13^th April 2025

 

           Dear All,

We have had a very enjoyable expedition to Norfolk this week staying for 2 nights in Caister-on-Sea at the “Old Hall Hotel”. On the way on Wednesday we had a couple of stops, the first at The Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden at South Walsham. This is a large area of woodland and includes South Walsham Broad with large patches of Primroses and Skunk Cabbage - a large yellow arum.

 

 

Wood Carving

 

 

Skunk Cabbage

 

 

Skunk Cabbage Patch

 

We then moved on to Ranworth Broad where there is a Norfolk Wildlife Trust site with an excellent hide with powerful binoculars through which we saw an osprey and several Great Crested Grebes.

 

 

NWT Hide Ranworth Broad

 

 

Pair of Great Crested Grebes

 

We had a wander along Caister sea front in the evening – it is not especially beautiful and it was absolutely freezing!

On Thursday we caught a bus opposite the hotel to Great Yarmouth. The town was much better than I remembered it from visits some time ago. We walked along the front to “Sea World” then turned north to the River Yare, where we had a conducted tour of the “Lydia Eva” a fishing boat which has been restored to useable condition. Then it was along to the Minster, which was closed so we could only admire the outside. We then returned to Caister and took in the Castle and Roman Fort. After a swim, we were joined by Kate’s sister Sue and husband John for dinner at the hotel.

 

 

Britannia Pier Great Yarmouth

 

 

The Big Wheel

 

 

Octopus in Sea World

 

 

Lydia Eva

 

 

Lydia Eva Wheel House

 

 

Great Yarmouth Minster

 

On the way home on Friday, we decided to see whether we could spot any seals on the Norfolk coast and called in at Horsey beach and were amazed to discover a vast number. I guess there 2,000 to 3,000 and a warden told us that there had been 10,000 at the peak.

 

 

Horsey Windmill

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few Seals!

More good news in that the parcels for Moldova arrived in Leova on Thursday and although the customs had opened a couple they had got through OK.

 

 

Happy Arrival!

 

We had our latest COVID jabs yesterday and I watched Over beat Witchford 4 v 1.

We are looking forward to receiving a delegation from Hove on Tuesday!

 

Best wishes

Mike & Kate

 

6^th April 2025

 

           Dear All,

After swimming on Monday Kate and I caught the guided bus to St Ives for a bit of shopping including paint for the garden table. Later I planted out the new strawberry plants, Malling Century and emptied the big compost bin.

Emma had a colonoscopy which was very painful and prolonged.

On Tuesday I finished digging after leeks, cut the grass and began watering as it is rather dry at present and no seeds have emerged. David phoned about the possibility of another family gathering including Stephen and Margaret Jessup.

We travelled up to Saham Toney near Watton in Norfolk on Wednesday to visit my old boss Bill Chowings. Jan Ingram came with us and we took Bill out for lunch and helped weed his garden. He turned 90 a week before and had a pacemaker fitted the following day but he looked quite well.

 

 

Lunch Venue – The Chequers at Thompson

 

 

Jan, Kate & Bill

 

Thursday was an ideal day for walking as it was dry, sunny and not too hot. We started at Shepreth south of Cambridge and took in Foxton and Fowlmere including Fowlmere Wildlife Centre. Spring flowers were much in evidence.

 

 

Shepreth

 

 

Celandines

 

 

Foxton Daffodils

 

 

The Lodge, Foxton

 

 

Fowlmere Wildlife Centre

 

In the evening it was another Over Produce Show Committee with the usual 19 point agenda!

After collecting fuel for the garden machines on Friday we were entertained by an extremely garrulous Solar Panel insurance salesman from Rayleigh in Essex. He had made two previous appointment which he had not kept.To put it mildly donkeys hind legs would be in danger!

Due to trouble the chapel are experiencing with a neighbour who has fallen out with the Play School who use the premises, I have had to write a formal “Statement of Truth” regarding access to the bordering lane which he is curtailing with a fence. Legal advice is being sought and their paperwork states that they charge £500 an hour!

Plants of the Week this time are Snake head Fritillaries and Mouse Plants.

 

 

Fritillaries

 

 

Arisarum prodoccideum – Mouse Plant

 

Over 1^st team did not have a game this week so I watched the Reserves beat Abington 2 v 0.

The courier arrived at 6.45pm Saturday to collect the parcels for Moldova. He only spoke Russian but nevertheless it was a relief after two aborted attempts.

We are off to Northstowe church this morning to support Philip who is giving a presentation about Moldova.

 

Best wishes

Mike & Kate

 

30th March 2025

 

Dear All,

I have been coughing and sniffing for England this week so have not been far. Generously I have now passed the cold onto Kate – who seems less than grateful!

The Moldovan friends asked for craft materials for their “Meal Deal” children so we have been accumulating them this week.

We have spent quite a lot of time in the garden. I have dug sprout, parsnip and cabbage land, dug trenches for beans, planted onion sets, beetroot, salad onions, cauliflower and calabrese.

We met up with some ex NIAB colleagues for lunch at Girton Golf club on Tuesday and later booked a couple days away at Caister-on-Sea in 2 weeks time.

I had another appointment with SpecSavers audio department on Wednesday to  modify the hearing aids so that they do not move in my ears.

The Magnolia trees out front are more or less at their best this week.

 

As we were both suffering we did a local walk ourselves on Thursday crossing Over Fen, the River Ouse and circumnavigating Barleycroft Lake. It was a good day for wildlife as we saw thre Marsh Harriers, two Muntjac Deer, two Egyptian geese, numerous other ducks, geese, cormorants and gulls, several bumble bees and four badger setts. We had lunch in the Community Centre.

 

 

Duce’s Ponnd, Fen End

 

 

Ouse Fen

 

 

Stunted Willows at the River

 

 

Barleycroft Lake

 

 

Break

On Friday after a trip to Tesco’s I hekped Adrian sow Parsnips, Carrots, Beetroot, Swede, Salsify, Scorzonera, Salad Onions and Radish.

In the evening we had a CCEM meeting after a meal at the Pake’s.

Andy graduated with a Master’s Degree from the Open University in Constructive Writing. There was a graduation ceremony in London on Friday and the family stayed the night with Esther and Emma.

On Saturday I wrote up the minutes from the CEEM meeting, dug at the allotment and watched the first half of Over v Wisbech St Mary. I had to leave at half time as we expected a courier to pick up the parcels for Moldova. Unfortunately he did not materialise so we still have a stack in the front room!.

 

 

Moldova Parcels

 

Kate had a generous parcel from the family with scones, jam, clotted cream and some cakes to mark Mother’s Day.

 

 

Mother’s Day Goodies

 

 

 

Best wishes

Mike & Kate