‘Flaming June’ is a local sarcastic comment about June, especially if it happens to rain that month !  The first picture is of the River Hodder at Whitewell.  Another is of the Trough of Bowland, just loose gravel at that time, and really only visited by the odd car, raising clouds of dust. (only when June is indeed ‘flaming’).  I must tell you that close to this area is a small hamlet called Newton.  Living in a cottage overlooking the village green was tea stop for thirsty cyclists.  The old lady who ran it was quite a character, and she had an African Grey Parrot who lived in a large cage resting on a deep ledge just inside the front window.

Her son Harry had a mobile trailer selling drinks and icecream and the like, which he towed out each day in summer, returning to Newton in time for his evening meal, as he lived with his elderly Mother.  As he  drove into the village, the parrot used to croak “Harry’s coming”, having recognised his car at some distance I might say.  Proof indeed that birds have better eyesight than we !  As a schoolboy I was fascinated with this parrot, and the old ladies need to put Harry’s tea into the oven to heat it up, whilst Harry garaged his car and trailer.  Oh and that parrot never made a mistake in car recognition, given that in those days, (early 1950’s), all cars were black !!