Just come back from an extremely interesting evening at the Strode Theatre.   more »

I went to Saturday afternoon's showing of the 1922 Glastonbury Pageant Film at the Strode Theatre, and was very glad I had been.   more »

Mystery at the Church. A better way of spending the evening of 31st October.    more »

Are you fed up with that American import, 'trick or treat'? I certainly am.   more »

With the kind co-operation of the library staff, I spent five hours today, while the library was closed, researching Laurence Housman.   more »

Another part of the story of Creation, as told in Genesis and retold in Sunrise!

And what is Sunrise!? It a half hour of story, singing and activity for Noughts to Sevens and their Parents and Carers, and it happens on the first Sunday each month at 9.30 a.m. in Holy Trinity, Street. 60 people of all ages came to this particular Sunrise!.

If you know someone who is the right age, do them a favour - tell them about Sunrise! They'll probably love it. 

Sunrise in action: Adrian and Sarah McConnaughie with the help of a large number of children retell the Genesis story of Creation in the Parish Church, Holy Trinity, Street.

The story began with all the children crowding under a blanket, trying to imagine what it was light without any light at all. Then, when they heard how God said: 'Let there be light!' the blanket was pulled off and the children came blinking into the daylight.

Sunrise! is good fun.  

Now we see the end result of that work on the front garden of a house in Merriman Road. First the blue lias wall came down; then a pattern of bricks was laid. Now tarmac has covered the garden area and the kerb has been lowered.

If it is true that one can't park legally by a lowered kerb, then we are beginning to see the end of the both-side parking that has made Merriman Road effectively a one-way street - one way at a time, anyhow. That will probably be a good thing.

My solution would have been different. I would have allotted parking spaces to residents on the Park side, and banned parking on the side with the houses. Then the residents could have kept their front gardens and still parked their cars very near - and the rest of us could have admired the historic street of early municipal houses as they were intended. But it will not happen now.

The whole parking crisis began when the public car parks ceased to be free. Do you remember that proud statement below the ichthyosaurus on our town signs, about free parking? Was it the County Council who compelled us to charge? Anyhow, the result was a plague of long-stay on-road parked cars gumming up streets near the centre. My excellent barber further along the road was hard hit by this plague; it meant his customers could seldom park outside his shop. He has survived, I'm glad to say. But I can't help thinking the whole parking matter could have been better managed.

Whatever has happened here? Mr and Mrs Hecks' garden wall in Ivythorn Road evidently had an argument with a red car on Wednesday afternoon around 5.40 p.m., and the policeman was taking notes. 

I've just been to the opening night of the Strode Productions Guys and Dolls at the Strode Theatre opposite the Parish Church.

It was a very good evening out. I didn't get hold of a programme, so don't know the cast, though I recognised one or two familiar faces in smaller parts, but I can report that the energy level was high throughout, and the humour (after a few rather tentative opening minutes) worked well.

There were some really good voices, and my favourite songs - like Luck be a Lady Tonight - did not disappoint.

The sets worked well, without being stunning. The lighting was mainly good, with a few fumbles with the follow spot which will, I'm sure, not recur. The dancing was very pleasant to watch, though the Strode stage is always cramped for a large chorus. The band did well after the odd duff woodwind note early on, and the rhythms were pounded out most satisfactorily. If you can get hold of any tickets for the rest of the run, you won't be disappointed.

Any guesses about where this colourful spread of foliage can be seen? I'd be surprised if you got it right. It's in the car park to the south of the High Street, taken from just near the public loos! Lovely, though. 

Quite a different effect when you look at the same trees in Merriman Park from a different angle. The colours may be brighter as the sun shines directly on the boughs, but this view lacks the magic of the view looking at sunlight coming through the leaves. What do you think? 

Wonderful to look at the effects of sunlight through trees. Leaves are beginning to turn yellow. This is Merriman Park again. Time to think of a trip to Westonbirt Arboretum for the magnificent acers and other trees at their blazing best. 

So this is Merriman Park on 4th October 2004. The sound of youthful shouts and laughter was coming from somewhere to my right, and the slanting sun at four o'clock in the afternoon gave a glow to this scene that the picture doesn't capture. I'm posting it nevertheless. 

I've just discovered the website of the Street Tourist Informaion Centre. It's http://www.glastonburytic.co.uk/street/

Well, that portal that I mentioned a few days ago is coming nearer.

If you click on the title of this blog (The Really Useful ...) you should reach Gateway to Street. Just play around with the page, and see how much you can find out that is Really Useful and how quickly to get to the information.

Try these questions from the Quick Find, One Click menu:

What road works am I likely to meet today? (Somerset Travel News)
What's the weather in Street going to be like tomorrow (Weather for Street)
What films are on locally? (Local Cinema)

Magic, isn't it?

As the Parish Council's new site fills up with information, I hope we can pool resources and provide Really Useful Links between one and the other.