Calderdale Archives - Page 6 of 6 - H is for Home Harbinger

We live in Todmorden – and run our website from here too.

It’s a small market town in the Pennine hills on the border between Lancashire & Yorkshire. Todmorden Market is one of its major assets.

Thursday is flea market day, with a mix of regular traders & one off stall holders having a clear out or raising money for charity.

We try to get there most weeks, trawling stalls for potential H is for Home stock. We’ve picked up all manner of things over the years – from 200 year old chairs to 1960s lamps.

Some traders know what we like now and draw our attention to things they’ve got or will be getting hold of soon.

After the second-hand stalls have been scoured, there’s a great place to stop for coffee – it has an unbelievable choice of teas & coffees all on display on their shelves… with home-made cakes and doughnuts to boot!

Also on the inside market are a florist, greengrocer, cheese stall, biscuit seller, haberdasher, butchers, bakers, but alas, no candlestick maker! Having said that, there’s Dawson’s – a great, traditional hardware stall that never fails to have that little brush or screw that no one else seems to stock. They, no doubt, have candlesticks… and the candles that go in them too!

The market has at least 4 different butchers – everyone has their own regular or favourite. Ours is Paul Standsfield whose stall greets you as you enter through the main doors. He’s Fudge’s firm favourite too as he’ll always throw in a big, tasty beef or venison bone for him.

On other days of the week, the outside market has the usual range of food, clothing and homeware stalls.

Special mention has to go to Alexander Gourmet Med, a Mediterranean food specialist who’s usually there on a Saturday. Alex is extremely passionate & knowledgeable about everything he sells. He knows where it was made, which family made it, the methods they used and what makes it unique. We buy great olives & other antipasti, honey, chocolate, coffee, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. He’s an endless source of birthday & Christmas presents for friends & family!

We hope you get the chance to visit one day!

Our small Pennine garden has woken up – well, started to at least! We’ve been out at the weekend sweeping, potting up seeds, planting strawberries and some colourful annuals.

We have lots of shady corners, so hostas and astilbes do really well.

Ferns like it here too – we’re really fond of these little ones which self-seed and sprout from the old stone walls.

This is another self-seeder. It can take over a bit if left unchecked, but if it’s restricted within pots and cracks between paving it looks wonderful – the bright green leaves and pretty white flowers really lift the shaded areas… and it’s always good to get plants for free!

We have a little project for the summer, renovating this little, old greenhouse which was about to be thrown on the tip. It’s a house in the loosest sense of the word – being only about 4 feet wide. We’ll try not to lose any of its shabby charm, but if it doesn’t get some TLC soon it will fall to pieces.