Iden

LORD OF THE FLIES: Flies seem to have such suicidal tendencies don’t they, always knocking themselves out on a window pane, and lying there on the window sill like a martyr, with their little legs curled inwards. Whenever we dust a window sill, there are always one or two aren’t there? Someone must know [in a biological sense] why they do this, but I can only think that there is little in the way of Prozac in the fly kingdom! In truth, they do look a bit manic flying around, especially when they suddenly buzz frantically, and fly in a figure of eight movement [there has to be some kind of paranoia going on there]. At night, they seem to migrate to the bedroom. There is always one bashing into walls, and buzzing around the bedside lamp, just when I’ve got to the bit in my book that requires full concentration. “I’m not having this”, I say to my sleeping husband, and I stand on the bed in my nightie with a rolled up newspaper, and begin a big game hunt. “Is there no peace in this house “, he says, yanking all the covers over to his side of the bed. I’m speechless., so much so that I march off in my slippers, switch on the computer and look up ‘facts about the common house fly’ .Just to begin with, it says, ‘the common housefly is a perfect host for many types of bacteria’ [well, we know that], but listen to this! ‘They are proven carriers of such germs as typhoid leprosy, tuberculosis, amoebic dysentery, bubonic plague and listeria.’[and to think that right this minute I may have one floating in my cocoa] Then, [and this is mind-blowing], it says’ one pair of flies, if they all lived and reproduced normally would number 191,000,000,000,000,000,000, enough to cover the entire land area of the world to the depth of 18 feet! And there’s my husband moaning, when I’m trying to save him from something that’s probably spent the whole afternoon squatting on a cow pat!
By Gill Griffin
Published 18th Sep 2015, 00:00 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

THE HARVEST SUPPER: Tickets are available, in Iden Stores for the annual ‘Harvest Supper’, which will be held on Saturday 3rd October, in Iden village hall, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £7, and include a glass of wine and entertainment. The same conjurer who had us so baffled last year, will once more entertain us. Somehow, the ‘Friends of I den Church’, always seem to serve homely fare which smacks of a good harvest. Tickets sell out rapidly, so be sure and get in there first!

AND CONTINUING IN ‘HARVEST MODE: The dormice are nibbling the last of the corn, and in Iden, on 3rd and 4th October , ‘Friends of Iden Church’, are celebrating the harvest, by putting on an ‘Arts and Crafts Show’, in the ‘Old Hall’ [Opening times are 12 midday to 5pm on Saturday 3rd October, and 11am-4pm on Sunday 4th October] , Admission will be free, and all work will be on sale in support of the Church restoration fund. After visiting the show, we can drift along to the church, to see the display of harvest flowers in Iden Parish Church. Family Service will be held at the church , at 9.30 am, on Sunday 4th October, amongst the autumn flowers.

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THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL DISPLAY: Iden and Playden Garden Society never let us down do they, and their Autumn Flower And Produce Show, on Saturday 12th September was no exception. As I entered Iden village hall, the colours of the flowers were just stunning, and everyone that entered, portrayed their worth as a gardener. There were beautiful floral displays, and an abundance of fruit and veg, all grown right here, in our vicinity . All entrants did well, but prizes were won as follows ;-Daphne Lightfoot--, most points for dahlias, was won by Anne Banning., 2nd Geoffrey and Heather Scott, and 3RD Jill Johnson.--- Park Farm best vase dahlias, won by Janet Johnson---Elms most point, classes 20-23---, floral art, won by Trish Evans,-- second Janet Johnson--- 3rd Anne Banning. ---Raffles Cup best entry classes14—19 [pot-plant]—won by Trish Evans.---Tate best entry classes [veg], won by Mr R Tobitt.---Albert Cup, class 47 [ photographic] won by Mrs. P Ryan----Oxenbridge class 48 [ novelty ], won by Geoffrey and Heather Scott---Herringfield most points Autumn Show --classes1—44, won by Trish Evans, 2nd Geoffrey and Heather Scott, and 3rd –Anne Banning. ---Brian Hargreaves Trophy [aggregate points won for floral art over current year]-- 1st Janet Johnson-- 2nd, Trish Evans/Carol Worwood / Jill Johnson.

Subscriptions are now due, and the society would welcome new members. Belonging to the Garden Society is all about sharing knowledge and horticultural appreciation with a group of people who enjoy the universal language of gardening. Even if you don’t want to put an entry into the shows, do come to the meetings. You would be made most welcome. On Monday, 16th November, at 7.30 pm, in Iden village hall, there is an annual talk entitled, ‘The Plant Hunters’ , by Stephen Harmer.

IDEN AND DISTRICT NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY: Just to let you know well in advance, that winter lectures begin on Friday October 9th, at 7.30 pm, in Iden village hall, and the first lecture will be [Part1] Teilhard de Chardin, [part 2] Local geology update. Subscription fee is a minimum of £14, and visitors pay £3. Refreshments are provided. I’ll try and let you know a week in advance, because for those interested in the wonder of nature, these lectures not only provide knowledge about our own area, but will transport you to other counties, and other countries who have their own gems of natural history. For any enquiries, please ring Colin Page 01-797 224231, or Melvin Smith, telephone 01-797 270587.

THE POP-IN: The Pop-in will be on Monday 28th September in Iden village hall, at 11am .Do come along, for coffee/tea and a chat

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BINGO: The next Bingo session is on Thursday 1st October, in Iden village hall Doors open at 2pm, eyes down at 2.30pm.. Everyone from the Rye area is welcome. It’s getting chilly, the nights are drawing in, but the hall is warm, there is a sandwich/cake tea provided. You can bring a group and at least one of you could win some money. There is a jackpot, a flier, and as many Bingo-books as you can handle. It’s a very friendly afternoon!

FUNNY GOING’S ON AT IDEN BOWLS CLUB: On Sunday 20th September, Iden Bowls Club will be holding ‘Roy’s Pick And Mix’, a club competition, in which bowlers will be bowling in fancy dress. Bowlers and visitors will spend the day grazing on the usual tip- top fare provided by the club. [these folk seem able to bowl with one hand and whip up a Victoria sandwich with the other]

A SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION: There will be a Service of Holy Communion, in Iden Parish Church, on Sunday 20th September.

A BIT OF A GOOGLE: Speaking of looking up ‘The common house fly’ on the computer, isn’t it amazing to have a myriad of knowledge with just a few clicks on the computer. Even more amazing, is reading ‘recent history’, and finding out what on earth you have googled in a ‘funny half hour’, anything from ‘sausages’, to ‘nuclear physics’, to Barn Owls, and ‘how to temper chocolate’ Put together like that, recent history sounds like one of those party games where everyone writes down a sentence and folds the paper over, so at the end all you get is a page of disconnected trivia. Sometimes I save up a little list of things I would suddenly like to know, and spend a pleasant hour or so ‘surfing the net’. It’s a bit like ticking off a shopping list in the mind, and coming out with a trolley basket full of facts, instead of the usual cat food and porridge oats. When I write the Village Voice, my husband [the one I’ve just saved from bubonic plague] sometimes comes up with a cup of coffee, and plays scrabble on his lap top. We don’t speak [this to him is wonderful, he loves it when I don’t speak], but slurping coffee can be quite communicative. Be nice if the whole of Iden could join us in a chocolate digestive!

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CONTACT ME: If anyone has anything to add to the Village Voice, please ring Gill Griffin [telephone-01-797 280311], and I’ll gladly include it.

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