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Please
may we have items for the June Diary by 18 May. They can be left with
Sylvia Judge, 55 High Street; Ben Tottenham, Vicarage Cottage, Back Lane;
at the Post Office; or by email to Diary@Ramsbury.com.
We have been publishing the Village Diary at www.ramsbury.com/diary
since July 1998 and have regular readers around the world. If anyone in
Ramsbury would like to find out more about the Internet, please contact
Peter Raper by email
or phone 521092.
Webmaster's note: Contributions sent by e-mail
to Diary@Ramsbury.com will be
automatically forwarded to Sylvia Judge without my seeing them.
Nature Notes
I write this at the end of a hot summer's day (April 16th) after a month
of fine weather. Some rain fell on April 1st, but it was not enough to
make the soil ideal for seed sowing. It is grand to have such glorious
spring weather but with the soil drying out so early in the season it
is bad for the farmers and gardeners who want to get their seeds germinating.
The perennials are somewhat better off as their roots can draw on water
several inches below the surface, the nettle family are an example, their
young leaves provide food for many caterpillars. Will it be a good year
for butterflies I wonder? Several varieties are already on the wing.
Recently I spent a week in the Peak District where with its limestone
rocks the spring flowers were much the same as here. Bluebells were just
starting to flower and masses of wild garlic were in bud, as here the
lesser celandines were almost over. On two occasions I saw the pinkish
downy flower stems of toothwort, this plant is a parasite on the roots
of hazel and some other trees, so perhaps it will be found on the boundary
walk?
Have you seen any queen wasps? I have seen six so far this year, so I
hope that we will not have too many this summer, although they do help
to control some other insect pests. When water is not being used in a
home various creepy crawlies, such as spiders seem to be able to get up
drain pipes into the bath. This time on my return there was a thin creature
several inches long which may have been a spotted snake, a millipede.
My book says it lives in arable soil, but I have never seen one like it
when digging the garden. I wonder what others have found in their homes
on returning from a holiday?
Rosie Pauline
Bird Notes
At the beginning of April I was in Hens Wood when I came upon some members
of the West Wiltshire Bird Ringing Group. They had just caught a Marsh
Tit and a Willow Tit which are almost identical. The only way to tell
them apart is by looking at the tail feathers of the Willow Tit which
are graduated and rounder at the ends. This being the case, the soundest
way to identify them is by their calls. The Willow Tit's usual call is
a nasal 'Chay' whereas the Marsh Tit is a loud 'Pitchu'. A Cetti's Warbler
briefly burst into song at 1am in the nature reserve. Summer migrants
seem to have made a faltering start with sightings of House Martins and
Swallows at the end of March, and then nothing until 14 April.
Winter migrants that are still staying around include Golden Plover to
the north of Loves Copse. Red Poll, Siskin, Brambling and Crossbill were
still in Hens Wood on 6 April. Red Kite have been seen on a regular basis
on top of Springs Hill
John Marshall
Rainfall
The rainfall for the month to 18 April was 0.25 inches, average 2.14
inches. Where are the April Showers?
Kennet District Council Elections
Polling to elect two councillors for the Ramsbury Ward, covering Baydon,
Chilton Foliat, Froxfield, Ramsbury and Axford takes place on Thursday
1 May between 8 am and 9 pm, at Axford Village Hall and Ramsbury Memorial
Hall. The candidates are Susan Findlay, Independent, Margaret Rose, Conservative
and Brian Twigger, Conservative. You have two votes for two members
The Churchyards
The two compost heaps in the (old) East Churchyard are being dismantled,
and the residue spread round the walls. In future all mown grass and dead
flowers should be put on the heaps in the (new) West Churchyard, which
will be regularly cleared. Oasis, wreaths, wire and plastic bags should
be taken home and disposed of appropriately.
A heartfelt plea
An anonymous correspondent writes 'We have a lovely village! Please help
to keep it so by not allowing your dog to mess the pavements, or by dropping
litter, or throwing tin cans into hedge row bottoms'. Poop scoop bags
are available in the village.
Ramsbury WI
The next meeting will be on Thursday 1 May when Resolutions will be discussed,
followed by a finger supper. The competition will be for a bloom of the
month, and the Trading Stall will be selling garden and indoor plants.
Ramsbury Horticultural Society
The 'Spring Plant Sale' will open at 10 am on Saturday 3 May in the garden
at 'Millstream', High Street. Please bring plants for sale to the house
from 9 to 9.45 am. Cakes for the cake stall would be very welcome. Please
contact Thelma Wax 520274 or Alex Brown 521463. If wet - in the Church
Room Back Lane.
On Saturday 17 May there is a coach outing to the Savill Gardens, Windsor
Great Park. Rhododendrons and Azaleas should be at their best, and some
examples of the lovely Himalayan Blue Poppy. There is a restaurant, shop
and plant centre. The cost covering transport and entry will be £10.
Please book with Roy Alexander on 520304. Non-members are welcome.
Beating the Bounds
The Boundary walk of Ramsbury and Axford will take place on the Bank
Holiday Monday 5May. The Ramsbury Community Bus (Flyer) is not available
this year so we are hoping to gather volunteers with cars to transport
walkers to the start point at the Tree at 7.30 am and bring them back
to Ramsbury at the end of the walk from Littlecote House drive at 7 pm
(or later!) If you can help please contact Geoffrey Treherne 512406. The
countryside should be looking at its best so join the crowd for all or
part of the 26 ½ mile walk. Bring a packed lunch, but usual refreshments
will be provided at strategic points on the route. Sorry no dogs. We hope
to provide check lists for the Plants and Birds likely to be seen on the
walk, so you can see how sharp your eyes are. Bring a pencil.
Ramsbury Flyer
(The Community Bus also has
its own page at www.ramsbury.com/flyer).
The next visit to Newbury will be on Thursday 8 May starting from the
Tree at 11.30 am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm.
The Bus AGM will be held at the Crown & Anchor on Wednesday 7 May
at 7.30 pm.
Waste Collection
After the two Bank holidays in May household waste bags will be collected
one day later than usual, i.e. on Thursdays 8 and 29 May.
Open Studio
Witcha Cottage Studio and Garden will be open at the weekends of 10/11,
17/18 and 24/25 May, from 11 am to 7 pm. Arran Miles and Susan Kirkman
will be showing their artwork as part of the Newbury Spring Festival.
The studio will be signposted at the Whittonditch crossroads on the B4192.
For further information call 520429.
Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks
There will be guided walks on Sunday 11 May to Whiteshard Bottom, 4 miles,
and on Sunday 25 May to Chisbury, 4 ½ miles. Meet at the Tree at
2 pm. Share cars. Dogs under control are welcome.
Christian Aid Week 11 - 17 May
A Commissioning Service will be held at Holy Cross Church at 10 am on
Sunday 11 May, and there will be a Coffee Morning at the Methodist Chapel
from 10.30 to 12.30 on Friday 16 May. There will be cakes, books, Traidcraft
and an entertainment by the Pre-school at 11.30 am.
Ramsbury School PTA
The School PTA will be holding a Race Night in the Memorial Hall on Friday
16 May. For details see notices in the village or ring Helen Lloyd on
520142.
Annual Parish Meeting
The Annual Parish Meeting will take place on Monday 19 May at 7.45 pm
in the Memorial Hall. All residents of Ramsbury and Axford are invited
to attend. The Parish Clerk will be contacting village organisations to
ask them to send a representative to report on the year's events. The
Annual Parish Meeting will be followed by a meeting of the new Parish
Council.
THANKS
Caroline May would like to thank all her many friends for their
support and gifts for her daughter Natalie who is serving in the Gulf.
The Ramsbury Amenity Group Diary editors send many thanks to the
Town Crier for all his efforts over the years and many congratulations
on his special birthday this month.
The Ravensbury Players are able to donate £300 to the Intensive
Care Unit of the Great Western Hospital from funds raised at their recent
production of 'Amsterdam or Bust'. Thank you to everyone who contributed.
ADVANCE NOTICES
Ramsbury Amenity Group have arranged a guided tour
of Rodmarton Manor, Cirencester for Saturday 14 June. The cost will be
£6. Transport will leave from the Tree at 8.45 am for the tour at
10 am. Please apply to Ben Tottenham on 520308 if you are interested.
Axford and Stitchcombe Gardens will be open on Sunday 22 June
from 2 - 5 pm. There will be a flower festival in St. Michael's Church
at the same time with a flute and harpsichord recital from 2.30 - 3.30
pm.
Evensong will follow at 6 pm. The Ramsbury Silver Band will play during
tea and there will be a produce stall and a competition for children.
The Flyer will be available and timing notices will displayed on the Tree
and in the Post Office.
One ticket price £3 per adult will give entry to all gardens. Children
of 14 years and under will be admitted free.
Ramsbury Horticultural Society will be holding a 'Rose Evening'
on Saturday 28 June at 7.30 pm in the Memorial Hall. Rose plants have
had a lot to endure in the past six months so be kind to them and apply
some special rose fertiliser immediately, and ensure that they are kept
watered if the dry season continues.
Ramsbury Charity Ball Reservation forms for the next Charity Ball
to be held on Saturday 6 September are now available at the Ball HQ, the
Crown & Anchor.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Regional Lecture will be
given at 7.30 pm on Thursday 11 September in the Memorial Hall. The speaker
is that well known broadcaster on "Gardeners' Question Time"
Roy Lancaster and his subject title - A Plantsman's garden.
Tickets price £4 (£3 to members of the RHS) can be obtained
from Sylvia Judge 55 High Street Ramsbury. Please include a stamped addressed
envelope and payment with your application. Cheques payable to Ramsbury
Horticultural Society. The event will be widely advertised in the surrounding
area from June onwards so book early
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