The feast of St. Nicholas - a children's festival

Today is the feast of St. Nicholas who was born in Patara, part of present-day Turkey, who became a Christian bishop and is believed to have died on the 6th December 343.  Stories of his work for the poor and legends about him spread far and wide and he became known as the protector of children and sailors and was associated with gift giving. In Holland he continues to be an important figure and the children put out their shoes the night before the 6th December in the hope that St Nicholas (Sint Nikolaas or Sinter Klaas) will leave gifts for them. In America Sinter Klaas became Santa Claus (the modern day Father Christmas).

Because St. Nicholas was such a popular saint in Europe until the Reformation in the 1500s many old churches and chapels are dedicated to him.

St. Nicholas' Church in High Bradfield is one of them. There was an Advent service there yesterday afternoon with an invitation to local women's groups as part of the patronal festivities, but since 87 m.p.h. gales were being recorded up there and being relayed to the local news programmes I decided not to go. Apparently High Bradfield felt the full force of the wind - the strongest gales in the area, which is not surprising being so high up and exposed to the elements. Thankfully, the weather has calmed down.

The chapel in Haddon Hall, Derbyshire has wall paintings including some in the chancel that illustrate incidents associated with the life of St. Nicholas - resurrecting three children and calming a storm at sea. St. Nicholas was associated from early times with the chapel.  The 'chapel of St. Nicholas' was mentioned in a marriage settlement of 1180.

Anyway, coming back to present-day festivities as we approach Christmas I've included a collage of 

chocolates made by grandsons when they worked at a chocolate shop.

A walk by the river

I went for a walk by the local river the other day.  The leaves were tenaciously clinging to many of the trees and there was still a lot of Autumn colour.  The river, which is more of a stream in places, runs through the Loxley Valley before joining the River Rivelin and, further on, the River Don. There are several weirs, evidence of the former mill workings and mill ponds.  The calm waters of these ponds are popular places for fishing. It's where our grandson and his cousin often go fishing in the summer. Damflask Reservoir has an outlet that runs into the river at the Bradfield Dale end. There are some good paths and quiet lanes that just go down to the river and along the banks so it's a pleasant place to take a walk.