4^th April 2021

 

Dear All,

Highlight of this week has been a visit from Esther & Emma yesterday delivering Christmas presents! It is the first time we had seem them since August and the first time anyone else has been in the house since then.

On Monday we tuned into another Kew lecture on Zoom. This one was given by Tom Stuart-Smith who has been in charge of designs for the new RHS site at Bridgewater near Salford. So far Salford town have contributed £20m, RHS £20m and another £5 has been donated by private individuals particularly local Chinese.

He also presented work he has carried out at Chatsworth where the Rockery and Arcadia Wood have been revamped and Hepworth Wakefield where a new free public garden has been added to the Gallery built on an old industrial site.

 

 

Bridgewater Walled Garden

 

 

Chatsworth Rockery

 

 

Hepworth Wakefield

 

Gardening has continued in sunshine early in the week, but it has been decidedly cooler towards the end. Peas and shallots have been planted and carrots, chard, scorzonera and broccoli sown. The last of the overwintered brassicas have been harvested and the land dug. The Magnolia tree in the front has been quite a sight and not yet damaged by frost. The Bike shed has also received a seasonal facelift.

 

 

Magnolia

 

 

Facelifted Shed

The U3A walking group reconvened this week and we were down to lead – groups of no more than 6. As it happened 15 signed up so they were split into 3 groups of 5 and one group met elsewhere, Kate and I taking different routes across the fen, RSPB, Staunch, Barleycroft Lake and river as recced last week.

 

 

U3A Walkers Assembling

 

 

Barleycroft Lake

 

We held a Zoom meeting of CEEM on Wednesday night, a lot has been happening in Moldova but the news has not been getting through to the church in St Neots who pay the pastors wages so they have been getting sniffy about continuing. As the other two members of the committee are based in St Neots it is down to them to improve communications.

 

I had an on-line consultation about my health on Thursday as I have been getting very tired and achy, the regional doctors take it in turns to man these lines, so not only are you remote but also dealing with doctors who do not know you. I got one in Trumpington who recommended a change in blood pressure tablets, an ECG, a Covid test and further blood samples. So far, I have changed the pills, had the ECG and Covid test which were both OK and have a blood letting on Tuesday. We also are in line for a second jab on Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

With love

Mike & Kate