Yorkshire – God’s Own County

December 31, 2009

Sir Patrick Stewart

Filed under: Yorkshire Arts & Music, Yorkshire Folk — brian @ 6:02 am

After waiting for Godo-nly knows how many decades (well 6.9 actually) the Mirfield lad made good with an OBE in 2001 and now a Knighthood (KBE) in 2009.

He is the Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. ‘Sir Pat’ is also a Patron of Refuge, the national charity supporting women and children who are victims of domestic violence and has sponsored a scholarship for a three-year full-time doctoral study in the area of children and domestic violence at Huddersfield. Patrick Stewart has also been a committed human rights activist. He tells the story of how he got involved in human rights advocacy when he heard of an Eastern European theater troupe that got jailed for trying to perform a Shakespeare play. ‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark’ may be an apposite quote from Hamlet.

Of his role in Star Trek he is reported to have said ‘you know all of those years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, all those years of playing kings and princes and speaking black verse, and bestriding the landscape of England was nothing but a preparation for sitting in the captain’s chair of the Enterprise.’

As CNN said the ‘Queen says make it so‘ and we want to add our congratulations to Sir Patrick.

AND GOD MADE YORKSHIRE

Filed under: Wit and Humour — brian @ 5:10 am


Making Yorkshire God’s Own County


Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven God went missing for six days.

Eventually, Archangel Michael found him on the seventh day resting.

He enquired of God, ‘Where have you been?’

God pointed downwards through the clouds. Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, ‘What is it?’

‘It’s a planet,’ replied God, ‘and I’ve put LIFE on it. I’m going to call it Earth and it’s going to be a great place of balance.’

‘Balance?’ inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing down to different parts of the Earth.

‘For example North America will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while South America is going to be poor; the Middle East over there will be a hot spot, and Russia will be a cold spot. Over there I’ve placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people.’

God continued pointing to the different countries.

‘This one will be extremely hot and arid while this one will be very cold and covered in ice.’

The Archangel, impressed by God’s work, then pointed to another area of land and asked, ‘What’s that?’

‘Ah,’ said God. That’s Yorkshire, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful people, great sportsmen, and many impressive cities, Minsters and Old Abbeys; it is the home of the world’s finest artists, musicians, writers, thinkers, explorers and politicians. The people from Yorkshire are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they’re going to be found travelling the world. They’ll be extremely sociable, hard-working and high-achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as speakers of truth.’

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, ‘What about balance God, you said there will be BALANCE!’

God replied very wisely, ‘Wait till you see the bunch of wazzocks I’m putting in the South !’

December 29, 2009

Ilkley Moor Baht’at on Boxing Day

Filed under: Our Yorkshire — brian @ 6:27 am

Hats were not needed by this family on the slopes of Ilkley Moor on Boxing Day. The sun shone on the sledging and created long shadows of Mary Jane and family a few years after the cooartin’. 
Escaping the fatal cowd a black hat was now covering the bald spot and thee will not need buryin’.
Given the weather it was too cold for t’worms too cum and eat thee oop but with all the poultry eaten over the holidays there is no telling who will be getting their oahn back.

Well back to a Turkey sandwich for lunch.

December 14, 2009

Embroiders Guild of Yorkshire

Filed under: Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes — brian @ 5:19 am

http://www.flickr.com/photos/badwsky/3069621966/sizes/o/

Celebrating 75 years the Embroiders Guild of Yorkshire currently has a exhibition at the University of Leeds Textile Archive. This is located at St Wilfred’s Chapel Moorlands Road Leeds and is open University times Tuesdays – Fridays until 26th February 2010.

Yorkshire is the longest serving branch of the Embroiderers Guild in the country. Yorkshire was fortunate to have as first president, Louisa Pesel who’s notes designs and collection from all around the world features in the exhibition.

Under the title ‘Natural Fibers are the Fabric of Society’ there are silk shawls from the Qing dynasty, Javanese cottons, Mediterranean embroideries and exhibits from Malaysia, China, New Zealand and Yorkshire.

There are branches of the Embroiderers guild around Yorkshire including Ackworth, City of York, Grassington & District, Halifax, Hallam, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Hull and East Riding, Lower Airedale, Nidderdale, Penistone, Ryedale, Leeds, Selby & District, Sheffield & District and Skipton. They run competitions and for 2010 they will be judged at Regional Day at Riccall, Selby, on 12th June 2010the themes include DeDenne Competition for Young Embroiderers – “Imaginary Animals” , Challenge Cup – “My Backyard” and Coats Anchor Award – “Animals”. See more on their web site

December 13, 2009

Interlude for Afternoon Tea in Shipley

Filed under: Food and Drink, Yorkshire Business and Money — Tags: , , — brian @ 8:41 am

Afternoon Tea

King George V would recognise many of the items on display at Interlude the Cafe Society tearoom ‘to be seen in’ when visiting Shipley. Between Elsie Russell’s florists and The Samaritan charity shop is an exceptionally well furbished cafe with great food and an environment to savor. High Tea comes a bit more expensive than Afternoon Tea but with boiled egg with toast soldiers for less than £2 the prices are reasonable and the choice just right.

All the tables are similar to the one shown with old china crockery and a collection of old art books, comics  and magazines to peruse. When you wish to order you have your own little bell to ring and there are numerous other touches to take in whilst you drink your Yorkshire tea.

Upstairs at  this Westgate Cafe is a boutique of vintage clothes, although my daughter thought they were more secondhand than 1920’s. Still the sound of syncopated rhythms and an occasional Charleston  wafted gently through the rooms. The emporium at the front of the cafe sells cakes and treats for you to take home if you wish and this shows the enterprise a business needs these days to survive. Support your local shops and visit Interlude when in Shipley. More about Interludes history can be found on there own web site.

Interlude

December 8, 2009

Yorkshire Shire Horses

Filed under: Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage — Tags: — brian @ 1:44 pm

Yorkshire Shire Horse

The Shire Horse is held to be the tallest of the modern draught breeds and can be black, brown, bay or grey in colouring. Its distinctive feature is long, silky hair, commonly white, on the lower part of its legs. The title “English Cart Horse” was adopted in 1878 but changed to “Shire” some years later. They are ideal for pulling vehicles and are still used for beer and bread deliveries, street cleaning and rubbish collection. There are attempts to re-introduce Shire horse-power on canals both for commerce and leisure. Shire horses continue to be used in agriculture and timber operations to complement mechanisation.

Heavy Horses
Largest individual British Heavy Horse may well be Digger the Clydesdale who is still a youngster and has some growing to do. Digger is set to enter the record books as Britain’s biggest horse as in 2007 he measured 19 hands (6ft 5in) or 9ft when his head is up. The world’s biggest horse is alleged to be Sampson, foaled in 1846 in Bedfordshire, England, stood 21.2½ hands high 7ft 2½in at his withers, and weighed approx 3,300 lb or over 1.5 tonnes.
Other varieties of draft or cart horses found in Yorkshire include, Cream Draft, Percheron, Boulonnais, Belgian, Clydesdale, Suffolk, Brabant, Shire and Ardennes.

Yorkshire Connections
Local shows at Epworth and Otley in May and Eastrington and Todmorden in June and Harthill near Sheffield are Yorkshire venues where these horses can be seen on parade.
Staintondale Shire Horse farm is a visitor attraction celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010. it is located between Whitby and Claughton near Scarborough. Web site for details.

December 7, 2009

Rhubarb Triangle

Filed under: Food and Drink, Our Yorkshire — brian @ 3:24 am

Rhubarb flower

Your rhubarb will flower like this if you don’t eat it first! Ornamental varieties of rhubarb are not grown in the ‘Rhubarb Triangle’ as rhubarb is a serious crop grown under strict conditions to produce thin pink stems from February to make into delicious pies.

The rhubarb triangle is not a gardening device but a geographic location between Wakefield, Morley, Dewsbury and Rothwell where the majority of the worlds supply of forced rhubarb is grown. The rhubarb grows in forcing sheds while it is still winter and is ready before your garden crop grown outdoors. You can force your own garden rhubarb by covering the crown of the plant with a large pot filled with loose straw to keep it dark and warm.

There is a book of Walks in the Rhubarb Triangle ‘It includes delicious recipes from Barbara Bell for rhubarb bread and butter pudding, rhubarb cheesecake and rhubarb triangles, which are a type of flapjack.’ There is even a rhubarb festival each February.

From them apples in Saltaire ‘The classic culinary use for rhubarb is in a crumble. Gently stew rhubarb chopped into two or three centimetre chunks with a splash of water or orange juice, with sugar added to taste. The cutting acidity of the rhubarb must be preserved, so be careful with the sugar. Top with a simple crumble, made with 160g of plain flour cut with about 110g of diced butter, with maybe 25g of sugar added. Cook in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes and eat hot, maybe with cream or yoghurt.’

Rhubarb Recipes have a range of different recipes including Rhubarb Ginger Smoothie

75g cooked rhubarb, retain some for garnish
40g stem ginger (chopped), 1 tablespoon ginger syrup
50g low-fat vanilla ice cream, ice cubes to serve
Place the cooked rhubarb, ginger, syrup and ice cream in the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass over ice and garnish with extra rhubarb.

Yorkshire is still the place to grow, buy and cook your rhubarb so give your taste buds a treat.

December 2, 2009

Rylstone Walks, Boulders and Calendars

Rylstone St Peter's Church

St Peter’s church in Rylstone stands above the village made famous in recent times by the Alternative Womens Institute calendar. As the church and graveyard can testify there has been a vibrant community in the locality for many centuries. The duck pond was looking a bit forlorn when I visited this week but the area is well kept and feels homely.

Round the bend
A quirky look at the village can be observed from several convex mirrors designed to help motorists.

Origins of the Alternative Womens Institute Calendar

John Richard Baker a National Park Officer for the Yorkshire Dales, died in July 1998 at the age of 54 as a result of Leukaemia. His wife Angela Baker and her friends from Rylstone local WI, had the idea of the “Alternative WI calendar” to raise funds for Leukaemia & Lymphoma research. This idea provided much mirth and entertainment for her husband throughout the later part of his illness but regrettably he did not live to see the calendar and the great success that followed.

To donate to Leukaemia Research

Bardon Moor
Barden Moor and Fell with the twin skyline landmarks of Rylstone Cross and Cracoe Pinnacle from the church. The drystone walls were in excellent order and the late afternoon winter light made the whole area glow.
Rylstone ridge near Skipton is one of the most scenic Yorkshire grit crags, with fine views across Barden Moor, Wharfedale and the Malham hills. It is well known amongst boulderers for it’s quiet location. There are several good walks from Rylstone including one that takes you along Rylstone edge to Cracoe or along the railway track that was closed in 1962.

To the south is Norton Tower a 16th Century square tower built by Richard Norton but damage in 1569 and now sadly just a ruin.

There are several good eating places and hostelries in the near by villages and Rylstone is worth a trip if you are feeling like a bit of exercise.

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