Bisterne Scarecrow Festival Trail 2021

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.

The Trail Picked Up Again

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. REPEAT IF REQUIRED.

Jackie watering

Today was one for Jackie to water her babies, and for me to dead-head the Rose Garden.

Dahlias

We have many dahlias enhancing various beds;

Palm Bed

and rudbeckia, canna lilies, Japanese anemones, and buddleia blending in the Palm Bed.

This afternoon we hit the Hordle Scarecrow Trail once more.

Scarecrow 1

Entry No. 1, at 9, Longfield Road, is a commendable Junior effort.  ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is embellished by the Cheshire Cat in the window.

Scarecrow 2

A number of Individual competitors have chosen to portray ‘Rapunzel’. No. 2 at 33 Longfield Field road has set the heroine in her castle prison, with her hair trailing along the shrubbery;

Scarecrow 10.1Scarecrow 10.2

at 8, Myrtle Close, entry number 10, she resembles a lengthy caterpillar snaking along the top of the fence;

Scarecrow 7

No.7, at Rose Cottage, Woodcock Lane is an imaginative junior entry. The castle has been incorporated, and the eponymous character hangs out of the window.

Scarecrow 4

‘Three Little Pigs’, No.4, at 152 Everton Road tells the story to which I referred in ‘The Uses of Enchantment’.

Scarecrow 5

There are two ‘Pinocchio’s. 3, White Barn Crescent houses entry number 5;

Scarecrow 6

no.6 at 3, Mallard Close, also features Jiminy Cricket. This excellent piece of work was an Anglo-Canadian collaboration, in that the creator’s Canadian grandchildren had a big hand in the operation. Making Pinocchio a puppet on strings is a splendid touch.

Scarecrow 9.1Scarecrow 9.2

‘The Wizard of Oz’ at 62, Everton Road, entry number nine, is interactive. Not content with  three-dimensional references to L. Frank Baum’s story, Robert Gill has provided a witch on the gatepost. If you dare to press the button you will get a scare.

Scarecrow 8.1

You could easily miss parts of entry number 8 at Beehive Cottage, 86B Everton Road. Firstly, why ‘Crow White’? Surely she is ‘Snow White’? Not if she’s a scarecrow, she isn’t.

Scarecrow 8.2

Then, she bemoans lack of help with the housework.

Scarecrow 8.4

If you look up to the bedroom window you will see the wicked stepmother reflected in her mirror;

Scarecrow 8.3

but unless you investigate the Land Rover parked in front of the garage, you won’t see the ugly old woman into whom she was transformed, with the poisoned apple on the dashboard. It was useful to have my Driver’s extra pair of eyes to take in all this.

Scarecrow 12

Looking decidedly out of her element was ‘The Little Mermaid’, the Hordle W.I. entry number 12.

This evening we dined on roast beef, new potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and green beans, with scrumptious gravy. I finished the Fleurie, and Jackie drank Hoegaarden.