President Pat Darby opened the October meeting with a poem about welcoming speakers.

Audrey Hobbs said she was disappointed at the low entry for last month's craft and produce show, so Judith Stubbs suggested the event could be non-competitive in the future.

Classes are being arranged for painting on glass, and making greetings cards.

Mary Seaburn illustrated her talk on Moorish Spain with slides, telling of the spread of Islam after the death of Mohammed, through north Africa and into Spain, via Gibraltar.

The first capital was Cordoba, with its mosque built to resemble the Great Mosque of the Rock in Jerusalem. Today is it is a Christian cathedral. Seville became capital, then the Alhambra was built in Granada.

Mary told how the Arabs brought a knowledge of irrigation and farming, growing citrus fruits, almonds, olives and aubergines, and of medicine, being able to remove cataracts from eyes.

The annual meeting will be in November.