East Coker Society Newsletter
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July
2006 –
Free Issue No 123
Chair: John Sugg 863435
e-mail
Newsletter Editor: Lesley
Lindsay 862868 e-mail
Secretary: Sarah Owen 862218
Treasurer: Keith
Helliar 863700
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Village Clubs and Organisations
EAST COKER WINE CIRCLE
In the closest contest in the history of the East
Coker Wine Circle's Winemaker of the Year competition, Joyce Pryor topped three
times champion, Vince Wolny, by one point at the annual meeting in June. The five-class contest was the culmination of
a very exciting year of changing positions at the top of the monthly league
table. Going into the final stage the
reigning champion was one point ahead of his two nearest rivals and the
eventual result was not decided until the final class in the judging process in
June. Darren Shutler was third six
points behind the winner. Darren also
won the trophy for the Judge's Favourite.
Retiring chairman, David Pryor, said the year had been
another successful one with the German trip and Plymouth weekend being
highlights. He appealed for more support
from members for the two social events – summer lunch and theme party – the
income from which the Circle largely relied upon for meeting the cost of
running the programme.
Incoming chairman, Vince Wolny, said that, as the
Circle had made losses in two consecutive years, the committee unanimously
recommended an increase in the annual subscription to £10. There had not been a rise for many years, but
costs rose every year. More money was
being spent on improving the standard of speakers and wine-tasting. The proposal was accepted without objection.
An interesting programme of speakers had already been
planned for the New Year. Two commercial
wine-tastings, a liqueur tasting, a visit to Sheppy's Cider and a five-day trip
to France were also being planned.
Officers elected or re-elected were: chairman, Vince
Wolny; chairman-elect, Darren Shutler; immediate past chairman, David Pryor;
secretary, Mary Horsley; assistant secretary, Gill Bryan; treasurer, Anne Hartley;
assistant treasurer, Ian Westaway; SW Federation of Amateur Winemakers
representative and competitions secretary, Clive Horsley; Somerset Association
of Amateur Winemakers representative, Darren Shutler; committee members, Joyce
Pryor, Sue Copley and Brian Docking.
A tasting of six French wines presented by The Cary
Vintner followed the business meeting.
Anyone interested in membership of the Wine Circle
should contact the secretary, Mary Horsley on 471072.
EAST COKER
GARDENING CLUB
Members of the Club have
had an interesting spring. May was a
particularly active month. It started
with the Open Charity Evening on the 11th, when David Howard, Head Gardener at
Highgrove gave a fascinating illustrated talk on the garden and how it has developed. The evening attracted a number of visitors
and raised around £800 for Macmillan Cancer Relief.
The following day a
coach-load of members went to the Malvern Garden Festival, a huge and very
popular affair with a lot to see and learn from. Towards the end of the month Olga Clifford,
Chair of the Club, conducted a three-day tour of the Cotswolds, taking in
Hidcote and Kifsgate on the first day, Blenheim Palace and grounds the whole of
the next day, and a visit to a delightful private garden and farm for coffee,
with the lunchtime spent at the Abbey Gardens at Malmesbury on the way
home. The Unicorn Hotel in
Stow-on-the-Wold provided comfortable accommodation and delicious food for the
two intervening nights. In June there
was a comprehensive talk on the cultivation of 'Penstemons' by Nigel Hewish of
Kingston Maurward College, and the July meeting, which will be taking place
about the time this Newsletter is being distributed, is an afternoon visit to
Little Norton Mill and 'Popinjays' for cream teas.
The programme for August to
October is set out below. The first of two high-lights will be the Gardening
Quiz on 10 August with visiting teams from the Chetnole, Halstock and Haselbury
with North Perrott Gardening Clubs to challenge the East Coker team which won
the Village Quiz in March. The second is
a visit on 6 September, to the National Botanical Garden of Wales in Carmarthen
– an institution renowned for its forward-looking environmental concerns.
Programme
Thursday 10 August 7.30pm:
Gardening Quiz
Wednesday 6 September:
Visit to National Botanical Garden of Wales
Thursday 14 September
7.30pm: Sally Gregson on 'Hydrangeas'
Thursday 12 October: John
Trott on 'Bonsai' – 7.30pm
Evening meetings are held
in the East Coker Hall. Please contact
Stan Shayler on 420291 regarding the Welsh trip and other information.
EAST COKER
ACTION MEDICAL RESEARCH
Michaelmas Craft & Gift
Fayre – 26 September 2006 – East Coker Hall
A unique selection of goods will be on sale at our
Fayre this year including household linen; china & ceramics; hand-crafted
silver & costume jewellery; fashion & fashion accessories; gift ideas
for children and innovative gifts for men.
'3 Tarts and a Florist' – 13
November 2006 – present a Christmas Spectacular – East Coker Hall
A cookery and floral demonstration as you have never
seen it before!
You will experience a visual riot of colour – the
scent of fresh flowers mingling with the aroma of sizzling food – hilarious
anecdotes and experiences interspersed with pearls of wisdom.
Summer 2007 – Silver Jubilee Ball
EAST COKER
PAVILION FUND
Fund-raising has been a little quiet due to members spending time on
applications for grants, which is where we are hoping to find our major funding,
but we have lots of events for the autumn.
East Coker Cockerels are holding a Picture
Treasure Hunt and Walk around the village on Saturday 16 September.
Sometime in September/October there will be a Fashion Show by Minstrels, a new fashion shop, opening in Sherborne
in the next few weeks. For more
information contact Bridget 863435.
Race Night – Saturday 21 October at the East Coker Hall. We are to again hold our very successful
event. As tickets always go very
quickly, book your place now. Details
from Robert 862972 or Bridget 863435.
Christmas Shopping Trip – Saturday 11 November. It has
been decided to go to Cardiff this year.
Those of you that went to Cribb's Causeway last year will know it is an
enjoyable day with coffee and biscuits on the way there, and wine and nibbles
on the way home. More details to follow,
Bridget 863435.
EAST COKER
POETRY GROUP
There is no formal meeting in July, however if anyone
wishes to talk about anything relating to the Poetry Group or just talk about
poetry, then come to the bar of the Helyar Arms on Tuesday 25 July, anytime
from 7.30pm onwards for an informal evening.
There is a by-invitation garden party in August, then
normal meetings, open to anyone who is interested in poetry, will resume in
September.
The Poetry Group is holding its Annual Village
Poetry-Writing Competition this year on the theme of 'The Seasons'. The competition ties in with National Poetry
Day in October, so entries should be sent to David Cloke, Church Cottage,
Burton Cross, East Coker, Yeovil, BA22 9LY, on or before Sunday 1 October.
If you have any poems or items of interest for the
group, please send them to Sue McKerracher by 22 July – Tellis Farm,
East Coker, Yeovil, BA22 9JP.
For more information, contact David Cloke on 862623 or
Joyce Best on 862317.
EAST COKER
W.I.
We continue with a very
interesting programme for the rest of the year.
Having just celebrated our birthday with a visit to Coldharbour Mill, we
are looking forward to a talk on women’s health in July and an illustrated talk
on British seaside piers in August.
September will be an Open Evening with an eye-opening quiz 'Call My
Bluff', on old farm instruments.
Following the Women’s Institute directive to encourage recycling, members
will be visiting the recycling site at Carymoor Environmental Centre in July
and will, no doubt, have some questions to ask.
The popular whist drives
recommence on Thursday 21 September at the East Coker Hall. Anyone who would be interested in joining the
W.I. would be welcome to come along, as a guest, to the East Coker Hall at
8.00pm on the last Thursday of the month.
EAST COKER
FLOWER SHOW AND
WINE FESTIVAL
Saturday 19 August at 2.00pm at the East Coker
Hall. Schedule for entries can be
obtained from the East Coker Post Office.
Entries must be in by 6.00pm on Wednesday 16 August. An auction of produce will be held at the
show at 4.30pm.
THE COKER
400 CLUB
The winners in the April draw were: £100 Mr J Darling,
£50 Miss S Hedges, £40 Mrs G Mead, £30 Mrs D Dibben, £20 Miss S Owen, £15 Mrs D
Bates, £10 Mr and Mrs A T Kimpton and £10 Mr A C Ashley.
Young People
EAST COKER
SCOUT GROUP
The Scouts have had an incredible twelve months with
an attendance at Eurojam last summer.
Nine members of the Group are to visit America this August and three
members of our Troop have been selected for the World Jamboree next year. This is an impressive range and frequency of
major events.
The Group are now helping the Scouts to fund-raise for
the World Jamboree and we thank everyone who supported our recent car
wash. The boys and girls particularly
enjoyed washing the fire engine! We
raised £229 towards their trip and hope to have another car wash later this
year.
Max Bugler, our Group Treasurer, has been awarded the
Silver Acorn. This award is ‘in
recognition of especially distinguished service’ and Max has certainly earned
it. Max received his award at Windsor
Castle in April from Lord Baden-Powell, grandson of the Scout movement's
founder, and Peter Duncan the current Chief Scout.
Last year we announced our intention to become
co-educational and accept girls into our Group.
This has been extremely successful with four girls in our Scout Troop
and we look forward to girls joining our Cub Pack.
As we have been without a Beaver Scout section since
last July, we will need to advertise for new members into the Cubs. We hope to use Scout Association promotional
leaflets for this purpose. If anyone knows
any prospective eight-year-olds let them know how active we are!
Our Group finances remain healthy and we have had the
ceiling re-painted and electrics rewired last year. Max has completed the Gift Aid paperwork and
we received a significant refund from the Tax man (always a good feeling)! Paper collection, jumble sales and marquee
hire provide the Group with additional funds for equipment and hut maintenance.
We continue to offer the full range of the Scout
programme for our young members and thank all the leaders, parents and friends
who give their time on a regular basis.
Next year has even more to offer as Scouting
celebrates its 100th birthday – as well as the World Jamboree being held in
England, and there are many ways in which the Group hopes to be involved.
Dates for the diary:
Newspaper Collections: Saturday 29 July, 26 August
& 30 September.
The Autumn Jumble Sale will be held on Saturday 14
October from 2.00pm at East Coker Hall.
All donations of jumble gratefully received. REMEMBER WE WILL
COLLECT. Contact Max Bugler 862186
Section Meeting Times:
Beaver Scouts: Awaiting new leader
Cub Scouts: Tuesday: 6.30pm – 8.00pm Contact: 474648
Scouts: Friday:
7.00pm – 9.00pm Contact:
426685
EAST COKER
PICTURE HUNT
East Coker Cockerels Football Club are organising a
walking picture hunt around the village in aid of the Pavilion Fund. This event will take place on Saturday 16
September and promises to be an excellent fun occasion. It has been organised that roughly half way
around the route there will be the opportunity to buy Pimms & Lemonade,
soft drinks & treats for the children.
At the finish there will be one of Paul Morton's 'not to be missed
BBQ's', a chance to relax, chat and have a few beers!
Any villagers out there that like a real challenge!
... Try the picture hunt without any clues or route – impossible!!
Copies to buy will be available from the East Coker
Post Office shortly. Check notice boards
and posters around the village for start times and prices for this event; it
promises to be a really great day.
Any further information required please contact Paul
Morton on 475286 or Lisa Watts on 863254
EAST COKER
PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP
Summer term is always very
busy at the Playgroup and this year is no exception. We would like to extend a massive thank you
to everyone who supported our Summer Fair in May and helped to make it a great
success. This term, along with the
play-based activities, there are visits from children looking to join us in
September, and the children who go on to school in September have visits to the
school and from the Reception staff. Our
Sea World topic culminates in a visit to the Sea Life Centre in July. Sports Day falls
into our penultimate week of term when parents are invited to join us for the
fun, and then there is the end of term party to enjoy.
East Coker Pre-School
Playgroup is registered with Ofsted and the Early Years Development and
Childcare Partnership and follows the Foundation Stage curriculum. We provide a warm, friendly stimulating and
safe environment where children can blossom and grow, learning and developing
happily through play-based activities.
There is funding available through Nursery Education Funding when
children become eligible. Children are
able to attend from 2½ years up to 5 years old.
We are open Monday to Friday during term time from 9.15am to 12 noon. On
a Tuesday and Wednesday we run afternoon sessions, from 1.00pm to 3.15pm. At present we are able to offer lunch cover
at an extra fee, between 12 noon and 1.15pm, for children who would like to
bring a packed lunch.
To secure a place on the
waiting list for your child/children, please contact Kay Strode after 6.00pm on
872126. It is best to get your child’s
name down early on the waiting list because places are limited.
During the Summer Holidays,
sessions will be available to children up to their 6th
birthday. The sessions will run on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 24 July to 17 August (subject to
demand). Please contact Kay Strode on
the number above if you would like further information.
Looking towards the end of
the year, on Sunday 12 November at the East Coker Hall the Playgroup will be
holding its annual Craft Fair from 10.30am to 4.00pm. Stalls are available for the Craft Fair,
please contact Liz Barnes on 864405 for details.
The Churches
ST. MICHAEL'S
CHURCH
Services
Sunday
30 July: Sung Matins – 10.00am
Other
Sunday services as usual during July and August
Sunday
3 September: Pet Service – Speaker will be Robert Widdowson, the Diocesesan
Rural Advisor
Sunday
1 October: Harvest Festival – 10.00am
Friends of Somerset Churches
Bike Ride
On
Saturday 9 September Rev. Roger Burt will cycle around ten churches in
Somerset. If you would like to sponsor
him, forms are available in the church.
Half of all money raised by Roger will go to the Friends of Somerset
Churches and the other half to a church of his choice, and he has chosen All
Saints', Sutton Bingham.
Service
For Those We Have Loved But See No Longer
Our annual service at St
Michael's will be on 5 November at 6.00pm.
The Preacher this year is Rev John Rothwell, who is Chaplain at Yeovil
Hospital. Having experienced his ministry,
on the receiving end, when I was in Yeovil Hospital last year, I am sure he
will be very helpful. I shall be writing
to all those who have been bereaved during the last year to invite them to the
service and ask them for the names they would like read out at the
service. If you would like any names
read out, please let me have them by 29 October. As the list tends to be fairly long we do
just prefer to use just one Christian name for each person.
Monica 862834
St
Michael's Plant Sale
The plant sale at the
Vicarage on 20 May was a great success, with a total of £608 raised. This will be given to the Bookstall Committee
who will distribute it as they think appropriate. Many thanks to all who came and helped.
St Michael's Church Bookstall
We invite you to an illustrated talk about 'TINTIN' by his 'biographer' Mr Michael Farr, at
Coker Court, by kind permission of Joe & Tanya Coles, on Saturday 12 August
at 7.00pm. Admission is £2 and children
under 10 years can come for free. All
proceeds to St Michael's Church. Tickets
are available from John Darling 862229 and Amelia Bennett 423894.
ALL SAINTS'
CHURCH CLOSWORTH
Family Harvest
As summer has hardly started it seems hard to be
thinking of Harvest, but as there will not be another Newsletter before September,
can I remind families that we shall be celebrating Harvest on 17 September at
10.00am. (After much discussion, it has
been agreed that the Family Service shall remain at 10.00am.) The service lasts about half an hour and is
child friendly and the children will take part in the service. If you do not come often but your children
would like to help, please let me know.
Monica 862834.
Sunday 10 September: Harvest Thanksgiving Evensong
ALL SAINTS’
CHURCH SUTTON BINGHAM
Sunday Services
6 August: 9.00am Holy
Communion 20 August:
11.30am Holy Communion
3 September: 9.00am Holy
Communion 17 September:
11.30am Holy Communion
24 September: 6.30pm
Harvest Festival Evensong
1 October: 9.00am Holy
Communion 15 October:
11.30am Holy Communion
Churchwardens: Heather
Snook 474138 & Anthony Denning 474294
EAST COKER
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
A warm welcome awaits you at the end of Burton Lane.
Services are as follows:
Sundays – The Lord's Supper 11.00am. Prayer and Bible Study 6.30pm.
Monthly Family Service on the 2nd Sunday at 11.00am
when The Lord's Supper takes place at 6.30pm instead of the Bible Study. Other events announced weekly.
Contact us on 422594 or 863735
THE MILL
CHURCH
There is a service held at 10.30am each Sunday at East
Coker County Primary School. Our worship
tends to be informal in style. You are
very welcome to join us.
Little Wheelers is a well established Parent and
Toddler Group that runs each Tuesday morning in term time at East Coker Hall,
commencing at 10.30am. It is a chance
for parents to relax and socialise, whilst their children play. We run Little Wheelers with help from other
churches.
Bridges is a midweek group for teenagers. It is an opportunity for food, friendship and
exploring together the good news of Christianity. There is also a sailing club for young
people, called 'Broadreach'.
We have other groups and activities for adults and for
young people. Up to date information on
all of these events can be found on our website www.millchurch.org.uk – which
includes a weekly news-sheet – or you can telephone the church office in West
Coker on 864136.
The Mill Church 20th
Anniversary Celebrations
On Sunday 4 June, the Mill Church celebrated its 20th
anniversary. The occasion was marked by
a special service, followed by a wonderful barbeque under sunny skies. The day finished with a game of rounders with
older and younger people in opposing teams!
The service was one of thanksgiving, with pangs of nostalgia, as video
footage of people some fifteen to twenty years younger was viewed.
We now look forward to the next twenty years and would
like to take this opportunity to especially thank East Coker Primary School,
whose hall we use every Sunday morning and also to invite anyone from the
village or neighbouring area to join us at East Coker School at 10.30am on a
Sunday morning. For more information,
please contact our church office on 864136.
Village News
SOUTH SOMERSET
FOOD FESTIVAL
The Helyar Arms in East Coker is taking part in this
year’s South Somerset Food Festival, which takes place from 30 September to 8
October, with all kinds of farm open days, cooking demonstrations, local
produce markets and special activities for children.
Ian McKerracher of the Helyar Arms says: “We are running a competition during August
and September for neighbours, friends and anyone else who would like to enter,
to find the best recipes for a starter, main course and pudding, using local
ingredients. People can enter one
category or all three. The winning
recipes will feature as specials on the pub menu throughout South Somerset Food
Festival and the winners and their partners will be invited to dine at the pub
and try out our chefs’ interpretation of their recipe.”
Entries, including the name of the dish, the
ingredients, method, name, your contact details, can be handed in over the bar
or posted to Ian McKerracher, The Helyar Arms, Moor Lane, East Coker, Yeovil,
Somerset BA22 9JR. The closing date is
Friday 22 September
Chef Mathieu Eke and Ian will be announcing the
winners at the pub, at 10.30am on Saturday 30 September. All the entrants and anyone else who is
interested is invited to join them on the day and sample other locally sourced
ingredients.
Details will be available at the beginning of August
on the Helyar Arms website – www.helyar-arms.com
At 3.00pm on the same day, Sarah Palmer, who grows vegetables,
salad and herbs for the pub at Tellis Farm, just two doors down from the Helyar
Arms, will be hosting a family event.
She will be showing children around her smallholding and asking them to
help her plant garlic – every child who lends a hand will receive a voucher for
free garlic bread next time they visit the pub with their family.
Both events are free.
BBC2 PROGRAMME
– RESTORATION VILLAGE
On Friday 4 August there will be a BBC2 production on
the Cokers concentrating on the Rope Walk at West Coker, Coker Cloth, Flax
around East Coker and William Dampier.
EAST COKER
PARISH COUNCIL
At last! ......every household should
receive a copy of the new Parish Rights
of Way with this July Newsletter.
This digital map gives you the accurate routes of designated rights of
ways in the parish. We have also
included two walks: one around the north and the second around the south of the
parish, which should appeal to residents and visitors alike. We are actively working on improvements to
the network with the help of SSDC Rangers, and we are especially grateful to
Somerset County Council for a Community Access Fund grant which has helped
finance these maps and leaflets.
Otherwise printing costs have been met by the Parish Council.
If you have not received
your maps, the following people will have a supply:
Parish Clerk: P Gubbins (Holywell) 862062
Footpath Reps: S
Rashley (Darvole) 428639
H Snook (Darvole) 474138
B Foot (Beech Tree Cottage) 862300
We also hope that school, local shops, pubs, tourism
centres, B&Bs, churches, etc. will have a supply.
A special thank you to
those who distribute the Newsletter for incorporating the maps in their
deliveries. Without the voluntary team
that have edited and prepared for print and distribution, costs could have been
prohibitive. For e-mail recipients, we
hope to deliver to you this time, but contact the above if you are forgotten!
Enjoy walking the parish
and encourage family, friends and visitors to do the same. We are very lucky to have such varied scenery
and such a well-defined network - there are no excuses for losing your way now!
Thank you to everyone who
came along to support the Litter Picking
Day on 13 May. Also thanks to those
who have made an extra effort to tidy the areas around their entrances and we
hope others will follow suit to keep their village neat and tidy.
‘Litta Pickas’ to make the job easier can be borrowed
from the Parish Council.
Congratulations to the East Coker Cockerels for a triumphant culmination
to their season. It is encouraging to
have local children happily involved in a sport which uses parish facilities so
successfully, and the Parish Council is further encouraged to support our
youngsters in the future.
On a less happy note – a message to parents about the behaviour
of children who have been climbing on
the pavilion roof. This is extremely
dangerous and could lead to a serious accident.
Please take responsibility for the antisocial actions of your
children. Damage to the pavilion from
climbing and from balls kicked at its walls only adds to Parish Council costs
and irritation.
Finally a DOGGY DOGGEREL, which we hope will reach the consciences of
those who still think that the recreation field is for their dogs’ facilities:
The Parish Council needs your aid,
It’s not
enough that they have made
Regulations,
signed and sealed,
About their
Recreation Field.
They plead:– Pet owners, do not spoil
it,
By using it
as a doggy toilet!
It really
does give us the blues,
To find
they’ve done their number two’s;
The
football teams are heard to howl:
“We think
this pitch is simply foul”;
While
fielders down at deep mid-wicket,
Complain
“This simply isn’t Cricket!”
But what
makes parents sorely boiled,
Is when a
child returns, well soiled.
You see,
there’s no way we can tell
Whose dog
has made the frightful smell.
So if Punch
must go for his caper,
When
walking fields, take bag and paper,
Or better
still, just super-dooper,
Go buy a
doggy pooper-scooper!
EAST COKER
LITTER PICK HELD
ON SATURDAY 13
MAY 2006
East Coker held its first
litter pick on Saturday organised in conjunction with the Parish Council and
South Somerset District Council. Several
Parish Councillors, local residents and Council representatives armed
themselves with litter picks and bin bags determined to clean the village of
litter.
After 2½ hours, the
volunteers returned to the pavilion with 12 bags of rubbish collected. Items of litter included beer cans, plastic
bottles, crisp packets, sweet papers and cigarette ends, with a car trim found
on top of a hedge.
New legislation now
encompasses cigarette ends and gum as litter and it is an offence to improperly
dispose of any litter. Anyone seen
throwing down litter, including litter disposed of, from a vehicle may be
subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £80.
Failure to pay the FPN may result in a maximum fine of £2,500.
Chris Cooper, Streetscene
Manager for the Council, said that the litter pick was organised after a
discussion with Roy Hodder, Vice Chair East Coker Parish Council, and Lynette
Osment, Enforcement Officer, and that it was good to work with the
community. The event was enjoyed by all
and it is hoped other organisations may follow suit in the future.
It is also an offence not to clean
up after your dog in a public place.
FPNs can be issued to anyone not clearing up after their dog with a
maximum fine of £1,000 following prosecution.
Dog fouling can present serious health issues, especially to children.
Following a successful
morning, volunteers tucked into a well deserved cup of tea and a buffet. It is hoped to hold another litter pick next
year.
For further information
please contact Streetscene Services on 462462
NOTES FROM
THE OBSERVATORY
Summer
Solstice – 21 June 2006
A persistent easterly wind
gave us a long cold early spring.
Morning ground frosts continued into April, the last being on 10
April. May continued the cold theme,
with some heavy downpours giving a monthly total of 91mm (3.58ins). On 21 May, 26mm (1.05ins) of rain fell
overnight following some gales on the 19 May.
Surprisingly the cold spell
was interrupted on 4 May, when the shade temperature reached 21ºC
(71.2ºF). But this pleasant spell was
short lived. The month continued as a
cool damp one until June arrived. Then we
had some gloriously warm or even hot days from the start of the month until the
longest day. Saturday 10 June was the
hottest day at 25.6ºC (76.1ºF). On the
previous day, when the temperature was 23.7ºC (74.8ºF), the air suddenly became
very dry at a Relative Humidity of only 40% compared with the usual figure of
about 70%.
Meanwhile we wait for St. Swithun's
Day on 15 July. Alas, the prediction of
40 days' rain is not an accurate one. A
review of one thousand weather sayings by Paul Merriott in his book 'Red Sky at
Night, Shepherd's Delight?' gives the thumbs down to St. Swithun's legend and
many more. The most reliable weather
lore is the 'Red Sky at Night' saying.
Despite the cold start to
Spring the first butterfly appeared on 1 April, a Brimstone, to be followed by
a Peacock on the 5 April, some Speckled Woods on the 26th and the first Orange Tip
on 28th. A migrant Painted Lady flew in
the garden on 29 May when a splendid pair of Orange Tips appeared, resting side
by side on a leaf, the male with his bright orange markings, the female being a
chalky-white with dark wing tips. So far
this year no Small Tortoiseshells have appeared.
A brightly coloured Jay
came into the garden in May to be followed by an unwelcome Bullfinch. A pair of Fly-catchers stayed during the hot
spell, while overhead Buzzards circled for hours in the hot sun.
I was pleased to see bats
flying in the twilight of June. A few
Cockchafer beetles blundered into the house, attracted by the lights. These large beetles look formidable creatures
but the adults are quite harmless to humans.
However, they and their larvae do much damage to plants.
The Spring weather seems to
have suited some of our hedgerow plants.
Cleavers, or Goosegrass, abounds alongside Queen Anne's Lace and Yellow
Dead Nettle in the lanes about the village.
One of my favourite wayside plants, Stitchwort, has done well this year
while Bird's Foot Trefoil has appeared along the margins of grassland, usually
a sign of slightly alkaline soil. Red
Valerian is now gracing our village walls.
The summer night sky has
little to offer this year. Saturn and
Mars, having come together in the SW sky are now setting at bedtime, while
Jupiter, prominent in the south, will move west and out of sight as summer
proceeds. It might be worth looking for
the four major moons of Jupiter through a pair of binoculars.
Francis Cloke 862496
MRS KAY
BIGGIN – HAPPY
100TH BIRTHDAY
Kay Biggin celebrated her 100th birthday on
Saturday 1 July with family and friends at her home. Amongst her many cards was one from The
Queen. Kay was born in Lympstone, Devon
in 1906 and lived and worked in Devon until she moved to Liss in Hampshire,
where she went to help her brother run a small hotel. It was here in September 1955 that she met
John Biggin, who asked her out to dinner.
After a short while romance blossomed and he asked Kay to marry
him. They were married on 8 January 1956
and settled in East Coker six months later.
Kay and John had 20 years of happy marriage before John passed away in
1976. Kay has always enjoyed her
beautiful garden and continues to enjoy village activities.
NEXT ISSUE
The next issue of the
Newsletter will be in October 2006.
Copy, please, to Lesley Lindsay, Little Meadow, Coker Marsh, East Coker
or by e-mail
or
to the East Coker Post Office & Stores by Monday 25 September 2006.