[Hampshire Hog]

Good morning
Little chance to visit the plot this morning it’s pouring with rain and scheduled to last all day!! Unfortunately it’s our annual village Fete today with all the usual veg competitions etc. I fear it’s more likely to become a village Fate this year.
I’m sorry for the organisers who will have been working on this for months.
Will our summer weather ever return??

[Growster...]

That is such a rotten shame, HH, and my heart goes out to you and all your organisers!

You're right, these fetes take a lot of time to prepare, and there are so many obstacles which get in the way before the big day - stallholders need constant cajoling for fees, someone has to do the marquee hiring, the parish council needs to be updated every three minutes - been there, designed and made the Golf-for-a-pig and lost the tombola machine, ...!

Your only chance at times like this, is to turn up in your wellies, think of England and grin and bear it, but the actual act of 'being there' is more important than anything to the village!

If/when you do get there, you'll probably win the raffle, have three pints of warm but very welcome ale in the beer tent and forget to pickup a rather ancient bottle of Old Spice on the hoopla...

Best wishes from Hawkhurst, where it's also raining felines and canines!

[wighty]

It's the Chale Show this weekend, lots of 'old cars',  and the biggest horticultural competition on the Island.  We went  past this morning at  8 am when a lot of exhibitors were driving in.   Drove past at 2pm and there was hardly anyone there, not the usual crush  , feel so sorry for all of them.

[New shoot]

It certainly is a real shame for anyone who has organised an event like that.  I feel sorry for the kids as well.  All that hot, dry weather and as soon as they get their summer holidays, they get autumn 

One of my friends was setting off yesterday for a much anticipated holiday on the south coast with kids in tow.  I hope they at least get some beach days as that was what they were most excited about.

[wighty]

As I've said before, Compton is our main 'surfing' beach and during bad weather is full.  Fine weather it is full of walkers and a few intrepid souls who go in the water.   We used to like sitting on the balcony at the Queens Public House in \Sandown looking down on  the the beach and giggling at the 'Overlands' (Island name for those here for a short period).  Glad they've probably had a better day today at the Chale show and hope it has somehow compensated for yesterday. 

[mrs bouquet]

It was our village Garden club summer show yesterday.  As everybody has already said, the work involved is
massive.  With that in mind, I was determined to go.  It was certainly raining, no mistaking it.  I wandered down to the Hall, walked in and it was packed with people (mainly drinking tea and scoffing cake).   I don't go out very often these days, and it was lovely to be greeted by lots of friends asking where I have been.  s I explained the sound in our Hut is really bad, even people who are not deaf complain. 
I was lovely to see peoples efforts .  whether in the photography, crafts, arranging etc.  Came home drowned, but so pleased I went.  I bought some cake a dwarf aster and an Alstro.  So planting for me tomorrow.  Mrs Bouquet

[GraciesGran]

We had our allotment show last weekend and it was WET!  Everyone seemed to enjoy it though and financially it was a success.  We had outside stalls and they've booked to come again next year. 

The suggestion was made to cancel but it was overruled.