It’s a Street Market morning, first one of the year. Winter has passed, the light has returned and all feels well with the world as I set off for Granby. Though the days of darkness have been hard for many our once every five years go at proper democracy is only a month away. And dull though the election campaign has been so far, it does lift the heart to know that the current custodians of austerity politics may well be gone soon, despite the barking and howling of their lap dog and attack dog media.
Along Smithdown.
And Ullet Road, a perfect Spring morning.
Then this.
The pay to enter thing I will not dignify with its name. Squatting on our public land in Spring now too this year. Oh well, maybe soon such élitism will become a thing of the past.
Cheered by blossoms on Croxteth Road.
And our lovely gates on Princes Park.
Nearly there.
And here we are.
Yes, it’s in a new place.
And here comes Tommy!
As cheering as the first cuckoo in Spring might be elsewhere, the arrival of Tommy Calderbank always shows all is well in Liverpool 8.
And the market happens.
Joe Farrag, one of the Market organisers introduces the artwork.
“Created in 1999 by a collective called “Unheard Voices, Unseen Lives” led by local artist David Jacques. The banners of Liverpool school children from around here early in the 20th Century referencing the depopulation of Liverpool during that Century – their presence on the empty buildings on Ducie St here being a poignant statement on how national government strategy and local housing policy can and did create localised depopulation and decline.”
While Erika Rushton of the 4 Streets Community Land Trust talks, well, animatedly!
Hours pass, many friends are met, new people find us, the story of the place is told and retold. All will be well here now. All will be well.
As the shadows lengthen the Market is over, until the first Saturday next month.
And I walk on.
Back along Ullet Road past the gorgeous Unitarian Church.
To somewhere quite different though equally lovely.
Sarah and Bren are cooking.
Over a fire.
So I have a look around in the early evening sunlight.
And the big news here at Plot 44?
The Magnolia Tree is in flower.
Elsewhere?
This little shoot will be a giant gunnera come the summer.
Sarah and Bren have finished their tea and are washing up.
On a perfect evening.
All is well.
Here at Greenbank Lane Allotments.
Elsewhere Everton have won and Liverpool have lost.
Here Spring is with us. Easter in fact.
And there are eggs.
Sarah and Bren think these are starling eggs though they’re not absolutely sure. Sadly, they also think the nest has been abandoned for some reason. But the allotment site is full of birds so there will be more eggs, more babies. This being the feast of fertility, of Astarte, of Oestre.
Happy Easter!
And remember, from now on the Street Market will be on the first Saturday of each month until the end of the Summer. Don’t worry about forgetting, I’ll be reminding you!
The title of this piece and the bit about ‘barking and howling’ are quotes from this song by the late and very great Michael Marra. Listen once and it will light up the rest of your life.
I’m glad you mentioned Elections I’m in the thick of it standing as a Local Election candidate for the Labour Party in Kettering , another excellent post with all the lovely photos