Many of the houses in our area have roofs that are thatched and over the last weeks we have been able to observe at a distance the creation and repair of a thatched roof against a backdrop of a field being ploughed by a tractor, while birds circled around to catch a little grain.The thatcher worked through rain, sunshine at a steady pace, arriving early in the morning, when the mists were clearing. There was a sense of clarity as well as peace in the way he worked with his apprentice and the result is very pleasing to the eye.
Some traditional skills have been lost over the years and yet, there is still time to learn and relearn some of them.
Popular mechanics made a list of 100 skills every man should know, or woman for that fact. Its a starting point.
2 comments:
We have quite a few thatched houses and cottages here too; I always stop and have a word with the thatchers when I see them - they're always happy to talk about their work. Some of them have their own signautre animals/birds, which they make and put on the ridge, so you know who thatched that particular roof. It's heartening to see quite a lot of younger thatchers too.
What you say is only to true. Even the basic skills like cooking, sewing and knitting seem to have been lost to this generation. I have spent time bottling, pickling, canning and jam making over the past few weeks. It has set me thinking of where I learnt these skills. At my Nana's and Mother's knee. Hopefully the troubled times we are now living in will bng back these skills.
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