All Creatures Great And Small

[Sparky]

I have just watched(on PBS)the very first episode of James Herriots All Creatures Great And Small. It's a wonderful series.I have read all of the books many times and watched all of the shows many times also but never tire of them.
As a far away lover of the English countryside they always kept me in touch with "home".
Now Derek's books do that.

I assume most FOMS members would also be Herriot fans?

Steve.

[Kath Mulligan]

You'd be absolutely right there, Steve. That was always unmissable television in our house and I have read all the books over and over again. And I seem to remember from one of Sybille's recent postings that she has actually met the real James Herriot when she was on a visit to the Yorkshire Dales.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Loved and watched each and every episode as well as read all the books. Wish there were more programmes made as well and as funnily uplifting as those. I never tired of them from the first glimpse of the little car travelling the lanes to the last note of the music. :D

[Kath Mulligan]

Do you know, everytime I watch the Antiques Roadshow and see that little car appearing over the hill with that huge grandfather clock in the back, it always reminds me of the opening sequence of All Creatures Great and Small.

Kath

[Sparky]

I agree,ladies.I have watched the shows and read the books over and over again but never tire of them.Indeed they are uplifting,funny and heartwarming,wonderful joyous books that celebrate life.It's hard to imagine anyone who enjoyed his life more than James Herriot.He must have been a very special,gentle man.

Steve.

[Sybille Weber]

We are in the lucky position to have 'All Creatures Great on Small' back here on TV each Sunday afternoon, and although we have seen all episodes many times and I have read all the books we are glued to the TV set every Sunday now. Episode 5 coming up this weekend.
To us it's the best TV series that was ever made, the perfect antidote to stress and balm for the troubled soul, really heartwarming.
I think they also chose the perfect actors.

Yes, Kath is right. We actually met Alf Wight, the 'real James Herriot' on a visit to his surgery at Thirsk back in 1987 - a very nice man. (A picture taken on our visit is posted in my album.)

Wonder though what Derek would think of it. I seem to remember to have read somewhere (I think in David Power's book 'Tangye' or in a newspaper feature) that Derek used to be a bit jealous of James Herriot.

[gloria townsin]

Wonder though what Derek would think of it. I seem to remember to have read somewhere (I think in David Power's book 'Tangye' or in a newspaper feature) that Derek used to be a bit jealous of James Herriot.

Yes Sybille I seem to remember something about that too, but whether it was an assumption or fact who knows?

[Sparky]

I have seen the picture in your album,Sybille.I know that despite his massive worldwide success and popularity and subsequent wealth that James and his wife lived very modestly,choosing to continue to live in their bungalow.I believe his only treat to himself was buying a quite modest Audi Quattro car. I think he was a very modest man who was always amazed and abashed at his own success and popularity.
It is a wonderful series of tv shows,I have them all on vcr tapes but will avidly watch any time they are on tv.

I have read also,I believe in articles I found on-line,that according to Derek's long time publisher and friend at Michael Joseph there was certainly some rivalry if not jealousy in Derek's mind concerning James Herriot and he certainly(the publisher)did not mention his name in Derek's company.It was a bit of a dilemma for his friend as of course Micheal Joseph published the Herriot books,too.

I agree,I think it was by far the best tv series ever made.

Steve.

[Jeniwren]

Do you know, everytime I watch the Antiques Roadshow and see that little car appearing over the hill with that huge grandfather clock in the back, it always reminds me of the opening sequence of All Creatures Great and Small.

Kath
!!That's what it is! It has always baffled me as to what memory was trying to stir :oops: :lol:

I love All Creatures too. I was thinking just recently it's about time they put it back on tv here......I wish.

[gloria townsin]

Funnily enough I have just this morning been reading an interview with Robert Hardy (Siegfried - as if you needed reminding) he is now 83 and he says he still gets fan mail about the series. He said Sybille, he is getting a lot of fan mail from Germany right now so he guesses it is being re-shown there. I thought yep, you're right!! :D

[Sybille Weber]

:D

Yes, he's so right - fortunately.

My sister recently told a colleague of hers that "All Creatures" was back on TV. That colleague hadn't heard of it before and so watched it the following day. Then next day at work she asked my sister what she thought was so wonderful about it as she couldn't make much of it.
I guess if you can't see and feel this yourself and you need an explanation then there's no use in watching it. Probably also a kind of wavelength thing.

[Kath Mulligan]

She would probably think we're all nuts on this forum then!!!! :wink: :lol:

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Mmmmm........you can't really explain a programme like All Creatures as you say. So much of the dialogue between the vets and the often dour farmers is hilarious. As in the dog (can't remember it's name) who was continually taken to them because the dog kept 'womiting' His owner was Irish I seem to remember.
And Tricki Woo who suffered from 'flop bot'. Another story I found funny was when James takes Helen out for the first time to a posh do and wears the altered suit given to him by Tricki's owner, he is wearing old fashioned patent pumps with the outfit. So well written.

[Sybille Weber]

Mmmmm........you can't really explain a programme like All Creatures as you say. So much of the dialogue between the vets and the often dour farmers is hilarious. As in the dog (can't remember it's name) who was continually taken to them because the dog kept 'womiting' His owner was Irish I seem to remember........

I think the dog's name was Clancy, wasn't it?
Ah, just 1/2 hour to go now until the next episode on TV - our Sunday afternoon treat.

[gloria townsin]

Big tick, Sybille, it was indeed Clancy. :D

[Sybille Weber]

And would you believe, Gloria, today's episode of 'All Creatures...' started with Clancy and Mr. Mulligan!

[gloria townsin]

And would you believe, Gloria, today's episode of 'All Creatures...' started with Clancy and Mr. Mulligan!

That old 'Wavelength' thing gets everywhere! :D

[Kath Mulligan]

Don't remember Vin being in All Creatures Great and Small!! :lol:

Oh, I do wish they would repeat the series over here again, if only on one of the Sky channels, they were such wonderful feelgood programmes.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Yes it is a pity Kath.......you'd think in these times of gloomy weather and finances the programme planners would want to pick us all up a bit, themselves too and give us something to smile about but they seem desperate to dish up miserable storylines and unfunny comedy programmes. I sometimes wonder who they are catering for.

[Kath Mulligan]

They only seem to be catering for the foulmouthed, sewer-minded minority in my opinion. :x (I am Mary Whitehouse reincarnated!!).

Kath

[Sybille Weber]

Don't remember Vin being in All Creatures Great and Small!! :lol:

Oh, I do wish they would repeat the series over here again, if only on one of the Sky channels, they were such wonderful feelgood programmes.

Kath

:lol:

If they don't repeat it on TV perhaps you can get it on DVD?
I think "The World of James Herriot" sell all the episodes on DVD in their online shop.

[Kath Mulligan]

It might come to that Sybille. Or I might try good old Amazon - they usually come up trumps.

Kath

[Sybille Weber]

NO Creatures Great and Small for us here today. :cry:
We were deprived of our regular Sunday afternoon treat due to the Carnival here in Germany which is not only taking place in the streets but unfortunately also on TV.

[gloria townsin]

Wavelength again Sybille - I have just read an e-mail from Jeff telling me all about Carnival today in Mannheim. They have the rest of the week to pack up ready for the removals next weekend and then they have a couple of days to re-decorate the apartment arriving here on the 3rd March - a day very personal to us, it's our eldest son's birthday.

[Sybille Weber]

Wavelength again Sybille - I have just read an e-mail from Jeff telling me all about Carnival today in Mannheim. They have the rest of the week to pack up ready for the removals next weekend and then they have a couple of days to re-decorate the apartment arriving here on the 3rd March - a day very personal to us, it's our eldest son's birthday.

:)

I'm not a particular friend of Carnival really, and we usually never join in the party. Just as a child I dressed up in fancy-dress, and I liked to stand by the roadside to watch the Carnival processions. Suppose the most interesting bit about it as a child was that they always threw sweets from the various passing motto carriages and all the children dashed at them trying to pick up as many as possible. This is still done today, and in the big Carnival towns like Düsseldorf, Cologne and Mainz they even throw complete boxes of chocolates, soft toys, flower bouquets and other little gifts. I was very surprised therefore, when, years ago, we watched a Carnival procession in England and instead of having goodies thrown at us, the procession was accompanied by people with collection boxes who asked the spectators to donate money. :lol: :wink:
Yet I prefered the English Carnival procession as it took place in summer, and it is much nicer standing by the roadside in summer than in frosty February.

A Happy Birthday to your son, Gloria, when it arrives.

[gloria townsin]

They sound like good processions to be a child bystander at Sybille :D sweets and boxes of chocs - eh?..........I should think every child can't wait to be there. :D

[Kath Mulligan]

At our local carnival in June, there is a street collection, the proceeds of which are divided between good causes in the town, and the people on the floats also throw sweets to the children in the crowd. We have Swizzells Matlow sweet factory in New Mills so they usually donate the sweets (remember Love Hearts? They are made here).

Is the German Carnival tied in to Mardi Gras, Sybille, like it is in Brazil? I know it is pancake day here tomorrow and Ash Wednesday the following day, so just wondered if there was a connection.

Kath

[Janet Swan]

I know it is pancake day here tomorrow and Ash Wednesday the following day, so just wondered if there was a connection.

Kath

I'm not aware, Kath, of a connection between Pancake Day and Ash Wednesday, but could be wrong. I do know that Ash Wednesday has a big church service (I don't go to this myself) when people actually have a mark on their foreheads made from ashes. Apart from that, I really am quite ignorant of the meaning of it all.

Janet

P.S. I do like pancakes though :wink: :lol: .

[Kath Mulligan]

Pancake Day came about because people were using up their eggs, flour, sugar etc before the start of Lent, Janet, or so I was taught many moons ago at Sunday School! And I think Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, isn't it?

Kath

[Sybille Weber]

Yes, Ash Wednesday is always the end of Carnival and the beginning of lent where catholic people go to church and get an ash cross on the forehead. Don't know whether it is connected to the carnival in Brazil. The Carnival season over here actually starts on Nov. 11th at 11 h 11 mins when preparations for the real thing in February start. Then some time in February the real carnival week starts on a Thursday with the women's carnival followed by carnival weekend with carnival parties and processions in the smaller towns and the school processions. Monday is the main day with the big processions in the big towns. We call it 'Rose Monday'. Tuesday still has carnival parties, and then on Wednesday it is all over. :D Not all parts of Germany do celebrate Carnival though. The really big events are mainly held in the Rhine area where all companies are usually closed on Rose Monday.
Our office never closes on Rose Monday, but everybody who wants to take a day off is free to do so. None of us is really keen on Carnival though, and we don't like to waste precious holiday time to celebrate Carnival.

Kath, 'floats' is the word I was looking for. I had a feeling 'carriages' was not the suitable word.

[gloria townsin]

Love Hearts.........I used to ....... well......love them. :D
Must get pancake mixing tomorrow.......nice and thin and covered in lemon juice and sugar. mmmm...
I also believe it originated from using up flour etc at the beginning of Lent. Sorry to say I have never given up anything for Lent........not a very good thing to admit to.

[Kath Mulligan]

Nor have I, Gloria, so you are not alone.

Is there any other way to eat pancakes than drenched in sugar and lemon juice?! (ok, I know there is, but that is definitely my preferred choice).

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Maple Syrup - very sweet, cooked fruit rolled up in them and dusted with icing sugar maybe add some ice cream. Then there's the savoury variety which are pretty endless. Actually it's a wonder I don't make them more often. I think what put me off a bit was when the three boys were little I would stand at the cooker making one after another while they held out their plates and by the time I got round to making myself one I was a bit fed up with it all. I know I could have made them in a batch and kept them warm but they are so nice freshly cooked. Anyway with just Eddie and myself here at present I will be getting back to Shroving on it's day. :D

[Janet Swan]

On the bus today (yes, one learns a lot travelling on a bus :lol: ), I learnt two things. 1. as Kath says, Pancake Day is to use up all those ingredients before Lent begins. 2. the ashes are made from burning last year's Palm Sunday palms and bamboo (?) crosses. Have just googled Imposition of Ashes and it first began in the 10th century and "symbolises purification and penitence".

As for giving up eating or drinking something during Lent, to me the only purpose of doing this would be that others might benefit e.g. giving up chocolate and making a donation (of what the cost of buying it would be) to a charity. Well, like Gloria, I don't give up anything but I do make an extra donation so I don't feel too guilty :wink: .

And today I went to the Pancake Fair in Hitchin and had a really delicious pancake with lemon and sugar, and thoroughly enjoyed it while watching the traditional Pancake Race through the town :) . The ingredients were donated by Waitrose, a local hotel mixed up the batter and I believe it was all in aid of the local hospice, so a really nice event.

Janet

[gloria townsin]

You have some good events at your end of the county Janet. We used to but as I have previously said we seem to be losing our identity here and all those kind of things have got lost on the way.
Donations sounds a good way of dealing with Lent, thanks for the thought. :D

[Kath Mulligan]

I cheated and we had our pancakes today since both Claire and Mum were joining us. Very nice they were too!

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Good things are even better when they are shared with those we love.
We had ours Tuesday evening with lemon and sugar, very trad. :D

[Sparky]

Just watched the weekly wonderful All Creatures Great and Small episode.
The indomitable Tristan plays the ghostly Raines Abbey monk and later mistakenly posts the irrascible farmer Cranford a tin of infected cow manure which he rubs four times daily onto his boars back,much to the delight of Seigfried!
What a terrific series of books and shows.Uplifting and a marvellous tonic to any mood.

Steve.

[gloria townsin]

Ah - yes Steve remember that storyline.......one of the many great chuckles. I think the minute I picked up the first book and read the description of how a young, fresh out of vet college, 'James' tries to examine the old cart horse in the street in front of an audience of passers by,.......describing with such hilarity the way the old horse looked at him, before making James look completely wet behind the ears as far as being a vet was concerned, I knew I would love all the stories to come. :D Why they don't repeat them here I don't know........I bet if they did they would find a whole new audience.
The most popular programmes it seems to me are the ones that are based in a time now gone. Whether it is because we like a bit of 'way back then' or because we hark back to a time when technology was having a 'wireless' at most and life was simpler, or a mix of both I'm not sure, but I can watch it in huge quantities and not get bored. :D

[Sybille Weber]

Just watched the weekly wonderful All Creatures Great and Small episode.
The indomitable Tristan plays the ghostly Raines Abbey monk and later mistakenly posts the irrascible farmer Cranford a tin of infected cow manure which he rubs four times daily onto his boars back,much to the delight of Seigfried!
What a terrific series of books and shows.Uplifting and a marvellous tonic to any mood.
Steve.

Now that's incredible, Steve. My husband Rolf is just watching an episode of All Creatures Great and Small which he taped on video as he missed it when it was on three weeks ago. As I watched it three weeks ago I thought I'd log onto the forum instead to check on the new posts, and there is your post about Tristan as the Raines Abbey monk. Guess which episode Rolf is just watching? Right, the one with Tristan as Raines Abbey monk! - Just wonderful. :D :lol:
Off now to join Rolf in watching again - can't resist it.

[Sparky]

Just watched this week's episode of All Creatures which began with Mr.Mulligan and his giant Wolfhound,Clancy 'womiting' and featured the indomitable Mrs.Dalby (who's husand just died) and James finally getting to grips with(literally)and pronouncing his love for his future wife and lifelong companion,Helen.

It is wonderful stuff,even though I know every scene and every line of it.

Steve.