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Sunday, 20 March 2022

20^th March 2022

Dear All,

Highlights this week include my 76^th birthday and inheriting Kate’s cold! Thanks to all for birthday cards and gifts. We celebrated by participating in the usual Thursday walk then brought all the walkers a drink in time honoured fashion afterwards. In the afternoon, Tony & Jenny Miles came for cake and tea. The main celebration was a meal on Friday evening at The Three Tuns, Fen Drayton with Kate & Gordon, Mervyn & Pat, Bob & Carol, Glynis & Richard, Jane and Adrian.

Birthday Loot

Kate sat out swimming on Monday due to her on going cold and “Just Vegetating” was Minor Crops (part 2) including Globe and Jerusalem Artichokes, Cardoons, Tomatillo, Tamarillo, Hamburg Parsley, Sweet Potatoes etc. Kate’s recipes included Jerusalem Artichoke dauphinoise, Sweet Potato gratin with coconut & chilli, Fennel salad with pistachios & oven dried grapes.

On Tuesday, Arthur was poorly and only lasted an hour of sleeping and weeping before returning home. I dug in the over wintered green manure (crimson clover). In the afternoon we went to the recycling centre at Waterbeach for 7 bags of green compost/soil conditioner. In the evening I was speaking at Fulbourn Garden Club, which was rather up market with sausage rolls, mince pies and wine afterwards!

Wednesday evening it was Over Garden Club with a very good talk on “Auriculas” – hardy Primulas mostly with a pale centre to the flowers.

Our Thursday walk started at Balsham and took in West Wratting and West Wickham. It was sunny throughout but 15mm rain the day before made for a few sticky patches underfoot.

Balsham Bandstand

Balsham Period House

West Wratting Hall

I missed “Biographies” Friday because of the cold symptoms which eventually developed into something fairly severe. I did manage to spread lawn sand on the grass and pricked out a few seedlings.

The Magnolias in the front have started to colour up