8/14/2019 Season's Greetings Letter - Dec09

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SEASON’S GREETINGSDear all December 2009

Just to keep you up to date, a copy of the letter we are sending out electronically to family and friends abroad

After a difficult end to 2008 with Clive being hospitalised twice (chest infection), th is year turned out to be an unexpectedly exciting year for our family . In March our n eighbour ’s cottage with a 4 acre orchard suddenly came up for sale . T hanks to the recession , we were the only

people keen to buy , especially as it gave us the opportunity to sort out some long running land issues around our house and barn.

At the end of June we became the proud owners of a beautiful T raditional Orchard right beside our house. Although we have lived in

Little Wittenham for ever ( 22 years !) , we had never been into theorchard previously, it was just like stepping into a secret garden. Wefound plums and greengages galore, apples and pears of every sizeand colour , a lovely mature quince tree, plus a spread of parasol mushrooms (which are edible and delicious!). So we’ve spent awonderful summer and autumn in the orchard with lunches/ teas,

parties/camping, art groups & fruit picking days , even a bonfire part y . However we are beginning to realise just how rare Traditional Orchards have become , most have been re- developed or destroyed it seems . T here has been a steady stream of specialist groups coming tostudy the insects, birds and natural habitat in the orchard . A host of owls and foxes live there, and a large flock of Field Fare Thrush ha s

just arrived from Scandinavia and Russia to finish off the remainingwindfall apple s.

In 2010 we have pencilled in three “orchard events “o A sculpture trail during Artweek : 16-23 May o A mus ical picnic on Midsummer’s E ve ( Sunday 20 th June ) in aid

of the MS Society o Family Orchard day on Sunday 10 th October

Please do join us if you f ancy visiting us on any of these dates?? This email message was just meant to entice you to visit us in our new orchard but I suppose it would be a bit strange if I didn’t write a few lines about the family , wouldn’t it ??!!

8/14/2019 Season's Greetings Letter - Dec09

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