Last Sunday saw us walking another stretch of the South Downs from the Cuckmere Valley to Birling Gap.
Cuckmere Valley is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. As its name suggests, the parish consists of a number of small settlements in the lower reaches of the River Cuckmere.
Birling Gap is an idyllic coastal hamlet nestled between the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head. It is famous for its Coastguard Cottages and Cliff Falls.
It was a tough but exhilarating walk across four of the Seven Sisters, helped along with a flask of sweet tea and a Mars Bar in a sheltered spot.
I walked a National Trust section of the South Downs this morning, from Went Hill to Brass Point.
Walking, my mind was full of mariners tales, coastguards, forgotten villages and smugglers- all fighting to survive in the rugged and wild conditions.
I will never tire of this landscape and its rich history!
A Smuggler’s Song.
If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse’s feet, Don’t go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street; Them that ask no questions isn’t told a lie. Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!
Five and twenty ponies, Trotting through the dark — Brandy for the Parson, Baccy for the Clerk; Laces for a lady, letters for a spy, And watch the wall, my darling, While the Gentlemen go by!
Running round the woodlump if you chance to find Little barrels, roped and tarred, all full of brandy-wine, Don’t you shout to come and look, nor use ’em for your play. Put the brishwood back again — and they’ll be gone next day!
If you see the stable-door setting open wide; If you see a tired horse lying down inside; If your mother mends a coat cut about and tore; If the lining’s wet and warm — don’t you ask no more!
If you meet King George’s men, dressed in blue and red, You be careful what you say, and mindful what is said. If they call you “pretty maid,” and chuck you ‘neath the chin, Don’t you tell where no one is, nor yet where no one’s been!
Knocks and footsteps round the house — whistles after dark — You’ve no call for running out till the house-dogs bark. Trusty’s here, and Pincher’s here, and see how dumb they lie — They don’t fret to follow when the Gentlemen go by!
If you do as you’ve been told, ‘likely there’s a chance, You’ll be given a dainty doll, all the way from France, With a cap of Valenciennes, and a velvet hood — A present from the Gentlemen, along o’ being good!
Five and twenty ponies, Trotting through the dark — Brandy for the Parson, ‘Baccy for the Clerk; Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie — Watch the wall, my darling, While the Gentlemen go by!
Opposite ends of a table. Both working at home. His reading material football stadiums and walking guides. Her’s travel book and the Avon catalogue. Both with reading glasses strategically placed. Couple of a certain age.
I’ve seen a lot of these crafting trees around this December. I think that creating them over the lockdown periods have given many people something to do and have helped alleviate loneliness and boredom. These ones were at Standen House, the National Trust Arts and Crafts family home with Morris & Co. interiors, set in a hillside garden.
Last week (10th- 16th August) was Afternoon Tea Week. I’m a bit late with this post, but couldn’t let the occasion pass completely.
Afternoon Tea is a tea-related ritual, introduced in Britain in the early 1840s. It evolved as a little meal to stem the hunger and anticipation of an evening meal at 8pm.
The tradition of afternoon tea made its way into English literature around a decade after the brew made its way into British drawing rooms in the early seventeenth century. I love this quote from C.S. Lewis:
And of course don’t forget the sandwiches, scones and cake. Especially the cake…
We as a family made a lot of cake over the lockdown period. It was something to do and something to share from a social distance and became quite special to us all.
Here are my two favourite Afternoon Tea pictures from the unprecedented times of 2020.
The Grand Hotel treat after lockdown and VE Day 2020 during lockdown. We did a virtual afternoon tea.
Come on everybody- lets do it! Something to help us through Lockdown.
You’re invited to the #ReadingHour
Everyone is invited to join us at 7pm on 23 April for the #ReadingHour! You can do anything you want related to books: read alone, read with or to someone, or even call a friend to chat about books and share recommendations.
1 in 3 people in England don’t regularly read for pleasure, but we know the benefits that reading brings to our lives. We want to share this more people, encouraging everyone to set aside time in our busy lives to read more. Why should you read?
19% of readers say that reading stops them from feeling lonely
Regular readers for pleasure have report fewer feelings of stress and depression than non-readers, and stronger feelings of relaxation from reading than from watching television or engaging with technology intensive activities
Adults who read for just 30 minutes a week are 20% more likely to report greater life satisfaction
You can read a print book, e-book, or listen to an audiobook, and it doesn’t matter what you read. Pick up the book that you’ve been meaning to read for years, or borrow a book from your local library’s digital lending services (sign-up now if you’re not already a member). If you’re looking for suggestions, our booklist has something for everyone, including fiction, non-fiction and books for young adults. If you’re really stuck, just tweet us at @WorldBookNight and we’d be happy to provide a recommendation!
What with working from home, as well as everyone at home together,I am definitely having trouble concentrating on reading at the moment. Really annoying when to my mind I should have loads more reading time. So I love this idea from the Reading Agency Hub.
Would normally spend Good Friday listening to the Jesus Christ Super Star album. Twenty/twenty Good Friday I listened to Jeff Wayne’s 1978 original War of the Worlds.
War of the Worlds Album Cover
This original version included Richard Burton as narrator (journalist). Also Justin Hayward, David Essex (artillery man), Phil Lynott (Parson Nathanial) Julie Covington (Beth).
Give it a go if you don’t know it. I was blown away!
“Smile
Milly Space 