Recent Reading
I always enjoy the Mitchell and Markby books.
The next in the Wesley Peterson series. Hopefully there are still a few more left to read.
I discovered there was a new Vera Stanhope book to read. Its ages since I read one and I had forgotten what a good writer Ann Cleeves is. Strangely much as I love the books I couldn't get on with the tv series at all!
Garden Produce
D grew some chilli peppers for the first time this year and did very well with them. The last few he used to make this sauce.
The pumpkins we bought from Stoneleigh - the large one was carved and with the others I made Turk's Turban soup and Wizard Hat Pasties and D made a Pumpkin Stir Fry and there is enough left combined with a butternut squash I have to make a pumpkin pie.
Hallowe'en Evening we were all booked to go on a Ghost Walk in Lichfield. The weather forecast was dire and in the end only D and I went. It was dry when we arrived but for most of the walk it just teemed down with very heavy rain. Luckily we had a golf umbrella so apart from wet feet and lower trousers we managed to keep fairly dry.
Due to the weather I didn't take my camera so all these were taken by D. The Ghost Walk was very good and full of ghostly tales with some history thrown in. Unfortunately I couldn't hear the most interesting parts by the Cathedral as it was Bell Ringing Practice night! Even D struggled to hear and the poor guide almost lost her voice from trying to talk so loud. There were tales though of Lichfield being a site visited by pilgrims and about lots of bodies near the cathedral being unearthed from shallow graves. Lichfield was besieged during the Civil War. I really must try and buy a book on the history of Lichfield as it is such an interesting place.
The walk started at St Mary's in the city centre with ghostly tales of how bodies from a local family were put silently in a crypt late at night.
We were told about the possibility that the name Lichfield means "field of the dead" as it is told that a thousand Christians were martyred here in AD300.
After tales of haunted pubs and other buildings in the centre and tales of the ghost of a prior we walked up to Erasmus Darwin's house and the Cathedral.
Lichfield is a very lovely city as the tour reminded me. D and I have been a few times as there is a lot to see there and I certainly need to revisit the Cathedral as I've never had a good look around.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and by D with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone ever wishes to use one or more I would be grateful please for an email first - thanks).
After reading most of DI Hilary Green series I went back to Lord of the Rings which I have just about finished. It's the umpteenth time I read it but I think this will be the last as I starting seeing how it was a bit long winded. I have the Hobbet next on my Kindle. Nothing like a ghost walk to scare the living daylights out of you. Check my Tuesday blog and see what one person did in our village.https://spudsdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2022/11/halloween-photos.html
ReplyDeleteBilly Blue Eyes. - Thank you and I will have to check out the DI Hilary Green series. I've read the Lord of the Rings about 3 times now but as you say it is long. The Hobbit is more readable. I found The Silmarillion hard going tbh and Unfinished Tales!! Will check out your blog - thanks for the link :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you would like Burial Rites by Hannah Kent? Certainly worth checking it out and downloading a sample on your Kindle. It's quite a haunting and chilling read.
ReplyDeleteYour Hallowe'en night out looks good, although I'm sorry it was marred by the campanologists and rain.
Dave's devilishly hot chilli sauce looks good. You must tell us what it was like when you use it.
Super post. Your rather wet walk around Lichfield looks so atmospheric I bet you were glad for the large umbrellas. We hope to go to Lichfield soon especially if there is a Christmas tree festival in the Cathedral this year. Devilish Dave's chilli sauce looks good and all your Halloween cooking sounds wonderful. Kate Ellis and Ann Cleeves are two of my favourite authors. I remember reading one or two Mitchell and Markby books a few years ago and I forgot all about them, there are probably many more now, I'll search the library catalogue. Have a lovely weekend:)
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. I will definitely seek out the book you suggest :)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I quite liked listening to the bell ringing as I love church bells! but they were loud and so hard to hear the guide especially with my rubbish hearing!! The rain was a pain. Tbh I would have dropped out too but didnt want to disappoint D!
Rosie - Thanks so much. Yes it was very atmospheric. We would have been soaked through in minutes without those large umbrellas some people didn't have one and they looked so wet!!
Ooh I must check out a possible Cmas tree festival as I still haven't had a really good look round the Cathedral. I know last year they did a light show which if they repeat looks good too! I do like Lichfield a lot and if E's flat purchase does finally go through and we do move it may be a good location. Much as I want to get miles from here to somewhere really rural like Herefordshire, OH doesn't and wants to be fairly close to E and, as he doesn't mind Lichfield, it may be a good compromise. I have been looking at houses there for ages but so many are new builds which I really do not want.
I am quite enjoying the Mitchell and Markby books - yes there are I think quite a lot now. Have a lovely weekend too.
The ghost walk looks fun :-)
ReplyDeleteYou should make time to visit the Cathedral, there are some interesting things to see inside.
Cherry Pie - Thank you. I have been inside the cathedral a couple of times but both were on a Sunday with services about to begin so time was very limited!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun - apart from the rain! :-)
ReplyDeleteMillymollymandy - Thanks so much. Rain was awful especially annoyed I trod in deep puddle and got really wet feet! To be honest up to me I wouldn't have gone but I know David was looking forward to it.
ReplyDelete