Inspired by travel

There's something rotten at the heart of Little Somerford... At least, there was last night. The ladies of the Embroiderers’ Guild had to reconvene in Joan Wigmore’s sitting room for the monthly embroidery talk, as the Village Hall was mysteriously plagued by a terrible smell. Ian and Gordon were dispatched to investigate - closer inspection revealed the source; the decaying corpse of a badger under the floorboards. As neither Defra nor the rat man from the Council seemed to be particularly interested, Ian and Gordon came to the rescue with some woodworking tools and their spades, while Joan somehow managed to find enough seating for – well, rather a lot of ladies.

The Speaker, Christine Harley, took the assembled gathering on a fascinating tour as far afield as possible from the offending badger – South East Asia, as it turned out. Samples were passed round – such fabulous colours, such tiny stitches – a whistlestop armchair tour taking in exquisite baby carriers, shoes and jacket panels – a delicate, multicoloured embroidered magic-carpet excursion to Southern China, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, accompanied by plenty of colourful travellers’ tales (one of which involved a pig. I won’t lower the tone by relating now – suffice to say, it involved a lavatory and was in much the same category as the badger. Only the pig wasn't dead - I'm sensing a feeling of too much information already...).

It’s a beautiful evening cycle ride back to Great Somerford, with the dipping sun turning the sky pink over hedrows dripping with cow parsley and elderflowers and flower-filled meadows which looked just perfect for an evening picnic. Exotic, colourful and fascinating though this evening's tales were, there’s no place like home. I think I can feel a spot of elderflower cordial-making coming on...

A lot of hot air and a bevy of bluebells

Never let it be said that nothing ever happens here. Sid and Doreen Jevons came home from a recent holiday to discover a tree missing from their lovely riverside garden. Well, not so much missing as chopped down. A few phone calls established that the cause had been a freak ballooning accident – it seems a well known celebrity balloon enthusiast had run into problems and tried to make an emergency landing,however he slightly misjudged the angle of his descent, somehow ending up in Sid’s tree. While Doreen’s penchant for Milk Tray chocolates is well known (they do sell them at the shop, Sid), unfortunately she was away at the time. Sid has always been a man to set a trend, but whether tree-surgery by balloon catches on, however, remains to be seen.

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A walk in the woods and tea with 'T'...
Despite the compulsory Monday bank holiday grey skies and drizzle, over 70 people joined the annual Bluebell Walk to Seagry Woods earlier this week, raising a record £350 towards the new Seagry, Startley and Great Somerford (now have I got that in the right order? I’m sure someone will tell me if I haven’t) Village Hall. Tea was served in the old village hall afterwards – in spite of the unprecedented numbers, luckily there was just enough to go round – and Terence ‘T’ and Chrissie Hutchins provided the entertainment by way of a quiz. T also read one of his poems, aptly entitled Seagry Woods.

Seagry Woods are looking good now,
Spring bursts buds and wakes the frogs,
See the bluebells, wood anemones,
Pheasants, rabbits, winter logs.

April showers set the season,
Bursts of sunshine, blackbirds sing,
In their hides the summer creatures
Slowly stir, as here comes spring.

Last year’s leaves are rotting nicely,
Giving back their health and wealth,
Now the bright new shoots of summer
Twinkling green, prepare for growth.

Nests are building, deer are running,
Tadpoles soon will fill the ponds,
Graceful willow’s hanging branches
Breath of spring caress their fronds

Easter’s gone and out come children,
Mums and Dads in boots and macs,
Through the woods, a fun-day ramble,
Walk the walk and follow tracks.

At the hall they fill the kettles,
Scones with jam, and steaming cups,
All is calm, serene and peaceful –
Seagry Woods are waking up.

© Terence 'T' Hutchins, 2009