29th March 2020

Dear All,

Lockdown week 2 – I hope you are all coping? The weather this week has helped as it has been good for walking and gardening despite a series of frosts most nights.

On Monday we planted late potatoes in the allotment and at Ken Elsoms then walked round Over Fen.

Germination Cabinet

Celeriac

Overwintered Alliums

Tuesday, I tried an experimental posting of seed to Moldova then broke up the wooden bench I made with Dad several moons ago as it had rotted beyond repair. We then walked down Furtherford and Middle Way before planting peas from gutters. Mervyn collected spare lettuce plants and Adrian celeriac – both at suitable social distancing!

Wednesday, we walked along the flood bank to the river (past the tree where Tarzan demonstrated how he climbs trees!). We were due at the solicitors to update our Wills in the afternoon but that was cancelled and we were asked to draft it and send a copy on-line. The solicitor is evidently going to charge £450 for approving what we have written! Green bin collection has been suspended locally so I had a bonfire to burn all the tree pruning’s and non-compostable waste.

Fen End pond

 

Furtherford

As is traditional we had a more ambitious walk on Thursday starting at Hayley Wood and taking in East Hatley. It was good for exercise and isolation as we saw very few other walkers. The flowers were exceptional with violets, primroses, wood anemones, the most celandines I have ever seen and even the first bluebells.

Hayley Wood

 

Celandines

Hatley Park Gatehouse

I had a message that an old NIAB colleague Bryan Withers had died. He was based at Kirton in Lincolnshire and expert on all things Brassica. He had polio as a child which deformed his chest and recently, he had severe breathing difficulties. His wife has been told that he almost certainly will have to be cremated and attendance at the funeral would be restricted or banned completely.

Friday, we broke the walking routine and I spent the morning digging and rotovating Adrian’s garden. He is a professional gardener but gets too tired to keep on top of his own plot. Kate braved Tesco’s and was not impressed by their safe distancing or health practiced so she will not be going again for some time.

The couple that we share lifts with for our normal Thursday walking both succumbed to coronavirus but with only relatively mild symptoms and seemed to have recovered. We had not travelled with them for 3 weeks due to colds, but they had taken part in one of Philip’s “additional walks” with 12 others.

Yesterday we walked to the Guided Bus way and back through the Mustill’s Lane allotments where Glynis and Richard were busy and we collected a helping of rhubarb as mine died over winter.

David is encouraging everyone to join ZOOM so we will see how useful that will prove. Each Deacon has been allocated 6 or 7 families to check (by phone or email) on a rotating basis. Peter Nunn phone last night to check on our health, evidently, he has done the round of cousins Guernsey is the place to be only one case so far!

Keep well.

With love

Mike & Kate