The Longest Yarn

The Longest Yarn - A Thread through History - is a travelling exhibition which depicts, in 80 panels, the lead up to the D Day landings of 6th June 1944, the Longest Day.  It was completed in time for this year's 80th anniversary.

Above Stoke Minster. The iron railings guard the resting place of potter Josiah Wedgwood.

The Longest Yarn is on display at Stoke Minster until 5th December and on Friday morning we went along to see it.

The inspiration for the 3D project came about as an idea from a lady called Tansy Foster who initially wanted to create a topper for her garden wall but the idea grew.  The 80 panels, each a metre long, represent the 80 years since the events and the 80 days of The Battle of Normandy.

Each panel depicts events happening across Britain and France on that one day and has been constructed by volunteer knitters from across Europe, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Photographs from the time inspired the creators of the panels.  Above President Eisenhower makes the final decision to go.

The detail in each display is amazing.

Parachutes landing and getting caught on buildings and trees.

Above the bombing of Carentan station.

After a while it became impossible to take photos as the Minster became quite crowded but the whole exhibition is quite spectacular and very detailed.

This morning when we passed by the Minster on our way to walk at Westport Lake there were queues waiting to get inside.  I'm so glad we visited yesterday.

There is so much more to see than the items I have photographed, apologies for the fuzziness of some of them. 

Above Stoke Minster in sunshine as we left the exhibition.

The exhibition is moving on to Tewkesbury Abbey from here, then to Enniskillen, Norwich and Peterborough before it leaves these shores to travel to Cape May, New Jersey in the USA in April next year.

A smaller exhibition of Britain at War is being made at the moment comprising of just 6 panels ready to go on tour next September.

This Week

 Monday

We walked at Trentham as we usually do at least once a week.

We walked around the lake and then up through the gardens.  Festive displays had arrived but I'll show those in a later post.

There were three female pheasants down by the lake.  I managed to photograph one of them, they were well camouflaged.

The beavers have been busy.   Not seen them yet.

 Tuesday

The snow came quietly and softly overnight

Above and below - photos taken around 8a.m. from our bedroom window of the back garden.

 The now leafless Tulip Tree covered in snow

 Wednesday

Was a stay at home snow day.  I'm so glad there were no medical appointments this week. I had a hospital appointment last week and have another appointment next week. There was no pressure to be out and about as the roads up here on our little hill seem worse than further down towards town. The snow takes twice as long to melt. The main roads were gritted.  Ironing done. 

Thursday

A walk on the Brampton in Newcastle-under-Lyme and a visit to a local art exhibition in the Museum.

To me this seemed like the coldest day of the week.  Both leaves and snow crunched underfoot.

The Open Art and Craft exhibition featuring local artists is on show until 22nd December.

Friday

Another walk this time at Westport Lake followed by lunch at Middleport Pottery.

The frozen ponds near the large lake.

One of the shops on the first floor.  Tables were set with different designs.

Hot and delicious Cauliflower and Broccoli soup.

Middleport Pottery and Museum is a short walk from Westport Lake down the canal.
 

Today, Saturday another stay at home day keeping out of the way of the storm which seems to have arrived here.  I can hear the rain on the conservatory roof and the wind rattling the door knocker on the front door. Reading A Refiner's Fire by Donna Leon, her latest Commissario Brunetti mystery set in Venice and listening to Max Richter's recomposition of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.  Spring is so very beautiful.

Take care, stay safe and warm. Have a good weekend.

Misty Morning

 Sunlight was struggling hard to break through the heavy mist which had enveloped the garden this morning.  More fog than mist as the bottom of our side of the Crescent wasn't visible.  Now the houses are bathed in bright sunshine.

Cobwebs hung from trees like velvet trip wires or skipping ropes.

Spiders had devised intricate lacy patterns between the leaves and flower heads of the verbenas.

Earlier in the week we had a stroll around Biddulph Grange Gardens as I wanted to do a spot of gift shopping there.  First things first on a cold morning was a warming hot chocolate in the cafe.

The garden was looking tidy and winter ready.  Lots of work was being done.

Mrs Bateman's Dahlia Walk had been cleared, the corms stored away ready for next year.  Below is a photo I took last month.

 

Mrs Bateman's Garden, October 5th 2024

Festive Christmas lights were being fitted along the walkways and amongst the trees.

I liked these lights on the path to the Geological Gallery.

They were switched on,  I expect everything will look spectacular on dark, winter evenings.

The gallery was open so we had a wander inside, it seems to be complete now after all the work of the last few years to recreate the orginal.  

Plenty of leaf gathering and pruning was still happening across the garden.

I remember a few years ago we visited and these berry bushes were full of Redwings, a little early this year for them although I have seen reports of them being about.  We only spotted Robins and Blackbirds around the garden and coots on the lake.

All for now.

 

A Bit of Family History

 I've been taking advantage of the free access to the 1921 census offered by Find My Past over last weekend.  I'd already paid for the copies of returns for both my sets of grandparents and found my parents listed along with some of their brothers and sisters.  This time I was looking for great grandparents.  On my father's side three of the four great grandparents were still alive.  On my mother's side all four were no longer alive.  Three of those great grandparents are buried in the same cemetry as my maternal grandparents and my father.  My mother is buried with my step-father in a nearby village churchyard.

I've also found my father's elder sister Millicent Mabel (always known as Millie) on the 1921 census.  She was in service with a retired land agent and his wife.  Edwin Henry and Emily Ada Story lived at  Brownhill House in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.  Millie was one of three girls working for them and they were cook, housemaid and under housemaid.  There was also a butler called William Lionel Graves and he came from Tewksbury in Gloucestershire.  Two of the girls were from Upper Midway near Burton-on-Trent and one of them was my Granny's younger sister Clara so an aunt to Millie.  The other girl, had the wonderful name of Eveline Modwina Staley and she came from Ashby-de-la-Zouche, Leicestershire.

All this is quite fascinating, probably only to me but I'm enjoying myself with family history again.  

Granny Rose

 For years I've wanted to do something about my father's grave as it was rapidly deteriorating.  It had been there since 1955, although the stone surround was added by my Granny Rose in 1961.  I applied to the local council and was recommened a memorial stonemason and then had to apply to take over the management of the grave from my Granny who'd died in 1963.  It entailed a visit to a solicitor to get a witness signature. 

My father, middle back, his cousin and uncle both called Tom and a couple of pals.

 All done quite quickly and the replacement stone is now in place.  I've been sent photos but have yet to go and see it. 

Into November

 Five things for Friday.

1. In the garden. 

Leaves and plenty of them from the Tulip tree all over the top lawn.  They have been raked up a couple of times so far and there are a lot more to come down.  Today there is a slight breeze blowing them about.

 

Our foxy visitor seems to have something wrong with its eye,  I'm not sure if this is permanent or if it will clear.  We have another fox that visits and that one has a slight limp.  Lets hope that clears up too.  Life is precarious for our urbn foxes. 

2. Lakeside Walks

Cormorant

 

Photos taken on a recent walk around Westport Lake.  There are not so many visitors now the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has closed its visitor centre and cafe.  Such a shame, it was a lovely place for coffee overlooking the lake.  Many locals used it to meet friends and there was a good community spirit.  The city council are hoping to find someone to take over and are still maintaining the lakeside walks, car park and children's play area.

Muscovy duck and Runner duck

 

They are  always together and seem to be great pals.

3. Halloween

Lots of pumpkins and pumpkin carvings at Trentham gardens this week

 

4.  Autumn Colours

A quick walk at the Dorothy Clive gardens on Tuesday as it was quite damp and grey.  The wonderful colour in the trees and shrubs made up for the dismal day.

The tables in the cafe were decorated with fresh flowers and small squashes and gourds.

 

 

5. Recent reading

 

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves.  The latest novel featuring DI Vera Stanhope.  One of my favourite series of books

 

The Comfort of Ghosts by Jaqueline Winspear,  the very last Maisie Dobbs novel. Another of my favourite series.

Bournville by Jonathan Coe, set in and around the Bournville area of Birmingham.  It's the story of Mary and takes her and her family from the second World War through notable times in our recent history right up to the Covid 19 epidemic.  

 

It's another grey day here but at least the slight drizzle we had yesterday has disappeared.  I think more leaf raking and gathering is in order for this afternoon.