Netherfield

First week for all newcomers is free. It starts at 20.00 (or 8.00 pm in old money) and goes on until 22.00 (or 10.00 pm). The normal cost is £5.00. That is £2.50 per hour for a good time. If you are interested ring Maurice 01424 838410, text 07957588172 or email [email protected].

Darvel Down & Area Residents Association: On Friday 17 February a meeting of the DDARA was held in the cafe of the Netherfield Stores and Post Office. It was chaired by John Boryer. Many items were discussed and a fuller report will be forthcoming on receipt of the minutes. However, a date was set for the Annual General Meeting, which is slightly overdue. This will take place on Friday 24 March 2017 at a venue to be decided. All are welcome.

Reflections on a garden: The spell of good weather, from a garden’s perspective, continues to encourage the growth of our early spring flowers. It has also awakened the grass from its winter slumbers and I can see that I need to oil the cogs of the mower, empty and refill the petrol tank and generally clean the detritus off its cutting arm in order to start the annual round of trying to get those all important lines in the lawn.

It is amazing how an inch or two off the sword can make the estate look well cared for. Even edging the main areas where the green meets the brown of the individual plots does not have the same effect. The worm-casts vanish, the leaves are removed and mulched and any other debris is either pressed into the soft soil or churned in this process of tailoring. The birds too, find the experience rewarding, as they are able to walk on the shorn surface with impunity. The blackbirds are able to search for worms in a more sustainable way. Wonderful

More next week........

Contact: If you have any stories or articles of interest that will give our readership a reason to buy the paper please contact me on email at [email protected]. I apologise for the lack of a phone number as my antiquated instrument has finally given up the ghost. My apologies also to the two attempts that were made to contact me with articles for the paper to which I was unable to respond.

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