A website just because we can, mainly for our own fun and to provide our family and friends with a glimpse of what we are doing but we hope it provides something of interest to others - the descendants of those who have previously lived in our very old house, those connected with our family tree or anyone planning a visit to the little part of the world in North Staffordshire.
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The Sticks
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Latest
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A musical evening in Aleppo
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- 14 April 2023 Syria and Jordan
After a long tiring day we arrive in Aleppo and enjoy an evening of food and music and look forward to a lie in tomorrow. -
Garden diary
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- 03 January 2023 Vegetable garden
Diary of garden related activities, notes and observations -
Tackling the flower border
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- 03 January 2023 Ornamental garden
Most of my focus when I started reviving my garden was on restoring the vegetable plot and bringing the greenhouse back into service but the desire to add a... -
Creating the veg garden
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- 03 December 2022 Vegetable garden
Creating the original vegetable garden from a rubble patch. -
Seeds and weeds
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- 29 November 2022 Garden
Growing our own fruit and vegetables and competing with the birds, slugs and snails. It's a fine balance. -
Uncovering the veg beds
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- 27 November 2022 Vegetable garden
When in 2015 the business I worked for was put up for sale I decided that I'd stay as long as my job continued, then take the package and retire. I worked out...
Featured - Locality
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Local Walks
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- 28 December 2019 Locality
Introduction to a collection of walking routes, with maps and descriptions, local to the corner of North Staffordshire which is home to The Sticks
Featured - Genealogy
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Victorian skeletons in the closet
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- 30 March 2020 Family stories
My 4x great grandparents never divorced but both remarried while the other was still alive. She first, him later but only he was prosecuted for bigamy.
Featured - History
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History of Ladymoor Gate
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- 23 November 2014 History
I think it is natural that when you live in an old house you wonder about its history. Who built it, who lived in it and how has it eveloved and developed...
Featured - Travel
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Trouble at the airport
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- 30 December 2014 India and Nepal
He took Jane's passport & said we couldn't leave unless we paid more. The flight was being called and we saw our bags trundling across the tarmac to the plane.
Please help Syrian families
War has been ravaging Syria for over a decade and now some of the worst affected areas have been devastated by earth quakes.
Millions have been displaced and made homeless. Real people; real lives. People like you and me.
If you have a little to spare you can make a real difference. Please donate.
You can search for charities and organisations helping families in Syria. Here are just a few to start with.