Friday 2 May 2014

A Lonely Little Orchid.?

You have no doubt all heard of the 'Lonely little petunia in the onion patch'?   Well, here we have a lonely little early purple orchid in a grassy patch.   It is a brave little flower, standing tall amongst the quickly growing grass - the first one we have seen on the farm for a few years.   When I first married the farmer, twenty one years ago, we had a lot along the hedgerows but gradually they have disappeared.   Now, one is back - albeit in a different field, so I hope it is the beginning of their return.

This week-end sees The Dales Festival of Food and Drink in our little market town.   It is a highly popular event, visited by folk from all over the North of England.   On the whole I don't think many local people go because of the crowds, the parking  and the fact that much of the produce is familiar to us anyway.

Instead, friend W and I will go to our village monthly coffee morning, where friends J and M will be doing the raffle as usual, where a lot of the villagers I never see at any other time will be there for a chat.  I shall no doubt come home with some home-baked goodies and full of village information to tell the farmer.   Village life revolves around chat - some folk don't like it and consider it a down side to village life - but I think on balance the fact that folk know a lot about each other is often very helpful, particularly in an emergency.   There have been quite a few deaths among friends and villagers over the past few weeks - and I know for a fact that those left behind have been comforted by village support, as I was all those years ago when I lost my first husband.
Give me village life over the impersonality of town living any day.

Friends to lunch on Sunday.   To make it easy for myself I have planned a simple menu.   I shall not reveal it on here as the said friends read my blog (!!) but sufficient to say that our local deli features widely.

Out tonight with friend W to see our local Amateur Dramatic Society in B O G O F - two one act plays (buy one get one free) - I understand that last night was a sell out - they are always popular - so I will report on it tomorrow.   Have a lovely May Day Week-end - a Bank Holiday here in the UK.

11 comments:

Jinksy said...

I thought those little orchid seeds could lie dormant in the soil for years, before prevailing conditions change and encourage then to grow again... Worth waiting for! :-)

Heather said...

I do hope your little orchid starts a family - they are so pretty. Hope the weather is kind for the food festival and any other activities. Enjoy your coffee morning, play, and visitors.

John Going Gently said...

Plenty gof them here pat.......all up the side of the Gop

Dartford Warbler said...

You are so right about life in a village. People who know each other in a community are so kind and supportive when the chips are down.

I too hope your Early Purple stays and spreads!

Cro Magnon said...

We have lots of those orchids here, but many of the rarer varieties of wild orchid seem to be getting even rarer. I see them as a sign of good farming practices.

angryparsnip said...

I think I too would like village life over impersonal city life.
Be sure to tell us what you had for lunch !

cheers, parsnip

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

You're right. What some people call gossip is what holds a community together.

Gwil W said...

Hope you enjoy your theater evening Pat. Last night I went to see Ein Reigen a ballet about Vienna before 1914 based on Reigen by Schnitzler with music by Alban Berg, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Scgönberg, Alexander Zemlinsky and others. We met some old friends and had a glass of sekt with them. So a lovely evening it was, and out of the thunder too.

Pondside said...

You're up for a busy weekend, Pat. Enjoy your evening out and your dinner guests!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Try as I may I cannot say that I ever really enjoy Amateur Dramatics, although one of the actors in one of the one-act plays was really excellent and I would have thought up to professional standard. But our local Arts Centre needs to be supported, what ever they put on. They are well subsidised this year but thereafter they have to be self supporting - so we go to everything.

Thanks for calling in.

Terry and Linda said...

WOW! We can't grow anything like that except in a green house.

✿♥ღLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com