Pannal Fairies and kindness

 I was approached by Jane of Clarke Beck Close asking if she and her friends could replace the Fairy Doors that are on trees on Mill Lane as they do need replacing. Lovely idea and I suggested we get some children involved and meet at the Mill Pond when the new doors are up.  Shall let you know. 

Now the kindness. On Saturday I went to do my shopping in Morrisons. Did the shopping came out to a terrific downpour. Waited until it eased a bit. Put my shopping in the car and the rain got heavier. Thought I don't want to drive in this so went back into the shop and had a coffee. Came out still raining but not heavy like it had been. Got in the car and it would not start. I gentleman was passing and I said "excuse me do you know anything about cars as I cannot start my car?" He had a look and said its your battery. I have leads in my car but my shopping is on top of them. I will go home and unload shopping and come back. He did so but could not get his leads to attach so called his wife and she came down in her car and attached leads and it worked. Now isn't that wonderful. They went out of their

 way to help me. What a lovely lovely thing to do. There was also another older couple who came to ask me if I was ok. They were also kind. What a wonderful town we all live in. I arrived in Morrisons car park at 1.30pm and I arrived home at 6.30 pm. What a long day and I was also very wet. Car seems ok I have only had it since just before Christmas so I have no idea why that happened. I rang Dave in Starbeck so will take it to see him after I have taken the car for a long drive to really charge the battery as least that is what he told me to do as I am afraid and to my shame I know nothing about cars as my lovely husband was the expert having had cars all his life and knew all about engines and stuff. 

It has been such a long winter. Are we going to have warmer days. Funny some days are lovely and the next day we are back to those cold winds. Tigs is perplexed. Does she come in and curl up on a chair, usually the one I sit on or does she go into the garden. You and me Tigs we are both perplexed. She is a very affectionate cat but also nuts.

I did a talk for Pannal Wives Group and showed slides of what Pannal Village looked like in years gone by. I always make my talks humorous and they are always well received. I also do a talk on the Valley Gardens as I set up Friends of the Valley Gardens and saved the Sun Pavilion and Colonnades from demolition. How Harrogate Borough Council could have ever decided to do that is beyond me and I fought a very long and hard battle to save them. Her Majesty the Queen came to open the Sun Pavilion after a major refit and all those same stupid Councillors were presented to her. I was present. 

Pannal Unwanted? Development

Thanks to John Mann our local Cllr we all received news of proposed development in Pannal and Burn Bridge. - south of and .behind Walton Park on the east side of the A61, south of Smithy Close and west of the A61,Burn Bridge Road, Hillfoot Lane, Hilltop Lane, Rossett Green Lane, adjacent to Ashville College, Church Lane. Just think of all the traffic that will come through Pannal. It just goes to show how Pannal was loved by HBC and now NYC - I think not. I have always said if they could put a prison or a Borstal here they would have done so. Pannal is a Village of that we are all proud but if the "powers that be" get their way we will not be. The west side of Harrogate has had more than their fare share of housing. Probably not everyone will agree with me but this is my view. 

I have lived here in 2026 sixty years and in those far off days we had a great variety of birds.  Lapwings a large number, Thrush, a number of Blackbirds,  Starlings ,Wagtails and occasionally other visitors all in our gardens, and in the Quarry Owls, Woodpeckers, Pheasants, Rooks. Also Bats who nested in the Larch trees that fronted our gardens, Now all we have are a few sparrows and tits ,some rooks that nest in the large trees in the garden of the Old Schoolhouse. lots of magpies and pigeons. Having said all this, during covid with hardly any cars about we could hear birdsong but never saw many birds. 

I was reading the other day mention from the Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council re Woodcock Hill.. We all knew where that was as there was a sign at the top of Main Street that said Woodcock Hill but that was removed a few years ago and one saying Spring Lane was put up. Would be nice to see the Woodcock Hill sign re-instated or Woodcock Hill leading to Spring Lane. I have passed these thoughts onto the P&BBPC

Is Spring nearly here? Tigs seems to think so as she is spending more time in the garden instead of trying all the seats in the lounge to find the one most comfortable. She also says she cannot now be bothered chasing birds. Tigs and Marble were never much good anyway. Do remember Tigs brought a rabbit through the cat flap to me and I put it in the Quarry and she brought the same rabbit back twice more. I ended up getting the car out and taking the rabbit up to the top of the Valley Gardens.