Today on the Market Place was the monthly Farmers Market. Here is David Busby selling his ‘Abingdon Honey’. David Busby has hives on a number or properties round Abingdon, and is often called to collect swarms of bees when they land somewhere where they could be a danger.

During the Market the Christian Aid singers were singing traditional carols.

They were accompanied by the Abbey Brass who will be appearing next at Wootton & Dry Sandford Community Centre with the Wootton Warblers. Details of that December 16th concert – Musical Delights in December – can be found on the Abbey Brass Website.

Thanks to Elizabeth for sending these yesterday.

Monday Market was very quiet – but the young man drove down from Grimsby to sell fish.

The postbox was full in the post office – people are still writing and sending Christmas cards.

For the third Saturday in a row Abingdon Market Place was full of activity. Not only was there a Craft Market, there was also a stall with British Canoeing, and a stall with the Abingdon Peace Group (more tomorrow about their news).

Local craftmakers were selling handmade crafts just in time for Christmas.

British Canoeing were also there in force to support the Kingfisher Canoe Club who need a place to store their canoes near the river. They were asking people to sign a petition supporting their proposal “The only suitable site available is Rye Meadow, for which planning has been approved. However there are some legal restrictions on the site. We are advised by our legal team these can be resolved, but require the council to recognise that there is a commonly used legal solution.”

The petition can also be signed online.

The Local Excellence Market was on in Abingdon this morning. The Town Crier was there to announce what else was happening in town – possibly the flower festival at St Michael’s Church, and the Dunmore Pre-School 50th anniversary. I was too high up to hear.

The trees are turning a deeper shade of amber as September draws to a close.

I saw the first adverts for the Christmas Extravaganza. After S Club 3 last year, The Honeyz will be performing this year. For the first time, brochures will go to every house in Abingdon.

Enjoying the views from the County Hall roof was a lady from Australia. After three days at the Crown and Thistle recovering from the flight over, she will be going to Wales and then Scotland. She stopped here because Abingdon is England’s oldest continually inhabited town and she like it here, and the people.

She had bought a T towel of a fox from Claire Cross’s stall and was raving about Claire’s pictures.

When I passed by a few minute later Claire said that she still had a couple of fox T towels but no more donkeys – apart from the display copy.