So you have been drumming your fingers on the desk and wondering what exactly was missing … and then you realised … you hadn’t had your email from the practical hedgehog! And why.. because she’s had one busy weekend – where her fingers have not had time to hit the keys.
Rural life can be exceedingly busy if you throw yourself into local events and organisations. Take this weekend when we had the culmination of the Great Parish History Quiz.
No use just hitting the internet on this quiz – all answers could be found without a computer – though only some were available online, and then only if you looked hard enough. The questions referred to our parish only, making it very specific. You needed your two weeks to visit places in the parish, to hunt out the interesting bits of information.. like ‘Who has a black memorial slab near the priest’s door in the church, and what is the symbol on it? answer: Reverend Nicolas Sharsell and the symbol – skull and crossbones. (My boys always thought he must have been a pirate – where in truth he was a solemn minded man of the puritan cloth)
Final answers could be posted in the box up to 11am at the History coffee morning, for which I had spent the whole of Friday baking cakes and putting flowers in vases for the tables, to say nothing of the other times I had spent helping to create the quiz, making and distributing posters, road-side signs and quiz sheets. Not that I was alone, on the day a whole team of wonderful people turned out with cakes, raffle prizes and help to run the event!
And that’s part of what living in a rural village is all about – being part of the community, joining in, helping out, supporting events. It brings people together and heightens the feeling of belonging. I have lived in a city and belonged to organisations there, but there each remained separate; living in a village is different. When you join in with things in a village you become linked to the whole village.
At eleven the answers were given out and, at the end, I took away the entries to mark. Which I could not do that day, as I had other errands to run, my car to load for a craft-stall the next day and a 60th birthday to attend in the evening.
Next morning, bright and early, with feet still a little sore from dancing to great 60s hits in high heeled shoes, I set off for an open garden event in aid of Hospice SW. I took with me my annmade slate-ware, local botanical artist Jo Totterdell’s card selection, to sell on her behalf, and the quiz sheets to mark. I am pleased to take Jo’s work along as I think it is exquisite and so I’m also giving you a chance to look at some more of her lovely paintings here. You won’t find these on the internet anywhere either.
A weekend when different things I am involved in collide and make me over busy is a fairly frequent occurrence… I am told it is my own fault for trying to do too much. There – that’s my excuses for a late blog – the pace of rural life 🙂
Is your life full of different clubs, groups and societies or do you go for the peaceful life?
Why are some of us, seemingly, programmed to ‘get involved’ while others are happy not to?
And do you feel more relaxed now that you’ve heard from me? 🙂
Do share your thoughts – you know I love to hear from you!