Holcombe Brook and Summerseat WI

September saw the first face-to-face meeting of our WI since COVID restrictions lifted. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces again. (Zoom just isn't the same!)  We marked the occasion with a display of the wonderful craft and art projects our members have completed during lockdown. What a talented bunch!

 Our art group took inspiration from summer travels past and present.

Some of our green-fingered ladies opened their gardens for members of our WI to visit. There was plenty of inspiration to be found in these gorgeous green spaces!

Our first book of 2021 was taken from the Duchess of Cornwall's reading room list .  The book was well-received and scored a 7 out of 10.  We felt the story was quite difficult to follow until the various threads were pulled together at the end. But we found the writing descriptive and enjoyed the link to the buildings which give Istanbul so much of its character. Also the link to Renaissance Europe.  We felt we bonded with the elephant and cared about his mahout, although found his marriage at the end a little far-fetched! Most of us agreed that we would not have read this title if it hadn't been for book club (though the actual book cover is attractive and might have persuaded us!) A few of us would be tempted to read something else written by Elif Shafak.

January offers a bit of slack in the gardening year but it’s a good time to tidy up the shed and garden.  By the end of February, aim to have pruned your roses (to an outward facing bud) and removed last year’s top growth from perennials. Ahead of birds nesting in the spring, prune hedges to keep their shape.  Make sure you cover your outdoor tap to protect from frost and try to keep off the lawn on icy days, so you don’t damage the grass. If you have a wisteria, to keep it manageable give it a winter prune to 2/3 buds per  stem. If you planted  any winter pots keep an eye on them and pick off faded flowers to encourage more. You can buy pots of flowering bulbs that you can sink in the garden or bring indoors in a bright but cool spot. We defy anyone not to be cheered by a pot of daffodils.   If you have a pond and it freezes you should make a hole so wildlife can survive but don’t whack the ice, try standing a pan of hot water on it until it melts through and remember to feed the bird

 Happy  New Year to all our members, family, friends and neighbours!