It's all in the wood

These are "spars", which in our case are made of hazel. So you split the lengths of hazel and point each end using a bill hook. Then you fold in half and twist at the same time, to create  a sort of wooden staple.  These are then used to fix the straw to what is the roof. Apparently they have tried to reproduce these in plastic but just cannot get the same "springiness" in the man made staples and so the tradition carries on. If the spar is not bent then it is called a "ligger" and this is used on the outside of the ridge for decorative purpose. I'm heading off to see if I can get a picture...

Thatches, matches and no dispatches.....

So the Thatchers are now here, and rather than think of it as a messy straw fest of inconvenience, I'm seeing it as another opportunity to wonder at the glory of this house made of mud and straw. Yes there are ladders and scaffolding everywhere but with Terry and Wayne working their straw filled socks off, it's just great to see a work in progress and learn a little about the art of thatching. 

'twas the night before........

.....The wedding. Richard and Amy celebrate their marriage here at Great Gutton tomorrow and as you can imagine, this week has been hectic as we prepare for their big day. Whilst we grandly call our barn, The Party Barn, it really is quite simply a barn.

But with some muscle defining work with a broom, a huge dollop of gluing and sticking, miles of ladder climbing and some wonderful imaginations, Richard, Amy and their dedicated team of family and friends have transformed it to a Wonderful Wedding Barn. It's all the little touches that I love, spraying baked bean tins for flowers, hand crafting banners and flags, a whisper of netting transforming dull ivy clad walls into a wonderful back drop, drippings of fairy lights.......ooooh I could go on and on, but instead will settle with a few pictures now and the promise of lots more when the big day finally arrives. So it's fingers crossed for sunshine and all the very best to the Delicious Bride and Groom for tomorrow and always.

PS. Did I mention the GLITTER BALL I spotted - dancing shoes are at the ready!