19^th January 2025

 

Dear All,

After swimming on Monday Mervyn dropped us off at the Friends Meeting House for the first session of Just Vegetating” – this week Carrots & Parsnips. We had a full house and they seemed to be an appreciating audience.  Kate prepared: Carrot Marmalade, Carrot cakes, Miso and honey carrots and Harrisa parsnips.

We had another ex NIAB lunch at Girton Golf Course on Tuesday then we called at Oakington Garden Centre as they had seed potatoes in stock. I purchased Lady Chrystal, Charlotte, Kestrel and Caledonian Red.

I have been updating my “Vegetable Varieties List” for the U3A course but I also distribute it to a few friends on request.

 

 

Norman Ingle came for lunch on Wednesday followed by church group at the Kitson’s. In the evening we attended Over Garden Club for a talk entitled: “Deadly, Dangerous & Downright Annoying Plants”. The speaker talked about 15 common garden plants that are poisonous or irritating and a few more that are annoying – watch out for a spate of apparently unexplained deaths in Over!

 

Our Thursday walk was challenging as it was foggy/misty for most of the morning with a generous helping of mud under foot. We started at Nuthampstead again and took a familiar route to Barkway and Reed.

 

 

Misty Morning

 

 

 

Rotten Stump

 

Earl’s Wood, Nuthampstead

 

 

Muddy Boots

To cap a rather tiring walk I managed to leave my coat in an annex where I changed my boots so we had to drive all the way back on Friday to collect it!

 

The subject of the first “Biography” session of the term was “Thomas Cochrane” a British naval officer, politician and mercenary. Serving during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars in the Royal Navy, his naval successes led Napoleon to nickname him le Loup des Mers (the Sea Wolf). He was successful in virtually all of his naval actions.

 

 

Admiral Thomas Cochrane

 

Over managed to lose 2 v 0 to Comberton yesterday in a rather bad tempered match which saw my 82 year old travel companion Dave Harrower having to be restrained as he invaded the pitch!

Regards

Mike & Kate