21st March 2021

 

Dear All,

Kate brought me a rain gauge for my birthday and as predicted by some it has put paid to the rain so far! I did very well for books as gifts as well as a game, some funky seeds, 2 bottles of wine and some sweets called “Jellyatrics” for the elderly with reduced dental power! Thanks to for gifts and cards. We had a wild day of celebration by going to the Garden Centre in the morning and the allotment in the afternoon!

 

 

Rain Gauge

 

 

Cake – flamingo nesting theme!

 

 

Birthday Loot

The allotment activity this week has been concerned with spreading the bark chipping heap along paths and mulching fruit trees – it certainly makes things look tidier.

 

 

Bark Chippings

 

 

More chippings

 

Yesterday was dry enough to plant early potatoes, beetroot and module onions here and potatoes and onion sets at Ken Elsom’s. I also constructed another compost bin at the allotments from pallets.

Mervyn lent me a scarifier so the lawn has had a thorough seeing to after the lawn sand has checked the moss.

On Thursday we walked from Knapwell to Boxworth, Childerley then back through Knapwell Woods. It was chilly but a pleasant day for walking, although the path in the woods is always muddy. We explored the woods a little, it was predominantly elm destroyed by Dutch Elm disease and the 1987 gales but now recovering. The main features are dead wood and moss which are good for wildlife, a huge badger sett and the first oxlip just showing colour.

 

 

Knapwell Church

 

 

Mossy logs

 

Damp Patch!

The last session of “Biographies” featured Enoch Powell. I knew a little of his political career but learnt a lot about his scholarship and military exploits. He was a workaholic at Cambridge University working from 5.30am to 9,30pm every day and achieved a double star first and won every prize going. He became a professor in Sydney aged 25 – the youngest in the whole Commonwealth and volunteered for the army in 1939 as a Private. He was drafted into the Intelligence Core and sent to Egypt with Auchinleck where he helped draft strategy for Alamein then on to India being promoted all the time eventually rising to be the youngest Brigadier aged 32. After the war he decided to go into politics working at Conservative Central Office hoping to be adopted as a Parliamentary candidate. He was turned down 19 times before being taken on by Wolverhampton SW in 1950.

 

 

Enoch Powell

We are leading the chapel Zoom this morning on “Friendship”

With love

Mike & Kate