12^th March 2023

 

Dear All,

The headlines this week probably go to the weather. We had snow on Wednesday and Thursday followed by rain which added up to 40mm on Thursday and Friday.

This produced a familiar scene at the bottom of our garden and a vivid illustration involving the wheel barrow.

 

 

Pond Overflow

  

2 days of Rain

 

 All of which made our walk on Thursday challenging. As we were leading we felt obliged to go and 6 hardy souls turned up for the shorter walk (8 miles) and 11 for the slightly longer 9.5 miles. We were at Graveley near St Neots and circled through Papworth St Agnes and Yelling. We set out in a snow storm which added to the scenery and helped underfoot but after half way it started to rain which made foot work more slippery. We felt it was an achievement getting round!

 

 

Kate leading away from Graveley

 

 

Near Graveley

 

Horse Paddocks

 

 

Approaching Papworth St Agnes

 

Papworth St Agnew Bake House

 

 

Graveley Shelter

 

After swimming on Monday “Just Vegetating” this week covered Minor Crops part 1 including crops like Scorzonera, Salsify and Hamburg Parsley. Kate produced Fennel and Grape salad, Butternut squash biscuits & Jerusalem artichoke dauphinoise.

In the afternoon I managed to get a troublesome slow puncture mended once they had found a small nail in it.

Garden wise I finished painting and assembling the structure for a raised bed and Kate was in despair as mice trashed the sweet peas she had been nurturing for a month. This meant a trip to Oakington Garden centre to find replacements. I harvested some rhubarb which had been forced.

 

 

Embryonic Raised Bed

 

 

Forced Rhubarb

 

 

Crime Scene

 

Arthur and Grace came after school on Tuesday.

I had another Garden Club talk on Wednesday, this time at Sutton and less usually in the afternoon. There were over 40 there which was good as the weather was not encouraging.

Biographies subject this week was Mahatma Gandhi. Which was very interesting but I guess you all know enough about him so I won’t elaborate.

                                                                   Mahatma Gandhi

 Cathy Wright called yesterday to return our exercise bike which her mother has used for many years but no longer feels safe riding. She helps run Ely Food Bank and told us about the vast increase in demand at present.

Local football matches were postponed due to water logged pitches so Dave and I had to put up with watching rugby on TV – which is not quite the same!

 

Love

Mike & Kate