Blackboard signs are made to educate or inspire us and it’s nice when they do it well or with style.
Bodnant’s Head Gardener’s notes are too beautifully done to be wiped out each month and forgotten. I hope someone has taken a photograph of them all down the years as a form of brand collateral. What a sweet resource they would be.
Some blackboard signs in my files are wry, others more serious, but am I the only one who can’t understand how heading a sign Polite notice makes it any more polite?
And am I the only one left imagining how a rude don’t feed the birds sign might be phrased?
This one made me smile although not for the first time, that’s more to do with me than the sign, which makes perfect sense. For those who do not know it, pecky cypress wood has holes, and I assume this means the more characterful the holes, the more valuable the wood. It’s a fool’s game trying to explain what amuses you, but the mere word pecky strikes me as funny too. I read that words with k in them are more funny than other words, so perhaps that’s it.
The Swan with Two Necks is one of Mum’s favourite eating places and as a woman of discernment, she knows. She doesn’t sample the ale when she has chance to visit, but for those who like the amber nectar, they are CAMRA winners.
I have such fond memories of the Sheffield plant swop that I still have their badge on my favourite coat. The last one I remember wearing prior to this was a Betsy Clarke All You Need Is Love badge.
Every good blackboard sign is evocative, of a place, a time, food or drink, a group of people, a mood or an opportunity. If you have some favourite ones, they’ll fit in with HeyJude’s colours for November, grey and black. She’d love you to join in.
Susan Rushton 
I have never seen such wonderful blackboards, especially the gardening boards. Lovely designs that could be used for posters, note cards, and other things.
They could. Polite notices would be especially good for cards – Polite Notice: Please have a happy anniversary. And worried parents could give one up front rather than after – Polite Notice: Please pass your exams.
Oh, too funny!
A fine blackboard gallery, but those delicious looking kippers get my vote 🙂
They do look delicious, even to one who doesn’t eat them.
An original selection – I like the weather stone
I like the moss on the stone too.
I always enjoy the Kettlewell Weather Stone. It’s no less accurate than my internet forecasts.
Other than needing a biblical style flood to qualify.
😉
What a delightfully whimsical post!
Thanks, Anne.
Absolutely fabulous Susan! What gems! I have enjoyed reading my way through this post. Love the decorative garden boards – I wonder if they have several that they bring out through the year? The bookshop made me chuckle – sounds as though dogs are big readers in Manchester. I’m not so keen on the thought of White Rat or Queen Rat for an ale. Rats give me the heebie-jeebies! I do love kippers, just wish they came without all the bones 😯
Thanks for these. I hope you find more blacks and greys.
My pleasure. It was nice to have an excuse to share them. I hope you’re right about the Bodnant boards. That would make sense.
These are fantastic! 🌞
Thanks, Lisa.
Kettlewell weather stone, love it!
The best jokes are close to the truth.
Fun, quirky signs. I love that you photographed them!
How could I resist?
I love the gardening signs, they look too pretty to be wiped away. The first time I ever saw a ‘Polite Notice’ I mistakenly read it as Police Notice, which actually made sense as it was in a private car park 🙂 The next time I go to Manchester I must have a look in Waterstones to see how many dogs are buying books 🙂
I saw a review of dog tv the other day. Apparently it’s a bit boring.
A very interesting collection! Now I will never see Blackboard as before.I appreciate the informative humor behind the word “ Pecky” 😀
We are lucky with English that it gives us access to so many places and cultures.
These blackboards offer a lot of life’s best things: plants, ale, books….and I bet there are good eats at your mother’s favorite eatery. Are all these blackboards hand-lettered? Whether yes or no, they all have personality, but, if done by hand, they are impressively personal. A lovely touch. I hope with you that someone is keeping an illustrated history of the Bodnant signs!
There are. I had a food one ready, but then I noticed I had shared it in an earlier post. I think these signs are hand lettered – a great skill to have.