Off bright and early for the morning croissants. For some reason as I parked the car the village bandstand, one of those invisible features of daily life, caught my eye . Why we should have such a grand edifice in such a small community is an impenetrable mystery of French life. For most of the winter it stands deserted and unused in the centre of the windy ramparts . However, this morning , silhouetted by the rising sun , you could almost feel it re-emerging as the centre of village life. Soon its isolation will be over, the local pre-schoolers and their toys will be festooning its steps while their mothers seek shade from the morning heat under its roof. How quickly the year moves on, sometimes it's as if you can almost hear the world turning .Wilf greeted me on the kitchen terrace when I got home. His face was turned towards me but his attention was undividedly focused on the bag containing the croissants. I scratched his head and called him ' Mister ever hopeful'. Undaunted he followed me into the house.
Hi there Angus
ReplyDeleteI love coming to your blog...it extends my mind to beyond my own immediate paradigm...and brings a smile to my face...always! Thank you for that!
May I comment on two things:
THE BANDSTAND: I dare you to one day, pause a moment under its shade and concoct an aria of whistles for your villagers...I am sure they will be delighted! A bandstand is meant for music! Show them!
SISAL: Do you know, as I child, I was fully encultured into a Sotho community. We used strips of sisal to hunt for termites. Sisal strands are incredibly sticky and if you feed them into anthills and their channels, the termites pinch them and can't release themselves. Termites, called "Maggeggas" in Sotho are a rich source of protein to some rural folk. Where does your sisal carpet originate?
Take care and give the boyz a cuddle from us.
(Just a snippet of trivia I thought you might enjoy)
We have one of those bandstands near here, and you know when summer has arrived because the concerts in the park on Friday nights begin. It's rather nice!
ReplyDeleteThe funny part is I was eating my morning yogurt as I read this and Blueberry and Bunny are both sitting here gazing at me with adoration. Funny that their attention shifted when I moved the cup from side to side! I guess we have a pair of Miss Ever Hopefuls here!
Hi Angus
ReplyDeleteThe bandstand in Duthie Park is part of my daily routine. The only creatures who ever visit it in winter are dogs and their owners.
Ah croissants..... From my point of view they smell so much better than they taste, so I tend to leave them for Gail. Far inferior to butteries in my humble opinion, although Gail rarely buys those, for some reason considering them particularly unhealthy...
As for being 'ever hopeful', well that surely is one of the great gifts to the world that dogs can offer!
Cheers, H.
Oooh, wish I hadn't read Caryl's comments on protein-rich termites before breakfast...
ReplyDeleteAs for the bandstand, I can only hope we'll be treated to a mid-summer photo of Madame Bay in all her glory, regaling the crowds with excerpts from La Boehme! Wilf and Digby can accompany her, of course!
Your bandstand looks ever so much more substantial than the gazebos that dot our fair city. Very Music Man. I like it.
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