At last I can sleep properly again! The last few nights have been spent fitfully listening to the radio in the dark, while England thrash Australia in the final Test Match. Our television reception is so bad (and we don't have Sky) that we only get to see a few minutes of highlights on the BBC news, so the radio is our only way to follow the games. Last night England not only retained the Ashes for a third time, but did it away from home, against an often hostile Australian Press and home crowd and, more importantly, accomplished it with sweet skill and unity of team spirit.
Last summer, near Oxford The film clip comes from inside the loyal England supporter's camp, the Barmy Army, with Billy Cooper, the trumpeter playing - appropriately - the Last Post - as the last wicket falls to general mayhem and riotous chanting. It's the first time in 24 years that we have won the Ashes on Australian home turf, so perhaps a little jubilation is not uncalled for.
Away match at Swinbrook For my American friends, who have misty images of English teas, church bells ringing in the distance and gentle clapping to the soft thunk of leather on willow - that is village cricket; this is war! Well done England!
(Hello and welcome to my lovely new followers - normal craft and country blogging resumes next week).
(Hello and welcome to my lovely new followers - normal craft and country blogging resumes next week).
15 comments:
What do I see in that last photo ??????
Are you making more geese?????
Save one for me!
Oh yeah..cangrats on the game too ;-)
Janet xox
So brilliant isn't it! Much as I love TMS I am looking forward to getting to bed before 2am (then getting up to listen to Highlights and Podcast at 7.30am)... It's been impairing my ability to sew straight!
Haha! Well done England!
I absolutely do not understand cricket at all, in fact in an email to 'R' yesterday I said 'if I still lived near Gretel I could have some tuition on it all...' I heard on the radio something about they were in, staying in, going out, in again, this time they stay in, they go out for good, and overs and unders etc... Oh dear, I am sad. But they have won the ashes for the first time in 25 years? Then I am mighty glad about it.
Unusually for a Scottish person, I grew up with cricket - my Dad played for a local team, and we played cricket in the garden. After dinner we would have 'catching practice' in the garden ..... I can still catch anything and everything thrown at me. My Dad's speciality was to throw the ball over the house!! I have a cricket app on my ipod that lets Malcolm read all about the day's play when he gets up in the morning, saving him from having late nights!
We've been sitting up watching it until the early hours - it's absolutely brilliant isn't it? It was great seeing England win The Ashes in England but to retain them in Australia is really something. Well done Andrew Strauss & Co!
Ah yes, what can I say? Obviously the best team won, congratulations, enjoy your victory and I hope normal sleeping patterns resume quickly......
A pattern, hmmm, Gretel what are you up to?
A flock of geese perhaps, or maybe just one, can't wait to see what you have been up to.
Enjoy the weekend ......
Rule Britannia! Cricket has relatively low profile over here but there is a Toronto association and I have come across the players in their whites at Toronto's Edwards Gardens.
Hockey dominated the news here yesterday (seriously, ahead of world matters on the evening broadcasts) Canadian Juniors having lost to Team Russia. They looked crushingly abashed about it.
It makes a good background to the serious work of creativity. I love the shapes and balance of your long-necked geese.
I love how the camera goes upside down in jubilation! Congrats! I have spent those late, late nights listening to a crucial baseball game, there's nothing like it.
You and Andy were the two people I could think of who would be the most happiest today!
xxx
PG, your happiness at the Ashes result is contagious.
Imagine that someone from the States, who has seen cricket played on a village green (knowing absolutely nothing, nothing about what was going on) would like to know a bit about the game. Just imagine such a person. How would that person move forward?
Could that person move forward. Is there a book. Is there a website, is there some alchemy that would deliver me (such a person) into knowlege?
Hoping the answer is yes.
Also hoping to see more of what you are creating very soon,
xo
A great example of team spirit! Now if only the footy players could be half as good!!
I'm glad Andy made it back and you had lots of lovely treats for Christmas! :)
Oh it was sweet bliss...winning that war, the best thing of the new year. Now, more late nights and disturbed sleep...with T20's and ODI's....come on the colours and white ball!
PS...happy new year, Gretel, hope you have a great year.
Very best wishes for a Happy New Year for you both.
That is quite a gaggle of geese on your work table. What is it all about I wonder?
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