21st April 2019

Dear All,

We began Monday with a trip to Cambridge to return the SP keys then proceeded to the dump as Kate has been clearing the loft, then off to Waterbeach to fill 6 bags with recycled green waste. In the afternoon I sorted Ken Elsom’s garden as he is recovering from a stroke: earthing up spuds, rotovating the remainder of the garden and planting lettuce and sowing carrots and parsnips. Back home I sowed leeks, Runner and French beans. The blossom in the garden is fantastic – but we could surely do with a good rain.

I gave a report on the recent Moldova visit at the Tuesday home group and several extra folk appeared.

Wednesday was a full day beginning with one of Philip’s famous briefings for the U3A Dartmoor walking holiday in May, followed by a NIAB Wrinklies meeting covering 100 years of soil science. In the evening we had a chapel visit to Bakers farm in Swavesey where David Baker has started from scratch and built up a business with 130 ewes, 30 beef cattle 200 hens and 20 pigs. He has them slaughtered then does the butchery and retail himself. We then just had time to get to Over Garden Club for a talk by Richard Ayers the ex-head gardener of Anglesey Abbey.

Baker’s sheep

Wessex x Duroc pig with golden sheen

On Thursday our walk started at Arrington and took in Croydon and Wimpole Hall with yellow flowers everywhere: cowslips, celandines, dandelions and of course oilseed rape – with an odd bluebell thrown in.

Wimpole Folly

Break in the Woods

Friday morning was another session on the cricket square followed by sowing sweet corn sprouting broccoli and lettuce.

I had a long chat with John Bell yesterday while trying to arrange the next cousin’s reunion. He has lost his driving licence at present due to a series of blackouts.

This morning we had a 6am sunrise Easter Service in the orchard – and for only the second time in 10 year the sun actually made an appearance!

Love

Mike & Kate

14^th April 2019

Dear All,

I have sent you all a copy of the CEEM report and the link to Dropbox for the photos so I won’t repeat any of that just to say it is amazing how much you can pack into a week if it all works out. Since returning it has been all about writing up the reports, sorting the photos and catching up in the garden. The garden has survived the run of frosts this week although some of the tomatoes in the greenhouse have been singed.

We walked locally on Thursday started at Stow cum Quy and taking in Quy Fen and the old coprolite beds. There was a large turn out as it was close to Cambridge.

Quy Coprolite Pit

Quy Mill

Quy Mill Pond

John Lane returned from two months in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam this week so we started preparation of the cricket square. This is now a bigger job as we have added two extra strips this time.

Over beat Milton 5 v 0 yesterday and need to only draw their last game to go up and if they win they will be champions.

We were on Street Pastor duty last night and it was reasonably busy with a few hen and stag parties out and featuring an early casualty frog marched to the café to recover, another prostrate on the pavement with a bloody wound from probably a bottle blow and ending, as usual, with a difficult case of an 18 year old celebrating? his 18^th birthday by getting paralytic and not responding very quickly to efforts to sober him up so we were not able to get away until 4.15 am and to bed until 5.00 am.

Ben did well in the Vienna marathon last Sunday with a time of 3 hours 37 minutes.

Love

Mike & Kate

31st March 2019

Dear All,

This week has mainly been about preparations for Moldova and getting the garden ahead for when I am away. I missed swimming on Monday to travel to St Neots to meet up with Terry to withdraw cash from the bank to send to Moldova via Western Union. WU will only take cash so we handed over a large wad of £20 notes totalling £7000 to go to 2 destinations. One went through with no problems, the other recipient emailed to say that we had spelt his name wrong- despite copying it from his email address. Terry went back on Thursday to try and rectify this only to be told that I had to go in as I had signed the Receipt. I went back in the evening and it was changed with no proof of identity or need for a signature –so why it had to be me?

The allotment next to ours has been given up and is in a terrible mess – the incumbent works for the British Antarctic Survey and did not have enough time to look after it properly. A couple of us have been trying to tame it this week before the next occupant takes over.

On Wednesday I addressed the “NHS Retirement Fellowship” at Addenbrookes on the subject of “Salads”. There were 120 there but mainly fairly mature citizens!

Thursday saw us at Wickhambrook south of Newmarket for our walk which took in the Denston Estate and several racing stud farms. It was really dry underfoot and the predominant flowers were violets this week.

Denston Hall

Denston Hall Gatehouse & gate

Denston church with enclosed boxes

White violets

Garden wise I have planted tomatoes, sown carrots, scorzonera, radish, peas and parsnips and erected bean canes.

Esther and Emma came for lunch yesterday as a Mother’s day treat for Kate and Esther was able to advise one of our elderly friends on aides to help eating with a serious tremor.

Over went top of the league yesterday with a 3 v 1 win over Cottenham – again it was a feisty local derby and Over conceded their 4^th penalty in 3 games!

Love

Mike & Kate

24th March 2019

Dear All,

Spring certainly seems to have arrived and the magnolias in the front have put on as yet a frost free show. Gardening is well ahead with main crop potatoes planted this week as well as onion modules, beetroot, salad onions and land cress. I have also dug the compost trenches for runner beans so well ahead.

Magnolia

Runner Bean Trench

Monday night was the annual chapel 10 pin bowling event at Pidley – as usual it was a full house with 24 bowling and another 6 there for a meal.

Tuesday was the final session of “Wicken Fen” in the form of a guided tour which brought it alive more than the usual self-guided tour when it is sometimes hard to spot anything.

Wicken Fen

I met up with Terry Rugg on Wednesday night to finalise Moldova plans. It has been a struggle to raise sufficient funds this year but the amount collected doubled in the last fortnight.

We were in the Fens for our Thursday walk starting at Little Downham, reaching the Bedford Level where the Ouse Washes were flooded and covered with water birds.

 Bank of the New Bedford Level

Ouse Washes

In the evening we were invited to Churchill College for a very interesting Red Cross fund raising lecture given by Prof. Sir David Baulcombe on the topic of “Reconciling Biotech and Organic Cropping”. It was very interesting covering a range of topics including: Genetic Regulation, GMs, Speed breeding, Growing Mixtures & Companion cropping. We were the guests of Rosemary Pollack a former walking colleague, and ex lawyer, who was involved with supporting and funding the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

The subject of the final “Biography” of the year was “Frank Kingdom Ward” a plant collector in the early twentieth century. He went on 25 expeditions to China, Burma and Tibet collecting hundreds of specimens including most famously the blue poppy.

Yesterday’s football was a top of the table clash with Orwell which to say the least was full blooded including 3 penalties and uniquely both goal keepers being sent off! Over won 3 v 2.

Love

Mike & Kate

17th March 2019

Dear All,

Thank you for cards, presents, good wishes for my birthday – it is amazing how often they come round. We had a meal for 10 in St Ives last night including, eventually, Duncan & Sue Colquhoun who phoned up from Ely to say that they couldn’t find us!

Today we have travelled down to Brentwood to watch Ben scorch round a half marathon in 1 hour 41 minutes and share a meal with Esther and Emma.

Near the tape

The week did not start well as we turned up at Impington Monday morning to find the pool closed due to a chemical problem. Later we drove to Kentford near Newmarket, to pick up some vegetable seed promised for Moldova from Mr Fothergill’s. In fact they donated over 1000 packets of seed.

Tuesday’s “Wicken Fen” covered the various community projects that they have in hand. Next week we have a visit and conducted tour. I was at Shelford Garden Club in the evening talking about “Potatoes”.

Another batch of seed arrived on Wednesday this time from Hazera and in the evening Graham rang to inform us that Mary had a successful hole in the heart operation and indeed she was home the next day. Meanwhile David was unable to go on holiday due to an unpromising combination of a jippy tummy and a long coach journey!

Our Thursday walk was some way off at Shillington beyond Hitchin. It was tough going with rain and wind gusting up to 40mph. I also suffered a funny turn with a migraine.

Shillington church

Damp walker

Mistletoe at Wrest Park

Wind shelter

Near Shillington

“Biographies” subject was “Clement Atlee” the PM with the smallest ego of any so far but with a knack for being in the right place at the right time and good at spotting talent and delegation.

Over performed well 2 v 0 against Hundon in a very strong wind yesterday which made it difficult standing still on the touchline!

Love

Mike & Kate

10th March 2019

Dear All,

We were on the streets last night and thanks to the rain most of the action was inside the clubs so we had a fairly quiet – but rather damp night! We were not due on duty for a couple of weeks but as ever they were short-handed and the schedule was rearranged.

Spring must be coming as we received our first batch of frog spawn this week!

Plans for the next trip to Moldova on 2^nd April are gradually taking shape assembling talks, seed, craft materials and gifts. There are just two of us this time Terry Rugg and myself. John is still in Turkey and sends photos and brief emails fairly regularly. We have been sending him books as he is short of reading matter and OXO cubes as these seem hard to come by in that part of the world.

Our “Wicken Fen” course covered grazing animals this week: Konik ponies and Highland cattle. The ponies are extremely tough and spend all year outside and refuse to eat any rations even hay.

Konik Ponies

“Biographies” subject was “Erskine Childers” author of the “Riddle of the Sands” and advocate of Irish Home Rule. He organised a shipping of guns in 1914 and was mistrusted by both the English and the Irish and was eventually executed by firing squad by the Irish in 1952. His son eventually became the fourth President of Ireland.

Erskine Childers

Walking wise we were at Ickworth near Bury St Edmunds on Thursday. It is an excellent site for walking and the weather was kind.

St Mary’s church Ickworth

The Round House

Ickworth House

Ickworth Estate

It was Merv’s birthday this week and we were invited round for a takeaway on Friday night.

Over came down to earth with a bump yesterday losing 2v1 to fellow promotion hopefuls Orwell in a match spoilt by the wind.

Love

Mike & Kate

3^rd March 2019

Dear All,

With the unseasonable warm dry weather it has been tempting to get going too early on the garden – indeed Mervyn Howard, who is impatient at the best of times, has planted up his whole area already! We contented ourselves in digging up the border of Arum Lillies which has been in place since we moved here to thin, clean and replace them – it was a serious challenge. The apricot tree in the front garden is absolutely full of blossom this year – maybe to make up for last year?

Apricot Blossom

Our “Wicken Fen” lecture this week covered “Birds”. They have recorded 77 regular breeding species, 16 occasional breeding, 27 winterlings, 34 passing through and 80 vagrants. A Cambridge researcher has spent 23 years studying cuckoos and has come up with some very interesting findings such as they always stick to the species they were born in, female cuckoos can imitate the calls of birds of prey to frighten the host (Reed Warblers) from their nests so they can lay their eggs, Reed Warblers can detect very small differences in egg size to depose of the cuckoos egg and this sense is sharper when they know cuckoos are about and fledgling cuckoo chicks can imitate the sound of a nest of Reed Warblers to encourage feeding.

This week’s Garden Club talk was at Baldock – another large group of about 70. The chairman was an aged, cheerful silver haired fellow – but when I was chatting to him found he was younger than me – I guess you could draw a number of conclusions!

Thursday saw us at Widdington near Saffron Walden for a walk that took in Henham and Debden. It was unbelievably dry underfoot with plenty of catkins and daffodils in evidence.

Near the source of the River Cam,  between Widdington & Henham

Widdington

Prior’s Hall Barn, Widdington

“Augustus Pugin” was the Biography subject this week. He was widowed, shipwrecked and imprisoned all before he was 20 and died at 40 after 3 wives, 8 children and a very busy life as an architect and designer. In 2 years when he was 26 -28 he designed 18, churches, 2 cathedrals, 2 convents and several schools and houses.

In the afternoon we had a chapel outing to Cambridge Zoology museum which was reopened last year after a major refurbishment. And in the evening I watched Over win the “William Cockell Memorial Cup final” 5 v 0 against Gamblingay at Newmarket under floodlights.

 

Zoology Museum

We were in March last night for an Area Association meal.

Love

Mike & Kate