Latest news with #Bluebells
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cup Tied: scenes and stories from every round of the 150th Scottish Cup
It is a thrill to be there when numbered balls clack. The sound is keener, crisper than on television – the difference between hearing a song live and listening through headphones. They grumble when rifled through by those making the draw. Then, as balls are plucked, there follows a satisfying, comforting clatter akin to that of seaside pebbles clashing. Otherwise all is hushed, reverent, a church during prayers. It is even possible to hear those decisive, tie-conjuring marbles being placed in their craters. Before a season watching the Scottish Cup, we were there to observe the draw for the qualifying rounds. It happened in the clubhouse of a bowling club like no other: Hampden. This place occupies sacred land. 'The passing game was born here,' reads a sign clamped to an adjacent iron fence. 'Hampden Bowling Club,' it continues, 'sits on the site of the first Hampden Park.' The tall flats dominate the skyline as Pollok Juniors take on Benburb in the second preliminary round. Over The Wall. The best view (with beer) at Carmuirs Park, as Camelon take on Civil Service Strollers. Here, then, somewhere beneath the manicured lawn where Margaret and Joan and Jim and Willie aim for the jack, the Scotch Professors first passed and moved. No venue could be more apt for hosting the opening draw of the Scottish Cup in its 150th year. This was an anniversary being marked in the presence of approving ghosts in baggy shorts. The decisions those balls made scattered Bluebells and Swifts, Roses and Thistles, Shipyards and Welfares, Stars and Wanderers across Scotland. From the late summer teams from old pit villages and rural idylls would be lured by the Cup's everlasting charm. From hamlet to Hampden we joined them, along the way watching Bleachers and Belters, Loons and Mighty Mariners bloom then wither, giving way to the high and mighty of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our Cup run took us first to Perthshire, and Luncarty's bucolic minor amphitheatre glowing beneath the fat, splendid sun. On the viaduct above, 125 trains clattered by at their timetabled interludes. I swear some of their drivers slowed to glance down at the match. A few weeks later, at Camelon Juniors, young ultras thrashed a drum and waved flags with the unremitting enthusiasm of North Korean soldiers on military parade day. 'How shit must you be?' they sang when an opposition shot fled over the bar and out of the ground. 'It's hit someone's car.' Hello darkness my old friend. Musselburgh take on Clyde in the half-light of a second-round match. Night falls over Balmoor as Peterhead play host to Ayr United in this third round tie. Luncarty and Loch Ness take the field in the first preliminary round. Then came Musselburgh on an ink-black Monday night with league lads Clyde in town. The stroll to their Olivebank ground afforded the opportunity to view the temporary theatre that fixtures such as this fleetingly spring upon a place: old soldiers in berets holding buckets and pinning Remembrance Poppies with shaky fingers; programme sellers exclaiming their wares like one story town criers; volunteers offering lotto tickets and 'guess the team' football cards with the gusto of Victorian fairground ride proprietors; club officials in neat suits checking lists and giving thumbs-ups to civvy street acquaintances. At the same time tomorrow, there would be nothing here but seagulls jabbing with their beaks at discarded ketchup sachets. The smoke from the pre-match pyrotechnics clears as Celtic huddle before the final against Rangers at Hampden. Next we strayed north to Peterhead, where more ultras sang in the mizzle and an old boy warned them that too much bouncing could lead to 'grumpy knees'. After one year turned into another, a giant-killing quest took us to Parkhead stalking Buckie Thistle on their journey south. Outside that ground, Highland passengers emerged into the gloom, greeted by a steely gale just as a gust of warm air salutes summer travellers to Spain. On the merchandise stalls, scarves jolted violently like the angry tentacles of some rabid sea beast. 'This Is Paradise,' announced huge lettering clamped to the main stand. Now, things were getting serious and a full atlas of teams had dwindled to a cigarette card's worth. Hibernian thought they could topple Rangers but lost tempers cost cup lives. In the Hampden semi-finals, Glasgow reigned. The 150th year of the competition had its first Old Firm final in two decades. It looked a lot different to the view from our grassy Luncarty mounds.
South Wales Guardian
11-05-2025
- South Wales Guardian
South Wales Guardian Camera Club pictures of the week
Our members - and there's more than 880 of you - regularly take stunning photos from all across the Ammanford, Amman Valley, Towy Valley, Gwendraeth Valley and Swansea Valley areas highlighting the local landmarks, wildlife and scenes. Here are some of our recent favourites. An atmospheric view of Talley Abbey. (Image: Carl William) It's the perfect time of year to see the Bluebells in Llandeilo. (Image: Jackie Henry) Taking in the flowers around the cricket club in Ammanford. (Image: Julie Harries) Looking out to Carreg Cennen Castle whilst out on a morning ride. (Image: Kay Hart) An action shot from The British Bird of Prey Centre over the bank holiday weekend. (Image: Geraint Scott Lloyd Williams) A couple of Red Kites spotted from the garden. (Image: Tom Griffith) The sun going down whilst out on a walk from The old school at Garnswllt, around Graig Fawr and onto trig point. (Image: Andrew Ted Williams) If you would like to join and have your pictures featured, search 'South Wales Guardian Camera Club' on Facebook or click here.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Poland's famous Bluebell flowers nearly in full bloom
POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) — Some of Ohio's most beautiful spring flowers are right here in the Mahoning Valley, including Poland's Bluebells nearly in full bloom. The bloom typically lasts for around three weeks, but times can vary from year to year based on weather. Thousands of bright blue flowers are visible right now, spread out across the Bluebell Trail at Poland Municipal Forest. The flowers thrive in floodplain areas, blooming in the spring before the leaves fully take over the trees. Experts say as many as 80,000 people come to the forest each year to see the Bluebells. 'The bluebells in Poland Forest are spectacular and one of the best displays probably in the northeastern part of Ohio,' said Lauren Schroeder, a former Youngstown State University professor. Time is running out, as the Bluebells typically start to fade the first week of may. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
