Posted on by Ronnie Hughes

The Ladybird Book of England

England blueLook who’s been writing poems on their holiday!

“Looking down on Ludlow Castle
From the cliff across the river,
One more day in the Ladybird Book of England.

Red brick houses cluster round it,
Plaques on nearly every one.
Who stayed there
And when their time here ended.

High upon this common land ,
Gazing down at the wealth below me,
One more day in the Ladybird Book of England.

Ladybird02See Ludlow!

In England near to the Welsh Border. It is very beautiful and Sarah, Bren and Ronnie have been staying near here this week.

Some men looked sceptically at Ronnie with his new camera as they crossed the road.
Some men look sceptically at Ronnie with his new camera as they cross the road.

He doesn’t care, as they give a sense of human scale to his picture anyway!

Here is where we stayed.
Here is the holiday kitchen sink.

On a farm with sheep outside the window.

See Bren and Sarah feed the chickens.
See Bren and Sarah feed the chickens.
They are always hungry and will gobble up anything.
They are always hungry and will gobble up anything.
Cock is a fine looking creature who wakes us up early each morning.
Cock is a fine looking creature who wakes them up early each morning.
In the evenings we cook our food and drink beer and wine.
In the evenings they cook food and drink all their beer and wine.
Sarah always lights candles and puts flowers on the table.
Sarah always lights candles and puts flowers on the table.
She is also a pyromaniac.
She is also a pyromaniac.
See, here is one of Sarah's fires.
See, here is one of Sarah’s fires.

Each day the three friends go walking.

And one day there is a very big walk.
And one day there is a very big walk.

Which will get its own blog post.

With Spring Squill and much more besides.
With Spring Squill and much more besides.

Including hungry pigs!

Then this day they come to look at the castle.
Then this day they come to look at the castle.
Which is when they realise...
Which is when they realise…
They are on holiday in the Ladybird Book of England.
They are on holiday in the Ladybird Book of England.

They laugh like drains at first, as they say they share a common appreciation of a good and ironic cliché. As the laughter dies down, one by one the three friends admit they’re not really being ironic at all and have always thought that Ladybird Books are really good. Particularly the illustrations.

“The Ladybird Book of the Weather taught me all I needed to know about clouds and rain!” admits an admiring Sarah.

And the three friends gaze down in wonder...
And the three friends gaze down in wonder…
At the Weir...
At the Weir…
And the town full of plaques on all the houses...
And the town full of plaques on all the houses…
And the blue remembered hills...
And the blue remembered hills…
And the castle of course.
And the castle of course.
Walking on happily through the impossibly beautiful sunlit glade they will remember in their dreams.
Walking on happily through the impossibly beautiful sunlit glade they will remember in their dreams.
Still full of snowdrops as it's still late winter in this part of England.
Full of snowdrops yet, as it’s still late winter in this part of England.
Then fully thermalled up they enjoy their lunch sat outside the café by the river.
Then fully thermalled up they enjoy their lunch sat outside the café by the river.

After lunch see them walk round a lovely town that hasn’t yet been strangled by the grasping hands of multi-national capitalism!

There is the obviously grand.
There is the obviously grand.
But also the quietly magnificent.
But also the quietly magnificent.
See here a man makes and fixes things with his hands!
See here a man makes and fixes things with his hands!
Next, come and have a look in here.
Next, come and have a look in here.
A shop so beautiful...
A shop so beautiful…
So out of time...
So out of time…
And yet thriving anyway...
And yet thriving anyway…
That even Ronnie is lost for words in admiration.
That even Ronnie is lost for words in admiration.
Precisely!
Precisely!

Next, see Bren and Sarah pick their breakfast and tea from one of the three independent butcher’s in the town.

Everything here is local and seasonal and the butcher is a knowledgeable and friendly man.
Everything here is local and seasonal and the butcher is a knowledgeable and friendly man.

All of the town is good for shops. Even for the likes of vegetarian Ronnie!

The days pass by in deep happiness.
The days pass by in deep happiness.

Sometimes the three friends walks take them into Wales. But all too soon it is time to come home.

On the way they stop at Bishop's Castle.
On the way they stop at Bishop’s Castle.
A hilly village with a clever seat.
A hilly village with a clever seat.
And a bowling green where its castle used to be.
And a bowling green where its castle used to be.
The three friends love to see a good bowling green.
The three friends love to see a good bowling green.
And they love a good lunch out in the sunshine too.
And they love a good lunch out in the sunshine too.

After a lovely holiday in…England red

 Big thanks to Sarah for coming up with the phrase for where we went and for making the lovely tribute books covers. Sincere thanks also to Ladybird Books for a lifetime’s knowledge and inspiration.

Come back tomorrow for more holiday photos when the three chums go on a really big walk!

9 Replies to “The Ladybird Book of England”

  2. Goodness, that was delightful! I’ve passed this to a blogging friend living near Ludlow.
    I remember the Ladybird books….very informative and easy to read. Whatever happened to mine? Probably passed on to the cousins like so much else very much against my will.

    Reply

  3. Been laughing to myself imagining Ziggy going along the fence and singing You Dont Own Me in a dead loud catty voice
    ” I’m young and I love to be young, I’ m free and I love to be free””! X

    Reply

  4. So sorry Ronnie! Was reading yr blog and sending email to daughter about her kitten’s first anxiety making outing ( for daughter) along the back fences and via the railway embankment and got the two mixed up!
    enjoying reading about your hol and fab photos x

    Reply

  6. Late as always Ronnie, but I LOVE that shop! Real things like teapots and seeds that you can pick up and explore! A shop you can happily lose hours in finding unusual and useful stuff! What a delight is Ludlow! Ladybird books rule!

    Reply

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