more simple pleasures ...Stoke Climsland flower show 2010

In a pleasantly reassuring way the yearly cycle of our lives continues. Many hours of hard work and loving attention go into the annual flower show which although much smaller than many years ago is still well supported. Followers of Spot's blog will be pleased to know that several of the pictures from the blog did quite well in the photography classes. The top two photos show people getting their exibits ready (and tasting them it would seem), and the bottom photo shows the lunch ladies who work extremely hard in the village hall to get lunch ready for all the judges and stewards and organisers and dignitaries (of whom there are few).


and (one of ) the prize winners was ...

more simple pleasures ... parking

and of course the ubiquitous pleasure of finding a place to park

more simple pleasures ... vulture falconry

the show included a spectacular display of raptors, including a griffon vulture, bald headed eagle, a sea eagle and an eagle owl.


5 August 2010

and by way of a post script for Tara, an even closer close up of that American icon.
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more simple pleasures ... hound dogs

the hound dog show (plus expert audience)

more simple pleasures ... young farmers and ferrets

the tug of war used to be part of every country show along with numerous other demonstrations of physical prowess that have been banished for health and safety reasons (along with fun and joy).

Ferrets will be next on the list, but for the time being they are still allowed to race. Tail end Charlie (bottom photo) was quite endearing.



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more simple pleasures ... riding side saddle

dressing up in costumes and riding side saddle. The lady in red is dressed as a member of the women's first aid nursing yeomanry who were nicknamed inevitably "fanys" (do I believe this? but see Wiki link)

more simple pleasures ... goose herding

today we went to the Cornwall and Devon Countryman's fair at Werrington Hall. Although it was a cloudy day we enjoyed some unusual spectacles, including goose herding



duck and children training (supervised by collies)



and finally a goose and children race

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the Liskeard show 2

the warm up ring for horses and riders.

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a crowd of alpacas

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big bulls

donkey judging

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the Liskeard show

Liskeard is about 10 miles (16km) away from us. The show is quite big and full of rural interest, especially food and livestock. England (or Cornwall if you prefer) as it used to be, and simple pleasures enjoyed by all.

Judging the live stock

waiting our turn.

taking risks

donkey derby


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working for a living

like a scene from the Auvergne, and just to prove we are very rural, a picture of one of my cousins (aka wolf according to Babe) driving newly shorn ewes and their unshorn lambs via Anvil Close to pastures new.

a good day out

and a very enjoyable day it was too (link to their web page), especially for Charlie, 23 month old descendant of Spot's secretary, arriving as we did by steam train (Launceston Steam Railway, see link, and blog archive)


to be met by peacocks, who, of course, were soon eating out of his hand.

On a sunny day Cornwall is fun!

Andy's of Callington

There are murals all over Callington. This is the most subtle of them, and for some reason it puts me in mind of The Canterbury Tales. Andy can unlock just about anything.

lost gardens of Heligan 2

three images from the stunning and exotic lost gardens of Heligan (see link). The tropical plants are in an area called the Jungle. It is a surprise to discover that the Cornish climate is mild enough to support sub tropical plants in the open in such profusion.

Tavistock Goose fair 6

the local lad who did well on the merry go round of life.
for more about Goosey Fair see this link

Tavistock Goose fair 5

the town crier and his fair maiden, (in fact he is from Saltash but it is all the same). No one offered to read our paws even though we are famous the whole world over.

Tavistock Goose fair 4

buy anything you want, eat and drink all day, make merry in the evening

Tavistock Goose fair 2

all the fun of the fair, beneath the imposing façade of the guild hall.

Tavistock Goose fair 1

This morning we went to Tavistock to see the Goose, or Goosey, fair (see this link for more local information). It was a lovely soft warm sunny October day, the best of autumnal days.

hope springs eternal

the new kid on the block, with friendly human and mum. Filly is about two weeks old. She was an unexpected arrival in autumn, everyone thought mum was just getting a bit fat.

no more puppies

Cassie looking very excited about the arrival of a new puppy (Charlie J) in the family. Don't ask what Harri is doing.