31st
July 2016
Dear
All,
We
have greatly enjoyed entertaining Mary-Ann, Amélie and Albert until Friday, Andy
having flown to Dublin on Sunday. They have visited St Ives, Milton Country
Park and Ely but seemed to enjoy feeding the ducks in the river, helping
harvest vegetables and playing on the Green just as much. Amélie is quite tall for her age and Albert
good natured and blessed with a healthy appetite.
Duck
feeding at Overcote
Amélie
& Ely Cathedral
Bert
watching duck feeding
Ely
Maltings
Unfortunately
I had to be out two days on RHS business. It was Wisley on Monday judging 42
beetroot entries and checking progress of Sweet Corn and Sweet Pepper trials.
On Wednesday it was judging the summer cabbage at Spalding, this time with the
Panel. As I am chairman this year I could not back out. The journeys to both
venues were not too bad – school holidays make a lot of difference and Wisley
have some attractive ornamental trials in the same field this year including Agapanthus
and Zantedeschia (coloured arum lilies).
Wisley
Beetroot trial
Wisley
New Varieties trial
I
travelled down with Colin Randal from Thompson & Morgan Seeds and he needed
to call in on Tozers Seeds at Cobham after to pick up some of their new kale
plants for their press open day.
Vegetables
have benefited from the wet June so we are harvesting runner beans, French
beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and courgettes a plenty and this week pulled
the spring planted onions.
Both
cricket teams won yesterday – a rare occurrence this year!
Love
Mike
& Kate