08 April 2026

Finding Out.

  Walking through the church yard across the road from home I noticed so much of this tiny plant, it wasn't familiar to me, yet it was everywhere and I don't like not knowing what something is.


Eventually found it in this book



There it is...........Field Woodrush. Latin name Luzula campestris.




I discovered it has a common name of "Good Friday Grass". I found it on Easter Saturday! .

 "A short tuft forming rush, the leaves are fringed with white hairs. It's brown flowers, appearing from April to May,  form clusters on top of greenish stems. Common and widespread."

The yellow on my sprig is pollen and a lot was left after picking it up from where it was laying on  my laptop for the photo. Hope it's a pollen of use to bees etc as there was plenty of it in the churchyard.

Back Tomorrow


07 April 2026

All Saints, Wetheringsett.

This church never used to be open much when I lived nearby and drove and cycled by regularly but now it sometimes is, so at last I was able to go in for photos although I'd stopped on the off-chance so only had my phone camera. 

 Just inside the gate into the churchyard is this lovely big patch of mixed wild flowers, bluebells and white bells, primroses, cowslips.

All Saints is a large church, sadly now only used for services once a month and a weekly coffee morning.

Despite my poor photo the tower isn't leaning! It dates from the C14 and the rest of the church was rebuilt in the 15th Century with the usual Victorian updates.


The sign says "Mind Your Head- Low Door" and it really is a small door inset into the old one


It's a wide church with side aisles and large clerestory windows. It's very puzzling how the chancel looks so green from a distance - it must be from the trees outside and the tint of the windows because, as you can see from the closer photo of the altar it isn't painted green at all




The large East window depicts the Sermon on the Mount from the end of the C19





Three sedilia in the sanctuary, all different heights





The font dates from the C16 and the cover is a more recent memorial for a villager.




The roof beams are quite impressive 



There are two new stained glass windows by Helen Whittaker installed in 2023.





In 2016 the village put up a memorial to Richard Hakluytwho was Rector 400 years earlier. He was considered to be the very first travel writer. He found accounts of some of the first people to explore North America and encouraged more exploration and settlements.


Signs were put all around the village back roads making a six mile cycle route right around the village, which I biked many times, especially during lockdown.


In some churches  the stairway to the long gone rood loft is way out of reach but here it's easier to see.



Suffolk Church number 132 visited since 2018!

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06 April 2026

The First Art Show of the Year

I always go and look at the Annual Easter Art Exhibition at Needham Market Community Centre.


 

I'm afraid I didn't buy a catalogue so can't name the artists or the prices, which I'll probably get told-off about! Apologies.

Just a few photos of some of the paintings I liked.

Runner Ducks



Three tree paintings by two different artists



Bird lino cuts by Norfolk artist Deborah Key, she exhibits at all the local Art Exhibitions. I have two of her pictures on my 'art wall' 



I'm not usually a fan of plant paintings but this one below of Chinese Lanterns is very colourful


General views




These below are quite unusual and fun, all things that can be seen in Suffolk



As usual Helen Maxfield was showing her lino cut prints, she tends to use a different main colour each year. 5 out of the 6 below are hers, the fox is by someone else


Aldeburgh Beach - a very popular subject for Suffolk painters


And Southwold beach too


There were also lots of unframed pictures and greetings cards but nothing appealed this year.

Back Tomorrow