Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 5th March, 2024)

Colin you certainly get about that’s at the Aspull end of Borsdane wood isn’t it,so magical for our youngsters.

I think these have been made by Becca at 'Bowen Rocks,' X

Should have mentioned they have a Community play area,the 'Play Patch' at the top of Platt Lane,Hindley.x

Brilliant photo, Colin.
Borsdane Wood is a great relaxing walk that's parallel with the stream, the woods, the sounds of water and the birds singing, what more do we want.
Cheers.

That's really nice and well made. Kids will love it and encourage them to walk through the woods with mum and dad.

That is so sweet, it's good to know there are some people who believe in he little folk ! Even better to know that little things like this are left alone. There is another little house like this in Sandringham woods.

I haven't been to Borsdane Wood for many years but I have heard about these little doors. The photo reminds me of a poem I learned in the Reception Class, (which we used to call "The Babies' Class back in the 1950s), when I was five years old....."Someone came a-knocking on my wee, small door".....I can still recite it. I love the little washing-line but Mr. Chiggy-Wigg could do with nipping to Hindley Tesco for some Persil for his towels!

It is a wood,a lovely one too,and things get grubby ! Do us a favour and stop making it negative.

Photo-a-Day (Wednesday, 30th March, 2022)
Little Tree House, it did have a red wheelie bin 2 years ago.

Good photo Colin, John is right with you getting about.

Do they not sell 'Fairy Snow' washing powder at Tesco Irene, I remember they said that would wash whiter than white, whatever that meant, the magic of those early TV adverts and they could claim their products could do anything.

A lovely Spring photo to start the day. Nature at its best and Borsdane Wood is full of wild life.

Julie I think we all know Irene isn’t making a bad comment just stating a fact.
Please be kind to people if you can.

It was meant as a JOKE , Julie.... I have known Borsdane Wood since I was a small child and I KNOW it is a lovely wood and I KNOW that the wind and weather is the cause of the "grubby towels". I had hoped the idea of Mr Chiggy-Wigg nipping out for some Persil would bring a bit of fun and a smile to people's faces. I won't bother in future.

I should imagine any child would be thrilled to bits seeing this tree house ..or any adult for that matter.

Cyril / John, credit for the photo goes to my son who was out walking with my wife.
The picture though really took him back to those story's I used to tell, giving us both good memories. It's good to see that some people like to do things like this and bring a bit of joy to folk walking by.
Bolton Roader, I have only recently started to view and post pictures so clearly missed the previous posting. Regarding the Wheelie Bin, its probably in the stream with some Tesco Trolley's!

Cyril / Irene, that got me thinking of Omo, Daz, Acdo and Dolly Blue!
Not quite sure what Dolly Blue was supposed to do but remember my mother having them and dropping them in the gas boiler with a mangle attached for washing clothes, they where wrapped in paper with a dolly stick in the middles.
When I was about five I once got my fingers rolled into the mangle and went hysterical, my mother thought it very funny!

Don't bother about it Irene, because regular readers would know what you meant, I certainly did, and also that you never post negative comments.

I'm sure I've seen Dolly Blue for sale somewhere Colin, it was something to do with giving the washing a slight blue tint and optically made the whites look whiter, Fairy Snow and other brands had blue granules in to give the wash the same optical illusion. Did the mangle have the wooden rollers or the rubber ones, both would give a nasty nip, but the wooden ones more crushingly so.

this somewhat explains it, I forgotten about Reckitt's rag blue too
https://handwovenmagazine.com/brighten-your-whites-with-blue/

wonder if Pepsodent made your teeth slightly blue too?

A Dolly stick , carpet beater and some donkey stones would make great wedding gifts today !

You have a lovely sense of humour Irene. Humour is very cheering when there's so much bad news in today's world. Keep it up please!!

I bet it would be difficult to move on from here on a walk with a child.
I don’t see anything at all negative in any comments least of all Irene’s. It’s a very cute photo. Pinched from a fairytale book I daresay. I remember pictures in story books like this one.

“it did have a red wheelie bin 2 years ago.”

Does that mean it’s on the Westhoughton side of the brook, in Bolton?

Irene, I prefect think that Julie’s comments where taken out of context and directed at your very nice comments.
If I am wrong, she (or he, you never know these days) is in quite a sad person.

You would have thought there would be more deterioration of this fairy house, saying its been out there being battered by alsort of weather from when the first photo was on PAD in 22. until now.

Thankyou everyone for your support. How on earth anyone could take my remarks about the "grubby towels" seriously beggars belief! .....that tiny washing line is absolutely charming and made my day.
Yes, I remember dolly blues....my Mam washed by hand until she was 60 years old and used a dolly tub and a huge mangle. When I worked at The Platt Bridge Inn , the tap room lads were actually up to fighting one afternoon over the height of a dolly-tub! Someone eventually went out and measured one for proof. (it is 19 inches if you're interested...LOL!). I remember Persil, Acdo, Fairy Snow, Daz, Tide, Omo, Dreft, and Lux Soap Flakes. Anyway, I really appreciate your kind words, everyone, and I hope Mr. Chiggywig and his house and his washing line continue to bring a little magic to the children in Borsdane Wood for a long time to come. Thankyou. xx

George (Hindley)you couldn’t possibly be the same George I was talking to in Italy September 2019.

I wasn’t a happy child
I built my walls around me
higher did I build
to keep the pilgrims out
Each day they would approach me
and challenge truth I thought
would be for ever lasting
but against what I was taught
I built my walls much higher
and added bricks with fear
and every day I’d do the same
to stop the coming near
What was I afraid of
as I made a skylark mine
I watched it in its purpose
against the truth I climb ..

Wasn’t there a soap powder called Surf or am I dreaming?. Also Oxydol? I think the box was orange with a navy blue stripe. I used to play with the empty boxes. I also tried to make doll’s houses from shoe boxes! I didn’t have many toys… apart from dolls. Even then one got left outside in the rain and it went soft ending up with a grotesque face. Aw…

Yes there was Surf Veronica I used it to wash my Rale Brook Toplane shirts you didn’t need to Iron,spelling maybe wrong but sure you’ve heard of those shirts.

If Mrs Wigg had lived in our street her would never of geet away wi weshin’ like that theer. Tother wimmin int street would o shamed her deeuth.
“What dust think tha dooin” they would have said“ “purrin dirty weshin like that out ont front street, tha showin us awe up”. Owd Maggie Wigg would have turned ore in her grave if her could see that theer.
Mind yo, her sister wer no better, her husbund’s Pit Drawers wer nowt write wom about I con tell thi.
Any road, ast affert goo, if a don’t get wom un feed his Whippet there’ll be hell ter play.

Yes, Veronica, there WAS Surf and Oxydol.....I'd forgotten those! I have read somewhere that ladies who had an "extra-marital gentleman friend" would display an OMO washing powder box in their window to let their paramour know that their husband was out...."OMO" meaning "Old Man Out"! I'm sure it's just a myth but you never know!

e … I hesitate to say this pal … but have you ever considered taking counselling ?

There was Surf and Oxydol Veronica, and apparently Oxydol is still sold in America, and is said to contain a peroxide bleaching powder.

Irene, talking of the height of a dolly tub, my mother once bet me that put together my two feet would be taller than a dolly tub, but I couldn't believe it, however with two of my shoes, size 10 1/2, one atop the other - they was actually taller.

DTease, ah remember Mrs. Wigg. Her nets were as black as a crow. She were walkin' out wi' yon mon from t'bacon counter at T'Cworp....'im wi' a bawd yed...... Lived deawnt T'cut bank. Their Alice married a Yank; their Wally were ne'er out o'jail. Still, ah'm not one fert speak ill.......

Don’t lose your sense of humour Irene.
It’s awe wiv geet left.

Everyone on here Irene knew you were joking. Some people have no sense of humour whatsoever. It's a good job we've got you, Veronica Tease & Ozy. Lovely photo Colin. Magical for children.

Although some brands contained blue additives to create a brighter than white optical illusion some others contained grey additives which were released in the water to create a grey effect. The washer person would then be fooled into thinking that particular brand was more efficient and had removed all that dirt from the clothes.

I do remember Rael Brook Toplin the shirt you don’t iron….because they were just hung up to drip dry John. There’s still Surf but it’s in liquid form Cyril. At least Ozy doesn’t need to wash nets fot shelter. All this talk from the tree house with the dirty washing…who’d have thought it.
Steps not been donkey stoned either and windows have never seen a drop o’windoline.
It’s ‘ home sweet home’ though. I always thought Omo was something else Irene. Nice photo Colin despite the controversy that seems to crop up every time you post a photo.

You could be right, Veronica, but whatever the OMO stood for, it was to let the "gentleman friend" know the lady was alone. What an interesting thread this has been , ending with us all having a few laughs and reminiscing about washing powder!

Or was it poplin not toplin John?