Terra Cotta place posts …

 

These terra-cotta plaques reminded me of ours here in Eastbourne, which Richard Crook so memorably recorded in his book 'Eastbourne in Detail' … I have the book here somewhere: found!!

Tools of Mechanics -
found on Perth's County 
Court House

However as it was Memorial Day in the USA … I'll highlight one of the plaques on Perth's County Court House … we don't need to be reminded, but I do wish people would be fair, think of others … humility would be good to see exuded from some of the leaders in the world.

Perth County Court House,
Ontario

As many of you will know – it's been incredibly hot here … next we'll have water shortages … but I'm also glad I'm not in uniform coping with emergencies … and I'm mighty glad I'm down by the sea with some cooling breezes (not many granted!) ...

Reverse of Richard
Crook's book

... I'm being incredibly lazy – still trying to work things out – but onwards and upwards … my fingers just have to collaborate with my brain and let you have some informative posts and get the old bod actioning various aspects that need addressing.

Justice - flanked by cherubs

One other aspect Perth led me to … Peel County is a regional municipality in the Greater Toronto Area – Terra Cotta is a hamlet, founded in 1855, now populated with just over 200 people.

Close up of Cheltenham
Badlands

Peel County though has an area named as Cheltenham Badlands … a formation that forms part of the Queenston Delta clastic wedge, formed as an erosional response to the Taconic Orogeny: a mountain building period ending 440 million years ago – (thought you'd like to know about this!).

Blood Red Ruby colour

I've been making some cold soups … makes sense in this weather … beetroot soup came to the fore … it tastes good – just unfortunately managed to wear a dress with bell sleeves – one of which ended up being dunked in said blood-red-ruby soup … frustrating/irritating to say the least ...

Rose Window - All Soul's
Church, Susans Road
Eastbourne

I think for now … I'll get on and get across to your blogs and posts, so it confirms I'm still on the horizon!!

Take care and with thoughts for the coming weeks … it'd be good to have some peaceful news …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Asparagus …

 

Asparagus … ex sparrow-grass til someone decided to posh its name up (earlier than the 1700s) … we're at that time of year again … a deliciousness of A for Asparagus …

German botanical
illustration

I revert to childhood seasons … without climate change apparent (I'm sure it was – but after the War we were just glad to have seasonal vegetables again), or technological developments: how many of those have there been?

Waiting to be cut ...

Shakespeare doesn't mention asparagus … so for him it wasn't the food of love – for me and many of us (as M&S had no bunches left yesterday!) … the desire to enjoy while we can – the timing is short … only 6 – 8 weeks … til Mid-Summer's Day or thereabouts.

I was looking for an asparagus poem and came across one by Marriott Edgar – one verse of which is:

It's 'sparagus stuff what the Toffs eat "

His friend said "It's a rum-looking plant,

Can I have the green ends for my rabbits?"

said Pa "Aye, cut off what you want.

Then found a couple of co-incidences … the literary one … Marriott Edgar is the half-brother of Edgar Wallace: strange, but true …

Asparagus wrapped with bacon ...

... while I always remember the blogger Jo of Jo on Food, Life and Slice of Chocolate … she sadly died in 2020 …

... she had blogged the full version of Edgar's poem in June 2012 … those were the early days – Alex and I were the only commenters – she'd mentioned I'd been to see a gold exhibition in London ...

So her blog has the whole Asparagus Poem … many of us will remember her … and I to this day will enjoy eating the spears! Jo joined the A – Z in 2012 … with some recipes …

All I can say to all the present A – Zers … well done and congratulations on finishing: it was a great idea back in 2011, when I first joined – the very first one was 2010 …

Here's Jo's link for the Edgar Marriott poem and to her blog …

I will be returning – j'espère!!

Congratulations A – Zers and happy Spring, with Summer head … let's hope for peace, without discord.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories