The Wolds – Page 2 – Susie Hemingway

I have spent the morning baking for our Village Spring Flower Show, which is tomorrow. In the morning I will pick a flower or two and some nice greenery, to make a small display to enter. There are not many flowers in my garden that are in bloom at the moment, mostly daffodils but I will see what I can come up with. Although listed as a flower show, there is always a very successful baking section, a wonderful display of scrumptious home baking. Cakes, scones, flans, jams, lemon-curds all manner of goodies . There are some very fine cooks and chefs in the Village but it’s always great fun to enter even as a novice. Some of the men, who would never normally cook have a go, and I can vouch that some of their flapjacks turn out to be very fine indeed! When the serious business of judging is over, all the items are auctioned off, which is such great fun, causing a lot of merriment, as we all get to bid on each others offerings and very often go home with something special for tea.

Shown above: Two simple fruit cakes with a little touch of brandy in each. One ‘old fashioned’ Apple-pie, and Two, Ham, Mustard, Egg and Cheese Flans.

Published Again!

By Susie

On March 30, 2009

In Books, Lincolnshire, Poetry, The Wolds, Uncategorized

How nice to be published today in this unusual collection of poetry. These poems were written by a group of this country’s poets about life here in the UK. Putting together their feelings, thoughts and opinions about their homeland which defines our unique culture and spirit. A somewhat different style for me, as I am known for my ‘poems of love’ see http://www.susiehemingway.blogspot.com still in many ways my poem written about Horncastle and shown here below, is still in a way, a poem of love.

Published by United Press Ltd 2009.

Well It Seems Like Spring Has Come ?

By Susie

On March 29, 2009

In Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

Itâ€™s been a long Winter this year but today the sun shone as tender shoots started to turn green. The vivid yellow of the Laburnum was in evidence from my windows and the air had that little hint. As the sheep returned to the fields even the Cat came along to saviour this glorious sunny morning. Yes, I know we had heavy snow here last year on Easter Sunday! when it was even difficult to get in and out of the village but although chilly today, it indeed feels like Spring has come.

Well You Have To Take A Pie.

By Susie

On March 13, 2009

In Cooking, Food, Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

Decided to make a giant 13 inch Chicken Pie to take on Saturday for the “Pie and Pea do” at the Village Hall. I do hope they enjoy.

Pie and Peas with the Ploughman’s

By Susie

On March 6, 2009

In Food, Lincolnshire, Music, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

An evening with the Ploughmans Bunch with friends joining us next Saturday in our little village. Looking forward to that, a great group see http://www.pbunch.blogspot.com and www.myspace.com/ploughmensbunch. Oh dear! and I forgot I am reading a couple of my poems too! should be a fun evening.

"Horncastle" by Susie Hemingway.

By Susie

On January 20, 2009

In Lincolnshire, Poetry, The Wolds, Uncategorized

This very enticing bustling town

With old streets that go round and round

With brimming river running through

It was so nice to share with you

A market place that stands so proud

Where, on a good day, the crowds abound

Horncastle, its charms and you

With seagulls and a sky of blue

We stood to watch the ducks in view

A lovely place to spend us two,

A charming town with lovely folk

Who always stop to chat and joke,

The pretty streets in olden days

A halcyon town in every way

Time spent in Horncastle dear with you

A smile it brings when I review…

Copyright@ 2008

Poem selected for publication in the forthcoming book “Heartlands”

Around Our Village at Christmastime.

By Susie

On December 10, 2008

In Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

The following poem has been written to be read at our Community Carol service this year. We have the most wonderful trail of sixteen brilliant rope-light pictures, depicting the Nativity and telling so beautifully, the Christmas story. The route is shown on a map at the Village Hall and follows a trail through the fields and along the lanes of our tiny village. We all gather together for the displays to be switched on and to sing carols and to watch the fun of a small play. Afterwards we enjoy a supper of festive treats. The Trail remains lit between 5pm and 9pm each day up to and including Christmas Day.

Flowers To Cheer.

By Susie

On November 24, 2008

In Gardens and Gardening, Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

My dear sister brought these beautiful roses as a gift at the weekend, how lovely they are and how they cheered and lifted our spirits. It has been rather a sad week in our little village, losing a much loved older village member. Arthur was in his eighties and had started work at the age of thirteen on the local farm – he was such an interesting and very knowledgeable man – often winning the first prize at the village vegetable show. He knew all there was to know about growing vegetables and was a fount of knowledge for us all. He answered all our gardening questions with such grace and clarity. He had not been well in recent years but still managed to tend his plot and produce the best tasting and marvelously ‘giant’ marrows and onions amongst all other vegetables, that I have ever seen. We will miss him at all the shows and when on our walks, seeing him with his cheery smile, sitting in his window, waiting with a wave. Today we celebrated his life. The village church was full to bursting as over two hundred people paid their respects to this much loved man. He never travelled far, once visiting Skegness but didn’t like it much there, quickly returning to his beloved village. Arthur was honoured with a medal from the Queen for forty years service to farming but carried on for many more years after that. He was laid to rest in the village churchyard with his family and many friends around him. We will miss him so.

Late Autumn – the last of the leaves – We Will Remember Them.

By Susie

On November 8, 2008

In Current Affairs, Gardens and Gardening, Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

From my window across the fields, the leaves are nearly gone, it is chilly and starting to look somewhat bleak already. Still my little firs give some colour to the view now that Winter approaches.

It is Remembrance Sunday tomorrow and our thoughts return to those who gave their lives for us in the first and second World Wars. We also remember the brave men who have been lost, in the Falklands War, in Iraq and Afghanistan. In our little village, at the service tomorrow, we shall wear our poppies with pride as we remember these brave and courageous men

They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun We Will Remember Them…

A Room With A View

By Susie

On October 22, 2008

In Health Issues, Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

As many of my readers know, days for me are not always ‘good to my heart’ Watching my husband’s journey with the very debilitating illness Multiple Myeloma, does not always make for the ‘sunniest’ of days. Still here we are, almost as Summer Time comes to an end, and over one year since Hamada underwent a Stem Cell Transplant, how fortunate we are, in so many ways. One to have made it so far when the outlook was very grim for him. Also to be living in this wonderful country village which I know has been a daily tonic. These were the views upon lifting my blinds this late October morning. Yes, we have much to be thankful for.

Village Pleasures

By Susie

On October 7, 2008

In Food, Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

This Saturday we attended the village ‘Lincoln Red’ Roast Beef Dinner, held in the village hall. It was a great affair with every detail of fine dining attended to. Large plates of scrumptious roast beef served with horseradish and jacket potatoes, salads, some very palatable wines and the most wonderful display of desserts and with the very good company, it made an excellent evening.

The Downhill Challenge

By Susie

On September 15, 2008

In Lincolnshire, The Wolds, Uncategorized, Village

Yesterday we attended the downhill challenge which is an event for gravity racers. Just a stones throw to this beautiful little wolds village with the very long steep hill running through. Teams take place in various classes covering the downhill course of approximately 800 metres. Such fun with some novelty entries to some very slick ones indeed.

The weather was great and we marched up the hill to watch closely from behind the straw bales these wonderful ‘gravity racers’ come hurtling down the hill to their chosen music. A fantastic atmosphere ensued, as we clapped and cheered amid such excitement, as each entry tried to get the best time or at least improve on their own, before being towed up to the top of the hill to do it all over again.

With the many stalls and the prevailing smell of bacon butties, hamburgers, and sausage babs wafting through the late summer air, it was a really lovely way to spend a Sunday with family and friends.

The Joys of Cycling

By Susie

On September 4, 2008

In The Wolds, Travel, Uncategorized, Village

Recently I started to cycle again. It is I might say a long time since I first learnt to ride and more than forty-five years since I last sat on a bike. My sister Jenny suggested that it might be a great way of getting some much needed exercise and a good way of exploring at close quarters, the lanes and fields that surround our homes. Oh! such fun and great excitement and with a pounding heart as I tucked my jeans into the bicycle clips so kindly lent by a friend we passed in the village, how kind as he took off his own clips to give to me “can’t have you getting caught in the chain on your first day dear” So off I ventured to this new delight in my sixty- first year!

The first day was a real success and returning home all in one piece I longed to cycle again. Now having been cycling for a few weeks the delights of this pursuit are astounding, to ride on a sunny day along the lanes and see the newly harvested fields of corn and wheat instead of whizzing by in my car. To smell the grass and earth, to see the different leaves and colours of our beautiful land. To look at closely again, the berry filled hedges, the different views as we stopped to admire this wonderful countryside, stretching our eyes as far as we can to see across these patchwork fields of green, browns and gold. To see the little cottages nestling in their valleys and the church steeples in the distance. To pass by the huge rusty red cows and to see the geese marching past. To breathe the wondrous air and feel the wind on your face and hair as you freewheel down the hills after the long slog up, is quite perfect. My sister and I wave to our friends as we pass them by and explore lanes as we have never seen them before. This pursuit has taken me back to my childhood and yes -I know what your thinking! – I have fallen off once, luckily on the edge of a field so the landing was soft and no damage done.

Everyday my confidence has grown, so now I feel proficient to ride without my first fear. What a lovely pastime to start again after all these years! how exhilarating this feeling of freedom and how I rejoice in it all, thank you for suggesting it dear Jenny, how I love this new adventure.

Category: The Wolds Page 2 of 3

Life Is Fragile – Love is Not.

So spins our lives in turning chasms of change,

blurred and slippery as water

cascading over slimy rocks,

my wordless gesture in troubled times

invades your worried mind,

fiercely as the brushing hand to restless horse

my smile confirms, to reassure your fretful gaze,

as hell as life sometimes appears

in daily disclosing of newer pain,

my heart swoops and suffers,

my misty eyes, my soul knows

life is fragile, but love is not.

As birds black and shiny soar

to ‘crow’ in noisy rattle begin,

another nasty turn like sin,

to stab in pain, to etch within,

to reproduce in making bold this latest evidence,

dismissing in magicians wand, I wave again

I wave again…

To struggle and plunge I flounder there

impeach myself, still always care,

frightened, damp and cold

my misty eyes, my soul knows

life is fragile, but love is not

love is not…

All Rights ReservedÂ @Â May 2009