daytime

Sunday, 16 May 2021

16th May 2021

Dear All,

Another week and another subdued lockdown celebration, this time to mark 50 years of married bliss! The family were generous in sending an “Experience Voucher” – weekends away, bungee jumping etc. and a collection of “Golden Plants”. We planned to have a couple of gatherings of 6 on the lawn but as the weather was similar to the actual day, i.e., dull and wet we ventured indoors yesterday with Kate & Gordon and Merv & Pat for celebratory drinks, cake, nibbles, examining memorabilia of the day and a couple of activities. The Kitsons and Miles are due this afternoon but Jenny tripped and broke her knee on Friday so is encased in a bulky plaster so it depends on how she feels. We are hoping to have a family gathering later if the lockdown is removed.

Events Voucher

Golden Plants

We had a load of FYM delivered to the allotments last week and although it is rather late in the season, I have spread it on the areas for winter brassicas and squash and rotovated it in. Kate is still planting her flower patch and it is beginning to look full.

Kate’s Allotment

The Night Cam has not been so productive this week with just one badger and a fox plus an occasional squirrel and a hatful of cats – 4 different individuals one night.

On the other hand, the rain gauge has gone into overtime, after 2 readings in the first 42 days in March and April, I have had readings for 13 consecutive days amounting to 43 mm.

On Tuesday I had a pub lunch with walking colleagues at Milton. We were outdoors but fortunately in a marquee as the heavens opened with a violent downpour accompanied by thunder. Tuesday was also Kate Foster’s birthday so we took a trip to Haddenham in the evening to deliver gifts and inspect her father-in-law’s tomatoes. He has a fastidious bent and records the result of every game of scabble he plays with his wife and also every tomato that he harvests.

The publican where we were due to meet on Thursday was very strict about numbers due to complaints from locals in Conington and as the uptake was high Kate and I volunteered to do our own thing and walked from Over to St Ives taking in Swavesey fen, Fen Drayton RSPB then followed the River Ouse to St Ives. It was an excellent walk during which we heard our first cuckoos and saw the first ducklings. We had lunch outside a café in St Ives.