Wortley Park

Mum and I had a walk through Wortley Park. Come with us. The views are lovely over towards Barnsley.



The hedgrows are bursting at this time of year.

This shot is just short of a mouse!

We went through the gates into the grounds of the hall.

The wood pile must be home to millions of mini beasts.

The lavender is in full bloom.

It smells divine.

And the colours are lovely.

We peeped into the walled garden where they grow all the fruit and vegetables. Next Saturday afternoon, if you take your own knife, fork, plate and soft drink, they will make you an organic salad - for free!

The "hot" borders are looking lovely this year too.

My mum couldn't believe how many photos I took of "daft things". She said I was wasting my "film". I tried to explain about digital photography, and I showed her the SD memory card, but I think I just confused her even more.

So here is one more "daft thing".

Trying times with teenagers

Just as the young man and I were about to leave for his cricket match on Sunday morning, they rang to say it had been cancelled because of rain. And so I suggested that we took ourselves off to the RSPB site at Old Moor to get some fresh air - and perhaps the Dancing Queen could accompany us too. They could hardly contain their excitement!!!!



On arrrival, they were perked up a bit by the "Graffiti" on the subway which had been specially comissioned by the RSPB.

They found everything amusing - in that really annoying teenage way! From the gear that all the "twitchers" were wearing, to the very loud "slam" when the door of the hide got whipped out of my hand by the wind and shook the building, scaring all the birds - when I had been "shushing" them all way around!

The dancing queen enjoyed a spot of photography.

I was amazed at how low the water levels had got.

The foliage looked gorgeous even in the rain.

We were privelidged to see all 5 of the Kestrals that had recently hatched in the rafters of the visitor centre. This perked the Young Man up as he has recentley read "Kes" at school and thinks it is brilliant (which it is).

They spotted the sign for the cafe - so that was that.

The verdict? Yes they will come back with me next time, as long as they can do a proper lunch in the cafe (the Sunday roast and Yorkshire puds did look and smell great!)

(Note: This is not the menu!!)

And as anyone who has ever escorted school kids on a trip knows - the very best bit of any visit is.............

The gift shop!!!

Around Barnsley

...or as they would say around here - "rarnd tarn" (its very difficult to spell broad Yorkshire!).

I found myself on Saturday with no playmates, and so I thought I would take myself off to Barnsley.

I hadn't been to Barnsley town centre for ages - the last time I went I thought it ought to be twinned with Beirut! So I had been in no hurry to go back. Barnsley has been a victim of economic times since Maggie Thatcher and Arthur Scargill went to war. The town was a mining town and when all the mines closed, they were replaces by - nothing. It also used to have several large clothing factories (no one in Barnsley had need to shop in M&S, you could get everything from the factory shops!), sadly, every one of them now manufacturing in the far east and replaced by - nothing. Barnsley is one of the top 10 towns in Britain where employment in the public sector is greater than the private sector, so once again it is bracing itself for even more unemployment and decimation of its communities.

After my last visit a few years ago, I wasn't expecting much, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

The town hall is a bit different from other northern town halls which all seem to be Victorian Extravaganza's. Although it has been cleaned up, it still bears some of the grime from when it was surrounded by the coal mining industry - I think it adds to its charm.

Planting around the town hall is very "Parks and Gardens", again adding to the charm.

Now you don't expect to see this in Barnsley do you, fashion capitol of the north? I don't think so, but Pollyanna (a shop where I have never been able to afford to shop in) has been at the top of its game since the early 1980's thanks to its powerhouse of a person, owner Rita Britton. It also has a great little cafe too (with a french chef). In fact the town now has lots of very lovely little cafes.

The town boasts a couple of very pretty Edwardian Arcades. This one has had a recent makeover and now features some lovely little shops including a stunning little vintage shop selling brilliant vintage children clothing and handmade gifts.

The town centre was hit hard (like every town and city centre in South Yorkshire) when the huge shopping mall "Meadowhall" was built near Sheffield, however it hit back by building a small indoor mall in the town centre itself (genius) unlike Rotherham who built its mall out of town (bad idea).

My mission was to check out the once famous Barnsley Market.

Now here's an idea for all you fans of bunting - try using cheap, England ladies thongy pants! Very effective! Only in Barnsley!!!!

I worked in Barnsley in the 1980's and the market was fabulous then. Thanks to our manufacturing overseas policy in the UK, the market no longer boasts the fantastic fabrics, shoes and clothing it used to sell, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a few really good stalls. Some of the stalls have been here since time begun.

And its still great for haberdashery. I bought 2 HUGE reels of ribbons for just £1.

The food market still thrives - great quality, priced to suit the tight Yorkshire folk. I couldn't help compare the great look of the fruit, veg meat and fish with the sad offerings we get in supermarkets.

All of the bakery stalls are local bakers (the town has a fair few bakeries - one of them sells baguettes to France!)

I hate supermarket fish - you can't beat a proper fishmongers.

WARNING - vegetarians and those of a nervous disposition may need to look away now!

I have only seen stalls in Barnsley and in France selling delicacies like these - Tripe, pig bag(!!) cow heels, pigs trotters, chitterlings. I admire the french for using all of the animal in their cooking, and surprise surprise, they are still doing this here in Barnsley. Ive only had tripe once, and it didn't taste of anything, I'll have to find a french recipe!

Before I left, I had to check to see if the roundabout was still there. Its been here ever since I was a little girl. Like me, it has faded charm and is most definitely an antique, but still in great working order!

It made me think - I use supermarkets because they are convenient. I work on a business park in the middle of nowhere, and can't get to a market in the week. I also (like the queen) never have any cash on me and use my "switch " card in the supermarket. However, I may have to change my habits. Market shopping is more fun, cheaper, more seasonal and the produce is far superior.

Barnsley - I'll be back!!! Or as they say in Barnsley, "I'll si thi"

And can I just say, for the third time in as many posts, I got some funny looks taking my photo's - especially on the offal stall!!!!

The Meadow??

When I drive into Sheffield, I travel through an estate that is in need of much regeneration. They have pulled a lot of the houses down over the last couple of years, and someone had the genius idea of sowing wild flowers on these patches.



I got a few funny looks when I stopped to take photographs (from the residents of the estate and also my passengers in the car!!!), but I think it looks beautiful.

Well done to the council person who had this brilliant idea.

Jesus

You have all seen the pictures where the image of Jesus has appeared on toast, or in a cappuccino etc. Well I noticed the other day at work, that the grain of the wood on the ladies toilet door features the face of Jesus - can you see him?

He has the beard and everything!!

My colleagues thought I was insane photographing the toilet door, but when I explained about the Jesus face, I thought that they were going to have me sectioned! I daren't tell them I can see an alien on the inside of the door!!!

This is not the first time I have seen the face of Jesus in something unusual. We were camping in Mashan, North Yorkshire one rainy summer. The inner tent stuck to the outer tent with all the rain, and the face of Jesus appeared on the roof. Now I know that Masham has two breweries, and we had toured them both, but it was nothing to do with the "Black Sheep", or the "Old Peculiar".

Another Tart!

The young man made this fabulous tart in his school cookery lesson. It was so delicious, I thought I would share his recipe with you.

Pear and Chocolate Tart
Ingredients:
Shortcrust Pastry (8 oz Plain flour, 2oz of marg and 2 oz lard)
125g ground almonds
2 large eggs
125g butter
95g sugar
185g dark chocolate - melted
3 conference pears, peeled, cored, quartered
Creme Fraiche to serve

Pre heat Oven to 190c/375f/gas 5. Roll out pastry (half cm thick) and line tart tin. Rest lined tart tin for 20 min in freezer.

Bake pastry blind for 10 mins, then remove, set aside and reduce oven temperature to 170c/325f/gas 3.

Mix almonds, eggs, butter and sugar and stir in melted chocolate. Pour mixture into pastry case and press the pears into the mixture.

Bake for 45 mins until pastry is golden brown and the chocolate and almond mixture is firm.

Serve warm or cold with creme fraiche. Delish!!

You may be wondering why the pastry weights are in imperial whilst the rest of the weights are in metric. When I was at school, you had to make your own pastry, but his recipe said to take in ready made shortcrust pastry. I decided that he needed to know how to make pastry, so I used my old school recipe book for this.

A fast economical tart!

No - not me!!



I made a mediteranian tart for lunch boxes. The packet of Puff Pastry (15p from my super special little shop which ive still not told you about!) was spread with a little pesto made from a huge bunch of Asda "whoopsed" Basil (20p), sliced "whoopsed" tomatoes and red peppers (60p for a great big bag), dotted with Mozzerella and even more Basil, and cooked to perfection.





Pass me a glass of Chianti!