WHO WAS AFRAID

February saw storms Ciara and Dennis doing their worst and we waited for the natural order of things to introduce us to Ellen, the next anticipated contender, to see what she was made of.

Meanwhile, Storm Jorge huffed and puffed his way across Spain causing Francis, Gerda, Hugh, Iris and Jan to leave the contest so he could arrive in Britain on Moseley Market Day. So puffed up with pride was he that he forced the people who usually arrive to erect the stalls before full light of day to contact organisers at 5am to say they could not do it.

The Arts Market was duly blown away but

farmers are made of sterner stuff. Some were already on the road loaded up with goodies when the call came to cancel. They declared they would keep calm and carry on regardless. They would sell from their vans. The Best Farmers' Market in the UK thus laughed in the face of the Spanish invader and did what it does best: improvisation.

The Spirit of Moseley Community blew steadily on. Outside Palmyra Restaurant, Moseley B13 Magazine set up its headquarters on the small coffee table. Brockleby Pies erected the blackboard announcing that its highly seasonal Wild and Wet Beaver special was there for the catching. Bernie of Yum and intrepid Laura of Moseley Exchange dreamed up a suitable sort of awning so the perfected pastries should not drown and the show went on.

Jorge skulked off and left Moseley and the sun to shine. He knew when he was beaten.

Tessa Kate Lowe