21st May 2023

 

Dear All,

I guess it was back to normality this week after 3 weeks away. Evenings this week went Tuesday: church meeting, Wednesday: Over Garden Club, Thursday: Over Produce Show committee, Friday CEEM committee. Stir in plenty of gardening, cricket pitch preparation and a local walk and the result is nothing out of the ordinary.

Kate started the week far from well, shivering, aching and low in energy, then after four days she developed diarrhoea and feeling sick but dry heaving and now after a week slowly recovering but still not 100%. Not that this caused her to slow down overmuch which might not have helped?

The garden took a lot of weeding after being away but is now largely under control. This week I have planted courgettes, sweet corn, sweet potatoes and sown swedes more sweet corn and lettuce. I have also erected the brassica cage at the allotment.

 

 

Veg Patch

 

 

Early Potatoes.

 

I had a Pneumonia jab on Tuesday but Kate cancelled her slot. A new fridge arrived Wednesday and I ordered a new lawn mower so we are spending the kid’s inheritance!

The garden club speaker was from a nursery near Peterborough and he brought about 150 slightly unusual plants with him to talk about and sell. He was clearly a character and bore an uncanny resemblance to Ross Noble the Geordie comedian!  Kate was not well enough to join the walk on Thursday but we managed a local circuit on Saturday down the orchard and up through the allotments,

 

 

Orchard plus cow parsley

A feature was the May blossom, the wild flower strip near the allotments which featured crimson clover and the profusion of buttercups along Mustill’s Lane.

 

 

Wild Flower strip with Crimson Clover

 

 

 

Buttercup meadow

 

 

May Blossom

 

CEEM is going better with Gordon sorting the finances and Geoff adding enthusiasm. Folk have been very generous with donations and this week I received a surprise cheque from cousin Muriel.

Local Cricket is underway so that has meant pitch preparation for the first match on The Green which Over won convincingly today by 8 wickets thanks to the inclusion of a keen Indian gentleman who took 3 wickets for 2 runs and scored 45 runs,

 

 

Love

Mike & Kate