Beacon Villages
Under Cosdon Beacon Dartmoor Devon UK
I am, this month, as it were, shuffling in the back door. I was in utter disgrace last month for my dismal failure to produce a monthly report. But then you should have seen Peter. Apoplectic was scarcely the word to describe him at my continuing irredeemable hopelessness for this month as well. I mean, how late is this? 12 th December as I write. Quite appalling. In a state of humble abjectness, here is my report. |
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Sunday 10 October. Kings Arms. Walter Shortage and the Hosepipe Banned October in some ways is a nothing in particular kind of a month, so to see Walter Shortage back at the Kings Arms was a real tonic. Just to get different camera angles I lay down on the floor for a few shots and was quite non-plussed to find Bill Murray on the floor as well staring right back at me through the lens whilst he continued to play. You know, or ought to know, about WS by now, so I will leave it for the pictures to speak for themselves. |
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Sunday 3 October. Pram Race/Harvest Lunch The Pram Race and the Harvest Lunch take place at the same time and I am not sure I know which is more zaney. I got a shot of Roger White and friends wearing really quite pretty frocks as you can see. Very fetching! More people attended the Harvest Lunch than I have ever seen before; the extra space that the Victory Hall can provide over Church House was necessary. If you have never been to this occasion then you should. The food is all home made, the wine flows and there is a generally very happy atmosphere, some finding it particularly happy - possibly to their regret the next morning. The work that Mike Bailey, Eric Humphreys and all the other gentlemen and ladies put into this wonderful occasion is quite humbling. It is worth it though, because it really is one of the most enjoyable annual parish events. |
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Saturday 23 October. Carnival. South Zeal The carnival was well attended and, so far as I could see, was a great success notwithstanding somewhat damp conditions in the afternoon. The weather cleared up pretty well for the evening procession. Close by are some of the shots I took. Organising the carnival is a lot of work. Throughout the day I kept seeing a sodden Andy White squelching about on some business or other carrying signs or marshalling or on an errand of one sort or another. I hadn't the heart to take a picture - but he and his confederates deserve to be applauded for everything they do. |
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Friday 5 November. Sticklepath Fireshow
It beats me how those involved in the Fireshow manage to pull such a complicated affair together every year. I have no photos I fear. There was the biggest crowd I can ever remember, so any photos I might have taken would have been of the back of people's heads anyway. I mean it could be interesting I suppose, but I can't say it's my scene really. The show itself was excellent - yet again. I confess that I was not entirely sure what it was all about, but then, I don't think I have ever understood any Fireshow ever and I have never found that a particular problem! All power to the Fireshow! |
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Saturday 13 November. Recreation Ground Tidy Up and 'Willow Bank' I joined in the general tidy up of the recreation ground, an occasion which I regarded very much as an extension to the Parish Day which we held in June this year. It is very heartening to see that appeals for help are so well supported and that there is such a friendly spirit. |
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Similar comments apply to the installation of the new willow bank masterminded by Peter Brotherton. The attached photos give some idea of what the 'Willow Bank' is. It will be most interesting watching the willow grow and strengthen the bank and to see how it solves the erosion problem. I took some excellent 'pre work' shots of the leat - only to find that the work was actually carried out some distance away. Still, they are quite nice photos if you like spindly trees and mud I suppose. |
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Saturday 27 November. Wood Shoot People often ask me if photography is my hobby. The answer is "No". It is not a hobby; it is a necessity. I take pictures of events and people because at least I then know that they exist and I know where to find them when I want them. I must admit, I am always expecting to get punched on the nose by someone who objects. So when, to my surprise, I received a call from Brian Jeffries late last Friday to ask if I could take some photos of a shoot the next day at Wood I was a bit wary in case those who wanted pictures might be disappointed by my incompetence. Nonetheless, I thought it would be interesting to go, so I agreed. You can see some of the results here. I have sent a complete set to Julyan Capper, the organiser, and I just hope he does not feel too let down. It was a pleasant way to spend the morning, seeing parts of the Parish that I would not normally see and meeting people from the Parish I already knew in a quite different context: Clive, David, Mark and others. Secure in the knowledge I will never have to test this, I reckon I could shoot just as well as the guns on the day! |
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Correspondence I don't imagine anyone actually reading the nonsense that I write in these reports; I see them as sound and fury echoing hollowly in some vast void. I was therefore taken aback to receive an e-mail from Jeffrey Langford in Canada who seems to thoroughly enjoy looking at Pete's website. I do not think he takes much notice of my drivel, but does like all the pictures to see if he can spot people he knows. He stayed with the Wilkins family in South Zeal earlier this year so knows the area and has a number of acquaintances. It is encouraging, especially for Pete, to get positive correspondence like that. |
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Just to finish, let me plug ... Moor Harmony's Carol Concert You don't have to pay anything and it is so early in the evening that you can come to this and still go on elsewhere afterwards! Perfect! There are quite a few carols you will know and can join in with and there will be some where you can fall asleep while Moor Harmony tootles away. It is a terrifyingly large church to fill .. so do your bit . please! There you are Pete. Put that in your pipe and smoke it! |
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