Daffodill Sunday

A lot of people around the Revel group of village parishes had been looking forward to 19 April this year when Daffodil Sunday was to be held at Newnham Paddox once again on the property of the Earl and Duchess of Denbigh. So were we, especially with weather forecast looking so good for days in advance.

So the day was! It started off cool but sunny and continued that way and just getting warmer and warmer. But anyway, we English talk too much about the weather, so more about the event.

Got to the grounds at 10:30 and found Emily on the gate doing a Stirling job of directing early visitors and late stall holders to where they could park etc. Emily pointed us in the right direction to the St John's Bell ringers stall where we found Jenny and a stall which was just about ready for business - a good thing too, as there were quite a few visitors already milling around looking at arts crafts, produce and other exhibitions.

Our job for the day was to look after this stall and raise as much as we could by selling merchandise and 'triangles' in the treasure hunt to raise money for the new bells that we are hoping to have installed in St John's tower at Brinklow. It was however the 'treasure hunt' that drew the most interest and many 'triangles' were sold. Of course a lot of punters thought we knew where it was - but didn't, only Bernard who designed the wonderful map of the Revel district knew the answer to that (we hope).

During breaks from stall minding, Audrone and I took turns to walk around the park and lake, to visit some of the other stalls, look at the exhibitions of farm machinery, classic cars and a couple of really vintage petrol and diesel engines demonstrated by Tim Wykes.

The walk around the lake is super, and there were lots of families and people out to enjoy it. The natural beauty of the lake and its surrounding trees, shrubs and (of course) bulbs, is further enhanced by sculptures set along the path at irregular intervals. They are reflective but allusive and the themes vary from classic images to some modern earth-mother iconism. I am sure that anyone walking around the two lakes set in these rural and mainly agricultural grounds would find peace and solace reclining in the many and well placed parkland seats there.

There are of course lots of other things to talk about this day but it is probably best to tell it in pictures instead . . . . . . Oh and this is only the first part of three short catch-up-postings for this week!

So that is about it for Daffodillia, next stop is er. . . . . well yes, SUTTON STOP!!