The Community of Bisterne and its surrounds are to be congratulated on recovering this event in the time of Covid 19. Although there were fewer displays than normal we enjoyed many of the old favourites on our drive round on this overcast morning.
‘Rapunzel’ came on first, letting down her golden locks at Kingston Farm, North Cottage.
Her provenance was noted on her lonely wooden tower.
Ashbourne cottage at Kingston displayed both
‘Doctor Jock’
and ‘Duggee and the Scarecrow Badge’.
Outside 2 Avondale Cottages Colin Furze advertises his website.
‘Bear’ of Cobbs Cottage is a genuine figure of straw.
Celebratory punsters produced ‘Hip HIPPO ray. The Scarecrows are Back’, outside Iona, 18 Christchurch Road.
Unfortunately the woman who made ‘Wish you were ‘ere’ was not at home today when I knocked on the door of Rose Cottage, Bagnum to congratulate her on the first prize in her category because when I had spoken to her about her excellent entry two years ago she had been disappointed not to have won. I hope she sees this.
37 Sandford always give us an excellent tableau.
This year’s ‘Sandford Grand National’ was no exception.
Their neighbours at 39 Sandford produced both
‘Cosmic Horoscope’, with its pinned predictions and
penned posting with which I heartily agree;
and ‘Santa’s Workshop’ where we are invited to write a letter to him and post it in the pillar box provided.
Two displays, ‘Orinocho Womble sez Please Pick Up Your Litter’ on the driveway to Stable Family Home Trust;
and ‘Reuse & Recycle’, were messages to those who deface the environment with their rubbish.
With ‘Free Britney’ The Stable Family Home Garden Cottage sought justice for Britney Spears.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy pasta arrabbiata with which she drank more of the Greco di Tufo and I drank Faugeres 2019.
I immensely enjoy your photo reportages of the Scarecrow Festivals every year, Derrick, and I am happy that Covid has not dampened it.
Thank you so much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
So many fun figures! I didn’t know Britney was in trouble. 😂
Her legal battle with her Dad was followed in the news over here. Thanks a lot, John
Such a wonderful display of creativity! Thank you for sharing these, Derrick.
“Wish you were ‘ere” is marvelous! (But I enjoyed all of the scarecrow displays.)
Thanks very much to you, too, Merril
This may be one of my favorite posts. Great displays and imagination
Would love to see; it for myself someday. 😻👍🙏🤓
This may be one of my favorite posts. Great displays and imagination
Would love to see; it for myself someday. 😻👍🙏🤓
I’m pleased you like it, Pat. Thanks very much
The scarecrows are all great! What a fun festival as the summer comes to an end!
It is. Thanks very much, Janet
On second look, I have to say I think Bear is best!
These are amazing!
They are, Sheree. Thanks very much
Absolutely fascinating and worthily covered in your reportage, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Roland
It’s so cool you see this every year and remember your favorites from previous years. It was so sweet of you to want to congratulate the winner, Derrick. I hope she sees this, too.
Thank you so much, Jodie
: )
OH! There’s Santy Claus!!! Hey, Santy!!! 😀
ALL of these scarecrows, animals, and scenes are so GREAT!!! 🙂
I always look forward to you showing them to us!
<3 "Wish you were 'ere" and the Hugging Teddy-Bear! <3 Both smile-bringers! 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you so much, Carolyn X
I ❤️ this event and can hardly believe that it’s time for it again!
Thank you very much, Donna. Today is the last day
What fun! Thanks for sharing with us, Derrick!
And thank you, too, Jill
Love the creative displays. Couldn’t help laughing at #Free Britney 🙂
Thanks very much, Rosaliene. That one had the same effect on Jackie
Oh, how fun. The hippos are the hit.
Thanks very much, Bridget. They must have an artist in the family
Very clever scarecrows! (The winning entry strikes me as rather sad. Intentional, I expect.)
Yes. Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
This is so cute. A fun time!
Yes. Thanks very much, Luanne
A great feast of creativity, ingenuity and wit. Thank you for letting us enjoy it too.
I’m pleased you have, Tootlepedal. Thank you, too
Wonderful and very expressive post
Thanks very much, Mina
What a delightful Englishy sort of a thing.
Thanks a lot, John
A fantastic collection of Scarecrows Derrick … and I have the perfect poem for you, this wonderful piece is by a poet friend of mine , Robert Okaji (Texas) … https://robertokaji.com/category/poetry-2/
Scarecrow Dreams
If by night I move without aid,
what then? Precious flesh, precious
bone, never mine to lose – the difference
between nothingness and no thing. A
pity that my friends fly at the merest
movement, but when the air’s breath
stills, they sing and rattle among the
grain, scribing their days in song
and footprints, seeking the available
on the ground. And what scrolls lower
than the sound of sunflowers turning?
The laughing daughter runs around
my lattice spine, scattering joy like so
many seeds, and when my hollow
fingers clench, the earth quivers, or
so it seems. Then midnight returns
and I disengage and stalk about,
scaring rodents and their predators,
hooting in harmony with the owls
reveling in the night air, remembering
the holy shirt, a yellow glove, corn
silk’s gleam at noon and the warmth
of your fingers against my burlap skin.
I do not breathe, I say, but I exist. By
morning what joins me but the tune
of yet another bird, unseen, melodious,
the pulse of morning’s dew. Eternity.
How my straw tongue longs to sip it.
“Scarecrow Dreams” first appeared in the summer 2017 edition of Eclectica. Many thanks to poetry editor Jen Finstrom, for publishing several of my scarecrow poems.
Thanks very much, Ivor. Bob’s scarecrows are really good poems, and this, perhaps the best – I had forgotten it.
Haha .. a lucky pick by Ivor then ..
Oh, how fun is this. Norm and I like the steeple chase and Doctor Jock.
Two of the best, Chrissy. Thanks very much.
Hahaha…this is really a very interesting event! That hippo is cute 😆
Thank you very much, Ribana. They couldn’t do it last year, of course.
This is so much fun! Gladys really gets around. I have to commend the displays encouraging trash clean up and recycling, and poor Brittany gave me a chuckle. The Wish You Were ‘Ere couple seems very, um… relaxed.
I am pleased you liked them, JoAnna. Thanks very much
This certainly seems a fun event, although the ‘scarecrows’ weren’t exactly what I was expecting. I’ll confess it: my favorite was the bear made of bales. What can I say? In some ways I’m a traditionalist!
Yes. They are often a bit different. Thanks very much, Linda
Aren’t these people so clever and imaginative! I’m sure you and Jackie would come up with something equally fun, but it would be a bit beyond my realm of invention.
Thanks very much, Gwen. The Hordle one, which isn’t on this year would have been our nearest, but we are on the wrong side of the road to enter.
Use a neighbour’s address to register next year 🙂
Ooh, you are naughty
* she grins *
Without you, who would have taken us to the Scarecrow Festival? Thank you for those photographs, and Jackie for taking you there.
Many thanks from us both, Uma
What fun! Glad the scarecrow festival is on this year.
Thanks very much, Laurie. They have done well to keep it going.
What a lot of creative effort goes into these displays! I am delighted by all of them.
Thank you very much, Anne. All these people do this every year – except, of course the last one.
A wonderful selection,although I wouldn’t want to tangle with “Doctor Jock” and his vaccination needle.
Nor me, John. Thanks a lot
Thanks, Derrick. I look forward to this every year! My vote would have gone to 37 Sanford, although the Santa’s Workshop sure showed a lot of work went into it.
Thanks a lot, GP. Your choice was a good one. We were too late to vote because the last day was today. I would have probably gone with the header photo because of the earlier conversation I had had with the creator.
thoroughly enjoyed this, Derrick! thank you for taking us along! love the header photo. a wholesome fun!
Thank you so much, Lola
What a super scarecrow hunt. You’ve shown some excellent ones.
This is the second year running due to Covid that our village hasn’t held one. Ours is run by the primary school and volunteer parents and is usually a splendid sight.
Given that this must have been planned during lockdown I think it was amazing that they managed this many
My thoughts exactly!
I agree, and didn’t they do well!
How delightful and what a wonderful showing of creativity.
Thank you very much, Eugi
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I always love seeing scenes from the scarecrow festival!
Thank you so much, Lavinia
What fun, love the “wish you were here” beach scene but also the story Rapunzel – now I think you need a scarecrow somewhere in your garden…
Thanks very much, Catherine. Jackie wails “I like the crows” 🙂
j
I’ll have to go with ‘Bear’ of Cobbs Cottage for the win. 😀
Thanks a lot, Widders
Excellent display. The jockeys were the best 😁
Thanks very much, Helen. They were marvellous
😊
They’ve excelled themselves, what a hoot.
Especially as when they were planning we must have been in lockdown. Thanks very much, Lindsey.