17th February 2013

17th February 2013.

Dear All,

Monday was quite busy beginning with the dentist, then writing up notes from the “Awayday” for the church magazine before “Understanding the Brain”, sorting a new Garden Club talk, sourcing seed for Moldova and ending with a Dickens Society meeting. The latter was a dramatic portrayal of the court case “Pickwick v Bardell” and featured two of our walking colleagues. They only read the scripts but it was augmented by a couple of trained actors and was very funny.

Pickwick  

   

                                                                   The Judge

The guest speaker at “Science and Religion” was John Polkinghorne who was a Physics Prof. Before being ordained and has written many books on the subject. He is rather ancient now but still worth listening to. I purchased a guide to Stockholm to mug up for next month then we departed for Godalming. Mary-Ann and Andy put their house on the market this week and accepted an offer on Thursday from a first time buyer with no “chain” – so far so good. They plan to rent while looking round for somewhere else.

On Wednesday, Kate, Amélie and I did a walk round Dunsfold village. It was very pretty but exceedingly muddy and Kate had not brought her boots. We then went on to Winkworth Arboretum to see the Witchhazels and found carpets of daffodils already flowering. We had to leave early as I had a Garden Club talk to do on the way back at Whittlesford – and you can never predict the M25. As it happened it was not too bad despite snow and sleet flurries.

 The Path

  

                                                         Dunsfold churchyard

 Daffodils 

                                                                     Witchhazel

The Thursday walk was near the A1 at Hinxworth, Ashwell and Dunton – again rather heavy underfoot but completed just before the rain.

The Biography this week was Joseph Paxton, head gardener at Chatsworth and architect of the Crystal Palace as well as designing many public parks a Crimean hospital and eventually becoming an MP.

I managed a little gardening this week but it is still very soggy.

We have a “Faith Lunch” then CEEM Board meeting this afternoon followed by a rededication service tonight.

Love

Mike & Kate