Tag Archives: poetry

Exploring some of Flintham’s hidden treasures

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tina's open garden

A dozen glorious gardens, plants, paintings and poetry, homemade cakes and opportunities for a little retail therapy – there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Flintham this weekend!

From 12 noon to 5pm on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June, 12 gardens in the village will be open to the public, many of them normally hidden from view due to Flintham’s unique design with its houses facing straight onto the street.

For the first time, the Girls Around Town‘s very own Tina Bettison will be showing off her artist’s garden. A Greek goddess, modern sculpture, the Stumpery and stone cairns sit among cottage garden borders and a long rectangular pond, a mix of formality and wilderness in equal measure.

Tina will also be hosting the plant sale, while a selection of artworks from her Cosmos collection will be on display in the Diva Den and, weather permitting, in the garden itself.

New member of the Girls Around Town team Fiona Theokritoff will be there too. With her poet’s hat on, she’ll be sharing some of her work and may even be writing some new poems during the weekend.

Elsewhere in the village, Anthea Chalmers will be opening both her garden and her jewellery studio – local artist Sally Anne Morten will be showing and selling her work – and botanical artist Barbara Munro’s work will be on display in her garden.

The village community shop will be open on both days, as will Flintham’s award-winning village museum.  The current museum shop window display, described by volunteer curator Sue Clayton as ‘a riot of colour with unexpected quirky touches of humour’, features the four seasons of the English garden through unsold shop stock and advertising material.

Parking will be available in the paddock behind the village hall – just follow the signs – and admission to the 12 open gardens is £5 per person (under 12s free). Teas and homemade cakes will be on sale in the village hall and all proceeds from the weekend will go to village good causes.

A Nottinghamshire event with international appeal

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bramley food fest 2From a handful of pips planted in a cottage garden over 200 years ago to the world’s most well-known cooking apple – every October, the town of Southwell hosts a celebration of its beloved Bramley.

Like the fruit itself, the Southwell Bramley Apple Festival continues to grow and organisers are promising it will be bigger and better than ever when it returns on Saturday 24 October.

Despite the fact that its origins are firmly rooted in Nottinghamshire, today the apple once nicknamed The King of Covent Garden flourishes as far afield as Japan, where grafts taken to the country were used to establish orchards, mainly around the town of Obuse.

They even have their own book of 27 Bramley recipes and among the visitors to this year’s festival is Professor Matsumoto, a Japanese apple researcher who will be taking part in the opening ceremony and helping to strengthen the links between Southwell and Japanese apple growers.

So what’s on the menu for this year’s festival?

Start your day in historic Southwell Minster, the stunning setting for the Festival of Food and Drink, where you’ll find cookery demonstrations, an impressive display of apples from John Hempsall’s Heritage Orchard and 30 stalls representing the very best of local produce.

bramley workhouseVisit the recently refurbished Archbishop’s Palace and Education Centre for children’s craft and cookery activities, including a mystery trail and quiz in the garden. And for more apple-related activities, take a stroll down to Southwell Workhouse where you can have a go at creating the longest apple peel, follow an apple trail and listen to stories from The Workhouse Storytellers.

bramley apple pieNo celebration of the Bramley would be complete without pies of course! As always members of the Nottinghamshire Federation of Women’s Institutes will be making their contribution with the Annual Apple Pie Competition – head over to Southwell’s local library, the Bramley Centre, to see the entries and while you’re there check out the WI stalls and sample some of their refreshments.

Local retailers will be entering into the festival spirit with apple-themed window displays and there’ll be music and dance from the Lord Conyers Morris Men and the Minster School Ceilidh Band.

With the Bramley Apple Painting Competition, the Poetry Competition, a giant apple workshop and the crowning of this year’s Bramley Apple King and Queen – not to mention a special Bramley Race at Southwell Racecourse on Thursday 22 September – it all adds up to a sure-fire recipe for success.

For more information about things to see and do at this year’s festival, visit the website or contact the Tourist Information Centre on 01636 819038.

Our favourite things…2

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v2v marilyn dressHere’s another one of our favourite places owned by John and Siouxsie, two more of our favourite people.

Hardly a week goes by without one of us dropping into Vintage2Versace to check out the latest stock in this treasure trove of beautiful things – June being the biggest culprit of course, it’s handbag heaven! Not to mention the hats, shoes, jewellery and the most extensive collection of vintage and couture clothing outside London…

And with coffee and cakes as tempting (well, almost!) as the goodies in the shop itself, The Secret Garden Café is a great place for a break from shopping or a quick catch-up with friends. What’s not to like?!

It’s also the venue for regular events and next month there’s a chance to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style in an evening which combines poetry and fashion.

From 7.30pm to 9.30pm on Friday 14 February there’ll be love poetry composed and read by Fiona Theokritoff and Deborah Tyler-Bennett as well as classic works read by John Knight, followed by a fashion parade of beautiful ballgowns and desirable dresses.

Wine and canapés will be served throughout the evening and tickets are on sale now, priced £15 each or £25 for two. Visit the shop at 6 Stodman Street, email admin@vintage2versace.co.uk or call 01636 676999 for more details and bookings.