Years ago we lived in a village which held an annual scarecrow festival as a fundraiser. Tetney village is much larger than this one and the many villagers fell into various factions: the ones who belonged to the Mother's Union, the Women's Institute members, the Church-goers, the Village Hall people, and those who preferred the pub - oh, and there was one other group, they mischieviously called themselves the T.W.A.T.S. Tetney W(h)ine and Tasting Society.
There would be Cream Teas in the Village Hall, a Flower Festival in the church, horse rides on the village green, along with Tombola stalls, face painting, craft stalls, tug of war, raffles and so on. Everywhere was dressed up with bunting, we all wore happy smiles, though there were always deeper elements and undercurrents...think Midsomer Murder.
Villagers were expected to produce a scarecrow of some kind, then display it in their garden. It was a big event and raised a lot of money because it attracted so many visitors.
Worzel Gummidge and Aunt Sally were the ones I decided to make - how I wish I had kept them, the birds are already trying to feast on the tender plants in the vegetable garden.
Ah, well. Can't keep everything.
I had to rummage around to find a few old clothes to make a new one for the vegetable garden in the old meadow. Unfortunately, after my purge of the dressing room (last year) there wasn't much left to choose from, or nothing I was willing to sacrifice anyway.
Eventually I found some old bits hidden away in a cubby hole, old fleecey things. Deeply unattractive, but they do the job. A bit of spotty fabric for a neckerchief, an old straw hat, and there we are.
Meet Dotty Oldmeadow.
She's not much of a looker but she is out there day and night doing her best. Can't ask for more than that.
Nearly as stylish as your haircut. I love Dotty’s very dashingly tied top, quite the scarecrow around town type of thing.
ReplyDeleteIf you send me your address I have just the thing in my greenhouse for her arms. Packets of bird scaring tin foil howsyourfathers, bought from the organic garden catalogue. In true me tradition I had to buy a box full. I saw them the other day and wondered who I could lumber them... oops I mean give some to!
LX
Hello Lettice - sorry for the delay in responding (migraine). Thanks for the offer, sounds just the ticket for an extra layer of scariness!
DeleteAm now on haircut number two, I fear it is something which becomes addictive. Snip snip here and a snip snip there until one day i end up looking like a coconut!
I really ought to make one of those for our garden but I fear it would blow away today.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to say she is still at her post, despite all those strong winds!
DeleteShe seems too well dressed to be a scarecrow. What's keeping her hat on when the wind close?
ReplyDeleteIt is securely tied on with brown, hairy string, Marcia. It matches the straw hat. Not pretty, but it does the job.
DeleteLove them!
ReplyDeleteShe is working well, gz!
DeleteHope she works hard and doesn't just stand around doing nothing!
ReplyDeleteShe does like to stand and stare, but at least she doesn't wander off, Sue. Given me a start once or twice, a glimpse from the corner of the eye and she looks real!
DeleteOh I do love your Dotty. Hope she's up to the job.
ReplyDeleteShe certainly puts in the hours Linda!
DeleteLove her name and her illustrious relatives from your history.
ReplyDeleteWe have no trouble with the birds in the veg plot (just lots of them in the fruit trees, but hopefully just collecting the pests.
I have blown the dust off my 1970s kerchief like that one and have been wearing it to keep the pollen off my hair!
Hello BB, I am currently reading a marvellous old 1915 war time cookery book which was written by Dotty's great grandfather, Earnest Oldmeadow. It is so much more than a simple recipe book, he was a man of very strong opinions, very much of his time and yet also quite appropriate for much that has gone on in the world in recent years.
DeleteI hope you are not suffering badly with the pollen.
I love Dotty - very stylish - hope she does the job.
ReplyDeleteHello Susan, She has withstood high winds and hot sunshine, one day of rain and some chilly nights. She hasn't sneaked off yet, so I hope she will see the job out to the end of the season.
DeleteI have the very same hat. Won't say what I paid for it. I won't send it, either, like LL. It hangs flat against a window to block the morning sun.
ReplyDeleteI pinched that one off the hat rack - far too many hats up there which never get used. I think it was one which belonged to my Aunt Lilian, who you probably remember, Joanne. (She of the walking stick which she wasn't afraid to poke me with...!)
DeleteLove Dotty! She styled very well, loving the knot at her hip ( do scarecrows have hips?) hope she works hard at her job :)
ReplyDeleteShe is a stylish gal, in her own way. She does have hips, Ann. We added them to make it easier to attached her trousers!
DeleteVery stylish, I hope she is up to the job!
ReplyDeleteNo complaints about her work ethic. She works long hours and refuses to leave her post in bad weather!
DeleteShe looks like she will keep the birds away from your garden, and even sports a bit of style with her red scarf. I like your listing of the groups in the village, I would be hard to categorize since I am a church goer who likes pubs. I guess I am in two groups, ha ha.
ReplyDeleteHello Terra - Sorry, only just seen your comment. In that case you can have the freedom of the village, though this village no longer has a church; only the peaceful graveyard remains, and that just happens to be at the very end of a short green lane which leads to ... the pub!
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