Wednesday 12th May 2021 - Greatly Improved and Excitement All Round

That’s better! Since my last blog the weather has greatly improved. We were able to have our planned BBQ on Sunday evening, with Peter cooking pork, sausages, peppers and mushrooms. This was followed with a ‘Blue Peter’ (one I cooked earlier) blackberry and apple pie and some of my homemade ice-cream. With only the pie to warm through, I spent little time in the kitchen which, despite enjoying cooking, made a pleasant change for me.

The leaves on the trees are bursting open and that includes our walnut which is always later than most of the many other varieties of trees. The pale tender leaves on the beech trees look almost good enough to eat – I have just checked this out and yes, they are edible! On the subject of edibles; as we walked along a footpath bordered by wild plants the other afternoon, it was interesting to observe that in one area all the plants were edible – nettles, alexander, garlic mustard and cleavers (aka goose grass and sticky weed). This new warmth, coupled with some rain showers have made all the difference, especially to our garden and the plants in the greenhouse too.

With speculation as to what we will and won’t be able to do following further easing of Covid restrictions, Monday’s confirmation that we will be able to mix indoors and have overnight stays, means that as well as our eldest son and his family being able to stay in the village, our youngest son and his partner can come too and stay with us. With the two families and rule of six indoors we won’t all be able to be under the same roof together at one time but we can work round this by meeting outside (fingers crossed the weather will be kind to us). It’s over two years since we have all been able to meet here in Overstrand as a family, so there is much excitement all round.

Today’s photos were taken, firstly this morning along the prom and then in the afternoon on the beach. I love the textures provided by the remains of a wooden post, now rotting and studded with stones, which once formed part of the sea defences.