Linda and Nathan get hitched.

With all of the miserable weather of late, it was lovely to see the sun come out for the occasion of Linda and Nathan's wedding. A modest gathering of about a hundred of us descended on Puckrup Hall for the day and it was most enjoyable. Linda and Nathan looked so good together and the day was punctuated with memorable moments. The speech from Nathan's father, Tony, was brilliant. He welled up with emotion to the point of not being able to speak and left half the room in tears. The following morning we took advantage of the hotels pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi before meeting everyone for breakfast. Michael, however, sat quietly, looking very green as the full effect of the night before washed over him, and I remembered how I felt the first time I drank a bottle of wine in one go. I was given the task of filming the day and will spend quite a time editing the hours of tape to make a presentable DVD. There will also be a very large section of outtakes as well!!

Barry Trotter, Bacon and the Big Smoke.

Tree and I have just returned from a few days in the Big Smoke (a.k.a London) and ,to be honest, I could do with a rest. Tree was on a course so I had the daytime to myself and filled most of it with time in the galleries.

My first stop had to be the Francis Bacon exhibition at the Tate Britain. Bacon has been a major influence in my life since the age of six when I was shown "Study for three figures at the base of a crucifixion". I have been to many exhibitions of his work since then and still feel the same way as when I first saw it.

The next day I spent in the British library, Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. An interesting exhibit in the Science Museum was called "The Bridge". The bridge was constructed of glass with wires fixed, radially outwards, to sound amplifiers. As you walk on the bridge, the distortion is amplified into a weird chime-like music. The glass was clear enabling one to look downwards to the floor 60 feet below. This would be Tree's nightmare as bridges are not her favourite, let alone glass ones!! I was surprised how empty the museums were and remember that, as a child, they were always packed. I went into the Vault, to try and identify a couple of gemstones I have, and was the only person in there for about an hour!! I blame PS3's, TV, etc,etc. It is easy to see where J.K.Rowling got the idea for the staircases in Barry Trotter just by looking at the architecture, which I must say is worth a trip to see on its own.

The highlight of the day had to be the slice of a Sequoia tree that is 1300 years old. Each ring is marked to illustrate a point in our history and you cannot feel anything but humbled by the scale of ones life in comparison.

Out on the street there were a few interesting things to see as well, including an installation by Thomas Schutte in Trafalgar Square and a Banksy artwork on a wall outside Tescos in Highbury.

Blow that trumpet!

I know it is wrong to blow your own trumpet but sometimes its got to be done. I was surfing the net, as you do, and being bored, I decided to put in a search for Staves. Well what do you think popped up in images? Only one of my staves that I sold at the 3 Wishes Fairy Festival. The site was actually more interested in the model and her image as a whole but, all the same, that's one of my staves she's holding. Hmmm... I should have charged more thinking about it.

Worcester Farmers Market Guild

Moving away from the festival side of things for a bit, Tree and I decided to apply for membership of the WFMG and I am happy to say we were successful ! Our first market was on the August Bank Holiday Monday and we were blessed with slightly better weather. Attendance was down a little as there was a lot on elsewhere in Worcester, like the river festival, but we still sold an Oak mirror and some of Tree's weaving sticks and lavender bags. I am sure nearer Xmas the markets will be a lot busier but I am not so sure about the weather !

Rock N Roots cancelled.

Just a quickie to say that the Rock N Roots Festival has become another casualty of small minded council bureaucracy and has been cancelled on a legal technicality. We give out all our support to Mike and Rob and The R n R crew who have worked tirelessly to try and keep it alive.
Here's to next year.

Not so Beautiful Days.

We have not long been back from Beautiful Days Festival in Devon and are just glad to be dry and warm again. The festival started out with sunshine and good prospects but descended into a mud nightmare within hours. We would have been well miserable but for the fact that we found ourselves pitched next to Log and Homa, who we met at The Workhouse Festival. They are both very friendly, entertaining, people and we had a laugh, or two, along the way. We were a bit miffed about where we were pitched as well as we are normally down in the main trading area and this time we seemed to be out on the outskirts. A good job in some respects as the main arena turned into a mudfest to end all mudfests! Not all was doom and gloom as lots of the weird and wonderful came by our stall and we got to catch up with friends.I also got a few comments regarding my hair which Tree had dyed with the Levellers logo from about 1984. Log and Homa have invited us to stay a few weeks at their house in Bali, in the New Year, and we will now concentrate on getting some dosh together for the airfare.

Meanwhile, I am finishing off the shop, ready to hand back, and job hunting for the winter season.

Pip and Murali are moved into their flat and I will be helping them get it sorted.

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!!

Viva La Nozstock!!!!

Its been a long time since I have been able to say that I have experienced a good festival and I am so happy to be able to say it at last. Nozstock is a small festival just outside of Bromyard. The atmosphere is like Glastonbury used to be, before the "corporates" got hold of it. The festival site was well planned and decorated with dragons, fantasy carvings and amusing little signs posted everywhere. Noz, the man behind the name, is a lovely bloke and everyone had a fantastic time. We were pitched in our own sort of mini field and had wonderful neighbours. Sarah, our nearest, fell down a hole on the first day. Her foot went blue and swelled up like a balloon so we took care of her and her stall with the help of our other neighbours, Carol and Gary. The band line up was pretty cool and even the dance tent blaring out was okay. I have already asked Noz to keep us the same pitch for next year and we are going to make it "our own" again with Sarah, Carol and Gary. Tree and I were quite sad to leave but were happy for the friends we made. A special big up goes to Christina for sorting us out, she's worth a gold star or two.