Michaelmas 2021

It is the first week of October, both the Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas have now passed. My early September adventures have been covered in Diary of a Nobody. Links to that blog and those that preceded it, are below. The weather is cool now and the high winds, which were infrequent in September, look set to return. The leaves were already turning and dropping throughout September, now they are being blown away.

The equinox and Michaelmas in some ways merge, the symbolism of the latter often regarded as a Christianisation of the former. Those familiar with my writings, will be aware that I often use the old pre-Reformation names for festivals. I acknowledge by their continued use, a link to the rich folkloric heritage of Britain and Europe. This is the time of the harvest, the wheat and grains gathered in during August and September, make way now for fruit picking.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th of September saw the Woodland Festival return to Elvaston Castle Country Park. This is the former country seat of the Earls of Harrington and a truly scenic place, it is where I once held charity picnics (links again below). The Woodland Festival was cancelled in 2020, a victim of the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic. To see this and other events now return to the calendar, is both pleasing and reassuring. After near giving up hope of seeing normality again, we can now have a glimpse of what life was before COVID. If we learn anything from the pandemic, it perhaps should be to value what we have and avoid complacency.

I was unfortunately unwell on the Saturday. My ongoing health concerns although less acute, do still and from time to time, interfere with my plans. The Saturday was a fine day but the Sunday stated off rather wet. Deciding to risk the journey as I was feeling much brighter, I donned a light jacket and thin sweater. By the time I had reached the park some forty minutes later by foot, the wind had blown the clouds away. The late morning was now one of bright sunlight and I was now over dressed. The chilly air had all but passed and we could enjoy a late summer heat wave.

I unfortunately missed the Vikings of Middle England displaying their combat skills, their morning session was just finishing as I arrived. I contented myself wondering about their displays and the various craft stalls nearby. I purchased a veggie burger from a nearby vendor and continued to explore the park. Various stalls and displays were spread about the main public areas, from the showground through to the picnic areas closer to the hall. I am told that there were fewer stalls than in previous years, which is perhaps to be expected. Many events such as this, are only just finding their feet after the hiatus caused by the Lockdowns. I did not really notice that there were fewer stalls than usual, as my old favourites were all present. Basket weaving, besom making and that wonderful storyteller, the Greenman (Birch Tree Performances – Facebook link below). They were all present.

Continuing my walk, I eventually found myself in the gardens and almost totally alone. Usually on a weekend the gardens are busy but today, although there were groups around the corner in the courtyard, it was clear that the majority of people were at the festival. This left one half of the park near deserted. I enjoyed a few minutes of solitude, before taking advantage of being alone and snapping pictures of the hall without people getting in shot.

Deciding to begin my slow walk home and back the way I had come, I had the unexpected pleasure of bumping into a few old friends, many of whom I had not seen years. I bought caramelised almonds on my walk and deviating through the temporary fairground, I bought candyfloss to take home. You cannot go to a fair and not buy candy floss, can you?

The Autumn Equinox itself fell on Wednesday the 22nd and at first, I had no particular plans for the day. I had the pleasant surprise of a former work colleague (Helen) asking me if I wanted to join her for a walk. I did not turn down the offer and we returned to Elvaston, her husband (John) dropping us off in the carpark. Being midweek and late afternoon, the park was less busy than the usual weekends or when there is an event. We had a very enjoyable walk, once more enjoying the Autumn sunshine and the attractive surroundings. I managed to shoot the hall rather better than I had done at the weekend, the sunlight giving the stone frontage an appealing warm tone.

I posed for a few more portraits, setting the camera so Helen only had to focus and shoot. We have had several impromptu shoots during the summer and Helen is getting annoying talented at capturing me. Pursuing photography as a hobby, means that I am usually behind the camera. This dearth of pictures of me, has often been a complaint of my nieces. This year as I have slowly recovered my health, I have had far more pictures taken of me than ever before. This has pleased my family and friends a great deal, they have so few and it has provided me with new publicity stills for publishers. If Helen gets any better at photography however, I may give it up. She is getting too good.

Our plan was to walk home, Elvaston Park is only two or three miles from my home. Making our way past the walled garden (closed after 5pm) and the famous mulberry tree, we made our way towards the village of Elvaston. We however and totally on the spur of the moment, changed our minds. Deciding instead to walk to the Harrington Arms in Thulston for dinner.

The walk would have been shorter if we had decided sooner and cut through the park, there are connecting footpaths. We were however, already on the outskirts of one village and our destination lay in the next. We were content to walk through the village and appreciate the attractive cottage gardens.

John was unable to join us for dinner but agreed to collect us later. The Harringaton Arms obviously takes its name from the local Earl and is a fine, traditional country pub. The link to their Facebook page is below. They serve excellent food and jolly good cider. Helen and I had as our starters, quite possibly the best prawn cocktails either of us have ever tasted.

It really was not that late when we left the pub but it was pitch dark. Thulston has very few streetlights, which I envy. We had a clear view of the night sky, a rare experience these days and I was able to pick out Mars. A faint pink dot next to a brighter one, perhaps Jupiter or Saturn. I cannot be sure. I am sure however, that there are worse ways to spend an equinox, than a walk in the country, dinner at a country pub and a little planet spotting.

The last week of September was Banned Books Week, an initiative that I was totally ignorant of until it was over. I present my thoughts in the blog ‘A Library of Banned Books?’ (the link is below). The thought of banned book and banned authors, has certainly caused me to pause. Which is of course the point of the initiative, to make us think on that thorny issue of censorship. Not far away from here, on ‘t’other side of Nottingham town’ (as we say in Derbyshire) is the former home of D.H. Lawrence. He was an author that saw more than one of his works banned in his lifetime, not just the infamous Lady Chatterley’s Lover. He knew this area well. He knew the local families and the local scandals. It is claimed that amongst the several women that he used as a basis for the character of Lady Chatterley, one was a Countess of Harrington. Her ladyship now lies in the churchyard adjacent to the manor where she once lived.

‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ (Galatians 6:7 KJB). We harvest the consequences of our actions and some are unavoidable. The Countess lies buried in the churchyard, the family forgave her that much but she does not lie within the family vault. That was denied her. The consolation is that she found happiness, outside of her difficult marriage.

I am also harvesting the consequences of my actions this Michaelmas, I am not yet well enough to return to work and soon I will be on half pay. Circumstance and our responsive actions, can have far reaching influences. As the nights now draw ever darker and as I behold a future unforeseen, I see a Hallowtide that is I hope less dark and a Yuletide that promises adventure.

The Summer of 2021