North Stifford Village Jottings from the Local Yokel

North Stifford Village

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Local Yokel

Jottings from the Local Yokel

Oi’m only a country bumpkin, but I’ve lived for many a year,

And I’ve had a few thoughts about this place, so I’ve written down some of them here.

WHAT WE WANTS IS WILLOWS – by the Local Yokel

Well, coming from rustic, peasant stock as I do, the other day, I felt an irresistible urge to go for a ramble in my natural habitat.

So I made my way to the Mardyke valley, and found myself in ‘The Field of Peace.’

Looking around, I thought “well this is quite a nice piece of field - but y’know, there’s something missing.”

Now, I’m quite an inconspicuous sort of yokel, but if you were in the vicinity at the time, you might have seen me. I was the one in the battered hat, wearing a smock and chewing on a straw – Oh and I also had my pet llama, Dalai, with me. But I don’t suppose you would've noticed.

Anyway, unable to suppress my insatiable appetite for travel and adventure, I crossed the road to Davy Down.

First I marvelled at the viaduct, and then I went and marvelled at the pumping station, but to be honest I couldn't warm to the scrap metal fish that looked as if it had been eaten, and similar other sculptures they've got down there. But what do I know about works of art? I'm only a Yokel.

Anyway, as I settled down on a bench to share a Ginster’s pasty with Dalai, there was that thought rattling around in my head again: “There’s something missing.”

Well, I don’t get many thoughts, so I couldn’t ignore this one, so I pondered upon it.

And then it came to me.

This summer I went on a lovely boat trip up one of the nicer bits of the Thames, and what I noticed was, all the beautiful mature trees, and especially the lovely weeping willows that look so perfect next to waterways.

Well, I know our bit of the Mardyke can’t exactly compete with the Thames or the Norfolk Broads and the like, but I don’t see why we can’t have a few of they lovely trees alongside our little bit of river. Wouldn’t they look bootiful - especially if the tall weeds and overgrown river bank was cleared back enough in a few places so that you could actually see over it to get a bit of a look at the water. I'm sure plenty of densely overgrown bits could still be left for wildlife.

Now the Mardyke Valley is nice enough in its own way, but let’s face it, it’s a bit ‘scrubby’ looking, and I recon a few weeping willows and majestic oaks and things like that could help to transform the place, especially for generations to come.

I know they’ve done a lot of improvements down there already, and there’s always more that can be done, and I know it would probably cost a fortune to make the entire place into a proper country-style park - but a bit more careful clearing and planting in places might help - even if it was only in one particular designated area - for instance, in the Field of Peace maybe.

I recon - What we wants is Willows.

Anyway, I’d better pop off now, ‘cos I’m meeting my brother, the village idiot, up the Dog & Partridge in a minute.

Cheerio.

Your Local Yokel.