Signs of the times

Woodpeckers and I went to the Friday market at the Shambles in town this morning. I haven't been there for a long time, whereas it used to be an essential part of the week. We would always meet up with friends and acquaintances as part of the ritual of going to market. Nowadays, the addition of the Saturday Farmer's market and its success has taken away some of the vitality of the traditional Friday market which has existed there for centuries.

I bought a very old pocket book for tree identification from Mary, who has the main stall for 'old things', who has been in attendance for more than 35 years. We had a chat about her holiday and I met her grandson who is helping her with the stall in the holidays. The WI plant market was busy, and we checked out their cakes, home grown vegetables and jams and Helena bought a piece of focacccio which we have just eaten with a cup of soup.

I also spoke to John Marjoram, our Deputy Mayor, who is on the town council with me. John has been a regular subject for my blips over the years and as a Green councillor and a lifelong peace activist he can regularly be seen at the High Street entrance to the Shambles market on Saturdays. When they are campaigning they usually stand outside this frontage, which used to be a Currys shop, until it closed earlier this year.

Today it is adorned with different, more home-made form of protests about the recent threats of war in the Middle East. As we approached a young activist with a felt tip pen was making additions and alterations to the signs after the vote in Parliament yesterday. It seems that there will still be a protest at 11am tomorrow, so business as usual here in one part of Stroud.