Great British Summer

June is almost over now...we had two really hot days last week and boy was it hot. The pollen was high and the bees in the field up the road were in seventh heaven. I went for an afternoon walk and walked over fields and through hedgerows to the neighbouring village of Methwold. I must have walked at least 15 miles as I had to follow the road back to Feltwell via Methwold Hythe as the shortcut through the old aerodromme was closed off by Darby's Nursery. I learnt how the pigs in the farm were managed as I walked past and I saw the recycling plant too. I also walked past fields of wheat and sugar beet too.

Farming is very much a part of this area and the weather dictates the crops and their growth. Asparagus was late this year and Norfolk produced some beautiful tender stems which we had for about two weeks. However, I had to check the country of origin labels at the supermarket when buying strawberries yesterday. As it was the second day of Wimbledon, I watched Nadal play and scoffed a bowl of strawberries with cream. It was in front of the telly but it did feel like a Wimbledon summer and yes, it felt good.

So what will July hold for us? All I know is that this year our English summer has been the wettest on record. When I go shopping these days I take with me the shopping bag I bought after the Jubilee celebrations. It has a union jack emblazoned on it and 'Great British Summer' written over it and it will remind me to enjoy each day of sunshine and rain as it comes. Nature is telling us that we must respect the land and look after what we have. We are fortunate to have all that nature provides and even if the harvest is poor this year, we will just have to make do. Happy British summer everyone!

Laid back Gozo

Gozitans pride themselves on being relaxed and easy going. During my week's stay here in Gozo, I have got to know most of the people who live on Triq dun Luqa quite well. Everyone knows each other or of each other. Sounds and noise from every house is carried over rooftops and through courtyards. The bells of the local church peal throughout the day and street sellers honk their wares as people emerge from their houses to buy fish, bread, fruit and vegetables.

This morning, I awoke at 6 am and went up on to the roof top and watched the day begin for our neighbours. The woman behind us was crocheting in her front courtyard and the man across the road was inspecting his sunflowers and collecting seeds. The next door neighbour is polishing her husband's shoes and collecting yesterday's washing whilst whistling a little tune. I call out to her from above and she and I share some thoughts about life on Gozo compared to Malta. She has just driven her daughter to catch the first ferry to Malta. She tells me that employment in Gozo is not easy to find so many people commute or work in Malta and come home back to Gozo at the weekend. Perhaps things will change when and if a bridge is built between Gozo and Malta. Like all island communities which are secluded and sheltered from external influences, the bridge will open new challenges and opportunities which they will have to face in order to survive the recession that Europe is currently experiencing.

Malta is a member of the European Community and it has also contributed its share of euros to bail out Greece. This little island is not protected from the outside world but for as long as they can they will make sure that their communities and way of life are maintained. It is a cosy, friendly and peaceful place because the sweet air makes one become as laid back as the Gozitans.

Fence celebrations

To celebrate the completion of our fence between our houses, our neighbours, Bob and Elaine decided to mark the occasion with a party that coincided with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The fence was a superb structure of stained wooden planks 2 metres high and 50 metres long. It spanned our long drive and separated our two house where we previously had a mixed hedge of conifers, ivy and laurel. Unfurtunately, the hedge died a death and had to be removed and by March there was nothing to separate our two houses. Bob worked on it throughout the month of May in adverse weather conditions from early morn to dusk to complete it by June. It was to be a long and slow process because of the heavy downpours of torrential rain that we experienced in May. May was the wettest month in a long time and whenever there was any small bit of sunshine, Bob would be seen out there with his hammer and measuring level trying to put up a few planks; whilst Elaine helped by staining the wooded planks on the other side. Finally, the last plank was put up on Saturday and we were all quietly relieved but a little sad as we missed seeing them. Over the course of the time that the fence was being erected, Elaine and I became quite comfortable speaking to each other from our drives and I would nip across and pop in for a chat or to share some of my home baking. So with the Jubilee weekend celebrations looming, Elaine and I went into the village to buy some bunting to decorate our fence. We were pleased that we managed to get the last of the bunting at the newsagents as everywhere else was sold out! On the day of the party, it was wet and cold but it did not put a dampener on our spirits as Pete and I went over next door to celebrate with a lovely spread that Elaine had laid out. It was a superb way to finish the day of celebrations to mark our fench and the Jubilee. As we left we noticed that the orange balloons looked wind swept and the bunting was soaked, but felt that the fence was the bond that has built a fantastic friendship with Bob and Elaine that would never have happened if the hedge had not come down.

Bee happy

Last Sunday I had my first taste of what beekeeping was all about. I joined a group of people at the West Norfolk and Kings Lynn Beekeeping Association's apiary at Blackborough End to " get a really good look at bees." It was a coolish day so not ideal for bees as they do not like the cold. We donned our bee suits and made sure that every bit of bare flesh was covered, particularly hands and feet. Barry, the apiary manager showed us three hives. The first hive looked healthy and the bees were busy working away on the foundation frames. There was a pest control tray at the very bottom to spot the dreaded varroa mite which destroyed half our bee population in the last few years. Then we were shown the brooding chamber where the queen hatches her larvae and on top were placed the supers or honey making chambers. Each of these chambers contained thousands of busy honey bees making honey with the pollen which they collected, brought back to the hive to convert into honey and to then store in sealed beeswax combs on the foundation frames. We were shown the queen bee in the second hive by her distinct striped tail and larger size, compared to the smaller worker bees. Then there were the drones which were larger than the worker bees and darker in colour. I saw some brown cells on one frame where larvae were hatched. Judy, our tutor explained that each hive could only have one queen bee and she would mate with the drones to produce worker bees. If another queen was hatched, then the beekeeper would have to be vigilant to remove the second queen by splitting the hive. The hive centres on the queen and if she dies or is killed by the another queen then the hive is de-stabilised and the bees could swarm and leave the hive. Not good news for any bee keeper! I was fascinated by the way bees worked and the dynamics of their community. Lastly, Barry showed us a top bar hive where bees are kept in as natural a habitat as possible - without man-made foundation frames, sugar feeders and pest tray. These bees made their own foundation and the shape of their honey comb would be as found in nature; several small cells together hanging down in the shape of a triangle. Amazing! I thought I might be frightened of the bees in their large numbers but seeing how they worked, smelling the beeswax and feeling the warmth of their activity has whetted my appetite to learn more about bees and beekeeping. They are such clever little insects with a capacity to produce the most natural food that has been known never to perish given the right conditions. Apparently honey has been found in the tombs of the Pharoahs in Egypt, in good condition and even edible! So if I can partake in the making of honey and promote the well being of bees and their ecosystem, I will certainly try, the next step is to go a bee keeping course and talk to my friend Brian, the beekeeper. Can't wait!

Holey moley!

Did you know that there are no moles on the Isle of Man? Just like the fact that there are no snakes in Ireland. Information of no consequence except when one has a problem with moles or snakes. Here in sunny Norfolk ( yes it has been ridiculously warm for the past two days)we have had moles in our garden. Moles are really quite cute creatures except that these little critters are a menace where gardens are concerned. They go about their little ways, burrowing under the ground and make mole hills all over the place and what was once a beautifully kept lawn looks like the moon with craters of uplifted earth scarring the landscape. So we got in our friend, Phil the mole catcher to catch these little blind, furry creatures by setting traps for them; traps which unfortunately kill them. I do not like to use that K-word as far as animal life is concerned but we humans have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to " not in my backyard" syndrome. Sorry Mr Mole, I know you need to have a diet of earthworms but please could you get your dinner somewhere else? Phil managed to trap two fat moles the other day and our newly cut lawn now looks pristine. Today I spotted two little mounds of earth on the other side of the garden....Mr and Mrs Mole ( RIP) appear to have left some offspring who are carrying on their legacy as children are wont to do. Have you heard about Tom and Jerry? Well it sounds to me it might be Phil and Moley now. The saga continues...

Tassie travellers

Yesterday we had two visitors from Tasmania to stay. Sue and Geoff originate from Burnie in the north west coast of the island. They told us that they recently retired, both just turned 60 and were now looking forward to enjoying life and seeing the world. They talked about their travels within and across Australia and now were doing Europe. They struck me as such great adventurers who have the zest to see and enjoy the world around them now that they are free from work and family responsibilities. They were in good health and happy in their own skin. It was such a pleasure to have them stay and share our lives with them for the short overnight stay that they spent with us. Travelling is not always easy - bring far away from home for a length of time, missing loved ones at home and being out of our comfort zones can be challenging. However, having the opportunity to see new places, experience new things and meet people from different walks of life all add to the total travelling experience. Most of all the opportunity to visit people in their homes and to spend quality time, learn about their lives and share each others' history and experiences is a great bonus. We all love our own space but if one can share our space with like-minded individuals and get excited about their travels, they leave an indelible mark and a lasting memory of happy times together. It was wonderful to share a simple dinner of salmon, new potatoes and salad, local rhubarb for pudding and a selection of my favourite Norfolk cheeses, followed by Geoff's Islay single malt whiskey to end the evening. The next morning was Sue's birthday and we were the first to wish her a happy birthday before she received phonecalls from her family and friends in Tasmania. The sun was shining when Sue and Geoff set off on the next leg of their UK holiday...to a wedding in Devon. Happy holidays and happy travelling, Sue and Geoff, our new friends from Tassie.

Contentment

The other day I spent time with my friends Brian and Marian who showed me what contentment meant. We all lead such busy lives that we often don't have the time or inclination to sit back and reflect on our lives. I went to see Brian's sheds in his garden as I was going to write a piece about garden sheds. He told me that the wooden garden shed he bought to replace the original one was demolished by the great storm of 1987, was now being used as storage for his beekeeping equipment. I looked in it and it smelt of honey and beeswax - it was a lovely old fashioned smell of wood, wax and sweetness. Then we moved on to his current 'shed' which is the garage because he needed more space to store larger items for his beekeeping,(honey jars, beeswax and candle making containers), an old beehive, his garden tools, his work bench which comprised woodwork tools, drills and other tools which I was not familiar with. The shed garage had a cooker and a trunk freezer in it and various furniture. The furniture was used to store Items which previously belonged to Marian's grandfather such as a ration book, old papers of historical interest and other odds and ends. It seemed to me that the garage shed was also the place where Brian spent a lot of time because it was his space. His own space where he pottered and mused and worked...every man needs a shed and this was Brian's private place and what a wonderful place it was. It epitomised Brian and what he is - his work, his life and his beekeeping hobby.

Apart from his shed, Brian showed me his greenhouse where he and Marian were growing their vegetable seedlings and other plants. It was a well tended greenhouse which he was very proud of. Everything was in its place, waiting to be planted out when the season was right. Every thing in the garden seemed to tell a story and had a history of its own - the vegetable patch, the apple trees, the garden shed, the greenhouse and the summer house. All these add up to tell a story of Brian and Marian and their contented lives, in a cottage where they brought up their family and where they spend many happy hours in the garage shed, in the greenhouse, in the summer house and in the garden; planting, weeding and tending their plants and vegetables and enjoying tranquility and calm that go hand in hand with the way they lead their lives. The many birds and wildlife that visit their garden daily join in to celebrate with Brian and Marian a life of contentment. A way of life that does not ask for much. This was seen in the joy and delight when Marian and I sat in her summer house watching the beautiful contours of the apple tree in blossom and listening to the quiet as its blossom fell gracefully on the grass, blown down by a gentle breeze. Aaaahh!