Rodmell & Southease Parish Pump

Ali captures the beauty in such simple things to do with nature. The photo for May is a snail inside a pink poppy flower, and the beauty of its shell is superb against the petals of the flower. Another was an angel which I gather she made from a pile of oyster shells she found on a beach in Normandy, with a background of pebbles.

Ali, I feel is a person who is very lucky to have the ability to see nature in all its natural beauty, which must give her endless pleasure and of course also pleasure to people like me.

I’m so glad to see so many people out walking these days and realising how good such a simple pleasures is for them and it’s free! With the right to roam, being a subject in the news yet again, I do hope those ‘that roam’ realise that such things as shutting gates, keeping dogs on leads, taking their rubbish home with them are very important issues.

Farmers have enough on their plate to deal with at the moment and it is always good, when people get together to help them keep paths clear and fences and gates repaired, enabling them to give their time to grow our food and look after their animals.

As a creature of routine and habit I find Christmas, especially when it comes mid-week, makes me get my days mixed up and I end up in a right muddle at times.

I’m surprised the daffodils on my outside banks aren’t showing much effort in growing and neither are my bluebells, which is also a surprise as they, being in a sheltered spot usually start popping up around now. As I said recently my strawberry plants have green strawberries on them and they are outside, not in the greenhouse. Things are really changing in nature.

I try to have things to look forward to, so I am really looking forward to going to Rodmell Stage Company’s panto in January and the talk about Iford also in January. It’s called ‘Iford in the Good Old Days’ and is in aid of Iford Church Development Fund. Tickets sold out quickly but I was lucky to get two for me and my friend Rob, whose relations lived and worked in the villages along the valley.

Ali says to remind you that the next pub quiz is on Wednesday, January8 at 8pm. Usually they are on the first Wednesday of the month but because it is New Years Day Daisy and Chris decided to change it. Call the pub on 01273 472416 to book a place.

I am keeping Parish Pump short this week but I do wish you all a very happy New Year.