Quarley Harvest Festival

A real Celebration in Quarley this year! The Church was dressed overall with spectacular flower and vegetable arrangements, all grown in gardens round about. Huge clusters of flowers ranging from the mighty sedum to the glowing Chinese lantern, rose hips like small scarlet flagons to the calmness of lilies: a joyful pumpkin by the altar, flanked by modest white squashes in the shape of small pies: and sheaves of corn interlaced with their poppies. The rich reds and yellows of autumn were the dominant theme, but here and there a vase in cold colours to remind us that winter's on the way. All this a bounteous background to a service well sung by the choir and organist, with the good old harvest hymns and an anthem sung by Peter Coulson in memory of Dick Aubertin!

And the following evening over eighty people came along to celebrate the harvest in style with a barn dance in the hall, genially masterminded by Canon David Slater, who got everyone dancing - not that they needed much persuading. The whole hall was needed to house the dancers and the supper, at two long tables appropriately decorated with hops and grapes (although these were not the only drinks on offer!). Tommy Watts conducted the auction with his usual aplomb and the rafflers made history by running out of tickets! Many hands made light work of the delicious supper and the evening was pronounced a great success. Thank you for coming - please come again next year.