Today the focus is on Ilminster, which is in South Somerset, which probably most of you know only by name, but it is a small village somewhat south of the A303 which is one of the main arteries between London and the south-west. We booked it for the Bridport Hat Fayre because on booking.com I couldn't find any decent accommodation along the coast, with parking at a decent price, so I had to look...
The Bridport Hat Festival started in 2010. The festival was the brainchild of Roger Snook, who wanted to create a fun event that celebrated hats and brought the community together, eventually raising money for head-related charities. We arrived on the Saturday morning about 10:30. I drove Francoise as near to the center I could and then discovered a parking place about a mile away, which suited...
To set the scene, here’s a bit of context for what follows. I scan the Mendip Times each month to see what is going on. You would have thought that after my major effort yesterday in Stanton Drew I would have had enough of writing, but that's not the way it works with me. If I write a good piece then that stimulates me to write more, so in my search today Sunday we noticed a small entry...
On a fairly rainy day we kept our agreement with ourselves to go along to Stanton Drew for their annual fair, it so happens its 20th anniversary. These fayres and fetes are a custom in country places. I have written many times about the stones in the field and the timelessness of it. The population of Stanton Drew is recorded as being 781 in 2021 so let's make a wild guess and say it is ow 850....
Francoise is at that stage of recuperation when she needs to have a walk, so I thought, why not go to Somerset Lavender Farm, which is in a small village called Falkland about 6 miles from where we are. It is an ideal place to go to for light refreshments and a tea or coffee, not to mention the most delicious local ice cream. "At Somerset Lavender we have a farm shop and cafe, where you can...
August 25 2025 By coincidence I also came across this video, relevant to the morning's mood. A humorous song entitled 'I Can't Wait for the apocalypse' Put the two together and you have the catalyst for what follows: We have descended a long way from the supposed idyllic existence in the Garden of Eden, which, although it happened a long time ago, has considerable power of symbolism. When you...
1,927,316 words across 1,959 articles
Inspired by Samuel Pepys’ Diary 1633-1703
Never miss a post...
Get my Diary entries directly to your inbox!
