23rd May 2021

 

Dear All,

Not too much has changed this week: more rain, readings for 20 days running now, more gardening, more walking, more cricket pitch preparation for cancelled matches and more Night Cam action.

On Thursday we began our walk at the British Queen, Meldreth where they had erected an enormous marquee with solid floor and huge fire inside, goodness knows how much that would have cost which must be recovered somehow.

 

 

Marquee

 

 

Fire

 

 

Marquee interior

 

The walk circled round Melbourn, Bassingbourn, Kneesworth and Whaddon. It was not spectacular but the first stretch along the narrow River Mel was scenic and most of the crops we saw were very good including an unusual field of Peonies.

 

 

Peonies

 

Harcarlow Way near Whaddon

 

 

Meldreth Water Mill

Speaking of less usual crops I have planted Sweet Potatoes this week and the chick pea in the greenhouse has flowered with small white pea like flowers.

 

 

Chick Pea

 

 

Chick pea flowers

 

The second part of Kate’s birthday present arrived yesterday after a long gestation period – it is a litter picker and the first edition got lost in transit.

 

 

Professional Litter Picker

 

Kate had to take Lorna to Hinchingbrooke hospital on Friday as she phoned in poorly. It was a frustrating time waiting for various tests and eventually she had to leave her there having spent 5 hours driving and waiting.

And while on medical matters I eventually had a face to face with my doctor re blood pressure and lacking energy. The upshot is he heard faint “Bibasilar crackles!” Which indicate some fluid in the lungs and I have to have a chest X Ray. I think it all dates from removing Ivy in the graveyard and inhaling dust but it remains to be proved.

The Night Cam is still providing regular evidence of wildlife, last night a fox and Muntjac showed up and there have been badgers more often than not.

 

Muntjac

 

 

Badger

 

I managed to finally dispose of the last of the spare Tomato plants this week. I had 30 extras and they have gone in four directions.

It does not look as though I will be needed at RHS this year. Wisley is being drastically rearranged and they plan to relocate the vegetable trials on an orchard site so they only have a single cucumber trial in a polythene tunnel this year. The rest of the vegetable trials are being grown at their new site at Bridgewater in Lancashire and they have assembled a northern panel to assess these. Vegetables never seem to have a high priority at RHS and neither the orchard site or Bridgewater are trouble free and ideal at present.

The Cambridge News photo theme was “Vintage” this week and I had a picture of an abacus in Moldova featured.

 

 

Abacus

 

I watched West Wratting 2 v 1 Eaton Socon yesterday in an action-packed semi-final of the “30 years of Kershaw League Cup”. There was a sending off in the first 5 minutes which livened up proceedings!

 

With love

Mike & Kate