad. It's a funny little town but I quite enjoy being there - the pottery museum is lovely and all free:)

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  2. All lovely places to go (and really not THAT far away from me!) I found Swadlincote/Sharpe's fascinating when I went. The Lichfield horse looks interesting. Any idea what the statues are there for? How long they're staying? I might go take a look.

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    1. According to the sculptor's website the drawings and maquettes inside will end 9th September and the ones outside until mid-October. There were two horses, a bull and two horses heads outside - many drawings and smaller models inside. We were just about to look at the inside works after looking around the cathedral when they announced a service so we tiptoed past them and out so I never got to see them properly:)

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  3. A lovely collection of photos. I like the one of the sparrowhawk! I know it's a bit sad for the little birds but the sparrowhawk has to eat too and at least it's a pretty quick, clean kill! It's an indicator of a healthy small bird population!

    I love the i-pads too!

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    1. Apparently a child said they looked like Victorian I pads so the staff labelled them. The sparrowhawk is beautiful isn't it? I spotted it out of the landing window on top of the hedge and rushed for a camera it stayed quite a while as if it was having a rest - it may of course have been resting after breakfasting on one of the sparrows, We have counted over 35 sparrows in our hedges so he has plenty to chose from:)

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  4. It's many years since I last visited Quarry Bank Mill, it's an interesting place. I love that dress in the first photo, rather more flattering than the mill girls' clothes:) Your neighbours cat is lovely too.

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    1. It is a pretty dress isn't it? A bit earlier in style than the mill girls' dresses too. They have opened up the gardens in the last few years and are hoping to restore the old glass houses soon:)

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  5. That's a beautiful dress in the first photo but I bet it weighed a ton! I would much prefer to wear the 'peasants' clothes - the lovely linens and earthy tones are really more me! The face in the window is a little creepy but interesting! I am glad that the sparrows got to see another day but think the sparrowhawk is a striking looking bird. I have never seen one in the real. x

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    1. Yes, i think the mill girls' dresses would be more comfortable to wear. The sparrowhawk is a regular visitor and we often see him quietly perched on the fence or shed roof as well as on the bushes where the sparrow live:)

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  6. A lovely mixture of things for a Monday! Sounds as though you had a really interesting visit to Quarry Bank. The dress is pretty amazing isn't it. I like the Victorian I-pads too! xx

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    1. Yes, the boards were about the same size as an ipad - a child had said that's what they looked like so the staff labelled them. The dress is very pretty isn't it?:)

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  7. That dress! It is just gorgeous and I would certainly choose it over the peasants clothing (from the little I know of my family history, my ancestors have probably worn both types of clothing over the centuries). Lovely collection of photos.

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    1. It is a lovely dress isn't it? I love the bows on the front. I'm afraid most of my early ancestors would probably have dressed more like the mill girls but I have some lovely photos of my granny and her sisters in 1906 in the most beautiful dresses at a wedding, The hats were huge and so glamorous, gloves parasols - must have been their Sunday best:)

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  8. A lovely selection of images Rosie, love the squirrel making a mess and the costumes, but the horse statue is wonderful.

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    1. Thank you Suzie - the horse is wonderful isn't it?:)

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  9. A lovely interesting post, I do love Styal Mill and always enjoy visiting there. I'm glad the grim reaper didn't get any little birdies this time! X

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    1. Styal Mill is wonderful isn't it? I always feel relieve if the sparrow hawk passes by but I guess he has to eat too - I just don't like to see him take the birds from our garden:)

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  10. Hi Rosie, I keep coming across your blog and wanted to say hello. I was at Lichfield recently and really enjoyed the Erasmus Darwin house and the cathedral - snuck in for evensong! Also I see that you like Richard III, well me too! I'm in the society and my local group, I do their website for them (North Mercia group). Off to Bosworth of course this weekend. Loyaulté me Lie. Sam x

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    1. Hello Sam - I hope you have a wonderful time at Bosworth this weekend. I used to be a member of the Richard III Society I joined in 1974 and left in 2004 so about 30 years - I was so pleased when Richard was found. I've a feeling I follow your group on Facebook but it may be another fairly local Society. I must look out for your website. I love Erasmus Darwin's House and stories of the Lunar Society and the Cathedral is wonderful isn't it? Loyaulté me Lie:)

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  11. Hi Rosie, lots of lovely things in this post, thank you. I am glad you are making the most of the summer despite our dismal weather. x

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    1. Thanks, Mrs T - glad you enjoyed the miscellany. Have to get out and about as it isn't the weather to just laze in the garden, summer will soon be over and I don't feel I've experienced enough of it before autumn and winter set in, Ah well:)

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