BRIGHT APRIL MORNING!

I had Miriam for company this morning.  It was a great morning for a walk - bright, sunny, but a bit chilly.  We didn't have a lot of time, so we stayed on local footpaths and walked up to Barren Down, where there are fantastic views of Shepton.  On the way home we explored what was happening in the High Street, and walked back through Collett Park.  

Everywhere there were signs of growth, blossom and flowers.  Spring is my favourite time of the year with its wonderful fresh green colours and beautiful flowers...  

A DARK START!

I have some busy friends so it was out on my own today!  When I left Tadley Acres at seven o'clock it was still dark and the moon was shining.  I like getting out early before the world is awake.  However, the main roads were already busy with traffic...

It was the coldest walk so far this Autumn.  I think I will have to get my gloves out soon!  But the dark soon gave way to the sunrise...

I wanted some fresh air and exercise so it was a quick trot around the outskirts of Shepton with views of the Charlton Viaduct and by the time I came back to the Church and Market Cross they were bathed in sunshine...

I find all walks interesting.  There is always something different to see.  Around Shepton there are a great variety of places to walk, from countryside, woodland, urban streets to housing estates, shopping centres, factories etc.  There are some great views but the one thing we haven't got is the sea!

However, I rectified that last week on some coastal walks in Cornwall - see below.   There is nothing like walking by the sea - the smell, sound and changing landscape. I think most of us love looking at the sea.  After all we are an island nation... 

LATE SUMMER SUN!

Today Jenny and I enjoyed good walking weather - we went up to one of our favourite places - Barren Down, and took in the views.  We also had fun playing with our shadows - the sun being low in the sky made them very dramatic!

We ended up by the Market Cross, where Shepton Market was being set up.  I was after some fish for supper, and as the fishmonger had just set up, I had great selection!  I chose some beautiful mackerel (see top right pic), and watched with awe as they were expertly filleted...

Friday has always been the traditional day to eat fish for Christians and Roman Catholics from the days when fish was considered a poor man's food and eaten on fast days instead of meat... Things have changed in our attitude to fish, but Friday being the day to eat fish seems to have stuck!   

In the Market Place, we have a new pop-up shop called 'Ho, Ho, Ho,'!!  Yes, you have guessed it - it sells all things Christmassy!  Not really something I want to think about in September, when I am trying to make the most of the end of Summer!

FRIDAY IS FISH DAY!

Today was lovely walking weather - pleasantly warm.  Jenny and I did some window shopping and looked at other people's gardens - something we never tire of!  We went in a big circle walking to Bowlish and ended back at Shepton Market by the Market Cross.  It looked a bit bare today as the plant man was missing - too hot for his flowers - someone suggested!  The Bell pub (see below), was looking pristine - the scaffolding has come off the front so we can now see the improvements... 

However, it was fish that we were after.  The fishmonger has a new ice machine so he can keep his fish cool in the summer heat!  We both bought some fresh mackerel, which is particularly good at the moment, and in the news, as it is a good source of Vitamin D!  Something the health arbiters are telling us, at the moment, that we should all get more of...

There were wonderful flower displays and lush greenery everywhere - even an empty house, where the garden had gone wild with bindweed (see above left), looked impressive!

A WET START!

Only one walk this week as Jenny is still working on her life/work balance!  At the start the weather was against us... What started out as gentle rain came down, heavier and heavier, so we got rather wet!

Needless to say we didn't venture up to the fields but kept to the roads!  Being a Friday and market day, we drifted up towards the Market Cross.  The market was being set up slowly in the rain... One stall that is always early is the fishmonger, so we bought some fish!  

As Harold Wilson once said 'A week is a long time in politics.'  But at the moment a day, or even an hour, is a long time with our political landscape constantly changing!  What a difference a week makes...  I just wish that, now our referendum has been decided, everyone would be positive, instead of wringing their hands and telling us we have made the biggest mistake of our lives!

What I do find unforgivable is the abuse targeted at the EU citizens living here.  In Shepton we have a large Polish community - there are two food stores and a cafe in the centre of town who cater specifically for them.  All the EU immigrants I have met are hardworking and lovely, especially the owner of Anna's Attic.  This delightful shop in Town Street always has us window shopping every time we pass it - see Jenny peering in above right!  Anna is so creative and has some great window dressing ideas...

Today is the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 100 years ago, and there are many vigils and services to remember the sacrifice of  thousands and thousands of World War One soldiers.  We went to the Shepton Mallet Cenotaph this morning, after the wreaths had been laid.  I was interested in the flowers as my friend Dawn, who has set up a new flower business, had provided them - more about this in a future post. There were some beautiful blue cornflowers which had come from her garden.

Jenny spent some time reading the names on the monument, something she had never done before.  The amazing thing was that she recognised many of the names, as they were the surnames of children she had been to school with in Shepton!

On a more cheerful note, as we walked back through Collett Park, it brightened up and the sun started coming out.  The park looked very green and glistening...

VAPE ABOUT TO OPEN!

We didn't get a walk today, as Jenny had an early start for a weekend away. However, later in the morning, I went into Shepton to hang some new artworks in the One Craft Gallery, and buy some fish in the Friday market!  It is great to see that the market is getting busier - the free parking on a Friday is certainly helping and gradually new stalls are being added...

It is also good to see a new business opening up.  Behind that row of stalls (bottom, right), is VAPE, which is just about to open.  As you can see they have the sign up! The refit has been done and now they are filling it with stock..

You may well ask, as I did, what are they going to sell?  Apparently, it is all to do with e-cigarettes.  Something, as a non-smoker, I know nothing about except they are meant to be more healthy than cigarettes!  It is said that they can help to cure the addiction by offering an alternative or a way in to giving up completely.  As the electronic device vaporises a liquid which contains nicotine, it can satisfy the cravings of a smoker.  I think the jury is out as to the long term health risks, but anything that helps people kick such an unhealthy habit as smoking, must surely be encouraged... 

Anyway, any business that brings people into Shepton is a good thing for all the shops and cafes struggling to survive in the High Street and by the Market Cross. We hope they do well!

   

A SHORT BREAK!

We have taken a short break from our walking routine.  We hope to get back to it on Wednesday! Unfortunately, Jenny hasn't been well and I have had visitors.  I have had a weekend of shopping and eating out!

We are lucky to have two discount designer outlets nearby - Kilver Court, which is within walking distance, and Clark's Village, a few miles away in Street, a nearby town.  This gave us plenty of variety and choice which we made the most of!

As far as eating out goes, on Saturday night we had a good meal at one of Shepton's newer businesses, the Italian restaurant - La Tavola D'oro.  We booked a table early in the evening, which was just as well, as by the time we left the place was full!  It is good to see the business doing so well, as its premises next to the Market Cross had been empty for some time... 

GREY, DAMP DAY!

We are quite used to this mild winter weather, it will be a shock when the cold really kicks in!  We chatted lots this morning, covering lots of things that are close to our hearts - it gets quite deep sometimes - all great therapy!

We went up on Barren Down (see top pics) and the walk home took us past the ever entertaining ducks at Collett Park.

The setting up of the market was well under way by the time we had done our stint up Barron Down.  Every shop seems primed and ready for the Christmas rush.  We scanned all the windows -  great effort is being made by all the shop keepers with them all looking  fab...

Shepton Market was being set up around the Market Cross - the red glow was decorative lights not the sun!

Only a short walk today as I had a busy day in the salon starting at 8.45 am.  And today was a big day for our client Eva, who had her 17 years of hair growth cut off for a charity!!  The charity - Little Princess Trust makes wigs out of real hair for children having treatment for cancer.  It was a real treat for Kennedy, the hairdresser at Skin and Tonic, who had the job of the major restyle...

I am so ready for the weekend!  Looking forward to getting the last of the family gifts and finishing up my Christmas prep!!

LOOK TO THE SKIES!

The interesting thing about walking early in the morning this time of year, is that the light conditions change completely during the course of our time out.  Today when we started it was dark - we could see a half moon (see above, middle, left), and the large tree by the Market Cross was shining brightly with the Christmas lights (above, top, right), that were officially switched on by our local celebrity, the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, Michael Eavis, last Friday.

When out, especially on high ground, we often look to the skies to see wonderful colour combinations.  My camera doesn't do justice to them.  Sometimes it is the sun rising with beautiful pinks, oranges and purples or at other times it is stormy and moody with great cloud formations and delicate pastel colours.  By the end of our walk today (see above), the sky was looking very dramatic and held the promise of a sunny morning. 

  
The other thing that was special about this morning's walk was how warm it was for this time of year.  We were soon unzipping our jackets and I even took mine off for a short time!  Although the trees are almost bare, the grass is still very green and growing - testament to the wet and mild conditions...

We spied this ironic piece of graffiti on a lovely old natural stone wall that encloses the local cemetery.  I feel there are places where this sort of graffiti is not amusing and is just vandalism, defacing a place that has special meaning to some people...

MONDAY MEANDERINGS

A warm, but cloudy start to the walk today, but as we were going home, the skies started clearing.  As Jenny said, in the previous post, we do see some graffiti around Shepton, mostly crude text and spray marks but nothing much.  I remember being shocked when I stayed in Estoril, Portugal as every wall of every building seemed to be covered in mindless graffiti - nothing like the fantastic artworks I saw recently at Upfest, in Bristol, Europe's largest Street Art and Graffiti Festival.  These works were done on large boards or designated walls.  As you can see by the photos most were still at the 'work in progress' stage when I saw them.  I would have liked to see them all finished, although I did get a glimpse on our local TV news programme. 

Here are a couple of characters that we saw today.  The gnome was high up on a garden wall and looked fast asleep!  The hiding scarecrow was guarding some veg being grown in a delightful front garden!

We often go past the Market Cross on our travels.  It is the most iconic image of Shepton and is used on posters, guide books etc.  It has been the hub of Shepton for over 500 years and has seen some history.  In 1685 rebels from the Civil War were hung, drawn and quartered from it!  It has altered over the years and recently had a facelift. It is well looked after as you can see by the gorgeous hanging baskets and is the centrepiece of the Friday weekly market.  The signage, which gives distances to local towns and cities, reminds us how convenient Shepton is situated to get to all sorts of places! 

Our arrival on a footpath going to Bowlish was greeted with great distaste by a gaggle of geese who came flying towards us making a tremendous noise.  I can see why they make great guard dogs!!