"St Swithin's day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain; St. Swithin's day, if thou be fair, For forty days 'twill rain na mair" This proverb dates back to 1599 and means that, if it … [Read more...]

It is seven years now since my mother, Betty, died. I was reflecting on all the changes that she saw in her ninety-nine years of life. Born just over one month before the outbreak of World War One she … [Read more...]

After three months of “lockdown: restrictions are being lifted. But what has changed? Is it safer out there? Are we better prepared? From my perspective I feel that I am in exactly the same position … [Read more...]

“Ne’er cast a clout till May be out” Since there is no May blossom nearby for me to observe I have always taken the rhyme to refer to the month of May. So at the start of June I carefully washed … [Read more...]

Today is the first day of May - regarded by some as the start of summer, but no-one told the weather gods! Officially the May Bank Holliday is the first Monday after the 1st but this year it was moved … [Read more...]