Jack-in-the-Green, photos

Jack-in-the-Green Festival, Hastings

I'm so excited for this May Bank Holiday the Jack-in-the-green festival takes place in Hastings! It'll be the first one I've been to!

This time of year has long been an important part of the annual calendar because it marks the beginning of summer and as such has always been a day for celebration.

In the 16th and 17th centuries in England people would make garlands of flowers and leaves for the May Day celebration and they became increasingly elaborate. By the 18th century, decorations had become a matter for competition, milkmaids in London carried garlands on their heads with silver objects on them, but the crown had to go to the chimney sweeps... Their garland was so big it covered the entire man!! It became known as Jack in the Green.

The Grand Procession takes place in Hastings Old Town on Monday 7th May.

Bodiam Castle, East Suusex

Last weekend we visited Bodiam Castle in East Sussex. Bodiam Castle was built in 1735 as a defence against the French during the Hundred Year War and also served as comfortable home. The exterior is pretty much intact and the castle sits in a beautiful moat. The interior features fireplaces, spiral staircases, a well, walls and window frames, even medeival toilets(!) enough of which survive to really get a feel of what it would have looked like...

 

 

Happy Spring!!

Ah, 20th March, it's now officially here... Spring! Bringing all the excitement of longer and warmer days...

It's also Persian New Year today, Nowruz, meaning 'New Day', I'm not Persian but my colleague who sits opposite me at work is and she bought these delicious treats in for us all! Mmm, cinnamon and pistachio treats!

Perry and gardening

Wasn't the weekend that just passed, beautiful?! The first truly Springy one! So as we promised ourselves, we cracked open the first bottle of our perry! And... it was delicious!! Well worth the wait! Nice and dry and flat with a lovely taste of the pears. We enjoyed it outside in the sunshine after the first phase of planting in the Hastings garden!

Cheers!

Diana Mini

I've just treated myself to one of these!


I chose this camera because of the vibrantly coloured and deeply saturated prints it produces and thought it would be great to use to take photos of Hastings on sunny days.

I will soon be posting what the first film reveals! Exciting!!

Check out the galleries HERE ...