Let's hear it for the turnip lantern!!

Coming out of Tesco this afternoon, every second person had a pumpkin sitting on top of their shopping. Where did these come from?? Well, obviously it is the American influence, but when did we change over from carving out a turnip to using the softie option of a pumpkin?? Yet another example of the mothers of today doing thing the easy way!

When my children were young - although they are flatly denying all recollection of this - they were sent out to do their guising with a hollowed out turnip lantern with a candle stuck in it. I had to start scooping out the inside around June as these turnips are so o o o hard and implements used varied from lethal sharp knives to screwdrivers . None of this namby pamby scooping of the pumpkin with an ordinary spoon for goodness sake. Even as I write this (to thin air I suspect but never mind!) I can smell the intense aroma from the turnip as it was bludgeoned into something vaguely resembling a hollowed out face. Then it had to have holes carved in for the eyes and teeth and its top replaced, then two holes drilled in the side for a piece of string to be threaded through. My God, I am exhausted just writing about it - thank goodness it was only once a year!

A Stare of Owls

Found a wonderful children's book yesterday by Brian Wildsmith called "Birds". As well as wonderful illustrations it lists the group names for various types of birds. Some of them are great and typify the characteristics of the birds described. For example, what better name could there be for a gathering of owls but a "stare".
Some of the others are ;
A party of jays,
a walk of snipe,
a company of parrots and my favourite - an unkindness of ravens. Great eh?

"I was with God and the devil but God took me"

Words like "amazing" and "remarkable" have been diminished as they are now used to describe everything from Cheryl Cole's amazing figure or some non entity on X Factor's remarkable voice.

However, there are not enough superlatives to describe the successful rescue of the Chilean miners who had been trapped underground for approximately 2 months. Technology meant that we could watch the capsule descend into the cavern where the men were trapped and then watch as each one was strapped in and then the tube started to rise into that shaft again. It reminded me of watching the moon landing as I thought "am I actually believing what I am watching?"

The sheer joy on everyones face as each miner was hoisted through a space around 24 inches wide was one of the most moving things to be shown on television for a very long time. Each man emerged with a dignity and a stoicism which represents miners everywhere - they are a hardy breed.

Last words must go to Mario Espina, the second miner who was brought to the surface,

"I was with God and the devil but God took me."