If I was having coffee with you this weekend, we would probably talk about the death of Queen Elizabeth II. I don’t remember it but as a toddler I watched her coronation in black and white on a neighbour’s small television. According to my mother “queen and duke” was one of the first phrases I learnt to say as their pictures were everywhere.

Although I never had the chance to see her in person Queen Elizabeth has been a constant of my adult life. She appointed 15 British prime ministers including Liz Truss, our third female prime minister who she invited to form a government just two days before her death. She met thirteen U.S. presidents, the list goes on.

Earlier this year she even met Paddington bear and enjoyed a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich.

I think Charles who has been Prince of Wales for over seventy years will be a good and thoughtful king but it will be strange to see a different face on our bank notes and stamps. My daughter went to Bristol city hall to watch the proclamation and was quite moved by all the flowers and messages left outside the cathedral. In London they had to ask people not to leave marmalade sandwiches as they attract seagulls and pigeons. My sons who work in London have been suprised by just how big the crowds are.

Tree sculptures

Our talk might turn to another king, King Edmund who was a grandson of Alfred the Great. Edmund was assassinated at Pucklechurch near Bristol in 996 while staying at a local hunting lodge.

I love local history and during the summer our walk in the past group has been exploring the area to the East of Bristol. During our walks we have admired several tree carvings and I wanted to find a bit more about the artist. I was suprised to learn that many of them were the work of a local chain saw artist Andy O’Neil. Andy combines his previous careers of graphic designer and tree surgeon to produce his pieces which often depict local flora and fauna.

He is able to use the characteristics of the timber and hidden flaws in the grain to give his pieces fine details. He explained that using a chain saw there is not much room for error. He has recently been commissioned to create a series of works for one of our local parks which will depict the local wildlife. Visitors to Stoke Park have been able to watch him at work.

King Edmund carving Yate (top)

This piece was carved from a giant sequoia which had to be felled for safety reasons. King Edmund is depicted with long hair and a beard which become leaves. The door at the bottom is to reference a possible derivation of the name Yate from gate. The village was an entrance to Kings wood, a royal hunting ground in Anglo Saxon times.

Sunflower (Emmerson Green)

I started by carving a mushroom, then a larger mushroom

Andy O’ Neil