St George's Day..

Aunty Pop was my favourite aunt. I will always remember her on April 23rd, St George's day. Quite simple. She was in the Land Army during the war, and moved to a small village outside Gloucester in the early 1960's,we moved to the same village a few months later, about 100 yards away. Aunty and mum were very active in the Women's Institute, and mothers Union. Both would compete in the village flower show in September, always in competition with each other to get the Cups and awards. Jams, Victoria sponges, a bunch of flowers, some knitting, and the largest marrow. But Aunties piece de resistance was her home-made wine. Her 'country' wines. The big test was the Dandelion wine, and this is where St George's day comes in. To make the best dandelion wine, the dandelions should be picked on St George's day. She would take me out of school to help her, and we'd walk up the road through the village to Lionel Stanbury's field. A lovely grass meadow, yellow with dandelion heads. We would spend the morning filling buckets with the golden yellow flowers, and then back to the kitchen to clean and prepare our harvest.

I visited her grave for the first time today, and found this flower nearby. I picked it, and placed it on it. She knows why, and I know why..

Drove back to Bristol and flew back home. Filled up with shopping, and headed back to Scourie, G, Tanni, Duke and Dora.. music, the wonderful malcolm morley I promised a few days back..