Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 6th August, 2022)

The farrier made them better,
to meet the wind at night,
as moonlight lights his shadow,
too slow to show his sight ,
the fleeing crows are startled
and bay begrudging spit ,
as they flap across the lantern ,
his horse upon its bit.
Who called this man a servant,
who gave this man a claim ,
when sweeping rain insults him ,
he laughs at torments pain.
Nooks that hide a scurry,
a glass to raise a toast ,
for time is what you borrow,
a horse, a man ... a ghost ..

Know that road so well from years ago. Good pic Dennis, the curve of the hill shows up clearly.

This is the part I wanted to stroll round but didn’t get the chance. Next time I will go on the bus from Wigan. I spent too much time near the Church last time.

School Lane, Upholland, is where The Owl pub used to be, where we used to go, in the mid-seventies, (on a motorbike!), before we had a family. They used to do delicious hotpots but you had to wait about half an hour after ordering them as there were no microwaves back then. I like the bright splash of colour made by the flowers over on the right...I can't make out if they are growing there or have been left in memory of someone. A good photo of a lovely place, Dennis.

I love the ghostly poem, "e"..... Very atmospheric!

Veronica….I think you could be disappointed strolling down there. Where you have been around the church is the most interesting, there is no village centre as such, what you see on the picture is it. Although picture postcard quaint all dwellings, not much else.

I can never understand why Upholland is so far away from Downholland

All the quaint dwelling shaking like buggery every time a lorry passes by on the very narrow road.
Im not to keen on the flowers, my eyes are drawn to the road traffic.

Joan, Downholland is on the very flat Lancashire Plain, toward the coast,
whereas Upholland is a lot higher than sea level and well inland.

Kind regards. Ray.

Thanks for telling me Anne. Perhaps if I go again I.’ll combine it with the church. If it’s not too far away.

Thank you for this fine picture Dennis, it brings back memories of my
long time friend and former HGV driver, Tommy Egan. For the last 50
or so years, Tommy lived at 38 School Lane which is the 2 black doors
to the rear of the blue car in your picture. I was a lifelong HGV driver
and Tommy and I would meet up now and again absolutely anywhere
in the UK. Sadly, Tommy passed away in April this year aged 86, but,
each time I mention his name, I fall about laughing, Tommy was as
daft as a brush. Rest in peace Tommy.

George beheld the gallows tree
Swaying wild and withered ,
And eyed the crowd who'd come to see
Him stand and be delivered .

The sky was clear the moon was out ,
The horses whinnied and the mob did shout ,
He wore the mask until the end
When the rope did creak and the branch did bend .

Poet

Veronica, St Thomas church is immediately to the right of the spot
where Dennis stood when he took this picture. Just 100 yards or so
beyond the far end of the picture is the bus stop at Abbey Lakes
where you would get off the Southport bus on your next visit. Ray.

Quite a while since I was here, a very clear photo and hardly any traffic.

What talented poets we have on here today...well done, Poet! The poems about our local highwayman George Lyon reminded me of a television programme from years ago where they used to ask children questions and got some very amusing answers. The children were asked to name a highwayman and one little boy said "Harry Secombe", (Harry hosted a religious programme called "Highway" on Sunday afternoons at the time), and another little boy, when asked to name a highwayman, said "Dick Turnip"!

"our local highwayman George Lyon"?

Are you from Upholland, Irene?

Ray - sad to hear of Tom's death. I'd been told he'd had to move into a nursing home, but was unaware we had lost him.
Tom and his wife Helen, who died some years ago were long time friends who I'd known since the 1970s.

Thanks Ray, I remember thinking on my way to Orrell Station where was the village as it was all fields as I turned left up the church steps. Like you said it’s better on the bus but as they were on strike and it was a nice day I thought to myself why not?!

Irene. I had a bit of a chuckle when I read about you having the hotpots.
None of the locals who were in the know would eat them. They came out of a big pan that was topped up every day and given a good stir. Folk reckoned there was still old meat and veg in that pan from the time of VE Day.
I was a regular in the Owl for about fifteen years from the 1960s till I moved away from UpHolland.

No, Mr, Hanson, I'm not from Upholland, but I do know a couple of highwaymen. They appear regularly on photo-a-day.
Keith, it sounds as if I'm lucky to still be here after the hot-pots! I had no idea about that! You must have gone in The Owl when Pater and I used to go there in the 1970s. I recall there was a couple, (husband and wife I presume), who always dressed identically. I wonder if you remember them?

That made me chuckle Irene. A good description ….. “Stand and deliver”…..they’re at every point of topic on WW …