Nature Table ... and a Tag ...

First of all - the Nature Table! There was an article in this month's Country Living about bringing back the Nature Table into our schools. Sal at Sal's Snippets wrote a post about it here and it was also mentioned on Cherry Menlove's Forum, where I commented that I still have the photo album I won as a prize for my entry in the school Nature Table competition somewhere around 1960 - and that somewhere I had a photograph ... Well, I've found it (and I was right, I had written 1960 on the reverse), scanned it, and here it is!

There's Shirley Kingston, Jacqueline Arnold, me, Wendy Bray, Ann Warren, can't remember, Marilyn Gelsthorpe, Catherine Brown and Rosemary Ellis. Are you in the photo? Or do you know any of them? It's such a small world that nothing would surprise me! The lady standing at the back was, I think, the wife of Northampton's Deputy Mayor, and I believe she was the grandmother of one of the girls in the photo - although that may be one of those stories I've lived with for nearly 40 years which is totally incorrect! I tried Googling for her name (I think it was Mrs V J H Harris - as I felt very grown up at the time remembering all the initials!) and came across the Wikipedia entry for Northampton. I was amazed to see how many 'celebrities' the town has bred, or has been home to. I knew of several - Judy Carne (her younger cousin was in my class and junior school), Des O'Connor and Lesley Joseph - but I didn't know about Joan Hickson (Miss Marple), Peter Purves, Alan Carr or Nanette Newman. Historically, I knew of John Clare, the poet - there is (or was) a Clare Street, and practically every school in the town had a Clare house or team. There are many more that I didn't realise were Northamptonians, so I've learned quite a lot today! And did you know that Northampton was the town used in "Keeping Up Appearances"? So - which famous people has your town or city bred?

***

I've been tagged by Sal at Sal's Snippets - a blogger I've only recently come across. She has some great tales to tell and lives in Glorious Devon, lucky girl!

The tag is for the Archive Meme where we have to list the 5 favourite blog posts we've written - but it's not quite as simple as that because ...

Link 1 must be about family.
Link 2 must be about friends.
Link 3 must be about yourself, who you are … what you’re all about.
Link 4 must be about something you love.
Link 5 can be anything you choose.

Post 5 links and then tag 5 other people. At least 2 of the people must be newer acquaintances so that you get to know each other better … and don’t forget to read the archive posts and leave comments!

So, here goes!

Link 1 - about family must, of course, be Hannah's wedding last May - where has the last 9 months gone? http://vintagetovictorian.blogspot.com/2007/05/day-to-remember.html

Link 2 - about friends. I think this one needs to be a dedication to my best friend Iz (Isobel) who sadly lost her fight 20 years ago last week. We met when I was 8 and she was 9 on the school bus. All free time was spent at our house, every weekend she came to my uncle's farm with us, came on nearly every holiday with me and my parents and from that moment for the rest of my childhood and beyond I had a sister. I haven't written much about her in this post, but there are a couple of photos. I think the rest of the post relates more to the next link, but I'll find something else for that one! http://vintagetovictorian.blogspot.com/2007/09/rockin-bloggin-and-nice-matters.html

Link 3 - about me and who I am. I think this is a case of "pick a post - any post" as they are all me (but see comment in Link 2)! This post is probably the best one for background information - more related to the past than the present. http://vintagetovictorian.blogspot.com/2006/11/memories.html

Link 4 - something I love. I love gardening but, for reasons too varied to go into, have done hardly any for the past 5 years, and have consequently written no posts about it. So, all work and no play means this link should be related to my other passion of dealing in vintage textiles and antiques. http://vintagetovictorian.blogspot.com/2006/09/car-boots-and-auctions.html

Link 5 - anything at all! This one needs to be about my friend Gillie. Many of you have already 'met' her in my blog posts and some of you have met her in person. We've known one another since 1971 and she's a friend in need and deed. Unless her Northampton house sale falls through (fingers crossed all will be fine) she will be coming to stay with us from 29 February 'for as long as it takes' to find a home in the West Country. Over the years Pauley and I have had several friends live with us in the transition between an old life and a new one. Izzie 1978/79; Boz 1995; Liz 1998/99 and now Gillie in 2008. We've quite enjoyed it really, and as long as whoever is living with us doesn't expect to be waited on (and Gillie has stayed with us so often that she knows the score!!!!), everyone muddles along quite nicely! Of course, if they care to wait on us we can cope with that!! http://vintagetovictorian.blogspot.com/2007/09/winner-takes-it-all.html

Well, that turned into a marathon - there's absolutely no reason for anyone I tag to feel the need to write an essay relating to each Link. I'm obviously in chatty mode this morning (which I see is now afternoon).

If I tag you and you don't have the time or inclination I won't be in the least offended!

So, you lucky bloggers - I would like to tag ...

Serendipity Loves New York

56dustbunny

Lili M

Periwinkle

The Homely Year

Although the rules states that 2 blogs should be newer acquaintances, I decided to make all mine 'new'. I certainly haven't tagged any of them before!

Time for lunch now - doesn't time fly when you sit in front of the computer! Enjoy the rest of Sunday, folks!