26th April 2026

 

           Dear All,

After swimming on Monday I met up with walking mates David, Laurie and Howell for lunch at Cambridge Weatherspoon’s.

On Tuesday there was a small gathering of ex NIAB employees for lunch at Girton Golf Club. In the evening there was an excellent talk in the Local History club featuring the History of Cambridge firm Pyes. They started in 1896 and grew to be the largest employers in Cambridge starting producing Scientific Instruments then moving on to Radios, then TVs, then electric components, then mobile phones. Staff numbers grew to 28,000 in the UK with 7,000 in Cambridge. In 1966 they were taken over by Phillips and went into decline. We had a phone call from Geoff Barnes asking to come and stay for a couple of days. In the garden I planted out Celeriac, earthed up Potatoes and were blessed with a visit from a mouse eating cucumber and courgette seeds!

We have been moving potatoes and other frost susceptible plans in and out of the greenhouse all week. Our rainfall has stuck on 0.5mm for the month of April and our 1000 litre rainfall tank is already empty.

 

 

Early Nomadic Potato

 

On Thursday I had an educational bird spotting walk with Laurie in Over Fen. He was disappointed in the haul but we saw 25 different birds and heard a Bittern booming. List: Wren, Cetti warbler, Sedge warbler, Coot, Golden Eye dusk, Tufted duck, Mute swan, Blackcap, Swallow, Cuckoo (first of the year), Mallard, Canada geese, Graylag geese, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Robin, Buzzard, Kestrel, Black headed gull, Heron, Yellowhammer, Pigeon, Rook, Crow. Also a hare and 2 lots of deer. Laurie is one of those people who can identify every birdsong.

 

 

Over Fen

 

 

 

Laurie

 

 

River Ouse

After Tesco’s on Friday it was woodwork day as I replaced the rotten frame round the pot and tray cupboard under the water tank.

 

 

DIY!

 

Over won their penultimate game v Foxton 3 v 0 in cricket temperatures!

Derek Medlock called with 6 more bags of rabbit muck.

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

19th April 2026

 

           Dear All,

After our swim on Monday we had a search for Merv’s false tooth which is on a plate but was not present when he went to reinstate it. Searches were in vain so a replacement is needed at a cost of £320. A serious seed sowing week including Runner beans, French beans, Leeks, Salsify, Parsnips, Sweet Corn, Courgettes, Squash, Cucumbers, Melon, Pumpkins, Marrows, Gourds, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage & Romanesco all finding a place in the ground or module.

On Tuesday I had my first ever session with a Dental Hygienist – normally the dentist does the scrubbing and scraping. In the evening we had a farewell meal for our walk leader Trevor who is immigrating to Australia.

 

 

Farewell Meal

 

 

Marina & Trevor

 

I survived a trip to the barbers on Wednesday while Kate had a meeting with the Hygienist.

In the evening we had a Moldova committee meeting preceded by a Moldovan style meal courtesy of Geoff & Janet Pake.

U3A was back on schedule this week and there was a meeting of the Travel Book Group. The book this moth was “Footsteps” by Richard Holmes which received mixed reviews because it was more of a biography than a travel book.

This was followed on Friday by a real biography the subject being rather obscure in the form of William Maclure who was Scottish industrialist born in 1763 who made a fortune from cotton then moved to the USA and started settlement at New Harmony, Indiana based on good education and equal opportunities. I do not usually go for classes in the summer term but the chap presenting asked me to help with his PowerPoint.

 

 

William Maclure

Saturday’s task was erecting the climbing bean canes.

 

 

Over beat Isleham 5 v 0 and have just 2 games left this season.

The Wisteria has flowered very early this year.

 

 

 

 

Best Wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

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