2^nd June 2024

 

Dear All,

Last Sunday evening Geoff and I did a presentation on our recent trip to Moldova followed by the distribution of some of the chocolates we accumulated as gifts. Kate and I have been donated an outdoor table and chairs set by Doris next door to Merv & Pat, Kate has been cleaning and varnishing them and I undertook the painful process of dismembering out old outdoor table – painful because it was a project I did with my Dad about 25 years ago so it had sentimental value – but age had caught up with it.

 

 

Replacement Furniture

 

We invited Derek and Joyce for coffee as they were on one of their regular jaunts from Nottingham, there was no mention of the painful episode when Joyce ran away and came for sanctuary.

On Tuesday we erected and covered the vegetable cage at the allotment and I planted Brussels sprouts. This week I have also planted a 4^th batch of Sweet Corn and dug the first potatoes from the garden. I was in the process of relocating a couple of water butts that Esther and Emma donated when we had a surprise visitor in the form of Tony Carman who we had not seen for about 10 years. He is an interesting character from travelling stock who could not read until late in life but is never short of stories which need to be taken with a pinch of salt!

We had a very interesting outing on Wednesday with U3A to Barcham Trees near Soham, They supply fairly mature trees to mainly local authorities in trade mark white containers. They get through 80,000 trees a year and have a vast array of specimens on show. Two members of staff entertained us for 4 hours and gave us lunch and a goodie bag with a glossy book and 4 other leaflets on growing trees.

 

 

Barcham Trees

 

Our Thursday walk started at Ousden, south of Newmarket and took in Denham and Dunstall Green. It was a very rural walk and despite intermittent drizzle the conditions were good with little mud and a cool temperature for walking. Highlight was spotting some Bee Orchids. I have never seen so much blackgrass in the wheat probably because it was too wet to spray at the right time.

 

 

Severe Blackgrass

 

 

Wild Rose

 

 

Bee Orchids

 

On Friday after the Tesco run, I posted parcels to Turkey and Hove then took Adrian to Oakington Garden Centre where he needed to stock up and purchased a new set of Wellington Boots. In the evening, we had a meal and CEEM committee meeting at Geoff and Janet Pakes.

Saturday was so cold it was hardly cricket watching weather but I fetched Dave from Bar Hill and we endured most of the match which went down to the last over. In the evening, we attended Over Players “Old Time Music Hall” which was very good. They have some outstanding talented performers and Richard Fenwick was Chairman.

 

Another memory of Dad is the row of Arum Lillies which used to be by the back door and ours are currently in full bloom liking the wet weather.

 

 

Arum Lillies

Regards

 

Mike & Kate