RHS

I have recently joined the Royal Horticultural Society. A few reasons (Not that I really need any) You get a very good magazine, Cheap tickets to the likes of The Tatton Park Flower show, and free entrance into RHS Gardens. Not to mention assistance from their experts if any insurmountable problems occur in the garden.
So last Sunday, 'She who must be obeyed' and I went to the RHS Garden at Harlow Carr, on the outskirts of Harrogate. A very pleasant day out, Lots of very pleasant walks through the gardens, many things to look at, not one but two cafes - run by the 'Betty's' people plus an excellent garden centre type shop and a gift shop. Well worth a visit.

The 'Ole in the Ark

The ‘Ole in the Ark

By Marriott Edgar

One evening at dusk as Noah stood on his Ark,
Putting green oil in starboard side lamp,
His wife came along and said, 'Noah, summat's wrong,
Our cabin is getting quite damp.

Noah said, 'Is that so?' Then he went down below,
And found it were right what she'd said,
For there on the floor quite a puddle he saw,
It was slopping around under t' bed.

Said he, 'There's an 'ole in the bottom somewhere,
We must find it before we retire.'
Then he thowt for a bit, and he said 'Aye, that's it,
A bloodhound is what we require.'

Se he went and fetched bloodhound from place where it lay,
'Tween the skunk and the polecat it were,
And as things there below, were a trifle so-so,
It were glad of a breath of fresh air.

They followed the sound as it went sniffing round,
'Til at last they located the leak,
'Twere a small hole in the side, about two inches wide,
Where a swordfish had poked in its beak.

And by gum! how the wet squirted in through that hole,
Well, young Shem who at sums was expert,
Worked it out on his slate that it came at the rate,
Of per gallon, per second, per squirt.

The bloodhound tried hard to keep water in check,
By lapping it up with his tongue,
But it came in so fast through that hole, that at last,
He shoved in his nose for a bung.

The poor faithful hound, he were very near drowned,
They dragged him away none too soon,
For the stream as it rose, pushed its way up his nose,
And blew him up like a balloon.

And then Mrs Noah shoved her elbow in t'hole,
And said,' Eh! it's stopped I believe,'
But they found very soon as she'd altered her tune,
For the water had got up her sleeve.

When she saw as her elbow weren't doing much good,
She said to Noah, 'I've an idea,
You sit on the leak and by t'end of the week,
There's no knowing, the weather may clear.'

Noah didn't think much to this notion, at all,
But reckoned he'd give it a try,
On the 'ole down he flopped, and the leaking all stopped,
And all... except him, was quite dry.

They took him his breakfast and dinner and tea,
As day after day there he sat,
'Til the rain was all passed and they landed at last,
On top side of Mount Ararat.

And that is how Noah got them all safe ashore,
But ever since then, strange to tell,
Them as helped save the Ark has all carried a mark,
Aye, and all their descendants as well.

That's why dog has a cold nose, and ladies cold elbows,
You'll also find if you enquire,
That's why a man takes his coat tails in hand,
And stands with his back to the fire.

Bike Ride

Looking South from Great Harlow towards Stocks reservoir and Pendle Hill

A daft boy has just jumped off Devil's Bridge into the river Lune

Hornby Castle from the Caton to Hornby Road

Morecambe Bay

Apolgies for the Absence - AGAIN - Went for a ride on my new Harley Sportster a couple of weeks ago, Initially I went to Slaidburn for a cup of tea at the Riverside Cafe, sadly it was Monday so they were shut. I decided to go via Dunsop Bridge up the Trough of Bowland to where I knew there would be a mobile caravan selling Bacon Butties and Brews. After that I travelled North to a point where there is a wonderful view of Morecambe Bay, From Blackpool to the Lake District. Then on a whim I carried on towards Lancaster, turned right for Caton and rode on via Hornby to Kirby Lonsdale.

I had another cuppa at the caravan by Devil's Bridge, got chatting with another old-boy on a rather aged Honda, and we rode back towards Slaidburn, via High Bentham and over a hill called Great Harlow. The top of that hill affords a glorious view southwards towards Slaidburn and Pendle Hill.

My one hour ride for a cuppa therefore finished up with me being out for about 5 hours and covering about 150 miles. Ain't life Grand?