Saturday, July 11, 2009

Inn signs,cloudscape, chilis

The two pubs in the village area of Tunbridge Wells, where we live, both have new inn signs. The Green King - owned pub called the Compasses has replaced the sign showing a pair of compasses with an anomalous depiction of two magnetic compasses. While the Grove Tavern, now has a hand painted sign in the art nouveau style, colourful and appropriate. It also serves better beer and, even more important, has better conversation. Removing the blanket which covered the sign at the unveiling ceremony this afternoon, was a sticky operation, but was accomplished by the landlord, Steve Baxter, with some help, to momentous cheers from the local paparazzi, cameras in one hand, pints in the other.


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Sunset over the the Common.

Royal Black, Filius Blue, Purple Tiger, Riot, Prairie Fox are among the chili varieties on a stand at the Town Hall Farmers Market. The plants, with their dark leaves and shiny pointed fruit extending in colour from red through purple, orange and green to black, are ranged on the stall, a spicy and exotic addition to the more traditional produce of Kent and Sussex.




4 comments:

marja-leena said...

I remember the delight I felt when I spotted The Compasses by the Grove in our recent visit.

The Crow said...

I like how the edge of the cloud bank echoes, imperfectly perhaps, the edge of the treeline beneath it.

Very nice photo, Joe; sunset, and the hour or so just before it, is my favorite time of day.

:)

Roderick Robinson said...

Pub re-signing: very cheering. Here in Hereford pubs, both urban and rural, are closing all the time. Nothing so depressing as a boarded-up pub - it's as if pleasure has been censored. I take the traditional line on this but secretly I'd never have dreamt of entering most of these morbid tombs in the first place.

Unknown said...

ML We like the Compasses because it is very pleasant to sit outside it, but we are not too pleased with the beer.

BB I suppose we are lucky still to have our two pubs. There are too many examples nowadays in all aspects of daily life where unassuming pleasures are censored.

Crow: I thought the same: an interesting if not identical resonance.