Holcombe Brook and Summerseat WI

Our latest book for discussion was The Botanist's Daughter by Katie Nunn "This story takes place over two time periods, late Victorian and modern day. It encompasses three countries, Britain, Chile and Australia, two heroines, a villain and lots of plants. If that’s not got your head spinning, this pleasant, undemanding, page - turning epic will fill a few lockdown hours very adequately. A hidden box, containing a diary and an album, starts the action and leads us into family secrets, journeys into the unknown and parallel lives. One leading lady begins life anew; the other leaves it. The world of seed and plant collectors, and the ruthless competition to discover new spec imens, takes us to Sydney’s Botanical Garden, Kew Gardens, Cornwall and the foothills of the Andes. We found the story well told and researched, but too ‘Mills and Boon’. Characters were predictable and cliched, some dropped with little ceremony, leaving a hole in the plot. Others circled th

Our gardening group may not be able to meet up but they've been busy sharing  photos of their autumn produce and late summer flowers. Notable among these was the fabulous sunflower growing contest! Our winner was Liz whose sunflower grew to an amazing 108" (2.74m).  The shorter days and lower temperatures may herald the end of the growing season but now is the time to think about changes and splitting perennials.  If you’re planting bulbs keep an eye out in the shops as they sell quickly but you can plant tulips as late as December. If you haven’t done it before try planti ng layers of bulbs in a container so you get a succession of blooms. Vary the dates when they bloom (the packaging will say when) to have a long flowering season next Spring.

Craft Group Reunion! Our Crafters/Knitters have been really busy over lockdown, some even preparing presents for Christmas!  While Ruth has made 50+ little canula covers for babies. We also managed to have our first distanced meeting outside at the Hare & Hounds. Fantastic time catching up with friends we've not seen in so very long. Jam and Jelly Recipes These simple recipes will help us make the most of any fruits harvested this month. Cinnamon and Apple Jelly 1.5kg diced apples and 1l water Thinly pared rind of lemon 5cm crushed ginger and 20cm cinnamon stick 500g granulated sugar for each 600ml juice Add everything to saucepan and boil for 1 hour or until apples are pulpy Let drip through jelly bag for 6-12 hours Measure juice and weigh correct sugar Slowly bring to boil, stirring, then boil for 10mins Test for set, add to hot, sterilised jars. Sugarless R aspberry Ja m 225 g raspberries fresh or frozen but thawed 1 tablespoon honey Half teaspoon vanilla essence 1.5 tablesp

Never mind 2020  – how much do you remember of 2019? Why did Piers Morgan cry on Good Morning Britain? The Queen, at a meeting of Sandringham WI, took part in which TV quiz?  Jimmy Chipolata joined Nottingham University as its first official what? Who taught us all how to “spark joy” by folding our knickers more neatly? Why was the first all-female spacewalk cancelled? What task did Angela Kelly, the Queen’s dresser, do for the Queen? Why are the Co-op’s new range of gingerbread figures PC? Which actress was accused of hypocrisy by flying to join a climate change protest? What May event did M&S mark with a special lettuce, guacamole, bacon and tomato sandwich? According to a Radio Times survey, one in five people have pulled a sickie from work to do what?  What are students banned from doing when guest speakers are welcomed to Oxford University?  Name the serial killer played by Jodie Comer in hit series Killing Eve? What did Diane Abbott apologise for doing on a London train? What

Cocktails on Zoom Lockdown doesn't have to mean losing touch with friends or having a chat over a glass (or two!). The cocktail group continues to meet every Wednesday at 7:30pm for a chat on Zoom. New members are welcome. The Gardening What’s App Group As you would expect, the Gardening What’s App has seen a lot of activity in what is a busy month for gardeners. Photos of favourites are shared as are plants, cuttings and seedlings. Squash, cucumbers, poppies and cosmos are among the many plants grown. Deb   and Susan had a problem when an overnight air frost damaged their acers but that’s what  happens in May... fine weather with nasty surprises to vex us from time to time. Let’s   not forget though that May is also a time to sit in and enjoy our gardens too. And if you can drag yourself out of bed at 4am and go in your garden   you’ll be serenaded by a Dawn Chorus of birdsong. 

Book Club  Our book club of 12 members met regularly until the Covid restrictions in mid- March. We introduced a new idea from September 2019, to read Waterstones Book of the Month.  The highlights of this experiment were: When all is said - Griffin  Once upon a river - Setterfield My sister the Serial Killer - Braithwaite  Queenie - Carty-Williams  The Doll Factory -MacNeal Lively discussion and cake are usually the order of the day, but WhatsApp comments now have rather cramped our style. So next month, as we t ackle Girl, Woman, Other  we will meet via Zoom! Some entertainment ideas if you are running out of things to watch! 1.The Sewing Bee is back and is running for longer this time, same format as before. Easy fun TV for sewers. 2.  Normal People has had lots of reviews mainly very positive, some saying better than the book. About a relationship between teenagers starting when they are at school and continuing to university.  3. Blood Seasons 1 and 2 with Adrian Dunbar. Drama set

Craft Group The members of our craft group continue to turn out beautiful, fun and colourful work. Here are some of their latest designs.  WI Bikers Group The WI Bikers have been making the most of the spring sunshine and the daily outdoor exercise permission. We support each other by sharing our routes and photos and giving tips about poor road surfaces and keeping safe. It is great to have the freedom of the road and the wind in your hair, especially when there are fewer cars about. 

A Local Walk  Take a walk in Redisher Woods behind the Hare and Hounds and discover the new steps, pictured below.  Walk past the huge building works on the left, pass the small pond on the left and walk to the bridge. Cross the bridge and the second recently reconstructed bridge and go up the old steps that rise up almost immediately on the right. At the top of these steps, take the path to the right and drop down to cross the stream where on the right you pick up the lower new steps. Alternatively, take the laurel path, where a path rises to the right immediately after you pass the building works when you enter the woods, and this muddy path will take you to the new steps higher up. If you fancy using wild garlic in your cooking (try wrapping chicken breast in young  leaves) there’s plen ty on the cobbled path from behind the Hare and Hounds. Our walks in the woods are now causing us to recall the foraging walk last May.  The Painting Group This newly formed group is where we share t