After another busy week, we decided to find some peace and space, so went out on Saturday to Oxburgh Hall, to see the snowdrops. In Dorset, we went each February to see these harbingers of Spring at beautiful Kingston Lacy. They have a fabulous collection there - but OH is pretty good too. Before we left Dorset I bought a pot of flowers from the KL shop to plant here at Cornerstones. I have a couple of tiny blooms by the front door. But maybe they will produce more next year...
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He had some problems with his foot, which made it difficult to walk any distance. Being tall, it was hard for him to find a walking stick which was long enough.
He investigated sticks online. I said £100 for a handcrafted one was too much!
He bought an inexpensive tree support stake for £3 in a Garden Centre and waxed the wood. A ferrule on the bottom, and some binding and a strap at the top. All done.
A couple sitting outside the café admired his stick, and asked about it. He explained.
Perhaps he could go into business? I could always sell them for him in my shop.
** I'm struggling to place the apostrophe correctly there
Love Bob’s walking staff. My Dad always cut forked hazel sticks for ‘thumb sticks’ as they kept him more upright. I seem to remember an apostrophe rule that knocks off the last s if the word ends in s as in Scots’s. No doubt someone else will correct me if I’m wrong.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right
DeleteIt sounds right too. Otherwise it would be Scots's. Bob is so clever, he made a brilliant job of crafting his custom made walking stick. Worth a punt maybe?
Delete👍
DeleteWell done, Bob! The staff looks well made! Kx
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteColin also always had a forked hazel stick for a thumb stick, kept in the car boot or the works van ready for his bridge inspecting walks.
ReplyDeleteNo idea about apostrophes, missed that bit of English punctuation lessons!
Always useful to have around
DeleteMy husband had a similar stick made from wood off the farm hedges. I use it occasionally but it is a bit too tall for me.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could find someone to trim a little from the bottom
DeleteBrilliant walking staff and he could make some for you to sell if you have a stall this year. Mary Queen of Scots requires no apostrophe as far as I know. Catriona
ReplyDeleteBut what about the 'possessive' thing?
DeleteThere are debates among scholars about whether it should have/ not have an apostrophe. She was really Queen Mary 1 of Scotland or Mary Stuart but the was styled Mary Queen of Scots. She fascinates me as a woman who was much romanticised in history and was executed on the orders of another powerful woman who feared her right to the throne of England.
DeleteIn many ways a very sad story, but fascinating as you say
DeleteWe went to Kingston Lacey yesterday and the snowdrops were lovely.Lesley P.
ReplyDeleteI do miss KL!
DeleteI think Bob could definitely sell some sticks in your shop. It looks very well made. Love FD xx
ReplyDeleteI suspect posting them would not be easy though!
DeleteMy friend has walking poles, whatever works to help him to walk..I love my wheels!
ReplyDeleteWhatever works best. We saw a number of people with Nordic Poles at Oxburgh
DeleteWell done Bob. My husband makes these occasionally and they are very well received as gifts, great especially for male relatives who you don't know what to buy for ( apologies not sure that makes grammatical sense 😉 )
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
That's a lovely idea
DeleteWhat a pleasant outing and a brilliant walking stick for tall Bob. You and I don't have the tall height to need extra length, do we?!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Short and sweet
DeleteSnow drops are such a lovely harbinger of spring.
ReplyDeleteAs for your apostrophe, it depends on what style manual you prefer to follow. Chicago Manual of Style and MLA, require you to add 's as in: Mills becomes Mills's. APA requires you to add 's to singular names ending in s, except in an unpronounced s and then use only and apostrophe: Descartes becomes Decartes'. I worked in publishing for years. These distinctions remained on my "cheat sheet" so I could refer to them depending on the project. I never trusted myself without peaking at the cheat sheet. I almost abandoned naming my firstborn Charles b/c I feared I would constantly correcting phrases like "Charles's bike." Solved the problem by using the nickname Charlie. Never a second thought to the apostrophe in "Charlie's bike." Family name preserved much to the delight of four generations.
Wow! A very full answer!
DeleteBob's stick looks very professional and it might be worth having one or two for sale when you do a craft fair in the future. There must be plenty of tall men around who need a stick that is long enough and costs less than £100!
ReplyDeleteI shall suggest it to him
DeleteI hope that whoever walked off with my watering bags doesn't read your blog and decide to steal the plant support poles to make walking sticks!
ReplyDeleteAs for the apostrophe, it's your language, you get to decide what is right! There are no apostrophes in my first language. :)
Tee hee - I hope that only kind and thoughtful people read my blog! I didn't realise that about apostrophes in other languages. I know they occur in French.
DeleteI love to see the Snowdrop! We only see more snow falling - but I don't think it will be much this time. Bob's walking staff is so smart!
ReplyDeleteThe stitching belongs to Mary, so you could say 'Mary's', followed by Queen of Scots. I know who I'd be shaking a big stick at this week!
ReplyDeleteToo many apostrophes. I'm guessing you are waving sticks at politicians - but let's face it, there are a lot of annoying characters out there right now!
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