November 1 - the changes really showing now

The sun came out just as I took this - at about 4 o'clock this afternoon. Compared with the original picture (shown in the heading) you can see the change in colour and and a big reduction in the thickness of the leaves in the middle of the tree. More leaves on the ground too (where else can they go after all?!) This is quite hard to see because of the lighting in the first photo but there is no doubt about it. Little by little there is a change creeping up on the tree. Creeping up on me too come to that.

Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leaves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! as the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you will weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sorrow's springs are the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It is the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.

Spring and Fall by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Sorry it should have been a Wiki!! And it is now

click on
http://minsteadpanto.wikispaces.com/

My children pointed out that on a blog people could only comment, not put their own memories and photos in. And also there was nothing day-to-day that changed. So it should never have been a blog at all. On a wiki anyone can put in their bit and upload photos and so on

So, as usual, I did what my children told me. (If only it had been the other way round I'm sure they would all me rich and famous by now and me ready to be looked after by them in a manner I still hope to become accustomed to.) But anyway go to the wiki and put in your memories.

So go to the wiki at
http://minsteadpanto.wikispaces.com/

When the pin went in, we knew we had a hit!

Jan 17 1978. Diminuitive Jenny Gardner (baby Snow White) creeps up behind Emma Forse (the wicked queen), with a very large safety pin. With enormous gusto Jenny jams the pin into Emma's tempting bum. The audience in Minstead Hall almost fell off their chairs laughing. Suddenly we knew we had a hit. From that moment, the cast of children had the audience in the palm of their hand and the evening ended in triumph.

As we wandered around sweeping the hall at the end of the show we were dazed and amazed. Everyone felt something had really happened that night. They were right too. Thirty pantomimes later a new generation of Minstead children are preparing to perform the 30th Minstead Panto. Dr Who this time.

Hundreds of people have been involved over the 30 years of the pantos. This is a place where any and all of you can share your memories of the old pantos, the new pantos, the tears, the tantrums and the joys we have had over the past years. I hope you'll be putting up your memories here.