A Gift of a Little Boy

We send our congratulations to Keith and Georgina on the birth of their son Austin, who arrived two months early last week.  He weighed just over six pounds.  I am assured that he will be playing rugby not football.

(actually I saw the whole family as they were taking Austin home from the hospital and everyone looked really well).   

 

A Brave Soldier

A young twenty year old soldier is on his way back to Afghanistan after a couple of weeks home with his family. Gary, one of twins, has spent some time as a gunner in action in Afghanistan.  This weekend family and friends had their belated Christmas dinner prior to Gary’s departure for further action.  We send our best wishes for a safe tour of duty.

 

Kay’s Gardening Corner

Time to start off the seed potatoes!  If you have an egg box or egg tray, this is ideal to rest the potatoes in for chitting (that is exposing them to light to make them go  green and start to sprout).  Anyone can grow a few spuds, you don’t need a vegetable patch.  Most kinds of containers or 12” diameter pot with drainage holes will do.  Plant up to the end of March/beginning of April and leave outside.  If the weather is likely to be frosty and they have some green leaves, cover them with newspaper at night and remove it in the morning.  When they have flowered and died down, tip the pot out and you should have a few new potatoes; they will taste great - much better than those from the supermarket.

Also onion sets are very easy to grow, if you have space in the garden.  February/March is the time to plant them.  For the first two weeks when they are trying to root or sprout, keep an eye open, because they can easily be dislodged by the frost or birds.  Firm them back in as soon as you notice them.  In August/September when the tops die back and fall over, leave for two weeks then carefully lift them with a fork, taking care not to damage the bulbs.  Leave on the ground so that the sun can dry them off.  Clean them up and store them in orange nets or old tights, but never plastic bags.  They should store until around Christmas.

Any debris or leaves need to be collected up and perennials (left for insects and ladybirds to hibernate in) need to be cut down. Lilies and dahlias should have been cut down after the first frost, as the stems go to mush.  Perennial weeds are starting to grow, so it is a good time to remove them, as the soil is very soft due to the many frosts.

If we get a fine dry day, the lawn will benefit from a light trim- set the blades on a high setting.  With all the cold weather we have had, a walk round the garden may reveal several clumps of snowdrops out and the daffodils poking up about 6”.  It makes me think that spring is not too far away.  

 

372 Bus Service

Last week the 372 bus from Hornchurch failed to stop at Ferro Road to pick up passengers. Also when the next bus came along it did not stop at Eastwood Drive to let a father and his child get off.  In view of the previous occurrences, we contacted Transport for London and expressed our concerns.  We had a reply from Customer Services for Buses at TFL, who outlined their policy concerning the care of passengers.  The staff of East London Buses will be reminded of their duty and care to passengers.

 

LONDON IN BLOOM

We have been invited to participate in the London in Bloom competition this year.  We have received the details and will discuss them at the next committee meeting.  Our recommendations will be included in next month’s newsletter for discussion at the AGM.