More of the English....

This country has so many traditions it is difficult to keep up with them all. This one is wrapped in so much history and goes back so far it's a job to know where it's roots really lie.

The Green Man. Definitely connected with ancient fertility celebrations but also has connections to forms of Thanksgiving. Whatever the actual case it must be said lots of people enjoyed themselves at the Festival in Pilton, Barnstaple this weekend. Marianne mentioned I would post a photo blog of the events, so .....

Here are just a few..... I'll post some more when I get a bit more time. Including some of Ali and her family.

This menacing 'man' carried a horn at the front of the procession, blowing it as the occasion warranted it. He seemed to perform 'warding off' dance as the proceedings got under way.

This 'man' was actuually walking around on stilts (as you can see in a further shot). You can't see the stilts and I can't imagine he was that tall :^). This is probably my favourite shot of the whole drama - he shows so much passion!

Don't know what these two heads are but they are about 1 metre across (3 feet approx.)


On the left is the tall, stilted 'man' and on the right you can see the 'warding off' dance.


One of the 'legs' of the caterpillar shown below.....

The caterpillar......


The face of the caterpillar!

The British.....

.... there is nothing quite like us Britons! Name the quaint, the unusual or the ridiculous - they're all tied up in that which is called the British Way of Life.

We have football matches which involve whole Villages or Towns kicking a pig's bladder from a pub at one end of the town to the other end (uppers and downers). There is a most famous version which is found at Ashbourn in Derbyshire. Well dressing is another tradition. Dyke vaulting (admittedly it originates in Holland)..... you name it, we have it.

Now in it's 38th year we have, near us at Witcham, a Pea Shooter Championship. Not just any old Championship you understand, but The World Championship.

I took some time out this weekend to visit it - I couldn't spend too long there, unfortunately, as I was 'on-call' and shouldn't be too long away from phone etc,. So, I never managed to get to see the Final.

Do people take this seriously? You bet! One guy had laser guided, telescopic sights set up on his. See the pictures below. There was an element of fun. Next year more time shall be spent here!