25^th August 2019

Dear All,

It was the first Wisley meeting of the year on Tuesday judging Dwarf French Beans and outdoor Cucumbers and checking Fennel and Spring sown bulb Onions. The journeys to and fro were thankfully without problems which is a rarity. Wisley is undergone numerous changes with a completely new entrance, several new buildings and the prospect of rearrangement of trial sites. The Beans were hard to sort with 40 varieties and mainly small differences but the cucumbers were much easier with fewer numbers and larger differences.

 New Wisley Entrance

Panel judging French Beans

Hydrangea paniculata

We entertained Grace and Arthur again on Monday while their mother Rachel went for a hospital consultation. Kate had thought through entertainments for Grace and it went quite well.

Arthur tackling Sweet Corn

I have had three sessions strimming the graveyard this week, there is a contractor who mows between graves but there are many neglected graves which get overgrown.

Our walk this Thursday began at Halls Green not far from Stevenage and took in Graveley and Warrens Green. Harvest was not as far advanced as locally where it has almost finished.

Near Graveley

It was the chapel BBQ yesterday at the Kitson’s so the weather was kind with a reasonable turnout.

Expert Chefs

Burrell family

Both Over cricket teams won yesterday and with only one game left for the 1sts both teams will finish mid table. With Ipswich and Colchester winning and England cricket team showing a little fight it was a good sporting day yesterday!

It is Glynis Fenwick’s 70^th this weekend so we are back to Swavesey Windmill to celebrate this afternoon.

Ben found his first days cycling in the Balkans challenging due to the heat and climbing. The temperature was 38°C and he travelled 50 km without find anywhere to get water. He ended up cycling 10 hours covering 100 miles! He arrived in Dubrovnik and has been to Mostar and Sarajevo. Some of the scenery is spectacular. Meanwhile my fellow cricket pitch operative John Lane sets out for the US next week planning to cycle from the south to the north following the Mississippi, having completed  east to west 11 years ago. You could feel tired thinking about these guys!

With love

Mike & Kate