1^st March 2026

 

           Dear All,

After swimming “Just Vegetating” this week was “Potatoes” and Kate prepared Spicy Potato with Tahini and Soy, Curate’s Pudding and Celeriac, Potato and Mushroom Gratin. Later she planted 50 snowdrop bulbs in the garden.

I had another doctor’s appointment on Tuesday and he said your blood test results are like an 18 year old apart from being very low for vitamin D, consequently I don’t think he thinks I can be very ill which is not how it feels to me! So it is keep taking vitamin D, Paracetamol and fresh air!

In the evening I took Mervyn and Adrian to the Local History meeting which was a good session on Basil Brown, the man who started the discoveries at Sutton Hoo. He left school at 12 and initially worked on his father’s farm but his heart was not in it and he studied Archaeology and Astronomy whenever he could at night classes. He eventually gave up farming and was employed by Ipswich Museum to carry out digs. Mrs Pretty the landowner at Sutton Hoo was curious about the 18 mounds on her land and employed him to start investigating in 1938. He found enough to carry on in 1939 but got a bit elbowed aside by trained archaeologists from Cambridge University but he was given full credit for his finds.

 

 

Basil Brown & Sutton Hoo finds

 

After Church Group on Wednesday I worked on the Moldova talks and sent a couple of emails to Moldova.

On Thursday I did a short walk round the village while Kate took the Guided Bus to St Ives and walked back recording the flood water on the way.

 

 

Black & White Swans in St Ives

 

The Biography subject this week was Jennie Lee the Labour politician. She was a Scottish miner’s daughter who was an MP from 1929 to 1931 then again from 1945 to 1970. She was married to Nye Bevan and was Minister for Arts in Harold Wilson’s government and involved with the founding of the Open University.

 

 

Jennie Lee

Just Vegetating next week is Minor Vegetables (part 1) and I managed to harvest Salsify, Scorzonera and Skirret yesterday

 

 

Scorzonera, Salsify, Parsnip & Skirret

 

Over were held to a 1 v 1 draw yesterday conceding a last minute penalty.

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

22nd February 2026

 

           Dear All,

After swimming “Just Vegetating” this week was “Legumes” and Kate prepared Mixed Bean Masala, Sweet Potato feta with Butter Beans and Quick fried French Beans with Hazel nuts and cheddar.

We had a visit from the Burrell’s on Tuesday. Grace and Nathan were well behaved but Arthur is still Arthur!

 

 

Arthur, Nathan, Grace, Rachel & Kate

 

The parcels sent to Moldova arrived safely on Tuesday which is always a relief. In the garden I managed to transplant some Broad Beans and prune the autumn Raspberries while sowing the first batch of Peas in gutters in the greenhouse.

On Wednesday John thought it would be good to trim the cricket square in a brief dry window – I just about managed it but am still short of stamina. In the evening I was drafted in to speak at Over Garden Club as the booked speaker unfortunately died just before Christmas. I spoke on Oriental Vegetables especially my trips to China and Japan.

I spent time contacting Moldova on Thursday and arranging travel insurance with Kate. The weather seems to be challenging there at present!

 

Chisinau

 

The Biographies topic this week was Hendrick Witbooi.  He led the Namibian people during their revolts against the German colonial empire. Witbooi is regarded as one of the national heroes of Namibia, and his face is portrayed on the obverse of all N$50, N$100, and N$200 Namibian dollar banknotes. Unfortunately the presenter struggled with his presentation due to old age and despite being an ex-University lecturer did not cover the subject very well.

 

 

Hendrik Witbooi

The Russell’s have been in Barcelona for Half Term week and seem to have had a good time.

 

 

 

Meanwhile Esther & Emma posted fine photos of the Northern Lights and few friends they made in the Arctic.

 

 

 

I didn’t walk this week but Kate did a local walk through the orchard to Swavesey then the river finding plenty of mud and water.

 

 

Orchard Path

 

 

Colourful Garden

 

 

Swavesey Fen

 

 

Flooded River

 

 

Overcote

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

15th February 2026

 

           Dear All,

After swimming “Just Vegetating” this week was “Salads – Fruit: Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers & Aubergines. Kate produced Roasted stuffed peppers, Aubergine bake and Tomato with chick peas.

I had a blood test on Tuesday – 4 syringe full checking about 12 items! The results came back as severe shortage of Vitamin D and I was prescribed 4 tablets a day for 3 months. I am not convinced that a vitamin shortage explains how I have felt but we will see.

We had an ex NIAB employees lunch at Girton Golf club Tuesday lunch time where the standard of food has improved with the advent of an Italian chef.

I have sown Celeriac, Herbs and planted Ginger this week.

A couple of the seed bulks donated by Tozer’s are too large to send to Moldova so I have offered them to Over Garden Club. Chairman Richard Cox came round to discuss how best to use them.

Ben revealed on the family Zoom that he has run on 53 consecutive days – anyone want to better that?

On Thursday it was my turn to head up the Travel Writers Book Club and my choice this month was “Eight Feet in the Andes” by Dervla Murphy describing a 3 month walk down the Inca Way with her 9 year old daughter and a mule. It was another tale when you are not sure how they survived! Dervla’s most famous trip was cycling single handed from Ireland to India

 

 

Dervla Murphy & Daughter

 

Kate made some biscuits using a Peruvian recipe based on Maize meal. Kate came into Cambridge with me shopping for a warm woolly for Moldova.

The Biography subject this week was Bert Trautman the German goalkeeper who played 60 minutes of a Cup Final with a broken neck. He has in the Hitler Youth and had a checked war eventually being captured and sent to England where he was amazed at his treatment and stayed on after the war.

 

 

Bert Trautman

 

In the evening we hosted a meal and committee meeting for Moldova Matters mainly planning details for our forthcoming visit.

 

 

Thelwell comment on the Weather

 

We were relieved when the courier picked up the parcels for Moldova on Saturday evening: 5 parcels, 46 Kg, £70. Just hope they arrive safely.

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

8th February 2026

 

           Dear All,

After swimming “Just Vegetating” this week was “Salads – Roots, Shoots & Leaves” and Kate produced: Braised Celery with cheese and onion sauce, Vegan chocolate and beetroot cakes and All tine favourite salad with carrot, cucumber, radish tomato and greenery.

In the afternoon we collected a pane of glass for the greenhouse from Cottenham. The first company quoted £70 but the second £15.

Mary & Graham visited on Tuesday with some craft beads for Moldova and plates for Esther to transform for Christmas. David and Ian were due to come as well but David called off with a cold. We had a very good lunch at the Community Centre.

I managed to flick off a tooth cap while flossing and a 10 minute session having it stuck back on cost £70.

Kate joined the U3A walk on Thursday at Little Downham where they encountered a fair share of mud. I again did a shorter local walk round the village.

 

 

Ex Apple Farmers house

 

 

Road Hazard Winnebago

 

 

Station Road cottage

 

 

McLeod Sculpture in churchyard

 

 

Hardinge Statue

 

 

Snowdrops

 

We were not able to hold the Biographies session in the usual Friends Meeting House on Friday so had to decamp to the Methodist church on Castle Hill. We were nicely settled in a warm upstairs room when a handicapped latecomer was unable to master the stairs so we had to move to the main chapel downstairs which was unfortunately unheated, so not a very comfortable session.

The subject was Caroline Norton a glamorous Victorian lady who had an unfortunate marriage with a violent husband who took her three sons away from her. She became friendly with the PM Lord Melbourne. Women at the time had few rights and she campaigned for access to her children amongst other rights.

 

 

Caroline Norton

We hosted a Chapel Events committee in the evening hopefully planning monthly events for the year.

I planted a few potatoes in containers in the greenhouse. I am still up and down and had a poor afternoon yesterday so did not attend football.

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate