12th April 2026

 

           Dear All,

We have just returned from an excellent week with family and friends in Wrabness celebrating my four score years. The house lived up to expectations with plenty of space and enough paintings and artefacts to fill a medium sized gallery. Ben of course biked down from Cambridge having first roared up from London in headwind and suffering a puncture. He is currently running every day, I think his total is about 109 consecutive days.

Kate, Mary-Ann and I did a circular walk the first afternoon taking in Grayson Perry’s House for Essex and Wrabness shore.

 

 

Domine Farm Barn

 

 

 

A  House for Essex

 

 

Our First Meal

 

Kate and Gordon joined us for the second day, after showing them the house we travelled to Harwich to explore the Marine Heritage trail which included the Treadwheel Crane and a guided tour of on old Lightvessel.

 

 

The Human Treadwheel

 

Lightvessel LV18

 

Wednesday was scheduled as a sibling and cousin’s day so Mary and Graham, David, Stephen and Margaret assembled together with Jackie and Helen and Helen’s offspring Ewan and Robbie, who we had not seen for many moons. After inspecting a local wildlife Reserve we headed for a lunch at Weatherspoon’s in Dovercourt. In the afternoon the elderly part of the crowd took a walk through the Stour Woods to the River Stour. The woods were carpeted with Wood Anemones.

 

 

Wednesday’s Cast

 

254 years of Wisdom!

 

Thursday was fossil hunting day searching for sharks teeth on Walton beach. This was followed by chips on the beach and a walk to the Naze which entailed a hairy scramble up the breakwater as the tide was coming in and cut off the steps.

In the evening we were privileged to join the Glebe Farm “Skinny” tournament with 11 contestants. Ben won the trophy and Gavin the “Aunty Connie” award for the biggest loser!

 

 

Shark’s Teeth

 

 

Subsidence in Walton Cilffs

 

 

Winner and Loser

 

On Friday we were joined by Geoff and Janet Pake, Geoff came to Moldova with Kate and I this time and as a retired farmer found it easy to get on well with David. I showed them Stour Woods and Grayson’s house in the morning then David and Gavin gave them a farm tour in the afternoon. Faith set up archery for the others after Albert had demonstrated his skill in a combine cab and behind a tractor wheel!

 

 

 

Trainee Combine Driver

 

 

Ace Archers

Ben had of course ran to Beaumont via Harwich

So an excellent week. Kate planned the food as expertly as ever, Esther is incredible in planning activities for everyone and everyone seemed to enjoy the week – thank you all – I now definitely feel 80!.

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

5th April 2026

 

           Dear All,

Monday did not start well as we set out for swimming at Impington the road was closed at Cottenham so we had to retrace our steps to Willingham. When we eventually arrived at the pool we were greeted with a sign that said “Pool Closed” evidently someone had over dosed with the chlorine! We covered our disappointment by calling in at Tesco’s for a Greggs Breakfast. Later I sowed Skirret, Sweet Corn and Water Melons and we planted Maincrop spuds at the allotment. Kate has been weeding her allotment most days and seems to be on top of the weeds now.

We had a shopping trip to Cambridge on Tuesday where Kate brought a knapsack for our Moldovan translator and I spent my birthday Book Tokens. In the afternoon I dug the Brussels sprout patch at the allotment. More gardening on Wednesday after a trip to Willingham to restock compost as I dismantled the brassica cage and harvested rhubarb. After I dug the bean trenches for later planting.

I managed 7 miles on Thursday from Eltisley – it was not the complete walk but the most I done recently. Oilseed Rape was coming into bloom and the hedges were full of hawthorn.

 

 

Assembling at Eltisley

 

 

 

 

The Eltisley pub

 

 

Llama flock

 

 

Oilseed Rape

 

 

Eltisley Pavilion

We had an early morning outing to Tesco’s on Friday to beat the bank holiday rush then a 3pm service which was well attended. Ben arrived on his new bike after an adventure with a puncture and some serious head winds.

 

 

On Saturday morning I cleared half of the bottom greenhouse and planted the first 10 Tomatoes.

 

 

 

Top Greenhouse

Amelie has been skiing in Andorra this week, they seem to have had problems with too much snow but she has been smiling in the photos. (In the red top)

 

 

We had a Sunrise Easter Service on the Village Green for the first time this morning – it is usually held down the orchard. Both the sun and the moon put in an appearance.

 

 

Sunrise Service

Hoping to see all of you next week.

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

29th March 2026

 

           Dear All,

After swimming it was the last session of Just Vegetating – Oriental Salads and Vegetables. Kate avoids oriental recipes and produced Spinach & Chick pea salad, Fennel & Red Pepper bake and Courgette, Pistachio & Lemon syrup cake. I did a spiel on Moldova and they collected £250.

It has been a decent gardening week and I have rotovated ready for climbing beans, sown carrots, beetroot, Hamburg Parsley and Swedes and planted seeded onions, lettuce and more potatoes.

Our revered ex walk leader Philip Shaw called for a consultancy on his onions which were very weedy and I think it was due to his peat free compost.

I have circulated the Moldova report to all who might be interested including the seed companies who donated the seed as they asked to be kept informed.

On Thursday we travelled to Thriplow where the U3A walk began but did not join the walk as I did not feel up to 8 miles, so we did our own thing exploring Thriplow in the aftermath of their Daffodil weekend. The flowers were mostly past their best.

 

 

Thriplow Old Smithy

 

 

Surviving Daffodils

 

 

Church Corner

 

St Giles Church

 

 

Heathfield Hall

 

In the evening it was an Over Show committee meeting with our usual 20 point agenda!

Friday we were at Tesco’s then Oakington Garden Centre followed by yet another Doctors appointment which did not clarify my situation very much: a virus, ME or Vitamin D?.

I assembled a PowerPoint for Mervyn later covering his trip to Israel.

Derek Medlock and Joyce came for coffee on Saturday having just returned from Rumania where they attended a rabbit conference. Over were soundly beaten 3 v 0 by Shelford in a wind affected game.

Meanwhile Ben was in Denmark to watch them beat North Macedonia 4 v 0.

The Magnolia trees out front have had a good week and Fritillary are showing up well.

 

 

Magnolia

 

 

Fritillary

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate