Alas poor shop ! I knew it well.

Today is the last day of the shop in Ledbury but, have no fear, I am more than ready to move on to the next project. What with the credit crunch, economic retail downturn, bad weather, rising fuel prices and food costs increasing, it is the right time to call it a day. The shop was an excellent means by which I could leave the bank and I have a few fingers in other pies already. My main focus will be on developing the festivals, markets and craft fairs with the winter months made up with casual work. Even though I am okay about the closure, I have had one or two tearful customers wanting me to stay. Quite heartwarming really!

Anyway, I haven't time at the moment to think of anything else apart from Beautiful Days Festival and The Rock N Roots Festival which are over the next two weeks. Busy, busy,busy!!

Anniversary joy!

Today is Tree and my Third anniversary, so I am a happy bunny today, despite the weather. Later on, we hope to be able to light a fire and watch the Perseids before they disappear.

Otherwise, there is not much going on, apart from making loads of stuff for the Plum Fayre. I have found myself turning my hand to new skills of late including weaving dream catchers and making felt mice, to go in my mirrors. I am also in the midst of making a scrying mirror.

Tree and I took time out to go to Glastonbury, last Sunday week, and on the way Tree spilt coffee all down her front, as you do. The only thing we had in the car for her to wear was a piece of Indian cloth we used to cover the seats. Tree was, needless to say, not happy with this. However, on walking up the high street, she soon realised that no-one even noticed and the cloth matched in with her top, so much so it looked like she was some kind of festie hippy chick in a sarong. She wore it, quite happily, until we bought a skirt.

Whilst there, we got chatting to someone from the Witches Emporium who, after explaining about the Druid's war and the in fighting, put us off taking up one of the new units in The Gauntlet arcade. Instead we shall carry on where we are as it seems to be picking up nicely now.

Happy Lammas and Phew! What a smell.

Well the flood waters have finally receded and what have we got left..a great big stink! You know that smell that you get at a festival, when the grass has been trodden down after the rain, well magnify that by 300 and you might be close to what Pitchcroft racecourse smells like. A combination of dead fish and rotting vegetation. I am happy on two points. Firstly, Tree and I haven't got an allotment by the river anymore and, secondly, we don't live in a flood plain. What amazes me is that you still hear adverts on the radio saying "Come to Worcester racecourse and get your heart racing". Trust me, you'll be lucky if you can breath with that foul stench.

On a more cheery note, I have started doing house and name signs for people and the first attempt isn't too bad, if I say so myself. Business is better as well, partly due to punters arriving for The Big Chill at Eastnor this weekend.

And most certainly last but not least, Happy Lammas! time to gather in the harvest both literal and spiritual. Take time to see where you have been and where you are going. Goodbye to the Sun and welcome the coming change. Be thankful and celebrate the fruits of your labours.!

All rained out.

Before

After


Every one has their tale to tell about the floods and I am the last one to get tedious about the whole thing. Suffice to say, Tree and I had a four hour ordeal trying to get through from Ledbury to Worcester. We were lucky in being one of the last to get through the floods, but got stuck on the motorway. Most of the M50 was closed and the M5 was down to one lane in parts. Ledbury high street was described as "a river", on the radio. I was unable to get in to the shop until today and, apart from a few bits of rubbish lying about, you would never guess how bad it had been.
Anyway, I am chuffed with myself for getting the A-boards finished for the shop and I think they are a definite improvement.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Hoorah! The painting of the passageway is finished and we can all relax. The difference is amazing and, at risk of sounding like an old record, the photos don't do it justice.


On a lighter note, Tree and I had a hectic weekend followed by a drive to Uttoxeter to visit our gemstone wholesaler. When we got back we were knackered and just when I had had enough I saw this on Tree's dinner plate by the sink. It is over a year and a half ago, but the same thing happened before. In fact, I wrote a blog about it called there's always something to make you smile . A happy kitchen ours!!

Shop update.

Just a quick one to show some of the modification to the outside of the shop.Having painted the passageway, I have now covered that awful gate on the right up to the shop. Hooray! No more looking at that ugly bin. I think you will agree that there is a definite improvement. Thanks to Tree, the hanging baskets go up this weekend as well!

No walk today!

I had intended to write about how the Lime trees, lining the walkway on Pitchcroft racecourse, were so beautiful this time of year and how the heady scent of their flowers attracted all the bees, from near and far, until all you could hear was a constant buzzing in the background as you walked under them. I also wanted to mention a tree with a perfect heart shape in it. This I hoped to convey following a nice long walk. However, on arriving there, I was met with the aftermath of all this rain and Pitchcroft was flooded. Not unusual that it floods, but this time of year!

Even as I write, Tree and I have just managed to get to the shop in Ledbury after driving for over an hour, trying to find a road that wasn't closed or blocked by floodwater. Anyway, the pics of the flood and the Lime tree blossom look quite nice and I shall settle for that.

A belated Imbolc greeting to you all!

In all the mayhem that is post Yule I completely forgot to pass my wishes and blessings to all for Imbolc. Tree and I went to Shrawley wood, on one of our rare days out, to get in touch with the spring. Whilst there, I came upon two amazing pieces for wands and they have already begun the transformation. I also have my eye on some deer antlers that I came across a couple of months ago. I am waiting for Mother nature to take her natural course and strip them ready for me to turn into ceremonial staves. They will hold great significance and power as they are only a few feet away from a spot that is very important to me.
Other good news is that my son Elliott got in touch with me and we met up the other day. He has shot up and is now taller than me!! Most people are anyway!! Dan and Sez came over to the shop and I think Dan may be putting some photos on his blog, so give it a click. Blissfields tickets are on sale now, so get em quick. Otherwise, there is not much to report, a blessing in a way as I am beginning to gear up for Tiddesley Wood Spring fair. At least I enjoy my work now!!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow (or maybe not).

Well so much for the more frequent blogging. To be fair, I have been inundated with things to do. Tree and I went to the Spring Fair and spent loads of money and met some new people to trade with. We are making a concerted effort to move away from commercial traders and buy from independent craftspeople and made some good contacts.

And then came the snow. Thursday was a complete waste of time, having tried to get to work and failing by getting no further than Powick roundabout, so we decamped to Sandra's house for the rest of the day. It was a good job we did, as we were told many tales of people abandoning their cars on the top of British Camp and walking home. Friday was not much better. We managed to get to Ledbury and Hereford, respectively, but Tree had to come back early as snow was blocking up Hereford. By the time we had finished lunch the roads were covered in snow and slush. We decided to avoid the hills and went back via the motorway. Even the M40 was coated in slush and it took a long time to get home. Today I went over British Camp and there was a string of cars, still where they were abandoned the previous day, and the road was reduced to a single track in some sections where trees had fallen under the weight of the snow!

However, I couldn't resist the temptation and built not one but two snowmen. Well, with global warming, we may not be able to much longer.

Hoorah for broadband!!

At last, I finally got my arse into gear and sorted out broadband for the shop. Not too momentus an occasion, you might think, but I have contact with the outside world again. Sadly it will not all be game playing and surfing for me as I will have to get the virtual shop up and running as well. The shop is looking a lot better now I have put in the shelving, as you can see from the photos, and we are getting a lot of new stock in soon. With business being quieter this time of year, Tree and I are thinking of taking a month off work next year and travelling instead. We may as well take advantage of the situation!!

I am the God of Hellfire!!!

Recently I read an article which said that a clothing company had been prosecuted for writing “We must apologise for our president, he is an idiot” on their washing instruction labels. I thought this was quite amusing, yet surely it must be a one-off occurrence? Oh no!! I checked some of my labels and found this one which, seeing as I have been accused of running an occult shop just because I have a pentagram in a glass cabinet, must make me the devil himself (sounds of, Hollywood style, evil hollow laughter, echo behind me). As I don't believe in the "devil", as he is a christian construct to control people, I haven't been phased by this !!! It puts a whole new meaning to hot under the collar. Does this mean I’m hot stuff!! Yeah right.

CBB, an all that!

Oh well I was nearly right. You know, a couple of Americans, a washed up musician or two and an unknown actress. Either way it’s all a bit the same, as usual. Anyway, life does not revolve around Big Brother! Tree and I took a day off to go and see one of our suppliers in Staffordshire and it was like entering Aladdins cave with all the crystal everywhere. We would have bought the whole warehouse, in our dreams, but had to settle for one or two rather nice pieces instead. It was a fascinating day and I learnt a lot about how they extract crystal without damaging the environment, as opposed to drift mining where they rape the hillsides with explosives and water cannons. When I have more time, I will get round to applying for BAFTS accreditation for the shop. In the meantime, we are soon to appear in the local ragmag to help promote where we are. The shop is now listed under Wyrdewood, in the business internet directory. I am getting business broadband set up soon, so I won’t be so cut off…hooray!!! Otherwise, not much to report so I’ll say seeya soon. Aloha!

....and Breath

At last, a quiet moment to catch up on the blog ! That is not to say that I have been rushed off my feet with customers, but rather that I have been busy finishing off all the fiddly bits like shelves and electrics. We have been fairly quiet midweek but are hopeful for the weekends. The main thing is getting people to come up the passageway. The rent has been covered for this month already, so no complaints !!We have already been described as “ The best kept secret in Ledbury”, and we have had a lot of positive feedback regarding the pagan items we stock. Someone remarked that we were similar to a shop in Glastonbury, which I was pleased about. Although the shop looks good as it is, if I say so myself, I want it to evolve and grow in a free form, rather than a conventional, way. Otherwise, there isn’t any news other than the fact that I feel guilty for ignoring everyone at the moment, but it can’t be helped. When things are a bit settled Tree and I will visit you all…promise! In the meantime, India is just around the corner, time wise silly, not literally, and I can’t wait ! Catch Ya soon.

We are in business !!!

Well the shop finally got open on Friday and just in the nick of time. Thursday night and I was still signwriting and varnishing the A board. Tree's mum and dad came over and gave us a bottle of Champagne, which was nice. I could rattle on about the whole set up but I thought the photos would speak for themselves. The top photos are the shop as we took it over and the bottom how we opened. Spot the difference ?

A man of independent means.

What words can adequately describe the joy of no longer being in the employ of a capitalist corporation ? To be honest I am not sure, but who cares ? After twenty seven years, I am a free man !!! It hasn't quite sunk home yet as I am working very long hours getting the shop ready. The walls are painted and the displays mounted. The counter is made but not glazed and I've yet to carve the signs and make the 'A' boards. We have decided to open on the 17th November, as this gives us a bit more time to get everything ready. As I write, the printer at my feet is churning out flyers ready for the launch. As I said in previous blogs, I must apologise to anyone we have left out or ignored over the last few weeks and we will catch up as soon as the shop is open. By the time we get to December I will need the holiday in India !! Of course this could now be a chance to meet some new suppliers directly !! Love to one and all. See ya soon.