Slobs

I know, you have had enough of me rabbiting on about litter. Scroll through if you don't want to see the reality of how it is blighting our countryside. 

On my way to Lincoln on Saturday I stopped for a few minutes at this layby on the other side of Scunthorpe. It's called Mortal Ash layby. It's a long layby set back off the dual carriageway A 18. There is a tumbledown shack that is supposed to be a teabar. 

It has been a magnet for litter and fly tipping for many years. Not so long ago a team of pickers went in there over several days to clear it up. Now it's as bad again, if not worse than before. This is just one layby. 

I see lots of pictures like this on UK Litter pickers page. Teams of pickers do a good job all over the UK, but we are fighting a losing battle. Things have changed since I was a nipper, I can't ever remember scenes like this when I was growing up in a village and running around footloose and fancy free. People took pride in their frontage, rubbish was stored in the right place, not just discarded wherever they felt like it. 

I wish I could come up with some answers. Litter pickers will continue to tidy up their patch, but we are outnumbered by the amount of slobs who couldn't give a toss, literally, about the area around them. Chuck it anywhere, as long as it's out of my sight. 

Have a nice day. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Crowle Agricultural Show.

Good afternoon. 

It is Tuesday. Another day out on Sunday. I went to Crowle Agricultural Show. I was in two minds whether to go or not. Do I feel like it, do I want to, do I need to. I looked at last years blog post. Ah ha, I bought cheese from a stall there. I will go and buy some more cheese. Big disappointment, she wasn't there. 

Never mind, I'll take a few photo's. Not many, I have seen most of it before, and it's not a very big show. Have a scroll through these. 

Combines are busy in the fields just now. I am seeing lots of videos of them at work. Some great drone footage coming out. 

I watched a family excitedly looking at these pictures. A little girl was excited to see hers on the board. 

I felt sorry for the cows, being tethered like that. It was warm but there was a breeze going through the open sided tent. People kept reaching in to stroke them. The agricultural side of these shows puts me off going to any more. 

Two fluffy sheep. Looks like they had a wash and brush up before they came. 

Lots of rosettes to win if you present an animal in good condition. 

The bonus of this day out was that I met a smashing couple from Yorkshire. They were sat at a picnic bench and I asked if I could join them. Yes, of course. They very politely introduced themselves. Stacey and Robert. We got chatting, as you do. What a coincidence, we had so much in common it felt like we were old friends. These are my kind of people. When you know instantly that you are going to have a rapport with strangers, it's like instant connection. Events are all about meeting people. 

So I went home with a smile on my face, I had forgotten all about the cheese. 

Thanks for popping in. See ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

A bit more of Lincoln

It is Monday morning so I am catching up on the weekend posts. I went out yesterday to Crowle Show, so that post is still to come. So for now, what did I do after I had seen all I wanted to see at the Castle. I took a slow and unsteady walk down the cobbled Steep Hill onto the High Street. 

Lots of people about as you can imagine on a Saturday afternoon. I didn't linger as I passed the shops, just wanted to get through the crowds. My next port of call was a charity shop. If you read my blog you will remember that Pumpkin and Friends, run by Tammy and Richard, fit wheelchairs to disabled dogs. I went to see them at the Showground recently for the disabled dog walk. If you want to read about that here is the link for May 27th. 

They have a new seating area at the back of the shop. Coffee is served at £1 a cup. Much cheaper than other establishments. If you are in Lincoln regularly they give you a loyalty card to collect stamps. Five cups and the next one is free. The shop is just off the High Street at the front of where the Post Office depot vans pull in. Not far from the railway crossing. 

Then I took to wandering about with my camera, looking for a few interesting shots. The pink foliage caught my eye. 

Reflections in the water under the footbridge. 

Oh dear, ugly graffiti.

The Firth Road area looks pretty run down. A mix of new buildings in close proximity to empty abandoned warehouses and factories. A lot of student accommodation around here. 

Boarded up, nature is reclaiming it. 

The Modern Students Union building and Arts Centre. 

A walk along Brayford Wharf, over the bridge and back down the other side. Late Saturday afternoon and the pubs and eateries were thronging with party goers. I stood for a few minutes people watching when a woman I recognised left her friends and came to speak to me. Amazing coincidence. I met her a  few months ago at the Showground. Talking to strangers pays off. She runs a charity shop in a nearby village. 

I made my way back up the High Street and Steep Hill, very slowly. I'm glad I made the effort to go. Twas most enjoyable. 

I will post the pictures of Crowle Show when I have time. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

40's style in Lincoln.

Now I am fully awake after a good nights sleep. Sunday morning. So did you guess where I went  yesterday? Yep, Lincoln. I parked at the top of Steep Hill on Wragby Road. A side road off it, upon reading the signs no restrictions on a Saturday. 

A pleasant walk down to the castle and cathedral, a taxing walk back up later on. There was a forties event on at the castle. Free to go in. I love to see people dress up in their vintage costumes. Walk straight in, no charge. 

The first person I spoke to was wearing a yellow vest with a lanyard around her neck. Had to say hello, a fellow solo litter picker. What a nice lady. Hello to Jackie. Lincoln litter pickers post on Instagram. I must say, walking all around Lincoln centre, it was very clean. I noticed several purple bags of picked litter awaiting collection. Well done Lincoln Litter Pickers. 

I also noticed a young man dressed in orange overalls emptying the bins with his picking stick. I asked him if he was a volunteer, and no, he is paid by a company who have a contract with the council to keep the place tidy. Good idea I thought. Access to the bins by a vehicle is almost impossible, so this job has to be done by hand. 

A stage set up inside the grounds. Lady belting out 40's songs. Lots of applause.  

Man playing with guns, woman drinking a cup of tea. 

I'll show you how to take this gun apart, and put it back together again. 

Interesting set up for a camp. 

Woman selling home baked cakes. I bought one, £4.50, gulp. Supporting a local business. 

People queuing up to climb the steps to the walk around the walls. I have done this before, no need to go again, plus I don't like shuffling forward in a queue. 

This lovely couple happily posed for a photo. They drove themselves here in their vintage car which was on display at the front of the Cathedral. 

Chatting around the vintage vehicles. Twas a great atmosphere. 

The Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society selling their memorabilia. 

Rides on a horse and carriage if you fancy that. 

Lots going on in Lincoln today. More snap happy photo's to come.

See ya soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Good evening

Saturday night and I am sorting my photo's out. I took rather a lot today. I've been out. Here's one of them. Can you tell where I've been. 

I've had a smashing day, about an hours drive away. There was an event at the castle. I'll post some pictures over the next few days. 

Baby hedgehog is still coming for food, and he can reach into the bowls of water. So small, I could almost fit him into the palm of my hand. He seems to find his way around the garden quite well. 

Thanks for popping in. Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona