3^rd September 2017

Dear All,

On Tuesday I went down to Chelmsford with three friends to watch Essex v Somerset. There was a large crowd so we had to queue to get in and therefore missed the first over when Amir took two wickets. It was a day when the ball dominated the bat and eight wickets fell for 150 runs before a downpour ended play early for the day.

The walk on Thursday started from a new location – Castle Hedingham. I had driven past the end of the road on many occasions but never entered the village before. Like last week there was a vast array of different building styles and colours making a very attractive village. You do not get a good look of the castle as it is surrounded by trees but reportedly has the best preserved Norman keep in England. Harvest was finished in that area and we did not see a standing crop until we were nearly back in Over.

Castle Hedingham

Gestingthorpe Church

North End

Priestfields Farm, North End

Otherwise we have been preparing for the coming months. Kate has drafted the next set of quiz questions, we have a waiting list for “Just Vegetating” this term and I have been working on a talk on Street Pastors I have to deliver to Royston WI and swatting up for my next Biography topic who is going to be “Thomas Jefferson”.

I did a bit more autumn digging this week as the Sweet Corn is nearly finished but late sown French beans are cropping very well.

Esther has flown off to Sofia again today to do a little more OT training.

Love

Mike & Kate