Saturday, May 09, 2015

WEDDINGS AND WOOLLY CAPERS

 There has been a sharp cold edge to the temperatures today even though there has been lots of lovely sunshine.  

I drove past a local church looked at the grassy patch in front of it;  I quickly looked again. A very still sheep in its cleanest, creamiest, woolly finery, was to my surprise, in the garden at the main entrance. We don’t  see sheep in church grounds in town, we might out in the nearby countryside and then only if the building is an open ruin.  


Wedding guests were arriving at the church, local people were milling around in the street waiting to see the bride.  I drove on a bit and found a place to park my car.  I returned to join the onlookers. From where I stood, it appeared the sheep had not moved, it seemed very peaceful.   I crossed over the road to the church to get a closer look.  Just then, a bridal car adorned with ribbons drew up.  Two pipers got into position at the gates ready to pipe in two very elegantly attired and attractive adult bridesmaids, with a rendering of  the chorus of Mhairie’s Wedding, a classic for the celebration.  The ‘maids ascended the many stone steps to the church doors and disappeared inside to await the bride. The pipers, their timing immaculate, ceased their fanfare. A woman taking umpteen pictures with her smart phone told me the pipers were a father and daughter, the daughter, (her grand-daughter) was eleven years old.  




What about the sheep; had it been affected by the sudden expansive skirl of the pipes?  I need not have been concerned , it had remained serene and totally unperturbed; why?  Then I discovered, it was a full sized stage prop a very good one at that.  It got me thinking.  Was it  a not so cryptic message  that the bride would be leaving one sheep farming community to make a new life in another sheep farming one, in Shetland.  Whatever, it was a humorous touch. 





Apart from the bride who arrived in a white dress,the bridal party colour theme was in various shades of cream. The vintage car was a shade of rich dairy cream; the mother of the bride, who was giving her daughter in marriage, (dad died some years ago) wore an outfit a subtly different shade of cream with pinkish undertones; the bridesmaids  demure dresses were an antique cream; all the accessories, including the blooming roses in the bouquets followed the theme. Deferring to the bride, there were a few white roses, some in the palest of pink and others in shades of cream.  Even the sheep was the right shade of cream.

A Suffolk Sheep
 


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That all sounds fun and unusual! One of my nephews was married last weekend - the bride's mother turned up in navy leggings to the ankle, strappy black sandals, a completely plain grey jersey dress, black leather jacket and a turquoise hat. Very striking!

ZACL said...

Striking indeed, Gilly. Am I safe to assume it would not have clashed in any way with the bride or bridegroom's outfits?

Anonymous said...

A most enjoyable post, and lovely pictures. Flighty xx

ZACL said...

Zthe sheep in the pictures are real ones, nothing to be sheepish sbout. Xx

Snowbird said...

Now that does all sound like good fun! The fake sheep has me intrigued! There was one in a shop doorway in Ambleside and Sam was completely obsessed with it!! The pipers sound wonderful!xxx

ZACL said...

I did wonder from whence the sheepish sheep had come. It was cleaned and manicured enough to be presented in a show ring, Snowbird. :)
Xxx