Cabinet of Curiosities Pop up Exhibition

 Yesterday morning I went down to the Parish Hall for the first part of a day of Tree-related activities.  

Chairs were set up in the centre of the hall for the film later that evening, and round the walls was the exhibition on the theme of trees - and also into the kitchen.  Some of the exhibits came from the main Cabinet of Curiosities collection, like the selection of woods that go to make a piano, and there were also quotations from people who came from all round the world, talking about their favourite tree.  

Tim the Gardener wrote a poem about elms, a big part of his childhood - but when he went back a few years later, they were all gone because of Dutch Elm disease.  A Chinese lady wrote about gathering kapok blossoms, and there was a chap from Soweto remembering jacaranda trees, as well as a local little girl talking about climbing her favourite hazel tree.

Earlier in the week, Pierre had come into the Cinema Bookshop to look for The Word for World is Forest by Ursula Le Guin.  We couldn't find it for him, but there were several other forest and tree related books as part of the exhibits.  There was a whole section on cider apples, for example. 

There was also art - botanical illustrations of pears by a group of children, and leaves, a wire figure decorated with leaves and dried flowers, and some of the figures from the Cabinet of Curiosities including my favourite, the Queen of the Night.

It took some time to go round and appreciate it all properly, and meanwhile Francoise was introducing people to each other - which is how I came to meet Carrie from the Tourist Information office, who was interested in my knowledge of local ancient monuments.  She's looking for anything she can find to make visitors' time in Hay more interesting for them.