Rodmell and Southease

WILD FLOWERS: There have been quite a few letters in the Sussex Express lately about the grass verges not being cut. I agree that to see our wild flowers making a come-back is great, but in places where safety is so important, I and a lot of other people feel more thought should be given to where and when to cut. For instance, I was walking from my cousin's house near the school in Ringmer on the pavement up as far as the Green Man Pub. The stinging nettles were a hazard as they came right over the path, and had we been pushing a child in a pushchair or even had a small child walking with us they would most definitely have been stung, especially around eye level, which would not have been pleasant for them. Also road signs and signposts are also completely covered in places, not good for tourism. Road junctions are becoming extremely hazardous, as in places you just cannot see what traffic is coming. I wonder if an accident happened, would the council be liable because they hadn't cut the grass? Food for thought, don't you think. I love our wild flowers and grown many of them around the property, but I do feel we need a sensible approach to this problem. As I was working at the front of our property between 4.30pm and 6.30pm recently and traffic was zooming through at great speed, it was like being beside a motorway. I really don't think our wooden posts and wild flowers, that have been cultivated to make motorists aware that this is a village, are having any effect on those that are striving to get home as quickly as possible. However, it was worth a try.

WALKERS: As I took a friend down to Southease on Friday June 15, I was amazed to see so many walkers walking through this lovely hamlet. Evidently, there were 140 walkers walking the South Downs Way that day as a project, so one of our villagers who was also walking told me. They certainly had a lovely day for it.

NURSING HOME: I try to have lunch with Mike who, who is now in Parris Lawn Nursing Home in Ringmer, once a week. I must say I am very impressed with the food there. It’s all cooked on the premises and is so tasty. If you have a loved one who you know will in the future need looking after, I suggest you go and look at Parris Lawn, which I think has now been open for eight months, so is all completely new and make your own opinion. We badly need more homes set up like this with our ageing population and the problem of hospital bed blocking. As we are all living longer, the problem is becoming worse and will need to be faced up to by future governments.

RODMELL SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Service. Don’t forget that on June 29, there will sadly be a Service of Thanksgiving, to remember 162 years of our lovely school. All those with a connection with the school or want to acknowledge this sad closure are welcome to attend.

DAY OUT: I had a lovely day out with our horticultural society at Nymans Gardens on Thursday June 14. 13 of us went, the oldest being 97, who put some of us to shame by walking around all day, whilst some of us crept off to sit in the sun and eat delicious home-made ice-cream. It was the most lovely day out and the rose gardens were a dream. The old roses like the old sweet peas have such heavenly scent, which I feel is so important. Thank you to the organisers.

OPEN GARDENS: Friends of mine took a walk around the Village Open Gardens recently and fell in love with a plant named Southease Celestial Geranium and would love to obtain a plant if possible. Can you help? Please phone me I you can.

TRAFFIC ON THE C7: I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned that Radio Kent and Sussex remarked three times recently about the amount of traffic using the C7, especially heavy vehicles, and the high speeds they were driving at. We, who live along it, would love to have people drive more sensibly and at lower speed along it, but I doubt that will happen. It will just get worse in these days of rush and tear I suspect.