8th April 2018

Dear All,

Highlight this week was our Thursday walk which saw us begin the “Stour Valley Path”. We had previously walked from Newmarket to Cattawade but this time we began at Shotley Gate and walked to Cattawade on the north bank of the Stour. The weather was perfect on Thursday with good conditions for walking with views of Felixstowe, Harwich, Parkeston, Wrabness, Mistley and Manningtree from across the water, with lots of water birds in evidence. We stopped at Stutton for lunch and carried on to Cattawade after, which was less interesting, and a bit of a slog as the whole walk was nearly 13 miles.

Setting out from Shotley Gate

Erwarton Bay

Opposite Ramsey

Holbrook Bay

Royal Hospital School Holbrook

Stutton church

Seafield Bay

In addition, we did a short recce yesterday at Moulton near Newmarket for a walk Kate is leading next week while I am away.

I was speaking at Willingham Garden Club on Monday night – a friendly but elderly bunch.

Meanwhile at the cemetery we have organised an improved area for the interment of ashes this week. There was a small area which kept getting overgrown by the surrounding grass, so a new dedicated site has a mypex lining with stone infill and plastic surround.

Ashes Site – book now to avoid disappointment!

We have pressure washed the cricket roller this week, marked the square and given it its first roll of the year. The roller was in a mess because the farmer with whom we store it for the winter, used it to press the chalk/cement floor of a mew cattle yard he is building and much of the floor material ended up in the engine compartment via the rollers.

We have managed some outdoor gardening this week between showers and with the aid of duck boards. Kate helped plant maincrop potatoes at the allotment and I have puggled in peas, broad beans, red onion sets, sweet onions and radish.

Otherwise Kate has spring cleaning fever and has begun clearing my office ready for carpet laying while I am away next week. We plan to depart from Stanstead on Tuesday afternoon so no epistle next week!

 

                              Potato Planter                                     

  Mother’s Day Gift from Esther

Love

Mike & Kate