REMEMBERING IN QUEEN'S PARK

Mr. HCB was going to a breakfast for the men in our Church this morning, so I got him to drop me off just after 8 a.m. outside Queen’s Park, a local park in the middle of the town, which is looking beautiful at the moment, because there are so many colourful trees.

As I walked into the park, I could see that there were large poster-size photographs strapped onto various trees.  I went online and found out that these were put up by one of the local parishes to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.  A very poignant reminder.

Many of the young men lived nearby and it was very moving to read their stories - although some of them died, some didn’t, so obviously came home to their families, but as very different men.  

One of the men had been a tailor in a large shop, Collards, just up the road from the park and had lost the use of his right hand from injuries he sustained - so one wonders how he managed after the war because he obviously couldn’t continue in his job.  

I had gone into the park intending to take a photograph for Silly Saturday, but after walking round and when I got home and looked at the photographs, it somehow seemed much too frivolous to do this, but I have put my little teddy bear, wearing his red poppy, sitting on the gorilla’s hand at the top of the collage. Apparently, this gorilla was created by Tom Gleeson, who was also the creator of the rusty-looking cow that I blipped last week and was installed in the park in 1994, on a stone plinth overlooking the lake.

The photograph in the middle at the bottom of the collage was taken very quickly - I heard a “whoosh” behind me and turned to see two swans flying from one end of the lake to the other.   There were plenty of squirrels around and I had to shoo one away when it got rather too close to me for comfort.  

For those who live locally, the display is in the park during November and is well worth a visit - it was certainly very peaceful and I’m glad I could see these photographs and silently pay my respects to all those who gave their lives that we might be free.

Today I am grateful for:

1.  A beautiful sunny morning showing off the lovely autumn colours
2.  All those who gave their lives in both World Wars 
3.  A warm home.