6th February 2022

 

Dear All,

We took part in the “Big Garden Birdwatch” last Sunday recording the birds in the garden for an hour. It started well in sunshine but unfortunately it brought out the children on their trampoline at No.17 and No.21 started cutting their grass which reduced the bird traffic. Nevertheless, we counted 11 different types of birds but not many of each: Pigeons 4, Blackbirds 4, Crows 2, Great Tit 2, Blue Tits 2, Starling 1, Sparrow 1, Robin 1, Wren 1, Thrush 1, Magpie 1.

On the bird front it seems likely that which was labelled Merlin last week was more likely a Buzzard.

We managed to fit in a swim before “Just Vegetating” on Monday. The pool was a toasty 19.5°C and we used “Park & Ride” rather than the guided bus which worked better.

“Just Vegetating” was “Brassicas” this week: Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflowers and Broccoli. Kate’s recipes were: Kale crisps, Cauliflower curry, Cabbage stir fry and Red cabbage, pomegranate and pumpkin seed salad. We called in at Coton Garden Centre for lunch on the way home.

“Cognitive Psychology” covered “Attention and the Great Illusion” – how we notice or ignore various things with the illustration a man in a gorilla suit appearing during a basketball match and nobody noticing as they have been told to count the number of passes made by one team.

Meanwhile “History” was back in the 900s with Aethelstan and Edmund both grandchildren of Alfred who were both competent but bloodthirsty rulers who kept the country more or less united.

Walking on Thursday started at Great Chesterford and headed towards Linton and Hadstock. As it had not seriously rained for 2.5 weeks it was firm underfoot and we saw two small groups of Roe Deer. For the second time in three weeks the pub landlord had succumbed to Covid but as he did not live on the premises the staff put on sandwiches and chips but less than half of the walkers stayed and since one of the walk leaders has tested positive. Kate and I both tested negative yesterday.

 

Great Chesterford

 

 

At the Crossroads!

 

 

Roe Deer

 

It was my turn to present at “Biographies” bumped up the order as again Covid had intervened and taken out the planned presenter. I had chosen “John Steinbeck” as “The Grapes of Wrath” had a profound impression on me at school and I subsequently read most of his novels. All told he wrote 33 books including 16 novels, 12 non-fiction, 3 novellas, 2 books of short stories and 2 film scores. 13 of his books were made into films and he won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962.

 

 

John Steinbeck

 

I have sown Broad beans, cabbage and cauliflowers in the greenhouse this week and we are still harvesting sprouts, parsnips, celeriac and leeks.

Our pastor David Smith is planning to take a trip to South Africa with his family for the first time in 8 years as his mother was ill and his brother is planning to emigrate to New Zealand. Unfortunately, his mother died yesterday.

Kate started her course of Alendronic acid this week with understandable nervousness!

With love

Mike & Kate