22nd March 2026

 

           Dear All,

Back to normality and it seems to have been a long week including writing a report, editing photos and preparing a PowerPoint presentation for Sunday. After swimming Just Vegetating was a 2^nd session of Minor Vegetables and Kate prepared Roasted Asparagus with garlic, hazelnuts and thyme, Jerusalem Artichoke Dauphinose and Sweet Potato grain with coconut and chilli. One more week to go! In the evening it was the chapel annual 10 Pin Bowling at Pidley. As proof of my indifferent health status I managed to come last amongst the male bowlers!

 

On Tuesday I reached the formidable milestone of 80 years which I find hard to get my head around! 15 of us celebrated at an Italian restaurant at lunchtime. Many thanks for cards and gifts – all greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

In the evening I attended the Swavesey Local History talk on Grantchester. This described the history, architecture and famous residents from Byron to Jeffrey Archer via Dave Gilmour and a host of Nobel Prize winners.

On Wednesday I retrieved my rotovator from Adrian and prepared land for Peas, cabbage, cauliflowers, Broad beans and calabrese. In the evening it was Over Garden club and a talk about staging a Chelsea Flower Show stand which left the impression why bother!

I was determined to make the Thursday walk this week to buy a round to mark my birthday. I managed about 7 miles but Kate and I took a bit of a short cut – still progress nonetheless!

We started at Barrow near Newmarket and took in Great Saxham, Hargrave and Denham on a gloriously sunny day.

 

 

Muddy Stretch

 

Wilsummer Wood

 

 

Denham church

 

 

Celandines

Biographies on Friday featured Lord Ashfield famous for uniting the Railways as London Transport.

 

 

Lord Ashfield

In the afternoon it was Clary Chapman’s funeral. He was the father of Linda and Carol who were members of Covenanters.

I watched Over Reserves draw 1 v 1 with Cottenham in bright sunshine.

Healthwise I have been improving but still not 100%

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

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