Small spring flowers in the hedgerow
We appear to still be in a ‘phoney war’ period with the Covid-19 virus. It’s sniping fiercely around the edges while building up strength for a full onslaught. This time last week the total number of cases in Suffolk were 22. As of 11.00 p.m. on Monday 30th March 2020 , there are 100 cases officially reported. As we reach the end of a second week of voluntary and subsequently required ‘Lock Down’ in the United Kingdom, new patterns of behaviour have quickly become integrated to create an altered social norm. If we take a daily walk, we continue to greet others but usually at a heightened volume from behind a scarf and always carefully observing a distance of at least two metres. We may now have the time for chit chat but for the most part none of us stop to exchange news and views. The ‘Daily Walk’ has ceased to be a stroll and more like a race to avoid the rest of humanity. Such was the enthusiastic uptake for walking by many people last week, Thorpe Lane, perhaps for the first and last time in its long history, experienced a traffic jam caused by two inappropriately parked cars. A traffic jam in Thorpe Lane? We live in extraordinary times.
I respect the privacy of people who contribute to Facebook and continue to record only the headlines of the postings on the Trimley page.
• Offers of help with dog walking
• Updates from the Trimley Sports and Social Club, now closed, as well as the cancellation of this year’s Trimley Carnival
• Closure of all bars and pubs
• Delivery service from The Sausage Shop
• Citizens Advice in Felixstowe is still taking phone calls and emails
• Many people stepped out of their front doors in order to “Applaud the NHS”
• The traffic jam in Thorpe Lane
My own journal entries for the last week are dominated by:
• an influx of contact through the medium of telephone calls, Face Time, text messages, other messages and emails. All of them to and from family and the many friends who are important to me.
• a morning spent working from home for Citizens Advice
• my reading, research, blogging and crafting activities on other days
• creating quizzes for our Key Stage 1 grandchildren and sending them down the line. I started off by offering 10p for each correct question but then realised if we are in Lock Down for twelve weeks, the total cost might be well in excess of £200. The going rate has been substantially reduced.
In their own voices, these are the reports received this week. I express my gratitude to every contributor :
Sandra Abbott
Springtime Hope
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But…
There is so much hope for this new world we find ourselves living in. A friend of mine sent this, I don’t know who wrote it but Clifford and I had spoken of the sentiments, but wouldn’t have had the words to express it so well. This led me to the theme for my next diary entry.
Clifford and I have made the most of this marvellous weather we have been enjoying. Daily health walk, deer watching, seeing the fields being sown and the precision of the tractors and drivers, together with train waving! In our garden we have been busy tidying, finishing jobs that have been started and has never been time to finish! I am now going to share my excitement in a tale of two plants!
When we got married, nearly 45 years ago, my Dad did the flowers for me. Living on a holding in Newbourne, Dad, with the help of the stores staff, was able to get the flowers from Covent Garden. I had lily of the valley, amongst others, in my bouquet. These arrived with roots attached. Unbeknown to me Dad must have planted them. When we moved to Falkenham he planted them round the pound. Dad was wonderful in the garden and was our very special helper. Anyway, through all the changes whilst we lived there, these beautiful flowers survived brick rubble, hurricane and tree felling! I moved a small clump when we moved here, and, just this week , the thrill of seeing their little shoots coming up was magic! My Dad will be blooming again!
My second little plant in this tale is a humble primrose. In November this beautiful primrose was blooming in our garden, I tenderly potted it up so I could place it on Mum and Dads grave for her birthday on November 26th. Well it has bloomed, and bloomed and bloomed…right up to March 15th 2020, the last Sunday I have been able to play at Newbourne Church. On Mothering Sunday we went over to pop posies over for our Mums. With the wind and sun, dear little primrose was looking terribly forlorn. I picked her up and have tendered her lovingly with a good soak, she is looking so much better. I have now planted her in the woodland area, next to the shooting lily of the valley, so what signs of hope and joy, my Mum and Dad will be growing and blooming in our garden and make me smile each time I wander by.
Lorna Adamson
This was the week that the lockdown started and it was not left to our discretion as to where we should go. I had an appointment at Whitworth Veterinary for my cat to have a check-up after he had two teeth extracted the previous week. The procedure was to report your arrival at the window and wait in the car. Mr Whittle came out and took my cat into a consulting room while I waited in the car. He brought my cat into the car park and gave me advice at the required two meters distance – all was fine. I purchased some ‘PlaqueOff’ for cats through a window.
My diary shows lots of crossings out. My strawberry bed in the garden is covered in couch grass. Clearing this will be a project for me for the next few weeks.
A kind neighbour who is a key worker contacted me by postcard to find out if I was OK and needed anything. I have telephoned her to thank her for thinking of me.’
Anonymous (A Head Teacher not in the Trimley area but within a twenty mile radius.)
Headteacher musings
As we draw to the end of the first week of the new ‘normal’ in schools, tonight I am contemplating the week I have just witnessed in my school.
On Monday I expected 20 children – most children of keyworker parents but also some vulnerable children. Only 11 children arrived. Over the week, as the media messages reinforcing that children should only attend school if it is the last available option seems to have had a greater impact than my pleas, and more parents called to say they no longer needed a place – or just didn’t turn up!
We had no children on both Tuesday and Wednesday, two children on Thursday and just one child today.
My team have been amazing, as always. They are scared, anxious, nervous, worried for their family, fearful for the children who are not in nursery and this manifests in a whole myriad of ways, but above all else, they have been professional. Everyone arrived on their allocated day with big smiles for the children and made sure the children had a wonderful, fun filled day. They have made rainbows, made maps to follow around the garden and planted sunflowers. Lunch has been a picnic in the garden. Not a usual school day – but just what the children needed.
We have kept busy making food parcels for families who usually receive free school meals. We called every family and asked if they needed support. Just four took up the offer this week, but we expect this number to increase as the weeks go by. The parcels contain enough food for the family to make generous and plentiful healthy lunches for a week.
I have also been busy telephone calling all my families to check they are coping with the prolonged time confined to home. Parents tell me their children are enjoying the sun in the garden but are missing their friends and the routine of school. The highlight of each call was when the child came onto the phone to have a chat – absolutely brightened my day, but also made me extremely sad. I wish these vibrant, energetic, eager to learn children were in school and my team could be teaching them.
Becca Atherstone
Paint and gardening
As we lurch towards the coming week, I can report that I permanently have white paint on my hands. Hands which I scrub and wash repeatedly. Like you, my hands are getting sore!
So far, decorating the sitting room has been conquered, so too has three quarters of the hall. Now, I am in the downstairs loo for most of the day in order to scrub skirting. Whoops, a few spiders, safely transferred to new homes. I have a paintbrush that seems to be glued to my hand!
Outside yesterday, with the sun shining, and a day so still, that it seemed to stop time, I planted four rows of parsnip seeds. As I dug the ground, one of the many blackbirds in our garden, came to examine the size of the worms that were unearthed, he was very happy. So tame, just a few feet away. I hope we all have time now to appreciate Nature and we all now realise that it is now, more than ever, that we need to protect our food growing farmland. Food security is key.
In the background, via the newly acquire Zoom, the Kirton and Trimley Community Action Group are still ‘meeting’. We are very much aware that Planning Applications continue to be put in, despite these extremely worrying times. The fact that this is happening I find very unsettling.
I hope this awful virus makes people even more aware of neighbours and those in need. We are fortunate where we live because we do know everyone in our Lane.
I’m keeping the glass half full! Good health to everybody.
‘B’ – a seven year old school girl
The Corona Virus is really bad if you have asthma. We need to stay home, take our medicine and be kind. If we do this then we will be able to go back to school. I wonder when they will be able to find a cure?
Robin Biddle
Medication
Wednesday 25th March.
Phoned Boots, my ‘drug’ supplier, to check if they would be delivered (I’ve just paid an annual subscription for this service) Most of their drivers are in self isolation!!
Went for a cycle ride along Gun Lane, Grimston Lane and Gosling’s track to Loompit Lake. I know this is a popular amenity, but I felt there were too many people for comfort. A massive lorry and tractor blocked Thorpe lane… it is a working farm. Gosling’s fishing ponds are now sealed off.
From my cousin in the USA, ‘’in a few weeks, we’ll be able to see the true colour of women’s hair.’ and from New Zealand ‘I really don’t know where to take my Easter holiday, the Kitchen or the lounge ? ‘
Thursday 26th March. More sunshine. Need to ring Boots, the ‘drug supplier’. Have to check the ‘itinerary’. I haven’t done any jobs from it yet. Spent four hours, on two phones trying to reach the drug dealer, no responses. Phoned a Helpline and waited for a call-back. Phoned the surgery, they had no explanation
Phoned the Trimley St Martin Parish Council Helpline, Problem solved in under an hour. A Rastrick is faster than a phone call!! And the grass got mown.
Friday 27th March. Here’s the sun again. Played in the garden. Trail camera captured two hedgehogs in the garden, last night, he wants to make more, she’s got a headache! Cycled out to Falkenham,
Saturday 28th March. How long have we got to go? An apology to Boots, my ‘drug’ dealers, apparently they are all well behind, and trying to catch up. However, someone could have answered the phone. Today’s dilemma, do I have cheese or ham in my lunchtime sandwich, OK I’m lucky I still have a choice.
I’ve now ridden most of the roads and paths around the village.
My ‘Better’s’ ‘betters’ have decided that my large bird of prey over Loompit, was just a common Buzzard
Never seen so many parked cars, not even for cup final or royal weddings
Sue Biddle
Food
The present situation reminds me so much of my earliest childhood. Of course, at the time I had no idea that buying food meant any more than popping down to the end of the road with my mother (taking our ration books with us!) to get some meat from Keeble’s the butcher, or perhaps butter, cheese or sugar from Allen’s the grocers as well. Both being situated along Walton High Road, from King Street to Maidstone Road. I knew we had to have the ration books, although I probably had little idea exactly what they were, or why we needed them (I still have mine!). Mum often called at the other butcher’s shop on the corner of Maidstone Road as well, to buy fish (unrationed, to provide work for the fishermen on our east coast). My heart used to sink, it was mostly herring, and always came with the stern warning at teatime to ‘mind the bones’! I preferred sprats, at least with them you didn’t have to worry about the bones, even if you didn’t like them all that much!
However, rationing was a fair system, everyone got enough to eat, even if it wasn’t what they would have preferred – I must have been 11 or 12 before I found out what steak was, and I’m still addicted!
So today, when food should still be available to everyone, without the need of a ration book, we have some people who think it is their right to buy up everything available, leaving others, who don’t have a car, or the money, or working hours to shop, with very little. That certainly isn’t fair, in any way. However, it has been amazing and eye opening to find out how many lovely people are still around our village who have offered to shop and do things for those who are less able. A big thank you to you all. Those of us that have had to take advantage of your kindness are very grateful.
My niece said today that she is beginning to have an idea what a month of Sundays is and my daughter thinks she hasn’t worked on a Monday for at least three weeks – a slight exaggeration on her part, the school where she works only closed down on Tuesday this week, but she’s missing her children already.
To be honest I don’t know what I’m doing to pass the time, but the days just seem to rush by, and at least I have a valid excuse to work on family history for as long as I want. A little work in the garden gets done, but I’m a fair weather gardener, and it’s not yet quite warm enough to be tempted out there for long periods. And of course, there is always housework, which I’m trying to ignore – quite successfully at the moment!
Gerry Bremner
Family and countryside
So, the first week of “Lockdown” has passed and it would appear that at last people are beginning to behave more responsibly perhaps as they begin to realise the enormity of the situation and the gravity of the PM’s speech to the Nation last week.
We managed to get our youngest daughter home last weekend. She had vacated from her rented accommodation in London and had gone to stay at her boyfriend’s parents’ house in Reading. She wanted to self-isolate herself there for a week until returning home as she didn’t want to risk coming home with anything. It brought home in no uncertain terms how this situation is not only self-isolating people but it is separating families and keeping them apart at a time when they most dearly want to gather together with their loved ones. On the Sunday we drove to South Mimms service station and in what felt like an intelligence handover of a secret agent she was furtively transferred from one vehicle to another and we quickly sped off home.
Our eldest daughter was in Bali where she was holding a Wellbeing retreat and she messaged us during the week saying she was not sure if she was going to be able to get back into Australia where she lives as they were closing the borders. A few frantic calls and research on the Internet later and it was ascertained that she should be ok. Thankfully she managed to get on the last flight out of Bali back to Brisbane. A condition of re-entry was her agreement to self-isolate at her home address for 14 days.
This week has been one of starting Yoga and meditation sessions at home in the garden and a daily walk in the wonderful countryside of the Trimleys. The weather has been very kind to us during our first week and it certainly has helped lift the spirits. If ever we needed to be reminded of how lucky we all are to have such a landscape on our doorstep and how important it is to protect it from being destroyed by mass housing developments, then this situation has most definitely heightened our senses to that reality.
Another reality hit home and hard yesterday when we heard that a friend living in Wivenhoe had contracted the virus and sadly passed away in Colchester Hospital. It seems hard to believe that an incident in a market in Wuhan, China had led to their untimely passing and it raises some significant questions about globalisation and all its impacts. These will need to be faced and dealt with when this situation is hopefully brought under control. It feels as if things will never be quite the same again when the dust settles.
Jane Christensen (neé Taylor and former pupil at Trimley St. Martin Primary School)
Living in Denmark
Here in Denmark on the 11th March the Prime Minister announced the closure of schools, universities, restaurants, etc from the 16th March to the 29th March.
The reason for this was to try and slow down the ‘curve’ of infection, leaving the health system to be able to cope! All health care providers have adequate child care facilities available to them. There is no lockdown in Denmark, yet! All supermarkets and chemists are still open. Dentists have decided to shut down for 3 months for all non-urgent treatment. On the 14th of March Denmark closed its borders to both Germany, Sweden and Norway. Last night, Monday the 23rd March 2020 the Prime Minister and parliament, extended the closure of schools, higher education, restaurants etc. until 13th April 2020 in attempt to further avoid extra cases to put additional pressure on the health system.
So far the people who have been tested with the virus as of 24/3/20 – 13,988, from that 1591 were tested positive and deaths 32. (average age of death 77, but with other health conditions besides corona). In the whole of Denmark today 301 have been admitted to hospital, 69 are currently in intensive care. Most of the virus originated from Austria and Italy, where Danes had been on skiing holidays. It can obviously not be ruled out that the virus has come from other parts of the world!
The effect on all business has been affected with turnover and profits, disappearing over night! The Danish government and parliament across all parties have agreed emergency funding. We are in this together! Right now, we are not in a lockdown situation, and we are free to go outside in small numbers of no more than 10 people keeping a good distance from each other, washing hands and just being vigilant! We are free to enjoy the lovely weather and still getting exercise!
Alison F.
Social distancing
This week the phrase ’social distancing’ is the one we continually hear. So, we are to keep two metres away from other people apart from those who are in the same household, whenever we go outside. In order to gauge what this looks like we are told that it is the width of a car, a two seater settee or one Hugh Pym (a six feet seven inches BBC Health Editor) laid on the floor.
For four days this week, though there has been a brisk wind, the sun has shone brilliantly from a clear blue sky. So, my husband and I have taken to a long afternoon stroll in our beautiful Suffolk countryside. At first we thought we would take the car to a more remote part within 2 miles and walk from there. Our reasoning was that we would meet far fewer people then walking across the fields from the High Road in Trimley. How wrong we were. On Monday we thought we would be clever and go to Falkenham which only has a population of about 400. On our drive over, we hardly saw any cars except when we got to Falkenham. There were at least half a dozen cars parked up by the church.
We decided only to walk on bridleways and if they turned into narrow footpaths we turned back. Now there is a new way of meeting people. First my scientific husband judges which way the wind is blowing and animal instinct kicks in and we go up wind of people! We always call out “hello “or “lovely day “and I pull my scarf around my face and turn the other way from the people I pass. Someone suggested that the best way to pass other people would be to walk backwards but as we don’t carry rear view mirrors I’m not sure about that idea. On one occasion we met a couple that we knew coming the other way and I knew they would want to stop and chat. We exchanged pleasantries and asked after each other’s families. I then said” I suppose we shouldn’t really be chatting like this even though we are social distancing, as this would count as a gathering.” The other couple looked perplexed but then understood. I feel quite guilty about this.
We are so lucky to live in this country and that our government allows us to go out for one form of exercise with our family. We have friends in Spain who tell us only one person from the household is allowed out and that is only to shop or walk the dog. Apparently a couple were fined €600 for being in a car together.
These long walks have been a real pleasure and we have such wonderful views of the river Orwell and the Deben from walks within 2 miles of Trimley. As spring is arriving we can now see blossom in the hedgerows and celandines of such a fluorescent yellow, they don’t look real. On one of our walks we walked from Searson’s Farm down to the edge of the docks at Fagbury Cliff. The Port of Felixstowe seems to be as busy as ever as if nothing else has changed in the world.
We took our car out to 4 different destinations within a 5 minute drive of our home but on Thursday it appeared that the police weren’t happy about people taking their cars out just for walking, so we decided not to do it anymore and are limiting our walks to the fields near us in Trimley St Martin.
My husband is just gone out to sort out the bins. He commented, “Do the bins need to practice social distancing too? “
Chandra Grover
Music
The lockdown is official and now my husband is at home cramping my style! There are benefits though… he now has time to get on with the endless list of jobs that need to be done!
I’m keeping occupied too, seemingly joining the nation in learning new skills. Gareth Malone has us all singing, others are taking Yoga or art sessions. Choirs are still meeting (virtually) and families meet with House party! What a turn of events. I wonder what I’ll learn this week?
Susan Hughes
Family, food and shopping
My daughter has been with me ten days now. We are starting to settle into somewhat of a routine. Bit of a blip when S. realised she had left her colouring book and pencils at her home. So, a telephone call then a round trip to Saxmundham to collect the much needed from the doorstep.
It has been a worry about food shopping. I had tried on line, click and collect, milk delivery and was met with dead ends each time. Although we are self-isolating on a voluntary basis, mostly to keep myself healthy, as my daughter needs 24 hour care. We do need food. In desperation I contacted the Sausage Shop. I spoke to a lovely lady who took an order, which included milk, cheese, cauliflower, and broccoli. I needed potatoes and flour, which they did not have. But this gracious lady offered to shop for me. What a weight off my mind.
S and I continue to walk almost every day, but we are now starting to see more and more groups of people. Encountered five adults and their dog yesterday, which made it nigh on impossible to pass at a safe distance.
So, in conclusion. These past few days, we have been helped by an amazing person, and saddened by peoples lack of the seriousness of this strange and dark time. We will need to reconsider our walking routine.
Caroline Ley
Helping and gardening
Despite the lock-down this has been another busy week with lots of bits and pieces to attend to. The Parish Council’s “Can We Help You” scheme is now being used and my familiarity with pharmacy queuing arrangements has grown. We are tremendously lucky here that the vast majority of people are willingly observing the restrictions with a smile and still chat happily across the two-metre divide; by contrast, listening to the radio this morning, I was astonished to hear a shop worker describe how she had to deal with customers who insisted that they weren’t lepers and would stand where they liked.
At home it is time to start tackling the garden. For me buying plants tends to have been a very enjoyable, but random business. I had not thought that I would so quickly come to miss an hour spent wandering round the garden centre choosing a few specimens based more on appearance and price than suitability. What I would like now is a garden centre with a delivery service able to look at an uploaded photo and offer perfect advice on filling that gap where nothing seems to work. In the meantime, I shall go through the odd assembly of things left over from last year and see what I have. Hmm: turnip seeds, a very small viburnum, tomatoes promising astonishing sweetness, two varieties of jasmine missing their labels…there is more here than I expected. Ready, Steady, Garden!
Morag Liffen
Home thoughts
Here are a few thoughts from my time at home so far. Whilst waiting for my ‘Essentials food box’ to be delivered from Morrisons today (No choice as to what’s in it, but that’s fine. I’m sure it will come as a nice surprise and I’m delighted that they can deliver. I can’t help reflecting on how quickly our lives have changed.
Had a panic during the week, as my car was booked in for its MOT and I was worried the garage would be closed. Then I worried about having to get the bus home and wondered if I was up for the walk back from Felixstowe and the return walk to pick it up. But the lovely people at Auto Renovate loaned me a mini for the day. (And yes, I did wear gloves to drive it home). My car is now roadworthy and taxed. I shall now save a fortune in petrol as it sits unused on the drive.
On the plus side, my house has never been so clean. My cupboards and drawers are all neatly organised, even the airing cupboard. I even found a half used bottle of hand sanitiser, left over from a camping trip a couple of years ago. I’m hoping it hasn’t expired, but suspect it’s better than nothing.
This beautiful weather has meant I can attack the garden with a vengeance.I have planted seeds, potatoes and dug over the vegetable plot in readiness for my attempt at the ‘Good Life.’ Let’s see how that works out.
But I miss my work colleagues and our lovely clients at the vets, so wish them well and hope they’re staying safe, and I can’t wait for the day when we can all get back to normal again. Just a brief resume of my week. Expect I’ll get bored eventually, but I still have the loft to attack, and the decorating for those rainy cold days. I’ll tell you about that another time.
Laura Locke
Week 2 from the Trimley Big Brother House
I am reminded of the poem by WH Auden The Musée of Beaux Arts.
https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/musee-des-beaux-arts/
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy
life and the torturer’s horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree
Out with my dog Bess on therapeutic walks I am still in the vacuum of optimism. That I will see my boys again soon, will hug them and my pals, will go to the theatre, do yoga in a group and not on Zoom. And as I see families at a distance I am thinking they are feeling the same.
My single life has some benefits at times, but I do find I am jealous of those being able to go out in pairs. But at least I have a lovely old house and big garden which many do not have. And a lodger who is now on a forced stay off work and disappointed.
So last week I ran (I use that term loosely) online dissertation and personal tutorials in a Virtual Classroom and Outlook teams. I did a yoga class on Zoom, I went out running (also a loose term) for the first time for months with Bess, I did a Zoom chat in the middle of fields with Peggy who was celebrating her 95th and her lovely daughter, Sally, my friend Maggie and granddaughter Rosie and we sang her Happy Birthday.
On Friday I went to the Felixstowe Radio studio (apparently public service broadcasting is a key service)and interviewed, on the phone, two incredible women. Ann Osborne from the Rural Coffee Caravan was talking about Cascade of Kindness and information for the isolated and Debbie Bartlett from the Helping Hands Group giving out cheer and support for residents struggling on their own or with families.
Yesterday I did a Zoom salsa session with my lovely work colleagues/friends, one of whom took on the challenge to teach us virtually.
Today I will do some marking and take out Bess under sufferance And hope for a . I will do two Zoom chats will my besties and dance! I have started the mammoth task of cleaning the oven and windows. I am trying to stick to the mindfulness principles of living and enjoying living in the present. And Cognitive Behavioural Therapy CBT of planning one day at a time but having a structure. But now.. a bubble bath and Procrastination porridge
Stay strong Trimleyites #StayHome and stay well. And be mindful.
Adrian Reynolds
Trimley Railway Station
(I took Adrian’s report over the ‘phone. Any errors are mine.)
The cancellation of Curry Night was desperate because it would have been a good night out! We decided to run it again this year and having sold all the tickets would have made a good profit for the Trimley Station fund. Although this hope has been blighted, there will be another Curry Night and at least forty of the people who bought tickets asked me to retain the money until such time as we do hold it.
Concerning the Lottery bid, I guess this is suffering in the same way as everything else. In theory we should hear the week beginning the 30th March 2020 about working on the official bid. It’s rather tricky to discuss this with the other Trustees as we all need to be together
As for going out, well, we haven’t been out but aren’t that keen to go shopping. Through Facebook, I can see some people are not obeying the strictures we are under and this is disappointing. We are fortunate because the garden is coming on very well and we are able to make our food last at the moment. We had a turkey in the freezer, left over from Christmas and managed to get five meals out of it. We have good frozen supplies although I pulled out what I thought were potatoes (for the roast Turkey?) and when defrosted they turned out to be pears!
But, we are alright and I have forty pints of Best Bitter brewing which should be ready very soon. Now’s the time to do it!
Yvonne Smart
Reflections
Although our lives have been turned upside down with C19 I do hope you find a moment to drink in nature’s wonderful awakening. My garden is awash with yellow at the moment – forsythia, primroses, daffodils of varying shapes and sizes, tulips and more. It is no different on my allotment plus the Spirea is blossoming and will soon be a froth of white. Fruit bushes and trees look promising. That’s the thing with gardening, one has to be optimistic!
I’m optimistic that the potatoes and onions which I have just finished planting will do well again. It’s not all work though, I have my lady shed complete with camping stove to make a cup of tea, taking a moment to watch bees and other insects foraging whilst my canine companion snoozes in the sun. It’s at such times as we are currently going through that it’s good to have a retreat be it a quiet place in our homes, an allotment, garden, or somewhere on a walk.
As ever, I welcome any further contributors who might wish to give their own reports of The Great Pandemic in Trimley St. Martin. If you have any comments or would like to be part of this Trimley St. Martin project, please contact me at:
trimleystmartinrecorder@gmail.com
LR 31/03/2020
Trimley St Martin Recorder's Blog 